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Post by Firehead on Jul 4, 2009 22:33:28 GMT -5
"Huh. If you knew Patrick, you wouldn't even ask that. He doesn't tell anyone anything if he can help it. He is always very secretive and quiet."
"Why?" Tam shot back. The feeling that something bad was about to happen, wasn't going away anytime soon.
The girl stayed close to her horse, as if seeking protection, as she continued. "Why doesn't your ranger just ask Patrick himself? I mean, why not just ask him when he comes back to the horses? He is in the middle of something at the moment." She nodded her head back towards the camp."And trust me, we don't want those Grizzlies to find us around here. They are really good fighters and probably pretty mad now after loosing La Rivage yesterday. It looks like they are breaking down camp and planning to high tail it out of here to me."
"He would if'n he could. Will Pa'rick talk straight wi' 'im?" Tam replied.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 6, 2009 9:57:49 GMT -5
Tory shrugged. "I don't see why he wouldn't. As far as I know he has not lied to me. He just is a very reserved person. Likes to keep things to himself, kinda suspiscious of people, I think." Kinda like you seem to be, Tory was thinking to herself, but didn't say it out loud.
"Well, he should be back here soon, if he isn't discovered, that is." Tory nodded her head toward the camp. "He came to get the leader of the Grizzlies. He thinks if the leader is neutralized, then the rest of them will disband and leave the area and Araluen won't have to worry about the Grizzlies anymore."
Tory turned around and looked over Chip's back at the camp. It seemed awfully quiet and she could not tell where Patrick was in the grass, though she could see one of his men who was shuffling around.
Then she saw two other men slip out from behind a bush and make their way towards the camp. "Who are those guys?" Tory pointed at the two men Tam and Rick had been following.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 6, 2009 10:01:15 GMT -5
Rick watched the two men slip out into the grass and make thier way towards the camp and debated on what to do.
He could easily put an arrow in them and eliminate them, but he didn't know who they were or what their motives were. What if they were working for Toscano? What if they had nothing to do with the war at all?
He decided to wait and watch. He glanced over and could tell that Tam was talking to Tory, but it didn't look like the girl was cooperating much. Hopefully they would stay there by the horses where they were relatively safe.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 6, 2009 12:25:27 GMT -5
"I don't see why he wouldn't. As far as I know he has not lied to me. He just is a very reserved person. Likes to keep things to himself, kinda suspicious of people, I think." Tam felt vaguely amazed at how blindly trusting this girl Tory, seemed to be. "Ever'body lies Tor'ey. Ya ain't got no way a knowin' if'n he's lyin' to ya er not. Is 'e suspicious of you too?" From what he's seen so far, she was as devoted to Patrick as a dog. Not that he liked the comparison.
"Well, he should be back here soon, if he isn't discovered, that is." Tory nodded her head toward the camp. "He came to get the leader of the Grizzlies. He thinks if the leader is neutralized, then the rest of them will disband and leave the area and Araluen won't have to worry about the Grizzlies anymore." Tam was skeptical. "Jus' like that, eh?"
Tory turned around and looked over her horse's back at the camp. She must have spotted the two men that he and Rick had followed to the camp, because she pointed back in that direction, and asked, "Who are those guys?" Tam turned to look, and saw the two men slip out into the grass and make their way towards the camp. For a moment he debated with himself as to what he should say, but then finally answered, "Dunno."
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 9, 2009 7:43:38 GMT -5
Tam said, "Ever'body lies Tor'ey. Ya ain't got no way a knowin' if'n he's lyin' to ya er not. Is 'e suspicious of you too?"
Tory looked back to Tam, "of course not. I have never given him any reason to be suspicious of me. And not everyone lies. Some people always tell certain people the truth, though they may leave things out sometimes."
When Tory mentioned Patrick's plan to take out the Grizzly leader so the group would disban he said, "Jus' like that, eh?"
Tory shrugged. "He seems to think so. They are mercenaries afterall and this Captain Guage guy is real mean and not very well liked, but manages to hold the group together through fear for the most part. Patrick thinks that most of them will just run off as soon as they find out he is no longer in control. At least that is what he told me."
When Tam said he didn't know who those guys were, Tory thought he might be lying because he hesitated so long before saying he didn't know. But she ignored that and continued to scan the area.
Finally she saw his ranger move slightly. "Ah. That must be your mentor over there. He seems to be watching those guys intently. Sure you don't know anything about them?"
She was really just stalling for time, but now that she knew where Rick was, she could probably make it back to Patrick to warn him. She just had to get away from this apprentice.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 9, 2009 8:35:50 GMT -5
Tory looked back to Tam, "Of course not. I have never given him any reason to be suspicious of me. And not everyone lies. Some people always tell certain people the truth, though they may leave things out sometimes." Tam could only think to himself, 'We could go on that argument all day, an' then some!'
When Tory mentioned Patrick's plan to take out the Grizzly leader so the group would disband he said, "Jus' like that, eh?" The girl shrugged. "He seems to think so. They are mercenaries after all and this Captain Guage guy is real mean and not very well liked, but manages to hold the group together through fear for the most part. Patrick thinks that most of them will just run off as soon as they find out he is no longer in control. At least that is what he told me." Tam could no longer hold it in. "You'll b'lieve anythin' he say, won't ya?" he burst out.
The girl continued to scan the area, and must have seen Rick move slightly, because she then said, "Ah. That must be your mentor over there. He seems to be watching those guys intently. Sure you don't know anything about them?" Tam took another glance in that direction. "Yeh, I'm sure. " then he turned back to her again, "How come you believe ev'rthin' he tells ya?" he asked. He couldn't fathom that kind of trust in anyone, yet here was this girl.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 9, 2009 18:35:32 GMT -5
"I never said I belived 'everything' he tells me, but so far I have not found anything he said to me to be a lie. He has not told me everything, but what he has told me, I have not had any evidence that anything was a lie."
"Besides, he got me out of a really bad situation back in Meric and then he came back for me in La Rivage this morning when he didn't have to. He could have just left me behind if he didn't care about me and he really has gone rouge." Tory tried to explain, turning back to Tam. "Why would he come back after he had left if he didn't care what happens to me? He would just be saddled with a young girl he has to look after for no reason. That's why I think he is working undercover for the King."
Tory didn't feel she was explaining it very well. "See, if he has gone bad and is no longer a ranger, then why keep me along? What reason could he possibly have for taking me with him this morning on this mission if he doesn't still think of himself as a ranger and me as his apprentice?"
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Post by Firehead on Jul 10, 2009 10:37:45 GMT -5
"I never said I believed 'everything' he tells me, but so far I have not found anything he said to me to be a lie. He has not told me everything, but what he has told me, I have not had any evidence that anything was a lie.
"Besides, he got me out of a really bad situation back in Meric and then he came back for me in La Rivage this morning when he didn't have to. He could have just left me behind if he didn't care about me and he really has gone rouge." Tory turned back to Tam. "Why would he come back after he had left if he didn't care what happens to me? He would just be saddled with a young girl he has to look after for no reason. That's why I think he is working undercover for the King.
"See, if he has gone bad and is no longer a ranger, then why keep me along? What reason could he possibly have for taking me with him this morning on this mission if he doesn't still think of himself as a ranger and me as his apprentice?"
Tam listened to all this with an ever-skeptical mind. Try as he might, he just could not fathom the kind of trust that this girl, Tory, was displaying. "Have you ev'r bin skep'pical in your life?" he asked, incredulous."How kin you trust folks tha' much? I don' git it." he tipped his head to one side as he watched her.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 10, 2009 17:54:04 GMT -5
"Have you ev'r bin skep'pical in your life?" he asked, incredulous."How kin you trust folks tha' much? I don' git it." he tipped his head to one side as he watched her.
Tory stared at Tam for a minute. "You seem like you don't trust anyone at all and never have. How could you not trust at least someone? What about your Dad?"
Tory did trust her father completely, even with her background. She trusted her Mom too, but not completely, since her Mom was more concerned about how her father felt than about her own daughter's well-being.
Did she trust Patrick as much as she did her father? She searched her soul for another minute. No, she didn't trust him that much, but almost.
"I have been skeptical of lots of people, but there are three people that I trust, my Mom, my Dad and Patrick. Until they do something to make me think otherwise." She crossed her arms and leaned back against Chip again, "It seems you don't trust anyone at all and I find that kinda sad."
Tory wondered what had happened that made this boy so suspicious and cynical. Maybe he'd had as bad a life as she and Drenith had endured. She started to feel a little bit for him - just a little bit, like she could relate to him.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 13, 2009 9:04:58 GMT -5
Tory stared at Tam for a minute. "You seem like you don't trust anyone at all and never have. How could you not trust at least someone? What about your Dad?" "Gimme one reason why I should trus' anyone!" he snapped. "I ain't never had a dad. Not that I know of, anyway." his voice softened just a tad.
"I have been skeptical of lots of people, but there are three people that I trust, my Mom, my Dad and Patrick. Until they do something to make me think otherwise." She crossed her arms and leaned back against her horse again, "It seems you don't trust anyone at all and I find that kinda sad."
At this last sentence, Tam couldn't refrain from giving a snort of derision at the thought. "You had my life, an' you wouldn't trust anyone either. In th' city its ever' one fer themself, an' don' you think otherwise or you is--" he mimed slitting one's throat, "dead." he finished.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 14, 2009 10:55:14 GMT -5
"Wow, you grew up alone on the streets?" Tory didn't know what to say. She had heard about street kids, but never really met any before, having been kept busy in the manor or the castle in Meric most of the time.
"I grew up in Meric. My father's a guard at the castle and mother a servant in a manor just outside the city. I have heard that street life is tough, but never met anyone from the streets before." She looked at him with respect and a bit of apprehension. "Were you in a gang? I heard all the street kids were in gangs and they roam around beating people up and stealing their money."
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Post by Firehead on Jul 14, 2009 11:19:02 GMT -5
"Wow, you grew up alone on the streets?" Tory asked. Tam squinted at her. "Yeah."
"I grew up in Meric. My father's a guard at the castle and mother a servant in a manor just outside the city. I have heard that street life is tough, but never met anyone from the streets before." She looked at him. "Were you in a gang? I heard all the street kids were in gangs and they roam around beating people up and stealing their money."
Tam eyed her, scratching his head with one hand and wondering just how much he should tell her. This was a girl who had lived the soft life of safety and comfort. Who was educated and probably pampered."Ya mi' say I was in a gang, but I lef't. An' ya missin' a couple a thin's." He held up a finger. "It aint jus' kids what run in gangs--its tha grown-ups too.Second," he raised a another finger, "Na' all folks run in gangs. I'm one a 'em." He eyed her, wondering if he should stop there, or at least change the subject a little. Tilting his head to one side he half-stated, "Yer a rich girl."
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 15, 2009 11:59:03 GMT -5
"Yer a rich girl."
Tory snorted. "Hardly." She eyed him back, figuring he would never understand what she had gone through. Then she remembered Drenith and how he had realized what her life had been like, so she decided to try to explain.
"My parents never got married, so I was little better than a slave to the Lord and Lady of the manor my Mom worked in. The Lord didn't pay much attention to the servants, but the Lady- she was mean and she hated me and my Mom. She found every nasty job she could devise for me to do (like cleaning out chamber pots and the privvy) and had her fat Chatelaine whip me pretty much every day for some stupid trumped-up reason - any reason she could think of, it didn't matter, so long as he could whip me and she could watch."
"Then, when the Lord and Lady were out travelling or any time he thought he could get away with it, that fat, greasy, stinky old man would come into my room at night - and - and..." Tory was staring at a leaf on a tree, but not seeing it. She was reliving the horror of those nights, something she had been trying to push to the back of her mind since she had met up with Patrick.
Suddenly she remembered she was talking to a total stranger and her face flushed bright red, "and nevermind." She mumbled and turned around again to bury her face in Chip's mane until she could get control of herself again. The oversized tunic that was still her favorite, slipped down off her shoulder as she reached under Chip's neck, revealing some of the whip scars.
"Now I am going to have that nightmare again tonight..." she mumbled softly to Chip and sighed.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 15, 2009 12:34:08 GMT -5
Tory snorted. "Hardly." She eyed him back. Tam started to reply, but then she continued."My parents never got married, so I was little better than a slave to the Lord and Lady of the manor my Mom worked in. The Lord didn't pay much attention to the servants, but the Lady- she was mean and she hated me and my Mom. She found every nasty job she could devise for me to do (like cleaning out chamber pots and the privy) and had her fat Chatelaine whip me pretty much every day for some stupid trumped-up reason - any reason she could think of, it didn't matter, so long as he could whip me and she could watch.
"Then, when the Lord and Lady were out traveling or any time he thought he could get away with it, that fat, greasy, stinky old man would come into my room at night - and - and..." Tory was staring at a leaf on a tree, but Tam didn't think she knew it. Then suddenly her face flushed bright red, "and nevermind." She mumbled and turned around again to bury her face in her horses' mane.
The oversized tunic that she was wearing, slipped down off her shoulder as she reached under the horses' neck, revealing some of the whip scars. Tam was silent for awhile. This girl had obviously had it bad in her own life, but it hadn't been that way in her past forever. "Yer still lucky. It was jus' whippin's.
"Now, Cerrec' me if'n I'm wrong, but you had clean clothes ever' week, if not ever' day, ya had clean, fresh food ever' day, ya had clean, fresh water ever' day, ever' night ya had a clean, sof' bed ta sleep in an' a roof o'er yer 'ead, an' ya had someone ta take care a ya when ya was little, right? Na' all I had was ol' dirty stuff ta eat, drink, wear, an' sleep on an' under, an' I don't know who 'twas there ta take care a me when I was little. Ya had thin's what I didn't. Ya don't need money ta be rich--so ya rich." he finished.
"Now I am going to have that nightmare again tonight..." she mumbled softly. Tam just barely heard it. "Mos' ever'body gits nightmares. I know I git 'em. The one's that don't is either lucky, or they aint got nerves. Like a certain someone I knows." he muttered the last sentence to himself, under his breath.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 15, 2009 14:28:24 GMT -5
"Now, Cerrec' me if'n I'm wrong, but you had clean clothes ever' week, if not ever' day, ya had clean, fresh food ever' day, ya had clean, fresh water ever' day, ever' night ya had a clean, sof' bed ta sleep in an' a roof o'er yer 'ead, an' ya had someone ta take care a ya when ya was little, right? Na' all I had was ol' dirty stuff ta eat, drink, wear, an' sleep on an' under, an' I don't know who 'twas there ta take care a me when I was little. Ya had thin's what I didn't. Ya don't need money ta be rich--so ya rich." he finished.
Tory thought about what he was saying and slowly turned back around, pulling her shoulder of her tunic back in place. "I never thought about it like that before." She had noticed how skinny he was and wondered what he had gone through just to have food. "I suppose you could say that. The only times I went hungry was when I ran off into the woods to get away from them, but the hunger always drove me back. I can't imagine being hungry all the time and not knowing when your next meal is going to be."
"Mos' ever'body gits nightmares. I know I git 'em. The one's that don't is either lucky, or they aint got nerves. Like a certain someone I knows."
"What do you mean, ain't got nerves?" Tory wondered what he was talking about. "Like they haven't got a soal or something?"
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