Preparing for a Journey

[Ayvajin]

The day was like most summer shifting to autumn days in Temarra. The sun lit up a bright blue sky. Very few clouds could be seen drifting above. There was a light, cool breeze that blew through the city, leaving a promise that autumn would be here soon.

The marketplace was busy, crowded with people who were all trying to get their shopping done. The Temarra Market seemed to always be full of hustle and bustle. The smell of raw meats, vegetables, and fruits lingered heavily on the air around the marketplace.

Ayvajin did not mind the crowd. She was use to walking up against people to get where she needed. She did watch for any pickpocketers, but that was just a minor detail of shopping in Temarra.

The necromancer was in the marketplace for a reason, though. She was getting supplies for a trip that she would soon be embarking on. She was going to go to the lands of the north to the Sanctuary. It had been a long while since she had made the pilgrimage, and she was looking to make it once more. Ayvajin had to be properly equipped for such a trip, though.

Ayvajin drifted through the market, looking at all of the venders. She wore simple clothes this day. The less she had on, the less she had to worry about. She wore a red dress with sleeves that barely covered her shoulders. The dress fell down to her knees and stopped. Upon her feet were black boots.

The necromancer’s light colored eyes peered around the market, looking at the stalls of food. Food was not the only supply that she needed. She was also looking for fabric and bandages.

[Lucien]

Lucien was here as well, but on an entirely different note. His dark eyes burned with rage as he tracked one of the lower incubi through the throngs, taking note as he drifted by the necromancer and deciding to come bug her later.

The incubi in question, being chased by their King had done something that was against the laws of the incubi and was abhorred by the rest of the world, something bad enough that it had sent Lucien into fits of rage that anyone who had known his touch would feel it. As for now, he stalked through the people, barely a whisper and partly here and partly on his own plane.

Only those who knew what to look for would see him, the rest would feel an uncomfortably hot breeze.

[Ayvajin]

The necromancer felt the hot breeze and at once knew who had just passed her. She turned around quickly, trying to find the incubus. For whatever reason, after their meeting, she had felt lurked by his presence. She figured it was just her paranoia, but this time she knew he was in the marketplace and mad as hell’s fire is hot.

Ayvajin could not help but be curious as to why he was in the market in such a temper. So, her curiosity got the better of her, and she pushed through the crowd after Lucien. It was not too hard to follow after him. With rage came a considerable display of energy.

[Lucien]

Lucien had caught up to the terrified incubi and had him pinned in an alley way by the throat, against the wall. He was speaking rapidly and in an angry tone, as well as the rage coming off of him. The language was their own and the terrified incubi's eyes flicked to the opening, as if hoping someone would come and save him.

Lucien pulled back and slammed him into the wall, jostling the incubi enough before baring his teeth in an enraged snarl and deciding to just kill him then and there. With a casual flick of his hand, he opened a vein on the creature in front of him and drained his essence, willing it back to their plane to the others to feed upon and disperse as they saw fit.

Watching as the creature in front of him crumbled and grew old rapidly, his body fading into dust and being blown by the wind, he took a breath and shoved his hands through his hair, regaining his self control.

[Ayvajin]

Ayvajin had found Lucien in the alleyway with the other incubus. She had watched Lucien kill the other, knowing that it was not her place to step in, and if she did there would have been little that she could do. It was obvious that this Lucien was an authoritative figure to the incubi. He was willing to assert justice where he saw fit.

The necromancer stood there, continuing to watch the incubus as he calmed from his fiery. She toyed with the end of her long braided hair as she thought.

“And what was his crime?” she called to Lucien after another moment had passed.

[Lucien]

The King of the Incubi turned and gave the necromancer a long look, as if he were weighing his options. "Raping a newly born that he was supposed to take care of," he said after a long moment had passed. The rage was still there, simmering below the surface because the victim had not survived and was no more than a few hours old.

"But what concern is it of yours? We are not of your kind, nor shall you be of our kind, so do not concern yourself with our affairs, necromancer," he said. It was not meant unkindly, more as a warning to her because things were not done the same in the two worlds.

[Ayvajin]

Ayvajin raised an eyebrow as she watched Lucien. “A bit defensive?” she said as she continued to observe the incubus. “He would have received the same punishment if his crime was known here.” She thought for a moment. “And I will concern myself with whatever affairs I wish to concern myself with. You may think this is none of my business, but it is. You are in my world not your own.”

The necromancer threw her hair back, letting it move to behind her. “You may be able to invade and change my dreams, but you cannot change my opinions and my thoughts.”

[Lucien]

Lucien let out a wry chuckle, eyes flashing for a moment before he shook his head. "I have not tried yet, necromancer and do not tempt me for I am on a very short leash with temptations now. Nor do I have the control I normally do because of that fool who fled and I had to chase him, so do not tempt me," he said as he fixed her with a heated look, letting her know that he was not above forcing her to fall asleep here and now.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find some young, willing, thing to feed off of," he said as he gave a slight bow to the necromancer before moving past her.

[Ayvajin]

The necromancer could not even stop herself from being slightly amused and a laugh escaped her lips. The last time she had run into the incubus, she had been the angry one and he had been the amused one. Oh, how circumstances could change.

“Angry and arrogant like no other,” Ayvajin said, turning to watch Lucien walk away. “Yes, find some young naïve girl who will fulfill your cravings. I have wised up to your tricks, so you would be unable to have me. So, go on. Go find that pretty dimwitted girl you crave.”

She knew she came off in a taunting way. She still could not help but be slightly amused that she was not the angry one out of the two even if the circumstances were different.

[Lucien]

"You can be certain you will have no restful dreams tonight then," he said as he fixed her with a dark look, one full of wicked promises that would make anyone blush and be self conscious. After all, he'd had centuries of practice to perfect it.

"And do not tempt me, necromancer. I am not above forcing you into a dream here and now, and there is nothing you can do to fight it," he said as he shimmered and seemed to divide himself, sending part to feed and part to stay to antagonize the necromancer, an art he was perfecting.

[Ayvajin]

“But you have not forced me into sleep,” she said as she watched him. “Why is that? If I am such an easy victim, why have you not taken advantage of that? You would not even have to deal with searching for naïve girl.”

Ayvajin had been wandering this. He had made enough idle threats to her, and she did not understand the point of this.

“Sure, you will invade my dreams, but will you do? Bug me so I will not have a restful and peaceful sleep. I do not understand you at all.” She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for some sort of response from the incubus.

[Lucien]

"You interest me. You are different from necromancers of the past," he said with a shrug as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "However, if you want me to, then I will," he said as he brought a hand up to his mouth, murmuring into it before releasing it with a gentle breath.

It wasn't enough to make her fall completely asleep, only enough to make her sleepy and tired enough that staying awake was more of a chore than going to sleep. He had toyed with the idea of telling her who and what he was exactly and decided this may be the best time. Coming over to her, he cradled her face in his hands, watching her eyelids flutter with the fight to stay awake. "What the King wants, the King often gets," he said as he lay a kiss on her lips.

[Ayvajin]

Ayvajin pulled away from Lucien’s kiss with as much force as she could muster up. She stumbled backward, tripping over her feet and falling to the ground with a loud thud. There was a quick shock of pain that vibrated through her for a moment before disappearing. She scooted away from him with as must effort as she could, kicking up dirt as she went.

The necromancer could feel her body trying to fight off the sleep, but she knew it would not be long until she fell asleep right there upon the street. “You are a bastard,” she said softly as a yawn departed from her lips.

[Lucien]

"So I've been told," he said with an amused look across his features as he snapped his fingers, instantly dissipating the spell. "Now, don't tempt me again, little necromancer or next time I'll let you fall asleep and leave you here," he said as he strode over to her and offered her a hand up.

"I give you my word that I will do nothing more than that chaste kiss," he said with a serious look in his eyes belied by the amusement dancing in the smile across his lips as he stood there patiently in front of her.

[Ayvajin]

The necromancer decided not to take Lucien’s hand as she stood up. She stumbled off to the right for a moment before regaining her balance once more.

“You should not have even went that far,” she said, her cheeks stained red with slight frustration. “But I do not have time for your antics. I have things to do that do not have anything to do with incubi.”

She brushed off her dress, somewhat annoyed that he had caused her to fall to the ground and get dirty. She never really mind a bit a dust, but it being caused by Lucien angered her.

[Lucien]

"I don't see why you are all in a huff. You challenged me to go that far with your words. And were you not the one who was amused not a few scant seconds ago while I was angry? Relax, young necromancer, I mean you no harm, merely a point to prove that you should not trifle with me. And I give you my word as the King of the Incubi that I mean you no harm," he said sincerely as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against he wall, observing her with hidden amusement in his eyes.

[Ayvajin]

“And how good is the world of the king of the incubi?” she questioned, looking to him. “You trick people for a living. How do I know you are being truthful? You could just be the biggest liar out there. I mean, you walked me home when I was in Bellevin to just find out where I would be sleeping. I really cannot trust you at all.”

Ayvajin studied him for one more moment. “I am going back to the marketplace, anyways. I do not know why I continue to talk to you.” She started off toward the market.”

[Lucien]

"A lot better than the word of a human," he said softly as he shook his head, body shimmering as his two halves joined again. He was back to his full strength and knew better than to follow after the irate necromancer when she would just be irritated.

Lucien was a lot of things and foolish was not one of them. He was old and knew where boundaries lay, sometimes choosing to ignore them in favor of getting his way. He could have easily found out where she was staying with or without her, but that time he was curious about her and finding out where she was sleeping was merely an added bonus.

[Ayvajin]

The necromancer stopped and turned back toward the incubus. “Humans have not invaded my dreams,” she said to Lucien. “I would trust them before I would ever trust you. They are simple creatures who have to test themselves every day. Your comparison is invalid.”

She turned back around. “I do not know why you just stand there. We both know you will end up pestering me sooner or later. I would not be surprised if you hovered around me while I finish my shopping just see what exactly I am up to.”

Ayvajin let out a soft sigh before walking back to the marketplace.