TRP Posted November 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 Xarame trotted alongside Arcus, passing through the huge rotting doors of the castle. She stood for a moment when they got inside, looking around at the ruined grandeur of the entrance hall, a look of saddened familiarity on her face. "There is a tower, in the West wing," She said quietly, after a few minutes, "It should be safe, and give us a good vantage point." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 "How do you... know?" Arcus asked her, staring at Xarame with surprise. Definitely, more than meets the eye... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 "I have been here before... A long time ago..." Xarame said, quietly, trotting off down a sidehall towards the Western wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 Arcus had watched her trot off, tempted to press her for more information...But, as he had just remembered earlier...There are some things best left behind.Silently following after her, he listened, and wondered... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 Xarame kept trotting down the hall until she came to an alcove in the wall. She counted the stones on the wall beside it, then paused for a moment, before pushing it with her hoof. There was a grinding noise, a cloud of dust, and the back of the alcove slid to the side, revealing a spiral staircase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 16, 2015 Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 Arcus stared on in disbelief; when the hell was that installed?"Uh... Okay? Random secret passage?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 Xarame shrugged, cryptically. "Not random as such... but little known; we should be safe in here," She checked Barenziah was okay, then headed up the winding, narrow stairs, the hidden door sliding closed behind them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 16, 2015 Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 Arcus looked around, both curious and unsure, as they trotted up the seemingly endless flight of stairs..."We find out something new everyday, I guess. Never thought there'd be passages like this here..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 "You have been to the castle before?" Xarame asked, as they reached the top of the stairs, and exited into a moderately sized round room. It was the the top of one of the castle's towers, as evidenced by the shape, and the view out over the forest that could be seen from the window. It had obviously been somepony's study and bedchamber; most of it's walls were covered by fitted bookshelves, apart from the door, window, and a large stone fireplace. There was also a desk, a small alchemy table, and a large four poster bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 16, 2015 Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 "I've lead many, many teams here. We make sure that the castle isn't being used as... well, a home. It would be quite dangerous if, for example, a Ursa Minor found it's way into here." Arcus chuckled, looking about as they exited into the spacious room.Stepping into the space, Arcus turned to look at the view outside, the view over the forest..."Woah..." He whispered, taking in the room's appearance, and the view that went with it...Impressive architecture, indeed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 Xarame smiled a little at Arcus' reaction to the room, and trotted over to the fireplace, gently setting Barenziah down a safe distance from it. She placed a couple of logs from the still-stocked wood store into the hearth, and then sprinkled a hoofful of strange purple powder over them, before pulling out a flint and steel, to light it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 16, 2015 Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 Arcus trotted over to the window, staring out into the cool night sky. Leaning on his bow slightly, he smiled."... Staring at the stars never gets old... " Arcus sighed, looking way up, towards the twinkling stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 "Indeed," Xarame said quietly, having gotten the fire going, "They are as beautiful as they are dangerous," The fire was burning with a warm orange flame, but it didn't seem to be giving off any smoke, or consuming the logs. It was, however, producing enough heat to warm the whole room nicely. Checking once more on the sleeping timberwolf, Xarame stood and trotted over to the window, to watch the stars with Arcus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 "Bah, danger. Ponies could do with taking their minds off of it, once in a while." Arcus chuckled, twirling his bow around in his hooves."Gives them the courage to try things they probably wouldn't... Useful thing to do, sometime." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 "Courage is not ignoring danger," Xarame said, looking up at the stars, "That is just foolishness; courage is knowing the danger is there, and acting anyway." She sighed, and looked down at the forest, seeming almost to look though it... "Though both will kill you easily, if you let them..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 "Death holds no fear for me, Xarame." Arcus chuckled, pointing his bow out over the forest. "If I die, to a creature, or to the land... Well, I'm dead!" He laughed. "Nothing we can really do about that... But we can change what we do before it happens." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 "Nothing we can do about death? If only that were the case..." Xarame said, glancing briefly at Arcus, before gazing up at the stars once more. "Besides, Arcus, there are a great many fates worse than death..." She added, with a slightly haunted look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 "Ah, well, those are fates that I do not want to experience." Arcus laughed, glancing over at Xarame."I doubt anypony... Or anything, for that matter, wants to." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 Xarame smiled weakly. "Want rarely comes into it." She looked at the stars a moment longer, then shivered, and went to sit by the fire, next to Barenziah, who was still sleeping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 "Oh, true... We don't always get what we want..." Arcus sighed to himself, although he was still smiling...... Did he ever stop smiling?Watching Xarame sit over by the fire, however, he spoke."So... Would you like me to keep watch for the night?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 "That is usually a wise precaution," She said, looking back at him, "But it should not be necessary tonight; this tower really is secure. You notice how undisturbed it is? Wild creatures cannot get in here." She gave him a small smile, leaving it up to him as she carefully unwrapped Barenziah's bandages to see how she was healing; she was pleasantly surprised, at this rate the timberwolf would be able to walk again by morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 "Oh, well..." Arcus chuckled, trotting over to the fire."... I guess I'm just a little bit too used to living life in danger." He laughed, sitting down and starting to unbuckle and remove his armor, causing muffled thumps of metal to echo throughout the room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 Xarame chuckled softly as she watched him undo buckles and remove plates. "I have never understood how you ponies wear such suits," She said, prodding at one of the removed pieces, "They seem so heavy and restrictive," Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcus Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 "Oh, well, you get used to that as well. But it's pretty useful... Definitely saved my life more than once." Arcus chuckled, pulling off his helmet, and letting his chocolate brown mane fall free. Setting it down on the ground beside him, he stared into the fire."Part of the reason why you don't see as many Pegasi passing into the guard, actually. Armor's too heavy for them to fly... But of course, they'd probably be dead without armor." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRP Posted November 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 Xarame nodded, tilting her head curiously; he looked very different out of his armour, she hadn't even really realised what colour his mane was... "We zebra sometimes wear armour," She said, looking back at the pieces on the floor, "Although it is lighter, made of leather so as not to hinder movement. Most of our fighters wear it." She frowned a little. "Or... at least they did..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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