Once more with feeling/Logs/Small Group/In Denandsor/Dhiren and Nuwa (while Dhiren is at the Palace of Infinite Desire)
[18:38] Nuwa: Feeling echoes of strange feelings through the bond, as of something strong subjected to great pressure, only mental instead of tactile, Nuwa looks up from her meditation. *Dhiren ...* she sends the lightest of thoughts through the bond. *Is everything alright?*
[18:40] Dhiren: *Yes,* Dhiren answers, though his mental voice is strained. *It's part of my trials. I have to resist the effects of the manse as long as possible...*
[18:45] Nuwa: There is a bit of concern in Nuwa's thoughts. *That feels like a strange test. What happens if they win?*
[18:48] Dhiren: *There's two parts, to see how long I can resist, and to see what I do when I can't resist anymore.*
[18:51] Dhiren: *Li says it affects everyone a little differently.*
[18:52] Nuwa: A sense as of an understanding nod. *Testing your clarity and strength of mind is a noble endeavour, if difficult to draw the right conclusions from. Li is there as observing teacher?*
[18:59] Dhiren: *He had something else to do, but he's having Sakura watch me.*
[19:03] Nuwa: *Since the test has begun you must trust her to watch over you.* Standing far away in one of the training circles of her manse Nuwa smiles. *I will not distract you from your test then.*
[19:05] Dhiren: Dhiren gives a mental nod. *I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to resist, though...*
[19:06] Nuwa: *You are strong in every way, Dhiren. I believe in you. And to catch you if you fall, that is what teachers are for.*
[19:08] Nuwa: The mental connection grows a little thinner. *I'll close my mind so yours can be clear. Speak to me when I can stop, I'll still hear you.*
[19:08] Dhiren: *Okay.*
[19:20] Dhiren: A few hours later, Nuwa suddenly feels an enormous rush of pleasure from Dhiren, so strong that it arouses a sympathetic reaction.
[19:30] Nuwa: Knowing this to be an inevitable fact of their bond Nuwa does not resist, letting the feeling simply flow through her and out into the world. Her meditation interrupted she remains sitting nonetheless. Whatever magics Dhiren is testing himself with, she will give him quiet and privacy for it.
[19:38] Dhiren: The feeling comes again a few minutes later. And again...
[19:43] Nuwa: After the third time Nuwa lets a word catch the etheric winds and flow in his direction. *Dhiren?*
[19:46] Dhiren: There's a sense of alarm and guilt over the bond *N-Nuwa... I'm sorry... I wanted to do this with you... but...*
[19:49] Nuwa: *Do what? Is this part of your testing?* There is the sense of Nuwa blushing a little. *It's distracting,* she admits shyly.
[19:53] Dhiren: *I... I guess you could say that,* Dhiren answers. *The manse is... I'm... well... please don't be angry at me," he says, and then sends her a brief montage of sights, sounds, sensations: a Priestess of Venus slowly disrobing, the whisper of silken sheets...
[13:58] Nuwa: Nuwa draws back, not wanting to see, not wanting to feel, not wanting to know any of it. But she can't avoid it. Her thoughts are quiet for awful, speechless seconds, as incomprehension and pain and betrayal rise up against her mental fortitude like the tide against an inadequate dike. *What ... why?*
[14:05] Nuwa: Over the Dreamspire clouds obscure the sun.
[14:07] Dhiren: *I'm sorry... I didn't want to hurt you, I tried to resist...* Dhiren's emotiong are a confused muddle - he's enjoying what he's doing, wants to keep doing it, but he also feels guilty for how he's making Nuwa feel.
[14:17] Nuwa: *I ...* Nuwa desperately tries to bring order to her emotions, searching for the easy calm, the acceptance that comes so naturally to her at all other times. But she can't find it. No matter how much she wants her serenity back, her emotions are a storm-whipped sea. *Wait ... Resist? Is someone making you do this? Is it that manse pressing against your will?* Understanding does not come easily, but the thought that it might not be Dhiren, but someone, something, messing with his mind, is welcome like a piece of wood to a drowning woman.
[14:24] Dhiren: *Sort of...* Dhiren answers uncomfortably, guiltily. *Li said the manse doesn't make anyone do anything they don't already want to do. It just makes it so they don't care about any reasons not to do those things.*
[14:25] Dhiren: *I wanted to be with you first, though,* he adds desperately, trying to take some of the sting away. *I still want to be with you...*
[14:35] Nuwa: *That ... that ...* Nuwa has trouble putting words together, her head spinning. *Fight it, Dhiren! Or flee! Don't let it twist your mind into something that is not you!* Love and pain and fear swirl in a crazed rush, joined by anger and disgust at the perfidy of that magic.
[14:40] Nuwa: In the flesh, back at the Dreamspire, Nuwa has jumped to her feet, wanting to do something but not knowing what. Her tears are joined by a few drops of rain falling from the clouds exclusive to the Dreamspire, who seem undecided yet whether it will rain or not.
[14:46] Dhiren: *I... I don't want to, I'm having fun...* Dhiren feels apologetic. *Why don't you come here too? Then we could do this together.* The bond practically overflows with sincere love and desire. He wants her there with him, the priestesses are beautiful and fun, but he doesn't love them the way he loves her, and he wants to share the incredible pleasure with her - in person, not just through the bond.
[15:19] Nuwa: *Dhiren, please! Not like this, not there, not with that thing in your mind. Come back to me, free yourself.* Nuwa's thoughts are pleading, desperate. She loves him more than anything, wants to be with him, but not like this. This is not how it is supposed to be, this is not what she has dreamt of. *Please?*
[15:19] Nuwa: (this would be a social attack, I suppose)
[15:23] Nuwa: (with excellency, ISS, stunt powered by True Love and Lunar Bond dice ... 42 successes, NMI)
[15:25] Dhiren: (His Dodge MDV is only 7 ^^; )
[15:44] Dhiren: Another wave of incredible pleasure flows over the bond, and as it fades Dhiren wrenches himself free with the last of his strength. *I'll be with you soon, Nuwa.*
[15:45] Dhiren: *As soon as I can get there.*
[15:52] Nuwa: Relief blunts the sting of pain, but can't dissolve it alltogether. Dhiren has freed himself from the insidious magic and his choice, his true choice, is not to stay in that place. *My strength is yours, Dhiren, as you are mine. If the influence returns, take from me to protect yourself.* No matter the tears and the pain, Nuwa opens her mind to Dhiren, offering the substance of her self to help him stave off the influence, should he need it.
[10:25] Nuwa: The Dreamspire has assumed what might be its eponymous configuration, a tower of pale white glass and stone, rising from a broad base to a high and sharp point. There are none of the usual ephemera around it, no illusions, no false appearances. Nuwa is waiting on the small platform that marks its very top, keeping a look out for Dhiren.
[10:31] Dhiren: After a few minutes, a hawk descends toward the Dreamspire. Dhiren returns to his natural form as he lands. He steps toward her and stops, wanting to hug her, but at the same time wanting to let her make the first move...
[10:37] Nuwa: *Dhiren.* Nuwa's thoughts though remembering the awful feelings are happy. That he is here means that he isn't in that other place, which in her mind has become an evil creature seeking to steal her beloved Dhiren's mind and soul. She does not hesitate, embracing him the moment he returns to his human form and steps toward her.
[10:38] Nuwa: *I was ... You ... You are back.*
[10:39] Dhiren: Relieved, Dhiren hugs her back fiercely. *I'm back. I love you. I'll always love you,* he promises.
[10:41] Dhiren: Impulsively, he kisses her.
[10:47] Nuwa: *I love you, too.* What tears of worry and pain remain are swept away by the warmth of the feeling. *I never ... I couldn't ... Stay with me, Dhiren.* Though her thoughts are not entirely coherent, the emotions behind them are clear. Not to be with him anymore is the greatest loss and pain she can imagine, and to be free of that irrational fear is like the sun returning to the sky.
[10:48] Nuwa: Nuwa returns his kiss without letting go of Dhiren.
[10:50] Nuwa: *That place ... that wasn't you. I know that. I understand that. Just ... don't go back there.*
[10:53] Dhiren: *I might have to,* Dhiren says. *But next time I'll be prepared. It won't happen again, I promise.*
[11:00] Nuwa: *Please, don't go unless you are sure. It is an abomination. If it managed to ensorcel you again, I'm not sure I could resist razing it to the ground.* And she is not sure she could endure Dhiren being taken from her a second time.
[11:03] Nuwa: Nuwa draws back a little to looks into Dhiren's eyes, a beatific little smile around her lips. *Thank you for promising that. Nothing will take me away from you either, I promise you that as well.*
[11:08] Dhiren: *I promise I will stay with you always, and that I will always come back to you even if I am taken away.*
[11:18] Nuwa: Nuwa makes to answer Dhiren, but somewhere along the line from her mind to her mouth her reply becomes a kiss.
[11:20] Nuwa: 'That is how I feel', the silence says not with words but with truth.
[11:20] Dhiren: Dhiren kisses her back and lets his hands drift over her body, gently caressing her. *I'm sorry for what happened. Will you let me make it up to you?*
[11:42] Nuwa: Still holding on to Dhiren with her left arm Nuwa caresses the face she so loves with her right hand, moving up to his hair then down its length to the shimmering silver tips. *Yes ...* Nuwa smiles though the images Dhiren has shown her through the bond come to her unbidden. *But in that way ...* She looks into his eyes, hoping that he will understand. *I have thought, I have imagined, I have dreamed ... we can wait just a little bit longer, can't we? I want it to be right.*
[11:54] Nuwa: The bond shows Dhiren the conflict in his bondmate. Nuwa wants to share that great expression of love with Dhiren, but she wants it to be complete and unmarred. And no matter how unfair it is, no matter much she loves him, she has not entirely gotten over that moment of shock and pain yet. *Soon,* she promises.
[12:04] Dhiren: Over the bond, Dhiren answers in feelings, in his desire to soothe the shock and the hurt by expressing his love and want for her in that way. He will not press further if she is certain she is not ready, but he feels the hurt he caused her and wants to make it heal.
[12:20] Nuwa: *I know you want to make me feel better. You're doing fine already.* Nuwa looks a Dhiren frankly, her expression content. Just being here with him, knowing that he loves her too and that he wants to soothe the pain that now lies in the past, is helping. A little time is all she needs.
[12:23] Nuwa: *Come. Let us just enjoy this day, Dhiren. The sun is shining bright and warm and from up here we can see all of Denandsor.*
[12:24] Dhiren: *All right. Soon then.* He kisses her again and hugs her more tightly, enjoying the press of her body against his. *I'll just have to make do with kisses.*
[12:29] Nuwa: *I guess we will have to make do at that.* Nuwa grins impishly. *But that's not exactly a bad way to spend our day, now is it?*
[12:30] Dhiren: *No,* Dhiren agrees. *It isn't.*
[12:30] Dhiren: (End scene, pan up to the sun)
