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Post by Firehead on Dec 1, 2010 10:52:53 GMT -5
"Of course Mylia, ant tank you for stanting up for me too! you ver like a Mama Hvit bear defenting a cub! You would haff made me back down for darn sure!" with that he gave her a hug and said. "Let us go fint Tandar I don't like de fact dat he never made it to de scene I hope noting vent wrong!"
Mylia managed to work up a smile at Ari's enthuseasm--which certainly didn't seem to have suffered any. "Right, then. Let's get going!" She turned to head for the doors. "You're going to have to lead the way, once we get past the point where we met up at." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having arrived with Sir Ecosse and completed his mission, Tam stood back and watched the proceedings for a few minutes before quickly becoming bored with the thing. He looked around at his surrounding instead, wondering curiously if this castle were anything like Araluan Castle, with all of its vents and ninches and hidden courners, and wondering if he would have the chance to explore it. Without the same ending of course.
Briefly, his thoughts switched to the lady knight on whom he'd fallen and accidentally injured. Sir Katrina, he remembered Rick calling her. Once, he'd slipped back into the city and gone to the hospital there to see if he couldn't find her and appologize to her. He'd found her, but there had been a rather large and intimidating man sitting at her bedside and talking with her and an equally large and imposing nobleman at the time, so he'd left before he'd been noticed, figuring to come back another time. But since then, Rick had kept him busy with learning reading and writing and other Ranger skills, and he hadn't been able to return.
He looked around again, wondering if he'd see her here, and caught the eye of a servant watching him with a keen and suspishious eye. No matter what he wore, he always seemed to attract such suspishion. It was as if they knew he was a streetboy from the gutters of Araluan.
He turned and walked out of the doors, leaving the castle behind him. Maybe he would go and find Rick. Or, just maybe, he'd see the lady knight and finally appologize to her.
(OOC:Hint, hint)
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Post by Tandar on Dec 1, 2010 22:20:07 GMT -5
[OOC: Ringulf, Tandar, and Tory]
“It is going to be okay, Tandar,” Tory told Tandar as she patted him on the shoulder. “We know you didn’t mean for this to happen.”
Tandar picked up a bandage to place over the point of entry once the arrow was removed, but he turned around as a shadow fell across them. The rider dismounted, and Tandar nervously identified the camouflage cloak as that of a fellow Ranger. He had assumed he would be taken into custody for shooting a civilian, but he didn’t think it would be so soon. A bystander must have already reported the incident. A feeling of nausea crept into his stomach as he mentally prepared himself to be escorted away in front of all these people.
"Tandar, Tory, what happened here?” the Ranger asked. “Did you remove the arrow smoothly? This is odd...."
Tandar was caught off guard. It was not entirely unusual that the newcomer knew his name since he had met numerous other Rangers at the Gathering Grounds and during his travels. However, the fact that the rider also knew Tory was surprising, especially since she had only recently been apprenticed to him. Through the sun’s blinding rays, Tandar squinted at the newcomer’s face, trying to determine who the familiar-looking beard belonged to.
“Ringulf? I thought you—“
Ringulf shushed him with a finger to his lips. "I am Ursan Holtdrenger here from Marshwood to shoot in the tournament. Do you understand?”
Tandar wanted to ask many questions, but clearly this was neither the time nor place to do so. He snapped his mouth shut and nodded. “It was an accidental shooting,” Polaris explained. He held the arrow while Tory broke the head off. The woman cried out in pain, and Tandar pulled the shaft out. Ringulf removed some of the victim’s bulky garments so he and Tory could apply the bandages.
"Rangers ... we cannot move this woman,” Ringulf declared. “not until we deliver her child...."
“Damn! She’s with child?” Tandar had been focused on the arrow and had failed to notice that the woman was pregnant. Her bulky clothing didn’t help either. All Tandar could think about now was the fate of the woman and her child. Even if she survived this ordeal, he thought, the baby was most likely already dead. “I can’t deal with this,” he choked. Tandar put down the bloody arrow he had been holding and retreated to a secluded area where he could be alone behind a row of booths. As soon as he was sure no one could see him, he took off his Ranger cloak and pulled up one of his shirt sleeves. On the top of his forearm, a straight strip of scar tissue stretched the width of his arm about an inch from the elbow. Grabbing a knife from a sheath on the side of his riding boot, Tandar aligned the blade beside and parallel to the scar. He gritted his teeth against the coming pain and closed his eyes as he sliced open three inches of skin. The knife bit a little deeper than he had intended. He dropped it as he grasped his arm and fought to keep from crying out too loudly. The throngs were noisy enough that it was unlikely anyone would hear him. A few salty teardrops ran down his face, partially washing away the dried blood under his nose from when the fugitive had struck him.
After a short time, the flow of blood from the cut slowed and the pain died down to a dull throb. Tandar took a few deep breaths and pulled his sleeve back down over the wet wound. He dried his eyes on his cloak and wiped his face before putting it back on.
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Post by Ringulf on Dec 1, 2010 23:46:42 GMT -5
The tent was shady and blocked the breeze from the rest of the fair The diffused light played upon the face of the mother and her child as the child screamed and cried bloody murder as children do.
The little boy was less than a half hour old and though his mother, who Ringulf had found out during the delivery was named Birgitta, was as staunch as a soldier and despite her wounds stayed up to nurse her baby. She was getting very weak though and the chirurgeon has just finished stitching up her abdomen where Ringulf had skillfully made an incision from the puncture wound of the arrow down about six inches to the bottom of her rounded belly. Tory had held Birgitta by the shoulders and supported her to try to push but she was in such pain and losing so much blood that Ringulf had to make the cut. Tandar had disappeared and Ringulf had been rather annoyed with him but had hoped he had opted to bring more medical help and not just fled in panic. The young man had been through a horrible ordeal and Ringulf understood more than anyone what it was like to shoot someone by mistake, but Tandar was a Ranger and needed to think of those he protected before himself!
Tory still held Birgitta around the shoulders supporting her so that she could nurse the child and Ringulf, having removed his helmet during the delivery as not to frighten the young woman, looked at her as she looked between the child and his mother. She was beaming with sentiment and Ringulf thought about how lovely and mature she looked and how admirably she had conducted herself during the crisis.
The child was lucky to have not been killed within his mothers womb! The Arrow had pierced the womb and sliced into the paper thin flesh of the infants left cheek. In the delivery the skin had been stretched even further and several small radiant tares had occurred as a result.
Ringulf looked down at the child and as Tory helped shift the baby to Birgitta's left breast, the full view of the mark became apparent.
It looked like a star upon his cheek and Ringulf thought about how ominous a portent it was.
He was shot in the womb by a ranger and the mark was that of a star made by the arrow of a man named Polaris!
"You, you are staring at him so intently Sir," Birgitta said quietly, I know he has a wound but he is elsways whole and healthy, is he not?"
"Yes Birgitta he is a strong lad and has the mark of one selected for greatness I think, what do you think Tory?"
"What will you name the boy? Do you have any ideas perhaps the name of his father?"
"His father is not known to him nor to me he was an outlaw and I barely escaped him and his brigands with my life only to find myself with child afterward. I am a servant of a cloth merchant, well I was, they turned me out when they found out my state.'
"What was...was the name of the young man who shot me? I know he did not intend for it to happen but it seems he is somehow now part of the child's story." She said.
"His name is Tandar, Tandar Polaris. a fine man and a good ranger." Ringulf said loyally.
"And what is your name good sir? You brought him into this world."
Ringulf bent over her and whispered in her ear,
My true name is Ringulf, but I am traveling under an assumed name for my current mission so you can not tell anyone this yet."
"That is fine I have decided his name, All three men who have ushered him into this world, live by the bow, he must be marked by Orion the Hunter, a constellation my Papa used to tell me stories about, its brightest star is the star Rigel That sounds allot like rin...your own name, Sir ranger But is a star like Polaris. I don't know the name of his real father nor does it matter but if anything happens to me will you make sure he is alright?"
"Your son will not be alone in this world I give you my word, but do not speak of this for you are going to be well and your life will also turn around. What the darkness meant for evil we will turn to good!"
The chirurgeon cam to her with another woman beside her. she was a wet nurse that was found when the woman had been brought to the tent. The Chirurgeon explained that she was brave to have nursed the child up to now and the true mother's milk is very important for the baby to suckle first for some reason, but the exit wound of the arrow needed to be tended too and she was still losing blood.
"Tory help the nurse with young Rigel then let me have a word with you outside will you?" Ringulf asked.
When she came out to the large ranger he gave her a huge bear hug.
"Thank you Tory! You were amazing all through this. How many years was I sleeping after you all left? It seems like you have grown in bearing as well as beauty since I saw you last. Why if I were a few years younger and not trying to please a Valkyrie of my own, I would set my cap to woo you myself! he said with a chuckle.
"Truly, it is so good to see you. Is everything OK with you and Tandar? I hope you two are getting along, You know if I could have had two apprentices, I would have selected you with out hesitation. Myl and I are like bread and butter, we get along great, but you were a very welcome addition to our fellowship and I know she felt the same way!"
Well I must be going I will look in on you all again during the fair, find Mylia she can fill you in on lots of the details! Farewell for now and remember my name Ursan Holtdreger!" With that he slipped on the leather helmet, mounted his big chestnut stallion and was off.
It was getting dark and he left Tory outside the tent. Just as she was about to go back in there came some voices from behind her.
"Hey der she is, Hey Tory vere iss Tandar are you OK?" Ve been lookin all over for you right Mylia?" Of course it was Aribjorn not too many people in Whitby with his accent and Mylia and Brandwyn were with him.
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Post by Brandwyn on Dec 4, 2010 0:42:11 GMT -5
“I can’t deal with this,” he choked. Tandar put down the bloody arrow he had been holding and retreated to a secluded area where he could be alone behind a row of booths.
Tory stared after Tandar when he left her holding a blood soaked rag to the woman’s wound. She had mixed feelings about her mentor just walking off. She was a little irritated about it, but mostly she was worried for him. She wondered if she should tell Ringulf or anyone about the nightmares. Of course then she would have to tell of her own as well.
What she was most worried about, however, as far as Tandar was concerned, was if he could be depended on in a tight spot. Will he abandon her if they ever ran into any serious trouble? She looked at Ringulf and wondered if she could voice her concerns to him. She also wondered if he had gotten his full memory back, he had recognized her, so maybe he had. This wasn’t the place to ask him, however.
Tory fought down the urge to toss her lunch all over Ringulf (no Ursan – she must get used to thinking of him with his alias) as he cut open the woman’s womb to deliver the baby. She followed his instructions to the letter and soon her curiosity over the process overcame her nausea at the site of the blood. She wanted to be sure she knew how to do this if the need ever arose again. She asked him several questions as he performed the operation and when it was over she thought that she might be able to do the same, though she hoped she never would have to.
They patched the woman up temporarily and Tory carried the baby while Chip carried the woman to the hospital tent. After they were through Ursan said, "Tory help the nurse with young Rigel then let me have a word with you outside will you?" Tory nodded and as soon as the baby was settled she stepped outside the tent. She looked her new clothes over and found some blood had soaked in around the hem, but other than that she was remarkably stain free. She wondered how she had managed not to be covered in blood. She looked around and still saw no sign of Tandar.
"Thank you Tory! You were amazing all through this. How many years was I sleeping after you all left? It seems like you have grown in bearing as well as beauty since I saw you last. Why if I were a few years younger and not trying to please a Valkyrie of my own, I would set my cap to woo you myself! he said with a chuckle.”
Tory blushed at his praise, inwardly pleased, but she didn’t know how to accept it, since she had hardly ever been praised in her life. She found herself thinking that she wouldn’t have minded being apprenticed to Ringulf / Ursan. “I hope Lady Fin is doing well. Is she here at the faire?”
"Truly, it is so good to see you. Is everything OK with you and Tandar? I hope you two are getting along; You know if I could have had two apprentices, I would have selected you with out hesitation. Myl and I are like bread and butter, we get along great, but you were a very welcome addition to our fellowship and I know she felt the same way!"
“I thank you for that. I would have liked being your apprentice.” Tory hesitated, now was her chance to voice her concerns. “I- ummm… Things are going ok for the most part. Tandar is a wonderful teacher and as I hope you will see tomorrow during the tournament, I have learned a great deal from him in a very short time, but…” Her voice trailed off, unsure if she should tattle on her mentor or not.
“It is just that I am a little worried about Tandar.” She finished lamely. She looked down at her foot as she ground her toe into the dirt, reluctant to go into any details. “Something is bothering him, but he won’t talk about it. Now with this…” She nodded toward the tent and the woman Tandar had accidentally shot. “I am not sure how he is going to handle this. What will they do to him? Will they lock him up for shooting her?”
After a bit Ringulf said, “Well I must be going I will look in on you all again during the fair, find Mylia she can fill you in on lots of the details! Farewell for now and remember my name Ursan Holtdreger!" With that he slipped on the leather helmet, mounted his big chestnut stallion and was off.
Tory watched Ringulf ride off and for a moment thought about running after him. Once again she felt all adrift and abandoned. She wondered where Tandar was and what she was supposed to do now. She turned to go back inside the tent.
"Hey der she is, Hey Tory vere iss Tandar are you OK?" Ve been lookin all over for you right Mylia?" Of course it was Aribjorn. Not too many people in Whitby with his accent and Mylia and Brandwyn were with him.
Tory turned around and saw one of the two people that she most wanted to see at the faire. ‘Aribjorn!” She cried out and ran to him and flung her arms around him to give him a big hug, acting on impulse and emotion before she thought about it.
She felt a flood of emotion as they embraced and blushed quite red thinking that he was extremely handsome. She was a bit jealous that Mylia seemed to have gotten to spend a great deal more time with him, but she squashed the feeling. If he preferred Mylia, then she would wish them well. They were both her friends and she wanted them both to be happy. Still, it was very nice feeling his arms around her and his hard muscled chest pressed against hers.
She stepped back from him after the hug and then brushed a curl out of her face, “Oh dear, I must look a frightful mess. I had so wanted you to see me dressed up nicely.” She chewed her bottom lip in anxiety. Then she took a good look at him and gasped. “Did that happen when that mongrel knocked you down?” She asked, referring to Sir Rodney. “What happened anyway? Why was he treating you like that?”
Belatedly she realized that Brandwyn was repeating Aribjorn’s question. “Where is Tandar? Is he inside?” Tory shook her head.
“I don’t know where he is. He…” She trailed off and glanced at Mylia and Aribjorn. “He accidentally shot a pregnant woman and he was very distraught. After Rin- um.. Ursan showed up to help Tandar took off between some tents.” Tory looked at Brandwyn anxiously. “He hasn’t been himself lately.” She said softly.
Brandwyn looked around quickly, wondering if she could see him, but he was nowhere in sight. “I know, I could tell.” She fought back tears again. “I think he wants to break up with me, but I can’t for the life of me figure out what I have done wrong.”
Tory shook her head, “I don’t think it is that, though I can’t be sure. I suppose he could be scared about getting married, but I am fairly certain he loves you.” Again she wondered if she should say anything. Tandar would be awfully mad at her and she didn’t want to face his fury. “Something is going on with him, you should find out what because he won’t talk to me about it.” Let Brandwyn find out about the nightmares. Tory wasn’t going to betray her mentor, even though he did run out on her this evening.
She turned to Mylia, changing the subject. “What is the deal with your mentor anyway? He was here helping out, but he said he couldn’t stay and he rode off on a big chesnut horse, who was pretty magnificent looking, by the way.” She asked Mylia.
After Mylia answered she said, “So, I see we are signed up for a couple of events together in the tournaments tomorrow. I promise I will take it easy on you!” She snorted at her absurdity. Mylia would mop the floor with her more than likely. Though it would probably be pretty close in the archery tournament. Turning back to Ari she asked, “Are you fighting too?”
Brandwyn listened for a bit, still scanning the crowd around the physician's tent but not finding any sign of Tandar. Finally she interupted, "I am going to go find Tandar. You kids have fun." She waved as she dashed back toward the area she had last known Tandar to be and she began searching between tents in secluded areas...
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Post by Ringulf on Dec 4, 2010 11:24:42 GMT -5
Tory blushed at his praise, inwardly pleased, but she didn’t know how to accept it, since she had hardly ever been praised in her life. She found herself thinking that she wouldn’t have minded being apprenticed to Ringulf / Ursan. “I hope Lady Fin is doing well. Is she here at the faire?”
"Lady Fin is doing quite well I must say! and I would not be too far off to say that she is a large part of the reason I am standing in front of you now. She and Ogmund and our good freind Bunt took care of me after you young ones rode off to Araluen. It wasn't too long after that I started to recover and we were assigned to Marshwood Fife, Though Mylia was a little surprised at who she was assigned too, when she met The Ranger of Marshwood!" He chuckled at the last bit. "Strange she should have been here by now, Mylia and I had to leave a bit sooner to make the trip at a bit slower pace, (I am not quite fully recovered and that horses back, though wide, does not yet get along too well with my rump!)" he said with a grin.
Tory hesitated, now was her chance to voice her concerns. “I- ummm… Things are going ok for the most part. Tandar is a wonderful teacher and as I hope you will see tomorrow during the tournament, I have learned a great deal from him in a very short time, but…” Her voice trailed off, unsure if she should tattle on her mentor or not.
“It is just that I am a little worried about Tandar.” She finished lamely. She looked down at her foot as she ground her toe into the dirt, reluctant to go into any details. “Something is bothering him, but he won’t talk about it. Now with this…” She nodded toward the tent and the woman Tandar had accidentally shot. “I am not sure how he is going to handle this. What will they do to him? Will they lock him up for shooting her?”
Ringulfs brown bushy brows bunched up in a knot as Tory spoke and he had crossed his arm and was stroking his beard with his right hand. He used to make this same gesture but with his long braided mustach which was no longer there, in it's place was the still robust but much shorter mustache with no long braiding and now his beard was longer, so in this look of concern and concentration he must have resorted to his beard to continue the gesture.
"Hmmm," He grumbled like thunder a long ways off, "I had not seen much of him before you all left from Carraway, but Bunt and I had many discussions about his behavior and your development and future with him. I am glad you are learning and he is a good ranger, but he has had an awfully heavy burden to bear of late.....It is not general knowledge, and needs to remain so....but Crowley is here. He is stopping on the way through to Araluen. In fact I am going to have to push Chenlot a bit to make our meeting. I will bring up the matter with him. If you find Mylia remind her of our engagement, come along yourself if you like and you are not otherwise occupied."
With that he gave her a hug and put a hand on her shoulder and said,
"Have no fear little one Tandar may be having some difficulties but he is a Ranger and made of tough stuff for all his youth, but he will be alright and so will you, do not feel as though you have betrayed him, it is not betrayal to bring forth information about someone that could lead to helping them to someone you trust, if Tandor was in a good frame of mind he would agree. I do not know what will be done but The ranger corps is not uncaring nor unjust and he will get what he needs to allow him to do his job. Now I must be off..." I will look in on you all again during the fair, find Mylia she can fill you in on lots of the details! Farewell for now and remember my name Ursan Holtdreger!" With that he slipped on the leather helmet, mounted his big chestnut stallion and was off. Toryturned to go back inside the tent.
"Hey der she is, Hey Tory vere iss Tandar are you OK?" Ve been lookin all over for you right Mylia?" Of course it was Aribjorn. Not too many people in Whitby with his accent and Mylia and Brandwyn were with him.
Tory turned around and saw one of the two people that she most wanted to see at the faire. ‘Aribjorn!” She cried out and ran to him and flung her arms around him to give him a big hug, acting on impulse and emotion before she thought about it.
"Vell dat iss a velcome greeting!" he chuckled as he put her down on her feet. "It seems as if der are not many people who like Skandians arout here!"
“Oh dear, I must look a frightful mess. I had so wanted you to see me dressed up nicely.” She chewed her bottom lip in anxiety. Then she took a good look at him and gasped. “Did that happen when that mongrel knocked you down?” She asked, referring to Sir Rodney.”
"Tory you look vonderful, like a highborn lady, ant it is not just de clothes I tink, It vas not Sir Rodney knocking me down it vas his two helpful guards who taught I needed help getting up dat vas de problem, but honestly Tory I did not vant anyvone to see me dat vay especially you! I did not know Mylia vas dere till she started rippin into de knight like a mad sparrow after a hawk!"
“What happened anyway? Why was he treating you like that?"
"It vas complicated, he did not have all de facts ant got hold of some bad information, de rest I am afrait, is just fear and mistrust of people dat are different."
Brandwyn was repeating Aribjorn’s question. “Where is Tandar? Is he inside?” Tory shook her head.
“I don’t know where he is. He…” She trailed off and glanced at Mylia and Aribjorn. “He accidentally shot a pregnant woman and he was very distraught. After Rin- um.. Ursan showed up to help Tandar took off between some tents.” Tory looked at Brandwyn anxiously. “He hasn’t been himself lately.” She said softly.
“I know, I could tell.” She fought back tears again. “I think he wants to break up with me, but I can’t for the life of me figure out what I have done wrong.”
Tory shook her head, “I don’t think it is that, though I can’t be sure. I suppose he could be scared about getting married, but I am fairly certain he loves you.”
“Something is going on with him, you should find out what because he won’t talk to me about it.” She turned to Mylia, changing the subject. “What is the deal with your mentor anyway? He was here helping out, but he said he couldn’t stay and he rode off on a big chesnut horse, who was pretty magnificent looking, by the way.”
“So, I see we are signed up for a couple of events together in the tournaments tomorrow. I promise I will take it easy on you!” She snorted at her absurdity. Turning back to Ari she asked, “Are you fighting too?”
"Ya in fact I haff a bout vit Mylia in de morning! I got to tell you I never fought rangers before I am kinda nervous, you are all so tough!"
Brandwyn listened for a bit, still scanning the crowd around the physician's tent but not finding any sign of Tandar. Finally she interupted, "I am going to go find Tandar. You kids have fun." She waved as she dashed back toward the area she had last known Tandar to be and she began searching between tents in secluded areas...
"Kits?...Who iss she talkin too she iss my age? Ah I vill never understant dis nobility stuff, if you can't kick someones butt you shoult not treat dem as do dey are less den you!"
He looked around at his freinds faces for some sort of agreement but for a moment his words must have been lost on them for they just looked at him like he had lobsters crawling out his ears.
"Don't look at me like dat! I know it is de Skandian way of tinkin...but it's true!!"
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Post by Brandwyn on Dec 4, 2010 23:12:28 GMT -5
"Well Cyrus, it is wisely said that a man can not serve two masters, not to mention three, so in order for you to serve me we must remedy your conflictions. How much do you still owe on your bond?" Baron Rathbone said.
Cyrus stared at him for a moment, calculating the amount. “Near as I can figure it, 98 gold and 5 silver pieces, but knowing the Count, he will probably add on an additional amount for some trumped up charge. He has done that twice already. Why do you ask, My Lord?”
"If I were to purchase your bond from Thornbury under the pretence... that I need a competent scribe, in return for your promise to aide me in meeting with young ash, would you be interested?”
“I don’t know…” Cyrus looked at him warily. “I would be your serf, then?” He weighed his options. There were some definite advantages to working for the Baron. For one thing, he was definitely more mentally stable than Thornbury and it seemed, though his punishments were rather permanent, he always seemed to have a legitimate reason to meat them out – well most of the time from what Cyrus had seen. Thornbury, on the other hand, would lash out at anyone standing near him any time anything didn’t go his way.
Then another thought crossed Cyrus’s mind, could the Baron be setting him up? But why would he? Cyrus couldn’t see any reason for him to, other than the whim of nobleman.
Apparently the Baron could sense the reason for his hesitation, for he said, “Thornbury is beholden to me for saving his life as is his corpulent son-in-law. Surely one way or the other I will not divulge your secret to Thornbury and you will not speak of this meeting to anyone as it will not serve either of us. You also may be assured that I do not wish to harm young Ash and if he is any swordsman he already realizes that the wounds I inflicted on him in our exchange were minor but designed to bleed allot to affectate wounds of a more serious nature. Had I wished to kill him he would even now be dead."
Cyrus had to agree, mention of this meeting would only do him harm. Still he hesitated, even though the Baron said he didn’t wish Ash any harm. Cyrus was both anxious and relieved when the Baron told him about the cuts he had given Ash. At least that meant Ash had survived the encounter, although it sounded like he hadn’t gone unscathed.
"Think on it and if you feel it worth your while have Ash arrange a meeting through you with me at his earliest convenience." The Barron said in an even businesslike tone one devoid of malice or benevolence.
Cyrus nodded, “Your offer sounds reasonable, but I would have one change concerning the status of my so-called debt. That my debt will be clear when I reach the amount that the Count says I owe. I want your word that you won’t raise it. Once it is paid, I and all my prodigy will be free.” Cyrus had written up enough legal documents and seen the slimy ways the Count had manipulated people by the words of a contract. He didn’t want to give the Baron any such loophole. “One other condition is that you will not have me killed should I act on the best interests of Ash over those duties you set forth. As I said, he is my master and I will not betray him.” Cyrus looked at the Baron, hardly believing that the man was not going to turn him in.
“If you agree to that, then I accept your offer and I will set up a meeting with Ash as soon as I can.”
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Post by Ringulf on Dec 4, 2010 23:34:43 GMT -5
"It is agreed then! I will inform Thornbury that I require your services and negotiate your bond, at which point you will no longer have any monetary debt whatsoever and can start saving money for your life of freedom. You will however owe me one year to the date of your bond's purchase as a scribe in my household. You will have no other duties and can fill your free time with your own enterprises as long as you are instantly ready to perform your duties to me. I am sure you can not raise the price you have eluded too on your own in one year any more than you could in ten." The Barron said very matter of factly.
"Please arrange matters with Ashton with all dispatch. I feel that the timing may be favorable if we act quickly. Oh and Cyrus as long as we are making legalities of contract clear, please do understand that in my service I require unwaivering complicity, What I ask of Ashton may put him in harms way, but I will agree to never ask you to do anything that will put him in any hidden danger not of his choosing, agreed? "
He said most of this as he was writing and now he looked up again and said,
"Well if those terms are amenable to you and you have no further questions, you have my leave to go."
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Post by Brandwyn on Dec 5, 2010 13:20:36 GMT -5
(OOC: Cyrus and Rathbone)
Cyrus agreed that he would not be able to raise that amount of money on his own. Thornbury saw to it that his meager salary was only enough for the bare essentials. But he had Ash's help and somehow his friend always seemed to have a ready supply of cash.
"Please arrange matters with Ashton with all dispatch. I feel that the timing may be favorable if we act quickly. Oh and Cyrus as long as we are making legalities of contract clear, please do understand that in my service I require unwavering complicity, What I ask of Ashton may put him in harms way, but I will agree to never ask you to do anything that will put him in any hidden danger not of his choosing, agreed? "
Cyrus nodded, "I can live with that, Your Excellency." Cyrus stood up and bowed, marvel ling at this sudden change in his fortune. Yes, he could be in a precarious position, but he was certain that working for the Baron would be far better than working for Thornbury. The only problem would be that Ash would no longer have a direct line into his father's house. Ash was not going to like that. He thought perhaps he should give himself an 'out'. "Only one thing, should Ash insist that I stay with his father, then I will be forced to do so. There are certain, ah, matters that Ash is working on, concerning his father. I don't know if my presence in his father's house is a requirement or not. If so, then I must decline your most generous offer." Cyrus thought for a moment. "Regardless, I shall put your request for a meeting before Ash and return with a reply as soon as I am able."
Cyrus gathered up the signed documents and nodded to the Baron. "I thank you, Your Excellency. Good day!"
When Cyrus left the tent he hurried to his own tiny one man tent and scratched out a note. "Meet at the Whistling Rock at Midnight on the third day." He rolled the parchment and slipped it into one of Thornbury's message tubes and sealed it. Then he went to Thornbury's Master of the Mews and attached the message tube to a specific carrier pigeon named Shakru. "Fly fast and true little one." Cyrus whispered to the bird. "My future is depending on your wings." then he turned him loose and watched until the bird was out of sight. He only hoped Ash would be able to get to the pigeons destination. Would he get the message in time?
All Cyrus could do was be at the rendezvous when the time arrived. He returned to his tent, gathered the signed documents and then plodded to Thornbury's tent, trying to hide the excitement and turmoil roiling within him.
*** (OOC: The story now picks up in the Araluen board under Araluen in “The Armor and The Cloth” thread.)
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Post by Ringulf on Dec 5, 2010 19:55:07 GMT -5
It was the day of the tournament in the Harvest fair in Whitbey fife.
Most of the participants were gathered at the different venues scattered around the grounds and the majority of fairgoers were pre occupied with the goings on at these.
Even many of the booths had closed for a while knowing that business would be slow and that they might get to see some good matches themselves if they were to shut down for a bit. No one really noticed the small youngster that drifted through the crowds picking bits of the better looking discarded foodstuffs and putting much of it into a burlap sack hung from the piece of rope that served as his belt.
Roath had had a very good morning. Like the rats that came out to plunder the remnants of the fair Roath had scrounged and scavenged everything he could with in reason to fill his larders and his belly. The fair would be ending soon and it would be back to the catch as catch can existence he had lived all his life.
Along with the food he had recovered from the wasteful patrons of the gathering, he had found pieces of an old pavilion that had been dumped by the riverside, it must have been blown down and ripped so it was thrown away along with some broken poles and quite a bit of light rope and cording. He also found a barrel of old discarded horseshoes and another of leather scraps. He had spent most of the night recovering those items and adding them to his stash. Now he was just after the fresher and more wholesome looking pieces of food.
He also had a wooden mug with a broken handle that he was drinking some porter from that he had extracted from a lone barrel outside a brewer's tent while no one was looking. The stuff was so thick and rich and malty that he felt like he should chew it rather than drink it. He realized that it was the dregs of the barrel and that most drink was not normally "chewy" but he rarely got anything like this and was determined to drink some "spirits" and see if the funny light headed feeling would come over him that he had heard about.
The Archery tournament had already started and he saw the crowd formed up to watch it. That was prime pickings as all the spectators had their eyes on the archers and with the tightness of the crowds he could move among them lifting items and cutting purses if he were careful.
As he walked toward the crowd he heard a loud whinny next to him and two knights on horseback almost walked right over him, if he had not jumped back he would have been stomped! "Hey what the...watchit willya!" He said to the men as they passed right on not even seeing him.
"Damn horses! I hate horses! Damn big, smelly, hay burners! Roath said to himself.
He actually did not hate horses at all but was rather afraid of them, though it was also true that he did not care for their smell as he lived in a stable himself and was constantly subjected to it.
He continued on to the archery crowd. He took out the little piece of metal that was shaped like a small hook and filed very sharp on the inside edge.
He would use this between his fingers to cut the strings of a purse as the lifted it with the other hand, done properly the victim never even felt it. Usually it was the weight difference that was noticed so though you made more money from a fat purse, you could more easily get pinched for it too.
He made a pass through the crowd veering slightly toward people he thought might have been good marks. When he exited the crowd he had three purses. Two were moderately heavy and one was rather light. Roath felt kinda bad about that one, "But he still had much more than I did so it was by right mine for the taking." He thought to himself.
When he turned for another pass he noticed that the archers shooting now were all not much older than he was.
"Hmmm, gotta watch dis, these are just kids like me. Damn! wish I could shoot a bow.
He had tried to make one once out of a barrel stave he grabbed out of a broken up barrel that fell off a wagon on the way out of town. It was too stiff and when he did find enough strong cord for a string he realized he had no arrows. He tried slitting cedar shakes from roofing along the grain and got some decent long shafts that he tried to round with his dagger. then he notched them and whittled a point on them and tried to shoot them but they went all over and he couldn't even hit the hay bale he was shooting at.
"Hmmm, must have been the damn feathers that mad the damn thing go strait! Hell with it!...I will throw rocks they're quick, cheep and go were I send em!" was what he thought.
His attention was brought back to several of the participants. There was one girl in a blue dress that was pretty and she was kinda tall and thin and graceful, then there was another who was shorter and dark haired but looked like she had a lot of spunk, in fact..."Hey she looks a hell of allot like my old buddy Catchrats! Were the hell she ever ran off to I never could guess, one minute she was surrounded by a bunch of the rabble and the next some big hairy dude shows up behind her like a nasty lookin bear in a helmet, says "boo" and everyone runs like hell, I ran too, that guy was ugly!" "Naw it can't be her this girl is clean and has real clothes, and whoa damn look at that shot! she can shoot the hell outa that thing, could shoot my butt runnin cross the feild!"
They had all shot. One big bearded guy that looked like a little version of the dude he was just thinking about with Rats, and another dude that was only slightly better dressed than he was but had a killer bow! "Uh whoa didnt see that one on the end! Damn she is fine! looks like a noble, though wow look at that getup! Her clothes...no forget that, her hat probubly cost more money then I ever had! But she is pretty hot! Yeah like she wouldn't make a wide circle around me! heh heh."
They were coming back to the marshaling area, Roath thought maybe if he got up closer he could tell, so he moved through the crowd.
Hey! pssst! Rats!...Catchrats dat you?" He called to the girl.
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Post by Ringulf on Dec 5, 2010 23:27:36 GMT -5
The Boarshead was not much different from countless other taverns Ringulf had ever been in, the same smells, same sounds same buxom waitress sticking her wares in your nose making you wonder which you wanted more, ale or milk.
He sat in the corner at a fairly large round table but both he and Crowley who had been an occasional drinking partner for many years sat next to each other speaking quietly, smoking long stemmed clay pipes and nursing large pewter tankards of the local swill that was the excuse for ale in this place.
"They must have run out of all last years Harvest Ale." Ringulf said.
"Shame too," said Crowley this stuff tastes like I already drank it once!"
They both chuckled at that and Ringulf puffed out a few smoke rings.
"It sure is good to see you up and about Ringulf, After the first report from that Marshwarden, I thought you were done for!" Crowley said earnestly, "How are you doin now? It was a long ride from Marshwood!"
"You know me Commandant, I am too stubborn to die and Odin don't want me anyway!" Ring said with a smirk.
"Maybe not but I heard there is a certain Shieldmaiden that does!" He said mischievously and raised his tankard.
Ringulf raised his own and clinked Crowley's and said,
"Well as far as how I am doin, I think she is allot of the reason I am doin so well! Ooh yeah, it was a long ride and Mylia and I had to stop allot, that was why we left so early. Speaking of which I gotta say that girl is coming along so fast since the last mission it is almost scary you should see her shoot and it is like she has been riding all her life!"
"Honestly Ringulf! I have not seen you like this since...well, before the shooting. You are focused and bright and you have your old confidence back! If I knew that a woman was gonna do that for you I would have bought you one years ago, maybe two!" Crowley chided.
"Wasn't just any girl Commandant, it was Fin. I could have slept with a hundred maids it would'nt have made any difference. I woke to see her face and I swore I was in Valhalla. I think she has ruined me for the real thing, it may never compare!" Ring said in a far away voice.
"Just don't try to make a comparison anytime soon ranger." Crowley said in a commanding tone.
"Oh, speaking of shootings and comparisons, I need to give you some bad news. Tandar Polaris shot a bystander when attempting to apprehend a fugitive today at the Fair." Ringulf said lowering his eyes to his drink.
"Good God! How many ways could that sentence go wrong? Is he alive?" He asked starting to flush red.
"Yes but you haven't heard it all yet so take another drink. The "he" was a "she" and the she was with child. The child is alive and only lightly scathed but the fugitive was never detained and Tandar has disappeared."
"Oh you are just full of good news, tell me everything cause this just gets better and better, don't hold back now!" His sarcasm really did not make it any easier on Ringulf but he continued.
"Tandar has not been himself since Lord Polaris passed, he has been under great pressure and is showing signs of starting to crack. Bunt Levinsson and I have discussed what we have seen and I feel that if we don't relieve the man's load somewhat we are going to lose a damn fine Ranger."
"I'm listening what do you think I should do?" Crowley asked slyly.
"Well it is not my job to make determinations like this, you are the bloody Hero for that job, but if you want my advice, I feel that you should allow the boy some normalcy, let him attend to his marriage to Brandwyn Alston, let them take the traditional one year to let man and wife establish a home, let him step down voluntarily for the nuptual leave without any blemish to his record. Sweep this shooting incident under the rug. If he doesn't bounce back there is time for punitive action after the year but the woman seems as though she will recover and she is not in a position to press charges as she needs some care and kindness and help raising her son, kind of a hard case but I will see to it that Tandar does the right thing by them both. If he does respond you still have a fine Ranger and may have saved a man's life."
Crowley sat back in his chair puffing on the pipe that was just about spent.
"Hmmmm, What about his new apprentice Tory Waterton you know she was Patrick's apprentice too, what do you think this is gonna do to her to be thrown along to some other Mentor yet again?" He said with concern.
"Well....to be honest I am not sure, but I have to tell you that she is made of tougher stuff than either of us gave her credit for before the Caraway mission. The other thing is I can see that she is cares about Tandar and is learning from him, but may feel a bit unsure of his stability, remember she spends allot of time with him. The other thing is that if Tandar and Brandwyn marry neither Tory nor Brandwyn are going to be very happy sharing a household. Tory has indicated to me even today, that she would have wanted to be my apprentice, she gets along famously with Mylia who I think could adapt and she is very reluctant to go back to Merrick of all places! Maybe she might not have wanted me to say anything about that but well as long as it is all coming to a head may as well squeeze the boil a bit!"
"Lovely analogy, glad we aren't eating!....Are you really suggesting that I allow you to take on two apprentices? For years you couldn't handle even having one, or a fife or even a damn horse!" Crowley said heatedly.
"I realise that, I am not sure why I know but I feel like I was meant to have them both, they fit and I think after what we have gone through together we can make it work. Look you know the shortage we have of Mentors were is she gonna go? She knows me, I want to have her with us, I know it is not "traditional" but then again when have I ever been traditional!" Ringulf said equally heated.
"You have given me quite a bit to think about. I will stay on here another day, I want to see the presentations at the Tourney anyhow and it would be good for me to escort the princess back as it is. Would like to meet this new Skandian bowman who won the tournament too, one of yours I imagine?
"What are you talking about, the young kid who was the late entry in the archery event?" Ringulf asked confused.
"Well yes of course he came here with Fin this morning, I thought you knew him." Crowley said "He is Skandian!"
"Contrary to popular belief, I am only half Skandian you know! I have lived here most of my life and not all Skandians know each other!" Ringulf said perturbed more so by his lack of information than Crowleys assumption.
"Well anyhow, Find Polaris and Waterton have them report to me here at sundown tomorrow for dinner, Send Alston too I will have a word with her as well, I am not sure what I will decide about all this so you will have to wait and find out when you report late tomorrow night.
I will bring the pipeweed and you bring some whiskey, I am not gonna drink another drop of this moose piss!"
(OOG this is the end of this thread as concerns the current characters the reply to this event will occur in the new thread: "Directives from the Boarshead")
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Post by Tandar on Dec 6, 2010 1:05:15 GMT -5
Tandar Polaris slowly walked the route to the hospital tent, his eyes bloodshot and puffy. In his right hand, he held a bunch of purple hyacinth flowers that he had purchased from one of the stalls. He planned to give them to Brigitta once he arrived. The grounds were practically empty since the tournaments were in progress, and Tandar appreciated the peace. In a low, melancholy voice, he began to sing. "I’m afflicted by accursed demons A sense of treason, no sense of reason A lonely warrior in a storm of thunder Today I wonder, today I hunger God only knows the kind of pain I suffer Can it get any tougher, get any rougher I shed my blood as an eternal remembrance Of the price of dependence, the price of ascendance" As the last note of the haunting melody faded away, Tandar entered the medical tent, and, high above, the call of the great horned owl pierced the air.
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Post by Firehead on Dec 6, 2010 12:15:19 GMT -5
Mylia trailed behind Ari and Brandwyn, lost in her own thoughts. had there been anything she could have done differently in that situation with Sir Rodney? Yes, keep her temper and not get riled up so easily. The part that bothered her the most about that event however was the fact that she had been so ready to shoot the man--to kill him, even. She really wanted to find her mentor and talk to him about it, but at the moment, she couldn't--not when she had agreed to help Brandwyn and Ari find Tory and her new mentor.
"Hey der she is, Hey Tory vere iss Tandar are you OK?" Ve been lookin all over for you right Mylia?" Ari's voice broke into her thoughts and she looked up in time to see Tory fling herself into his arms. She felt a quick surge of jealous longing run through her, but she immediately shoved it away--she had bigger, more important things to worry about right now. She tried to will herself to pay attention to the conversation going on around her.
Hey, Tory." she gave her best girlfriend a small smile, the best she could work up at the moment, when she really didn't feel like smiling.
"Where is Tandar? Is he inside?” Brandwyn asked. Tory shook her head.
“I don’t know where he is. He…” She trailed off and glanced at Mylia and Aribjorn. “He accidentally shot a pregnant woman and he was very distraught. After Rin- um.. Ursan showed up to help Tandar took off between some tents.” Tory looked at Brandwyn anxiously. “He hasn’t been himself lately.” She said softly.
Mylia winced. Poor guy, if someone had the right to feel sorry for themselves more than she did, it would be him. And she thought she was having a bad day. "That's got to be hard." she said softly.
Tory turned to Mylia, changing the subject. “What is the deal with your mentor anyway? He was here helping out, but he said he couldn’t stay and he rode off on a big chesnut horse, who was pretty magnificent looking, by the way.” She asked Mylia.
Oh...umm...well, Ursan's kind of a busy guy. He probably had a meeting with someone to attend too. It's Ranger stuff, I'll tell you more later, sorry, you two." she said to Ari and Brandwyn.
“So, I see we are signed up for a couple of events together in the tournaments tomorrow. I promise I will take it easy on you!” She snorted at her absurdity.
This time, Mylia managed a laugh. "Right, we'll see!" she said, her eyes twinkling. "We'll see! I gotta be able to beat you at something!"
Tory turned to Ari. “Are you fighting too?”
"Ya in fact I haff a bout vit Mylia in de morning! I got to tell you I never fought rangers before I am kinda nervous, you are all so tough!"
Mylia grinned at him. "Don't worry, you've got build on your side! You're a little intimidating out there swinging those axes of yours, you know!"
Brandwyn listened for a bit, still scanning the crowd around the physician's tent but not finding any sign of Tandar. Finally she interupted, "I am going to go find Tandar. You kids have fun." She waved as she dashed back toward the area she had last known Tandar to be and she began searching between tents in secluded areas...
"Kits?...Who iss she talkin too she iss my age? Ah I vill never understant dis nobility stuff, if you can't kick someones butt you shoult not treat dem as do dey are less den you!"
He looked around at his freinds faces for some sort of agreement but for a moment his words must have been lost on them for they just looked at him like he had lobsters crawling out his ears.
"Don't look at me like dat! I know it is de Skandian way of tinkin...but it's true!!"
Mylia studied him for a moment, trying to work out the meaning from his thick accent before it came to her. "Oh, don't worry, I was just figuring out what you were saying is all. In a way, I have to agree with you--simple, direct, and to the point." her mouth quirked up on one side, then the other, as she gave a small grin in his direction.
Suddenly she remembered the meeting with her mentor. "Oh, shoot! I've got to get going! I nearly forgot I have to meet with ursan at the tavern!" She spun around and swung into Spinner's saddle. "I'll see you later, alright? Maybe up at the tourney fields?"
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Post by Firehead on Dec 6, 2010 12:30:47 GMT -5
Day of the archery tourney.
Mylia had just finished the last round, and was listening to the announcements. Hearing that she had placed second over-all, she smiled, delighted that she was finally improving in her archery. The late entry had taken not only first place in their devision, but also in the overall, which told Mylia that he was extremely good and talanted with the bow.
She was leaving the field when she heard her name being called. 'Hey! pssst! Rats!...Catchrats dat you?"
Catchrats? I haven't had anyone call me that since the City. Who on earth around here would be calling me...? she scanned the area, perplexed and finally spotted the small kid with the bald head. He looked familiar...
It took a second to place him but that was all. She walked closer. "'"Ello, Roath. Watcha doin' 'round here?" She consciously dropped back into the old City cant. "Ya fin'ly get out?"
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Post by Brandwyn on Dec 6, 2010 12:44:06 GMT -5
(The evening before the tourney. Mylia, Tory and Ari at the hospital tent)
Tory could tell something was bothering Mylia and then she remembered what Ursan had told her.
"Oh! I am supposed to come with you Mylia. Ursan asked me to." She turned to Aribjorn, wanting to stay with him. This would be the perfect opportunity to spend some time alone with him. They could go check out the game booths and maybe try to win some prizes.
She was torn for a moment, wishing she could be in two places, but she sensed Mylia really wanted to talk, so she said to Aribjorn, "I am sorry, Ari. We just located each other and now I have to run off. I did want to spend some time with you here if we can get the chance. I guess we will see you in the morning on the tourney field or the archery range, right?"
To Mylia she said, "We have a bunch to get caught up on. Maybe we can talk a bit on the ride to the meeting." Her friend looked like she was very worried about something and was definately not her usual spunky self. Tory was determined to find out what was bothering her and help her if she could.
She whistled and Chip poked his head out from around the corner of a tent across from the hospital tent, a big clump of juicy green grass in his lips. His look was one of eager anticipation as if to say, "are we getting out of this crowd now? I am ready to go!"
She pulled her ranger cloak off the pommel of the saddle and donned it and then mounted Chip. She held out her hand to Aribjorn, "It is very good to see you again, Ari." Then she followed Mylia to the Boar's Head Tavern.
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Post by Ringulf on Dec 6, 2010 12:46:08 GMT -5
"'"Ello, Roath. Watcha doin' 'round here?" She consciously dropped back into the old City cant. "Ya fin'ly get out?"
"Yeah, I tied myself to the bottom of a wagon cummin to Whispy to da fair. I thought dare would be good pickins here for a while!...Hey what ever happened to you did ya get pinched by dat big hairy guy wit da helmet or what?
You sure look like you made out ok, look at the digs! you look all pretty and girly kinda without all the dirt and rags! And were did you learn to shoot a bow like dat! Damn! Next thing you are gonna tell me is dat you got plenty ta eat! You aint fat or nutton just look healthy!
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