Between the Lines... When Oota was led to the chambers alongside Winter, the tall ogrekin was feeling strange. He didn't know how to interact with the page that guided them, so Oota bowed deeply to the servant. Then he followed the noble sorceress as the night slowly passed. He had been quiet during the meal, though not necessarily silent, for true silence can be a rude thing.
Oota considered how to offer his aid to the lady, but Winter's actions were quick and efficient. He knew the sound of magic being used, considering he had magic in his own blood, and then he watched as the pair cuddled in the corner. Since the atmosphere was somewhat relaxed, Oota simply knelt by the wall, keeping his mind ready to set about whatever task was needed from him. Then Winter began to speak, and Oota let out a grunt, to let her know that he heard her, though it took some time before the ogrekin spoke.
Though the room was relaxed, Oota felt an odd tension as he tried to wrap his mind around the events of the day. He loved battle and training, a place where a Bloodwatch is almost a free person. But opening himself to the passions necessary had a side effect on the large slave. He reflected on his own emotions as Winter began to fiddle with a lock. He remembered the excitement of facing a demon, of seeing his skilled companions. He loved the prospect that perhaps his strength would be useful. But there were other things, emotions that disturbed Oota more than that. The warm feeling when he briefly held Winter's hand. His envy of Lena. The brief exchange he held with the Mayor. The uncertainty of how to address a dragon. His plea and warning about the peace.
His thoughts were turbulent, though he did his utmost to banish any emotion that were connected to them, 'Maybe my master's idea was a bad one. Already there have been many temptations to abandon proper action. The mayor dislikes slavery, though many seem to. But his anger triggered my own too... why? Maybe things are changing in the empire faster than I thought. But none of this will ever end in my lifetime, and I doubt I'll live to see my freedom... And Lady Winter... why is she bothering to talk to me? What is she even talking about? '
Oota was slightly confused at what Winter was saying, but he was smart enough to know that the words had deeper meaning than the surface of her speech, which was why he took his time to chew on the words. When he finally spoke, his gravelly voice was as soft and respectful as ever, "Thank you for sharing with me, Milady. Lena is lucky to be your friend. And... if I may be bold, you are also lucky to be hers. I saw right away that what you both have is special. " Oota paused there, as he tried to keep his thoughts organized and his emotions at bay. Emotions can only be released for certain things.
The ogrekin adjusted his legs in his sitting position, because the man is unaccustomed to sharing much of anything. Only four people in Valejo knew more than his slave facade, and even among those, only Mikhaela had any insight to his hidden inner self. Another moment passed before Oota began speaking again, "But not all beasts are so lucky. And... what is even less known... is that no true beast can ever be truly controlled. There's more to it... there's always more. The biggest issue, is that very few people get close to the beasts. For those who live among men, there's an opportunity... and a pitfall. If Lena were to turn on you, those who do not know the beasts might assume that all of them are vicious and need to be controlled or killed. But you and Lena also have a relationship that might help those to learn how man and beast can complement the other. "
As Oota finished his thought, he dropped his eyes and stared at the floor. He wondered if Winter understood the deeper meaning of his words, which correlated to his beliefs and wishes. But he was scared that in revealing himself to her might come back to haunt him. He wondered why he had bothered to speak, what it was about Winter that touched him so deeply. She was beautiful, but it was much more than that. She was magnetic and held a presence that was almost overwhelming. Not like Leilani's angelic surprise, but just as compelling.
The ogrekin closed his eyes for a moment, stole a brief glance to the sorceress and her tiger, then spoke again, a little bit more confident than before, "You do me too much honor, Milady. My master is quick to boast of my prowess to others. I am Bloodwatch, who are trained for five years before they can bear the mark. And I am one of, if not the greatest Bloodwatch to ever live, according to my master. I was well trained, then thrown into the fire of battle and work. But it runs deeper than that... My bloodline is especially savage and potent. You wield magic Milady, so you likely saw the signs of it in the battle. The training made me more skilled, but I would have always been fiercer than most could imagine. I am a monster. Because of what I am, my prowess means nothing. It's you, and the others, that were much more impressive Milady. Maybe I will be blessed in learning more, in time. "
Last edited by JackinIrons; 10-23-2017 at 08:50 AM .