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Post by Aerion Blackwood on Dec 16, 2013 21:23:52 GMT -5
Aerion stepped away now, facing the girl in the hopes that it would make him harder to grab again. "If I go down far enough I'll be in the dungeons, it'll be simple enough from there." Aerion didn't tend to cling to bravado the way his brother did, but he'd cling to it now. Lida, if that was really her name, was far more dangerous than a chance at getting lost.
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Post by Lystravirtue Phrixus on Dec 16, 2013 21:29:01 GMT -5
Ly withdrew her arms, just for now, and ran her fingers once again over the nearest section of wall. "This castle is hundreds of years old. It has played home to the most powerful witches and wizards since then. Do you really think that finding the common room is as simple as going down a flight of stairs or two? Of course, then you have to worry about the password, and find just the right bit of wall."
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Post by Aerion Blackwood on Dec 16, 2013 21:37:59 GMT -5
"They told me the password," Aerion said. He put a smug smile on his face. He wouldn't be weak again. She'd sense his weakness and he'd be nothing but prey again. "I don't want to be toyed with, Lida. I intend to get out of this place and go home. I'll just walk out, there's no reason not to. Hindering me, whether by distraction or a second attempt at bullying, may entertain you for an hour, but no more. I'll sleep in my own bed tonight."
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Post by Lystravirtue Phrixus on Dec 16, 2013 21:41:38 GMT -5
Ly laughed lightly. "Do you really think they let people out of this godforsaken castle so easily? As if my brother and I haven't tried. No, you try to get out and you end up in detention, polishing trophies or organizing sanction slips." She'd done just about all detentions offered at the school, though she'd heard there was a new professor, so perhaps she could have a novel hour or two before she figured out the witch's pattern.
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Post by Aerion Blackwood on Dec 16, 2013 21:50:28 GMT -5
Aerion shook his head. He wouldn't settle for that, and he wouldn't waste his breath arguing. That was his brother's style, not his. He turned and headed down the stairs without another word, long legs eating them up two at a time. He was leaving.
Then a vulgar word more typically used by his brother slipped out as his left foot stuck and he began to topple forward. Another word, a charm, and he stopped in mid-air, his nose an inch from being cracked on the edge of a step. He pulled a breath, annoyed with himself, and put out his hands to attempt pushing himself into a more dignified position.
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Post by Lystravirtue Phrixus on Dec 16, 2013 22:03:45 GMT -5
Ly strolled lazily forward, then reached to help him up. "There, there, was the castle mean to you?" she asked. "That step always catches people by surprise. You learn to jump it." She didn't work to free him from the step. No, it would be much more fun to have him held captive for a bit.
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Post by Aerion Blackwood on Dec 16, 2013 22:10:59 GMT -5
"Don't touch me," Aerion snapped. "Please," he added, attempting to be polite. He twisted his leg around a bit, but it was extremely awkward trying to stand at all with one foot sunk through something that appeared solid and the other two steps up. It was painful, really.
He settled on sitting and scooting a bit, as humiliating as it was. "Did you cast a spell?" he asked, frustrated. He hadn't seen her draw her wand.
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Post by Lystravirtue Phrixus on Dec 16, 2013 22:17:41 GMT -5
Ly pulled her hands well away from Aerion and crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall. "I did not. As I said, the staircase is fickle. That step in particular doesn't like people standing on it," she said, nodding toward the step as the guy tried to worm his way out of it. "Are you sure you wouldn't like some help?"
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Post by Aerion Blackwood on Dec 16, 2013 22:21:23 GMT -5
"No, really, I'm sure I can do it myself," Aerion said. Was this how the school would keep him inside? With a trick step and a attractive female he had been doing a fine job of resisting? If it had been any male besides her brother with him, he'd have gladly taken the help, or even a professor. Someone who wouldn't give him thoughts.
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Post by Lystravirtue Phrixus on Dec 16, 2013 22:24:01 GMT -5
Ly's eyebrows arched. "Good luck. I haven't seen anyone pull themselves free of any of the trick steps," she said, without making any move to help him. She had offered, now he could ask if he desired any help. "Usually an extra hand is needed. I happen to have two of them, you know."
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Post by Aerion Blackwood on Dec 16, 2013 22:30:02 GMT -5
Aerion gave a frustrated frown as he tried pulling his foot with the force of his leg, then attempted pulling with his own hands. He didn't want to put his thoughts into words, she'd think he was a pervert! Whether or not she was one of those friendly types of girls didn't mean a thing, because he wasn't a friendly type of guy.
"I wouldn't want to... give the wrong impression," he tried, tugging again. "There are... boundaries. You're a lady and I won't... won't manhandle you to save myself. Surely the step isn't all that bad." And yet it seemed to be.
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Post by Lystravirtue Phrixus on Dec 16, 2013 22:44:43 GMT -5
Ly snorted, as if to prove how unladylike she tended to be. "People don't normally call me lady. Besides, it isn't manhandling to accept a helping hand. Unless you find those of us of the fairer sex to be entirely incapable of any physical feat." She didn't move from her position against the wall.
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Post by Aerion Blackwood on Dec 16, 2013 23:09:58 GMT -5
"I don't know how much you're aware of concerning males, but... well, some things are beyond our control. It's simply safer if I focus on freeing myself." There, he hadn't actually voiced any kind of concern about touching her. He'd approached it, but he'd approached it delicately.
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Post by Lystravirtue Phrixus on Dec 16, 2013 23:15:12 GMT -5
Ly laughed. "I've slept in the same bed with my brother enough times to know what a male's body is capable of," she said. "If your body decides to do something, well, then, that's beyond your control, right? And you have nothing to fear." To be worried about it was something that hadn't even crossed her mind. "Do you want help?"
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Post by Aerion Blackwood on Dec 16, 2013 23:27:59 GMT -5
Aerion looked up at her with his brows drawn together, then shook his head and looked away. Yes, he wanted help, and he would have liked to convince himself that it was okay, but outside family he simply wasn't around females because it was simply a bad idea. If there was any truth to the idea of twins being halves of a whole, he was the half who hadn't fallen yet.
He shook his head again, but this time it wasn't at the girl, it was at himself. Maybe a simple touch wouldn't be so bad. He'd walked with her on his arm before, after all. "Lida," he began, but couldn't quite finish the request.
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