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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 11, 2010 19:06:02 GMT -5
Chris's shock was completely countered by Phoenix's obvious indifference as he looked around his room. No, he didn't supposed that would go down very well. Phoenix wasn't really in any state of mind to go about explaining it anyway; his calm, collected persona cracked a little just thinking about it. He took a deep breath, and looked away from the noble. What was said to him, however... that caught his attention. "...What?" he whispered, looking at Chris dubiously. Drinking? He thought Phoenix was drunk? The thief's eyes flashed with anger and he clenched his fists, unable to express what the noble's words had meant to him. "If I'd been drinkin' I wouldn't have answered the door, I can assure you. And I wouldn't have stopped yet." He could guarantee that, hands down.
Phoenix would have, in fact, killed for a drink right now. And when he finally got one, he didn't know if and when he'd be able to stop. He'd been about to say something rather inappropriate and insulting when Rory was suddenly between them, and he forgot what he was going to say. Thank God she was putting everything right, because even on a regular day he wouldn't have been able to put rationally what was going on in his head to make him do these things, let alone a day like today. But Rory would assure Chris that he wasn't drunk, and that... he... what was she going to tell him? Phoenix wasn't actually sure that he could stand hearing it again, stepping back into the room and running his fingers through his hair.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 12, 2010 8:36:38 GMT -5
Phoenix took what Chris had said rather well, or, he did in Rory's opinion anyway. She had been worried that he may just explode, lost all semblance of self control that he had and end up saying things that he may regrets. It was better to stop him before he had the chance. Phoenix and Chris could argue as much as they wanted when they were both in stable frames of mind, Rory had resigned herself to the fact that they would never get along, and civility was the best that they would achieve when in each other's presence. She wouldn't, however, just let them argue like cat and dog, not when Phoenix was in this state. It wouldn't be fair.
Rory's intervention was the only thing that stopped Chris from biting back at Phoenix, and then things really would have been ugly. Instead he left her lead him out onto the corridor, pulling Phoenix's door so that it was almost, but not quite, closed. The thief didn't need to hear all of this again, and Chris would need a moment to compose himself and alter his attitude appropriatly. The conversation in the hallway was only murmured, the Princess explaining everything. It also seemed that there was a brief argument, more than likely about her return to Avalas, but from Rory's sharp tone it was clear that there was no room for discussion here. Phoenix was going back to Cressa, and Rory was going with him. It was up to Chris what he did, end of story.
Rory was alone when she came back into the room, Chris's footsteps disappearing off back down the hallway. "Chris wants to come with us. He has papers to get through the boarder, so we don't have to worry too much about that. He's going to get us some horses. You don't mind, do you?" She asked, clicking the door closed behind her, smiling to him apologetically. "He needs to return to Avalas anyway, so he's not really changing his plans. Are you alight, Phoenix?" Probably not the best of questions, there was no way that he would be alright at this moment in time.
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 12, 2010 18:01:12 GMT -5
Phoenix looked relieved when she moved Chris out of his room, leaving him alone again. He didn't think he'd be able to deal with talking to the noble for much longer without saying something or shouting something that would be in anger, as a result of his grief in his currently fragile state. He moved away from the door, sinking back down onto the bed to put his head in his hands. He made himself think of other things. Anything but what Rory would be telling Chris as they spoke outside. He sighed heavily to himself. Phoenix hated to feel like this, but he was itching to get back to Avalas as soon as humanly possible. He'd have set off then and there, shirtless and barefoot, with no way of getting through the border, if it wasn't for Rory.
He absently looked up as she made her way back into the room, offering her a smile which didn't reach his eyes in the slightest. The thief physically winced at the news that Chris would be coming with them? Really? That was great. Awesome, even. Now if he could open the window without looking too suspicious, perhaps he could throw himself out of it onto the flagstones before Rory caught on to what he was trying to do. He only shook his head as she asked him if he minded, even though it was painfully obvious to the both of them that Phoenix did mind. He minded more than he would ever let on. Miles was dead. And Chris was still alive, and he had to deal with his pompous noble attitude. Where was the justice in that?
"...No..." he shook his head a little as she asked him if he was alright, the thief surveying his messy room before he shuffled and curled up again on the bed, sighing to himself. "I didn't think I'd ever feel like this again." he admitted, running his fingers through his hair and pressing his eyes closed. He wasn't sure if talking would make him feel better or worse. At the moment though, not talking was like being in limbo. "I should pack..." he muttered eventually, but he didn't move to get up. Give it a second. He'd be up and fine in no time.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 12, 2010 18:14:31 GMT -5
She would have had to be blind to miss his wince as she mentioned that Chris would be going with them, Rory sighing lightly as she moved back to sit on the bed with him. Chris wouldn't take no for an answer, and she doubted that they would get back to Cressa within any sort of reasonable time if they decided to walk and ride in the back of carts. They needed his help if they wanted to get back before summer ended. Even with Chris's help, it was a long way to travel all in one go. She doubted that they would be stopping often, only as much as necessary and no more. In all honesty, Rory would probably need Chris there to look after her while she looked after Phoenix.
She said none of this. She doubted that reasoning would be what he wanted to hear. Instead, she just moved to curl up with him once again, putting her arms around him. Hugs were the only thing that she could think of which might make a blind bit of difference. All she could do was be there for him, but it just didn't feel like it was enough. No, she just needed to give him time. His best friend had just died, he wasn't going to shake something like that off in a couple of hours. Her worry was, however, that he would never shake this off, that this depression had settled in so deep that he would never come out of it. She had to keep her fingers crossed that wasn't going to happen.
"I can pack for you later, if you like." She offered, her eyes closing. "Just tell me what you want packing, and I'll do it. Just...not right now, okay? Just give yourself a minute, and then we'll think about that."
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 12, 2010 18:33:05 GMT -5
"Alright..." he agreed, nodding lightly. There were a few things that had thankfully been left unbroken which he didn't really feel like he could pack right now. They'd been gifts, originally, but now he guessed he'd be putting them on a gravestone of some kind. It didn't bear thinking about. "Just a minute, that's all." he assured her as she put her arms around him, Phoenix letting his head rest on her shoulder again as though they'd never even gotten up and been distracted by Chris's interruption.
The rest of the day passed like a blur to Phoenix, and the night wasn't much different. He'd managed to eat something by the time the sun rose the following morning when they were due to leave, but it was barely anything and he'd felt for a long time afterwards like he was just going to throw it back up. The initial shock had warn off, however; it was still there, lurking in the background, threatening to rip open and tear at anything that got under his skin when the subject of Miles was mentioned, but he wasn't as much of a wreck anymore. Well... that was a lie. He was, it was just better hidden now.
The night hadn't been fun. It had taken Phoenix almost the entire night to convince himslf to drop off to sleep, and then he had only been asleep for an hour or two when he was woken by the nightmare he'd been dreading, just as the sun was rising. And he hadn't gone back to sleep since.
He was dressed, at least, and subdued and quiet. But on the outside, he looked like Phoenix. The key was to just... not look him in the eyes. Everything was packed, though he had no idea how. There was more than when they had left, the thief having acquired a small collection of things while they had been in Handel (granted that a lot of it had been smashed up the previous aftertoon), but it would all be fit to put on horseback. He sighed as he lingered by the window just one more time before leaving, wishing he could feel bad about going. Bur he had to go back to Cressa. As soon as possible, whether he had to put up with Chris or not.
Heaving a light sigh, he moved to walk out of his room, heading downstairs to wait by the front door.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 12, 2010 18:52:17 GMT -5
The night hadn't passed easily for Rory either, though, she couldn't compare anything that she felt to how he was feeling. It was like he wasn't even there anymore, as though he were just on autopilot, speaking and walking and doing things, but his spirit wasn't in it. His eyes were empty, voids of sorrow and grief that she couldn't bear to look at. She didn't know what she preferred, this or him losing his temper, him letting everything out and smashing up his room. She would probably have to go for the latter, at least then he was expressing some kind of feeling, at least them he was alive. Now he just looked, well, dead inside.
Her things were all packed up ready for morning. She, of course, couldn't take everything with her, the princess instead choosing two sensible dresses, packing that away with her new set of Princess tools, a change of shoes, soap, her mittens and a cloak. She would wear her coat, at least until the chill left the air. They would also need to think of a way to disguise her, but, for the moment, that could wait. Setting off was their main priority, they would have plenty of time for thinking along the way.
She was feeling oddly nervous as she dressed the next morning, butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. They were going back to Cressa, back to where everything started. They had left so much trouble behind them. She would hope that everything was alright, but that was impossible wile Miles dead. Instead she had to hope that Layla and the rest were surviving, that they were getting by well enough and could cope until they got back.
Rory was the last to arrive downstairs, Chris having already been stood waiting when Phoenix arrived, his pack on the floor by his feet, the storyteller not looking at all happy about this. "Are you sure that you want to do this, Aurora?" He asked as the Princess came down the stairs, ignoring the wishes of the thief. "They will still be on high alert for you, every guard is going to know both of your faces. This isn't safe."
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 12, 2010 19:06:17 GMT -5
Chris's unhappiness was wasted on the thief. Phoenix stood, looking out the window at the grass and the chilly wind, his hands resting in his pockets as he waited for Rory. He was on complete auto-pilot right now, and so far the only one who was able to conjur some kind of emotion out of him was the Princess. He glanced up as she made her way downstairs, opening his mouth to greet her before Chris jumped in first. He couldn't help the flash of anger that jolted through him at the noble's words. Where did he get off saying stuff like that? Safe? The noble had no idea what being really unsafe was. Returning to Cressa, disregarding the White Knights and the kidnapping and the slums, was still not as bad as what had happened in Ilyria. It was pretty tame, in comparison.
"Most of the things we do aren't safe." he commented, the words slipping out before he had meant them to. His gaze was on the floor, but the irritation was in his voice. "The last time I tried to be safe I packed up my life and left my home town, and now my friend is dead as a result." he snapped, leaning back against the wall, his hands shoved in his pockets, though his fists were clenched. If he could have persuaded Rory to stay, he would have. But he wasn't going to keep pressing her into changing her mind, like Chris. And what would happen if she stayed? Phoenix would still go, regardless. And he'd probably get himself killed on the way back.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 12, 2010 19:19:30 GMT -5
"No, I can't imagine that most of the things that you do are safe, which is why it would be a far better idea for her to stay here." Chris snapped right back at Phoenix, refusing to let his personal grief get in the way of Rory's well being. He would probably have said more, but one glance up at Rory silenced him. She looked upset, as though Phoenix's words had touched a nerve, though the hurt was quickly hidden away again. Bastard, couldn't he see what he did to her?
"Aurora, so don't have to run all the way back there for him." Chris told her, though he knew that he wasn't going to get anywhere. Her mind was made up, and she was dead set on being stubborn.
"It's not up for discussion." The Princess responded bluntly as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions, and looking after myself. No-one asked you to come along, Chris." She pointed out, perhap a little too harshly, but she was attempting to cover up her own guilt. Phoenix was in this state because of her. He had to leave Cressa because of her, and leave Avalas, if they had never met he would still be in the slums now, he would have been there for Miles...
"Are the horses ready?" She questioned, Chris sighing and nobbing, bending to pick up his pack before pushing the door open.
"There is one each, they are at the stables, just down the road. A stable boy should be bringing them up shortly."
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Post by Vyncent Schwarz on Jan 12, 2010 19:33:02 GMT -5
"I know I didn't." Phoenix muttered under his breath at the subject of Chris joining them on this trip, although his back was to them now, the thief staring pointedly out of the window down to the road, watching out for the stable boy. The worst part was that Phoenix would probably have agreed with Rory, at this point. If he hadn't left, he would have been there for Miles. They might have been able to make something work, move somewhere warmer. It wouldn't have been the first time that one of them was stuck for an idea only for the other to offer something genius, completely out of the blue. Those days were over now, though. It was selfish and mean-spirited and he knew it, but he just couldn't shake the thoughts away. He fell silent to let them talk, his blank stare completely focused on the road.
The stable boy was quick, at least, and soon enough the horses had been brought up for them, Phoenix leaning down to pick up his pack, looking at the floor as he moved to open the doors. The stable boy offered him a light smile as he walked out; they were friends, Phoenix had made a friend out of the majority of the servants in Chris's house. The boy's smile, however, faltered at the thief's expression. Phoenix offered him a brief smirk, ruffling his hair as he moved to his horse as if to say the goodbye that he couldn't give in words. He set the pack on the horse's back, tugging at the saddle here and there and making adjustments as he saw fit and patting the animal's flank just to give himself something to do, to keep his mind off everything. The sooner they were going, the better.
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Post by Angel ♥ on Jan 12, 2010 19:56:23 GMT -5
A strange, uncomfortable silence descended over the group as they moved outside. Chris had already made arrangements with the housekeeper. The house was to be left empty, just incase he needed it. He would try to send word if he was coming, and if there was any change to plans then he would send a letter. He was still hoping that Rory would change her mind, that a few days out on the road would convince her that this wasn't the life for her and that he would want to return to somewhere more comfortable. If she wanted to explore then she could, she could go out everyday and then come back home again at night, back somewhere safe, warm and dry, where she was garunteed a bed and a meal. The Princess avoided looking at both of them as she placed her pack on the back of the horse, securing it in place. She refused help from Chris before he even offered it, the Princess checking that the horse was saddled up correctly before moving to mount it gracefully. She had taken riding lessons at the palace. She was by no means an expert, but she could get by well enough, hopefully enough for this journey anyway. With a heavy sigh, Chris heaved himself up onto his horse, casting a wave to the stable boy before nurding his horse with his heels, setting it off walking at a brisk pace. Well, if they were set on returning to Cressa then they had of ground to cover, they may as well get a move on.
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