Fantasy One Tower (Closed)

[FangAndOzy]

Nicole looked to her seriously then. “Careful. Many in our parents’ generation and your uncle’s are aware that he had been in love with someone else before his wife...but some things aren’t spoken about.” He said gently. He wasn’t sure if it was a secret or not. His parents had told him and swore him not to speak of it. They had wanted him to understand but they did not think he needed to go around sharing the information that wasn’t his. He hadn’t had the desire to of course but he’d promised not to speak about it. He did know though, and he wasn’t sure if Hector even knew that he knew. He hesitated a moment and then looked to her. “Did you have someone back at your tower Helena?” He asked. He was genuinely curious and a guilt at her being forced to marry him if she’d had someone else was already evident. He did truly care about her, he just didn’t know how to convey that.

 

[Matreania]

Helena looked at him for a moment and blushed, shaking her head as she looked down to finish up, "No. I worked a lot, so I never had the time to be around a lot of other Shadows. There is just too much work that has to be done. I can't let others distract me." she stated. "Besides, that was never a concern, I have a betrothed, finding anything else would be cruel."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli nodded. He was relieved, but still felt bad. “I’m sorry it had to be Helena. I...honestly I was hopeful it would stay okay, we got along so well at your tower that I thought maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. I’m really sorry about how things have been.” He said. “I...can we try to be friends at least? Forget about the betrothal for right now because we’re not there yet and just try to build up a friendship?” He was of course hopeful and he looked at her earnestly as he asked. All he wanted was to try to gain her trust back and try to be friends with her. There was something about her that drew him in and while he didn’t understand it, he wasn’t going to deny it either.

 

[Matreania]

Helena looked at him surprised, then sighed, shrugging, "Okay. We can at least be friends."s he said before she started to look at what they had to eat. "I still can't trust you, but if you are going to leave flowers on my bed, and bring me flowers and help out just to get me to stop thinking of you as just a pig headed warrior, I guess I could try to find some kind of way to be your friend, at least."

 

[FangAndOzy]

“So you did go to your room after all.” He said with a smirk. “Thank you Helena.” He added, more serious this time. He meant it. He was glad she’d at least give him that chance. “So you saw through why I was helping out huh? Believe it or not I do like helping, I just have gotten so used to that being done on missions that trying to get you to at least look at me again reminded me that there’s a lot I can do here.” He said as he took a bite of his food. He was quiet a moment as he ate and thought about what she had said and fought not to smile. “Does this mean I can bring you flowers more often? I mean regardless I will. But you could tell me if you have a favorite kind or favorite color.” He said.

 

[Matreania]

Helena smirked at him, "I don't know what I would do with flowers. But the one Lillian gave you was nice." she stated, "It's a favorite of any Dier." she pointed out as she started to eat. She looked at the tree, there was something she couldn't put her finger on, about it, but she knew there was something about it that she wanted to understand better. Then she turned to to Nicoli, "And yes, I saw through it all. My uncle is the head of this tower, you didn't think I asked about you, before I knew that I was going to be brought here?" she asked, "Helping was never something my uncle said you did between missions and he told me about your parents, so I was sure that taking after your father that you had no idea what kind of plant you brought me to the lab and the flower you left in the room was inert, in it's primary function, but I used it for the waves of magic, to give them a little more structure, so while you moved they wouldn't." she pointed out, "I figured out the plant you put on the bed, you didn't know could be mixed with magic and Yunic Root to create a bomb."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli chuckled some. “I did not know that about those particular plants, no. But believe it or not I have decent knowledge in healing herbs. My mother was a healer as you well know. She taught me what she could. And, believe it or not, I had wanted to be a healer as a child but being a warrior was pushed. And at the time with the energy and...tendencies towards anger I had as a child, being a warrior was well suited and an outlet where I could learn to control all of that.” He said. That was something no one but Hector and his parents knew, but he didn’t mind telling her. It would be a process to tell her things like that, but he knew if they were to marry eventually she deserved to know. “If your uncle had told you so much about me...and told nothing about you to me...how come you didn’t realize who I was when I came to your tower?” He asked gently, genuinely curious.

 

[Matreania]

Helena eyed him suspiciously, "He told me what you did and how you were, not that you were a charmer or your name or any way for me to pick you out of any other warrior." she stated, before she sighed, "Jeremiah on the other hand, told me what I already figured out. You are a charmer and the girls are very fond of you for it." she looked at him, "And not to mention the fact that you have a temper." she stated, motioning to his still bruised hands, "And I imagine that it's the anger you were talking about."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli wasn’t going to deny any of it. Though he did leave girls alone once he’d learned they knew who their betrothed was or once he learned that their betrothed would be coming for them. He didn’t believe in getting in the middle of that. And he’d never done more than flirt. He saved any sort of serious relationship for his own betrothed. But he didn’t say that because he didn’t think she would care. “I lose my temper yes...perhaps more than most warriors...but I e never taken it out on someone unless they were asking for it.” He said quietly, not looking at her. He’d lost his temper badly once when he was younger, and landed his victim in the hospital. But other times his opponent had always been begging for a fight and the pain of a fight helped to ground him before he did any real damage. In sparring he was always careful. But he didn’t k ow how to explain that to her and so he didn’t try.

 

[Matreania]

Helena looked at him for a moment and the smirked as she ate a little more, "Well, then I guess we are just going to have to figure out if your definition of someone asking for it, is the same as mine." she stated, before she shrugged, "I have never been in a fight or had to be, so I wouldn't know if what you think is the same as me when it comes to a fight."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli looked to her and chuckled some. “I have a feeling we have different ideas of it.” He said. “Bullies I can’t stand...they’re often the ones asking for it...J often asks for it but that’s a whole different matter entirely. I ask for it too, but when the two of us get competitive it’s probably more towards the stereotype of us being warriors. He is a respectable warrior though and frankly one of the best there is...just don’t tell him I said that.” He said, winking playfully at her. He didn’t know how to explain his relationship with Jeremiah, it was something unique for them and he doubted many others would understand it because it was more than just a simple rivalry. “ not very good at explaining things, what’s your idea of someone who deserves it? Perhaps we might have some of the same ideas.” He sad.

 

[Matreania]

Helena looked ta him, "Someone that threatens to kill you, physically, I guess." she shrugged. "Like I said, I have never had to be in a fight and I have never been around much of a fight. I stay in my lab and that is usually the way that I have always been." she stated before she smirked, "Jeremiah is a good guy, though. At least I think so. he helped me a little with my work last night and listened to me."

 

[FangAndOzy]

“Well I’d have to agree with you on that one.” Nicoli said but as she spoke about Jeremiah he felt a twang of jealousy. He pushed it down as best he could. “He is a good guy.” He agreed simply. He hesitated a moment. “He listened about your project?” He asked quietly. Having a feeling that while that might have been part of it, there was more involving why she was at the tower. “You know I’m always here to listen too Helena. I can’t make things better if I don’t know what’s going on...and I genuinely care about what you have to say.” He pointed out.

 

[Matreania]

Helena nodded, "He listened about my skills and volunteered me for the project." she corrected, then sighed, "One step at a time." she told him before looking at the tree, "Jeremiah wanted my help because he knew I was good at Science and because they are going to the Darkness." she said. Then she looked at Nicoli, "Hector has told me that the monsters there have been growing some kind of magic, to extend their area. It's gotten at least a foot bigger in the last month and that was why he was sending a team to try and control that space. I just happened to bump into the leader of that mission." she smirked, "And I liked being able to help."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli was listening but his attention had been caught. It wasn’t something competitive, it was a genuine concern for Jeremiah and his team as he listened to her and he sat up a little straighter. “I’m glad you could help him. Did he say how long their mission was supposed to take?” He asked, his concern obvious. He wanted to try to keep the focus on her, because he was curious about everything having to do with her, but the darkness was no light matter. It was one of the most dangerous places they could go as Shadows.

 

[Matreania]

Helena looked at him and shook her head, "No. They are going to release the bomb to try and shrink the area, hopefully enough that if it expense any more, like it has, it will only be regaining what it lost and give us time to find another way." she frowned, "Since this tower is closest to it, it is lead on the mission, but only two from this tower are even on the mission, There are pairs from each tower since the Darkness is over us, we can't allow it to be as big as us, it might end up outnumbering us and we are all that stands between them and the other worlds." she stated, knowing how serious this mission was, and how important it was to make sure it was a success. "That's why I used the flower, once it hits the ground, it will shake the magic off and force the wave, Root and flower to combine. It will go off and they won't have to send anyone into the Darkness. Since we all know, no Shadow has ever come out of the Darkness, once they have gone in. So, Jeremiah wouldn't have to go in, as planned."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli looked to her, relief obvious. “The team won’t actually be going in? Thank god,” he sighed, tilting his head back a little. His gaze wandered over to the tree and the small flickering lights from the beetles. Already though a plan was starting to formulate in his mind, one he would need to start discussing with Hector. But after this. First he wanted to enjoy his time with trying to get Helena to at least stand him being around. He sighed again and ran a hand over his face, his fingers were trembling a little and he chuckled. “I didn’t know how to explain it before but I do now...Jeremiah is like my little brother. I mean I’m only a year older than him, but I suppose that’s what we are to each other. Competitive brothers. On all outward appearances we don’t get along but I will always have his back and I know he’d have mine.” He said, not sure why he felt the need to share that with her.

 

[Matreania]

Helena smirked, before she chuckled, looking at him, "Funny, because he said you were like his annoying adopted brother, always trying to prove you are worth it but still managing to make him regret you are family." she teased, then smiled, "He did mention this is a big family, though. Everyone here, is family, they have to be, because in this tower, trust is kind of the only way to walk around here, especially with so many warriors."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli laughed as he heard that. “That sounds like something J would say. And here I thought we’d be more like biological siblings.” He said, smiling brightly. “He’s right though, we are a big family. Everyone here looks out for one another and without that we’d be nothing.” He said, more serious his time. He sat back and looked to her. “You’ll see that more he longer you’re here. You’ll feel it too. Even if only obviously in your lab, everyone in every sector will see you as family.”

 

[Matreania]

Helena looked at him and smirked, "Well, I guess I have something to look forward to." she had never thought this tower could be so connected with the fact that it was called the war tower for a reason. She sighed, looking around, "To be honest, I always thought this tower was full of Warriors that fought each other when they didn't have a war to fight."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli smirked. “A lot of towers think we’re like that. I don’t think anyone has ever made an effort to change that. It makes us seem divided but honestly I think we’re one of the most connected towers there are. It’s our greatest strength.” He said.

 

[Matreania]

Helena nodded, "I see that. After all, if you didn't help the Herbals, I wouldn't have gotten the root and Jeremiah and his team would have to went into the Darkness."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli shrugged. “Something would have worked out to make sure he and his team stayed out of the darkness.” He said with a smirk. He looked down at his food and had a little more. “How have you been adjusting to our lab here and the people?” He asked, looking back to her, genuinely curious. He wanted to change the topic of their conversation a little but his mind was also still focused on the spreading of the darkness. He knew it had been getting bad and he wanted to ask her if she could make another of those bombs but now was not the time.

 

[Matreania]

Helena shrugged, "I think it is going okay, I haven't talked to anyone but Gal." she said, then smirked "He is a little more like me then any one that I have met here. He doesn't talk much and he is always in his work and focused on it. But at the same time, I don't know if he likes me, he doesn't talk much and he rather work then say anything."

 

[FangAndOzy]

Nicoli chuckled. “Gal is like that. He is a good man, I’m sure he likes you just fine, it’s probavly just an adjustment having someone like him working so closely to him.” He said.