• Graded • [M] Actions speak louder than words - Part II

[Finnegan O'Connor]

Finn O'Connor

:: 14th Ashan, 717

OOC

Follow up from this solo, particularly the last post in that solo: /viewtopic.php?f=169&t=6559

They never learned did they? It took more, much more than a bunch of firm words and a week's worth of dirty dishes to keep Finn from going where he shouldn't. He'd been grounded for five trials and sentenced to help out with all the various chores in the orphanage after his escapades with the dogcatcher. For the first day of the sentence, he'd done his duty, hoping that the caretakers wouldn't keep as close a watch on him if he behaved. The plan had worked, to an extent, for an opportunity presented itself two bells after lunch time.

This time he hadn't taken his usual route through the gate, but snuck out the backdoor of the kitchen instead, discarding his teatowel along the way. It had been one of his narrower escapes as one of the cooks had almost caught him hiding underneath a table, but he'd made good use of his small build and changed cover in the nick of time. The caretakers wouldn't take kindly to it, that much he knew for sure. They'd been calling his name by the time he'd filled his lungs with the first bout of fresh, free air, and he'd ran until he could no longer hear them. He tried not to think too much about what they were going to do with him once he returned. Put him on a leash perhaps.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Finn made his way from the Sanitarium to the Second Story Inn as he guessed that his big lumbering friend would have taken residence there. Of course, he could also be stationed at Etzos' other tavern, but considering the burly giant had smashed the interior of that particular establishment to bits a handful of trials ago, Finn didn't deem it likely.

For once, he wasn't risking the ire of the caretakers simply because he wanted to wander around town. This time he had a purpose, for he'd overheard the plans of a few low-lives to rob the occupants of that particular inn blind. Even though he didn't like Fridgar's immortal very much at all, the man himself had been kind and fun to be around, enough so for Finn to want to help out.

--

"The big one?" The bartender scratched his chin for a moment. "Oh you mean the really big one? Eyepatch and all? Yes, I've seen him around, what's it to you?"

"He's my friend," Finn chirped from the other side of the bar, "and I need to talk to him. It's important."

"Friend huh?" the lubberly bartender didn't look wholly convinced, but neither had he much to fear from the wimpy little thing before him. "Room seven I believe, you can see if he's around, but don't bother any of the guests, will ya?"

Of course, the bartender meant for the boy to give a friendly knock on the door, but Finn, never one to listen well, happily mistook the bartender's words for permission to simply walk into the room. Nodding vigorously, he jumped of the barstool he'd been seated on and barreled up the stairs. Slightly more out of breath than he cared to admit, Finn found room seven quite easily and gave a little knock.

No answer.

His fingers wrapped around the doorhandle and pushed the door wide-open as he strutted inside. It wasn't a huge room, but certainly sizeable and with plenty of room to spare aside from the large, two-person bed that lined the wall.

It looked like his friend wasn't around at the moment, but that didn't matter as something else had caught his eye. It looked like Fridgar's rich friend had been chipping in, for the room also had a spacious balcony with a great view over the lower parts of the city. After he'd enjoyed the view for a bit he decided that he should be looking for Fridgar instead, and what better way to do so than to wait in his room? He wandered around the room and let his eyes rove over Fridgar's belongings. The size of the man's pants amazed and amused him in equal measure before his attention drifted to a small stack of golden nels on the nightstand near the bed. He carefully sat down on the edge, tempted to nick one, maybe two nels from the pile but in the end didn't so much as touch any of the shimmering gold.

A few bits passed, and then a few more. A gust of wind from the balcony caused a draft that slammed the door shut again and Finn, who was starting to grow tired of the waiting, didn't bother to open it again.

The twin suns were starting to set and Finn stretched out as he yawned. The cushions looked tempting. It wouldn't hurt to just, lay down for a bit right? Puffing his cheeks in boredom he let himself tip over and fall with his back onto the bed. It was so nice and soft, and the chirping of birds from the balcony only added to the bliss. He blinked idly at the ceiling while his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Just one bit, he promised himself, he'd just close his eyes for one tiny little bit...

[Varthakh]

It had been some time since Fridgar and his beloved went for a walk together. Only this time, it was different. The three walked in close company, the third member of the party at Alistair's side on a leash. Beargar, the Anatolian Shepherd that Fridgar had gifted Alistair on his birthday just the trial prior, was a well-trained hunting dog. The beast seemed to understand that it wasn't its place to lead the pack, and so it strode carefully at its master's side. While the Lothar disagreed with Alistair's choice of name, a part of him found it cute that he would name the creature partially after his lover.

It was pleasant company; the loyal beast had grown on the both. Alistair had fallen in love with it the moment he saw it. Granted, the noble had only asked that Fridgar warm his bed for the night as a gift for his birthday, but Fridgar had already bought him a real present; a loyal companion until the end. In secret, Fridgar had charged the beast with the protection of his love when he wasn't there, even though Alistair was more than capable of handling himself, even without Fridgar's help.

Fridgar's hand clasped Alistair's as they walked through the streets of Etzos, intertwining their fingers as a method of showing the world their unity and devotion to one another. When the Lothar's eye wasn't on Ali, he maintained a stern, ferocious look to the Etzori. They could fuck off if they sought to get between him and his fiancé, he'd even give them a hand in 'fucking off'. Still though, he only very occasionally made eye contact. While he wasn't opposed to a fight in the slightest, he didn't want to start one in the moment of happiness with his lover.

"My love" Fridgar addressed the human that held his hand, "Thanks for spending the trial with me, I enjoyed." he smiled to his lover, then down at the canine that had shared their walk. "I'm also really glad you like the dog, you were like, super excited about taking him for a walk, right?" The smile on Fridgar's face said it all, he was beyond glad to have pleased his lover with his gift. It only felt right to gift the noble an animal, something of a signature of his. "Will you spend the night with me in the inn? Only if you don't have anything going on at Oxentide though." Fridgar offered, holding his mate's hand a little tighter.

--

When at last the two arrived at the inn, all was calm but the man behind the desk. He didn't like Fridgar or Alistair to begin with. Rumours of Fridgar's worship had spread far and he scared off customers anyway, now he was bringing animals into his establishment? Still though, the petty human couldn't gather the courage to speak his mind and the two proceeded to the doorway. Why didn't the human like Alistair? The ally of his enemy was his enemy too.

"I think he's jealous, you know." Fridgar joked with a nod of his head to the reddening human. If Alistair hadn't noticed prior, he certainly did now. The scowl pointed in their direction stood out, visible enough from Rynmere. The Lothar chuckled as they headed for their room. It was entirely possible, Alistair was drop dead gorgeous after all. The Lothar was still smiling as he opened the door, showing Alistair the way in with a pass of his arms. Totrial was a good trial. Fridgar had enjoyed himself immensely in the company of his lover, the look on Alistair's face as he gifted the dog was one he would remember for the rest of his arcs, he was sure.

Fridgar followed Alistair and set his bag at the entrance after closing the door behind him. Fridgar hadn't yet noticed the orphan boy in the room and approached Alistair from behind before ambushing him in the middle of the room and wrapping his arms around the smaller man. Fridgar would gently kiss the neck of his lover while sensually groping the muscular body of his mate. Fridgar made his needs known to his mate, despite what had occurred the trial prior. When he'd grown significantly needy, Fridgar lifted the noble off his feet and carried him over to the bed while kissing him passionately. There, he the Alistair into the sheets and pulled at his shirt, an effort to undress him.

He hadn't noticed the sleeping Finn below Alistair.

[Alistair]

(Sorry for taking sooo incredibly long. I honestly forgot about this thread, as shitty as that is to say, because of all of my RL plans and shit; I haven't been good to any of my thread partners but Frid lately. ;-;)

The walk with Fridgar and Beargar had been wonderful. It had given him great comfort, spending time with his lover and their dog like the beginnings of a real family. Eventually they'd be together rearing children, and doing all of what that entailed; this was a baby step, but it was a step nonetheless, and he valued it. As for the dog, Beargar, Alistair absolutely loved him, and he thanked his mate over and over for the gift. He hadn't had a dog of his own since he was very young -- the adorable puppy his mother had bought for the family, the one that his father murdered as an act of assertion. He'd never been a friend of animals since that time, but Fridgar had changed a lot about his life since then.

Holding hands with his mate and walking through the city, he felt unstoppable and jovial alike. As Fridgar paused momentarily to speak to him, the mage's eyes lit up and he smiled. "Cariad," he called him, as the man often referred to him by. "Thank you, Fridgar. I love the dog -- I love Beargar," he said, moving forward to kiss his mate gently on the lips. "And I love you."

He nodded his head; he had been excited to take out the dog. This was the first day he'd really spent with him, and this creature was to be a lifelong companion of his. As Fridgar suggested that they stayed at the inn together, Alistair shrugged. "I can take a day off of my duties," he said. "Besides, I've told my advisors that I'll only be working five days out of every seven. My mother worked zero out of seven, so they can't really complain," he said with a grin. Lacing his fingers in his mate's, he pointed off to the direction of the inn, smiling and picking up the pace of their walking to excite the dog. Beargar howled lightly and spun in circles, causing for the surrounding people to stare awkwardly.

He didn't care.

- - -

At the inn, Alistair disregarded the innkeep entirely, perhaps as a lingering remnant of his aloof attitude towards the plebeian class. Whether the man wanted him to bring in a dog or not, he didn't care. He would bring in the bloody dog, or offer his money to a more gracious establishment.

"Jealous?" he asked, oblivious. He didn't even notice the man until Fridgar pointed him out; he was beet red, and visibly distressed. Flustered, almost, but angry too. "Good," the mage said, nodding his head lightly. "He should be."

Totrial had been a good trial, but the day was not truly over. He would be made love to by his mate, his fiance, and then lay with him and talk and think about the world together. The mage didn't really care -- he just knew that it'd been too long since he'd spent a night with Fridgar just lying down... looking up above them, thinking about a different world, one where all things were freer than here. He longed for that gentle moment with his mate, and he would have it tonight.

Alistair, upon entering the room, took off Beargar's leash and let him run about the tavern room. The dog jumped onto the bed and curled into a ball, relaxing. It had walked quite a lot. Alistair, without realizing there was a child upon the bed, engaged in intimacy with his mate. Pushed onto the bed by Fridgar, with the man begging to peel away at his clothes, the Baron blushed and leaned into his mate. After being set more fully onto the mattress however, he noticed an uncomfortable... bump... on the bed poking into his back, and quickly relented, rising from the mattress. Fridgar would be pushed back a bit, with Alistair's head quickly turning to what was beneath him. A look of horror filled his eyes.

"The hell?!" he shouted. "There's a child on our bed, Fridgar!" the man exclaimed, stepping back and pulling out his blade from beside the drawers that laid near to the bed. He pointed the sword at the child, as inhumane as that seemed, though he had little acknowledgment for the trauma he might cause. "Little urchin," he cursed under his breath. "I'll have you flogged for th--"

He had to remind himself that he wasn't a noble in this city. Biting his lip, his eyes returned fully to the young boy.

"Nevermind. Where's your mother? Do you even have one?"

[Finnegan O'Connor]

Finn O'Connor

:: 14th Ashan, 717

Finn’s eyes flitted open just in time to see a large mass of bone and muscle hover over him. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he was buried underneath the two lovers while his lungs deflated like a balloon. He screamed, but his voice was muffled and he had no breath left to spare. As suddenly as he’d been crushed, the weight lifted and he wheezed loudly as he refilled his lungs with air.

The figure looming over him was not Fridgar, but a foreign looking man with impeccable, lightly tanned skin whose face had contorted into a mixture of surprise and anger. Finn gawked back up, flustered, wide-eyed, and with the sluggish confusion of one still drunk with sleep. Blinking lazily, he quickly moved to sit upright but was halted by an icy finger pressing into the skin just below his clavicle. The sharp sting sent a tingle down his nerves and lifted the fog of slumber.

“Fridgar!” He beamed at the gentle giant as he remembered where he was. “I wanted to warn you,” he continued as he propped himself up on his elbows. A look of annoyance crossed his face as his eyes swept over to the foreigner once more. “You must be Fridgar’s handsomely rich friend-“ Yet he was cut off there as the man demanded to know where his mother was.

Though he was quite awake by now, his face settled into the same sheepish confusion that had first greeted Alistair. “What…?” he mumbled. It seemed a strange line of inquiry, but faced with the threat of being made into a pin-cushion, he answered with a shrug of his narrow shoulders. “She’s not around,” he said slowly, as though recalling some distant memory.

Then his face lit up again. “Fridgar, I came to help. They want to steal from you, well from him technically,” he added as he nudged his chin towards Alistair. It hadn’t quite occurred to him yet that, to any reasonable observer, he appeared to be the thief, albeit a very sloppy one.

Something wet pressed against his bare forearm. The dog sniffed his scent and appeared to be undecided, for the time being, if the boy was friend or foe. Finn carefully reached out with his right hand and patted the animal gently in hopes of convincing the animal and the angry man that he was no threat.

Yet before he could utter another word, there came a terrible noise from outside. It sounded like turmoil, right underneath the balcony of Fridgar’s room. If either of the two lovers would bother to look what was happening, they’d find a fight had broken loose on the streets. Not one of blades or magic, but raw, unbridled strength. More than a dozen men with alcohol on their breaths were caught up in some heated argument. It was hard to tell what exactly was going on, or who was arguing with who, but soon enough a chair flew across the streets and a vicious street brawl had broken loose. Whether it was Fridgar, Alistair, or both who’d come to the balcony, one of the fighters would soon take notice and challenged them with a thundering roar. “Ye fuckin’ whores!” he cried out, his scraggly-bearded face red with rage and spirits.

Finn jumped up during a moment of inattentiveness and rushed over towards the door. A tick later the door clicked into its lock after which Finn spun around and pressed his back against the woodwork.

“Don’t go!” he urged. “it’s a ruse!”

A stone came flying over the balcony and skidded into the room while the sound of punches being thrown and bottles being broken filled the air.

“I swear, it’s a ruse!” Finn insisted as he backed up even further against the door. “Don’t go down there…”

But was it really just theater?

[Varthakh]

All was going well Fridgar had the man he intended to make love to in his grasp, administrating his tender caresses all over the supple, muscular body of his beloved Alistair. All the while, he did fierce battle in Alistair's mouth with his tongue, loving him all over. Alistair seemed distracted though? Really? They hadn't even gotten to the foreplay yet? But it was soon revealed that Alistair was distracted for good reason. "A boy!?" Fridgar roared, pushing himself to his feet, letting Alistair escape the atrocity. Quickly, the noble drew his sword, pointing it at the heathen that had broken into their room. "Dammit! I forgot to lock the door!" Fridgar panicked, looking to the lump on the bed before slowly recognising it.

It was Finn! "Oh wait, Alistair put the sword away, I know this kid," Fridgar explained, suddenly calm. "He's the kid that kicked m-" he stopped himself, Alistair would probably be furious if he revealed that Finn was the one who caused his decrease in quantity that trial. "...-My butt in cards? Ha ha! Yeah! Did I tell you that story?" Fridgar started to sweat. He didn't like having to lie to his beloved, but had to for the prolonged safety of the child. One thing that concerned him was whether Alistair intended to skewer the human boy or not, probably not, but it was difficult to tell.

Fridgar shook his head "No, he's an orphan, found him crawling around the tavern when Ilaren marked me," Fridgar spoke to explain the location of the boy's parents. "Hang on a trill, what are you doing here? How did you find me?" Fridgar asked, kneeling to be eye level with the tiny human as he sat on the bed. Finn might notice that Fridgar avoided eye contact, never once looking him in the eyes, even for a trill. "Steal from me? I was gonna say," Fridgar shook his head grinning "I don't have much to steal unless they're after my jacket". Knowing the Etzori, this was very possible.

The sound of struggle outside caught his ears, forcing them to shift back a little as he listened, his intent gaze turning to face the balcony. Fridgar pushed himself to his feet and dragged his weight to the fresh air, looking down at the scuffle. before he could look away, another man looked up and met his mismatched eyes. Fridgar's spark churned. Drawing in his gaze, trying to force the man to look away by his own dominance. Fridgar's paws clenched around the balcony barrier, slowly splintering the wood with ungodly force. Then the cunt spoke, calling him a whore, Alistair a whore, Fin a whore? The barrier for the Balcony snapped as did his spark, triggering his mutated and corrupted mind.

"Alistair, make sure Finn doesn't see," he grit his teeth through his warning before focusing his mind’s eye on a pocket of ether in the street. Having been issued a challenge, Fridgar's rage had boiled with unnatural intensity, one that could very well end his life unless he accepted and saw it through. Utilising chasing, he pulled himself to the street with the piece of wood in hand, he'd blinked. A blood curdling roar boomed from his lungs as he bombed it for the one man, who suddenly looked terrified. Who wouldn't be at the sight of a massive seven-foot-tall Lothar, red with rage charging them with a splintered piece of wood?

The man tried to hide amongst the crowd, burying himself safely in a pile of bodies, meat shields. It didn't help. A massive paw burst from the entrance of people, gripping him by the shirt before lifting him from the floor and throwing him with brutal force across the street, slamming his body into a wall with the thunderous impact of shattering bone, as though someone had fallen from twenty feet on their head. the man would grip his head as he blead profusely, scrambling to his feet and drawing his short sword. "Please! I'm sorry! Them guys, they paid me to do it, I swears to ya!" The man pleaded, Fridgar advanced regardless. His cries for mercy fell upon deaf ears.

Seething, Fridgar's palm ripped the clothes from his upper half, tearing down the middle to expose his body's intense build. He needed this man to know just how bad he'd fucked up in choosing Fridgar as an opponent. Lightning would crackle on his paw as the woozy man stood his ground. Mercilessly, Fridgar blasted the cunt for every volt he could muster, dazing the guy as he defensively swung the blade for Fridgar. With his supreme reflexes, he struck the handle of the sword and whacked the man's fingers, forcing the reflexive drop of his weapon. The beast man saw red around the corners of his vision, an infuriating blood red that begged to be quenched with the life force of his enemy.

The brawl had mostly stopped, some turning to look at what was going on behind them. It was when Fridgar pressed the blade of his forearm into the dizzy man's neck that people started to panic. "Whore," he spat in the eyes of the male before lunging forward and slamming his forehead into the man's face, breaking his nose and tearing the skin with a sickening crunch sound effect. The second headbutt, saw the man bash his head on the wall behind him, hard enough to knock him unconscious as his face warped in an unnatural display of twisted flesh and bone. The sleepy transgressor gurgled as he hung limp in Fridgar's grasp, barely recognisable.

The two other men closed in with weapons drawn, Fridgar didn't seem to notice.

[Muse]

Your review is ready!

Abandoned, old threads are hard. You get into a story and then you have to slide out of it, trying to figure out where to go next. There was a good story going, and you've thankfully written over 1,500 words, so here's all the goodies for adorable, troubled Finn.

Finn

Points

XP:
15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

Fame:
N/A

Loot

N/A

Injuries + Overstepping

N/A

Knowledge

Skill Knowledge:
Stealth: Hiding Under The Table
Running: Rushing Toward The Second Story Inn
Endurance: Almost Being Crushed By Fridgar's Weight

Other Knowledge:
Location: Second Story Inn
Fridgar: Eager To Get Into A Fight
Alistair: Fridgar's Handsomely Rich Friend

If you've got a question or concern or if I've missed anything, don't hesitate to PM me!

Now that your review is complete,
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[center][img]/gallery/image.php?album_id=39&image_id=12206[/img][/center]

[Korva]

Rewards!

Name: Fridgar

Knowledge: You're entitled to your 8 knowledges if you decide you want them!

Loot: NA
Injuries: NA
Renown: NA
Magic XP: NA

Points: 15

- - -

Comments: That is not fair at all! I was getting all interested in what was going to happen and then it just need DX Still, great writing and an enjoyable thread even if I have to leave the ending up to the imagination

If you feel I've missed anything or if you have questions about your review, please don't hesitate to send me a quick PM or ping me in Discord. Thanks!

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