Breda grasped Tanobi's hand and got to her feet. She glanced from the visibly upset Saruna to Fayane's suddenly ice-cold expression. She drew a breath. "Who is Melagone? And where exactly are we going?" She struggled to keep her voice level and her face expressionless, despite the building anxiety. "I have tried not to ask questions, but obviously someone you know has been killed for this. I'm sorry, but I need some kind of answer."
She consciously kept her back turned to Jerial. The strange, grim male did not seem to be interested in half the things around him, but she felt he certainly would not be willing to share anything.
"I do not wish to be difficult," she said, looking directly at Fayane. "But I need you to give me something."
Diverging Roads
-
Breda Dreaughan
- Citizen
- Posts: 315
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:13 pm
- Name: Breda Dreaughan
- Race: Dwarf
Re: Diverging Roads
Jerial was deciding whether or not to answer the mongrel (It would shut her up.) when Cerion placed a hand on his shoulder. The former turned to face the other, who was hesitating, mouth open. Jerial's impatience was starting to grow when he was relieved by the lean elf's decision to talk.
"Jerial, my comrade, this," he hesitated again, "this is unacceptable. We've been placed here by the...well, I shall tell you more of our affiliation at a later time, but I shall tell you that our purpose here is strictly to undermine the Puradyne stranglehold on this area, and this presents a problem." Cerion narrowed his eyes, knowing that Jerial would follow the line of thought further than what was verbally expressed.
Jerial followed. "It presents one for me as well," he replied, "for it holds the danger of losing my anonymity, which I prize." He knew Cerion would follow the line of thought. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must speak to Fayane. She seems to be deeply troubled, and I fear that she has directed the emotion at me in the form of anger and rejection. I'm sure you are familiar with the phenomenon." With a nod of his head, he turned.
Immediately he saw Fayane's back, in a loose group with most of the others. He tentatively touched her arm, regret and doubt filling him concerning the way he had treated her, growing exponentially as his touch lingered. "Fayane," he said, but only a whisper came out.
"Jerial, my comrade, this," he hesitated again, "this is unacceptable. We've been placed here by the...well, I shall tell you more of our affiliation at a later time, but I shall tell you that our purpose here is strictly to undermine the Puradyne stranglehold on this area, and this presents a problem." Cerion narrowed his eyes, knowing that Jerial would follow the line of thought further than what was verbally expressed.
Jerial followed. "It presents one for me as well," he replied, "for it holds the danger of losing my anonymity, which I prize." He knew Cerion would follow the line of thought. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must speak to Fayane. She seems to be deeply troubled, and I fear that she has directed the emotion at me in the form of anger and rejection. I'm sure you are familiar with the phenomenon." With a nod of his head, he turned.
Immediately he saw Fayane's back, in a loose group with most of the others. He tentatively touched her arm, regret and doubt filling him concerning the way he had treated her, growing exponentially as his touch lingered. "Fayane," he said, but only a whisper came out.
Re: Diverging Roads
She ignored her mate and Cerion as the two talked, focusing her attention on the the female dwarf. Her eyes softened slightly and she moved closer to her, pulling her along as she moved. "Melagone was a battlemage who was once assigned to me for a case... for lady Saruna's case as... luck... would have it." Words were hard to come by at the moment, pain and stress mingled with the passing shock to create rage. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and thought of a calm lake. Her emotions smoothed over, for the moment, and she continued.
"It ended in that we deceived Melagone and I worked to keep lady Saruna and her friend, Derin, safe from him and the Judges. Should you wish to know the deeper details, I am afraid you must ask lady Saruna, for they are not mine to give. Simply know this is a rather large hole in our plans... especially if someone believes us, myself mostly, to blame." She smiled a sad smile for the dwarf and moved away, now allowing the lake within her mind to ice over. Just in time too.
"Fayane?" It was a whisper, but she could hear it as though he were screaming in her ears. She could hear the regret, the silent apology, but was too hurt and enraged to care. He ignored her when she'd thought she'd die. He stood there and cursed. Fucking useless. For all this magical wonder he held, for all that knowledge... he couldn't take three mere seconds to say she'd be okay. She turned, just enough to meet his eyes with one of her own, the look she gave the darkest and iciest she'd given. She gave no words, simply a wall of silence and black ice. Inside her minds eye though, a feral fox snarled, its eyes alight with burning rage.
"It ended in that we deceived Melagone and I worked to keep lady Saruna and her friend, Derin, safe from him and the Judges. Should you wish to know the deeper details, I am afraid you must ask lady Saruna, for they are not mine to give. Simply know this is a rather large hole in our plans... especially if someone believes us, myself mostly, to blame." She smiled a sad smile for the dwarf and moved away, now allowing the lake within her mind to ice over. Just in time too.
"Fayane?" It was a whisper, but she could hear it as though he were screaming in her ears. She could hear the regret, the silent apology, but was too hurt and enraged to care. He ignored her when she'd thought she'd die. He stood there and cursed. Fucking useless. For all this magical wonder he held, for all that knowledge... he couldn't take three mere seconds to say she'd be okay. She turned, just enough to meet his eyes with one of her own, the look she gave the darkest and iciest she'd given. She gave no words, simply a wall of silence and black ice. Inside her minds eye though, a feral fox snarled, its eyes alight with burning rage.
Re: Diverging Roads
Panic didn't solve anything. Panic hadn't helped when Saruna had faced off with Derin against an unpleasant -- if misguided -- young man, and it would not help any of them here. The art of calm was something every mother either learned or faced years of helpless frustration; additionally, patience in waiting out the long years without any form of satisfaction had put her on the right path for handling bad situations. Even nasty situations.
"I was accused of dealing in magic, despite having no talent for such things. Melagone was sent to escort myself and Derin in to be judged. The matter was. . .settled." Saruna was glancing at the trees, down the road. She barely looked at Breda as she spoke, and two spots of color had brightened her cheeks. What emotion might have provoked it was not so obvious, as she was speaking half to the past -- their present situation blurring the ever-hazy lines for her. So many ghosts. So much responsibility.
"If we fall apart now," she continued, voice going sharp as she slid that neither here-nor-there stare from Fayane to Jerial, "then we will be useless, and defeating the purpose of gathering in the first place. Marriage -- partnership -- is learning how to give and take, child. You must talk, but not here. Not now. Come. I wish to see this body." Her back and gone stiff, her expression stubborn. Saruna hadn't much practice with bodies, or death's immediate effects, but for a battlemage to be killed meant something very, very wrong was going on. Whether or not it had anything to do with the rebellion -- well. They'd have to find that out. Saruna was finding more and more that ignorance was the quick way down the bad roads.
"I was accused of dealing in magic, despite having no talent for such things. Melagone was sent to escort myself and Derin in to be judged. The matter was. . .settled." Saruna was glancing at the trees, down the road. She barely looked at Breda as she spoke, and two spots of color had brightened her cheeks. What emotion might have provoked it was not so obvious, as she was speaking half to the past -- their present situation blurring the ever-hazy lines for her. So many ghosts. So much responsibility.
"If we fall apart now," she continued, voice going sharp as she slid that neither here-nor-there stare from Fayane to Jerial, "then we will be useless, and defeating the purpose of gathering in the first place. Marriage -- partnership -- is learning how to give and take, child. You must talk, but not here. Not now. Come. I wish to see this body." Her back and gone stiff, her expression stubborn. Saruna hadn't much practice with bodies, or death's immediate effects, but for a battlemage to be killed meant something very, very wrong was going on. Whether or not it had anything to do with the rebellion -- well. They'd have to find that out. Saruna was finding more and more that ignorance was the quick way down the bad roads.
#biologicallyconscientious||Characters and threads.
-
Tanobi Durant
- Citizen
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:35 pm
- Name: Tanobi Duraunt
- Race: Human
Re: Diverging Roads
Tanobi altered his course to walk side by side with Saruna, speaking softly with a grandfatherly undertone as he addresses his curiosity of why she would desire to observe the body.
"From my observations of the corpse the man was not killed by normal means, no wounds decorated his figure and their was no brushing to indicate any beatings he may have taken." Having arrived at their destination Tanobi glanced at Saruna to see the look she gave him. Continuing he claimed "This however is my handwork, my initial findings still indicated that nothing was wrong after i made the incision into his breast and it was only until i observed the palpitations of his heart that i came to the hea-" the unintentional joke does on his lips as he adopts a look of annoyance at himself before restructuring his sentence "...conclusion that it had been tampered with."
The Physician knelt with the aid of his walking stick slowly resting on the knee of his lame leg so that me might be better able to indicate to what he wanted to show her, pointing at the inside of the cut he had made upon the mans heart he spoke almost to himself as if making observations aloud.
"This mans blood has coagulated at an alarming rate from within the heart despite a lack of damage to the lungs it would appear as if a flame or severe heat had caused the ventricles to clog with blood that could not be pumped, from the inside no less." Tanobi then lowered himself to the ground slumping to his rump and grasping his stick within his right hand prodding the face of the victim slightly twice while making more observations. "despite heart attacks and the like being painful the cadavers face is wrenched in a look of agony, further supporting my theory of extreme heat." Tanobi began to rub his face in a gesture of boredom he had yet to grow out of as a child before finishing his thoughts.
"Whomever has done this is very skilled, I might not be proficient in the arcane but i know precision when i see it. What are your thoughts Madame Saruna?"
"From my observations of the corpse the man was not killed by normal means, no wounds decorated his figure and their was no brushing to indicate any beatings he may have taken." Having arrived at their destination Tanobi glanced at Saruna to see the look she gave him. Continuing he claimed "This however is my handwork, my initial findings still indicated that nothing was wrong after i made the incision into his breast and it was only until i observed the palpitations of his heart that i came to the hea-" the unintentional joke does on his lips as he adopts a look of annoyance at himself before restructuring his sentence "...conclusion that it had been tampered with."
The Physician knelt with the aid of his walking stick slowly resting on the knee of his lame leg so that me might be better able to indicate to what he wanted to show her, pointing at the inside of the cut he had made upon the mans heart he spoke almost to himself as if making observations aloud.
"This mans blood has coagulated at an alarming rate from within the heart despite a lack of damage to the lungs it would appear as if a flame or severe heat had caused the ventricles to clog with blood that could not be pumped, from the inside no less." Tanobi then lowered himself to the ground slumping to his rump and grasping his stick within his right hand prodding the face of the victim slightly twice while making more observations. "despite heart attacks and the like being painful the cadavers face is wrenched in a look of agony, further supporting my theory of extreme heat." Tanobi began to rub his face in a gesture of boredom he had yet to grow out of as a child before finishing his thoughts.
"Whomever has done this is very skilled, I might not be proficient in the arcane but i know precision when i see it. What are your thoughts Madame Saruna?"
-
Breda Dreaughan
- Citizen
- Posts: 315
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:13 pm
- Name: Breda Dreaughan
- Race: Dwarf
Re: Diverging Roads
"Right." Breda nodded stiffly once Saruna had finished. Battlemages. Of course there were battlemages involved. This small group had indeed a history, and it was one even darker than she had thought. "I… thank you for telling me that. For your trust."
She had no desire to see the body. She had seen enough dead persons in her lifetime, and seeing the damage done to this specific one would not tell her anything. So she hung back, trying to keep her distance from everyone. The tension between Fayane and Jerial was palpable, and she did not know a thing about the others.
"What am I doing here? Why did I get involved?" still went around in her head. The threat of death, as well as the threat of battlemages, had suddenly turned very real, and she was disappointed in herself for feeling surprised. Wasn't this what she had been expecting from the start?
She had no desire to see the body. She had seen enough dead persons in her lifetime, and seeing the damage done to this specific one would not tell her anything. So she hung back, trying to keep her distance from everyone. The tension between Fayane and Jerial was palpable, and she did not know a thing about the others.
"What am I doing here? Why did I get involved?" still went around in her head. The threat of death, as well as the threat of battlemages, had suddenly turned very real, and she was disappointed in herself for feeling surprised. Wasn't this what she had been expecting from the start?
Re: Diverging Roads
Jerial tried to focus on the myriad of problems at hand, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something else required his attention. It frustrated him greatly. He half-listened to the conversations around him, before a wave of anxious rage violently ripped his focus and shoved it where it needed to go. "Fayane, I've hurt you. I know that." Her glare pierced deep into his soul.
He did not know how close she was to a response when he added, "You must understand that where you were under a high stress situation, mine was increased exponentially as a mage who has recently discovered the existence of assumed anti-mages that can negate magic and are in the mood for killing my kind. I do not attempt to excuse my lack of attention or caring towards you, and I leave myself open to any penance you wish of me." He tried to the best of his ability to be both warm and sincere whilst still giving Fayane enough space.
He did not know how close she was to a response when he added, "You must understand that where you were under a high stress situation, mine was increased exponentially as a mage who has recently discovered the existence of assumed anti-mages that can negate magic and are in the mood for killing my kind. I do not attempt to excuse my lack of attention or caring towards you, and I leave myself open to any penance you wish of me." He tried to the best of his ability to be both warm and sincere whilst still giving Fayane enough space.
Re: Diverging Roads
She'd heard them both, and though she as reeling from the word 'marriage' smelt Breda's fear and anxiety, and listened to Tanobi lead her mistress away. So much was hinging on her it seemed. She was the one to keep them safe since her mate (husband!?) seemed to be as unpredictable as the ocean. Who knew whose side he was on, if his 'love' (marriage required love... right?) for her was but a ploy? For now, she reasoned, it mattered little. For now, her mistress required protection, her mate (husband...?) could wait.
"Lady Saruna is right, Jerial." Fay's voice was cold and stoney as she refused to look him in the eye. "We will speak later. If you are daft enough to believe you require punishment for being a creature of emotion who has faults and makes mistakes, then you may consider this your... penance, but for now," she turned to actually look him in the eye, "we are colleges. Emotions ill only serve us death now." And with that, she snuffed out the rest of hers, returning into the full assassin she had been hen she first met him.
"Lady Saruna and Tanobi require protection," this she directed at Cerion and Kado, "see to it they are not harmed." The two nodded, dry mouthed from the sudden change. She turned to Jerial. "I shall remain with Breda, I care little where you go, but should the situation arise, your assistnace would be gratefully accepted." She turned her back on him and moved to the dwarf, the one being she felt she could trust even slightly at the moment, and allowed her stoney facade to drop slightly.
"I am most sorry for all this... madness, my friend." She crouched to rub her hands over the girls arms in an act she assumed was comforting. "I must question why you even joined this cause to begin with...?" Fay's smile was thin and a poor attempt at being friendly while still blocking her emotions. Sadly, it was the best she could do.
"Lady Saruna is right, Jerial." Fay's voice was cold and stoney as she refused to look him in the eye. "We will speak later. If you are daft enough to believe you require punishment for being a creature of emotion who has faults and makes mistakes, then you may consider this your... penance, but for now," she turned to actually look him in the eye, "we are colleges. Emotions ill only serve us death now." And with that, she snuffed out the rest of hers, returning into the full assassin she had been hen she first met him.
"Lady Saruna and Tanobi require protection," this she directed at Cerion and Kado, "see to it they are not harmed." The two nodded, dry mouthed from the sudden change. She turned to Jerial. "I shall remain with Breda, I care little where you go, but should the situation arise, your assistnace would be gratefully accepted." She turned her back on him and moved to the dwarf, the one being she felt she could trust even slightly at the moment, and allowed her stoney facade to drop slightly.
"I am most sorry for all this... madness, my friend." She crouched to rub her hands over the girls arms in an act she assumed was comforting. "I must question why you even joined this cause to begin with...?" Fay's smile was thin and a poor attempt at being friendly while still blocking her emotions. Sadly, it was the best she could do.
Re: Diverging Roads
Tanobi's expertise was not questioned. Not by Saruna. It was the first time she'd seen a dead body. . .defiled so. Oh, she'd seen the body of her mother, long ago, and in some ways that had been worse but . . .in some ways it wasn't. In a lot of ways. Her lips were trembling, fingers trembling. Tanobi didn't seem to notice, and if he did he either didn't care or wasn't showing it. He seemed . . . distracted. As if there were other things he'd rather be doing.
Well. "I see," Saruna said, all the breath and vigor stolen from her lungs. Her voice was faint, robbed of its usual direct certaintiy. "I -- "
The leaves of a sapling rustled, and the sound of a high, tinny giggle came forth from them. Saruna twisted and jerked, felt a faint pop in the small of her back, right above the left side of her rump. Pain spasmed down her left leg, lingered in a cramping ache under the flesh of her butt. She made a surprised noise, a pained one, as her hand went to her left hip, and she began to sag to the ground. Aging wasn't so bad, if you didn't count your body's sure and slow betrayal of you.
The leaves of the sapling went still.
____
From the direction of Marn, the sound of hoofbeats, still a little distant, still a little soft, echoed from the road past sight. Voices, low and rumbling, came along with them.
Well. "I see," Saruna said, all the breath and vigor stolen from her lungs. Her voice was faint, robbed of its usual direct certaintiy. "I -- "
The leaves of a sapling rustled, and the sound of a high, tinny giggle came forth from them. Saruna twisted and jerked, felt a faint pop in the small of her back, right above the left side of her rump. Pain spasmed down her left leg, lingered in a cramping ache under the flesh of her butt. She made a surprised noise, a pained one, as her hand went to her left hip, and she began to sag to the ground. Aging wasn't so bad, if you didn't count your body's sure and slow betrayal of you.
The leaves of the sapling went still.
____
From the direction of Marn, the sound of hoofbeats, still a little distant, still a little soft, echoed from the road past sight. Voices, low and rumbling, came along with them.
#biologicallyconscientious||Characters and threads.
-
Tanobi Durant
- Citizen
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:35 pm
- Name: Tanobi Duraunt
- Race: Human
Re: Diverging Roads
Tanobi looked to Saruna his attention no longer divided between the corpse and the woman before him. Looking with a critical eye he could see the effect of the cadaver upon his companion as she showed obvious signs of discomfort. Tanobi's gaze softened as he began to rise upon his walking stick reaching out halfway up in what was meant to be a comforting gesture until Saruna's head whipped around to gaze upon a sapling while it made an eerie sound similar to that of children's laughter. Having no time for saplings however the physician noticed the look of pain upon her features even before she made the sound that gave away much the same information away. in a swift motion the walking stick was dropped to the ground as Tanobi attempted to meet her halfway as she began to descend to the ground.
"Saruna!" Tanobi's voice rife with concern, his hand that had once been meant to comfort her had now began to intercept her wrapping around her left arm as she held her left leg and coming to the small of her back quickly joined by his left. Supporting Saruna gave his lame leg no small amount of reason to protest as he helped her to descend slower so that she would not get hurt by the fall, gritting his teeth behind sealed lips he attempted to mask the pain shooting into the improperly set bone in his left leg as he told himself not to show any of his underlying agony as it was not relevant when the woman in front of him was in pain. As she made contact with the dirt, albeit slower than had Tanobi not interfered the woman before him had yet to forgo her pained expression. Almost as if on instinct the hand that had wrapped around her arm reached for the hem of her clothing so that he could move them and observe the area in pain before he came to his senses as thoughts of consent and her modesty reared their heads in an instant. Tanobi's hand instead comes to rest gently upon Saruna's as he looks into her eyes asking questions efficiently and clearly.
"Are you alright Lady Saruna?" Do you want me to look at it?" he asks as he comes to rest upon his left knee as he supports her back with his left arm his look of concirn never leaving her face.
"Saruna!" Tanobi's voice rife with concern, his hand that had once been meant to comfort her had now began to intercept her wrapping around her left arm as she held her left leg and coming to the small of her back quickly joined by his left. Supporting Saruna gave his lame leg no small amount of reason to protest as he helped her to descend slower so that she would not get hurt by the fall, gritting his teeth behind sealed lips he attempted to mask the pain shooting into the improperly set bone in his left leg as he told himself not to show any of his underlying agony as it was not relevant when the woman in front of him was in pain. As she made contact with the dirt, albeit slower than had Tanobi not interfered the woman before him had yet to forgo her pained expression. Almost as if on instinct the hand that had wrapped around her arm reached for the hem of her clothing so that he could move them and observe the area in pain before he came to his senses as thoughts of consent and her modesty reared their heads in an instant. Tanobi's hand instead comes to rest gently upon Saruna's as he looks into her eyes asking questions efficiently and clearly.
"Are you alright Lady Saruna?" Do you want me to look at it?" he asks as he comes to rest upon his left knee as he supports her back with his left arm his look of concirn never leaving her face.
-
Breda Dreaughan
- Citizen
- Posts: 315
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:13 pm
- Name: Breda Dreaughan
- Race: Dwarf
Re: Diverging Roads
She returned Fayane's smile just as faintly. She was still very fond of the shifter woman, and it was hard to watch her hurt, unable to help.
And I used to be professionally good with people.
At Fayane's question, she ran a hand over her face. "By accident," she said in a slightly tired tone. "I literally ran into the Paragon people. And, well, I've seen what the life is like on the bottom." She glanced aside. "By the time I was asked to choose, I was already too deep in, you know. Too late to walk away." She gave the other woman an almost pleading look, as if asking Fayane to convince her she hadn't been a complete idiot. "I wasn't expecting to get instantly involved with murder and whatnot."
And then she heard the sound of the hooves, and her heart skipped a beat again. "Someone's coming," she said in a low, frightened voice. "Should we hide? Get off the road?"
And I used to be professionally good with people.
At Fayane's question, she ran a hand over her face. "By accident," she said in a slightly tired tone. "I literally ran into the Paragon people. And, well, I've seen what the life is like on the bottom." She glanced aside. "By the time I was asked to choose, I was already too deep in, you know. Too late to walk away." She gave the other woman an almost pleading look, as if asking Fayane to convince her she hadn't been a complete idiot. "I wasn't expecting to get instantly involved with murder and whatnot."
And then she heard the sound of the hooves, and her heart skipped a beat again. "Someone's coming," she said in a low, frightened voice. "Should we hide? Get off the road?"
Re: Diverging Roads
Jerial heard the hooves and his mind kicked instantly into the rhythm that had run his life for years. His sword appeared gripped in his hand, and he was calling directions to the others, calm but stern, in a tone of voice that was not shouting, but clearly heard. He accented these with gestures, and his eyes were efficiently searching the area instead of focusing on the object of his directions.
Must be battlemages, he thought as a wave of magical energy licked at his senses. They've discovered the death of their comrade and have come to convict us of his murder. We shall see how far their aspirations travel before they meet the steel of my blade.
For the first time, Jerial looked to see the others in a frenzy, the older pair conversing quietly and hurriedly, some looking aimless for whatever reason he could not divine, and some, namely the warriors among them, were singularly preparing themselves without heed to his orders. He cursed audibly at their ignorance and approached Kado. "Set a post on the flank, and be quiet. And have your mage place some wards against their magic. Fayane and I will conceal ourselves until I give the signal. Then, we spring upon them."
Kado nodded, pulling on the sleeve of Cerion. He nodded his head and turned to leave.
Must be battlemages, he thought as a wave of magical energy licked at his senses. They've discovered the death of their comrade and have come to convict us of his murder. We shall see how far their aspirations travel before they meet the steel of my blade.
For the first time, Jerial looked to see the others in a frenzy, the older pair conversing quietly and hurriedly, some looking aimless for whatever reason he could not divine, and some, namely the warriors among them, were singularly preparing themselves without heed to his orders. He cursed audibly at their ignorance and approached Kado. "Set a post on the flank, and be quiet. And have your mage place some wards against their magic. Fayane and I will conceal ourselves until I give the signal. Then, we spring upon them."
Kado nodded, pulling on the sleeve of Cerion. He nodded his head and turned to leave.
Re: Diverging Roads
Fay knew something was wrong with the hoof beats almost as soon as she heard them, she wasn't sure why, or how, but they felt wrong. Fay frowned and ignored Jerial completely, dismissing his idiotic orders on the spot. Instead she looked to Breda and motioned for her to come closer. "Stay with me." She said it easily. "Something's wrong with this." She looked at the dwarf and raised her hand to silence any protests. "Trust me. Something wants us off the road, I can feel it." She was about to call out a warning when she heard the child-like laughter.
"Hide-and-seek~! Hide-and-seek~! Come play, come play~!" Their voices reminded her of a tale she'd heard as a child, a warning of child-like pixies who were both mischievous and dangerous, playing deadly pranks and leading travelers astray. Some said that they were the spirits of naughty children who's been eaten by foul beasts, others said they were the dark spawn of the astral plane. Fay tilted her head, trying to seem like a child herself, an idea popping into her head.
"You wish to play with me? I'll play~!" She sang. She looked to Jerial, knew the pixies had likely seen their spats and the down trodden state of the group. A plan formed. A very stupid plan, but one that may get the others out. "But I don't want to play with my friends and you. My friends are mean, boring. I want to play with you!" She chirped, even dropping her hood to look around, trying to smile and look hopeful. If she could distract them long enough, the others could walk free, she hoped. Jerial would work well enough as a guard and could keep them safe, she knew. "Play with me!" She called again, walking to the bush she'd heard the giggle come from.
"No sharp pointies~! Pointies give owies~!" They shrilled, giggling insanely. Pointies? Her blades... her heart stopped a moment. "I won't them them give you owies!" Fay called, offering. They didn't listen. "No pointies~ No pointies~ No pointies if you want to play~" Agony thudded deep before shaking hands rose to undo the belts. "Okay, I really want to play. I'm going to give my pointies to the grumpy man." She took off her fathers blades, gently wrapping the leather belt around them before tossing them in Jerial's direction. "No more pointies! Let's play!" Fay called. "Leave the old and grumpy ones. They don't play nice and are mean, but I'll play with you!" Child-like voices laughed in glee.
"Leave me." Fay said quietly. "I'll stay with them and catch up." She doubted she'd escape but didn't say it. "You have more important things to deal with."
"Hide-and-seek~! Hide-and-seek~! Come play, come play~!" Their voices reminded her of a tale she'd heard as a child, a warning of child-like pixies who were both mischievous and dangerous, playing deadly pranks and leading travelers astray. Some said that they were the spirits of naughty children who's been eaten by foul beasts, others said they were the dark spawn of the astral plane. Fay tilted her head, trying to seem like a child herself, an idea popping into her head.
"You wish to play with me? I'll play~!" She sang. She looked to Jerial, knew the pixies had likely seen their spats and the down trodden state of the group. A plan formed. A very stupid plan, but one that may get the others out. "But I don't want to play with my friends and you. My friends are mean, boring. I want to play with you!" She chirped, even dropping her hood to look around, trying to smile and look hopeful. If she could distract them long enough, the others could walk free, she hoped. Jerial would work well enough as a guard and could keep them safe, she knew. "Play with me!" She called again, walking to the bush she'd heard the giggle come from.
"No sharp pointies~! Pointies give owies~!" They shrilled, giggling insanely. Pointies? Her blades... her heart stopped a moment. "I won't them them give you owies!" Fay called, offering. They didn't listen. "No pointies~ No pointies~ No pointies if you want to play~" Agony thudded deep before shaking hands rose to undo the belts. "Okay, I really want to play. I'm going to give my pointies to the grumpy man." She took off her fathers blades, gently wrapping the leather belt around them before tossing them in Jerial's direction. "No more pointies! Let's play!" Fay called. "Leave the old and grumpy ones. They don't play nice and are mean, but I'll play with you!" Child-like voices laughed in glee.
"Leave me." Fay said quietly. "I'll stay with them and catch up." She doubted she'd escape but didn't say it. "You have more important things to deal with."
Re: Diverging Roads
The noises stopped. The forest went still. The sound of the hoofbeats grew louder, and with it the sound of a cart. Angry voices, unsure voices. Saruna looked at Tanobi, mouth open and lower lip trembling, then at Jerial. Fayane was walking towards them, and together with the voices Saruna felt confusion creeping up her spine. She was about to protest -- what was going on? -- when the bushes moved again.
Two children came from them. Their hair was the type of mussy, dirty golden that was prized in central Eyropa, Saruna remembered. It was an absent memory, something her mother had told her late at night when she put Saruna to bed. When she, herself, was a child. She'd made a snarky comment about one of the other merchant's children, and had been sent to bed without supper for it. She recalled the candlelight on the left side of her mother's face, soft and flickering.
"Do not chasten others for their differences from you, love. The world is full of strange and wondrous things, and if you close yourself to them, you'll never the chance to see them."
"He looked funny," Saruna had said, petulant.
"As, I am sure, you look funny to them."
One of the children, with her rosy cheeks and little curving mouth, was looking at her. The other -- brother? -- was looking at Fayane with a tremulous smile. They were both dressed in village garb, roughspun wools covered with dirt and detritus. She thought of that conversation, and the two golden-haired children before her with their uncertain looks. The laughter, momentarily, before it. The boy had tear streaks down his round little cheeks. "P-play?" he asked, his voice the same high, innocent tone as the voices that had asked, before.
"Tanobi," Saruna whispered, the wavering uncertainty in her voice rising up to choke her down. "Tanobi, they look hurt. I'm fine. I'll be fine."
Jerial and Fayane were acting so unlike themselves. "Fayane, enough. We should. . .should move away from this body. Oh, doves, you shouldn't have seen that -- but it's best if we weren't seen with this poor soul." Half her words spoken to the group, half to the children. She put one of her hands to the ground, the other to Tanobi as she started to push herself up with a determination born of long years of suffering. "There's no need for weapons," her voice was a little sharper. People traveled the road all the time. Accosting innocents wouldn't help them at all. "Come then, dears, are you lost?"
Her face was white with pain.
So were the faces of the children.
Two children came from them. Their hair was the type of mussy, dirty golden that was prized in central Eyropa, Saruna remembered. It was an absent memory, something her mother had told her late at night when she put Saruna to bed. When she, herself, was a child. She'd made a snarky comment about one of the other merchant's children, and had been sent to bed without supper for it. She recalled the candlelight on the left side of her mother's face, soft and flickering.
"Do not chasten others for their differences from you, love. The world is full of strange and wondrous things, and if you close yourself to them, you'll never the chance to see them."
"He looked funny," Saruna had said, petulant.
"As, I am sure, you look funny to them."
One of the children, with her rosy cheeks and little curving mouth, was looking at her. The other -- brother? -- was looking at Fayane with a tremulous smile. They were both dressed in village garb, roughspun wools covered with dirt and detritus. She thought of that conversation, and the two golden-haired children before her with their uncertain looks. The laughter, momentarily, before it. The boy had tear streaks down his round little cheeks. "P-play?" he asked, his voice the same high, innocent tone as the voices that had asked, before.
"Tanobi," Saruna whispered, the wavering uncertainty in her voice rising up to choke her down. "Tanobi, they look hurt. I'm fine. I'll be fine."
Jerial and Fayane were acting so unlike themselves. "Fayane, enough. We should. . .should move away from this body. Oh, doves, you shouldn't have seen that -- but it's best if we weren't seen with this poor soul." Half her words spoken to the group, half to the children. She put one of her hands to the ground, the other to Tanobi as she started to push herself up with a determination born of long years of suffering. "There's no need for weapons," her voice was a little sharper. People traveled the road all the time. Accosting innocents wouldn't help them at all. "Come then, dears, are you lost?"
Her face was white with pain.
So were the faces of the children.
#biologicallyconscientious||Characters and threads.
-
Tanobi Durant
- Citizen
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:35 pm
- Name: Tanobi Duraunt
- Race: Human
Re: Diverging Roads
As Saruna made a move to rise the pain of the offending ligament evident upon her face, Tanobi reached for his walking stick so that he might help her rise although he did so giving protest.
"Lady Saruna whatever might have hurt these children has not removed their ability to move of their own power and I'm not so certain that-" He began before Saruna spoke.
"Fayane, enough. We should. . .should move away from this body. Oh, doves, you shouldn't have seen that -- but it's best if we weren't seen with this poor soul." Tanobi could only bring himself to watch is uneasy silence at the determination that showed upon the woman's face and having once been married knew not to cross a woman when her mind was set upon something, their would be time to give voice to his objections later.
Tanobi release's his grip upon Saruna slowly almost expecting her to collapse without support however his concerns were for naught as she remained upright. Shifting his minds focus upon the young before him Tanobi slowly lowers himself to his knees to creep his free hand foreword before making contact and briskly wiping the grime form the faces of the children looking for bruising or lacerations.
"Lady Saruna whatever might have hurt these children has not removed their ability to move of their own power and I'm not so certain that-" He began before Saruna spoke.
"Fayane, enough. We should. . .should move away from this body. Oh, doves, you shouldn't have seen that -- but it's best if we weren't seen with this poor soul." Tanobi could only bring himself to watch is uneasy silence at the determination that showed upon the woman's face and having once been married knew not to cross a woman when her mind was set upon something, their would be time to give voice to his objections later.
Tanobi release's his grip upon Saruna slowly almost expecting her to collapse without support however his concerns were for naught as she remained upright. Shifting his minds focus upon the young before him Tanobi slowly lowers himself to his knees to creep his free hand foreword before making contact and briskly wiping the grime form the faces of the children looking for bruising or lacerations.