Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Hama Valon, the city around the Grey Tower.
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Welcome to Hama Valon! The aptly named 'mountain guard' is the city that has grown up at the gates of the Grey Tower at the western edge of the Two Rivers. Like all cities, there are quiet quarters with pleasant inns, such as Elman's Creek, which used to be the nearest village when the Tower was young, but was absorbed as the new city grew; its Band of Brothers Inn is still a favorite relaxation spot for many of the Tower's denizens. And again, like all cities the world over, there are less pleasant places--narrow, nameless streets that house hells and other houses of ill repute. Most of the city falls somewhere in between, with hawkers crying their wares in the streets, respectable shopkeepers ready to serve you, and petty cutpurses happy to follow you.

Novices, Soldiers, and drin'far'ji must be accompanied by a chaperon when outside Tower walls or they risk being picked up as runaways and duly punished.
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Locke
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Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Post by Locke » February 13th, 2017, 3:35 am

Nasrin
Tonight was one of those nights Nasrin’s brain just refused to shut up. It hadn’t quite reached the point where her brain felt like it was screaming, but it was close. Nasrin had learned this feeling at a young age. The feeling of her thoughts racing without any coherent thoughts to latch on to. Instead of clear thoughts, there was just noise. The noise overwhelmed everything. In class, she could feel her teachers glare at her as she tapped her pencil or jiggled her leg. Their lectures went in one ear and out the other when she was like this. Last night, while Kaira was out of their room, Nas had even hurled one of her beloved math books across the room out of frustration. Why was this so hard for her? Who had she been fooling with those thick books full of problems and complex proofs? She was just a stupid little girl.

She sat on her bed, watching her best friend snore softly. How did she do it? She never had trouble with her classes. Sometimes, even the simplest of academic tasks were a challenge. Scrubbing tears from her eyes she quietly climbed from bed and began to dress.


Some time later, Nasrin stood on roof top in the city. Often, on nights like this, when her brain wouldn’t stop talking and refused to speak a recognizable language, she found silence in a bottle. Her usual contact within the guard was nowhere to be found however. So she ventured forth into the city. She had planned to go to a tavern, but the rooftops called to her. So she tied her skirts up like woman she’d seen working in fields and began to climb. She didn’t know exactly where she was going, but somewhere high seemed in order.

Nas’ mind felt blessedly calm as she climbed up drain pipes and decorative brick work and scurried across rooftops. Maybe it was the cool night air. Maybe it was the exertion. Either way, she could hear her own thoughts. She didn’t know what any of the buildings were in the day, but at night they were all fanciful palaces and towering spiers. Compulsively, she continued to climb higher. She finally came across a massive building. A black mountain covered in twinkling lights in the darkness. She would climb it.

Taking off at a run, she reached the edge of her roof and threw herself into the night. Her stomach lurched as she fell, but her leap carried her far enough to grab a rain gutter on the next building. She pulled herself up and began to feel around in the dark for hand holds. Finally, she found some sort of stone ornamentation and began to climb along it. An enthusiastic grin split her face climbed. Her white dress might give her away, but she couldn’t find it within her to care. She felt free for the first time in ages. It wasn’t the sea, but this was a world only a select few would ever experience.

Pulling herself to the very pinnacle of the large building, Nasrin threw her head back and let out a triumphant hoot. Idiot girl, she thought, You’ll wake the neighbors. She couldn’t truly bring herself to care though. She felt giddy with triumph. Class tomorrow would be as soul crushing as before, but at least she had this night. She embraced Saidar letting the unrivaled feeling of joy and belonging well within her. The stars above glittered down just for her. This was her night and nobody could take that from her. Not even Vanay and her slipper.

After several minutes of simply exalting in life itself, Nasrin decided it was time to head back. Instead of taking the same path up, she decided that it would be interesting to take a different path back down. She hadn’t gotten very far when she saw something that gave her pause. Peeking over the the edge of the roof, she saw a familiar figure leaning on the balcony railing. Hear heart lept and she almost squealed, Jaryd! She could recognize those dark curls anywhere. She should keep moving. He was an Asha’man and she was a Novice out of the Tower after hours. However, she hadn’t seen him in ages and she really wanted to talk. Adrenaline still corsed through her veins and she felt nearly immortal. With a wicked grin plastered across her face, she lept down to his level and threw her arms around him in a tight hug from behind, and said, “Hello Sailor,” in an overly sweet voice.
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Sunny
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Re: Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Post by Sunny » February 14th, 2017, 7:16 am

Jaryd
The inability to sleep had been a boon in Jaryd’s youth. His mind could keep him busy and awake for days, carrying his gang through whatever danger they might face without a flicker of distress. As a soldier he had been forced to spend hours staring into silent darkness; as a Dedicated, he had taken things into his own hands and begun to creep out of the Tower. As an Asha’man...even Kaia’s love had not been able to keep him indoors when dreams remained far away and the night wind called to him.

Sometimes he simply ran and climbed, glorying in the anonymous freedom that gray clothes and shadows gave him. Nobody knew he was Asha’man Jaryd out there. In fact, many in the city knew him by another name entirely: Adwal. That name had belonged to his right hand man in Ebou Dar...a man whose fate still caused many questions to rise in the Altaran’s mind. For now, it pleased Jaryd to allow his friend to live on.

At other times he crept from building to building, testing windows and doors until he found one he could slip through to explore a stranger’s livelihood with curious fingers. Sometimes he found something he liked and would replace it with coins. Sometimes he simply left coins, or food, or curious trinkets. It amused him and kept his mind busy.

Occasionally he simply needed the solace of silence beneath the moon to quiet the barrage of information within his mind enough so he could sort himself out. He had particular places he liked to haunt at such times; one of them was a wide balcony on a manor -perhaps more aptly a small palace- in the upper city. The double doors behind him led to a woman’s bedchamber, but she was rarely home. When she was, he found other places to lurk out of respect for her privacy.

On that particular night the lady was absent, but something else rather curious took place that captured his interest in its entirety. Someone in white was scampering about on the buildings around him. The figure was neither cautious nor quiet; Jaryd tracked the path of his unexpected companion by sound alone when it passed from his sight, and shook his head with amusement.

Abruptly all went silent. He thought he knew who the figure in white might be, but only time would tell if she were brave enough to approach him, or try to creep back to the Tower undetected. A soft thud and rapid footsteps alerted him to company, and he started to push himself upright.

The informal greeting was not abnormal, but the abrupt embrace caught him by surprise. The Asha’man straightened in shock, hands rising to cover those circling his shoulders. Few people dared touch him at all. “It’s been a while,” he said in a pleased tone. “I’m glad to see you still have your fire...though you sounded like a herd of angry cats out there. If you’re going to go leaping about a city at night, you need to work on your stealth or the Guard will be all over you.” His chuckle held no malice.

He turned in Nasrin’s arms then, looking up at her with one eyebrow raised. “What are you doing out of bed?” he asked finally, his tone still friendly, but with a touch of firm authority.
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False alarm- there's still a song for me; I'm just about around to sing it
There's still a chance for me...and I'm still here singing.

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Locke
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Re: Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Post by Locke » February 24th, 2017, 12:33 pm

Nas
She let out a soft gasp as he turned to face her. His hair had brushed her cheek and now he stood so close. Inappropriately close. There was barely enough light to see him by, but she could feel him. She could also smell him. He smelled of spices. It wasn’t a strong smell, but it was there. Myrrh, jasmine, and cloves were all particularly notable, momentarily transporting her back to her smuggling days. She could feel his breath on her face, the rise and fall of his chest. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on his body. It was easy to forget by looking at him, but the small man was incredibly muscular.

Nas held on, thoughts clouding, only listening with half an ear. Almost without thinking, she found herself tilting her head down to…. No! she released him and leapt back. Pulse thumping in her ears, cheeks burning, the Novice said, “I’m sorry Asha’man Jaryd. I couldn’t sleep.” She bit her lip for a moment before forging on. Maybe wouldn’t notice her earlier indiscretion. As she spoke, she unknotted her skirts and let the hems fall decently around her ankles. “Why are you up?” she said in a soft voice, “Can’t sleep either?”
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Re: Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Post by Sunny » March 2nd, 2017, 6:08 am

Jaryd
The novice did not let go as Jaryd had expected- at least not immediately. As he fell silent he found himself looking up to meet her eyes with their bodies pressed far more closely than he had intended. I should step away, he thought dazedly. He’d just asked her a question, she was a novice, they were on a roof for the love of the Light! And yet…his body relaxed unconsciously and his hands shifted ever so slightly to be more comfortable. The Red could feel the woman’s heart fluttering and pounding against him, undeniable evidence that she was just as aware of, and affected by, their unexpected proximity as he.

The Altaran saw the slight shift in Nasrin’s posture but his confused mind did not quite grasp what the younger woman intended until she had yanked herself away. As chilly air replaced the warm presence that had stolen his ability to think, Jaryd let himself sag backward ever so slightly to let his weight rest against the balcony rail. His breath was rapid and shallow, though he struggled to keep it quiet lest it betray his reaction to his companion. A novice! For some reason that seemed less important in the shadows of night than it did by day.

It seemed safer to simply pretend like nothing had happened at all. Jaryd closed his eye and tilted his face up to the moon with a slight smile, focusing on his breathe until he’d gotten himself under control. “No, I couldn’t sleep.” Thankfully his voice remained steady. “Though to be honest, I’m used to it. Most nights I come out here for at least a little while. The city brings me peace from nightmares, busy thoughts, and the responsibilities of my station.” The Altaran’s eyelashes fluttered up for a moment as he looked at the freckled woman. “Out here I am simply Jaryd...or sometimes Adwal, if I think the person in question will put name to face.”

After a moment the Asha’man added, “What’s keeping you awake, Nasrin? Is the Tower treating you well?”
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False alarm- there's still a song for me; I'm just about around to sing it
There's still a chance for me...and I'm still here singing.

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Locke
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Re: Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Post by Locke » March 4th, 2017, 2:44 pm

Nas
Before answering, she sat next to the Asha'man, back against the rail. “The Tower is fine. Most of the time,” she shifted at the memory of her last trip to the Mistress of Novices’ study. “I just… I don't know. Sometimes I feel stupid. I'll sit in class listening to the teachers, but half the time I can't even sit still long enough to write notes. I take my homework to the library, but even then I feel like my head is full of bees. Curfew makes it even worse. They make study when my thoughts refuse to sit still. It usually doesn't last,” she scrubbed at her cheek. Where had these tears come from?

“It's getting worse these days? I can't even sleep and my grades are slipping.” Jaryd was an Asha'man, he'd be mad at her for slacking off. He was different though; she felt as if she could just talk to him without fear of judgment. Stopping herself room leaning her head against his thigh, she continued, “Some of my teachers think I'm really smart, but they say I'm not applying myself. Can't they see? I'm not smart. I'm not what they think I am.” Sometimes she wanted the mask to be ripped away so everyone would see the truth, at the same time, however, she had come to like it here.
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Re: Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Post by Sunny » March 22nd, 2017, 4:28 am

Jaryd
After Nasrin fell quiet, Jaryd dropped down to sit next to her. He hesitated a moment, not wanting to give the freckled girl the wrong idea, but then his desire to comfort won over caution. The Red slipped an arm around her shoulders with his hand resting against the side of her head, and pulled the younger woman against his side. Perhaps the moment earlier had meant more to her than she let on and perhaps it had been an accident magnified by moonlight. It didn’t matter; she sounded miserable and that happened to be something he could help with.

“I had similar issues,” he said. “I went from a life very similar to how you saw me in Tanchico to a life very similar to the one you are living...without a whole lot of time to prepare. I was bored. I picked fights with my teachers, I got into mischief, and I didn’t care about the repercussions. I spent twelve years as a soldier because I could not get my act together.” His tone was rueful. “When I earned my pin I could choose how and when and what I studied, and….abruptly everything changed. The buzzing stopped, and I could think again...though I’m afraid I never did pick up good sleeping habits.” His fingers began to roll in comforting circles through her hair.

“What I have learned since then is that we are not all built alike. The problem isn’t that you aren’t smart, Nasrin. In fact, it’s likely the exact opposite. Your mind gets bored of doing the same thing over and over...usually because you got it the first time, but sometimes it’s just plain boring to you. Who can blame you? History can be deadly dull.”

The Altaran smoothed her hair down and gave her a squeeze with his arm. “Does that seem about accurate?”
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False alarm- there's still a song for me; I'm just about around to sing it
There's still a chance for me...and I'm still here singing.

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Locke
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Re: Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Post by Locke » March 22nd, 2017, 11:23 am

Nas
Eventually, Nasrin was completely cried out. She sat with her legs curled beneath her and her cheek touched against his chest. Somewhere along the line, her arms had snaked back around his torso, and she clung like she would have to a piece of flotsam in a storm. A tiny voice in the back of her head screamed, that This was dangerous. She was a foolish girl and he a fully raised Asha’man. She couldn’t quite bring herself to listen to it. Another thought thundered in her head, louder even than her pounding heart. He understood her. Nobody understood her. Most of her teachers at best assumed she was stupid, at worst that she was mean spirited and lazy. In her better moments she knew neither of those things were true. And he, Jaryd, had seen that too.

It was a wonder she’d even been able to think that much. His fingers in her hair were rapidly turning her brain to jelly. She almost lowered her head into his lap, but distant warnings in her head stopped her. “Yes,” she said in a breathy murmur, “I love mathematics, but my teacher’s teach so slowly. Even when I have the answers right, they want it done ‘their way.’ Even if that way makes less sense.” A note of bitterness crept into her voice, but Jaryd’s fingers through her hair quickly smoothed it away.

Without her prior approval, her hand had begun to slide down his chest. She was more a freckled puddle than a Novice at this point and couldn’t quite find it within herself to be shocked at the forwardness of the gesture. A fragment of common sense however, had her grab a fist full of his shirt, just above is belt. If that hand decided to keep traveling south, she would know, and hopefully not be too far gone to stop it.

Maybe sitting up would be safer. Oh, Light, she had been wrong. For a brief instant, she felt his breath on her neck, and she was almost settling herself into his lap. Self control won out for the most part and she knelt next to the Asha’man still gripping his shirt. She bit her lip as her better judgement screamed warnings through the fog in her brain. Eyes closed, and forehead resting against his, she whispered, “This is dangerous isn’t it.” Her lips were quirked into a smile, but she meant it. This was dangerous. They were adults, they knew better. It killed her to admit it, but they needed to walk away. Now.
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Re: Tonight the City is mine [Attn: Marlz/Jaryd]

Post by Sunny » March 26th, 2017, 9:47 pm

Contrary to popular belief, Jaryd does have self control
The first incident might have been an accident, but this time there was no mistaking the intent behind the novice’s movement even before she spoke. Jaryd stiffened, their prior exchange forgotten as ten different potential courses of action crossed his mind at once. None of them, he was quite certain, were what the freckled girl wanted, but that simply something she would have to live with. Decision made, the Void snapped around him like a metaphoric shield.

The Asha’man’s hands rose, long fingers wrapping around Nasrin’s upper arms and pushing her away from him with inexorable strength. She shifted, clearly intending on scrambling away on her own steam, but he did not release his grip. Instead he pushed himself to his feet at a deliberate pace, pulling the young woman up with him before finally letting go. He drew every shred of authority he possessed about him as they faced one another, his face devoid of expression and his hands linked behind his back. The deliberate distance he had created, both physical and mental, could not be mistaken.

She was embarrassed; he could sense it in her posture, hear it in her breath. It didn’t matter; some things had to be addressed directly. “My answer to your unspoken question is and will always be no,” he said, his tone even. “Even if you were not a novice, I would still refuse. My face may be young, but it is likely I was a child when your grandmother was still a babe in a swaddling gown. There are some lines that simply should not be crossed...and that is definitely one.” He nearly had only a few minutes before, but he knew it would not have gone far regardless. There truly were limits to acceptability.

He kept his sigh to himself. Why couldn’t she have continued to talk about the things they did have in common? That conversation might have been beneficial for both of them, but now he dared not re-open that door.
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False alarm- there's still a song for me; I'm just about around to sing it
There's still a chance for me...and I'm still here singing.

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