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Post by EarlyBird on Apr 2, 2007 2:40:09 GMT 9.5
All was silent, she stared at him gently giving a weak smile "Vortigern you're awake" she smiled. He looked at her holding her hand "I awake to such a beauty" he whispered, she pulled her hand away and caughed. He smiled taking it again "I wont hurt you Mab, surely you know that of me".
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Post by Tosca on Apr 2, 2007 2:52:42 GMT 9.5
But I might hurt you if you don't get a grip, Mab thought sneeringly. Evidently, the man was still slightly muggy. The idea that, even consumed by fever and delirium, he could consider her to be afraid of him, grated on Mab's nerves. It seemed such a temptation, all of a sudden, to simply smother the weakened king as he lay near defenceless on the bed... but that would be simply satisfying her own desires, and would create the problem of an army of angry and loyal subjects. Sadly, it was not an option open to Mab, at least for the moment.
"Your Majesty," Mab returned, a satirical edge erasing the respect in the words completely, "you speak as if we know each other intimately." She smiled, or perhaps grimaced - if this was what Vortigern was like when he was weak and susceptible to her charms, she wasn't sure she could stomach leading him on any further. Truly, mortals were so pathetic.
Vortigern stared up at the ceiling contemplatively. All he said was, "I dreamed odd dreams."
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Post by EarlyBird on Apr 2, 2007 4:24:28 GMT 9.5
Mab raised a hand waving it above his body, it cause him to be unable to speak, she smiled looking as he mouthed words at her. "Now now Vortigern" she laughed, he grabbed her hand then she removed the curse from his lips. "You think you can humiliate me" he snapped, she nodded and tried to pull away again. He pulled her close pressing his lips to hers again, she didn't push him away, why was she not pushing his hands from her. He stroked a finger through her hair smiling, she was silent, how could he dare do that to her again. She pushed his hand from her cheek frowning deeply "you have some nerve Vortigern!" she hissed. "But you didn't push away" he smiled.
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Post by himiko on Apr 2, 2007 6:39:46 GMT 9.5
Mab stared at Vortigern, nonplussed. Attempting to use her magic to overawe him whilst he was still drifting in and out of feverish delirium had obviously been a fairly pointless activity. Quite the contrary, he was now quite happily grasping at air and muttering to himself. Or, from the sounds of it, to her. At least, the her he thought he saw. She shook her head in disbelief at the weakness of mortals. Having not been present at a sickbed for some considerable time before this, she had forgotten how long mortals could take to heal and recover.
Either that, she thought to herself, or she had overdone it with sending him dreams of her.
"Vortigern!" she snapped loudly. The king blinked a few times, his eyes losing some of their glazed feverishness, and his eyes searched for a few moments, before finally settling on her. He smiled bitterly.
"Still here, Madam?" he taunted weakly.
"Perhaps- or perhaps I'm just another of your pretty feverish delusions," Mab retorted, unable to keep the mockery from her voice. Vortigern grimaced slightly.
"No, it's definitely you," Evidently the comment hadn't been meant as a compliment. Shifting slightly, he gritted his teeth in pain. Mab didn't bother to mask the vicious smile on her face as she saw him. His eyes narrowed, "It's a pity. You're much more pleasant company as a "Pretty feverish delusion"."
"And you," Mab replied calmly, "Are never pleasant company. Feverish or otherwise."
Vortigern was still tired, but not enough to fall asleep again quite so quickly, "Then why are you still here?" he challenged.
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Post by Tosca on Apr 2, 2007 7:03:20 GMT 9.5
Mab smiled a rather cruel smile; true, there were political reasons for her presence, but she was finding the situation more and more enjoyable with each new antic of the feverish king. "I wondered the same myself." She lied, folding her hands in her lap as she sat back down.
"Well Heaven forbid you're hanging about for gratitude." Vortigern grunted, the pain of his leg once more carving new lines into his face. "Couldn't you have stopped this?" He gestured with a callous, burnt hand towards the fractured limb. "Or was that beyond your ability?"
Mab's face registered mock surprise. "Vortigern... if you think I had spare time on my hands when I was quelling the attack of a fire breathing dragon, you are much mistaken." She smiled, spreading her hands. Indeed, she had had her work cut out; trying to ensure the trajectory of a flying boulder was aiming at a man's leg when your subconscious was directing it straight towards his head was no mean feat; the subconscious was a powerful thing. "Besides," Mab continued sweetly, "I assumed I didn't have to shield your every move; you always gave out the impression you could look after youself."
Vortigern grimaced in recognition of a point scored. "You are enjoying youself." He acknowledged testily.
"Not as much as you were a moment ago." Mab rasped, blithely flicking her hair as she smiled rather broadly. "Tell me, exactly what was it I did in your dream...?"
Vortigern huffed, and turned over in his bed, facing the wall.
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Post by himiko on Apr 2, 2007 7:41:55 GMT 9.5
Mab couldn't help laughing at Vortigern. A grown man turning away like a sulky child simply because she had gotten the better of him made for a rather amusing picture. Particularly when the man was the King of Britain, and an unprecedented annoyance.
"Oh, why so embarassed?" she asked laughingly, "You certainly sounded like you were enjoying yourself."
Vortigern turned back to face her briefly. "I should have you thrown out for disturbing me," he growled in irritation. Mab raised an eyebrow.
"Perhaps you were simply- how did you put it?- "out of practice"?" Mab suggested, her voice sweetly poisonous. The comment served only to anger Vortigern further, and he pushed himself up onto his elbows to stare her straight in the eyes.
"I swear, woman, if I wasn't lying in this bed now..." he began threateningly, before a wave of pain swept over him, and he clutched at his leg in agony.
"...then you would be lying on the floor," Mab finished coldly. "Don't think to threaten me, Vortigern, even at full health you couldn't harm me." The glare Vortigern gave her plainly said that he would give it a bloody good try.
"I was planning to offer to try and relieve some of your pain so that you could sleep," Mab informed him, "But if you're so eager to be rid of me..." She let the sentence trail off, and turned away from Vortigern. She had to give him credit, she had almost reached the door by the time he spoke through gritted teeth.
"Wait!" She turned and regarded him expressionlessly. She would make him ask her help on this, she was damned if she was prepared to forego that pleasure. Vortigern grimaced, although Mab couldn't tell whether it was from the pain in his leg, or from having to request assistance from her. "Very well. Do what you can." Mab raised an eyebrow at the commanding tone. Eventually, forcing the word between his teeth as though each letter caused him pain as intense as his broken leg, he managed a strangled sounding, "Please."
Without a word, she stepped closer to the king once again, and concentrated. Slowly, the pain began to ease from Vortigern's face, until eventually he closed his eyes without a word of thanks and drifted to sleep.
Sinking down into a chair (healing magic always took a lot of energy out of her, it was one of the less potent aspects of her powers), she began to consider what was to be done about Vortigern now. He was beginning to fall into her grasp, but all that would be for nothing if his injury caused him to lose his throne.
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Post by EarlyBird on Apr 2, 2007 16:43:41 GMT 9.5
The next morning he awoke, he looked at her /she is so beatiful/ he thought to himself, he couldn't stop thinking it. No matter how much she seemed to anger him, he looked at her gently as she walked closer. "I want you to marry me" he whispered, it was out of nowhere, Mab didn't understand what was coming over him. He was awake that was for certain "you are talking riddles Vortigern, you know not what you are saying" she whispered. "I know perfectly well what I am saying" he said slowly, Mab shook her head forcing back tears. "You don't Vortigern" she muttered sternly, she surely was not falling for this mortal fool, Mab looked at him deeply. Before she got up and walked away from his side again, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. But she didn't love him, she couldn't /But maybe I do/ she thought to herself, Vortigern smiled again taking her hand. "Please Marry me" he said in almost a begging tone, she shook her head frimly, her whole body was shaking. She found it hard to understand what was going on in her own mind, she almost found it too much to bare. "I love you" he whispered as he began caughing once more, she stared at him, her eyes turning darker. "You don't love anyone but yourself" she whispered harshly, "I know and I want to change that" he smiled. Mab stayed silent, sitting down she picked up a mirror looking at herself "why on earth would you want me as your queen Vortigern?" she whispered. Her eyes fixed on her own reflection for a few minutes before she turned the glass over.
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Post by Incapability on Apr 2, 2007 23:24:50 GMT 9.5
Mab blinked for a few moments, confused as to why her eyes had been closed. She then remembered the dream. Well, maybe she had overdone it a bit, and now she herself had been at the receiving end. Shuddering, she imagined Vortigern uttering such sappy declarations of love in real life, and the mental image made her infinitely grateful to see that he was still snoring peacefully - for the first and probably also for the last time. Honestly, the thought of him giving in this fast was not only absurd but also humiliating. All her careful planning had to be used somehow. She had come here expecting a fight, and she wanted this fight. Without it, she could not win. She wanted to take the prize as the winner. She did not need the throne as a gift. That would be an insult to her power, her cunning and her pride. And it spoke against everything he was. She hated to admit it, but his arrogance, his strength and his rightout bluntness had demanded some respect from her, and this small ounce of respect would be all that could keep her going until she reached her goal - that, and the thought of how she would secretly gloat once she had him where she wanted him. But it was too early.
She would keep waiting. And she hoped that there would be no more dreams.
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Post by EarlyBird on Apr 3, 2007 1:02:11 GMT 9.5
Mab waited weeks and months before going back to Vortigern, she stared into his eyes, she wanted to trick him. Be his love, then smash his dreams, she kissed him, hard on the lips, pulling him closer an closer. She was draining power in from him, she could feel it making her stronger, but sure as hell she didn't want to admit she enjoyed it. Mab moved away wiping her lips gently with her fingers, he walked behind her in confusion "what was that for Mab?" he whispered. She didn't answer, she couldn't reveal her whole plan to him, that would be the most stupid thing she could ever do. Her hand reached to her head as she walked away from him "I can't do this". Vortigern looked down, but she hid a sly smile this was her plan.
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Post by Tosca on Apr 3, 2007 7:18:29 GMT 9.5
Mab had realized as soon as she entered the room that she had overdone it. True, she hadn't seen the king for a couple of months; he had needed that time for his leg to heal - and indeed, he was well on his way to recovery by now. Everything - or so she had thought - had been going according to her plan. The wretched mortal had taken his time to hobble out of his sickbed, but it looked as though his leg would be mended by the time he planned to attack Uther, and early enough to prevent a mutiny from the restless and battle-hungry knights. To keep up his interest in her, which was crucial to his dependency, she had persisted with the dreams, swamping him with them each night as a replacement for being there in person - because, in truth, Mab didn't possess half the patience required for that.
And yet, it seemed this had been her mistake. She had driven the once lucid king half mad with desire. He was well in body - that much was evident from the speed with which he walked towards her as she entered his room - but his mind had rotted away as he writhed in his sickbed. It was a pathetic sight. Mab was almost led to curse her own initiative.
Stumbling towards her, talking to, and indeed, caressing, a patch of air much closer, Vortigern resumed one of his one-sided conversations. The physical Mab stood a few metres off, statuesque, observing the mess she seemed to have made of the king, and wondering how he always managed to thwart her plans even if it was through his own self-destruction. Vortigern seemed fairly surprised when he bumped into her, and looked around, as if to check where the other Mab had gone. Mab appraised him in evident contempt.
"Back so soon?" Vortigern slurred, as if the lapse of two months or so between them had never existed, or else had been filled with many realistic and compliant fantasy-Mabs.
Mab sighed. "And here I was hoping you'd recovered." She grumbled, pushing Vortigern backwards as he used her to straighten up from the hunched stance his hobble across the room had left him in.
"Now, now." Vortigern grinned. "Enough of that, you minx."
Mab simply stared, as lost for words as if his gormlessness had been contagious. How could she have overestimated the man to this degree? He was little more than a husk now; a senseless, babbling, lunatically smiling husk. And she'd never thought she would see the day when she gave a mortal too much credit.
"Marry me!" Vortigern implored again, as Mab tried to think of a new approach to remedy the disastrous situation. "Just think... A wedding dress would become you so well!" [OOC: himiko, I couldn't resist that one... I read your fanfics too much...] Before Mab could respond, the king had dropped to his knees, staring dreamily up on her. Mab wondered if he was still being drugged up for the pain in his leg.
"Get off me." She hissed, kicking out at him, but only succeeding in provoking Vortigern to wrap his arms around her legs and cling to her dress.
"Mab, it makes sense, my dear!" He pleaded, his voice containing nothing of his usual rough, harsh tones. "You a queen and me a king - and both so similar!" Here Mab scoffed loudly.
With as much dignity as could be mustered by one struggling to balance with a deranged king of Britain swinging off one's hips, Mab replied stiffly, "Vortigern. It pains me to say it - but you are completely out of your mind. Once I would have relished your humiliation, but by now, I've seen so much of it that it has become embarrassing. Listen," she bent down lower, causing a gleeful expression to light up Vortigern's face. "...you have no hope of lying with me. Right now, you have no hope of leading your country unless you alter your mentality very quickly. Now release me!"
With that, Mab slapped an icy palm across Vortigern's cheek, sending his crown clattering to the ground and rolling across the floor. The king seemed briefly stunned, but when he did react, it was not in the way Mab had anticipated, though she probably should have. Grabbing her face roughly in his hands, he attempted a passionate kiss, which his unwilling inamorata instantly jerked away from.
But Vortigern had truly descended into the depths of madness; only this could have excused his actions. Still clinging to Mab's legs, he spontaneously pulled her down to the ground, hands reaching out to grasp at whatever they came into contact with, eyes gleaming with this irrational lust. It was, undoubtedly, the worst tactical move of his career. Within seconds, his body was thrown against the opposite wall with the sheer force of Mab's outrage. He slid down onto the bed, his body draped limply half on, half off the edge. Before she had even considered her actions, or perhaps without even realising, Mab's eyes took on a hot red sheen, and within mere seconds, the corner of the blanket had begun to smoulder and smoke.
Dry sheets react quickly to fire, as does human flesh. Mab made no move as she was engulfed by the acrid smell of burning human meat; indeed, the self-control required not to combust herself was immense. As she was cooling off, she watched quite emotionlessly as the king's body jerked and writhed, as the flames quickly took hold of the bed, claiming both that and its occupant. It occured to her, briefly, that this could be the start of a very problematic time. She had never meant to kill Vortigern - not at the beginning. Her plans had gone so horribly wrong, and... a moment of bad-temper had gotten the better of her. Still, she could not confess to being wholly repentent for her actions; there was a great deal of satisfaction in watching the king hand over the country to her... because, one way or another, he just had.
Calmly walking over to the bedside table, the flames glowing on her pallid skin, Mab knocked a candle onto the ground, lifted her head at the sound of footsteps - probably a nurse's - and vanished in a smoky flash, leaving her grim work to be tidied up by another.
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Post by EarlyBird on Apr 3, 2007 7:32:12 GMT 9.5
(not letting it end lol)
Mab was not gone, she had just used it as an illusion, anyway she had believers to make her powerful, several had joined her lately. Fire wouldn't damage her like it did to humans. Mab could turn back time if she wanted, she knew she had to, killing the king was stupid, the person who would rule now would be that of the Christian faith. Closing her eyes she arrived back at the time just before she set the bed alight, she looked at him. Herself was there also, she froze time walked into her former self and sighed. Staring at Vortigern she mearly walked towards him. "Ever touch me in such a way again, and I will make sure you regret every finger you laid upon me" she hissed. With that she walked to the door "no Mab...I need your help, when do they attack? Just tell me please" he begged. "They attack at noon" she said simply turning to dust and walking away.
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Post by Incapability on Apr 3, 2007 8:04:59 GMT 9.5
It was not until a few hours later that she fully realised the consequences of her little mishap. True, this annoying, groveling and disgraceful excuse of a king was no longer a problem - but he had, in a way, kept an even bigger problem at bay: Uther. She had completely forgotten about the kid. Well, bearded, grown mortal. Who could tell the difference anyway? He would now reach for the throne, and the people would probably welcome him with flowers and all that ruckuss. This had to be prevented at all costs. But how? And then there was Merlin to be kept in mind. Much as he claimed that he'd had it up to here with politics, she knew he would not be able to keep his bloody opinion to himself. And he would blow the trumpet for Uther, knowing it opposed her plans the most. Now if only he would see that the throne should be his to take ... but no. He insisted on being the "power behind the throne" ... ha! Well, there was no denying that the people would probably grant him a say in whom they wanted as their new king ... With a smile and a flicker, she disappeared.
Merlin tried hard not to frown when he heard the all too familiar flicker disturb his meditation. "What do you want, Mab?" The sound of the dry leaves covering the ground told him that she was coming closer ... and they whispered that he should be careful. 'I know, my little friends.', he thought. 'No thing can be good if it is reported by this creature ...' "The king is dead, Merlin." His eyes flew open. "What?" "It's not 'what', Merlin. It's 'I beg your pardon'." He sighed. "The king is dead?" Her expression turned into one of mocking surprise. "You didn't know? How come? How come your friends, the birds and the worms and the trees have not told you?" "Why is the king dead?" He had closed his eyes again. It was easier to ask Mab for information this way, when he did not have to see her barely hidden gloating. "I presume it's because he died." "And why did he die?" "An ... accident ..." Merlin could not help but to stare at Mab. It was unbelievable: not a sinlge trace of guilt could be found in her face. "You ... you killed Vortigern?" Her face became haughty. "No. I didn't. His bed caught fire, and he just so happened to be in it." Merlin rubbed his eyes. He would have to think about how things had developped. And he needed time and silence for that. "And what do you want from me now, Mab?"
She could not resist a smile as she thought of his all-consuming need not to do as she told him, and of his wish to see Constant's son on the throne ... "I want you to make Uther king of Britain, Merlin. Go to him and tell him that I lay my country into his hands ..." Now, she was curious to see how he would wind his way out of this one.
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Post by himiko on Apr 3, 2007 8:37:27 GMT 9.5
Merlin said nothing for a moment, simply stared at Mab, before saying slowly, "You want Uther on the throne? You?" Mab looked slightly irritated.
"Yes, Merlin," she sighed in mock patience, "I believe I just said that." Suspicion was written all over Merlin's face.
"Why?" he asked sharply. Mab lifted an eyebrow.
"Now, now, Merlin. Surely there's no need to be so uncivil..." she scolded tauntingly.
"Why would the pagan queen of the Old Ways want to place a Christian king on the throne?" Merlin interrupted, "And why kill Vortigern?" A thought occured to him, "Was it because of his injury?" he demanded, "Because he was no use to you any more?"
Mab shrugged. Let the foolish boy think that, if he wished, he could hardly think any worse of her. Personally, she'd rather he (and anyone else for that matter) thought that, than knew that he'd propositioned her and tried to grope her and she'd lost her temper.
"Why I want Uther on the throne is none of your concern," she replied coldly, "All that you need to know is that I do." Merlin stood up to face her.
"You want Uther on the throne, for a reason that you won't divulge. You want to hand "your land" over to a Christian king. You killed Vortigern, or watched him die anyway. And you want me to carry your messages for you?" He shook his head, "No. Not until you give me a reason." Mab shrugged.
"An act of goodwill?" she tried, smiling coldly. Merlin glared at her.
"Carry your own messages, Mab," he replied evenly, "I don't want a part in your game."
"Oh," she thought to herself gleefully, "But you won't be able to resist, my dear Merlin."
"Suit yourself," she said, disappering in a flash, leaving Merlin to stare after her.
Back in the Land of Magic, Mab smiled to herself. Her purpose hadn't been to bring Merlin round to her side, but to plant distrust in his mind. If he thought Mab wanted that idiot Christian prince on the throne, he would wonder why. He would think they were in league, or that it would at the very least help Mab's plans. Her wizard son might be less willing to help Uther if he thought it would thwart Mab.
Nontheless, her plans had a nasty habit of turning on her of late. First Merlin, then Vortigern. If this plan didn't go quite as she'd hoped, if Merlin went to Uther anyway... Mab closed her eyes and vanished again. Time to pay an unseen visit to this would-be king.
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Post by EarlyBird on Apr 3, 2007 8:44:56 GMT 9.5
(ok Vortigern was dead undead now he's dead again). (or am i confused that you know he is still alive:()
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Post by himiko on Apr 4, 2007 6:48:38 GMT 9.5
(ok Vortigern was dead undead now he's dead again). (or am i confused that you know he is still alive:() Looks like a case of two simultaneous posts to me. I carried on from Incapa's post, so I was working on the basis that he was dead.
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