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Post by jameseverson on Dec 26, 2009 1:36:01 GMT -5
Everything had been for nothing. All James's running, hiding, staying away from people, all of it had been pointless and come to nothing in the end. He was still under the witch's power. He still felt her pain and saw when she inflicted the pain upon others as well. Luckily no one had felt her most powerful curse, or at least that he knew of. The feeling of your body being ripped apart cell by cell was bad enough, but in James's eyes, being the slave against his will was worse. Aphine was a heartless monster who would never stop looking for him, never stop until he was there. The only thing he could think of to stop her...
A tear rolled down his already wet cheeks and he curled up in the corner of the room she had put him in. He knew better than to try to run away. She'd put a spell on him so it was impossible to leave the room. Otherwise, he was free to do as he wished. But that wasn't much. With his knees to his chest, held close by his arms, James sat in silence save for the soft sobs and sniffs he momentarily gave to help ease his sorrow that would not cease.
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Post by Arina Kaindui on Dec 26, 2009 1:57:23 GMT -5
Arina wandered around unable to sit still for a moment. She didn't like what she had become and what she had done or helped to do. She blinked and a tear rolled down her soft cheeks. Would she ever return to her home back in Runia? Arina wanted nothing more than to find herself back in the familiar forests of Runia. Sure half of the people there disliked her, but at least she felt safe there. Here she felt anything but safe. Since seeing that girl of stone Arina feared that it would be her fate if she did not go along with everything. She may have been naive but she was not completely dumb. Arina knew where Jadis and Aphine stood in this world and how the Kings and Queens viewed them. All the deeds they did, they were cruel evil people with no thoughts for others.
She dried her eyes on the sleeve of her dress, now tattered at the hem from traveling the long distance to this place. Arina wanted to apologize to the Kings and Queens, and ask for forgiveness for her mistakes. She was foolish to make these mistakes and to follow Aphine. Arina was just so desperate to find a friend here in Narnia, she took the first opportunity. Seeing as how that boy and the fawn didn't seem to want her company weeks ago. It felt like a lifetime almost.
She sighed turning a corner absentmindedly and stumbling among an occupied room. Arina poked her head in for a second, she wanted to avoid contact with whom ever had been placed here. But she did a double take and starred longer at the boy in the room. She stepped in. It was that boy from the woods with the fawn.
"It's you." she spoke quietly. Arina remembered how jumpy the boy was when they first met. She tried to keep her voice as quiet as possible. "I remember you. You were the boy I met when I first came to Narnia." Arina moved forward a little seeing him cry. She didn't need to ask why he was sobbing, the answer was blatantly obvious. Arina tucked a piece of hair behind her long elf ears and sniffled, drying her eyes again. Her eyes were red and puffy from a previous sob much like the boy.
"I won't hurt you I promise." She said glancing down at the floor. "I promise I won't. Cross my heart." Arina used her index finger and made a cross across her chest, trying to give him a friendly reassuring smile. How had he got here? Why was he here? And what did Jadis and Aphine have planned for him? All of these questions Arina wanted to ask but knew it was best to keep her mouth shut.
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Post by jameseverson on Dec 26, 2009 2:12:18 GMT -5
James took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. At least the sniffs and choking was dying down, though the tears would never cease to flow. It was a never ending circle that would haunt him until the day he died, which loomed too far in the distance for hope.
He jumped slightly out of surprise, though not as much as he had back when he was continuously running. But the sudden opening of the door didn't surprise him as much as who stepped in. It was that girl... compared to everything else that had happened she seemed like an angel walking through the door. James remembered she was anything but that though. He remembered her from the woods when he first came to Narnia, along with the faun Mr. Tumnus. Her name.... didn't it begin with an A? A... Alice... Andrea... No, it was more uncommon. One he hadn't heard before. Adira? No, it suddenly clicked. Arina. That was this girl's name. He attempted a smile which lasted about half a second before quickly disappearing. So it seemed he was one of the first she met when she came to Narnia. Interesting coincidence.
He unintentionally shifted toward the wall as she came in. More of an automatic response. He watched her closely as she promised not to hurt him. Oddly he believed her. He had met her before and she had helped him greatly, especially with his dislocated shoulder. James found himself mildly embarrassed as he realized tears were still leaking from his eyes, and he quickly wiped them away. "Are you..." he cut himself off to swallow so his voice didn't crack so much, "are you a prisoner here, too?" he asked. If so, he wondered how she had escaped and gotten in here. He doubted she was siding with Aphine and her new accomplice. Arina seemed much to pretty and sweet for that. After all, she had helped him. Right?
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Post by Arina Kaindui on Dec 26, 2009 2:33:45 GMT -5
Arina stopped in her tracks the smile fading from her face. She chewed her lip when asked if she was a prisoner. Bowing her head in shame and shook it side to side in a no to his question. Quickly she went on to explain. "In a way I suppose I am. But it is out of my own doing." she tried to not let the clouds in her eyes over flow into more tears. "I'm not on their side if that is what you are thinking. They keep me chained by my own guilt, that and I know they could kill me without a seconds notice. I was foolish to believe a lie, even when it was clearly in front of my face."
The tears bridged her eyelids and over flowed. "I helped that witch Aphine in entering Cair Paravel, I helped her destroy a portion of it. All because I was soo stupid as to believe a lie." Arina was glad she could finally get it all off her chest and confess to someone. It helped her feel free from what she had done. That was why she explained herself so thoroughly to the boy. The boy whose name she could not recall for the life her.
She licked her lips. "I've done bad things," Arina moved forward a few steps. "But I swear I'm not a bad person! I'm really not. I don't want to be here anymore, I didn't want this." Arina sucked it up after a minute of crying and starred at the boy for a moment.
"James." she said suddenly. "That's your name. I remember it now." Arina tilted her head slightly still moving forward closer to the boy. She stopped a few feet from him and sat down on her knees. Arina folded her hands into her lap and she looked down for a second and then back up at James. "I'm sorry for my break down a minute ago. I just haven't met a decent person since coming to Narnia. And then I found you here and remembered you. I remember you were a little odd and a touch jumpy but nice. And I bet you are nice, and kind and truly caring. I wanted to know what it was like to confide in someone here." she stopped and sat up straight in a proper manor her eyes still full of tears. "I am sorry you got in here. Can I ask why you are here, and how you go here?"
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Post by jameseverson on Dec 26, 2009 2:54:54 GMT -5
It would be a lie if James wasn't somewhat disappointed to hear Arina wasn't exactly here on the account of being a prisoner, and more on her own will. But she had been tricked. Had James been a more bold and welcoming individual, he probably would have gotten up and hugged Arina. But he didn't, that probably would have made them both a little more uncomfortable than was necessary. He did though, finally speak. "You wouldn't be the first," he replied. So many people have fallen for her tricks. I'm sure I did when I first met her, otherwise I never would be this close." He paused for a moment before explaining his previous sentence. "Unfortuanely I don't remember anything before I met her. But you're certainly not the first to fall for her tricks and you certainly won't be the last. That I can promise you."
A small smile tugged on James's lips. She remembered his name. He slowly nodded. "And you're Arina," he replied softly. He waited silently for her apology to finish, then a moment more so he could figure out what to say. "I don't mind," he replied. "I'm more worried about what they'll do to you if they find out you're in here. Especially Aphine. She's vicious." James didn't want anyone else getting hurt on his account. Enough had felt pain and enough had died. "I'd offer you a handkerchief, but if I had one, it would probably already be soaked with my own tears."
James swallowed. "I'm here because of Aphine," he replied feeling himself start to choke again. "I'm cursed... she placed a curse on me. There are times when I completely loose myself. I can't remember anything, just black holes with no memories. She makes me do things I can't control. She made me come here." He looked around the room. "She placed another curse on me so I can't leave the room and try to run away again." He took another deep breath, shaking slightly and pulling his legs tighter to his chest as he did so. James was used to admitting his weakness, there was nothing he could do about it. But in front of Arina, somehow it felt a bit more vulnerable, even if she too had been tricked by the same witch as himself. He glanced up at Arina, still a little surprised she was so close to him. Did all Elves like her have a lack of psychological bubble? James didn't know, nor did he know how to politely tell her that how close she was getting was a little uncomfortable if not intimidating.
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Post by Arina Kaindui on Dec 26, 2009 11:39:05 GMT -5
Arina sniffled and smiled at James. It was comforting in a way to know that she wasn't the only one to fall for Aphine's tricks. She still felt like a fool thought just not as much. Her heart went out to the others who had been tricked in the past by Aphine and Arina found herself wondering what had become of them. After a few seconds of pondering Arina shook her head afraid to think about the possible answer. She drew in a breath and held it for a moment before letting it out in a heavy sigh.
She blinked and did a double take at James as he recalled her name. Arina smiled and let out a small laugh. She nodded keeping her hands folded. "Yes, I am." Arina's smile faltered and so did her heart for a second as she starred at James. She glanced down at her hands smiling. She was glad to have come across this room of all the rooms in the place.
"It'll be alright. I think they want me for some reason. The only reason I'm not in a room like this is because I said I would help them. Even though I don't want to. Aphine seems like the twisted person to keep a promise, and as long I make sure no harm comes to her she promised to protect me." Arina groaned. "I don't want to protect her anymore, but I don't want to end up like that girl. I'm sure they turned a girl to stone, I don't know how though." she added in a half whisper leaning in closer to James.Arina let out another tiny laugh, "The sleeve of my dress is working just fine. Thank you though."
Upon hearing that James was cursed by Aphine, Arina felt a knot twist in her stomach. Her jaw hung open slightly as she listened to James and his predicament. It was horrible to hear and Arina wished she hadn't heard it at all. She swallowed and glanced over to him a look of sympathy on her face. Arina didn't know how to proceed. Where did she start from? She leaned back and scooted away a foot or so. Arina turned her body half away from James starring now at the wall across the room.
"I'm sorry." she said. "It must be really scary not remembering things. Almost as scary as remembering something terrible, right?" Arina looked back over to James chewing her bottom lip again. "I think I may be a bad person. You had no choice what you do and it is horrible and I wish I could help you in some way. I wish I could save you from all this. But I guess I am a bad person. If Aphine could do that then why would she not use it on me unless she was sure I wouldn't betray her. And to not betray her would make me a bad person right?" Arina paused for a second, thinking about what she was about to say. "I'm the reason there is a war. Not here, but back where I come from in Runia." Arina rolled her eyes. "I know you don't care but like i said I needed to tell someone."
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Post by jameseverson on Dec 27, 2009 16:20:48 GMT -5
James couldn't help but smile with her. Arina didn't realize how lucky she was. She still had her free will, even if she was forced to do things, she still had the choice to listen. She had the choice to run away if the chance came. She was lucky she hadn't felt the wrath of Aphine's magic on her soul. As for the other one, well James didn't know too much about her, but she still seemed beyond evil. James wouldn't have put anything past her. And being able to turn people to stone, that was something that scared him. Though he supposed being turned to stone was not the worst fate one could encounter.
"It must be really scary not remembering things. Almost as scary as remembering something terrible, right?"
She was right about the first part, but James wasn't so sure about the second part. There were too many variables to make a definite answer. Being forced to doing something horrible against your will and remembering it was one thing. Being forced to do something against your will and not remembering it was another. It allowed the imagination to run wild. And apparently he had attacked the High King of Narnia while under this spell from what he understood. "You're not a bad person, Arina." James looked at her with a seriousness in her. "You only do what you do because you're trying to protect yourself. And considering the situation, where they tricked you, it's not your fault you landed in this predicament. None of this makes you a bad person, I swear." He tried to offer her a smile, but found it somewhat hard. No matter how much Arina's entrance had lightened the room, it still didn't change the situation they were in. James couldn't escape, and neither could Arina.
"I would try to help you escape," he offered, "but I've failed countless times. She keeps me too close, like a crazy mother's child. She always follows me anywhere I go. Everywhere. She always finds me. Its like that curse is some sort of... tracking device." He shook his head. "I really would help you, but I can't even help myself." He let out a dead laugh. "Isn't that pathetic?" Now he was starting to speak to himself, like some sort of crazed person. "There's only one way I can think of to escape her, but I know she would stop me. I wouldn't be able to go through with it because she would find a way to bring me back or stop me." It wasn't until a moment later he realized he was still speaking aloud. He felt somewhat foolish, Arina hearing him speak like that. But he couldn't help the truth.
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Post by Arina Kaindui on Jan 1, 2010 23:04:26 GMT -5
Arina smiled and the tips of her long pointed ears turned a shade of light pink. She looked down at her lap and wished the smile would remain there on her face but she felt it slowly slip away. She liked that James had sincerely told her she wasn’t a bad person. His words were honest and it was easy to believe him, and she didn’t feel bad for believing or tricked into believing him. Yes, it was true she was trying to save herself. But Arina had to wonder if that made her selfish? Was it selfish to want to survive especially at that cost?
“You’re not a bad person either James.” she spoke softly. “You are a very good person.”
Arina looked over her shoulder and at the door as if she expected someone to come along any moment and interrupt their meeting. She prayed no one would discover them here. Her eyes gradually glanced back at James and her head followed. She was flattered that he wanted to help her escape. In fact she wanted to help him escape. She found herself in the same boat as James though, unable to help even herself.
In a split second decision, Arina reached out and placed her hand on top of his. Her eyes moved down to their hands for a second and then back up to James. “I want to make the right decision for once in my life James, and I’ve decided something. I’m going to help you, no matter what the cost. We’re so much alike it is as if fate placed us here to help one another.” she paused; a tear ran down her left cheek. Taking a deep breath Arina sat there for a second, her hand still on his.
“We’ll get out of this. I know you’ll be free from Aphine one day. Do you trust me to help you?”
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Post by jameseverson on Jan 6, 2010 17:42:04 GMT -5
James let out a noise somewhere between a sob and a soft laugh, looking down at his knees. When he looked back up though, there were no tears in his eyes other than the remnants of those who had been there before Arina entered. He wasn’t a bad person. That had to be a new thought. The faun Mr. Tumnus even now had to think he was a bad person after what he did back in the throne room. That thought only made him feel all the worse, though. Mr. Tumnus had been his closest real friend as far back as he could remember, the only person he’d even had a chance of being close to or feeling safe with. Now James felt horrible, almost as though he had betrayed the only person who’d truly helped him in so long.
Thoughts stopped dead in their tracks when Arina told James she wanted to help him. James could see that she really meant it, but he also thought she thought she was out of her elf mind. James couldn’t escape, but Arina… there was no reason for James to drag her into his mess. So many had already been punished for that, like those back in Cair Paravel. No that James wasn’t grateful, but he didn’t want Arina to risk herself just because of him.
“I don’t know if that’s possible,” he said, his voice shaking. “I want to believe you... and I do trust you, Arina. But honestly… I don’t know that is possible. It’s like her curse is a part of who I am now. Even if she died… “ he swallowed, half afraid of what would happen if she did die. And who could even kill her, as if that was even possible. If she died would the curse finally go away, or would he remain with a whole in his life eternally, everything that had been taken away gone forever without the hope of getting memories back. He wanted to hope for the best, but having only remembered what he did, and it being as bad as it was, James couldn’t help but fear the worst. He could only think of one way for the curse to be broken is if he died.
“Arina,” he choked, feeling tears fill his eyes once more, “I’m scared. I don’t want to be what she’s forcing me to do. I don’t know if it’s worth waiting for a life anymore. Not after this long. If you really want to help me…” he swallowed, knowing she probably wouldn’t agree. But she said she wanted to help. “If you really want to help me, then kill me.” His eyes glistened pleadingly into hers, begging her to do as he asked. All James cared about now was that agony ended, and if death was the only way to escape, so be it.
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Post by Arina Kaindui on Jan 16, 2010 18:33:40 GMT -5
Arina moved her hand to enclose around his. She gave it a gentle squeeze as if to say I am here for you. She didn’t like the way James was speaking, as if there was no way out of this. Arina had to believe there would be a way to leave here to save James and herself. She didn’t want to see them win over the two of them.
Her stomach churned and the color washed from her face as James asked Arina to kill him. She sat there frozen starring at him aghast. What had he just asked her to do again? Arina believed she had heard him say something about killing him, that it would be the only way to help.
The grip she had on his hand loosened for a second and Arina looked away. There were tears in her eyes. She was silent for the longest time, “I-I don’t think I can do that James.” she spoke softly, her voice quivering. “I’m not going to kill you. How could you ask me to do that? To ask anyone to do that?”
There was tension in her voice giving away to anger, “How could you ask me to become a killer? I can’t do it. I won’t do it.” she said forcefully.
The look lingering in his eyes made Arina cry all the more. He welcomed death and she couldn’t understand anyone welcoming it. She sniffled and looked down at his hand in hers. “I’m sorry. But if that is the only way to help you, then I guess I am useless. I won’t end your life. Please, please don’t ask me to do this. I already have the blood of many on my hands I don’t need to personally add another.”
She paused and wiped away the tears with her free hand. “If you trust me, then trust that I will get you out of here very much alive and very much free from Aphine, for good.”
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Post by jameseverson on Jan 18, 2010 10:14:47 GMT -5
"I'm sorry!" he quickly told her, letting go of her hand and laying both of his hands on her sholders before shifting himself to face her fully. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean--I'm sorry." Tears were filling his own eyes but he wasn't bothered to hide them. "I didn't mean it that way. I just get so hopeless sometimes that I feel like death is the only real solution. I didn't mean it like that honest. Please, I'm sorry."
James knew better than to ask her forgiveness. He had barely known this girl, even though their paths had crossed once before, and he was asking her to kill him. James suddenly felt as though he were going to be sick; how could the thought of inflicting that even cross his mind? How could he have been so stupid to even ask her to do something like that? Without even thinking or realizing what he was doing, James suddenly wrapped his arms around Arina in a tight hug. He was shaking slightly with how scared he was, but he couldn't help it. Maybe the two of them were brought together for a reason, one that seemed to finally show light to the countless prayers James had said when this started before they turned to ones of death.
"I'm so sorry," he repeated softly, running one hand lightly over her hair, trying to calm her down. He wasn't really thinking at this point, for if he had been, surely he would have been more than embarrassed and backed away toward the corner in the blink of an eye. He continued to say his apologies, his voice heavy with pleads to forgive him. "I trust you."
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Post by Arina Kaindui on Jan 25, 2010 11:47:25 GMT -5
Arina starred at James through the clouds of tears in her eyes. They didn’t fall yet, they still hung there on her lashes. Unblinking Arina watched as James placed his hand son her shoulders and apologized to her for what he asked. She didn’t hold it against him; she wouldn’t hate him for asking her. Sure she was upset by the idea but she didn’t hate James for it all.
Suddenly Arina felt herself being pulled into a hug. Her arms hung there and she starred at the opposite wall in shock as James held her. She blinked and new tears rolled down her cheeks. Arina sat there letting James hold her in a hug her arms hanging and her hands folded on her lap. She closed her eyes and slowly wrapped her arms around James and hugged him in return.
It felt safe. Arina couldn’t help but give a small smile as James ran his hand over her hair. She tightened her grip and rolled her head so it rested on his shoulder. “I forgive you,” she said dampening his shirt with tears. “I won’t break my promise. I’ll find a way to save you. I won’t let Aphine hurt anybody else the way she has hurt you.”
Arina drew in a breath, not sure how she was going to save James. She had no plan of action and breaking him and loose and running was like suicide. There had to be a way for them to get out and to defeat Aphine.
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Post by jameseverson on Feb 20, 2010 13:15:45 GMT -5
James, for once in all his life that he could remember, finally felt safe. It was as though Arina's arms around him were some sort of protective shield, something he'd never felt before in his entire life. Then everything came crashing down. He realized how close she was and she was hugging him. The sudden change of perspective scared him so much that his psychological bubble shot back up in the blink of an eye. He suddenly let go of her and scooted back far against the wall, which was really only a few inches away from where he originally started. His head banged against it so hard his vision went momentarily black before swimming back with tiny blotches of white light here and there.
Hand reaching to the back of his head as he winced against the pain, James blinked as he looked back at Arina. He knew his sudden move probably upset or frightened her, something he definitely didn't want, but was unable to help. "I'm sorry," he said, rubbing the sore spot where his head had crashed against the stone wall. "I'm just not used to... people being so nice and... close to me..." he felt like an idiot for the way he had acted around and treated Arina, and was sure she thought he was quite peculiar, odd, whatever the word was she decided to choose for not normal and really weird.
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Post by Arina Kaindui on Mar 9, 2010 10:53:31 GMT -5
Arina enjoyed the hold James had on her. She allowed herself to sink into it and become lost. For a minute it didn’t feel like Arina had anything to worry about. There were no evil witches or even problems that haunted Arina from Runia. She felt safe and at peace. When the hug ended abruptly Arina’s world came crashing back around her. Reality sucked.
She watched James as he backed away in a hurry and she held back a giggle as he smacked his head. Arina sighed knowing it was nothing especially personal. It had been a surprise when he flung his arms around her in the first place. Arina’s heart was slowing down back to its normal speed. She hadn’t been aware that it was beating that fast in the first place.
Arina shook her head at James with another of her pleasant smiles. “It’s okay. Really.” She paused glancing down at her hands now folded gently in her lap. “Can I tell you something? I’m not either. I told you we were alike.” Her cheeks felt hot. Arina brought one of her hands up to feel them only to drop her hand quickly. She let out a small nervous chuckle.
“I—uh—I’m going to remain good on my promise James. I just wanted to let you know that. Aphine will never haunt your shadow again.” Arina gave a firm nod. She was still clueless as how to fulfill this promise though.
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Post by jameseverson on Apr 20, 2010 11:06:06 GMT -5
James eyes darted every which way, catching glimpses of her in his peripheral vision but never able to look back exactly. His own heart was beating rather quickly, he just noticed, and with that knowledge his face grew hot, no doubt turned red in the process. Luckily it was dark in the room, so hopefully she wouldn't notice. The last thing James wanted was to embarrass this girl in a way that she'd never talk to him. He'd met very few people who actually were kind to him on his travels, it would have broken his heart to have even one of them turn their back on him. He had never taken the time to notice before, but she had soft and gorgeous eyes, ones that betrayed her honesty. How could he not trust her with what hope still lingered, lost somewhere within him? He appreciated her promise. But no one could make a promise like that. It was true, he believed perhaps Arina was the one who could help him. But this was not a promise that could be kept. There might have been one day in the future where Aphine would cease to haunt his shadow. But it was not this day. Her presence still lurked and he could feel her darkness clutching to his very soul. He appreciated it nonetheless. The corner of his lip quivered into a small smile, but his eyes grew a bit more worried. He didn't know what caused his next impulse. Perhaps it was the fear of loosing someone he trusted, for those didn't come around often. Or perhaps it was a thank you for everything she'd done for him. Whatever it was, it was spur of the moment and done without a single thought, and left him feeling both stupid and ridiculous. Without warning he leaned forward again, this time placing one hand behind the base of her neck and kissed her lips. Suddenly fear filled him again, what if he just did something she'd hate him forever for? They'd hardly known each other, after all. He pulled away, fully and turned to face the side wall. His eyes glistened slightly with that fear that filled him. His voice was barely audible. "S-sorry..."[sorry it took so long to reply! let me know if i need to change anything ]
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