#All my personal stories with Suspicious White Powder are boring so I like to tell that one sldmwldk

[kaluawoo]

My question is What did Belkia think the power was!? Did he think Otogiri was doing drugs in the kitchen or something

Yeah my best guess is drugs. Gun powder is black so drugs would be the most common Dangerous White Powder...

[nikkialena]

More Than Just A Number .2

 after two heated rounds it came down to a tie and you surprisingly were enjoying yourself. But it was late or at least you thought so kinda hard to tell when your in space calling it a night you retired to your quarters, giving your face a quick wash the rag got snagged on one of your various horns with a frustrated sigh you glared at the little things and grabbed your saber. However before you could give yourself a little makeover your comlink went off, “hey [n/n] got time to talk” Anakin asked sounding a littler perkier than usual tossing your saber on the bed you plopped down on its edge. “Yea shoot” you mumbled plopping on the bed face first you spent the rest of the night listening to Anakin talk about his relationship with Padme which you didn’t really mind listening to, when you woke you had managed to roll off the bed and hit the floor with the blanket wrapped around you like a burrito. Getting up you quickly showered avoiding looking in the mirror at all cost, you hated your reflection it was ugly and freaky like nightmare fuel, with your awkward white patch around your right eye your different colored  eyes and your devil horns you were picture of disgust rumor even has it your parents gave you to the jedi for that reason alone. You weren’t sure if it was true but all the other padawans seemed to really believe it at the time, leaving your room you hit poor Rex with the door knocking him to the floor because you were so distracted by your thoughts, “Captain Rex I’m so sorry” you admitted bashfully as you helped him to his feet and brushed him off, “that’s quite alright accidents happen “ he said with a soft laugh you tried to use the force to see if he was lying but he seemed bubbly you apologized again and you felt him shift from neutral to slightly uncomfortable. “Really it’s no problem ma’- I mean [Y/N]”  You smiled softly letting out a short breath “okay so uh where are you going?” He stiffened at your question which was odd and you swore you could feel a little unease wafting off of him, “to meet general Anakin in the cockpit” he replied swiftly but judging off the aura coming off of him you could tell he’d just lied and that peeked your interest. Since Rex was one of the most honest and honorable people you’d heard of  “really now” you mused staring deep into his pretty golden eyes,  he held your gaze for about two minutes before briskly excusing himself and walking away you thought about following him but decided against and instead went to the cockpit. Anakin greeted you with a half wave while conversing with Ahsoka “whatcha whispering about?” Anakin turned to you with a somewhat soft smile “our first mission together in forever we gotta rescue a spy from the planet Tiliti he has some valuable information on a new project count Duke is working on”,  “sounds fun” you said sarcastically crossing your arms. He had this weird look on your face like he was about to ask you something personal and you tensed up, “whatever it is you want me to do I’m not doing it” you stated firmly he let out a sigh only confirming your suspicion that he was up to something, “well the base is located in a nightclub” he muttered softly.  You nodded slowly urging him to go on and he played with his fingers “that means we have to dress properly….and you have to ditch the jedi robe”, you sucked a breath through your teeth as your heart jumped into your throat “no I won’t do It you’ll have to go without me” you turned to leave but he held you with the force ticking you off. “I know you did not just use the force on me” you spat venomously glaring daggers into his soul a couple of clones paused whatever they were doing to watch the little hissyfit you were having, “I know you don’t like taking off your hood but I wouldn’t ask you if lives weren’t in danger “ he stared you in the eye a look of seriousness crossing his face. You sighed in defeat slumping your shoulders and turning for your room to get ready, “why doesn’t she like taking off her hood” Rex and Ahsoka asked simultaneously watching you disappear around the hall,  Anakin blushed softly chuckling nervously “funny story you’ll laugh at this”. “Really master” Ahsoka gave him a pointed look while shaking her head as they got off the shuttle Anakin threw his hands in the air, “I was young dumb and in love okay” he whisper shouted,  waiting outside the club for you to arrive. You’d decided not to arrive together to avoid suspicion so he arrived first with Ahsoka and you’d arrived second with Rex, stepping off another shuttle you swallowed thickly, it had only been a couple of minutes since you’d arrived on planet and you were already drawing attention to yourself. People gasped and stared at you all the while you trembled with unease, you’d decided to wear a simple slim fit powder blue backless dress with a tight waist flowing bottom and short sleeves, although it didn’t make you feel any better about yourself. You’d tried to wrap your horns in a scarf or something but Anakin protested it and your horns kept shredding holes into the scarf so you reluctantly left, Anakin kept telling you how beautiful you looked but you knew he was only saying that to soothe his guilty conscious when Ahsoka said it you could feel it’s sincerity. But when Rex said it;  butterflies danced in your stomach and electricity shot through your spine like lightning, your entire body flushed and you’d choked on the drink you’d been sipping, he’d said it with such fervor and passion that you almost believed him for a second.  You’d tried to see if he was lying through the force but he wasn’t; you felt nothing but compassion and honesty shining from him, which made you blush more “ready general “ he whispered in your ear snapping you out of your daze,  Rex stood next to you shoulder brushing yours as his fingers slowly interlocked with yours. You were going as a couple while Anakin and Ahsoka were going as siblings which was pretty accurate, they always seemed like a big brother and a little sister to you. Or in some cases the other way around, you squeezed his hand and basked in the warmth slowly seeping into your cold fingers “ready you” mumbled more like a question, as the four of you  entered the building you were greeted by blinding neons lights deafening music and the strange scent of alcohol sex and street drugs.  Anakin and Ahsoka kinda spread out looking for anything suspicious while you tried to press yourself into the farthest corner you could fine so you wouldn’t be bothered, you also kept an eye out for anything odd while watching people roll against each other in a sea of bodies, Rex had also split leaving you alone in the corner.  After about five minutes of standing in a corner you started getting strange looks so you went to the bar and ordered a drink a simple whisky on rocks, sipping your drink slowly you saw Ahsoka ascend the stairs with Anakin and a guy in black while giving you a knowing nod you sauntered over to the dancefloor simply to keep others from following suit.   You were starting to get bored and sensed Rex’s boredom to so you walked over to him and offered him a hand “wanna dance captain or do you have two left feet” you teased, he looked at a bit shocked that you were asking him contemplating it for a second he  gingerly  took your hand in his own “I’ll have you know I have two right feet” he commented. You felt a little spark shoot through your fingertips as they brushed his but blamed it on the whisky you’d downed, however his fingers left whitehot trails as they grazed your lower back finding their way to your hips and pulling you closer. Your breathing hitched in your throat as he pulled you so close you could smell his woody pine scent,  you trembled softly at how intoxicating it was allowed your eyes to flutter close for a moment, he was a true gentleman never letting his hand explore further than your waist while the other held  your hand so tightly that you could feel his pulse. You could since that he was beyond nervous as his eyes focused on yours his body movements were a bit awkward and stiff so you decided to take the lead, “easy there tiger dancings easy just follow my lead” you whispered as your hands looped around his neck, you rolled your hips to the beat and his were quick to follow as the beat accelerated . His hands stayed stiffly at your waist you rolled your eyes “you can move your hands captain just don’t get any funny ideas” you teased making him blush, if he wasn’t nervous before he most definitely was now, he just responded with a little nod he grabbed your hand and spun you before forcefully pulling you back so you collided with his broad chest. You swung your hips from side to side as he seemed to get the hang of it occasionally spinning you ever now and then,  you quickly worked up a sweat as his hands explored every inch of your body and your ass began grinding somewhere near his crotch. You were so lost in the heat of the moment and appeal of the dance that neither of you seemed to notice the crowd slowly forming to watch you dance, or at least that was until Anakin and Ahsoka quickly flew down the stairs carrying a wounded looking togruta Anakin locked eyes with you and his brows raised all the way up as he mouthed ‘get it’  you rolled your eyes as Rex dipped you trying to give Anakin and Ahsoka time to flee with the wounded spy.  You locked eyes with him as he stared down at you an unreadable emotion flickered behind his eyes as his lips crashed aggressively into yours, you eagerly kissed back sliding your lips over his in a relentless battle for dominance, he gingerly grazed your lower lip with his teeth earning a soft moan from you as you parted for air.  The small crowd around you had burst into whoops and catcalls and cheers as your face turned as red as  tomato,you both took a different exit outside where Anakin and Ahsoka waited patiently,  Ahsoka had a amazed look on her face while Anakin's lips stretched into a devilish smirk as his head snapped between you and Rex “great idea master that was quick thinking we might’ve been a little screwed without you and your mad dancing skills”. You nodded briskly and began speed walking towards the shuttle Anakin caught up with you and threw his arm around your neck “yea and that kiss was gold almost looked real” he teased, you shoved his arm off and flicked his forehead “well it wasn’t it was just for the mission now can we please get out of here before someone spots us” you whisper spat. Anakin just looked at you with a knowing smirk as he walked passed he turned to you for a quick moment “just know….that I ship it” making your cheeks burn in embarrassment, “there’s nothing to ship moron” he entered the ship with a laugh mumbling yeah right while Rex had lingered behind the whole time. You gave a quick glance his way to try and see what he was feeling but he was just plain neutral, you weren’t sure if you were relieved or disappointed not having dissected the kiss yourself, shrugging your shoulders you walked inside brushing it off for another time.

[sarissophori]

Hither Yonder, Chapter 3

Yuta’s Departure

Spring bloomed to summer, then matured to autumn. Outside their homes, the people of Thargorod hung charms over their doorways and lit bundles of sage on the window sills, filling the streets with a pungent aroma; such was the customary farewell to the final days of the harvest, predating the rise of the Imperium. Pumpkin, squash, potatoes and corn abounded in the marketplaces. The city’s fields were picked bare in preparation for the festival marking season’s end, as were the private gardens of the nobility. Wine and ale were rolled out by the barrel and consumed in equal volume. In the spirit of this merriment even the serfs received libations, and were treated with a limited dignity.

      The hour of the king’s feast came with the setting sun. The palace was lit with torchlight, the marble pillars gleaming from the mound, shining on the bay. Supply ships were moored on their piers, sails battened for the night. A group of merchants stepped off the plank of a skiff docked in a harbor reserved for foreign trade, when they were immediately seized by a contingent of soldiers by sword point. Their leader stood forth and ordered the apprehension; it was Avangar.

       “Bind them. Search everywhere.”

      The soldiers boarded their ship and upturned all its cargo, throwing much of it overboard. The merchants kept silent, though fidgeted nervously. The soldiers eventually found what they were looking for, concealed in a false panel along the inner hull: small bags of white powder.

      The captain was unimpressed.

       “Be this the poison, lord? It seems more to be flour, and smells like potpourri.”

      “Small wonder, then, so many officers as yourself fall victim to its application.”

      Avangar held up a vial of blue water and sprinkled a pinch of the powder into it. A few shakes, and the concoction blushed red in the lamplight.

       “Ithliya” he said. “Damsel’s rouge; a toxin that dissolves in water, leaving a fragrance best drowned in wine. It needs only minutes to attack the senses and render one witless, leading to a deathly paralysis. A favorite in the courts of Ahn.”

       “Why be it here, then?”

      “Why indeed?”

      Avangar showed the vial to the merchants, letting them see it.

       “I want answers, and I shall receive them quickly, to my satisfaction, if a most unpleasant fate is to be avoided. Start talking.”

 So a plot to poison the king was revealed, masterminded by families of lesser nobles and carried out by their servants, including, with bribery, the king’s own. Names were given, and Avangar sent his men to arrest them at their homes, moving swiftly amid unsuspecting and inebriated crowds. Those suspected were rounded up and sent to the prisons within the keep, pulled indignantly from their revelries. Avangar himself led his personal guard to the king’s palace; outside the hall, royal servants were readying the feast’s final course of sugar bread and sweet wine, very much alarmed at the intrusion.

      “Seize the tables” Avangar said. “Seize everything.”

      The servants were then herded into the courtyard. Avangar and his captain inspected the trays, speaking in quite discussion. Once laced in food or drink, Ithliya was almost impossible to detect, its sweet aroma effectively disguised. Which tray, if any, had the poison, was a guessing game. Avangar’s mood leaned away from games. He confronted the servants as he did the merchants.

      “A plot has been confessed to me, to poison the king and usurp his throne. What promise of payment was made to those who assisted in this coup I cannot say, but it won’t be honored. There won’t be any reward for your treachery. Step forward and admit your guilt, and you will be judged with leniency. Do not, and you will suffer our law’s fullest wrath.”  

      None came forward. Confusion and worry gripped them, as they slowly understood the severity of the moment. There were whispers, murmurs, but no confessions.

      “Step forward! You won’t have another chance.”

      A few of the women started crying. Some of the men shook and sweated. Their whispered pitch rose in their panic. If no one dared accept the blame, then all would be punished by law. So it seemed they would. Avangar was about to have them carried away when a lone man stepped forward.

       “T’was me, lord! I held the poison!”

      “Oh? You?” Avangar pointed to the trays of bread and wine. “Tell me then, conspirator, which of these is poisoned?”

      “I, I, ah –”

      “Ah? What is ‘ah’ to me? Do you know or do you not?”

      The man stuttered out, falling silent. It was clear he was no conspirator. He barely had the nerve to sacrifice himself for the rest, still trembling.

        “You at least have courage, if not sense” Avangar said. “Your neck shall be spared the noose, I’ll see to that.”

      He ordered his guards to take the others to the holds, while he would inform the king of this plot against him, once the court had sobered.

      “What of the bread and spirits, lord?” the captain said. “Which is poisoned and which is not?”

      “Think a moment, if you will” Avangar said. “What good does poison do, if it goes uneaten or undrunk? No assassin worth their pay overlooks such amateur chance. All of it is poisoned.”

      The captain looked suspiciously at the trays.

      “If you are certain. How then shall we dispose of it?”

      “In a manner befitting of the crime. Come with me, and bring the trays.”

      The guards obeyed and carried the trays into the palace kitchen, where the maidens were still cooking.

      “’Tis a night of celebration, is it not?” Avangar said to them. “Then everyone, partake!”

      He had the cups handed out through the kitchen to cheers and laughs. In came Yuta with an empty platter, curious of the liveliness.

       “What be this?”

      “A way of staying the cold” they said. “For you, child!”

      Yuta took a cup and smelled it. “I don’t think I should while I’m on duty.”

      “Just one, to warm the bones!”

      So Yuta drank, and they cheered. She coughed a little.

      “Warm the bones indeed.”

 Halli was out in the fields, sitting by a campfire with other slaves, telling stories and laughing, since the autumn festival afforded even them that luxury. Old lives before servitude were the main topics, getting the most knee-slapping, back-patting and belly howls, trivial happenings that, now more than ever, meant the world. Halli’s own telling went to her sister and their barn, their little village by the stream, as the rest recalled their bygone families and livelihoods. It was almost enough to feel the weight of them again.

      Siri ran to the fire, hiking her dress.

       “Halli, is Halli here?”

      Halli stood. “Here I be, lady.”

      “You must come with me to the keep. It’s your sister.”

      An instant cold gripped Halli’s spine. “What mean you by that? Where is Yuta?”

      “With Sador, now come!”

      They went into the city, up the high battlements, the only tinge of worry in a sea of jubilation as the night wore on. Halli began to sweat in her anxiousness, her heartbeat heavy. They were allowed through the palace courtyard and taken into the maiden’s commons. Yuta lay in her bed, shivering from fever. A damp cloth was draped over her brow. Sador was by her side, getting her to sip medicine from a bowl.

      “I don’t understand” he said. “What sickness could affect one so young and healthy? What disease? What am I missing?”

      Halli ran to Yuta’s bed and looked on her, alarmed at how pale she had become, how ill. She nudged her shoulder, but Yuta was still, breathing shallowly. Tears welled in her eyes.

      “What’s wrong? Why doesn’t she move?”

      “I’m not sure” Sador said. “I have not the skill to diagnose it, and my leech-craft is failing. It may be as I fear; not a sudden sickness, but poison, and that only raises more questions: Who? Why? What kind? A most fowl intent.”

      Halli reached for one of Yuta’s hands and clasped it, rubbing it tenderly in her palms.

       “She will pull through, won’t she?”

      Sador was silent, preferring not to answer. He mixed another bowl of herbs into a potion, mulling over every cure he knew with the suspicion that none of them would work. The poison was too strong, and though Yuta fought valiantly against it, her health was fast waning. So Sador administered yet more ineffective doses, Halli watching on as Yuta’s face lost color, and skin lost warmth. Soon there was no tenseness left in her hand. In the hour before dawn Yuta finally succumbed, and suffered no more.

 Halli’s chores resumed with the sunrise. She dried her tears and tended the fields in quietness, solemn and stone-faced, under the lingering merriment from the festival. She buried her anguish, and spoke none of it to anyone.

      In his suspicions, Avangar was right in one assumption. The wine, not the bread, was indeed poisoned, though only a single cup; a cup to be given to the king by hand, to ensure his sole part as victim, instead given to Yuta by chance. A small consolation, if that it be.

      The day was unbearably long, but night came, and Yuta’s body was carried out from Thargorod on a litter, having been washed and cleansed per custom. In the fields by the harbors a pyre waited for her, secluded by the trees. She was placed by servants as if she were sleeping, adorned with cuts of sage and sweet grass. Torches were thrown at its base and the pyre burned in a bright steady flame that engulfed the timber, crackled the sage, and consumed the body of whom it bore, silhouetted in its crimson-amber glow.

      Halli stood witness without word, without thought, in a blank stare entranced by the burning, and who the flames devoured. The stars shone overhead, wavering in the heat, flecked by the rising embers. It did not stay the cold, and Halli’s skin soon felt numb. Still she remained, watching, as evening turned to midnight, to the first twilight of morning. Overseers kept an eye on her from the trees, yet here she stayed, uncaring of their patrol. She would not run, nor entertain the fantasy. Apathy had sapped her inner strength, and quenched her own heart’s fire.

      Her little sister was gone, while she was left behind. A punishment for failing to save her, as her honor-word demanded. So Halli told herself in that bitter dark, with nothing but the shadows for company. Her duty as the eldest was over. Halli had no greater purpose now than to serve her masters with the same fealty she once gave to Yuta. The realization of that made her drop to her knees, and she cried.

      The pyre continued to burn, high and roaring. A subtle wind blew through the boughs in the night; the reddening fire blazed as torchlight, helping the spirit to find its way to the Undying Lands, as was believed since the first sunrise in the forgotten lands of the east.