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Post by Brandwyn on Apr 21, 2012 8:20:54 GMT -5
"I might be small and a woman Ranger Marcus, but I can be a force to be reckoned with if I so choose. I'm sure I will be just fine."
“A beautiful name, My Lady Olivia,” he gave her a sweeping bow. “Thanks so much for revealing it.” Marcus grinned at her, “I am sure you are a force to be reckoned with, armed or no. Very well, if I cannot change your mind, then let me give you the locations of two farmsteads you can go to should you run into trouble. They will help you if you tell them you are a friend of mine, even during these times when everyone is scared of getting the plague.” Marcus stepped down to the dirt and sketched out the road that met up with the little trail to the ranger cabin. Then he marked two x’s off the road a ways as well as a little village farther to the northwest. After telling her the names of the families and where to find them he took her hand and gently kissed the back of it brushing his lips across her knuckles.
“If you are ever in Coledale, please look me up. My cabin is just to the north of the main town and castle. It was a pleasure to meet you, My Lady.”
With that Marcus went back inside the cabin and saw that Snarken had his head on the table and was seemingly asleep. The water on the hearth was just starting to boil. Marcus poured some into a mug and sat it on the table in front of Snarken, gently touching him on the shoulder to wake him, “Drink that, it will ease the pain and make you feel better.”
Then he cut away Snarken’s shirt from the wound and examined it. He rubbed some salve in and around the arrow shaft. “This is nettle gel, it should numb your elbow for a while. The arrow has gone between the bones and tendons, so there shouldn’t be any permanent damage.”
Marcus laid out some bandages and a package of herbs. Then he took a mortar and pestol from the mantle and poured a bit of water in it and dumped in the package of herbs and stirred it until it formed a thick paste.
“Okay, I have to cut the tip off the shaft right here and pull the shaft out of your arm. I am afraid it is going to hurt.” Without waiting for Snarken’s permission, Marc took up a pair of snippers from his pack that he used to make arrows and snipped the flint point off, dropping it into a bowl on the table. Then he placed one hand one Snarken’s elbow and swiftly yanked the shaft out.
Blood flowed from the wound and onto some of the bandages Marc had placed under Snarken’s arm to catch it. Quickly he used wet bandage and cleaned the wound, then pressed the herb paste into it and bandaged it up. He made a sling so Snarken couldn’t use his arm.
“There, the herbs ought to be numbing it right about now.” Marcus said and then examined where the rock had hit him on the head. “This doesn’t look too bad. Just going to have a headache for a while I am afraid,” he commented as he cleaned up the table. “Drink some more from that mug and it ought to take care of the headache.”
Marc turned to Tessa, “Good job gurading him, maybe Rick has left something to eat around here, care to help me look?” he asked as he went and poked around in the cabinets and ice chest in the kitchen area.
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Apr 21, 2012 9:00:34 GMT -5
Lady Olivia held back a smile as he kissed it her hand. No one had ever done that to her before. It made her feel as if his words had been sincere and not merely hot air.
"If you are ever in Coledale, please look me up. My cabin is just to the north of the main town and castle. It was a pleasure to meet you, My Lady.”
Once the door was closed Olivia did smile, she just couldn't help it. She stared at the door for a minute or two tempted to join the group again. But then her sense of duty and her training asserted itself. She had a message to deliver, she turned around she studied his sketch in the dirt for a moment or two then destroyed it and journeyed on.
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a1ko4
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 77
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Post by a1ko4 on Apr 23, 2012 6:48:43 GMT -5
“Good job gurading him, maybe Rick has left something to eat around here, care to help me look?”
Tessa nodded and began to look in the drawers. After going through two she came upon a medium-sized bag. She opened it and the distinct smell of coffee wafted out. She closed the bag and tossed it on the table. "There's some coffee beans." she said.
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Post by Brandwyn on Apr 23, 2012 10:34:51 GMT -5
Marc rummaged through Rick's pantry and pulled out an onion, a bag of potatoes, some green peppers and dried beef and then he opened the ice chest under the sink and found a bowl of eggs.
"I hope these aren't already boiled," he muttered to himself as he pulled out three eggs.
"There's some coffee beans." Tessa said
Marcus looked up and grinned at her, "Terrific! The grinder is there on the mantle. Use that old blue pot, it has a perculator inside it. Just grind up a small handful of beans into it and fill it with water then put it on the grate in the fireplace," he instructed as he washed and chopped the vegetables, tossing them into a cast iron skillet.
He mixed up the eggs, which were not boiled, in a small bowl and set them on the table, then he placed the skillet full of potatoes, onion, pepper and butter on the grate and stirred them while they were simmering. After a bit he added in the dried beef strips.
As he waited for the food to cook he glanced at their captive and decided the man was really asleep so he turned to Tessa, "Now I think there is time for us to have a little chat."
He stirred the pot again and then said, "That was some pretty fancy climbing you did, as I said before, and also a very brave thing when you helped me out by dropping a rock on that fellow's head." He eyed her curiously.
"You must be what - at least 14 or so now, yes?" Marcus asked her, hoping he wouldn't offend her again. Some women were touchy about their age. "Have you by any chance chosen a profession yet?"
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a1ko4
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 77
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Post by a1ko4 on Apr 23, 2012 16:24:03 GMT -5
"Terrific! The grinder is there on the mantle. Use that old blue pot, it has a perculator inside it. Just grind up a small handful of beans into it and fill it with water then put it on the grate in the fireplace,"
Tessa nodded and picked up the grinder. She dumped in some beans from the bag and began to grind it into the pot. "I'm 15, and no I haven't. They've attempted to stick me as an apprentice to one of the Craftmasters, but I seem to have no talent for any of it. I'm very clumsy in a kitchen and not the best diplomat. I'd rather hit someone who offended me then talk it out." She filled up the pot with water and set it on the grate Marcus had pointed out.
She sat in one of the kitchen chairs "I really don't know what their planning to do with me."
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Post by rolan on Apr 27, 2012 14:28:07 GMT -5
The sunlight filtered through the trees making dancing shadows on the winding trail ahead of Rolan as he approached the small cabin that the small band he had been tracking had gone into. He had become alerted to the group due to the small skirmish earlier. His horse Gypsy and he had noticed something was amiss at the same time near the tree where the fight took place. The horse was alerted by the slight smell of blood and sweat that he associated with the smell of combat and his rider noticed the boot and shoe prints that told him the story almost as if he had been there himself. He spent some time there crouched in the dirt of the road so that he could see the lay of the tracks better, studying the speckles of blood left near where a young woman or a very slender man had been taken hostage. Well, whoever made this shot must be a Ranger, I don't many others would have the skill to wound a man with a knife to a......woman's throat with out killing them. I better go and see if they need any assistance, Roland thought as he found a small piece of fabric near the pool of blood that must have come for a woman's garment.
This is what led to the large framed Ranger, who was dressed in his typical garb of worn leather hunting boots,green hunting shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow,and light brown hunting pants and of course his atypical weapons and belt bags, to approach the small cabin in the woods and upon seeing the tendril of smoke from the chimney and being a cautious man to call out from the shadows of a nearby tree that offered good cover from ambush from the house or the surrounding area " Helloooooo the cabin! I am Roland a King's Ranger may I approach?!". As he did this he also had his large warbow in his right hand jut in case trouble should arise.
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Post by Brandwyn on Apr 28, 2012 7:51:04 GMT -5
“I'm very clumsy in a kitchen and not the best diplomat. I'd rather hit someone who offended me then talk it out."
Marcus hid a grin as he stirred the food again, it would be done soon. She seemed to be quite a bit like himself. He often found that he preferred to just belt someone who was being obnoxious rather than be tactful and diplomatic. Part of that could be because stories of the famous ranger, Halt, had fueled his desire to become a ranger in the early stages of his apprenticeship, and Halt was known for his less than orthadox solutions to problems.
“Have you ever considered being a ranger? You have a natural climbing ability and we could go out back to the range and let you shoot a bow, see how you do. Rick keeps a few different bows around here with different draw weights. I am sure we could find one out back in the tack shed that you could handle.”
Marc heard a noise outside and froze, listening for a moment and motioning Tessa to silence. Maybe it was his imagination, or perhaps Lady Olivia had changed her mind and was returning, but after a moment he didn’t hear anything and was about to fetch some plates when a voice called out. "Helloooooo the cabin! I am Roland a King's Ranger may I approach?!"
Marcus jumped and then felt embarrassed, like a kid who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Technically he was supposed to be at the Ranger Gathering and he didn’t really have that great of an excuse to have skipped it. In all fairness, however, he was planning to swing by and catch the tail end of the Gathering. Unfortunately he had no way of knowing that it had broken up two days early and that right at that moment his mentor was facing his own troubles on the road back to Araluen Castle along with Crowley and some other rangers. But none of that mattered at the moment. Marcus thought furiously for an excuse and then realized that he was no more wrong than this Roland guy – if he were in fact a King’s Ranger – who was also not at the Gathering.
Marcus stood up and approached the window cautiously from one side and glanced out, in his hand was the little throwing knife. He didn’t see anyone. ‘Well, that is certainly typical of a ranger,’ he thought. He had only been a ranger for 4 years and certainly didn’t know all of them in the whole Kingdom, but being new, it was likely some of the older ones knew of him. He couldn’t place anyone named Roland however.
Watching the approach to the house, he called back, “I am Marcus, King’s Ranger of Coledale Fief. You may approach!”
Turning back to the girl he said, “Quick now Bluebird, go hide in that room there,” he pointed to what had been his old room and was now Tam’s room, “and if it sounds like fighting out here, you scoot out that back window and run straight back to the ward, understand?”
A glance at the table at his prisoner made Marcus suspect that Snarken was awake again, though likely a bit groggy from the herbal brew he had drunk. Marc had no way of knowing if this guy outside was really a ranger, or if it was one of the outlaw’s buddies come to rescue Snarken. ‘Why is this day becoming so complicated?’ he couldn’t help but think.
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a1ko4
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 77
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Post by a1ko4 on Apr 28, 2012 11:25:36 GMT -5
Tessa was surprised when Marcus mentioned becoming a Ranger. She didn't know girls could become a Ranger. The prospect interested her.
When she heard the new voice from outside, she wondered who it was. Maybe it really was another ranger, though she also wondered why the ranger would be here.
“Quick now Bluebird, go hide in that room there,”
Tessa nodded and ran into the room. She noted where the window was and looked out it for a second, figuring which way the ward was and how she could escape if the need arose. Then she sat down beside the window and listened for Marcus.
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Post by rolan on Apr 28, 2012 16:18:13 GMT -5
“I am Marcus, King’s Ranger of Culway Fief. You may approach!”
Ahhh another Ranger? Or it could be another trap,Rolan thought with a rueful smile recalling a recent battle in which Bandits had used on of their number to draw him in only to ambush him when he had gotten off of Gypsy and been down to help the bandit that in his defense had been a woman of more than average looks. Some of the other Rangers had herd of this incident and some of the female Rangers had tried to ambush him this way and he would have fell for it again too, if Gypsy hadn’t saved him with a warning snort that seemed to say “Really, you are going to fall for that again?”. Well, at least it won’t be another one of those all the drinks I ended up buying ate up most of my coin, but they did almost get me that time so they deserved it and I came out of it with more than a few new friends. Perhaps, I will here as well, Rolan thought as he trotted Gypsy up to the cabin. At first he rode low in the saddle keeping himself a small a target for archers as possible then as he got closer to the cabin and had seen no signs of aggression he replaced his bow in the leather sheath that was tied to the back of his saddle and rode the rest of the way to the small cabin properly. As, he was a little distance from the cabin itself this gave him some time to look over the cabin and the property itself. It was a quaint little place with well hewn log and a well-made roof, which would shed rain and the elements nicely. The cabin was also situated nicely for defense, with most the ground cleared around the cabin; this is why the only cover had been so far away. It will be nice to see people again, Rolan thought as he dismounted from Gypsy and tied his mount to a post that looked like it was put there for that purpose. He approached that cabin with a warm smile and waited for the occupant to meet him on the front porch, as he was approaching he said with a hint of laughter in his voice “ It is good to hear another Rangers voice especially another one who is playing hooky from the Gathering like myself.” He said this with no malice in his voice in fact the statement made the large framed muscled Ranger smile even broader.
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Post by Brandwyn on Apr 28, 2012 21:06:27 GMT -5
Marcus watched the rather large man approach on a beautiful bay horse and made note of the weapons he carried. He thought he caught a glimpse of silver around the man’s neck, but he wasn’t certain if it was the silver leaf of a ranger or not. The bow seemed heavier than the standard ranger bow, but Marcus knew that many rangers preferred to modify their weapons from the basic issued ones. The horse itself certainly looked intelligent enough to be a ranger horse, although it didn’t fit the usual breed.
When the man dismounted, Marcus noted that he lowered his bow and so Marc moved to the door, pulling his own silver leaf out from beneath his shirt and tunic where it was clearly visible. He was still wearing his cloak and figured any real ranger would recognize the standard gear.
“It is good to hear another Rangers voice especially another one who is playing hooky from the Gathering like myself.” He said this with no malice in his voice in fact the statement made the large framed muscled Ranger smile even broader.
Marcus opened the door with a sheepish, quirky grin, “Likewise, my friend. Welcome to my old mentor’s cabin. Hopefully Rick won’t mind too much if we make ourselves at home, though I am afraid he left the larders rather bare unless you want to eat pennyroyal or fennel.” Marcus grinned, though still wary, "What business has you missing the Gathering if I might ask?"
Marcus noticed that Spirit was poking his nose around the corner of the cabin, waiting for a signal. Marcus gestured at his horse with his hand and Spirit stepped into view, sniffing at the stranger and his horse. He gave a low, muttering whinny as if talking to Rolan’s horse. Marcus relaxed more, trusting his ranger horse’s judgment more than his own.
“I did manage to scrounge up a little bit of food though and you are welcome to share some lunch if you like.” He stayed in the doorway blocking Rolan’s view of Snarken tied up inside as Marc scanned the trees around the cabin. Another gesture to Spirit and the horse shook as if trying to rid himself of flies. ‘No one else nearby then,’ Marcus thought, ‘that‘s good.’
As Rolan approached, Marc stepped backwards into the cabin, leaving himself enough space to react as well as keeping himself out of arms reach of the other man. He had sheathed his throwing knife when he answered the door, but was ready to draw it again if the need arose.
“I think the food is just about done.” He walked to the fireplace and stirred the pot without turning his back on either Snarken or Rolan. “Why don’t you pull up a chair?” Then he figured it wouldn’t be out of line to ask for credentials. “You don’t seem to be wearing the typical ranger gear. I don’t suppose you mind showing me your badge, do you?” The silver leaf wasn’t a badge really, but any ranger would know what he meant.
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Post by rolan on Apr 28, 2012 22:14:35 GMT -5
“Ahhh, how careless of me”, Roland said withdrawing the silver oak leaf with a sheepish grin. The truth was Roland had been testing the young man and with the caution he had shown in keeping his distance form Roland as he entered the cabin and the asking of his credentials the young man had passed, but there was no need to let the young man know that, after all Roland wouldn’t want him to think that he and been underestimating him or something to the effect. But Roland always liked to have an idea what kind of skill level those he spent any length of time with had; it served as a quick gauge just in case he found himself fighting with them.
“As to what business had me miss the gathering. Well, let me show you. Allow me a moment and I shall follow you inside” As he said this Roland t=returned to his mount and retrieved several cloth wrapped packages from a saddle bag on Gypsy and then smiling gave the horse an apple and left her to get to know Marcus’s mount, who she was looking at quizzically.
Roland returned to the cabin and placed the bundles on the table and took the seat offered to him by Marcus and began his story as he slid the well-worn chair across the swept floor of the cabin. “To tell the truth I simply lost track of the time; I was wandering around the local fiefdoms and investigating the typical riffraff that tends to occur there and I sort of lost myself in the task . I am a wanderer so I have no permanent fief of my own at the moment, so I often find it difficult to keep track of time on my scouts into the wilds or any of my other tasks.” Roland took a moment to take a breath and then continued “And it is a shame that I missed this year too, I was going to bring these to the Gathering thinking that one of the Rangers could devise a contest of some sort for the newer apprentices from them” Roland said as he gestured to the cloth wrapped packages on the oaken table. He then unwrapped on of them to reveal a finely crafted water sack made from deer skin and inlayed with the image of a stag bounding through a woodland; the work would have fetched a fine price at market “ I made this and the others in my travels. I have little skill in leather crafting, but I thought that I would make some use of it this year and perhaps give the young ones something for their troubles. I remember what it was like being a young apprentice. Don’t you?” As he finished he unwrapped the other four packages revealing a finely crafted quiver with a leather flap to protect arrows fletching from the wind and inlaid with beadwork in dark forest colors so that it would not stand out when the user was hiding in shadows or woodland, a leather fire making pouch and a map and compass pouch. All four of the items would have gone at market for a tidy sum, but Roland remembering the crafts of his father considered them passable at best. Roland thought it best to get the question as to why he had come to the cabin itself out of the way too while he was at it. “ I was riding along and noticed the sign that you and your companions left when you were attacked. I decided to follow your sign to were ever it led me to make sure that the young lady that was held hostage was alright and to see if the younger lass needed any help getting anywhere. I also wanted to meet the person that made that shot on the man that took the young woman hostage as well. I thought you must be a Ranger and I wanted to see what news you had if any. Also I have this to add to the food if your companions are hungry as well” Roland finished smiling warmly and producing a medium sized bag which contained a large hunk of dried deer meat and a loaf of bread that still retained some of its softness.
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Apr 30, 2012 10:03:14 GMT -5
Lady Olivia ran up the porch steps and pounded on the door with her fists. Ranger Marcus had been right, the road was NOT safe, she had been attacked by three bandits on her way. She had injured one of them , and tried to fight the others, luckily she had gotten away but she wasn't totally unscathed. She had a nasty cut on her cheek from one of the bandits sword, and had lost her knife seeing as she didn't really know how to use it. She cursed her stubbornness. "Let me in! let me in! Let me in!" She said frantically they could come back at any moment! Instinctively she had gone back to the cabin, it was closer and she would be safer with a ranger then running ALL the way back to the town where most likely no one would help her. "Open up the door!! Marcus!"
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Post by rolan on Apr 30, 2012 14:03:49 GMT -5
Lady Olivia ran up the porch steps and pounded on the door with her fists. Rolan's hand instantly went to the weapons at his waist as he heard first his mount nicker in warning that someone was approaching the cabin and then the thundering footsteps of the young woman as she approached the cabin. However, he relaxed as he heard it was a young woman and one the knew Marcus, After all now many would just run up to a Ranger's cabin like that. . Since he was closer to the door than his companion and seeing the obvious look of concern on his face Roland moved and opened the door stepping out of the way so the the woman could come straight in without him blocking the door and forestall any questions as to who he might be. Although, she could still see the large muscular Ranger in his cloak and hunters garb, he tried his best to seem to be no threat to her making sure his oak leaf was well visible. He did not want to scare her after all.
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Apr 30, 2012 15:50:17 GMT -5
Olivia dashed into the room and snatched the door from his grasp and slammed it closed. She rested her back on it breathing heavily. She was suddenly really tired, all the adrenaline was gone.
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Post by Brandwyn on May 1, 2012 5:05:59 GMT -5
“Ahhh, how careless of me” The man pulled out his silver leaf and Marcus relaxed, although he still didn’t entirely let his guard down. After a couple of minutes, however, he found himself liking this ranger that appeared to be the same age as he was. Since the man was a ranger, for he had never heard of anyone who was not a ranger possessing an authentic silver leaf, Marc felt it safe for Tessa to return to the common room of the cabin.
“Hey Bluebird, come in here and meet our new friend.” Marc called out to Tessa. After introductions were made he turned his attention back to the items Rolan had dug out of his pack and listened to his explanation of why he hadn’t gone to the Ranger Gathering.
“To tell the truth I simply lost track of the time; I was wandering around the local fiefdoms and investigating the typical riffraff that tends to occur there and I sort of lost myself in the task. I am a wanderer so I have no permanent fief of my own at the moment, so I often find it difficult to keep track of time on my scouts into the wilds or any of my other tasks.” Roland took a moment to take a breath and then continued “And it is a shame that I missed this year too, I was going to bring these to the Gathering thinking that one of the Rangers could devise a contest of some sort for the newer apprentices from them” Roland said as he gestured to the cloth wrapped packages on the oaken table.
“You’re not assigned to a fief? I confess that has a certain appeal, not to have to deal with certain…ahhhh…nobles on a regular basis must be refreshing.”
Marcus whistled in admiration at the items. “These are amazing. You made these?” He examined them. “Yeah, sure – not a craftsman!” Marc shook his head in wonder. “You could probably make a living off selling these things – if you didn’t already have a day job – and a night job.” Marc chuckled.
“I was riding along and noticed the sign that you and your companions left when you were attacked. I decided to follow your sign to wherever it led me to make sure that the young lady that was held hostage was alright and to see if the younger lass needed any help getting anywhere. I also wanted to meet the person that made that shot on the man that took the young woman hostage as well. I thought you must be a Ranger and I wanted to see what news you had if any. Also I have this to add to the food if your companions are hungry as well” Rolan finished smiling warmly and producing a medium sized bag which contained a large hunk of dried deer meat and a loaf of bread that still retained some of its softness.
“Ah, the bread should go nicely with this, but keep the venison. I think this is just about ready to dish out.” Marc moved to the cabinet and began to set out three plates on the table. Suddenly there were footsteps outside preceded only my moments by warning from both the horses.
Then there was pounding on the door, "Let me in! Let me in! Let me in!" called a familiar female voice.
‘Olivia!’ Marcus looked at the door in alarm, starting to move toward it.
"Open up the door!! Marcus!" She cried, panic in her voice. Rolan opened the door and she ran in and slammed it shut. Marcus glanced out the kitchen window as he stepped to Olivia’s side to support her elbow with one hand and reached for his bow with the other.
“Olivia, are you okay? Sit down here.” He snagged a chair with his toe and pulled it closer and guided her into it. She looked like she might faint and there was a gash on her face. “What happened? Is someone after you?” He peeked out the kitchen window, trying to see if anyone else was approaching. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Snarken, making sure he was staying put.
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