Solitary Confinement. [] Open if you'd like. []

[The Sadist]

She had been there to watch the shimmering colors of the horizon before slowing rising from the ground. The dawn was something she enjoyed watching break over the tree tops, but never did she linger long enough to watch it's full glory. Malice wiped a few traces of grass from her ankle length dress. Green really did stand out against the black...black like her mood as of late but she yet to determine the cause. Returning to her room seemed to be her only optioin, but in truth it wasn't where she wanted to be.

Little ivory dagger pierced the plump softness of her lip as silent contemplation began. Her self imposed solitary confinement was taking a toll on her. Granted she wasn't the most social of people, but keeping to herself after the adventure of shopping with J.J. was much needed. At first time was kept by keeping in touch with Doug, but as the days became longer the emails and text messages seemed to become less frequent. She understood that the spring brought foals and extra work so she was patient with his lack of correspondence.

Not all together sure where she was headed the Sadist walked toward the exit of the Garden, surely there would be something to do at this hour, and if luck was on her side maybe someone else was roaming the linger darkness that refused to give to the light of day. Maybe she could stop would stop by the stables, the horseflesh might take her mind however temporary it was from her current thoughts. So, unconsciously her bare feet kissed the dew covered ground that would lead her to the stables.

[Connor]

Grumbling slightly to himself, mostly out of boredom, Connor brushed the coat of a particularly vexing horse. No, he had seen how well Slepnir liked him, and was leaving that one alone. One migraine a week was enough, thank you and please.

Still.

He shot a look over to the horse, mostly out of the same boredom, and showed teeth. "You better be glad there were two witnesses, ya glue-stick." Mumble-grumble-brush-brush. He paused, hearing motion over the belching and gas-passing that was making his live so fun at the moment, and paused. Having grown tired of scrubbing so much horse leaving from his body earlier the same day, he had decided to wear a thin cotton tank-top. It covered more body than nothing, after all, and wasn't stifling.

He rose to his full height, able to see across the horse's back, and grabbed a carrot. "Here's for being a good sport, pal. Might want to talk to your friend there. He has a nasty attitude." Of course he knew there would be no answer from his equine friends, but still, it was nice to speak to someone, if for no other reason than to break the monotony of brushing horsehair. Dropping the brush into a pouch on a random apron, he walked toward the door, poking his nose out to give a tentative sniff. "Could've sworn I heard....nah. Just losing my mind from all the fun." He turned to walk back inside, bemused at himself. "G'job, Connor. Manage to piss in the cornflakes of the first woman ya meet, and oh look, she runs the bloody place. Great job, o wise one." A pause. "Damn, when did I become such a wise-ass?"

[The Sadist]

Malice stood motionless for a moment as she listened to the commotion if you will from inside the stables. Comical as it was, she only detected one voice, it seemed the equine were keeping to themselves unless you count the excrement flowing from their backsides. She was just out of view from the male that now sniffed, or was he clearing his lungs of the stench of manure for a more pleasant early morning air,either way she decided to end the monotony of solitary confinement.

Stepping just inside the stables a causual lean of svelte frame agains the open stall was given. Try as she might the more he talked to himself the more amused she became, so much so that one of those rare smiles now tugged at the corners of velveteen softness."If I was a betting woman, I'd say about the time you learned to talk."Men always seemed to be born with the wise ass gene and honed it to semi perfection with age. Slender arms came to hug petite frame as she waited to see if he imagined the horses had answered him, or his imagination. He didn't look to be daft, so she was sure he'd figure it out.

[Connor]

He very nearly jumped at the sound of her voice, but in learning to control aspects of himself, he had learned to circumvent that sort of response when needed. As he turned, he saw her and smiled. "Ah, you heard that? Just developed the habit of talking to myself to alleviate boredom. I didn't hear you come in." The tone in which the last was spoken, coupled with the appraising look he was giving her, made it clear this was meant to be a compliment. "I can count on one hand the times I have been surprised in that manner." Looking around, he decided he had better do the semi-official thing. No one had told him to, but he didn't let that bother him. "Can I help you with something? Oh. Name's Connor." He gave his hand a good long look, and after wiping it on his pants leg, he looked again. "Huh. I'd offer to shake, but well, you know. Horse crap."

[The Sadist]

Mantilla of ebon played a quick game of peek a boo with mercury prisms as they watched him attempt to mask his reaction. Granted he didn't jump, but Malice could see the tensing of his muscles before they relaxed in his back. Mental note that he practiced self control which only made her a tad bit curious as to why."Few ever do."The Sadist was always in stealth mode when out and about. It was easier to catch her dinner that way, and no...dinner was not on her mind at the moment. Smile was returned, but lacked the conviction of being genuine. Nothing personal, it was simply who she was.

Ebony and ivory tresses gave a slight lift from shoulder as the morning breeze danced across her neck. Spidery digits lifted to tuck one errant strand back into it's resting place behind her ear."Yes, boredom I can relate to, it seems to be stalking me."His questions brought a furrow of brows, for in truth she hadn't thought she'd find anyone in the stables at all and now he was asking if she wanted his help. Malice didn't feel like riding at the moment, but perhaps all wasn't lost."Connor."Slight chuckle to his final statement as she pushed off from the leaning post she'd taken, moving slowly towards the male and the horseflesh.

"Have another brush?"She wasn't opposed to helping him, that was if he wanted help and some company. If not, it was no big deal she would simply continue on her way and perhaps grab a cup of that special brew Pip had offered when she checked in."Unless you prefer to keep talking to yourself."Sculpted brow arched in an almost playful challenge. The brush so to speak was in his court, or tack box either way she waited for his answer, fully aware that she neglected to give her name. It was nice to have someone not know who she was.

[Connor]

He laughed, shaking his head. "Oh, no. I think I've plowed this avenue for all the conversation it has. It's dreadful when the only hope of an interesting conversation requires you to talk to yourself." Looking around, he flipped the canvas that covered some of the feed back, pulling a brush out and handing it over. "There you go."

After a moment, he would move to the closest horse, starting his task efficiently. A glance over to her drew his curiousness out. "I would think that you'd be able to find something to occupy your time. As it turns out, I seem to have done so myself. That De'Ryanna? Either she likes me, or she's just misogynistic." A slight shrug. "Either way, I have gainful employment, and a means to pay for my room without digging into my personal funds. So, I suppose it works out to be good on me."

Another moment or two passed before the dreaded curious streak hit again, causing him to erupt in a sly smirk. "I noticed you didn't throw your name, so none of the standard 'I didn't catch your name' shtick. However, I'd prefer to be able to call you something besides horse-brushing-buddy."

[The Sadist]

A trace of a smile dared to dance upon her lips, she had often thought that talking to herself was indeed the best conversation she ever had, but hey let's not go there. Brush was grabbed with nothing more than a nod of thanks before moving to the opposite side of the horse. Using slow and methodical stroke from neck to shoulder the task of grooming began.

"Birds of a feather perhaps."Malice herself trusted very few women, for most seemed to either be ninnies, or drama queens and for those that knew Malice, she loathed both. The task of brushing out the horse came second nature to her, after all she and Doug did own a very lucrative ranching and breeding business. Depths of liquid steel however didn't focus on the task at hand but instead watched the male himself, distrusting of him also it would seem.

"Malice" Well remaining as the horse brushing buddy didn't last long, but it really didn't suit her. Granted she could have lied about her name, but that was not in her character. Surely her reputation had not ventured here. So far the only other person besides her sister that she knew was Pip. Brush became idle a moment as slender free hand came to stroke along the withers.Have you been employed here for awhile?" Small talk was so not her forte' but she would give it a go. Seriously, a deep baritone voice did chase away the remnants of a tortured mind.

[Connor]

"Malice. I'm sure to remember that." He smiled, looking in her direction for a moment before turning his attention back to the horse. "No, I've only been working here a couple of days." He would continue to glance in her direction now and then, watching her technique.

After a few moments of this, he sighed. "Listen. You seem to know more of what you're doing than I. Would you mind sharing a few tips? You'd have my undying gratitude, but then, you already have that just for offering a break from the constant whinny-flick-shuffle-fart that I just so enjoy." Sarcasm-helping conversations carry on since the creation of spoken language.

[The Sadist]

She listened as he spoke. His voice smooth but laced with a bit of uncertainty. Lifting her gaze from the horse only to meet his own, light smile was given. There was no trace of recognition on his part which suited her just fine. His next onslaught of conversation however brought a light chuckle from her.

"Undying gratitude to me could be a dangerous thing." It would be up to Connor to figure out the seriousness of that statement but before he could dwell on it too much the Sadist was moving towards the tack box and searching. Finding what she was looking for she stood beside him."This little baby right here, will make any coat shine." The 'baby' was nothing more than a curry comb in which she placed on the shoulder of the horse.

"The key here is to move in short firm strokes." A few of these strokes were given before she turned and handed the comb to Connor."This removes dead hair, burrs and whatever the creature might have picked up during a ride. Like a pumice stone removes dead skin from humans." Seemed Malice was in rare form as teacher and Connor for the most part a willing student.

[Connor]

After trying it out for a moment or two, Connor smiled graciously. "Thank you, Malice. I'm sure that the horses will be happier with a little bit of improvement from me. Sad to say that before I started here, the closest I got to a horse was walking by one and giving it a large berth." He gave his head a shake, chuckling slightly. "You know that saying about horses sensing indecision or fear? I do believe it's true."

He did not elaborate on that, instead moving down the length of the horse in front of him as he combed. "Buggery! No wonder you were in a bad mood, pal!" He came away from the horse holding a rather large and nasty sand-spur, an incredulous look on his features. "I believe I'd be acting like a jerk if I had one of these stuck in my ass, too!"

[Madeline Cauthon]

((This takes place the morning before Maddie joins Pris at the mud garden. And I have premission by both muns to do a cameo spot in this thread.))

Madeline had gotten up extra early to take her horse for a ride. After she had got dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a black tank top, she pulled her hair back into a pony tail and made her way to the stables.

When she arrived at the stable, she really didn't expect to see anyone, but when she started to walk in, she heard a lady talking to a man. Madeline had planned on ignoring them, and just getting her horse and taking him out. But when she walked in and saw the two people talking, it made her stop dead in her tracks. The man with his back to her looked awfully familiar to her. "Uncle Gareth?"

[The Sadist]

Malice couldn't contain the laugh that slipped by her lips. Her own brand of sarcasm was perched for flight but considering she just met the male the cyanide tongue was bitten, not literally of course. Gaze drifted to his hand and the sand spur he was holding. It was brief because there was someone approaching but Malice didn't want to seem paranoid.

"I'm surprised he didn't buck anyone off that tried to ride him."Slight cant of head as the female entered into the stables. Once more mantilla of ebon obscured liquid depths of steel briefly. It was the almost sing song question of her voice that brought a questioning look to Connor, sculpted brow almost asked in silent question who she was talking to.

[Connor]

Connor nodded gravely as she spoke. "Yeah. It's a wonder this one didn't cave my brainpan in like the other one did earlier in the week. I'd be pretty pissed if this was stuck to my arse, be assured of that!" He noted her looking toward the doors, so he turned as well, just in time to see the little girl and hear her question. His brow knitted, and he walked over to her, placing his hands on her shoulder. "Hello, little miss. How do you come by that name? Uncle.....my father had no blood kin, so how is it that you know him as uncle?"

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline felt her heart sink when he walked over to her and she realized it wasn't her uncle. But then he said the word father. Maddie never knew Garth had any kids. And Gawain had never made mention of it. "Gareth and my dad Gawain are really good friends, and act like brothers. Thats why I call him Uncle Gareth"

Madeline gave the man a long look over and smiled. "You certainly look like him. I'm going to get him for not telling me he had a son. By the way what's your name. Mine is Madeline, Madeline Cauthon. You can call me Maddie if you would like. Most people do"

Tilting her head to see the lady. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything?"

[Connor]

He smiled, removing his hands from her shoulders before rising. "I know that name, as Father mentioned him in my youth. Sadly, I did not get a chance to know my father too well.....which leads me to the question of how you came to know him. You see....." His eyes fell as he realized that she did not know. "Little one, I despise giving bad news to someone as young and sweet as you seem to be, but my father died some time ago. I am truly sorry...I wish that he were still here. I grew to adulthood without the benefit of a parental link."

After a moment, he ruffled her hair. "It would seem we have much to discuss, little one. Maybe after my shift here is done, we could head into the inn and grab a bite to eat? Perhaps we will be able to puzzle these things out." As for her question...."Malice here was teaching me a few things about horses. Seems that I have quite a bit to learn about them, as well as interacting with hu....people."

[The Sadist]

In her world silence was golden and thus would explain why Malice offered nothing to the conversation, as if she could. She had no clue who Gareth was, but it was the child's father that brought back a few memories. Semi obscure depths of mercury appraised the daughter of Gawain, vaguely listening to to the soft baritone of Connor's voice...that was until his slip up.

Malice knew there was something he was trying to hide, he had given her a inkling as to what it was. The elemental she had been given years ago often fooled people into believing the charade of humanity she cast forth but in truth it was simply so she could walk about and not worry about erupting into a fiery inferno. Another glance towards the child and then back to Connor before the brushing was picked up yet again. Now, she wasn't rude..it was more that she really wasn't a social creature and there was nothing for her to add.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline eyes started to fill with tears as she kind of zoned out. Memories of the past several months filled her head. Maybe it was the spell was slowly wearing off, or the fact that this stranger, Gareth's long lost son, had told her something that she really needed to hear to trigger her memory. Whatever it was, Madeline now knew what her father, brother, and others had said to be true. She had in fact been deaged.

Madeline wiped her eyes as she came back from the depths in her subconscious. She gave Connor a grateful smile. "Thank you for being honest with me. I really hate you never knew him. He was a wonderful man and an awesome uncle. He has and always be close in my heart."

Madeline gave Gareth's son a hug. Then stepping back a bit, she put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. "Swifty! Time for a ride boy." Madeline's black steed came from the back of the stables with his white tail swinging. As it were his custom, he bent down and let Madeline mount. There was no need for a saddle. Madeline had always preferred to ride bare back.

As Swifty stood back Madeline looked at Connor. "I have a job behind the stables at three-thirty where the mud statues are. If I'm not there when you get off, I'll be at the inn. I'm in room two hundred three. Might want to check the lounge first though I may be in there watching TV. Maybe I can convince my dad to join us. I'm sure he'd like to meet Uncle Gareth's son as well."

Madeline smiled at Malice. "Sorry to disturb the lesson." Then she added with a grin, because she too had noticed Connor's slip. "Hope he isn't a slow learner."

Taking two handfuls of Swifty's mane and softly clicking her heels on his sides, Madeline and Swifty left out of the stables. It was a beautiful morning, and Maddie was in no hurry to see anyone she knew. "Swifty let's take a ride to the Falls. We can hang out there till time for me to come back and get ready for work."

And thats exactly what they did.

[Connor]

Connor waved and smiled, feeling like an idiot. "Bloody hell....she didn't know? I thought....damn." He shook his head, turning back to the horses and, assuming she had not left, Malice. "Sometimes...I shouldn't say words. But hold on...she didn't know, and she looked to be around nine or ten, so how does she know my father? He died when I was a very small child...." He picked up the brush with nerveless fingers, too stunned to speak for a few minutes. The only sound until the silence was broken, perhaps by Malice's voice, was the shrrriiip, shrrriiip of the brush doing it's work.

[The Sadist]

With a steady hand she brushed until she could brush no more so the brush given a toss back into it's original place. Malice was for the most part content with petting the beast while trying not to feel like she was intruding on a private moment. In another lifetime she might have felt compassion for the young female but in reality she felt nothing. There were very few who evoked any kind of reaction within the femme fatale unless of course it was in battle. Malice had to blink a few times to pull herself back into the present, the sound of hooves passing by brought her gaze to the girl just in time to return a half smile.


Silent as ever she listened while Connor began his onslaught of words. His questions in her opinion were rhetorical since she herself had no answers or antidotes on how to fix anything. Ivory dagger began to nibble at the corner of her lip as was her habit, and once Connor seemed to have worn himself out with the self cross examination and back to brushing she simply moved to his side of the horse placing one hand on his in order for him to cease.

"Two things are going to happen if you continue to brush him....one he's going to be bald in that spot, and two he will make sure to throw you next time you mount him."Her touch was brief, so much so he might question whether it had been actual or merely in his mind. Her voice was soft, but her words were true. Connor seemed a bit agitated and there was no need in taking out on the horse. The fine art of brushing lesson had come to an end for today. Svelte frame took up position leaning against the front of an empty stable."So I take it the female caught you a bit off guard."

[Connor]

Connor gave a start, obviously not paying much attention to what he was doing. He gave the horse a pat (surprisingly enough, the horses in the stables seemed to have grown used to him, and responded with less hoof and more where-is-my-carrot-nuzzling these days), and set the brush down, glancing to Malice with a vaguely apologetic air.

After a moment, he sagged visibly. "Sorry. And yes, she did. Poor kid...it sucks much ass to find out that someone you cared for is dead. Especially like that. Damn. See, it was twenty years ago when the man known as Gareth Machera died. My father. He was killed by another, one that I am told resides in this very inn. Her father. Foster mum told me of my father's descent into madness, but bloody hell, I was what, three? What did I know?"

"Still, best not to dwell on things which are long past. I've a conversation to hold with this Gawain. He should have some answers...I've not thought much past that. He needs to have some answers. He called my father near-brother, and aside from some strange red-head and another girl that smelled of cats...must have been one of those bent cat-ladies what stay alone except for a few score cats....he usually kept to himself. I think he knew, there at the end. He always seemed to be in a rush to teach me things." Something the little girl had said came back to him, and he looked toward the direction she had disappeared in. "What did she mean I never got to know him....?"

He took a deep breath there, and shook his head. "My apologies. I seem to have developed an athletic streak, what with the running off at the mouth. Anyway, how would you know any of whom I speak? Yeah, sorry to you as well, you horrible apple-filtcher." He gave the horse before him a friendly scratch between the eyes, smiling wanly. "Feel free to just bloody tell me to stop, right?"

[The Sadist]

Malice listened to Connor go on, but made no attempt to try and stop him. Sometimes rattling off in such a manner produced answers, but in his case it didn't seem to help any. Slender arms folded across her chest as one booted foot pressed against the wooden board of the stall. Once more that ivory dagger gave a nibble to plump lower as she wrapped her mind around everything he had said,but it was his question that gave her a moments debate on lying or not, but Malice might be a lot of things, but a liar wasn't one of them.

"Actually I know Gawain, we were in the Alliance together."She wasn't about to go into any further details because that was in the past and it was going to remain there. For all she knew their little tryst was all but forgotten by Gawain but anywho, she did want to learn a bit more about Connor. Yes, Malice knew what Gawain was and Connor had made the slip about "humans", not to mention she was an educated woman so she would make the assumption of what Connor was trying to hide, but for now she would keep it to herself.

"So you are here looking for Gawain, or the someone who is here possibly that destroyed your father?"Curiosity killed the cat we know, but since the immortal daughter had that not to fear she decided to pry a bit. Hey, it was either that or succumb to the boredom that was ever creeping in her beloved shadows. She told herself that she needed to be more compassionate, but damnit that was not an easy task for one such as herself. She couldn't care less about people, never had so why should she start now? Simple..for lack of anything better to do at the moment. Okay, so Connor was easy on the eyes and his way of rambling was amusing!

[Connor]

"I suppose playing dumb would just insult an intelligent woman, so I won't do so. Yes, I am here seeking Gawain to ask him some questions. See, he killed my father when I was very young. I've been told that Father knew the end was coming, and had planned for it. He had even asked Gawain to be the one to do it. You see, he was going mad from using something called the Source. A madman with control of an elemental force...I don't have to tell you how bad that could get."

He stooped down, picking up a piece of hay and toying with it. "At any rate, he did it. Gawain, that is. It's been over twenty years now, and I feel that I am entitled to an explanation, or at least an admission. It's the least he could do....I mean, my mother was the village bicycle, not to mention a weak-willed harpy that offed herself because Gawain asked for a divorce on the grounds of infidelity, and my father, dead by his hand? Yeah. Guy had better have an explanation." Now, Connor was not one to openly boast of his intentions, but this lady knew the man, and for some reason, he felt as if she could be trusted.

[The Sadist]

At least he seemed smart enough to realize that Malice was an intelligent woman, and though he might try to cover his words with veiled lies, she would know the truth, or at least discover it later. She watched the muscles in his jaw as he spoke, the trace of anger evident. In her mind, Connor had every right to be angry, and want answers. She just hoped Gawain was in a giving mood when Connor finally caught up with him.

"Be careful what you wish for, or seek in this matter. Sometimes, the truth is better left alone."

Yes, Malice could be a pearl of wisdom when she wanted to be. There was something about Connor that had come to intrigue her, against her better judgmental she was sure. This could end up being a very deadly game of cat and mouse, and Malice so enjoyed a good game. What did she have to lose anyway, question was...what did she have to gain from it.

[Connor]

He sighed, the anger draining from him as abruptly as it had welled up. "I know. It's been this long, why not let sleeping dogs lie, no pun intended. And yeah, I can see that you've already figured it out, and I'm not a bit ashamed of my gift. I'm a werewolf...well, I prefer Lycan, but you know. Same difference. By your scent, I'm guessing vampire. I've no problem with that....it the vamps that have a superiority complex in regards to my kind that makes me grind my teeth." Sort of a joke?

"At any rate, I believe we're about done here. Amazing how much more quickly things go when you have intelligent conversation to occupy you." He smiled, thrusting a hand out in a friendly gesture. "Maybe sometime in the near future I can return the favor of wise counsel and companionship."

[The Sadist]

It was a rare moment that came to pass as velveteen softness creased into their first genuine smile directed at none other than Connor himself. Trust was something most did not give her, and yet he seemed to do so openly. Malice was very trustworthy, and once she considered you a friend it would always remain so. That's not to say she's without flaw, for she has made her share of mistakes but anyway.

"You would be correct, and though depending on who you ask, I do not fancy myself better than anyone. We are who we are either by choice or not."

Petite hand now permitted slender digits to curl around the warmth of his own in a return gesture of friendship. The contact once again was brief before hand was then shoved into vacant pocket. Mercury prisms checked out the horse before returning to Connor.

"I would like that. Most people tend to avoid me like the plague."

With fluid motion Malice was no longer leaning against the stall and headed for the door, but however she did pause long enough to see if Connor was heading out to, or if she was on her own. Either way, it didn't matter to Malice.

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