Back to the cave (Part 1)

Oh yes, he would be punishing them both. He started to nod, then stopped as they moved in for a kiss. Then she vanished.

He shook his head, his eyes open wide.

He WAS hallucinating! This figment of his imagination was pretending to be his wife!

Where was Jade? What has this thing done to her?

HADE!!!!!! he shouted, then he turned to look at the two - they had faded back into one now - figments.

What have you done with her? he growled at it.

~she chuckled as she came back to form.~

"Your daughter is fine she should be back shortly." she watched him.

~she walks over to him careful and sits next to him as she undoes the bandages around his bad arm and lets it breath alittle. She still watches him closely then leans up and kisses him.~

He continues to watch her closely, starting to focus more now he needed to be alert. He moved away from the thing moving in to kiss him, presenting his cheek for it to kiss.

Where is she? Was his speech starting to return to normal already? He doubted it, it was just an easy thing to say.

There was something nagging in the back of his mind. Something important he needed doing. But the more he thought about it, the further away it seemed to be in his mind.

~she looks at him~

"Oh she will be back. If you behave yourself." ~she stays alittle close to him watching the dagger and bottle.~


~she walks back to the cave and hides the other bottles from him he has had more then enough whiskey. She walks back out to him.~

"So you don't trust me to you?"

He knew she was doing something in the cave, he could see her moving around. And she had threatened him with Jade's life. Whatever this thing was, it clearly wasn't Indis.

He was currently in no position to stand up on his own, she had seen to that with whatever it was she had put in the whiskey, but he took hold of his dagger, gripping the handle tightly as she walked back out.
Glided would be a better description.

No, I don Truss you. What you want?
He was waiting for her to sit down beside him again.

~she sat down next to him~

"And why don't you trust me? what have I done for you to doubt me?" ~she watched him closely~

He siezed the opportunity, throwing his arm around her neck and holding the dagger blade next to her throat.
His voice was a gutteral hiss.
You appear from nowhere, in the form of my dead wife. You threaten my daughter and try and poison me. Give me one reason why I shouldn't slit your throat right now.

~she laughed and then took her hand and pushed the dagger into her neck.~

"Anything else you want to do to me?"

~she turned and looked back at him.~

He sat stunned as the edge of the blade sunk into the woman's flesh, doing no apparent harm. Oh Hell Artimus, what have you got yourself involved in now?
He broke from her grip and placed the dagger on the ground.

So, you got me. I suppose you want to finish me off?
He never expected his death to be this.. way? He always hoped when he did eventually die, it would be for a cause, doing something heroic, saving lives - as many lives as he could. Not sitting alone, in the forest, naked.
But he knew an unwinable situation when faced with one. His mind was whirling, trying to find a way out of this.
He could barely stand on his own; could he trick her into helping him to his feet? Then maybe he could run for it. But where.
And anywhere he went, Jade would come back to this spot and be killed by this... thing.
No, he had to concentrate. There had to be a weak spot to this.

He listed what he had going for him. One good arm, two good legs, a bottle and a dagger. Plus his brain.
His brain wasn't up to much at the moment, still drugged, so he scratched that off the list.

The only way out he could see would be to hide. If he could find out where Jade had gone, he might be able to intercept her return and together they could escape.

Anything he did was liable to cause further damage to his left arm, but it was a willing sacrifice.

He remained still while thinking, waiting for it's reply.

~finally back in range she thinks she should find out if its ok to come back she didn't want to interrupt if that were doing things.~

~ML~ "Dad? everything alright? is it ok to come to the camp? or you and mom having fun?"

"Why would I do that? I am having so much fun playing with you." ~she grinned~

~she moved to kneel right in front of him and looked up at him~

He heard the Mindlink and sent one back.
"Not just yet. Where are you? There is.. something going on here."

He looked at her, this thing that looked like his wife.

I make you a deal. You problea is wi me. You leaf tha gurl outa it. Pwomis me ya will.

He had just seen his glimmer of hope. He could Send Jade to get help!

He didn't just yet, just hoped she stayed back like he asked.

~she looked at him and ran her hand down the side of his face.~

"and if i promise. why would you believe me now?"

Becaw she 's no invooved in this. Yaa kwarra is wi me, leaf tha gurl outta it.

He had some trouble saying the word "Quarrel", but he hoped the thing understood.

If ya do, then I a yurs to do wi as ya wish

There was still one slim way out of this. he just had to time it right.

~she shook her and smirked at him~

"Hmm tempting anything I wish...What if I want to make love to you right here?"
~she hand a finger down his chest~

~she was hoping jade was close. after they gave him the potion it would be in jades hand cause indy will follow but be invisible.~

~she came up thru the ground just outside of the camp by bunch of tree and noticed her father and mother talking. and listened in and peeked her head around.~

He let out a sigh, outwardly appearing to submit.

He mindlinked with Jade.
"I've got a real problem on my hands here. This thing has taken on the appearance of your mother, and wants us both dead. I can't kill it, so we need to get away. Once I'm on my feet, can you cause a distraction, then we can both escape. "

He kept his eyes on the thing.

If ya promise shes safe, I do it. Noo here tho. Help me oop an back to taa cave. He started trying to get to his feet, hoping Jade was on her way.

~she popped out from the behind the trees and walked up behind them but kept a distance.~

"Oh geez Dad get some clothes on."

~she had a fresh bottle of whiskey in her hand and then acted like she took a drink from it.~

"ah fresh from Meridda."

~she stood with her arms crossed looking at the two.~

~playing on him she helped him up and covered him with the cloth he had been sitting on and tucked it in.~

"Jade! what the hell are you doing here I told you to let the poison do its work." ~she looked at the bottle.

"Damn it girl I told you not to get the antiode. You never listen to me! " ~jumped towards Jade~

~jade moved out of the way and raised her hand an spoke and elvish word. As Indis falls to the ground and lays there. Jade moves over to her father.~

"Quick before she comes to drink this and you will be better. She poisoned both of us. I barely got away to get the antiode. She sent things after me but I got away. quick drink it! she is starting to move!" ~gives him the bottle and then steps close to Indis.~

"I will keep her back while you recover."

~laid there on the ground she tried not to smile the elven word was her and jades secret. Indis rolled over and acted like she couldn't move.~

"What the hell kind of spell did you do on my you tricky elf! I can't move!"

Artimus was grateful that his daughter had inherited her Mother's brain. He passed her the dagger so he could take the bottle, and took a long swig from it, letting the antidote down his throat.

How lon you thinn it tek?

Oh, he stumbled slightly, it must be starting to take effect already.

He stumbled his way through the forest, feeling very strange as he did so.
His legs were becoming heavier, his arms tired and his eyes could hardly stay open.

Azure was just ahead. If he could just reach him, he should be fine.
He put his hand out, dropping to his knees. His whole body felt like a lead weight. What the hells kind of antidote was this?
Azure faithfully walked over, and dropped to let him get on easier. Artimus started to mount the horse, but as soon as he lay on the horses back, he fell asleep, feet and shins still on the ground.

Azure looked around, staying exactly where he was.

Artimus started to snore.
Azure really hated him at times.

~both Jade and Indis follow art to azure and Indy moved the sleeping art on the horse all the way and sat on azure with him. Jade took reigns.~

"Ok Azure we need to take dad to a healer but we got to move fast. you know how dad hate healers."

~they all took off to draco again. Indis stayed invisible on the horse holding art just in case.~