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destinyfell2016-07-18 12:16 am
meteorrains) wrote in destinyfell2016-07-18 12:16 am
» Action Four | Cloud And Tifa «
[It seemed as if the world was spinning impossibly fast, twirling rapidly around it's axis in such a way that made time seem to move much quicker than average. Somehow, without truly realizing it as he had lived it, the entirely day had passed within the blink of an eye. Party after party, all which absolutely required his attendance. Each with a multitude of people who had not seen in years, all welcoming him home, all congratulating him on leading their army to victory. All praising him for managing to make it through a nasty war which had claimed many lives unscathed.
Learning that he was being gifted his own household located in the city as a present from his father had come just as dinner was about to begin, everyone raising a glass and cheering as the news was announced. He had nodded in acceptance, had thanked his father profusely for this grace and generosity, had listened to endless speeches of how lucky he was to have such a noble and wealthy family.
All he wanted in the entire world was a soft place to lay his head, to sleep knowing that peace had fallen over the land, that despite the previous years of suffering, he was finally safe.
Slipping his shoes off, he placed them upon the mat directly inside the door, closing it behind him and moving further into the house his father had chosen. It was well decorated, tasteful and bright, perfect for someone who would soon be searching for a wife. His chamber was easy enough to locate, the door slide back into place carefully. Each garment was peeled from his body slowly, until nothing the pants remained. Something cracked along his spine as he moved, muscled sore and stiff and for once, he wished he had stayed at his fathers estate. At least there he would be able to take a warm bath, or have one of his fathers servants message the area for him.
Sighing softly, he lifted a hand to rub gently at his neck, stretching slightly, before resuming the motion, trying to ease away the ache.]
Learning that he was being gifted his own household located in the city as a present from his father had come just as dinner was about to begin, everyone raising a glass and cheering as the news was announced. He had nodded in acceptance, had thanked his father profusely for this grace and generosity, had listened to endless speeches of how lucky he was to have such a noble and wealthy family.
All he wanted in the entire world was a soft place to lay his head, to sleep knowing that peace had fallen over the land, that despite the previous years of suffering, he was finally safe.
Slipping his shoes off, he placed them upon the mat directly inside the door, closing it behind him and moving further into the house his father had chosen. It was well decorated, tasteful and bright, perfect for someone who would soon be searching for a wife. His chamber was easy enough to locate, the door slide back into place carefully. Each garment was peeled from his body slowly, until nothing the pants remained. Something cracked along his spine as he moved, muscled sore and stiff and for once, he wished he had stayed at his fathers estate. At least there he would be able to take a warm bath, or have one of his fathers servants message the area for him.
Sighing softly, he lifted a hand to rub gently at his neck, stretching slightly, before resuming the motion, trying to ease away the ache.]
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Never before had such a small affair generated so much gossip before it had even taken place. Weeks of quiet whispers and gentle prodding, trying to gain information as to what was being planned for his father's birthday celebration. It was an important year, and the celebration must match the prestige of making it to such an age.
There had been offers, of course, from men who were looking to make a strategic match for their daughter, from women who tried to use their wiles to make sure their child would be chosen as his partner for the evening. Wouldn't that be wild? Being introduced for the first time as the woman Cloud Strife was currently courting at such an important affair? Being seen by half of the city on the arm of a man who had fought battles and won wars? A man who had political pull and the wealth that came along with being born into such a family.
None had been accepted, and his solo attendance had generated more talk and discussion and gossip then any other would have.
There were a number of women in which he had danced with; mother and daughters and wives of important dignitaries and the men his father worked with, ones who would expect and appreciate such respect and chivalry. There had been whispered inquires, spoken in hushed tones to his own mother by other's, asking if a marriage had already been arranged. And she had responded in kind, stating that her son was newly back from war and was taking much needed time to adjust to a more civilian life style.
And so that rumor had begun to circulate, and by the end of the night it had become the acceptable explanation. Couple with the plethora of topics provided by such a spectacular affair, and it had bought him more than a little time before the worry would be brought back up.
He would be sure to thank his mother for his quick thinking and wit when he next saw her, perhaps with the new string of pearls she had been lamenting over needing for most of the evening.
Each member of the staff had already been thanked in kind, personally and with the generous bonus that would be accompanying their weekly allowances. Everything had been utterly perfect, with nary a noticeable slip or misstep. Those who had been hired on for the night had been well compensated, each musician and geisha receiving twice what they normally would for performing at such an affair. Another rumor which would no doubt spread, and likely his generosity would earn him a certain level of respect among the more kind hearted.
The night had played out perfectly, dealing more than a few cards into their hand. Ones that could be kept and played when most needed.
Something had caught his attention, had struck him in the middle of a conversation and left him spell bound and silent. It was entirely possible that she knew of his place of birth - it was public knowledge, his father had never kept it a secret that they were from the infamous village, had never been silent about how much the burning of it had affected them all. It was just as possible that his father's geisha had mentioned it, had brought up how his father would enjoy hearing some of the more tradition songs, transformed into beautiful, haunting melodies by her hands.
But it was a thought that had stuck with him, one that he was unable to shake, even now that the festivities had ended and there was only the sound of wicker against wood to remind them that it had ever happened at all.
Still dressed in the formal kimono that had been specially tailored for the occasion, shades of dark blue and rich black displayed perfectly against pale skin, playing up the lighter colors of his hair and setting off the deep intensity of his eyes. Even that had been a product of her hand, both in the finding of the tailor and in the recommendations she had made.
This night was his triumph, but purely in name alone. This battle had been won by her.]
It was a good night. [Voice light as he approached her, smile far brighter than any he had offered before. Her grace and wit had more than earned it.] I am afraid that, since you have yet to make me laugh, I can not offer you the obi that would please you most. But I do hope that you will accept this, as a token of my thanks.
[In his hands was a small, ornate wooden box, formed of warm, dark oak and adorned with bright depictions of willow blossoms. Inside lay a pendant, threaded upon a thin gold chain, cradled within a sea of rich blue velvet.]
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She had been right...
The thought drifted down through her tired mind like petals falling in moonlight. The right tailor had turned him from handsome to dangerous and even the way he moved had changed. He had been graceful before. Now that grace held a dangerous smooth edge, like a knife wrapped in silk. The tailor she had suggested might have been out of favor with court for loving his unadorned lines and for his ronin status after his lord died honorably - but not after tonight. Not after the guests had seen the way the lord's son looked in his own clothes.
His eyes had always been the most polished and shifting shade of beautiful blue.
It was his smile though that warmed her down to her bare toes, filling her all the way up like warm sake down through the blood and she inhaled, waking to it, her own lips softening and curving and real just for him, unguarded and unaffected. His first words told her everything and she was safe to relax into the warmth of a job well done without stipulations.]
It must be a very great obi for the price I am paying for it.
[But the teasing was soft and her eyes were warm and laughing. And curious as she reached out to take the box from him. It was his first gift to her and she was curious as to what it would tell her.
It told her he had peeked under the white powder of her mask and her face softened even as the female delight at a pretty thing washed over it. The box, also a gift, got set reverently on the railing as she lifted out the pendent.]
oh danna... [She sighed it as if it was his intimate name, stone cradled in her palms. Dragons for power and strength, wisdom and blessing. Her thumbs stroked over them. She didn't miss the fact there were two. But the stone itself was the color of her eyes and she held it up to her snowy cheek before raising them to look at him without lifting her face, tone somewhere between chiding and pleased.]
You've been paying attention, my lord.
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Giving such a gift had been a gamble, had been judging the odds and tempting them to play out in his favor. An expense expression of his appreciation. It was far from a typical gift, far from what would be expected. Instead of sparking ideas of feminine wiles or overt practicality, it suggested something far more meaningful, something he was certain she would understand.
Would speak of the power they could wield together, of the strength they both held to walk the path that fate had chosen. Of the wisdom of the workings of proper society that she lent, while he carried knowledge of the workings of the world. Of the blessings that had brought them to this moment, had brought them together, had formed this partnership and made everything possible. Of the ones that would continue to grow and thrive because of it.
And dark, swirling, beautiful amber, an exact match to the coloring of her eyes. Captivating, like endless pools that were meant for a man to become lost in. Ones that spoke of hidden secrets and mysteries that one could only hope some day have revealed.
She breathed his name and that tight coil of tension unwound.]
So I have. [It's a soft admittance, not quite giving away just how closely he's been watching, just how much attention has been given to each detail, to each facet of every thing, from the day to day occurrences and happenings of the household to preparations made for this first public celebration. Nothing has managed to slip past his notice. So much time had been spent ensuring that this night would be perfect, that it would flow from beginning to end without a single hitch.
It was a feat that deserved compensation, that deserved some sort of recognition, a physical manifestation that could be shown off, that could be accompanied by bragging and boasting, both of her own skills, but also of the kindness of her danna.
But some pretty bobble wouldn't have suited her, wouldn't have had quite the same effect. And so he hadn't gone with his first instinct to simply buy whatever was easy, whatever stuck out at him first. Had spent countless nights thinking and planning, had spent endless hours with his fathers own personal jeweler, discussing and creating, until what was once nothing more than a figment of his imagination transformed into solid reality.]
May I? [Reaching out, an unspoken offer to aid her in trying on the pendant, silently eager to see if it truly would look as stunning against the pale white of her face as he had once pictured.]
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So her eyes were still a little young and warm and without covers when she lifted them to him and smiled at his request, somewhere between a little innocently playful and a little softly seductive.]
Please.
[She offered it back to him and then turned, head bowing a little to expose the back of her neck to him. Her hair was already up in its elaborate coiffure and so there was only the slender column of her throat and a few small wisps of stray hair, dark against that snow pale. The way she turned but her easily in the circle of his arms if he stretched them out and her dark lashes rested on her pale cheeks, waiting. Tonight she had been everything that had been required of her, worn dozens of faces for dozens of people and now, tired and satisfied, there was very little mask left to her. Just - her. And the quiet, pleased, content peace of both a job well done - and a gift given from the heart from someone she cared deeply for.]
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Was it meant to be like this? Was there meant to be this electric spark that flowed more intensely with each moment that passed? Was his heart supposed to be pounding within his chest while thousands of butterflies danced about his stomach?
Nimble fingers carefully undid the clasp, closing the short distance between them, front almost flush against her back. Taking a deep inwards breathe and holding onto it, he laid the pendant upon her collar bone, dragging it back to secure the chain, fingers brushing against bare skin for a moment too long before retreating. It looked as beautiful against the paleness of it as he had imagined.
Nothing would ever come of this moment. Nothing ever could. There were certain lines that were not to be crossed, certain boundaries that had to be respected.
But here, in the dark of night, it was easy to forget exactly what they were.]
It looks beautiful on you.
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It was a dangerous thing, for a geisha to love one of the few Great Lords.
The play writes wrote beautiful, aching tragedies about that kind of thing that always ended with falling snow.
His fingers brushed her skin, the dark note to the light stroke of the necklace across her collarbones, juxtaposition.
And despite herself, her lips smiled for him, wished a formless secret, something quiet and subtle and tugged at the edges of bitter cherry and snow.
She did not try to move away from him. Did not lift her eyes or open them. She intentionally stayed in the shadow of his warmth. One hand did come up, pale long fingers, to rest over the new weight at her throat. Warmed by the touch of his hand and her skin.]
It is a beautiful gift, danna. [Subtle and lingering in the night, intimacy in the shadows at the end of a long day. Her fingertips stayed on the charm against her throat. Read what was there in his gift.] You did not chose it lightly.
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But all those who remained knew their place, knew what benefits would come from their loyalty and closed mouths. And so this pocket of peace and calm would remain between only them, like a secret that would be buried deep once it had passed.
It was a dangerous thing, for a lord to fall in love with a geisha. For a lord to fall in love with anyone at all was dangerous. Those who you loved were weapons who could be used against you.]
It seems I am not the only one who's been paying attention. [Voice a mere whisper, akin to a soft caress pressed close against her ear, meant entirely for her.] Dragons are cunning and intelligent, powerful and strong. It is a blessing to be within their presence. And they will devour anything which stands in their way.
[Upon each of the swords he had carried into battle was the image of a dragon, the same in which appeared upon the crest which bore his name., conjuring fear, respect and pride.
One dragon was an immovable, unshakable force. Finding another was as if a hurricane had run headlong into a volcano.]
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Heady.
Life was fleeting, each moment balanced precariously, butterfly wing and sword strokes. This one would never come again. Surely she was allowed to dip her fingers into this stream, at this moment, just for this breath.]
Being devoured by something created by storms and fire does not sounds so unpleasant.
[Her eyes opened and she looked at him from the corners of them, through her lashes and her eyes were very, very dark. One long pale finger stroked the dragon at her throat and then its twin.] But you have given me two dragons tonight, my lord. I am not afraid of devouring.
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It sounded like something you could fall into so easily, could become lost inside of, could get drug so deep and so far from shore that there was no hope of ever returning. All concentrated within the dark, swirling depths of her eyes, barely visible with the given angle, but one did not have to see temptation to feel it's effects.
You always desired what you couldn't have.]
Then we will devour everything. [Thunder and lightning intensity wrapped into five singular words formed into a promise, one that would shape the future of the path they currently walked.
Destiny chose direction, forced you into an unstoppable flow of time. For so long, he'd thought that his was to be a great warrior, to be remembered for the lives he had saved and the battles he had won. But if that was to be nothing more than the beginning of his story, if he was to be a lord, great and powerful and humble, then he was going to take it on with the same with fierce passion with which he fought.
Change didn't come from the battles fought upon the field. It came from battles fought and won between men who had little idea of what was war actually was.]
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She had not thought - when she had given her contract to his father, so that she could serve his son...
She had not thought that it would lead to drums in her bloodstream. That it would lead to the exquisite pleasure of the torture that was the lack of his touch. Her head bent a little more, pale white, vulnerable, tempting, and her head turned a bit more, watching him over her shoulder from the edges of her eyes.
We will take the world...
She could shiver with that too, though she was too controlled. He was a Lord. One of the highest in the realm when his father seceded to him. But he was more than that. He was the StormCloud, the Wolf, the Dragon, the House of Strife, the Warlord of Nibelheim. And he was Cloud, the man she had chosen as her danna because she had known that he would need her. And because she had known that his was one of the Great Destinies. Because he did not break, no matter what fell on him, and he did not turn aside when he had made up his mind. She had seen it as children, she had heard the stories as a teenager. She saw it and heard it now in the man that breathed fire across her skin without a touch.
We he said. We. And he gave her two dragons. Twins meant to twist around each other until the owned the sky itself. Perhaps she should have feared that. She did not know that she, low-born and forgotten, had ever been born for a destiny that had lead beyond the dirt of her village. But that girl had died in the fire and what had been dragged out had been something other. Something that, perhaps, if she stayed clever enough and brave enough and strong enough, could be the dragon match to a Lord that had the determination and impetus to remake their world.
And there were so many things that cried to be remade. So many that could shelter under a shadow as great as a dragon's.
Would she be his shadow? His second dragon to match his own? Could she? Her callused fingertip stroked the second dragon again. Felt its beat in the hollow of her throat. Felt the fire from her danna across her skin even though he didn't touch her. Could she?]
Yes. [Her eyes flicked up to meet his fully. Making her pact, binding her destiny irrevocably to his in that moment.] Everything.