Scars of Misfortune

[Reasey]

It lurked there still. Beneath the surface of his own tattered soul that he dare not show. What reasoning does he have to feel this way? What logical explanation could there be that the taint of the old widow sisters still marked upon his flesh would leave him to render these feelings deep down despite his brave face to the world at large and to his people.

Shame? Why should he have shame in a more accepting world that is not as stringent on rules of society. Indeed if your strong, you live. If your weak, you die. The rule he's always lived and breathed through every fiber of his being.

Hatred? Why should that have any lasting effects now? His old prejudices burned away years ago thanks to the love of a woman, and the birth of two children who helped him mature.

But yet there he sat. At the foot of his bed in the dead of night as he's accustomed to. The red glare of the end of his ciggerate lighting the front of him as the smoke billows forth to create a halo of blueish fog around his unhatted head. Naked save for his black leather pants on him to hide his pride. The redness of his back blazing for all in the room to see if there should be someone. The many criss crosses of shame and pain that mark his back that have come from a different battle altogether.

Things spiraling out of his control. Emotions bottled up, and funneled into those that he does not share. Anger and resentment that continues to grow and spill. and the ever increasing taint that lays at the back of his mind remains there.

What is he to do with himself?

[Predatory Beauty]

It was so still here at night, Though the windows the sounds of the wind playing tag with the tree tops filled the air with this mysterious calm. Since the first night she had spent with Rease at the tavern, she had slept soundly, curled up beside him in a deep dream filled sleep. Wrapped in pale blue silk, with the pillows draw up along her side, her face buried in to another... but something was missing. The blankets, though warm did not match the warmth of the body that had been laying beside her when the days weariness and the events of the night had pulled her in to her deep slumber. The smell of smoke, the missing form beside her, and the feel of tension brought her out of her restful state blinking away the sand mans dust from her tri colored eyes.

The back of her hand came to press against her blinking pools. rubbing softly to clear her line of vision. The keen night sight developed in the dark of the under grown drow homes. She could see clearly what he had revealed to her earlier on that night. Barely a sound was made as she rose, crawling across the bed to slid up behind up resting her cheek against the back of his shoulder. Slender arms wrapping about his waist just for the closeness. "mmmm cant sleep?" Her soft voice played against the back drop oif the  sweeping winds. Soon the light sensation of butterfly kisses fell upon his shoulder. "What's the matter Rease.... Talk to me." If it was just anothr nights convesation, She would have used the nick name she had given him, Old wolf. But this held a need for truth and closeness. A blind man could see something stormed under neath his mask of calm and carefree attitude. What he displayed to the world around him could not be covered up when someone who knew him really looked.

What her eyes saw on the surface was not the same as the vision of him under it all. He was handsome.. despite the scars on his flesh... or on his soul. What she wanted more then any thing at that moment was to help him mend the damage done.. before that open wound he carried festered so deeply that there was no coming back from it. She had told him she would not pry, but she did not say she would not ask questions... The hope was that in this dead of night, in the calm still hours before the dawn he would forget himself and open up enough and let her in.

[Reasey]

Hsshmp! *she startled him, not realizing she was awake as his tension releases into a startled jerk towards her before stopping himself to realize who it is with him.

Quickly, he regains his composure from his little outburst, slowly relaxing back as he smiles. His usual, coyingly playfull grin starting to resurface across his face as he inhales on his ciggerete. The red tip of it standing out from under the darkness, slightly illuminating his face as he bites down on the butt of it with his face. chuckling as he slides a large, strong paw up to her face to reassure her he was indeed fine.*

Harhar. A bi' o' nightly indigestion i' all. Ain' nuttin worse then a cramp in me belly *he says with his grin. Indeed, he did not wish to speak of what was truely on his mind no more then he wished to walk down a crowded street without his shirt, hat, or even pants for that matter.

Maybe without pants. He has nothing to hide.

But his own misfortune are of his own that he's bared with as he continues to simply grin at her with his blue eyes of ice. Not really having much to tell her, perhaps not now, but maybe in the near future.

Maybe so....*

[Predatory Beauty]

Reaction to his starting was only to tightened her hold on his him. Feeling the rough texture of his back brushing against her cheek. How it all came to this moment... She could not even start to explain to any one, nor did she need to. It was what it was, and that was something of spoken between them and them alone thus far. He lied, She knew he would, had expected it even and readied herself to start recording the list of excuses he would use. Over time she felt she would very much need them. Through the crimson glow flickering to life with every inhale of the paper wrapped herb he took. She could see his face brighten then fad in its eery light. "Z'hin wun szeous Ussta Ssinssrigg, zhah z'hin wun natha ulnar."  (translation - To walk in secret My Love, is to walk in a lie.) Weather of not he understood Drow, She was uncertain. Though it was just the common form of elevihs, Spoken by those of peasant status among the eleves. Yes even they had a lower class.

Her voice was soft as feather down, and in it a light she herself used to Mask her own secrets for we all have them. Soon, if any thing else she could share part of herself with him. Maybe that would help to open the doors of communication between them. "Would you like me to get you something for your stomach? I could make some herbal tea, willow bark and mugwart will help to calm your stomach and help you get back to sleep love." She tended to the tavern when she was needed, but during the day, roaming the woods surrounding Marketvale, with a book of herbs in hand Rayne thought herself a skill... A desire to contribute as much as the others she had come to call friend. Collecting a small supply to practice with, hanging them to dry under the window at home.

Just one touch, His hand upon her cheek, while she spoke she pressed in finding warmth in his caress and what truths lie with it in. So she smiled for him, but she did not fully accept his excuse. Whispering against his shoulder, once more that she was not going any where, and he could trust her with any thing.