Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 19:56:47 GMT
Rin flinched at the Gozen's movement, less for the motion itself -- crossing his legs was relatively harmless -- but for the sudden grace of it. It was unexpected. She had to learn to expect such things from the royal, noting the relative ease in which he dispatched her earlier. Deceiving looks, with his boyish expressions and apparent nonchalance, hiding a deadly skill.
The Dragon. He was the Dragon. The one who led the Genzkian forces, the one who had given her own troops such trouble in recent months.
She looked at the food, and her stomach audibly rumbled. The Gozen's guesses were accurate. While food had never run low enough to be a danger, rations had been meager, and she had forgone her full share. The more sacrifices one made when it came to resources, the longer one could hold out. Not that it was any issue now.
Copying the boy's actions, she carefully pulled one of the trays out of the box, setting it beside her. Some sort of steamed, meat-filled dumpling, not unlike her people's pies. Working around her bound wrists, she picked up one of the pastries and gave it a tentative bite. Her eyes watched the Dragon all the while, waiting for his reaction.
"I don't suppose you would poison me when I am already captured," she intoned after swallowing the piece. It wasn't bad. Odd, but edible. "Then again, I know how much your kind loves their poisons."
She set the pastry down without taking another bite and sharpened her stare.
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 19:57:36 GMT
At first, Kohaku had a satisfied smile plastered over their face as Rin took some of the offered food, which evolved into a wide grin as she took a small nibble. There was something about the look of focus and concern on her face that made her look particularly small, particularly lost in this war. It was that look that cracked through the first chink in Kohaku's carefully crafted emotional armor, for she looked so much like a lost bird. The General leaned forward slightly, red hair falling into their eyes as they did, before pausing at Rin's bitter remark.
A look of bewilderment fell over the heir's face, wiping away the gentle expression that had previously painted it. "I... I beg your pardon, Hime? I don't believe I follow."
The red head leaned forward further, arms crossed over their polished armor, brow furrowed. Fingers tapped on metal as their mind raced while they waited to hear what the princess was saying.
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 19:58:36 GMT
As much as she delighted in the young Gozen's look of utter bewilderment, relished in the fact she had finally caught the fool off guard, his reaction equally infuriated her. Had he so soon forgotten? Was his conquest of her nation no more than some silly game, built around rote routines that faded to grey moments after their times had passed? Or did he not even know about it at all?
She considered the last. He would have been young when it happened. Goddess knew she was, little more than a scared toddler wondering why mommy and daddy weren't moving. The guards had been quick to intervene, after they heard her cries, but the image still lingered in the back of her mind. Her fingers tightened around her knees, bending sharp wrinkles into the dress. Hard enough to hurt.
"In case you were not notified, Gozen, or if you simply forgot, your family murdered my own." The words didn't have the same scathing tone as the rest of her jabs. It was difficult, talking about the topic, even after so many years. Difficult and infuriating. When she looked up, her eyes were cold, devoid of any scorn, anger, or sadness. Empty and sharp. Watching for a reaction. "A poisoned knife. Not the best gift to encourage ceasefire."
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:00:43 GMT
The fire in Kohaku's eyes went from a soft smoldering to a blazing wildfire nigh on instantaneously. A sharp intake of breath, clenching of hands, and a tensing of posture indicated that anyone in the vicinity should duck and cover.
"How dare you, Princess. As though my family, as though my proud father would ever take part in such an act. We are warriors, not dirty assassins, you bitch."
The general leaned forward, slamming a hand into the wall next to Rin's head with a sharp thwack, their palm stinging from the impact. The wood gave a soft crack aa their palm met it, and Kohaku was fairly certain there would be a thin crack in the panel should they check it later. Unfortunate, that. The carriage had been in their family for several generations, and they had taken great care to keep it pristine.
"I think you forget, Princess. It is your family that so enjoys its backstabbing and underhanded tricks."
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:01:31 GMT
It wasn't the first time Rin's demeanor slipped during the kidnapping, but it was certainly the most drastic. For a second, the frigid snark shattered, broken with a sharp gasp and wide eyes. A flash of ice blast across the wall behind her, a crystalline pattern that parted around where the Gozen's hand rest. From there, thin trails of steam rose.
"I... you..."
The princess stood from her seat, barely rising above the crest of her enemy's head even while he sat. The shock turned to rage, eyes narrowing, thin lips curling into a snarl.
"You dare tell me how my parents died? I watched - I watched the color leave their faces! I felt their hands grow cold!" She smashed her own fist against the wall of the cabin, the fragile sheet of ice cracking in a spiderweb and tinkling to the floor. A sharp edge caught her skin, but she ignored the pain, reveled in it. "I was four, you ignorant jackal, and I watched them die! Yet you dare lie to me and say that... say..."
Heavy breath hitched the words in her throat. Rin struggled to bite back another insult, fought to keep herself from crying, and had no energy left after to waste on speech with this monster.
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:04:09 GMT
"AND YOU DARE TO TELL ME WHAT MY FAMILY WOULD HAVE DONE?" The young royal jerked both hands and slammed them into the wall behind the princess. Their eyes were livid, ablaze with anger and fire. The ice around their hands steamed away in large patches. It became unbearably hot and humid as the water immediately turned to steam, leaving no drops to drip down the elaborate wood paneling.
"MY FATHER WAS HONORABLE. MY FATHER WAS A GREAT AND HONEST MAN. HOW DARE YOU."
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:04:44 GMT
"I hate you."
Whispered, barely spoken to be heard at all. They almost caught in Rin's throat with a hitch of breath, but she managed to force them through regardless, pushed in equal parts by anger and sorrow. The Gozen's words had opened wounds she thought closed for years now. Topics she seldom dwelled on bubbled up to the surface. The son of her parents' murderers was right before her, yet he denied it, denied any of his family's involvement at all. It would have been better if he reveled in it, or claimed it necessary. She didn't need an apology. She didn't expect one from her deepest enemy. But to outright refute what she new as true was an insult to the memory of her mother and father, and a spit in the face to the days she'd cried after stumbling upon their corpses.
Tears dried. Sobbing ceased. She hadn't cried since that night, not for anything, and she wasn't going to start again now. Tears were a form of weakness, in a world of ice and fire, were any sign of frailty brought on frigid tooth or blazing claw. This world was unforgiving. This world was harsh. This world was the last thing she truly had.
Instead of deigning the vile man with more words, she crossed her arms, turning her head to the side. Her draping bangs covered her face, but even if they hadn't, he would see no sign of emotion on that frosty mask.
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:05:35 GMT
The Gozen slammed their hands into the wall next to Rin’s head before withdrawing, arms crossed, breathing labored. There was a red flush traveling up their neck and cheeks, a stark contrast to their pale skin. It was rare for the to lose their temper like that, and it wasn’t something that Kohaku was proud of. Displaying rage like that wasn’t something that they had been taught to believe was acceptable. There was a twisting knot in the royal’s stomach as they thought on the icy princess’s words. Could their father have done such a thing? The man was so adamant about being honorable, about being as kind as possible, even in war.
Once again, they assured themselves that it wasn’t possible. They released their anger in a soft wave of heat that brought the temperature of the gosho guruma back to a manageable level. The ice on the walls slowly melted down and out of the floor. There was a tense silence. They took the time to study the princess again, their left eye twitching slightly.
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:37:24 GMT
Rin chanced a glance upward, and almost smiled. Where her face was now an icy mask, impassive and unreadable, the Gozen's betrayed his obvious frustration. He was no expert at hiding his emotions in the slightest, if this display were any evidence. She turned to face him in full.
"Is that all, Gozen, for learning your father was a murderer? A flash of heat and some red upon your neck?" Rin taunted. While she had to look up to meet the man's gaze, she made it look more like a haughty upturned head than a matter of differing heights. "Were I to learn my parents were murderers, I would be distraught, but it seems accepting atrocities runs in your blood."
The ice began to creep outward again, unnoticed by the princess. Slower this time, for sure, but there were still intense storms lingering behind her controlled surface. She wanted to punch him. Bite him. Kick him in places it hurt. It wouldn't help her, at all, but by the goddess it would feel cathartic. Experimentally, she cocked her hand and made to slap him.
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:38:11 GMT
After much deliberation, they decide not to respond to her obvious taunts, no matter the sting they left on their hide. There was no reason to listen to this... child. Kohaku knew their father very well, and the former emperor would never have done such an underhanded and deceitful thing. They pushed down the creeping suspicion in their mind, the scenario that had begun to form, the same moment that the princess raised her hand to them. It caught the gozen by surprise, and they gave a bit of a smile in shocked response. Was this for real? Was she actually trying to strike them?
As Rin's hand whipped through the air, Kohaku merely raised their hand and caught her at the wrist. "You can't be serious. You can't. Striking me will get you nowhere. Sit down and behave for five minutes. We'll be there soon enough and then you can try all you want to escape."
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:38:59 GMT
"Sit down and - and behave?"
Once more, she found herself at a loss for words. She was quite fond of her words -- far easier to conceal than daggers, with far more insidious poisons. At this moment, though, she was beginning to wish for her dagger back instead. The tyrant apparent disarmed her so easily. So simply. No matter the blow she dealt, her only success was a momentary flash of anger, followed by a controlled, delicate simmer.
She wanted to scream.
But she wouldn't.
She hadn't shown defeat quite yet in this stalemate of emotional solitude, just as the Gozen hadn't shown any victory. In fact, he seemed to tiptoe on the brink of loss, dancing with a temper that far surpassed her own in ardor, burning bright where hers nestled dark, flaring high where hers settled low. She could've kept trying to provoke him, she supposed. Could've kept poking, if the thought of doing so didn't make her feel any worse than she already did. It was disappointing when they reacted unpredictably. No, that wasn't it -- it was disappointing when they didn't react.
That left two options. Sit in silence, or resort to other, more pleasant dialogue. After a few seconds in silence, staring at the man impassively, she opted for the latter.
"You will be taking me west, then? Paraded through your streets like a float, no doubt." She scoffed. "A fine boost for your people's morale."
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Feb 18, 2021 20:41:48 GMT
"You will be taking me west, then? Paraded through your streets like a float, no doubt." She scoffed. "A fine boost for your people's morale."
Something glinted in Kohaku's eyes, low and intense. They thought about, for just a moment, the knife tucked beneath the seat, and how pleasant it would be if Rin simply ceased to speak. The thought was quickly whisked away by common sense- a prisoner of war couldn't be used if they were dead before the negotiations even began. With great reluctance, Kohaku breathed out a hiss of steam, trying to allow their anger to dissipate. Allowing themselves to be so easily roused to anger by the young girl was shameful, and a twinge of guilt reminded them that their father would definitely not approve of this behavior. If nothing else, His Majesty had taught Kohaku to be kind to women, no matter their faults or quirks, given that everyone had them.
The young heir to the Genzkian throne was not excused from this. Though their temper had gotten the best of them, as it did, they would remedy the situation by being as polite and chivalrous as humanly possible for the rest of the ride. Humanly possible, Kohaku smirked slightly at the thought, eyes sparkling like the sun in the distance. "Paraded? No. You will stay in the palace as a... guest. You will be watched and treated with care. We're not monsters, dear little Hime."
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Rin's lip curled into a thin smile at the sight of the fire in the tyrant's eyes.
Yes. Hit me. Strike me down. Let me nettle you until you snap. Fire may burn and blaze, but ice seeps deep into rocky cracks, tearing apart mountains that fire could only harmlessly lap.
His eyes blazed, and blazed - and then they simmered, and then he smiled, too. Rin's own lips returned to a neutral line, her eyes breaking away momentarily from the Gozen's.
"Of course not. You're never the monsters. That's how you keep your people happy, yes? With talk of glory, and liberation, and honor." She dug her nails into the palms of her hands, crossing her arms over her chest. "At least my people do not lie about the hardships we must endure for the greater good. We are honest with ourselves, and better for it."
She met his eyes again, her own gaze cold and stark. Watching. Calculating. If there was an anger there, now, it was something venomous, concealed, a poisoned spike hidden in the snow.
"I'm certain your people will be quite happy to hear how many of my men you killed. No doubt, to them, we're the monsters."
Yesterday, upon the stair, I met a man who wasn't there! He wasn't there again today, Oh how I wish he'd go away!
Post by xXxStitchesxXx on Mar 5, 2022 10:15:44 GMT
“There are no monsters left, Hime. And for the record, I don’t allow the deaths of civilians, officers, or upper ranked military members. I’ll save the death for those hags that declined the last peace offer. I swear, I’ll never understand why your country kept those ancient bags as your generals.”
A sliver of light broke through the curtains of the gosho guruma, and for a brief moment a glittering light passed over the heir’s eyes. Instead of blocking it or turning away, their pupils constricted into sharp lines before expanding back. In that moment, Kohaku tilted their head slightly to the side, and it looked as though their eyes had completely caught fire. The lid to the basket of food was flipped shut as they chuckled slightly, a thought making its way out before they could fully think it.
“It’s like you want to die. I’m sorry to break it to you, but I will not be party to your poor suicide attempt. As for glory and liberation- I know nothing of either. I only want to stop sending my people out into the mountains, knowing that many will not return. I have lost friends, family, teachers- something I’m sure you’re familiar with as well. Why can’t you just make this easy and go along with my plan? Don’t you want to stop worrying about whether or not someone you care for is going to die out in the field?”
Where their voice had previously been filled with vitriol and rage, it was now persuasive and collected. While the things she said were still getting beneath their skin, like nettles digging deeper beneath every time you tried to pull them out, they couldn’t allow themselves to lose it like that again. It was undignified, inhumane, and it didn’t paint a good impression of Kohaku overall to someone he hoped to work with.
Combat had that effect on the Dragon- it ran them ragged with heightened emotions and senses, and it always took a few days to come down from the strain and return to their usual calm self. Now was not any different. If anything, having captured Rin made it even worse, because now the euphoria of the possibility of the war ending- Dragons below, what a possibility.
And to those Gods I will speak bluntly, We have an accord if you ever touch or harm him Please rest assured, you may not fear a man, But by the end to a woman, you'll kneel and plead Because I'm more than my mom taught me to be.
Lies. Worthless lies from a worthless snake that styled itself a dragon. Rin bared her teeth in frustration, a momentary crack in her cold demeanor.
"I want justice."
She spat the words, then fell silent, again turning away from the Gozen's gaze - though this time, the motion was far from deliberate. Tighter, her fists clenched, knuckles growing impossibly pallid against her already wintry skin. Her nails flexed, and a thin trickle of blood ran from her palms down her wrists.
"But you wouldn't know of that, would you? Just as you call our wisest and strongest hags out of some veiled attempt to make them seem your only foes in this endless war. You have blood on your hands, tyrant, as much as you try to deny it."
The carriage grew cold again. Not enough to freeze, as it had when Rin had brought up her parents, but enough to make the windows fog from the heat of Kohaku's body. Shivering slightly, Rin pressed her hands into her lap, compressing the gashes in her palms with the skirt of her dress. He didn't break, now. If anything, he nearly brought her to breaking just as she had him. This wasn't conducive to the greater picture. And - she was far more useful, at least for now, alive than a martyr.
Rin relaxed.
"But I will hear out your, Gozen. At least for now."