Islanders- Enter the WarMage, Chapter 7: "A Joke Taken Too Far"
(While Chapter 6 didn't show Rosa's part in it, Chapter 7 hints at her plot. This one builds a lot of tension between our two stars, especially at the end. When I posted this, I liked what I did, and I hope you do too)
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Rosa grinned to herself, looking at herself in the mirror. The mirror was full length, and while she wasn't a conceited woman, she felt she deserved the self-praise. "Damn, I'm good!", she muttered to herself, eliciting a surprised gasp from the other occupants in her chambers. Rosa didn't normally say such things.

"You have to admit I helped a bit!"

"Same here!"

Rubicant and Valvalis chuckled, watching Rosa. Cecil lounged on the bed while Kain and Rydia sat on chairs, looking confused at Rosa.

"Care to tell me exactly what is going on?", Rydia asked, looking puzzled at Rubicant and Valvalis, who just claimed to have helped with Rosa on something... but what?

"Oh not much. Just our good, kind, open and trusting Rosa as come up with a plan of such deviousness as to shame the worst of our enemies," Valvalis grinned.

Cecil raised an eyebrow. "Oh really now?"

"Yup... everything's going to plan. You let Edward in on it yet Rubicant?"

"Certainly. I couldn't help but tell him! I believe he loves Rosa's little trick..."

Kain looked Rosa straight in the eye. "What trick?"

Rosa told him.

"And I thought Devanel was evil!"

Rosa laughed and walked up to Kain, daintily kissing him on the cheek. "But it's an evil you all like!"

No one had an argument to that.

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Robert grumbled as he put down the controller to the PlayStation. True to his word, he had stayed in his bed, like Aurora and Rosa had ordered. The description of what she would do to him if he left that bed sufficed to make sure he stayed.

While he trusted what Rosa had said, she knew what she was doing after all, she was a trained doctor as well as a healer, he felt fine enough. It probably was a precaution, I guess, Robert told himself, although he wasn't sure if he believed it. Rosa might have used one of the easier spells... healing the damage but not recovering the body.

That would mean he'd have to rest a bit so he could recover. But didn't the pain remain after those spells? No matter. I'm stuck here, and that's it I guess. He sighed and laid down, closing his eyes for a nap.

He heard the doors unlocking, and his head picked up, wondering who it would be. "Hello? Who's there?" he called out, sounding annoyed.

"Just the waitress." Another annoyed voice, feminine, announcing Aurora's arrival with the sound of squeaking wheels.

"Waitress? What do you mean?" Then he looked at the two trays Aurora had on top of a cart. "What's that for?"

"Your dinner, silly boy!" Aurora laughed, placing a tray on his bed. It was one of those deals best suited for eating in bed. He took it gratefully, sitting against the headboard and placing the tray over his legs, so his legs laid between the legs of the tray. "Hon, you know I don't eat quite that much anymore! By the way, why are you doing this?" He raised an eyebrow, "Don't we have servants for those things?"

"For your information, the other tray is MY food." Robert raised an eyebrow as she said that... then both eyebrows shot off his head when she sat down next to him, laying back, mimicking him so she could eat. "And Rosa asked me to keep an eye on you while you rest."

"I want a second opinion."

"Well here it is, little man: You're staying here for the next few days, and it's my job to make sure you do."

"Which entails?"

"Handcuffs and restraints, if need be."

"Mention a whip and paddle anywhere and you'll have a dent to join mine outside."

"Keep it up and I will. Rydia can supply her whip, and Kain the paddle."

"Kain has a paddle?"

"Valvalis seems to like it."

Robert made a face, then pushed away the food. "That was a bit more than I needed to hear." He looked at the food, decided he was still quite hungry, and started eating. Aurora had started eating too, giggling.

"They have a sex life too, you know."

"Do I need to know about it when I'm eating?"

"True." Aurora fell silent for a moment before Robert asked, "Why the hell does your mother have a whip anyway?" Aurora had to burst out laughing at that. "Robert, that's her WEAPON."

"Oh yeah... hold it! You'd use a freaking flaming bullwhip on me?"

"Sure. Might be fun!"

Robert just stared at her, then at his food, then back at her. "You're weird." Aurora laughed, shaking her head. "Not like you're a poster child for normality either!"

Robert had to laugh himself. "Given. But are you going to babysit me for the next three days?"

"Yup. Got a cot?"

"Ummmmmmmmm... I don't think so."

Aurora bit her lip, thinking to herself, before shrugging. "Ok, I'll sleep on the floor. You looked soooooooo cute sleeping there, I'm sure to look better!"

Robert blushed... hard. "Oh really now?"

"Yup. Very."

"Thanks, but I couldn't deny a princess a bed. I'll sleep on the floor."

"Not in your condition, you won't! Besides, if you don't have a cot, I'll get one myself." With that, she got up. "I'll be right back cutie." Robert laughed as she left for her room.

Oh wonderful. I'm going to have Aurora in my room for the next three nights... he sighed to himself, biting his lip. HE was hoping the cot ruse would dissuade her, but it obviously didn't, so he got up himself to pull a cot from his closet. Each room had one, for some obscure reason. He set it up next to the bed, feeling it by pressing his hand down on it. It actually wouldn't be too bad. It's pretty comfortable, for something that should be military-issue, he thought to himself. He was serious about making her sleep in the bed. The cot wouldn't be too bad, kind of like a stretcher.

Aurora returned, carrying a cot in her arms, before staring at the one Robert had set up by his bed. "Hey! You lied to me!" she shouted, laughing, "What, you needed some privacy?"

"Nah... just felt kinda uncomfortable."

"Oh I see." She looked hurt at that, and seemed to be thinking about something. "Aurora, I'm not mad at you or anything... it's just that I've never had a woman sleeping in my room before."

"Didn't the night before count?"

"Well, yeah, but you know..." He paused, trying to think of something to say. "You know how I am about my privacy."

"So I won't look if anything's showing."

"Oh all right." He sighed and chuckled, "A fine lady like you deserves more than a cot. You're sleeping on the bed."

"I thought you were worried about privacy!"

He grinned. "Yeah I am. The cot won't be too bad, and I can get an extra blanket or two from the linen closet."

She smirked, shaking her head. "No, I'll get them, you don't leave the bed, period." She grinned playfully and continued, "But if you insist on me taking the bed..." She folded up the cots, making her friend blush profusely as she laid back in to finish eating, "It'll be my first time sleeping with anybody. You're a good friend, and I trust you... are you going to deny me that?"

Robert turned redder instantly. "But, Robert... your hands go anywhere they shouldn't and I'll break your fingers."

That brought a laugh from him, taking him out of him embarrassment quickly.

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Aurora laid in the bed, pretending to be asleep. She was serious when she said he wasn't going to move from the bed, and had dragged him back in when he pulled out the cot. He felt very uncomfortable, sharing his bed, but he had to stick by his offer of letting her sleep in his bed.

He behaved, as they talked before they decided to sleep, keeping the playful groping down to a minimum. They both had fun, just talking and joking with each other. Now he was asleep after she got him to sing her a lullaby again, as she lay awake, thinking to herself, wondering, Why the hell did I do this?

Not to say she was comfortable sleeping with him too. She was nervous actually. She had meant it as a joke originally, and was surprised as she actually took up on it, almost unwillingly.

But hell, it was more comfortable the a cot or the floor, so she couldn't argue too much. Hell, it was even better that her own bed. Robert must spare no expense to sleep well, she laughed to herself, watching him sleep peacefully. He was still quite cute when he was asleep. She sighed and looked back up at the ceiling.

During all that, Robert was pretending to be asleep, not having been able to sleep anyway. He too, thought she was joking when she said she'd sleep with him, but apparently not. Why did she want to anyway. It wasn't like it would matter! He bit his lip. Does she want anything? What is she up to?

He didn't mind her sleeping over, but this was ridiculous. He didn't know what to think, and had been nervous the entire time, afraid that his playfulness might be taken seriously. He almost just bailed right there, demanding Rosa to get her head straight, he didn't need her to be sleeping in his room.

But too much would happen. Aurora would probably be insulted, and he'd get the inevitable joke about if it was fun sleeping with her, or to have fun with her while he could, while getting yelled at by Rosa. Rosa could be one hell of a psycho bitch when she wants to be.

So he tried to keep his distance, wondering, Why is this happening? What if she thinks I want her or something... I don't want to scare her off... What if she wants something? God... she's just a friend. A close friend, but... I don't want to scare her off or lose her!... many thoughts were going through his head.

Aurora looked at him, to make sure he was asleep, and sighed. Neither of them knew it, but they were thinking along the same lines...

Why am I doing this? I didn't have to, but I did? But why? What if... What if something happens?

I'm scared.

With this thought echoing in their minds, they fell asleep.

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It was three in the morning when the door was opened, and four figures, wearing cloaks with hoods that obscured their faces, and clothing designed to make them hard to see in darkness. They quickly shut the door behind them, silently, whispering to each other.

"What were those two doing?"

"I don't know. Maybe we don't need to do this."

"Yeah we do. I love compulsion... Twist their mind subtly, and you can get someone to do whatever you want... with them being weak to my mind, it's a lot easier to hide..."

"It makes our job easier then."

"Just get to work."

"Alright hon, we will."

The figures, two males and two females went to their work as gently as possible, not trying to wake either of them.

Then they left, and snuck away, pulling down their hoods. The first one to do so was Cecil. "That should send a message to them," he chuckled.

Edge nodded as Anna pulled off her cloak. "I wish I could see their reaction once they wake up. Let's hope they don't move. Rosa, you are wicked. What did you compel them to do anyway?"

Rosa only smiled smugly, leaving for her chambers with Cecil as Edge and Anna left for theirs. "Just something that they both thought was a joke gone too far... and making sure their pride wouldn't let them back out."

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Robert groaned, wincing as he tried to move his arm. It hurt a bit, like something was weighing it down. He tried to pull it back, muttering as the movement stirred Aurora from her rest.

They both opened their eyes at the same time, greeting each other with stunned expressions. From very close up.

Oh my god... what just happened here??? What happened last night???

In a way, I don't even know how I wrote this. No matter, I like it…