World Treason Burst S3

[17:06:20] * Oxford changes topic to 'Sarjat jatketaan klo kuusi kelloja jälkeen ilmahyökkäys pora.'
[17:10:57] <@Oxford> Cille struggles up the creaking stairs with Vladko, still shaky from his ordeal, leaning heavily on her shoulders. Now that she's detransformed and turned in her Pendant to Henriette, the young man's weight is enough to stagger her steps and make climbing to his cell on the second floor a chore.
[17:21:49] <Cille_Lund> She had went over there ASAP, but surely someone had the sense to not let her have the pendant anywhere near that guy after what happened WITHOUT one. Either way, with what he'd experienced, she was gonna TAKE HIM INTO HIS ROOM AND NOT LEAVE UNTIL EVERYTHING IS OK. Her breakfast sits unfinished downstairs. Hopefully someone will take care of that. Heave!
[17:24:04] <Cille_Lund> ...Despite her struggle, she is going to GET HIM IN HIS SAFE ROOM (to certain definitions of safe) (eventually, by the looks of it).
[17:29:08] <@Oxford> They reach the top of the stairs, and Vladko pauses a moment to steady himself. The door to the makeshift cell is the same panelled wood as the others in the building, covered in peeling white paint. It was chosen on virtue of being the only room that locked from the outside, though it probably wouldn't be much of a challenge to simply break down.
[17:29:30] <@Oxford> The skeleton key is in the hole, ready to secure the prisoner of war as soon as Cille is through with him.
[17:35:42] <Cille_Lund> ...Now that she gets a good look at the door, huh. If he really wanted to break out when no one was looking, he could probably manage it. ...And honestly at this point, he might try it. ...And she wouldn't be able to blame him, really! Frig it, let it be broken at this point. That said, she takes the key (you know, in cause someone locks them in, which while par for the course and possibly romantic, isn't something she wants to go through, and might result in a broken do-wait, that would be OK, nah anyway though), and proceeds to open the door for what she imagines is going to be a long time with the prisoner. Can't leave him be, crazy magical girls will get him.
[17:36:00] <Cille_Lund> And then goes through it, without thinking about it too much.
[17:42:19] <@Oxford> Vladko stumbles in after her, losing his footing and falling into her arms as she turns around to close the door. They spill onto the rough stone floor and roll over, and a beam of high afternoon sunlight falls down on Cille's face through the pillars on the promenade.
[17:48:03] <Cille_Lund> Home at la-wait a second. ...Waaaait. Waaaaaaaait. She's...she's sure that...this lighting is weird. She's sure she wasn't that close to a window! ...Really, if there were any windows in the prisoner's room, they'd have a problem bigger than the door. Cille shakes her head, and speaks the language the prisoner can understand: her own! "Nnn, should have waited to close the door there..." Despite thinking about how she's not seeing right, she gets up to make sure the door's actually shut all the way. Or rather, if there's a door there anymore!
[17:53:50] <@Oxford> The door is right in front of her, solid cedar with a golden brown enamel. The front is laced with intricate wood-carvings, and when closed they blends almost seamlessly with the patterned panelling of the wall.
[17:56:22] <@Oxford> The carved wall extends about twenty metres to either side, and opposite of it is a row of narrow pillars supporting seven-metre arches, forming a sort of open-faced hallway looking onto a wide courtyard. On the far side of the court, past a gurgling fountain, is a similar hallway.
[18:04:46] <Cille_Lund> ...That...that's a nice door! ...It...it IS shut. But...she's...she's pretty sure she didn't come out of that one. While slightly dazed, she has the presence of mind to consider letting loose a string of curses. However, she makes due with a quiet, frustrated groan, followed by only one curse (or two). "Fucking magic. ...I am so sorry for putting you though this, but at least we're far away from the other girls, right? ...Cause, I don't recognize this place, so we're probably far away from them." She fully gets up, picking up Vladko (or at least helping him stand, because she understands that she might be here for a while), and... "...Well, we might as well make the most of it, right? Let's walk around, away from all that mess!" She opts to not go the way she came (god forbid the door go somewhere ELSE random), and heads towards the fountain's hallway (passing by the fountain in case he wants a drink or something, she could use one herself, fountain structure be damned).
[18:09:31] <@Oxford> Vladko blinks quickly and scrambles onto his knees, then onto his feet, awkwardly supporting himself with his vine-manacled hands. "You don't recognize this place," he calls after her, "but I do."
[18:13:05] <Cille_Lund> "Y-you do?"  Her eyes widen, and she stops right where she is. She quickly understands that if the enemy's soldier (as opposed to 'an enemy soldier') recognizes a place that you have no idea about, maybe it's better to err on the side of caution, and probably start thinking a stream of curses because shitshitshitfuckshitdamncrapfuckshitaaaaaa. "...Please tell me we're still in Cimbria."
[18:19:08] <@Oxford> "Cimbria? No, not a chance," Vladko says, a grin spreading across his face. He walks out through the row of pillars, toward the fountain, turning a slow circle as he surveys the massive building that rises up around the courtyard. "This is the University of Svedolysk, just outside of Vaaligrad."
[18:19:48] <@Oxford> "That window, up there," he says, pointing to one of the innumerable sills that overlook the court, "that was my dormitory." The man laughs, utterly unbelieving.
[18:23:32] <Cille_Lund> "...I...I don't know how hard I should be freaking out right now." She joins his laughter. "I mean, sure, I wanted to get you out of there somehow, within reason, but...this. I could not have been less prepared for this!"
[18:31:18] <@Oxford> Vladko smiles at her and reaches down to take her hand. His grip is firm, and warm as an embrace. "I find it's best to accept whatever fortune life sends you," he says wryly. "Come on, I'll show you around!"
[18:36:43] <Cille_Lund> Warm and firm as it may be, it's still handcuffed. ...However, she finds that she doesn't really CARE right now! She's already in what's supposed to be the enemy's country, so frankly if she's en route to an execution, she might as well make the most of her last moments in a foriegn land. If anyone knew her thoughts, perhaps they'd note she's a bit joyful despite the theoretical 'oh shit' situation. "A good policy! Lead the way~"
[18:47:01] <@Oxford> He trots down the center of the promenade, making another rotation and twirling Cille's hand too, turning her like a dancer at a ball. He narrates as she does: "The doors on the lowest level lead to classrooms, and the second story of windows - the taller ones - are to let light down in through the lecture halls."
[18:50:02] <@Oxford> "Then above those are the dorm windows, two floors worth. The scholars of Svedolysk are never far from their studies, that way. On the other side it's the same." The two walls are part of one large, horseshoe-shaped building, Cille can now see, with the bottom part of the U visible to their right. "On the other side of that is the library and the laboratories."
[18:55:26] <@Oxford> His smile is as wide as his face as he rambles on, perfectly white. "Oh, the statue there depicts the poet Haalvrod Dromair reciting from atop the barricades. I forget the sculptor; some alumner of the school."
[18:58:41] <Cille_Lund> ...And despite those handcuffs, he shows good dexterity! She could really, really swoon! And yet, despite her predicament, she feels mostly at ease! "This place...was made pretty well! The windows even make the place feel more grand, the classrooms are easy to get to, they've got all sorts of neat things, even a statue~!" She's certainly going with it, happy to listen to him rambling about a place that really is pretty great!
[19:04:24] <@Oxford> Their path has led them to the corner of the courtyard, where an arched stone opening leads into a wide, enclosed spiral staircase. The stairs are worn smooth in the center from centuries of slippered academics ascending and descending.
[19:06:45] <@Oxford> "This'll lead us up, into the residencies. It's smaller than the Grand Staircase, but if we go up here we can go down that one on our way to the library."
[19:08:01] <@Oxford> As yet, the two haven't passed a single other person.
[19:12:00] <Cille_Lund> The thought had been nagging at her mind. Perhaps they were all inside rooms...but even so, there'd still be people in the halls, right? ...How quiet IS it here, anyway? She pauses a moment to ponder, and to listen. Surely, she might hear the faint murmuring of a lecture behind a closed door...?
[19:15:31] <@Oxford> The halls of Svedolysk are as silent as a subterranean cavern. Vladko takes a few more steps, but stops and turns back when he senses she's not with him anymore. When their eyes meet, Cille can see the same realization cross his face.
[19:16:37] <Cille_Lund> "...It's...a great place to be sure. ...Which is weird, because you'd think there'd be...people...here. Besides us."
[19:16:45] <Cille_Lund> "But...I can't hear a thing."
[19:19:02] <Cille_Lund> GOOSEBUMPS. It's particularly chilling, really!
[19:19:19] <@Oxford> "I...yeah, that's right," Vladko says, and his smile droops. "It was a little after I graduated, while I was in flight training, I read somewhere that they'd closed a few subversive colleges. I probably should've guessed..."
[19:23:07] <Cille_Lund> "I...I see. ...This place, subversive? What kind of place is Novgoraad, if this place was worth closing to them?" Despite probably being alone with him, this is still rather upsetting!
[19:30:00] <@Oxford> "It wasn't always like this," Vladko says, his words growing quieter at the end of each sentence like a train that's run out of steam. "After the Revolution, and the cleansings, people like me could finally go to university. All sorts of new ideas flourished."
[19:32:39] <@Oxford> "Exciting ideas, about how our people could live in cooperation, without kings and emperors. How we could rediscover our old spirits, without a Living God to rule us. Dangerous ideas, to some."
[19:35:52] <Cille_Lund> "...And those people that felt threatened by the ideas...they seem to have done something about it, haven't they..."
[19:43:00] <@Oxford> "Some of what came out of here was fine with the conclave, but other things..." Vladko shrugs. "I mean, yes, some of it was pretty subversive. Hedonists, pasifisteja, luonnontieteilijöiden - even a lot of the moderates were against the war. In the end, groups that advocate rebellion are only acceptable until you take power; after that they're a threat."
[19:53:00] <@Oxford> His eyes drift upwards, toward the capstone of the arch. From where Cille is, Vladko seems to stand at the mouth of a deep cave, her mind unconsciously continuing the spiral down into the earth.
[19:58:57] <Cille_Lund> T-that's a long name for a word. She supposes that knowing exactly what it means isn't too important-though even so. "L-luonnontie-I give up. ...That said, I suppose that's why those sorts of people might have benefitted in looking ahead. Still, though...I suppose weakening their future like this will ultimately lead to the weakening of this country as a whole...which, I guess is a good thing for me, but...it still doesn't seem right..." She realizes she's still behind him (and that the stairs up are a lot more imposing than they were a few moments ago), and goes to join him once again.
[20:03:35] <@Oxford> "It isn't, but what's to be done?" He leads her upward, more reluctantly now. "I started here a couple years after the revolution. Before that, I had planned to be a carpenter, like my father." The spiral staircase seems to wind on forever ahead of them, one slab of stone after another.
[20:08:10] <@Oxford> "But after the cleansings, the schools had to start accepting lower-born students, and I got in here. The war began just after I graduated, and suddenly nobody was hiring experts in Hispalian Literature." At last they reach the top, where the staircase flattens into a five-sided room two corridors leading out from it.
[20:08:19] <@Oxford> "What was I supposed to do? I had debts, and the signing bonus was more than my father made in a year."
[20:17:37] <Cille_Lund> "...I see..." Such awful timing. "Of course, it seems you were thrown into the most deadly situation possible, directly into the latest superweapon, right after they figured out that planes were vanishing there. ...No wonder people are so for rebellion. The ones in charge just happen to be jerks far too often...you're either well off to begin with, or pushed down..." Hey Cille, your trauma is leaking.
[20:30:27] <@Oxford> "I...yeah," he concludes meekly, letting out a sigh. "All I wanted was to study the great novels of the world. Just to appreciate the art, I guess." He glances down both hallways.  "The left leads through the dorms, and the right is down to the atrium with the central staircase. Which way?"
[20:38:45] <Cille_Lund> "...Appreciating art, huh...that's a lot harder than you'd think, nowadays..." ...Nostalgia? ...Somewhat painful nostalgia. A feeling like this is best suited for... "...to the dorms, then."
[20:43:49] <@Oxford> He looks at her quickly, and then smiles, small and sad. "Thanks for understanding. You don't mind my reminiscing, do you? We can see the stairs right after, promise." He walks a few steps down the hallway, then pauses to let her catch up.
[20:48:39] <@Oxford> "It's just that - not like haven't laughed since then," he says, interupting himself with caveats, "but I think here at school was the last place I was really happy."
[20:49:34] <Cille_Lund> "I don't mind at all. Rather, I'm happy I'm here while you reminisce~" She catches up, finding a new appreciation for Vladko on top of the ones she had before!
[20:55:51] <@Oxford> The hall is lined with plain plank-and-batton doors, square at the bottom and round by the lintel like the doors in a monastary.  Each looks identical to the one before it, but Vladko stops in front of one with absolute certainty. He reaches for the cast-iron knob.
[20:58:18] <@Oxford> Then he stops. "Cille," he says, "this will be the first door we've gone through since we were transported here. What if...?"
[21:02:51] <Cille_Lund> "...I had entertained the thought. ...Hmmm. If I'm the only one that goes in, perhaps you'll be able to stay here, away from the girls that are either unstable due to magic, care not for your life, or more likely, both...yet, if you were stuck here with those handcuffs, I'm not sure I'd have gotten you out of trouble, all things considered, and even with that in mind, this place is..."
[21:08:32] <@Oxford> "...it's not far from town, if that's what's worrying you. And the handcuffs are probably a good thing: they're proof I didn't just desert my unit." He frowns toward the door. "Are you...I mean, would you be okay leaving me here? You'll be in trouble for it with your people. Henriette and that other one. The angry one."
[21:13:24] <Cille_Lund> "I'd imagine they would have noticed me missing by now, it's the afternoon and no one's out. It wouldn't be hard to blame magic for you not returning with me on the mysterious escapade that made us vanish all of a sudden to begin with! ...Those handcuffs are still...terrifying, though. They ARE Lily's, and despite her meaning well, they might opt to silence you, and those cuffs might do the job." Everyone loves treason!
[21:14:23] <Cille_Lund> "...and considering that magic is involved, the higher ups might opt to silence you anyway. Lily and Henriette like to be all hush hush about people being magical, despite how bad they are at actually doing it."
[21:16:35] <Cille_Lund> "...Of course, she might not have the reach of a country when it comes to activating those cuffs, but considering magic brought us here...I wonder. I don't think she was using her pendant. Maybe I could give something a shot. ...of course, I would have to be careful to not completely destroy the cuffs anyway...ah, deliberation."
[21:17:18] <@Oxford> "That's a risk, but," Vladko says, frowning and shaking his head. "Not to be disrespectful or anything, but your side's threatened to kill me a lot more than mine has. I'm pretty sure I know where I'm safer."
[21:18:50] <@Oxford> "These vines, though, feel unnatural but definitely physical. I'm pretty sure I could get them cut off with the right tools."
[21:22:53] <Cille_Lund> "Ah, yeah, fair enough. Magic is...well, it made random people able to beat up planes, so I'm sure those are pretty hard. Still, I suppose you'll manage. And she shouldn't be able to do anything from countries away, so..."
[21:24:50] <Cille_Lund> She sighs. "Yeah, Henriette's gonna figure out a way to chew me out, and Rosalyne's probably gonna be livid no matter what kind of excuse I pull out. But I figured, if I was going to be dragged into this whole mess without any real warning, the least I could do with this newfound power would be to save someone worth saving."
[21:27:36] <@Oxford> Vladko frowns and puts his hands on Cille's shoulder. "So don't go back. Stay here with me. We don't have to go to the Army; as long as we get back to my village, we'll be safe."
[21:31:56] <Cille_Lund> "...But it's all too likely that the next time I open a door, magic will bring me back anyway! ...I suppose I could bank on the chance that, if I leave the place I came from without using a door, maybe it'll wear off..."
[21:34:40] <@Oxford> He looks down at her face, and with a brush of his manacled hands against her chin brings her eyes up to meet his. "It's worth a try, isn't it? I don't want to lose you so soon after I found you."
[21:39:15] <Cille_Lund> She ponders. "...I can't say I can predict magic all that well, considering we're here in the first place. But...if I had a choice, even with this place suffering from poor leadership, with you...w-well!" YOU SAID TOO MUCH, BOTH OF YOU. Cille reddens up even more! "Either way, it's worth a shot! Better...having a reason to live than signing up to likely die, I suppose! ...And despite my thoughts about abandoning you here, I...feel the same!" STARE INTO HIS (DREAMY) EYES! Like a window to the soul. Or a door. Doors. Dooooooooooors.
[21:40:12] <@Oxford> He leans forward.
[21:45:46] <Cille_Lund> As does she! ...Is this...oh god, she's never done this before. She never thought she WOULD do this! BUT IT'S HAPPENING. RIGHT NOW. O-open her mouth?
[21:50:08] <@Oxford> His lips are cool, like a soft autumn breeze against her fever-red face, and just as gentle. After the first brush, he leans back slightly, smiling down into Cille's eyes. Then he lifts his cuffed hands over her head and rests them near her lower back, pulling her close against his body as he kisses her again and again.
[21:53:45] <@Oxford> /session
[22:01:06] * @Oxford (~kvirc@54F7C3E5.F1A7D940.811E757C.IP) Quit (Quit: Goodnight, and good luck.)