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Post by Gerik on Mar 7, 2008 19:30:12 GMT -5
Gerik almost smiled at this lucky coincidence, but wiped off any hint of the grin before he turned to face Jake. "Are you now?"
He weighed his options quickly. He would love to not have to deal with the wretched horse anymore, but letting Jake take over would require letting him out beyond the portcullis, out to where Jake could run back up to the opera house and bring people back here. Gerik stared hard at Jake. Somehow, though, he didn't believe Jake would do that.
He swung off his cloak and laid it over the side of the pipe organ before striding past Jake to open the portcullis again. "Follow me," he instructed, "and don't even think about trying to run."
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Monique
- In the Duggins -
Not enough regret to make her sorry.
Posts: 72
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Post by Monique on Mar 7, 2008 19:33:06 GMT -5
*Jake shook her head. She knew there was no way she could outrun those long, muscled legs. They reminded her of a Thoroughbred's.
If Gerik wanted to keep her here, there was no way she could avoid it. She followed him.*
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Post by Gerik on Mar 8, 2008 18:33:34 GMT -5
Gerik led Jake through the dark and twisting passageways until they emerged into a rather large chamber. There was a rudimentary stable and pen built in it, apparently using spare materials from the opera house above. A powerful-looking black horse stood grazing inside it, though what it was finding to eat there I couldn't tell you.
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Monique
- In the Duggins -
Not enough regret to make her sorry.
Posts: 72
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Post by Monique on Mar 10, 2008 14:25:15 GMT -5
*Jake went up to the horse, in awe of it's glossy black coat and powerful haunches. She stroked it, knowing that she knew horses and was therefore their friend and that therefore all horses knew and recognized her as such so she had nothing to fear from even the most wild, unbroken stallion.
Gerik reminded her of a stallion.*
"What's his name?"
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Post by Gerik on Mar 12, 2008 18:12:12 GMT -5
"Snowflake."
Gerik watched Snowflake with mournful eyes. He knew the horse would rather be free, free to run and frollick outside like all other horses, and not caged down here without a choice. "Sometimes we don't get what we want," Gerik whispered, so softly it was almost inaudible.
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Monique
- In the Duggins -
Not enough regret to make her sorry.
Posts: 72
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Post by Monique on Mar 12, 2008 18:19:53 GMT -5
"That's a beautiful name," *Jake whispered, stroking Snowflake's suedelike muzzle. The horse whickered and rolled its eyes, which Jake took as a sign of affectation.* "It's really fitting, too."
*At Gerik's words, she turned and gazed inscrutably at him.*
"No, we don't."
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Post by Gerik on Mar 13, 2008 2:48:33 GMT -5
Gerik flinched, taking a step backward unintentionally, awkwardly. Had he really spoken those words loudly enough for the boy to hear? More importantly, did the boy actually understand the sentiment? Could he possibly?
No, of course he couldn't. How could he even begin to understand Gerik's lifetime of pain, of loneliness, of rejection? Jake was but a child, with a child's problems. Gerik's eyes flashed angrily at the idea that this child thought he knew him so well.
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Monique
- In the Duggins -
Not enough regret to make her sorry.
Posts: 72
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Post by Monique on Mar 13, 2008 9:22:54 GMT -5
*The anger in Gerik's eyes, the years of pain and loneliness and rejection layered over by the reactive anger of a wounded animal both frightened and excited Jake. She wished she could be the one to tame this wild beast, as she had so easily gentled Snowflake. But that would never be, for he thought she was a boy, and she could never tell him! He would hate her for her deception, for this masked man clearly abhorred lies and deceit.
To cover for her wild tangle of thoughts, Jake went over to a bucket and picked through it to find a curry comb, with which she began to brush Snowflake with wide sweeps.*
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Post by Gerik on Mar 21, 2008 18:37:18 GMT -5
Gerik watched Jake in silence, wearing a strange expression on his masked face. He was grateful the boy was watching the horse. After a moment, he growled "You will return to my Bachelor Pad of Hipness as soon as you're finished here. That is not a request." And with that, he swept out of the room with one last swish of his cloak.
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Monique
- In the Duggins -
Not enough regret to make her sorry.
Posts: 72
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Post by Monique on Mar 23, 2008 11:35:18 GMT -5
((Ahahaha! BatB FTW!))
*Jake watched silently as Gerik swished away. Inside, however, she was screaming; it seemed as though ever nerve of her was crying out in outrage and... something else.*
"Fine!" *she said at last. And turned back to the horse, patting him absently and contemplating Gerik's manly thighs.*
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