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Post by Mahthilda Liodtōdener on May 9, 2012 18:54:47 GMT -5
The ship was driven relentlessly towards the shore by the wind and waves. Sailors cursed and prayed to their gods even as they pulled back against the oars or tried to work the pumps. Mahthilda Liodtōdener, princess of Teutlandt, found that ships do not care about your parentage as she lost her footing on the wet deck and dropped to one knee. A hole opened up in her woolen pants and Hilda winced as splinters were driven into her knee. The waves crashing over the side of the boat only increased her pain.
A strong hand grasped her arm and Hilda found herself being hauled up by Nordemann, her teacher, guardian and grandfather figure. They still weren't on talking terms, but Nordemann had continued to show her the respect she was due, something that grated on Hilda's nerves. She wanted the old Nordemann back, the sly giant who didn't care that she was a princess.
"LOOK!"
Hilda followed Nordemann's outstretched hand and felt her heart sink as she saw the shoal in front of the ship. The waves broke their backs on it, but their fury afterwards was still awe inspiring. If the ship crashed into the shoal, and it looked as though it would, the waves would tear apart the ship and kill everyone on board. The thought was so sobering that Hilda said her prayer out loud.
"Fraw save me from Roubōna's bed1!" she cried, calling on the goddess of war, fertility, beauty, gold and magic. "That looks like Huljan2!"
Nordemann laughed, possibly at ease with the storm thanks to his heritage.
"I've not seen my Itis3 yet, and I don't plan on living if you don't."
Nordemann wasn't being melodramatic. He really didn't plan on living if Mahthilda died. He had been charged with her protection and his honour wouldn't allow him to outlive her for any length of time. For a Teutlander, honour was everything. For the same reason, Nordemann would have thrown himself into battle if her father had been killed in the past. Fortunately, nothing like that had happened so far, and she still had both of them.
"What are we going to do?"
Hilda watched Nordemann's face as best she could, but the motion of the ship, the rain and the crashing waves made that virtually impossible. After a few moments, the big man made his decision.
"Get even up to the front of the ship!"
While she didn't know exactly what Nordemann was thinking, Hilda had an idea of what he might be planning, and she didn't like it. Still...the captain wasn't making any headway away from the shoal, and there wasn't really any other option. Nodding once to let Nordemann know that she had heard him, Hilda moved to the cabins as quickly as she could, ducking under the door frame and keeping low to avoid bumping her head. Being tall had its curses.
Reaching the first cabin, which housed a few members of her guard and their families, Hilda ordered them to strip down to the bear necessities and then go to the bow of the ship to meet Nordemann. A couple of men challenged her logic, but they shut up once Hilda told them about the shoal. They understood as well as she did that it was difficult to swim in clothes in normal weather, much less in a storm. And so, despite the objections of their wives and children, the men set about stripping everyone down to their under garments.
Hilda moved onto the next cabin, and then the next one until she came to her room. Her maid servants were coping pretty well with the storm and moved quickly to fetch the items that Hilda asked for. In under two minutes Hilda had stripped down to her undergarments, which consisted of woolen pants and a linen shirt, and was ready for a swim. She had a pouch of gold tied firmly around her waist, while her hildsahs was tied to her left leg and her sword was strapped to her back. Another pouch, containing a flint and striker, as well as several long bandages, was tied to the small of Hilda's back, and she had discarded her shoes. Hilda was ready.
Walking calmly, as befitting a princess, Hilda made her way to the bow of the ship, ignoring the stares of sailors who should be occupied with other things, almost as though she wasn't aware of the fact that her white undershirt was soaked right through and clung to her body with uncanny precision.
The members of her guard parted as Hilda reached the bow of the ship, allowing her to move right up to the prow, next to Nordemann. Nordemann had strapped his sword to his back as well and had a very important satchel slung around on his back. It contained, among other things, Hilda's dowry in the form of a warrant from the Silasian Council to the value of 40 000 Reels of silver, and a letter from Hilda's father giving Nordemann the power to arrange both a treaty and the marriage of Hilda. If those were lost, well, things were going to become a lot more difficult and less legitimate in the eyes of her fellow countrymen. Nordemann also seemed to have another sack strapped to his back, which puzzled Hilda, but she didn't have the time to ponder on it for any length length of time.
Hilda took up her position next to Nordemann and watched as the shoal came closer and closer. Just as they were about to hit it, Nordemann yelled for them to brace for impact. His voice was so powerful that sailors at the rear of the ship paused and looked horrified as the ship slammed into the gravel bar with a horrendous crash, throwing everyone forward.
As soon as she picked herself up, Hilda took a deep breath and climbed over the railing. The sea terrified her but if she, a Trahhofrouwa and princess beside, didn't jump, she would be shaming her entire family and providing some of them with a reason to refuse to jump. That would kill them for sure. And so, with a second deep breath, Hilda leaped off into the surf.
She hit the surface of the water and went right down until she hit the bar. The impact was jarring and Hilda almost lost her breath, but she managed to keep from gasping and swallowing water. No sooner had she hit the bar than the waves carried her forward, tossing her up and down. It was a struggle to reach the surface, and Hilda's lungs felt as though she was on fire, but she made it.
Breaking the surface of the water, Hilda gasped for air and was rewarded with salt spray and a wave that crashed down over her. Panicked, she was forced down again, and only just managed to reach the surface again. This time she had a little while longer to recover, but the waves forced her down again. Hilda had never felt such lack of control before, and she hated it, or would have if she'd had the time. It was all she could do to stay afloat.
Hilda lost track of time, and all she could think of was staying alive. She didn't notice the beach until a particularly rough wave slammed her into the shallows and she hit the sandy bottom. Spluttering, she came up for air and tried to make her way to the safety of the shore, but the waves kept dragging her back. However, after much hard work, Hilda eventually found herself sprawled on the sand, out of the wave's reach.
Hilda lay on the wet sand for what seemed like hours, too numb to think. She was cold, wet and completely exhausted. The face of her servants came to her unbidden, as did Nordemann's. Groaning to herself, Hilda slowly got to her hands and knees. There were people she had a responsibility to out there in the surf, and she couldn't rest now just to satisfy herself. She had to go out looking for them.
With a final groan, Hilda got to her feet and lurched drunkenly off back towards the waves, squinting through the rain, looking for any survivors.
OOC:
1 Roubōna is the goddess of the sea and is married to Mari, king of the sea. She claims all those who drown at sea and they go to her bed.
2 Huljan is the guardian of all those who did not die in battle or at sea. It is common in Teutlandt to equate her with death itself.
3 An Itis is a dead woman who is in the service of one or more of the death gods/goddesses. Each man has an Itis who will reveal herself to him before he dies.
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on May 10, 2012 8:55:10 GMT -5
Olivia sighed inwardly for perhaps the thousandth time. She blinked and clenched her jaw tightly to keep herself from yawning. There were times likes these when she wished she could just beat pompous people over the head with a book. Her face was a mask of interest and understanding. Negotiations were not going very well nope not at all. he was stubborn and was becoming increasingly angry. After another hour or so of no progress she attempted to try again, he didn't listen and quite blatantly kicked her and her escort out. She gave him a sweet friendly smile and curtsied. "Perhaps another time we can discuss this again." He looked at her and shouted something in his language that she didn't understand. But the tone was clear, it was not a compliment what so ever. She turned around and walked out into the fresh air. She glanced at the sky it was dark and forbidding, threatening rain. "My lady we should leave as soon as we can, it's not a good idea to be caught out in a storm." She nodded. "Yes, Lets go we are no longer welcome here anyway." The small party consisted of her, and her four man at arms escort and their horses. They saddled up and mounted, going off at a quick trot, they wanted to put as much distance between them and Picta before the storm as they could. It wasn't long until the rain started coming down, they came to the beach they had to cross and came upon a startling sight. There was a ship ground on the shoals and a woman in her underclothes standing on the beach looking for what Olivia wasn't sure. After a brief pause to take this all in She slid off her horse and rushed over to her. "Miss?! Are you all right? What happened?" She had never seen the girl before and she didn't look like she was from Araluen.
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Post by Mahthilda Liodtōdener on May 12, 2012 2:56:10 GMT -5
Every part of Hilda's body ached and, without the built in support of her dress, every stumble and even the odd step caused her breasts to hurt a little. She could have started using the bandages she had saved from the ship to bind her breasts, but that thought didn't occur to Hilda's exhausted mind. She just shut out the pain and kept on walking. There had to be other survivors. There had to be. Nordemann would survive, and Seibold would make sure that the others would get off the ship. Some of the mothers and children would have drowned, but others would have made it, the warriors especially. And then there were the sailors. They'd have survived, wouldn't they? They should be able to swim, being on the water for so much time. Hilda had no doubt that she could convince them to come with her to...where were they?
Hilda stopped and looked out into the storm, her mind struggling to get into gear. They were shipwrecked, and a lot of the people who had come with her, people she had known for years, were dead, and she didn't even know where they were. Time seemed to stop as Hilda just stood there, looking out at the sea, and she began to feel relaxed, warm even. Then, without warning, a woman rushed up to Hilda and asked her a couple fo questions in quick succession.
"Miss?! Are you all right? What happened?"
Startled out of her stupor, Hilda reacted pretty badly.
"Quāt!", she swore, spinning away from the woman and drawing her hildsahs. "Holen Sie sih zuorucki odar ih werda dih wiu ein Swīn Quietschen zuo offenen!"
The effect of Hilda's sudden recovery was ruined when she found herself off balance and had to sit down on her backside. The indignity of it all, combined with the time it took Hilda to get back on her feet, allowed her to realise that the woman wasn't being threatening and that she was speaking in the tongue of Araluen.
Carefully putting away her hildsahs and backing back a little to show that she wasn't being threatening anymore, more for the benefit of the hulking armoured men behind the lady than for the lady herself, and made a calmer, more rational reply, although her fatigue made Hilda forget much of the language and increased her accent.
"Apologies. Startled. See ship? My people. Need to help."
The conversation seemed to remind Hilda about the ship, because she suddenly turned her back on the woman and began wandering up and down the shore again, oblivious to the woman and her guards.
OOC: My apologies to anyone who can read German or Old/Middle High German. The combination of modern German, Middle High German, Old High German and google translate must be painful.
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on May 13, 2012 19:09:50 GMT -5
Olivia backed up when the woman drew a knife, then she fell because she was off balance Olivia went to help her but the woman got to her feet. She said something in a language she didn't understand then she put the knife away and made a placating gesture and said in the Araluen tongue. "Apologies. Startled. See ship? My people. Need to help." Olivia's quick mind gathered that she had merely startled the woman and that she needed help. Olivia looked out to sea and further gathered that there had been a shipwreck One of the men came over to her eyeing Hilda warily. "My Lady we need to move on." Olivia shook her head. "No we need to help her, there's been a shipwreck we should help look for survivors. "Are you sure thats a good idea? You don't know her she could be lying." "Not very likely and I'm staying and helping weather you help me or not. The only way we are going back now is if you drag me back throw me over your horses saddle and gallop off." Olivia knew he would never do such a thing, he sighed heavily. "All right we will help but I still don't think that it is a good idea." Olivia rolled her eyes then cast off her cloak she started looking for anyone still left alive her escort followed her example.
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Post by Ringulf on May 15, 2012 20:25:47 GMT -5
Four pair of eyes also took in the scene. two of them human, two of them equine.
The dark figure stood on the crest of a large dune a short ways down the coast. Having seen the the ship in peril from afar he had closed in to asses the situation.
The ship had hit the bar just as he had thought it would. there were many souls in the water so the ship was occupied by more than a small crew.
He did not recognize the type and style of the craft therefore he could not be sure of it's nationality but it looked a little bit Gaulican and yet a bit Skandian as well.
No sense in revealing himself until...what is this now there are others trying to help?
He reached for the spyglass that was in the leather pouch on his belt and put it up to his eye. It was difficult to see clearly with all the spray and rain in the air.
It was a female and several armed men, most likely her escorts...escorts hmmm, this is getting better, if she had escorts she was important, if she was important...
The man got up on his horse and reigned it around getting back down off the dune and following the troughs back down the beach.
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Post by Mahthilda Liodtōdener on May 16, 2012 5:15:05 GMT -5
Hilda wandered along the shoreline, hugging herself and trying not to shiver. She couldn't be seen to be weak. She was a Trahhofrouwa and a princess besides. To show any kind of weakness in front of her people would be humiliating and would reduce her honour. She needed to be strong at all times. No weakness. No weakness...
The bear lumbered out of the water without any warning. Huge and shaggy, it approached Hilda, standing on two legs like a man. All Hilda could do was stare at the creature as it growled at her. When it was within a few metres of her, Hilda started to react and fumbled to draw her hildsahs, but her fingers were stiff from the cold and it was hard to focus her thoughts. She only managed to draw the knife a few inches out of its sheath before the bear put a huge paw on her hand and gently pried her fingers from the hilt. That was when Hilda realized that the bear was talking.
"<...all right? Can you hear me Hilda?>"
The voice was familiar. Where had Hilda heard this bear speak before? She blinked and the bear began to shift into Nordemann. It was a strange transition, and not at all as smooth as Hilda would have liked. Even as she started to speak with him, Nordemann still had the legs of a bear.
"<N...Nordemann?>"
Nordemann carefully took hold of Hilda's head, examining it for reasons Hilda didn't know. She shook her head and went to take a step backwards, only to find that the whole world swam before her eyes and that the ground rushed up to meet her. Nordemann knelt down beside her almost immediately and, when Hilda tried to get back up, he held her down.
"<Stay down, princess. You've hit your head, and you need to stay still.>"
Hilda stopped resisting and lay flat on her back, wondering what Nordemann had meant. She couldn't have hit her head, could she? As Nordemann stood up and turned away, Hilda felt around her forehead, finding several sore places. When she drew her fingers away, she found them red with blood, although the blood was quickly washed away by the rain. She must have really hit the sand hard.
Meanwhile, Nordemann had turned to face the strangers who had decided to help, his anger written clearly over his face. He strode over to them and began yelling at them, his anger and accent making his speech hard to decipher.
"Hef hyu no honour? Hyu vould let a lady shtagger about de beach hef naked und shiverink und not do anyting to help?"
Ignoring the lady in the white dress, Nordemann strode up to one of the soldiers who were obviously accompanying her and gave him some orders.
"Hyu gets down from you horse right now und give de princess you cloak, or Hy vill give hyu as a gift to Roubōna!"
Nordemann's hands lingered near his hildsahs, his intentions quite clear. If the rider didn't do as he said, Nordemann was going to start killing people.
OOC: Anything inside the angle brackets (<>) can be taken as being spoken in the Teutlandt language.
Also, just for reference, Nordemann is about 7' tall and is built like a tank. You could say that he has a very intimidating presence, but that would be an understatement.
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on May 16, 2012 8:47:30 GMT -5
Olivia waded out of the shallows from where she had been looking for anyone to swim or wash up. She had seen the massive man approach some of the men who had not gotten off of their horses. She heard him speak and now realized where the ship was from. It was from teutlandt, she recognized the accent from her training. The man looked nervous and backed his horse away not understanding.
"Jason it's all right he wants you to help the girl we found on the beach."
Jason looked from her to the massive man. Olivia stepped forward but found herself stuck in the same place. The head of her escort Eric, had a hard look on his face and had a hand protectively on her shoulder. Olivia had to crane her head back almost all the way so that she could see his face. Eric didn't like this man and he certainly didn't want anything to happen to Olivia,
"Jason go help the girl, Steven, Garret go build a shelter from this rain in the woods and try your best to get a fire going."
"Yes sir." They quickly dismounted and hurried off to do their orders.
"Sir, we are only trying to help there is no reason to be angry." Olivia told the massive man in a reasonable tone.
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Post by Mahthilda Liodtōdener on May 21, 2012 5:40:42 GMT -5
The mounted warrior gulped and pulled on his reins, forcing his horse to step backwards. Nordemann snorted derisively and was about to pull the coward down from his horse when the lady spoke up and calmed things down. Well, she at least stopped Nordemann from killing her guards and taking her prisoner. To say that he was angry at how they had treated Hilda would be an understatement. He'd been looking for an excuse to kill them since he'd seen them standing in the distance as Hilda wandered around half naked and dazed, and having that excuse taken away from him wasn't improving his mood much. Standing silently, Nordemann watched as the lady gave orders to her men. He didn't approve of them and thought that the men going off into the woods could be better used searching the coast for any more survivors, but he wasn't going to overrule the lady in front of her own men. Well, with one exception. Nordemann wasn't going to the coward named Jason anywhere near Hilda until she was recovered. Taking a step towards the man as he began to walk away, Nordemann jabbed a finger at him and, in a voice that was only just raised, counteracted the lady's order. "No. Hyu vill shtay avay from de Princess or Hy vill feed hyu you beatink hot!" While that made Jason cringe and stop what he was doing, Nordemann's manner of speech didn't seem to appeal to the lady, who acted as though he wasn't an infuriated bear of a man. "Sir,we are only trying to help there is no reason to be angry." Nordemann turned a disbelieving eye to the lady. Them help? No reason to be angry? Did the woman even hear what she was saying? They hadn't lifted so much as a single finger to help Hilda, and they have brought shame upon themselves for letting her wander around like she had been. Admittedly, any help that they would have given Hilda would have increased her already great shame when she recovered from the blow to the head, but that couldn't be helped. Any decent person would help a half naked, shivering shipwreck survivor and, by not doing so, the lady and her guards had shown themselves to be without honour. Raising his voice slightly more than before, Nordemann let the lady know exactly what he was thinking, complete with fierce hand gestures that would give her guards heart attacks. "No reason? NO REASON? Hy vould not treat de lowesht uf male bed slaves de vay hyu haf treated my princess. Hyu shtood und vatched as she shtaggered half nekkid in de rain, sufferink from an obvious concussion. Dot iz no vay to treat henny voman, let alone a Trahhofrouva und princess! Hy neme hyu cowards, snakes und liars hall." If that didn't force the lady's guards to fight Nordemann, then the Araluens had even less honour than he had first thought.
Adelbrand gratefully crawled onto dry land and coughed seawater up out of his lungs. He'd jumped ship not long after Nordemann had, but it seemed to him that he was the first out of the water. He had always been a strong swimmer, after all. He didn't know how long he lay with his back on the sand, but it eventually dawned on him that he should look for other survivors. And so, grudgingly, he moved his battered body and stood up. Then, with a look of grim determination, Adelbrand began to look for other survivors. OOC: I'd really appreciate it if Adelbrand didn't get killed off just yet. He's going to stop the currently brewing bloodshed from happening .
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on May 21, 2012 7:41:49 GMT -5
Olivia calmly stared into the massive mans eyes although on the inside she'd like to slap him. Eric's hand on her shoulder started to grip harder as the big man talked. She winced slightly and gently pried his fingers off her shoulder. "Sir," She forced herslef to speak calmly and reasonably. " I am sorry that you feel we have mistreated you and your Princess. The fact remains that I just got here a couple of minutes ago. I'm not superhuman. The princess maid no claim taht she was a princess. I did not know and I am sorry. I also did not realize that she had hit her head, if I did obviously we would have attended to her right away. The fact also remains that she walked away from us." She took a deep breath this was the part she hated, apologizing for something that was completely not her fault what so ever. Even though she was seething, she gave him a slight bow. "Do accept my apologies for not helping her sooner, I was worried about the other people on the ship and was trying to look for survivors." she walked forward to go past the big man and to help the prone figure some ways down on the beach her hand went to her cloaks clasp to undo it but Eric grabbed her arm and yanked her back. He didn't want her anywhere near the big man. "Olivia this is pointless!" "No it's not. These people need help and I'm going to give it weather you like it or not." "Can't you see they don't want our help? Dang it woman why are you so stubborn!" "Why are you so quick to judgement?" "Me? Because that man wants to goad a fight did you not hear him? He thinks we have no honor and that we have treated slaves better than his princess, he's trying to make an excuse so he can kill us all. He thinks we have done nothing, even though we have. We should leave before he DOES start killing us." "No Eric it's all the more reason for us to stay to prove him wrong." "Olivia so help me! If you don't start listening to reason I WILL pick you up and throw you over my horse and ride away." "Eric they need our help there's other people out there! We should be looking for them and not arguing." "We have been! But if you try to go help that girl that man will stab you in the back!" "No he won't that wouldn't be honorable." Eric sighed in frustration, and threw up his hands, then he set them on her shoulders and was tempted to shake some sense into her.
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Post by Mahthilda Liodtōdener on May 24, 2012 19:24:55 GMT -5
The ignorance of the woman in front of him stunned Nordemann. Did she really think that he hadn't noticed how far away Hilda had managed to wander? And did she really think that Nordemann would believe that she couldn't tell that Hilda had a concussion? Araluen might not teach their women all manner of proper things, but even they should have thought them to recognise something that simple. Even if the lady hadn't known about the concussion, her guards must have. No, Nordemann didn't by the lady's story at all. If she had actually meant to help anyone, she wouldn't be trying to guard her temper so well. If Nordemann wasn't so good at reading people he wouldn't have noticed anything, but he was pretty damn good at reading people and could tell that the woman was hiding some sort of anger or frustration. Given his recent speech, he wasn't sure if she knew how much he had insulted her or if she was angry at being called on her rude behaviour, but that didn't matter, because he had finally gotten her to spring into action.
Of course, with the lady convinced, the next obstacle was going to be her cowardly, overly protective, very disrespectful guards to help. Two had already gone off to build a shelter and a fire, and another stood awkwardly off to one side, not sure if he should risk Nordemann's wrath and follow his orders or if he should back up the fourth man. The fourth man, apparently named Eric, seemed to be the leader of the guards and was far too protective of the lady. In fact, he acted as though he was so familiar with her that Nordemann wondered if he was her husband. It certainly explained why the woman didn't have any female servants or companions with her who could verify that she didn't have inappropriate relations with any of her guards.
Eric's argument with the lady, who was apparently named Olivia, showed that Olivia was really in charge and supported Nordemann's theory that they were married. It also suggested that Olivia had at least some idea about Teutlander culture, and stopped Nordemann just before he lost his temper and ripped Olivia's cloak from her shoulders. Olivia and her entourage might not have shown themselves to be honorable, but that was no excuse for Nordemann to forget his own honour. He could always kill them later if they proved too cowardly to actually help or if they became a danger.
As Eric put his hands on Olivia's shoulders once again, Nordemann gave the two an impatient look and strode off, grabbing the guard who was just standing around by the arm and dragging him over to where Hilda lay. With a growl, Nordemann tore the unfortunate man's cloak from his shoulders and pushed the man away. He dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand and then knelt down to help Hilda up, not even looking at the guard as he spoke.
"Go beck to you mishtress."
Hilda couldn't stop shivering. She was so cold. So, so cold. It seemed to her like she would never be warm. She certainly wouldn't be warm if she stayed where she was. Just when she was about to get back up and try to find Nordemann again, he suddenly appeared, dragging a strange man in tow.
"Halôn. Ih frāga mih wenn Sie zuorucki sīn werdan.*"
Nordemann seemed to ignore her for a moment and dealt with the man he had brought with him. Hilda couldn't quite make out what was happening, but it seemed to involve violence and the man's cloak, so wondered if the group of people she had first encountered had decided to treat all future survivors with suspicion. That would have certainly gotten on Nordemann's nerves.
A huge hand grasped Hilda's comparatively tiny one and she allowed herself to be pulled up, only just finding the strength she needed to stand. It embarrassed her greatly to rely on Nordemann so, but she just had to suck up the loss of honour and rely on him to help her stay upright. Hilda tried to stand by herself as Nordemann wrapped the cloak around her, but she reluctantly was forced to rely on him for support.
"Helfan Sie mir. Ih muot scouwōn furi thie andar Überlebenden stark**"
Nordemann sighed and nodded. He obviously didn't like what Hilda was doing, but he understand why she was doing so. She'd already lost a lot of honour, and running to a fire would lose even more. If she died from hypothermia, then she would at least die redeeming some of her lost honour. Hilda just hoped that the Araluens wouldn't interfere with her plans.
OOC:
*"Hello. I was wondering when you'd be back."
** "Help me. I need to look strong for the other survivors."
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on May 27, 2012 16:43:44 GMT -5
Eric gave Olivia a little shake. "Olivia helping these people is pointless, you need to understand that. You heard him! He doesn't want our help. Even if we give them out help they'll still refuse it!" Olivia sighed and pried his fingers off her shoulder. "Eric it is never pointless to stop and help someone. These people need our help and I am going to do all I can to help them. Weather you help me or not. The princess has a concussion you know how to treat that you should go over and help her. But be careful she will think it a dishonor if you help her." Eric sighed, he knew she was right, she was also the most stubborn woman alive! He gave her a confused look. "Wait then how can I help her if she refuses my help. I can't help someone if they refuse me." "It is a very difficult task I must admit, you have to help without looking like you are. It requires subtlety." "Hmm sounds like a job more for a courier then a simple man at arms." She smiled at him then she glanced down the beach. "Well it looks like her protector is helping her lets go into the shallows and search for survivors. Henry!" She called to the man who was confusedly walking back after being dragged,m then shoved away by Nordeman, he walked over to them. "Come and help us look for survivors they'll probably wash up on close to the beach. At least I hope." She cast off her cloak and without any hesitation walked into the frigid water. Eric did like wise as did Henry, but they walked a little ways from her so that they covered more ground. Their eyes searching everything that moved.
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Post by Ringulf on Jun 4, 2012 22:20:37 GMT -5
On the distant dunes to the south along the strand there was a corona of arcane light as though a glowing sun or moon was about to rise.
If any had turned to see, they would have seen first a few, than many pinpoints of light coming over the dunes.
Torches, the torches of many people were coming toward them down out of the dunes and some came down the beach further south.
Some we on foot, some on horseback, and some even drove carts pulled by teams of oxen along the hard packed sand of the shore.
A single man on horseback cantered toward them ahead of the throng till he reached the milling survivors and Lady Olivia.
He wore black oilskins and heavy boots as well as an oilskin cloak. His face was weathered and his hair and beard were grizzled and greying where it was not a weak, strawlike blonde.
"Howdy young Lady have you retrieved all the survivers yet? I come with some extra hands, Whose ship is this anyway don't quite look Skandian but it sure as hell aint no Araluen ship?"
By this time many of the folk on horses had reached them, dismounted and started working in two man teams to go into the surf and affect rescue and recovery of the living and the dead.
The teams each had a Swimmer and he was attached to a rope that was held by his Tender around what looked like a modified saddle horn on his horse.
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on Jun 5, 2012 20:53:45 GMT -5
Olivia looked up at the sound of hoof beats on the sand. There was a man on a horse and he was headed straight for her. She tensed and gave him a studied look. Then he spoke.
"Howdy young Lady have you retrieved all the survivers yet? I come with some extra hands, Whose ship is this anyway don't quite look Skandian but it sure as hell aint no Araluen ship?"
Olivia didn't respond right away. Then she noticed that the other men were helping an she realized these people were here to help not harm. "I'm not sure if we have found them all. I hope we have that was a very large ship." She didn't give any more clues as to who the people were or where they were from. She didn't think that he needed to know that. She looked up at the sky, the clouds were still dark and threatening they were also still pouring sheets of rain down on them, the wind didn't help either especially since it was an ocean breeze making it even colder and driving the rain into them relentlessly. She shivered she was soaked and starting to feel the cold, she noticed that her finger nails were turning purple. She flicked some of her long brown hair out of her deep blue eyes. Her feet were numb as were half her legs, the water was bitterly cold.
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Post by Ringulf on Jun 5, 2012 21:34:54 GMT -5
"Well you look like you are right cold and misable for sure! My people are dressed for this kind of work. Why don't you meet the women in the first few wagons, they have hot drink and blankets, and the wagons are filled with straw. Wouldn't be a bad idea for you to start getting the survivers all into them." The man in the oilskins said.
"My villageis just down the strand in Marshwood, we help out lots of people who end up on our shores through no fault of their own."
"Is there anything you can do to quiet down that big angry fella I don't think he is gonna help matters any."
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Jun 10, 2012 18:37:24 GMT -5
Olivia smiled at the man a little tiredly. "Thank you very much for your help. I don't know how many survivors there are, or even how many people there were on the ship." Eric came over to them. "Olivia we should probably get them." he gestured to Hilda and Nordeman. "Into something dry and warm." Olivia nodded. "I'll bring them to the village you keep helping finding survivors." She moved off but Eric called her back. "Olivia!" She turned to face him. "You need to rest. You are about as done in as they are." "I'm fine Eric don't worry about me so much." Eric sighed heavily, when was that woman going to stop being so stubborn? Olivia finally made it to where Nordeman and Hilda were. She gave a stiff curtsy that would have been graceful if her legs hadn't of been so stiff from the cold. "Princess we have some people here who know where you can get dry and something warm. Not only to wear but to eat. That is if you choose to accept this generosity extended to you." Olivia knew that teulandters were very prideful and accepting help was hurtful to their pride. She probably should have phrased it better but her teeth were starting to chatter from the cold and she wanted nothing more than to have a cup of coffee in her hand in front of a warm fire. She waited for her answer.
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