A Rift in the Woods

[Iliana]

Annnnd there he went again. Touching her. Making those noises that men only made when inside a bedchamber, a dingy loo, or some abandoned tavern, just for the kicks. She mentally reminded herself to ask Roffick of all the place he rutted with women. She was sure to get an earful out of that question alone because, as fate would have it, young Miriel knew nothing about the art. She only knew that one thing went into another, causing a friction, a rhythm, a dance of some sorts. Of course, she only knew this from the Seamstress and her stories. Miriel dived back into her nostalgia again, remembering clearly the face of Beckka when Miriel mentioned her womanly parts to her. The old woman nearly sent a jar of jam careening towards the door when her old bones snapped to face Miriel immediately, Miriel, younger, her hair much shorter and full of life simply stared at the old woman with a slightly tilted head.

"Am I to be silenced?"she asked in the voice of a teen woman: defiant yet curious when it came to something she didn't know. Beckka respected that, for if Miriel had been any younger, she might have stricken the young elf mage over the buttocks in punishment of her colorful curiosity! Nevertheless, Beckka let her blush wash down her agitation, giving Miriel a short, apologetic smile.

"No child. At this age you must see the eyes of the men scanning over your beautiful orbs, have you not?"

"Orbs?" Beckka nodded once, her head bending for extra emphasis towards Miriel's tiny, newly plump breasts. Miriel's black eyes flicked down to them and then back up to Beckka as if the thought hadn't registered to her. "Yes, I know I have them and most men do prize a chance to glance at them, but is there harm in that?"

"Do you prize a chance to glance at their members?" Miriel was silenced that time, her lips thinning in a tight line when Beckka raised a questioning, playful brow. The conversation thereafter was short, Miriel having heard enough from the old woman. Once she was seeped through with knowledge, Miriel made sure to keep her "beauties" under lock and key. Heavy lock and key.

However, reality forever being the trickster of her mind, those beautiful orbs tingled once Muryn purred another moan, this one with more strain in the deep undertones of his voice. Strain or not, the damage was done and it was done well. She gaped at him, her jaw slacked in awe that he was making the sound while not actually doing the process in which the sound would release. She had done nothing to him! If anything, he was the one who was torturing himself! Her bottom lay plumply against his lap, shifting until something hit her right buttocks. Curiosity peaked inside her at the sudden appearance of strength against her rear, and, looking down towards his lap, Miriel was suddenly forced to look into Muryn's eyes once his fingers trailed over her skin.

A skin that went untouched by any hands. Twas true. Just as her beauties were under lock and key, so was any other portion of her body. Not that most men wanted anything to do with her. The black eyes immediately scared them off, which posed no problem for her. It only further guaranteed her safety, privacy, and feminine freedom. However, in one simple shift of his fingers and his eyes, Muryn had broken that guarantee. Shattered it into absolutely nothing, the result being 43 shades of reds coloring her face. That stupid gape stayed on her face even when he broke the gaze between their conflicted color eyes, bringing his to a close.

...Had...Had he had enough of her gaze? Had she really shaken him with the color of her eyes as she had done so many other men before him? Did she really send him shaking away from her gaze because of her large pools of black?!

Miriel was just about to peel back a smirk of satisfaction until she saw his lips move, muttering something incoherent. She was about to, for the third time, say 'Pardon me?' until she saw a familiar flicker envelope her. It was the same sheen as the before when she was standing in all of her beautify and exposure in front of the men and Roffick, meaning more of the Wizard's magic. Miriel shut one eye, concentrating hard on preparing herself to elbow him directly in the nose if he was trying to harm her in any way. Her hands would be released and she would really be able to shrivel that manhood of his to a bean as she mentioned before. However, nothing happened for a span of two seconds. Muryn didn't move and Miriel was still trapped in his arms, her body remaining in that odd paralysis. Whatever magic it was, she wanted absolutely no part of it, shutting her eyes and (to her own surprise) squeezing his sides in a slight tinge of fear that she would be released from his embrace.

...Odd.

When the spinning in her head and stomach finally churned to a stop, Miriel let out a breath, a whimper of disorientation mixed in it when her lids peeled back. The first thing she saw was Muryn's tunic...the next thing being a hut. A hut. She was looking at a hut. Her eyes blinked twice, rapidly, scanning her surroundings to see what happened to the tree they were against only moments ago. There was no sign of the specific plant meaning that Muryn had teleported her to the hut he mentioned before. Her face fell from it's fevered blush, now paling to a ghostly white when she realized, to her horror, that she had no idea where she was. She had no recollection of anything around her, never have been in that part of the woods in all of her years.

She had been kidnapped by a deranged Wizard.

"Now..I have 'kidnapped' you." That confirmed it. That sideways glance, however dangerous it was supposed to be intended, was still oddly seductive. Miriel shook in his arms, the cold, night air delivering loving licks to her skin that was still more exposed than she wished it to be. Her eyes doubled in size as she looked at him, deep into those big pools of brown...

"...What...."she breathed, blinking one time as the look of shock suddenly melted into an innocent fear, "...Wh-what are you going to do with me, W-Wizard?" There it was. Miriel's innocence. Now out and the open for Muryn to lap up with his tongue. He had her where he wanted her and Miriel was completely defenseless. Elf mage or not, if she had stolen the book, she would still have no unearthly idea where she was. In a glance, Miriel's defiance dwindled to nothing but an innocent frown, her nose scrunching up like she was holding back tears. No one had ever seen the woman cry before but Beckka and she was not going to grace this man with the sight. No. She would rather go down on Roff...The thought nearly made her retch, but she still held his gaze, no longer embarrassed. Now just really, really frightened.

"Will you kill me? Keep me hostage so that you can get your share of riches from the High King like the evil, cold-hearted wretch you are?"she stammered, wanting the words to come out harder but becoming defeated when the fear crept into her cracking voice.

Muryn had her scared. He had won.

 

[Jukujin]

Muryn smiled at the sight of being home again. It wasn't often he came home and enjoyed his relaxation time. He took a few moments to look back when he came home, he would find himself constantly reading up on new spells trying to memorize them all. The more he knew, the sooner he would be able to get rid of the book for good and no one could use it for evil. But there were times he didn't find himself memorizing spells, and just conjuring up whatever he needed at the time. Muryn knew that along with basic stuff like cooking, cleaning, and washing he could use magic to aid him and make things just a tad easier. Learning how to conjure some vegetables always came in handy when there was nothing growing nearby. Along with vegetables, there was also a spell for making it rain.Now, weather wizards always never seemed to exciting in Muryn's eyes, but when it came to bringing life, and keeping alive..It was exciting.

The days that he wasn't here, he was out exploring the forest. There was so much to see, and so much to find. And that led to when he first encountered Roffick and his men. They didn't know what to expect when they saw Muryn just wandering through the woods, carrying this book. Roffick tried to get him to hand it over, but Muryn knew even when he was younger that the book should never leave his grasps, the spells inside were not for the feeble minded..And this man who goes around prancing about his member of one thousand thrusts..Seems like his brain in the lower half of the body. Sure enough, Muryn let Roffick know that, and caused all of the men to chase the wizard down. His escape was being able to create a pitfall behind him. From that day forward..He always being hunted down.

Bringing himself back to reality, he focused again on the hut. Hearing the sounds of right now, chirping, breathing, and a question.

"Will you kill me? Keep me hostage so that you can get your share of riches from the High King like the evil, cold-hearted wretch you are?"

Kill her? What purpose would that fill? He frowned a bit at the thought of harming Miriel. She was so beautiful to kill, even harm. Keeping her hostage does him no good, since the King would probably never give him any riches if he did return her. Shaking his head, he held her tightly to his chest as he carried her towards the hut. Making sure his arms were secured around her so she wouldn't slip and hit the ground. Looking down to see she was like almost about to burst out crying. No way did he want to see her cry, or listen to it. He smiled down at her, hopefully assuring her that everything would be alright.

"I'm not going to harm you in anyway. You're too beautiful to hurt..Or even kill.."

He walked up the pathway towards the three steps that led to the door. At the steps, he made sure to take his time. Carefully going up each one slowly so the weight wouldn't cause them to topple over. Muryn came up to the door, trying to figure out the best way to get inside. He tightened his right arm around her body as he quickly took his left arm off her body, using his hand to grab the knob, following with a turn and pushing the door inwards. Returning just in time to hold Miriel with both arms again.

"We're just going to rest here for a while..I'll even give you new clothes."

He did kind of get rid of her old ones, just to put her in revealing lingerie, which he didn't regret yet felt like he should give her some new clothes since he already had his fun at her expense. Muryn carried Miriel through the large empty space he called his kitchen room. It was basically what it was. A kitchen in a living room. In the room was a chair that had seen many days and had magical imprints on it, the chair looked new, as if it was made yesterday. Alongside that was a strange looking couch, where Muryn placed Miriel. Despite it's weird appearance, it was really soft and cozy. The material this sofa was made from was like normal sofas, even comparable to a bed. Muryn made sure he patted the spot on the couch for no reason really, perhaps it was to show he would be sitting there soon?

"Please, make yourself comfortable, my lovely. Would you care for anything to drink?..Water?..Tea?.." Gesturing with his hands as if she something else in mind. Muryn slowly began to walk backwards towards the kitchen to get a cup, or cups if she decided yes. He unsecured the book from his person and placed it on the table that was away from the chair and couch. It felt good to get that throbbing piece of leather off his side for now. Always flapping onto him, and leaving a red mark later that day. It was surprising there was no indents from it.

Muryn didn't take his eyes off Miriel though, she was terrified probably. Being in a stranger's home, a stranger who kidnapped her in a sense. He won't keep her here that long, just long enough until he can figure out how to get her back without her remembering how to get back here. But, he forgot to turn around and crashed into his cabinet, causing some of the jars that were on top to fall over and break on the floor. Muryn covered his head, shutting his eyes as the glass shattered everywhere near him. After it was over, he opened his eyes and took his arms off his head, lightly laughing.

"Whoops..Guess I should watch where I'm backing up into..I can clean this up..No problem."​

 

[Iliana]

Who was this man and what had he done to the Wizard of the Woods?

Miriel kept her eyes to his when he told her that her beauty was the only reason he didn't kill her then and there. That's when his charm left him and something else settled in behind those hazel eyes of his. No longer did he wear they playful, tantalizing smirk like he did minutes ago when he exposed her skin to the men and Roffick. Now he was holding her closely to his body as if she were a sick little child or a dove with a damaged wing. It didn't settle well in her, this sudden sincerity. She actually found herself missing that sneaky, grinning Wizard she 'met' before. The one that she wanted to have his neck hanging from a rope by a nearby tree and fed to some wild boar while she wiped her blood stained hand on her tunic. Not this...kind...almost motherly-like Wizard.

"...What?" He didn't answer her. He never answered her and that was just as well because his answers would have just brought upon more questions; questions she had no desire to deal with. So, it was a good thing that he was silent when he carried her into the hut, even though she kept her eyes behind her the entire time. She found herself thinking about Roffick, wishing that he were there so that he would save her from Muryn's hold, because, despite his words of comfort, he still kidnapped her! He still had mal-intent towards her, probably spinning her the slur of comforting words to soother her worries before he did something dastardly against her. Yes. That was it exactly. That is something an evil, malicious man with a powerful leather-bound book would do to an elf mage that wanted his source of power.

Rest. Right. I know of your intent, Wizard, and just know that I plan on making you suffer the wrath of a thousand elven priestesses for what you have done to me. The High King and I will reign victorious against your silent treachery, and, once that book is prized out of your cold, dead hands, mayhaps the buzzards will see fit to dine on your rotting flesh. That threat was the only thing keeping her from lashing out at him once he placed her on the sofa of his very, very small hut. There wasn't much to look at. Nothing but a couple of appliances, a chair, a sofa, the rest being dressers, a kitchen and things she could not see from that point. In truth, her room in the High Castle was easily 3 times bigger than that hut and she also stayed by herself. Muryn was clearly a man of little possessions, his most prized one being the book, she supposed. The book that he let lay casually on the table. Miriel's eyes slid to it once before looking towards the sink he was next to, a smile curling on her lips.

"Water." It was hard for her to construct some sort of plan with him looking at her every millisecond. Even as his hands moved swiftly over cups, he never broke his gaze from her, but Miriel was not that foolish. If she stared right back at him, he would probably be able to tell that she was thinking hard about how to get herself out of the entanglement he threw her in. Elf mages were trained to be smart, wise, cautious beings of powers, and even though Miriel had never been trained before, the espionage attitude came to her naturally. Her gaze fluttered lazily over the hut, stopping to look at different items and trinkets with disinterest. As soon as his guard was down, that was when she was going to str--

Creaaaaaaaaaa--

The cabinet shook when Muryn rammed his body into it, the jars tilting dangerously close to the edge before they flew down. The entire show was slowed down in Miriel's eyes, her mind whirring wildly when she finally found her plan. Muryn's clumsiness and lack of coordination would be his death. Without a moment's hesitation, Miriel lifted up her hand with lightening speed, making a sign that looked like the number two, the only difference being that her fingers were plastered together. Her eyes were stoned onto the slow falling jars (though they were falling quite fast in reality), before she parted her lips.

"Zhension!" The result was beautiful. The jars shattered the very second they hit the floor, sending shards of glass and it's contents all over the place. However, the real prize was the glass, for with Miriel's hand outstretched towards the glass, the shards quivered and stopped, hanging helplessly in midair. Everything else went flying on the floor except for the glass, hovering in a void in the air. Miriel took this chance to stand up, not moving her fingers apart at all. As long as she kept the sign, the shards were at her will. A very, very difficult incantation it was, but Zhension had to be used in small increments. It was not easy to stop the time and gravity of an object or objects in the blink of an eye, but Miriel was a special case. It started with something small like fluttering petals in the wind, until, eventually, she would be able to stop the movements of a human being, though she never tried that before. The glass would do. She took a foreboding step towards the room where Muryn was located, her eyes never leaving his. They were burrowed in rage and malice, most likely the angriest she had ever been.

"Now, you listen to me and you listen very well, Wizard,"she spat out, not bothering to use his real name. He was so passed being a man in her eyes. He was nothing but a sniveling snake that needed to be stripped of it's skin, muscle, and life. "What you have done to me is unforgivable. My implores were simple. Hand the book unto me so that I may return it to safe and trusting palms, and you not only deny me that duty, but you also kidnap me in front of the brave men of Riv!" Each and every time her voice rose with emphasis, the glass shook next dangerously close to his skin. Her lips curled into both a snarl and a smirk.

"Do not think...for a mere second...that I will leave this disgusting place unhanded. Nay...That book will be given to the High King, whether it has your blood on it or naught!" To add emphasis to her threat, she took the last step into the kitchen, the sign now spreading to where all five of her fingers were spread apart, looking much like the number 5. Instantly, the glass shards spread around him, now separating into a hundred or so pieces around him, swirling momentarily around him while her hand stayed spread, the look in her eyes being impossible to dissect with them being full black.

"You move, you perish." It was as simple as that.

 

[Jukujin]

How embarrassing, clumsy, and silly of Muryn. He was to focused on accommodating to his lovely guest that he forgot to turn around and watch where he was going. Guess she would have to wait a little bit longer for her water now, this mess couldn't just lay here.. Oh well, accidents happened..As well surprises. Muryn didn't move as he watched Miriel took action once the jar fell to the ground. Her fingers shot out like she was trying to reverse the jar. That would've been nice..If she could have saved that jar and not have to clean up the mess before him. Muryn opened his mouth ready to thank her for the kind gesture, but it seemed she had other plans.

The glass was hovering right there, while everything else plummeted to the floor. She had such an impressive hold on the glass it amazed Muryn. He was just about to move over to her when he noticed something about her. She was filled with much more anger and fire within then she was before..Muryn couldn't tell if she was being serious or extremely cute..Either way he wasn't going to try to confront her..Not after she demanded he listen to her.

She began to talk, but while she was, he didn't bother to listen to everything she said. Instead he only caught certain parts of her response because she was probably going to ramble about what he did to her and the silly ol' book. It's always about the book..Never.. Oh..You didn't do this! Or you did that..Nope..Always the book. Muryn sighed and laid his eyes on her features again. How nicely the lingerie laid on her hips and held her breasts. Even though the glass that was now closing on his skin was in her grasp and she could easily kill him and take the book, Muryn remained calm.

What other choice did he have? Freak out and try to run and he was going to die. Move forward, probably dead too. Miriel had impressed him even more now, she outplayed him and did it very well. He smiled at her and folded his arms over his chest. A look of surprise and impressiveness. Even though he really wanted to sit down and not stand..Standing for so long in one spot bothered him, might as well be sitting. Muryn slowly descended down, making sure not to move out of his spot, but only down so he could sit as he looked up at Miriel.

"So..Am I supposed to stay in these shards while you..dance?..Or..strip?..What?.."

Muryn figured that he could make a joke and also help her realize she was still in the lingerie. Hm..She could make it back to High King. She really can! Unless someone or something caught her again, and she would wind up in a possibly worse situation. Miriel was by no means stupid though, she could take care of herself if she ever encountered danger..Then why did she wait so long when dealing with him? Muryn shook the thoughts out of his head, raising his hands up to support his chin.

"Very well, Miriel. You win." Muryn looked in the direction of the book on the table then back to her. Noticing something else about her. "Oh..What lovely legs you have." Before he switched back to the main problem, the book as always. "You can take the book, I've been beaten..Beaten by an elf in lingerie." He sighed as if he was truly defeated but Muryn had one other trick up his sleeve that she would not be expecting. The book that was on the table, the one he carried on his person when she first met him...was a fake. Yes, he carried it around to make it seem like he was guarding it; which he still is, the real book is safely secured in his hut in a place only his knowing. The fake book looked just as real and believable as the actual one, but the main difference were the spells inside the book, they were cheap little tricks used for joking and illusions. Muryn shrugged and leaned forward trying to see if the shards were really that sharp, sure enough when he touched one, he started to bleed.

"Huh..Yep, sharp."​

 

[Iliana]

She forgot. How could she forget!? How could something so important and blatant pass right by her that easily? At the first chance to grab at the book and bring it to the rightful pair of hands, had her common sense and awareness left her that quickly? Obviously so, for if it hadn't, Miriel wouldn't have been standing with a dumbfounded look of shock and embarrassment on her face.

It started when he skirted his eyes below her neck and collar bone, down to a region where his eyes shouldn't have been. For some reason, she was upset that he wasn't looking her directly in the eye after she did all of that work trying to scare him half insane. There were flying shards of glass around him and yet he couldn't even make eye contact with her? Miriel opened her mouth to shout an obscenity at him, before she realized exactly where his eyes were. Her own slid down to the same area, greeted with the sight of her plump breasts squeezed tight in the middle of the red and black laced lingerie. Lingerie.

She had completely forgotten she was wearing lingerie.

"So..Am I supposed to stay in these shards while you..dance?..Or..strip?..What?.." It made her so mad. It made her so mad that she couldn't snap back at him! She was frozen to the core, her fingers still outspread to hold Zhension in play, but that didn't mean that the ferocity in her eyes was still apparent. No. Miriel was lost in her only little trance, standing unbelieving in the reality that she was directly in front of a Wizard...a Wizard that was gazing at her almost bare body. His comment only bought a small squeak out of her, not the best thing to do while she was trying to threaten his life. The book was still lying on the table, and though he did say she could take it, she still couldn't move. Moving would have been bad. It would have given him reason to continue to stare at her...at her body. The angry pink in her cheeks darkened to another deep red. The ferocity and animosity was gone and replaced by embarrassment.

Yet again.

Muryn's sudden movement caught her off guard, the expression of shock falling with the potential threat ahead of her. Her hand shoved out a little more menacingly, causing the glass to spin a little bit faster. Not a lot, but enough to prove her point. She told him if he moved, he perished, and perished he did. Well, if you could call a small cut perishing. He didn't look to phased about the glass. In fact, he was amused at the entire ordeal! The anger came back to her, thank the Gods, and it could have come at a better time! Miriel was a little bit more aware of her current state, and though the blush was still in play, she wasn't going to let the chance to grab the book slip out of her fingers. In that sense, she was in control. She was on top. She had free reign to do whatever she wished, lingerie or not.

"You have lost, Wizard. I will do what you say and take the book, and with it, all of the powers you believed you carried. It is only but a leather bound stack of parchment to me, but out of your hands and into the hands of the High King, it has determined to state of Riv in it's spells. Now it is not used for your silly tree games or clothing altering spells." She said all of this while inching ever so closely to the book on the table, her gaze never leaving his, which was tough. The charm was back and with it came her blushing. Miriel looked like an idiot, threatening him while her cheeks botched with an ugly red and Muryn cracking but a smile. He was doing it again! Making her stomach twists into knots! Miriel stopped speaking, fingers grazing over the front of the book while her eyes remained on his. He hadn't moved. She glared and snatched the book with her free hand quickly, as if he were close enough to lunge out her while doing so. Still, with the glass spinning around him, Muryn had no hopes of attacking her.

In those short seconds, she had won.

"Well, it seems I have outsmarted you, oh Dread Wizard of the Woods,"she cooed sarcastically, managing the smallest of smirks as she inched towards the door. Her hand was still facing him and even at that distance, her spell remained, glass hovering dangerously close to his skin. "Chase me if you will. You will only find death...or nothing at all." At that, Miriel snapped out of the door of the hut, running away with her hand still facing his residency. The spells effects were soon wearing off, any glass around him shaking and faltering before eventually cascading to the floor around his feet. By that time, however many seconds had passed, Miriel was already halfway in the woods. It was pitch black, so late in the eve that she was almost positive the hour must have been early morn. She was not even an hour into Muryn's hut before leaving out of it with the book in hand.

The book. She had the book.

Miriel kept it shoved tightly under her arms while she sprinted past bristled bushes and broken logs, tripping once or twice but otherwise making good time. She did not want to be seen in the woods wearing what she was wearing. Especially if Roffick and his men were still there, which she seriously doubted. The bozos had probably given up on finding her, relaying to the High King of her kidnapping and probably not getting a blink from him in the matter. Oh well. She never wanted to be important to the man anyway. Her job was to do whatever he told her to do and she had done it well. She single-handedly recovered the book from a malicious man, and though he did strange things to her and her body, the book was in her possession, soon to be the High King's. Riv could rest easy now. That was the only thought that fueled the pumping of her legs as she ran through the forest, getting closer and closer to the gates of the kingdom without looking behind her one time. Miriel was too close to victory to falter then.