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[audrina]

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Audrina stared at the girl before her and for the first time she realized that despite her growth, Atira was still only a child. Tears streamed down the girls face as she stood before her mother. At first, Audrina was concerned, until she begin to put the words together through broken sobs together.

”I…Korith…He won’t wake up…We…alcohol…he didn’t stop…He started choking…” Atira started sobbing heavily into her hands. Audrina lay motionless in her bed, unsure of exactly what had happened. She rose from the bed and stood before Atira, looking at her with folded arms.

”Slow down. What happened? You were drinking alcohol?” Audrina stared at her.

Atira took in a deep breath and looked seriously towards her mother, ”We thought it would be fun to have some wine at the tavern and then Merrique started to give us sake…” She stopped and noticed the significantly different expression on her mother’s face and then continued, ”We went to another tavern up the road and Korith…He…he ordered liquor. I knew we shouldn’t, but he just started drinking his bottle. I took the one he bought for me and just pretended to continue drinking.”

Atira’s mind flashed to what had actually happened. She and Korith were bored and she was tired of being around her crying brothers. She had always ordered wine at the tavern before, but this time she had much more than usual. The next thing she remembered was being in her house with Korith. They snuck in to disguise themselves as lightbringers. She remembered the way Korith looked at her while she was changing. His eyes twinkled and for once she felt attractive. Her body was much different than his, much curvier. She remembered wanting to laugh at him for his staring, but instead she ignored it.

Audrina stood watching her daughter, much more calm then usual. Her legs were still weak and her body tired from the birth, but she stood firm. Atira continued, ”We ran into Ciara…in Zento…we saw her in Zento and decided to return to Umbra. I raced them both to the tavern and I didn’t think he was even sick…I wasn’t sick at all. Zeth and Dae were there. Ciara never showed. I…Korith and I went outside to find her, but she was outside. We started talking. Korith started throwing up.”

Atira stopped. She stared at her mother’s feet remembering what Lestat said to her as she was leaving Korith’s bedside, ”If he dies, he dies. I expected more from you. You should have known better. You have disappointed Umbra.”

Audrina abruptly woke her from her trance by slapping her across the face. ”I want to hear the rest.”

Tears began to roll down Atira’s face as she began to continue. ”He…he started throwing up. Ciara and I were grossed out, but then…his face started turning blue. He started choking. I ran to get Dae, but when we came back out…he wasn’t moving mother. He wasn’t moving and he wasn’t breathing. He didn’t wake up.”

Atira could see Korith lying motionless on the ground. Her heart was racing as fast as it was when she ran to find a healer. She was just as scared then as she was now. She knew there would be consequences, but she didn’t care. She would take the punishment as long as Korith would wake up. Please wake up.

Audrina tried her best to not allow her hormones to take over the situation. Her eyes welled up with disappointment and frustration. She rushed towards Atira and pushed her backwards into the stone table. ”If he dies, Atira, you will too. How could you do this? How could you disgrace our family?! How could you allow your Umbran brother to drink himself unconscious? You are 17 years old! What happened to your brains? Your training? Your foucus?!” At this point, Audrina had Atira pinned to the floor. She did not hesitate while beating her own daughter.

At first Audrina kept her voice to a minimum, being careful not to rouse Beowulf or the twins, but as she continued to beat Atira she could not help herself. Her voice echoed through the house, ”You are a disgrace! A disgrace! And here I thought you were the one child that had her wits about her! Here I thought you would uphold your mother’s name! I should kill you now!!” Audrina looked down and noticed how severely bloody Atira’s face had become. She slowly stood up, staring down at her motionless daughter.

Atira stared at the wall, in too much pain and shock to move. Tears streamed down her face, but she was silent. Each breath she took caused a painful jab in her side. Blood covered her face and began slowly seeping into her hair. She didn’t move. Not one movement. She felt ashamed and even worse, she felt responsible for Korith.

”I will not let you cause me the pain that Tay did. You are old enough now to pay for what you have done.” Audrina walked out of the room, leaving Atira to lay on the cold stone floor.
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Darrien_Church: he asked what was the church of england based on
Darrien_Church: so I raise my hand and go "The lustful loins of Henry the VIII"
Darrien_Church : apparently not the right answer

[X'eros De'Vir]

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Korith lay in bed unconcious, at the Den of Sin, just outside the dark city of Umbra. His condition finally stabilized, his heartbeat and breathing no longer impared. However, he lay in a coma, due to the excessive alcohol content he consumed, and his breathing blocked off by a heavy amount of vomit.

As he lay there, an ear would occasionally flicker, then suddenly, his shut eyelids began to twitch, as he started to dream.

He stood there on the bridge going into umbra speaking to a drow, when along came Atira on a horse. She dismounted the horse and grinned to Korith.

He just stood there, staring at her.... not sure what to say at first... "my, how she had grown" he said to himself. The drow just watched the exchange and gave a chuckle.

As he began speaking to Atira, his eyes wandered to her chest. She noticed his stare at first, and leaned forward. His lips curved into a grin. Suddenly, "My eyes are up here Korith." As he continued to stare, she said "They do not talk". He finally looked back up at her, and continued to talk, somewhat embarrassed.

They ended up in the tavern ordering drinks, luckily no one had tried to stop them. Suddenly, the barmaid Merri walked in, he thought they were busted, yet, she endulged them, serving free sake, all they could drink. They challanged each other on how much they could drink. Never had he had so much fun. "Amazing", he thought to himself as he glimpsed at the drinking Atira across from him.

As the night continued, they planned to sneak into sanctus, to order more rounds. It appeared they had drained Merri of her exotic stock of sake. But first, Atira insisted that they needed to disquise themselves if they were to sneak into enemy territory. As they entered the bed chambers at her home, they went though some old clothing, some of it quite ugly.

"This will do, now turn around, I do not want you looking while i change." she said. As he turned around, he saw a mirror. A slow smile played to his lips as he gazed into the mirror.

After they were fully suited, they went to sanctus, where he ordered the harder variety of drink. Little did he realize, she had not touched her liquir.

A quick trip to zento, was shortly followed by the return trip to Umbra. All this teleporting really got to him. He never knew what it felt like, being drunk while in the middle of a recall teleport.

After their return to the Tavern, Atira went to show Ciara something. Korith came out of the tavern, feeling horrible. Zeth Melgair noticed this and walked him down the stairs. As they go to the bottom, Korith began to vomit.

Atira and Ciara watched, both feeling sickened by the display. As they resumed their talking, Korith began to choke. His vision becoming cloudy and dark.

He tossed and turned in his bed at the tavern, his eyelids fluttering wildly as his dreaming became a nightmare. His teeth gritting, a moan of panic escaped his lips, sweat beading all over his dark skin.

The sky was dark and dreary, there were whispers everywhere, coming from the trees. Sounds of crying, from two young females travelled on the bitter wind. He was alone.

He recognised the two voices as Atira and Ciara. He tried to say, "I am right here!!" but nothing came out. He lay there in a heap, as shadows enveloped him, suddenly, the crying from the voice of Atira hightened to a blood curdling scream. "No Korith don't die!!!"
He tried to move towards Atira, to put his arms around her, but something held him back. As the shadows enveloped him, his view of Atira faded from view.

He lay there, in the bed, covered in dank sweat. He was still alive, but a prisoner of his own head.

[atira thormear]

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She sat down next to Korith’s bed and searched for words. Unlike the previous visits, this time he seemed to be in a vivid dream. He was tossing back and fourth and sweating and she seemed to make out a few of his grumbles as words.

”Korith. Wake up.” That was all she could think to say. She sat silently for sometime as she stared at him. She reflected heavily on her own disappointment in herself. She thought of what the Merci had said to her, ”What if you were called into battle, Atira, but you were too drunk to fight. You would have died. This is not about letting your family down or Umbra, you have let yourself down.”

These words weighed heavily in her mind. She needed Korith to wake up inorder for her to move forward. She winced in pain as she took in a deep breath. After her mother’s punishment she refused any healers that had been offered. The pain, she felt, was a reminder of her wrong doing. It was a reminder of the disappointment she had caused herself and others. In time she would heal, just as her mind would focus.

”Korith. Wake up.”

He did not move, his usual eye flickering had stopped. She was angry, angry with herself. ”Korith, if you’d don’t wake up I will never forgive you.” She marched out of the room, slamming the door behind herself. She wanted to cry, but couldn’t. Instead she ran. She ran far up the road, the constant jab of pain in her side. She raised her sword to as many creatures as she could find, until she could no longer bare the pain. She lay down her sword and looked around desperately. It was no easy task growing up in Umbra.

The walk back to Korith was long, but she knew she had to go. She had so many things she wanted to say. She opened the door and stood over him, but no words came. Without any thought she leaned down and placed her lips upon his, standing up almost immediately, unsure of what would happen. His eyes flickered, but they did not open. She could feel her cheeks beginning to flush as she turned to leave the room.

”Atira? Wh..where am I?” Korith spoke the words and Atira turned around quickly. She hid her happiness beneath her anger. She told him what happened and explained that his parents are not happy. She helped him clean up and gather his things and then they both begin their walks home.

”Good luck.” Atira spoke to him as she turned her body awkwardly. She hugged him quickly, unsure of if he would remember their kiss, and then hurriedly turned and walked away.

[X'eros De'Vir]

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Shortly after Korith made his way back home, his mother came in. She looked at him, with dissapointment in her eyes. After the first round of lecturing, she finally took him back to the tavern and tought him the responsible way to consume alcohol. They both sat there in the tavern as they drank their cider, while eating pizza served by the barkeep, Kane.

After they returned home, she told him to go to his room until his father got back.

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A few moments later, X'eros returned to see Doireann sitting in a chair. He grinned to her as he sat down. She then told him of his son's actions. At this, X'eros began to fume. He growled as he slowly gripped the armrests of his chair. She tried to calm him down, and even scolded him for his solution. She wanted no violence of any kind to happen to their son.

Due to the scheduled training coming up, he needed to go. But this matter weighed heavily on his mind. He had to come up with a solution soon, for his son had not recieved the proper punishment he deserved. After the following day, and another conversation with his wife, X'eros went to the tavern. He seen Audrina sitting there.

After a brief conversation with her, he had an idea. He returned home, getting into bed with his wife and settled down. However, just after midnight, he got up again, donning his armor, and slowly snuck out of the room. He walked quietly downstairs and stood in front of his son's door. He entered to see his son sleeping there.

He approached his son and gently nudged him. His son woke up, noticing his father towering over him. At first he cowered under his covers. X'eros calmly whispered. "Do not worry son, your mother came to me first. Lets go for a walk and have a conversation about the previous day's events."

His son looked at him, puzzled. However, he appeared trusting and got out of bed. He put on his armor and followed his father out the door. They both made their way to the tavern.

"So, how about a drink with your father? I shall teach you the proper way to drink." he said. His son told him of the previous time with his mother in the tavern.

"Ah, so she did." he said. Well then, i will teach you a lesson in drinking harder liquir. At this, Korith hesitated. "Hard Liquir?" he thought to himself.
He sat there, a bit uncomfortable as his father ordered the liquir. As his father turned around, he merely grinned as he handed Korith a bottle. "Drink it son, do not be afraid.."

Trembling slighty, Korith took the bottle and opened it. He gave one more questioning look at his Father. His father nodded quietly to begin.

Korith begin to sip the liquir. "You call that a swig son? Drink it! Not sample it... " He said a bit impatiently. At this, his son became more nervous, but out of obediance, he began to swig it. His father ordered a few more and continued to make him drink more. After a few more, Korith became drunk, trembling as he drank the alcohol, getting much of it spilled on his armor. X'eros handed him one more and made him drink it.

After the last one, Korith mumbled, incoherantly... "no more" At this, he slowly stood and looked like he was going to hurl. He stumbled and wabbled to the door. X'eros putt a strong hand on his shoulder as if he was going to help him. As they opened the door, X'eros bent his son over the railing. His son hurled over the railing as the bile hit the grass. Once X'eros was sure that was the last of the hurling, he helped his son back into the tavern.

"Now that was the improper way to drink son." X'eros said a bit menacingly in his son's ear. "You really should pace yourself." Suddenly, he gripped his son behind the head in a fierce manner. "And after that, there are other things you should worry about, if you want to be Umbra's town drunk." He paused a moment, then went on. "As a drunk, you will eventually start fights, with those you would not normally start with."

"And with that, you will most likely get hostile reactions, like this." Suddenly, X'eros curled his hand into a hard fist and drove it right into the gut of his son.
His son, recoiled and groaned in agony, not being able to fight back.

X'eros, still gripping his son in back of the head, tightened his grip and gave him a harsh backhand across the face. He then raised his son over his shoulders, his left hand gripping his head, his right hand his thigh, letting out out a vicious war cry.

He put his son on the bar of the tavern, and slid him down the bar quickly, breaking anything that was in the way of his son, all the way down to the end. X'eros then let go as his son slid off the bar and onto the floor.

Korith tried to get up, as X'eros came behind him with a stool and shattered it on the back of Korith's head. Korith then fell down again.

X'eros then growled, picking his son up by the back of the head and slams the side of his face into the bar. Korith groaned in pain. "And this son, is what would happen if you were drunk and in the middle of a tavern brawl. Sounds exciting, hmm?" He grinned menacingly as his hand was still pressing the side of Korith's head. "You must be looking forward now to become the new Umbran town drunk, arent you son?" At this, Korith began to sob ashamed.

"Now stop your crying and clean up this mess; I will not be held responsible for any damages."

He let Korith up, and watched as his son struggled to clean the tavern all night. X'eros knew he would not be able to clean up the pieces, so he removed the pieces of glass and broken stool, putting it into a sack for disposal. As they finished cleaning the tavern, X'eros left enough gold to replace anything that was broken.

On their way back home, X'eros said, "not a word of this to your mother; or next time, i will break every one of your toes."

[gypsy_merrique]

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Merrique stepped through the Umbra moongate, strolling along at a leisurely pace. She had been out walking, and trying to clear her mind of recent events. It seemed that the only positive note at this moment in time was Matriarch Ceinwyn telling her that she was happy with the way Merri was keeping the Den. The compliment was welcome and cherished and did assuage some of the stings dealt to Merri's psyche in recent weeks.

As always, she paused on the western bridge, hands on the railing as she gazed toward the south. What a soothing place, this bridge. It was one of several bridges that Merrique enjoyed stopping on. There was something especially soothing about those bridges on Malas. Oh, that view. After a few moments of quiet contemplation she moved on toward the Den.

Coming through the small copse of trees, Merrique stopped and frowned. Someone had vomited all down the side of the building, over the railing. "What in blue hell!" she exclaimed. Cursing under her breath and convinced it certainly could be no responsible Umbran to make such a mess, she stalked into the downstairs door and went to her room and changed into old clothes as she cursed Kane for being such a lazy man.

Still aggravated at having her hair pulled not once, but twice, by a stranger, she cursed again under her breath as she gathered a bucket and warmed water to clean the building and the grass of that nasty muck. Merrique hauled out the sloshing bucket and began to clean things the best she could, and took pause to remember a time in her own youth that she drank too much and was sick. That was not punishment enough--when she was better again, Maman Sabine took her aside and forced her to drink a potent home brew that her tribe was fond of. "Now, THAT was bad" she thought with a chuckle. "But not as bad as growing up to be a lush!" another part of her mind chimed in.

Merrique stood back, assessing her work. The mess was gone and the building was no longer sullied by the dripping swill. She went back inside and put the bucket and brushes away, and decided that she had indeed earned herself a trip to Buc's Den for a nice, long, private bath. Merri gathered a pack of bath items and fresh clothes.

She left the tavern.
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. . . But the dark is very trustworthy.
It's always as dark as you thought it was.
And you don't have to work at staying there.
All you have to do is survive it.
And I've been doing that forever.
from the novel "Dark Debts" by Karen Hall