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Post by Ringulf on Nov 11, 2010 21:16:44 GMT -5
(OOG: Finn and Aribjorn) *(The following post contains mature content)
She pulled the rope off her wrist that they had used to tie her up with and tossed it down on top of the farmer. Her head was swimming so badly, however when she leaned forward to tie him up she nearly fell over.
Ari leaped to her side and caught her as she stumbled he firmly held both of her arms and turned her toward him so he could see if she was alright.
Fin Looking up she sobbed slightly, the anxiety of the last few minutes catching up to her now that the danger was past. She stepped toward him and lay her head on his shoulder, her whole body shaking from the rush of adrenaline and the aftermath of the battle and her own anger.
"It's OK Finn you are safe now are you alright? you haff a bit of a swollen eye are you hurt anywere else? I...I came ven I heardt you scream... I know you vere just saving your straint you could haff taken dem anytime!
“Tank you Aribjorn. If ye hadn’t come along vwhen ye did, I vwould have been –“ She couldn’t say it even. She shuddered and buried her face in his chest, not wanting him to see her so vulnerable.
He put his arms around her and held her close to him, the thoughts that had been driving him crazy before were all but goneas they were replaced by true caring and compassion and not baseness or lust.
"Dere, dere Fin It is over and dey did not violate you,...I....I need to tell you someting...I feel like dis iss all my fault...I...did not offer to accompany you home dis evening because I did not want you to tink I vanted to sleep vit you. I did dat because in my heart I tink I did, and radder den doing what was right, I vas more afrait of what you would tink. After you left I listened to de wrong voice in my headt ant decided to follow you so I might...watch you ven you got to your vagon. I vas not tinking pure taughts about you, please forgive me I see now dat you are a goot person ant freint ant dat should mean more to me den how attractive you are to me.
“Dere vwas so many of dem. I had no idea dey vwere going to get de better of me dat vway.” She shook her head again and wiped her cheeks with her hands, streaking the tears and dirt across her face. “Vwere is da ranger?”
Ari looked at her strangely.
"Vat Ranger?...Oh Golly I never even taught of who it vas dat vas shooting dose odders I was so angry about vat dey ver doing to you!"
"Vwas dat Ranger Bunt who vwas doing da shooting?” She raised her head and looked around at the carnage. "It certainly looked like the work of a ranger."
"I...I.. don't know! let us go try to fint our ranger maybe one of de girls followed me! can you walk? You need to come back to de cabin vit me, ve vill take you back to your vagon in de morning, tonight iss not a goot night to be alone.
He picked up some of Finns discarded clothing and took all of the weapons the farmers had dropped and put his arm around fins waist and supported her as they walked back toward the Ranger cabin.
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 11, 2010 23:35:38 GMT -5
(OOC: Ringulf and Fin) *(The following post contains mature content)
"There! that is where I need to be! Come body, you must move a bit farther!" he said and drew a long arrow shaft from the quiver hanging across his back above his hips, and fitted it to his great bow.
He did not remember he could do this but the bow felt very natural in his hand, like an old friend.
Down below him he heard voices, mostly men but then, yes, there was a voice that was smooth and melodic but seemed angry and in the midst of activity as grunts and short screams escaped her.
The crack of a whip snapped and the sounds of weapons clashing permeated the night.
Ringulf moved forward to the edge of the path were it started to turn onto the road that skirted the north side of town.
He crossed the road and got to the cover on the other side were he had a very good view of what was happening at the far end of the cleared area astride the road.
Toward the end of this stretch of road Ringulf's keen eyes detected several forms. The nearly full moon gave ample light (at least for a ranger) to see what was happening in detail.
As he watched, he saw several men standing around with clubs and weapons. On the ground on the far side of them from him. several more rolled around on the ground with a female victim.
The boorish swine were attempting to rape the woman and he now could see, that woman was Fin!
When he came to this realization, all of his senses came alive his veins and arteries opened up to twice what they were and the blood flow to his brain made his vision sharpen, his hearing become more acute, even his sense of smell was more sensitive as the slight breeze wafted the scent of the sweaty unwashed bodies in the midst of there debauchery. He could even detect the scent of a woman amidst it all.
These heightened senses and familiarity with the woods and the night as well as moving quietly through it, seemed very natural and familiar until he started to think about it.
When he started to try to remember or seek to understand, it all slipped to the fringes of his mind, illusive and wraith-like.
He needed to rescue her.
He would gladly give his life to do so, at that moment a singular thought and a unique clarity came to him.
This was his Valkyrie, his woman, the woman he was going to devote himself to for the rest of his life in secret courtly love if need be, even if that did not go past the next five minutes.
He could not get a shot at the men roiling about with his beloved but he could take out several of those standing behind them as they perpetrated their heinous act.
He removed six of the best and straightest arrows in the quiver, some left a bit to be desired.
He did not understand how he knew it but he was totally aware of the fact that he was approximately 200 yards from the group. the wind was light at perhaps 2-3 miles per hours in light puffs coming at him from the west and perhaps a few points north crossing slightly the direction he would be shooting.
He stuck six arrows in the ground before him, then it happened!
A great spasm wracked his body and he dropped to his knees. he leaned on his bow as he struggled to stay upright and conscious. he could barley feel his legs and his back was twisting up like a pretzel.
Off to his left he saw a stump that came up too his waist.
He scooped up the arrows gritting his teeth against the pain and stumbled to his feet, moving toward the stump.
There he collapsed next to it. He now could not feel his legs at all, so he pulled himself with his big arms to the stump and propped himself up on his knees behind it.
He leaned over the top of it ad picked up his bow and arrows and looked toward Fin and her rapists.
They had lifted her up and three of them had tied her hands strait back connecting them around the trunk of the tree behind her. Then the leader, or so it seemed, tied her bullwhip around the trunk of the tree and her supple neck constricting her airflow and making the powerful woman even more helpless.
The scum had been groping her muscular body and ripping at her clothing trying to bare her for their twisted sport.
He was angry and horrified at the sight, but something deep inside him started to bring him a tremendous calm. it helped when he was conscious of the elements that would allow him to shoot his huge bow. he chose this range originally to keep them from rushing him before he could shoot them all. Now it was even more important that he could shoot at this range because his body would never allow him to close the distance in time to help her.
Fin partially wore a light Skandian outer dress over a deep cut short short sleeved tunic most of which had been ripped away exposing her and allowing the filth to paw at her at will.
Her dress was ripped up to the waist and she only wore one of her wooden shoes. the three men who molested her had removed their breeches and two were holding her legs at the knees apart so that the third one could commit the crime of lust that would start a chain reaction of men slaking their hunger with her one after the other.
"This...will...not...happen...not while ...I still...breath!!! Twang!!
He calmly loosed his first arrow and replaced another on his bowstring before the shaft penetrated squarely the back of the leaders skull.
As the other two men looked back at their comrade Ringulf chose the one on the right with the club to die next. Twang!!
And again his bow was fitted with an arrow before he saw the second drill though the oafs neck burying itself up to the fletches.
As the last free man looked toward Ringulf's position straining to see into the darkness the third arrow slipped through the gate of his eye socket, and he dropped over the dead leader.
The three men forcing themselves on Finn still did not realize how swiftly and quietly their fellows had met their maker.
Ringulf was just about to let loose his next arrow when his attention was jerked towards the forest to his left ahead of him as it seemed some enraged beast came crashing out of the forest with a Skandian war scream like an angry bear, that rocked the night and startled the man who was about to take Fin.
His body had barely touched the Skandian beauty when he was grabbed around the neck by a sinewy Skandian arm and he was hip tossed with a wrenching twist and fell to the ground as Aribjorns foot flew out to kick the one in the gut on Fins right leg . As all this happened Ringulf fired on the one untouched by The young Skandian. As the arrow found it's mark, it's target dropped Fin's right leg and she stood upright as soon as she could to relieve the constriction of the whip around her throat. With the additional air she got back a little of her strength and confidence that she was no longer at the mercy of these animals and she struggled to free herself.
That was all that Ringulf saw. His vision was clouding and it was getting so dark he could not see. The bow in his left hand felt so heavy he could no longer hold it and he collapsed kneeling beside the stump draped across the stalwart friend that kept him erect long enough to save his Valkyrie.
As she had saved him.
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Post by Firehead on Nov 12, 2010 10:58:28 GMT -5
(OOC: Mylia, Tory and Ivy)
Mylia had finished hanging up her hammock and had again taken a seat beside Tory, shortly before Tory let out a terrified scream and her eyes shot open to gaze up at the cieling. Mylia rose and moved closer to the bed, so that Tory could see her. "Are you awake? Are you OK?" she asked.
“Mylia! You are okay?”
"Uh...I should be." Mylia replied, startled.
“Hey! That Skandian woman drugged me!” She moved to sit up and the pain ripped through her side again. She gasped and lay back, remembering she wasn’t supposed to move. “Oops! I forgot about that. Ari is going to be mad at me, don’t let him throw my covers overboard.”
Mylia squinted at her. "What?" They weren't on board the ship anymore. "We're in the Ranger cabin--Ari's not here, he left already."
Tory looked at the other girl again, trying to place her. “Do I know you?” She asked Ivy and then looked around again, realizing that she was no longer on the Skandian ship inside the makeshift tent. “Where am I?” At nearly the same moment, she remembered hurling the ranger orders from Tandar across the room and screaming at Tandar. “Oh no! Where is Ranger Tandar? Is he mad at me?” She asked Mylia, fear and anxiety all over her face. She started to pull the blankets back again and get up. “I have to talk to him!”
Mylia quickly put her hands gently on Tory's shoulders and pushed her back down being as firm and gentle as she could. "He's not here either, and I don't know if he's mad or not. Probably not, if he has any common sense, which seems to me like a vital trait to have in order to become a Ranger. Now, calm down, and act rationally." she said as she pulled the blankets back up.
“They are going to kick me out of the Ranger Corps for that, I know they are.” She moaned.
Mylia sighed, and spoke patiently, hoping to allay Tory's fears and get her to calm down. "They won't kick you out for throwing a tantrum. If they did, there wouldn't be any Rangers left. So relax, and don't worry about that for now--just worry about getting better, alright?"
"Now then, how are you feeling? Are you up to eating anything?"
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 13, 2010 11:29:55 GMT -5
(OOC: Aribjorn and Fin) *(The following post contains mature content)
Ari’s arms wrapped around Fin and folded her in a comforting safe embrace that she desperately needed to regain control of her emotions. She hated anyone to see her being a weak female, but after her ordeal she couldn’t help it.
As they stood there for a moment, Ari comforted her and then began to confess what appeared to be to him a grave matter that he clearly felt guilty about. "Dere, dere Fin It is over and dey did not violate you,...I....I need to tell you someting...I feel like dis iss all my fault...I...did not offer to accompany you home dis evening because I did not want you to tink I vanted to sleep vit you. I did dat because in my heart I tink I did, and radder den doing what was right, I vas more afrait of what you would tink. After you left I listened to de wrong voice in my headt ant decided to follow you so I might...watch you ven you got to your vagon. I vas not tinking pure taughts about you, please forgive me I see now dat you are a goot person ant freint ant dat should mean more to me den how attractive you are to me."
Fin leaned back so she could look in his eyes and cleared her throat, but it was still husky from the pressure of her whip around her neck. “It is not your fault dat dese vermin are base and evil and you vwere right in dat Ah vwould haf declined your offer ta walk me home. Ah haf never felt da need ta rely on any man dat vway before.” She looked around at the dead men and shuddered. “Perhaps is not so safe as Ah taught in dis fief, or maybe Ah do needt a man more dan Ah taught.”
She shook her head as he continued, explaining his thoughts and feelings about her. “You are not a bad person, Aribjorn. You are very common young man, all of whom haf such taughts. In fact Ah vwouldt tink you ta haf someting wrong vwit ya if ya didn’t haf such taughts about any pretty lass dat crosses your path. Perhaps even dose cute ranger girls in Bunt’s cabin?” She winked at him, teasing. Then she stepped up on her toes and planted a sweet kiss on his cheek.
“Dat is for savin’ me life and dis,” she kissed the other cheek, “is for what might haf been if Ah hadt been just a bit younger and tings were a bit different.” She smiled at him
Fin tied her tattered clothes around her to conceal the important parts and looked around at the scene as she pulled herself together and looked for her other wooden shoe. She found it after a moment and slid it on her foot and then studied the scene.
"Vwas dat Ranger Bunt who vwas doing da shooting?” She raised her head and looked around at the carnage. "It certainly looked like the work of a ranger."
"I...I.. don't know! let us go try to fint our ranger maybe one of de girls followed me! can you walk? You need to come back to de cabin vit me, ve vill take you back to your vagon in de morning, tonight iss not a goot night to be alone.”
She followed the trajectory of the arrows and realized they all came from the direction of the path leading back toward the ranger cabin. She nodded her head, glad not to have to continue on to the market square alone, her confidence this night had been shaken quite badly.
They followed the path up and at first did not see anything. Fin stopped and looked back at the scene, remembering they had not tied up the unconscious man, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want to face him again. From this point, however, she noticed there was a clear view of the bodies. It was a bit far for a normal archer, but a ranger could make the shots.
“If it vwas Mylia, she vwouldt haf come on down ta us.” Fin mused and looked around. Then she saw a strangely shaped stump just off the path swathed in shadows. It appeared to be a dwarf sitting on a log and she moved in for a closer look.
“Oh no! Ari come here!” She exclaimed and ran to the stump where she found Ringulf slumped over it, the great longbow on the ground next to him where it had slipped out of his hand. “Help me vwit him.” She felt his cheek and it was still warm and she could then see that he was still breathing. “He lives! Tank Odin and de Shield Maidens, he still draws breath!” She looked him over and could not find any fresh wounds on him.
She shook him gently, trying to wake him without causing him further pain. “Ringulf, My Sweet, come back to me!” She whispered in his ear. “Wake up, My Love!” As soon as she said the words she knew that was what was in her heart. She had no idea if he returned the feelings, but she wasn’t about to loose him before she found out.
“I tink he collapsed from exhaustion.” She said as she attempted to worm her way under his arm and lift him. He was too heavy for her to manage by herself, even though she was very strong for a woman. “Get his odder side an vwe vwill take him back ta da cabin. How on earthdt did he make it dis far?” She wondered. “An how did he know I vwas in trouble?”
She thought about that as they half carried, half dragged Ringulf back to the cabin, his bow and arrows strapped across her back. What had made him just randomly get up and stagger into the woods to save her? Why hadn’t Ogmund or Bunt stopped him? She wondered if she would ever find out.
When they reached the cabin and staggered up onto the porch Bunt came rushing out. “Aribjorn, have ya seen- oh! I guess ya have.” Bunt exclaimed and held the door for them as they carefully navigated Ringulf back inside and into his bed. “What was he doin’ outside? Ogmund and I hav’ been lookin’ all over tha place fer him.” Bunt asked Fin and Aribjorn. “What happened to you, Miss Fin?” He had taken in her disheveled state and the unmistakable signs of battle of her bruised eye and cheek as well as the rope marks around her wrists and neck. He looked sharply at Aribjorn and noticed that the young man was a bit disheveled as well.
After Fin got Ringulf settled, she answered Bunt. “Ah left here an got aboot fifteen minutes down da roadt vwen Ah vwas jumped by a bunch of farmers lookin fer some sport.” She looked back at Ringulf with admiration and then at Aribjorn with the same grateful look in her eye. “If dese two hadt not foundt me, dey vwould still be- dey wouldt be…” her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes and shuddered again, realizing just how close she had come to a most unpleasant end to her life. She harbored little doubt that the farmers would have left her alive to accuse them of their heinous acts. Their faces swirled before her and she opened her eyes to look on Ringulf to get the vision of her tormentors out of her mind. Why was she so shaken up? They hadn’t actually done anything more than tie her up and rip her clothes off, so why was she so upset and feeling so helpless? She leaned forward on the stool by Ringulf’s bed and hid her face in chest, somehow drawing comfort just from physically touching him.
Bunt nodded understanding. “What happened and where?” he asked them. “I will need ta get some men an go round them up if I can.” He waited for Aribjorn to fill him in. “Maybe you can show me where it happened?”
Bunt did not like the idea of a large group of farmers running around accosting women. There were definitely some things in this fief that had gone unnoticed or uncorrected for far too long. He decided it was time that the populace in general knew there was a ranger in town and things were going to change one way or another. His resolve grew firm as he looked at the fierce Skandian woman struggling to appear brave and calm after what had to have been a most terrifying experience.
After today he was fairly certain that he had misjudged the Skandian woman as well as the ones from the Knarr Harr Marr. His opinion of the race as a whole had risen significantly during the course of this one day, although he did still harbor some resentment over his brief stint as a Skandian slave several years ago. These men were not the ones responsible for that though, and just as there were with Araluens or any race of man, some people were good honest people and some were bad. In all of his years he had found that there were far more good people in the world than evil ones and he kept that thought in mind as he went to investigate the scene of the crime and try to apphrehend any survivors.
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 13, 2010 12:50:20 GMT -5
(OOC: Aribjorn and Fin) *(The following post contains mature content)
“Dat is for savin’ me life and dis,” she kissed the other cheek, “is for what might haf been if Ah hadt been just a bit younger and tings were a bit different.” She smiled at him
Fin tied her tattered clothes around her to conceal the important parts and looked around at the scene as she pulled herself together and looked for her other wooden shoe. She found it after a moment and slid it on her foot and then studied the scene.
As she did so Ari saw that she still was having a hard time covering up her statuesque physique. wanting to preserve her modesty and not wanting to get all stirred up himself again, he stripped off his tunic and outer belt and rolled it with the bottom open so Finn could wriggle into it. Fortunately Ari's barrel chest was full enough for Finn to drape over her ample bosom. He reached his arms around her like another embrace but then just slipped the belt around her and belted it snugly drawing it close to her thin strong waist.
"Der dat iss better all of your body iss covered ant warm now let us get back."
She followed the trajectory of the arrows and realized they all came from the direction of the path leading back toward the ranger cabin. She nodded her head, glad not to have to continue on to the market square alone, her confidence this night had been shaken quite badly.
As they walked Ari realized they still had not seen where the archer had been to fire on the thugs.
"I don't know Fin, dis iss kinda far avay did ve miss de spot dat the archer vas shooting from? I don't tink I could even hit sometin dis far away no less wit de kint of skill it took to drop each of dem with one fatal head shot, de girls are goot but I would be surprised if de ver dat goot Maybe mila but more likely Ranger Bunt, I don't know how goot he is but dis was some shooting!"
“If it vwas Mylia, she vwouldt haf come on down ta us.” Fin mused and looked around. Then she saw a strangely shaped stump just off the path swathed in shadows. It appeared to be a dwarf sitting on a log and she moved in for a closer look.
Ari looked back further east were Finn was searching it was even farther away from the scene.
"I don't tink it would be dat...what is dat? He followed her up to the strange stump and saw the bow on the ground before he realized it was Ringulf collapsed over the stump that gave it its odd appearance.
"By da gots how in de name off Hel did he get out here vit no legs? Ari said in astonishment as he went to help Fin lift the large man up.
“Oh no! Ari come here!”
“Help me vwit him.”
“He lives! Tank Odin and de Shield Maidens, he still draws breath!”
“Ringulf, My Sweet, come back to me!” She whispered in his ear. “Wake up, My Love!”
At those whispered words of love in the ear of his Kinsman Ari's heart melted.
"She...she loves him, but how..." Ari's mind was a bit confused but his heart lead the way.
It is alright Fin he vill be fine ant you will be able to love him de rest of your life, he saved you not me, I was fortunate to have been his arms ant legs for de close stuff, but he is de vone dat saved your life!"
“I tink he collapsed from exhaustion. Get his odder side an vwe vwill take him back ta da cabin. How on earthdt did he make it dis far?” She wondered. “An how did he know I vwas in trouble?”
"Ven two hearts are linked like yours and his must be, Freya ant Odin sometimes gif de Falcon Sight to watch over de vone you love. I tink he loves you more den his own life or he could not haff done dis."
When they reached the cabin and staggered up onto the porch Bunt came rushing out. “Aribjorn, have ya seen- oh! I guess ya have.” Bunt exclaimed and held the door for them as they carefully navigated Ringulf back inside and into his bed. “What was he doin’ outside? Ogmund and I hav’ been lookin’ all over tha place fer him.” Bunt asked Fin and Aribjorn. “What happened to you, Miss Fin?” He had taken in her disheveled state and the unmistakable signs of battle of her bruised eye and cheek as well as the rope marks around her wrists and neck. He looked sharply at Aribjorn and noticed that the young man was a bit disheveled as well.And was barechested in the cool evening, while fin wore his tunic.
Bunt nodded understanding. “What happened and where?” he asked them. “I will need ta get some men an go round them up if I can.” He waited for Aribjorn to fill him in. “Maybe you can show me where it happened?”
" Can show you ver it all took place but you vill not haf to search for more den two of dem for dat is all dat ver left alive out of de six. Ringulf dispatched four of dem each vit one shot ant I wringed one guys neck a bit. If he is moving at all, it is vit de help of de guy dat fin put a bullwhip sleeper holt on! I vould be surprised if eider of dem is moving very well even now."
He heard the rustle of feet up above him in the loft and knew the girls were about to find out waht had happened. Ogmund barreled through the door yelling, Bunt I did not fint him but der vas a big fight and several farmers are dead....Oh...oh You found him ver vas he how dit he get out?"
Ari realised that he was going to have to answer some hard questions about why he was there and how it was he did not see Ringulf either. That did not matter to him as much as what Tory and Mylia would think of him when he explained. He was sure he would lose his freinds and his heart felt like it had a big stone placed on top of it. He hung his head and tried to shrink into the corner of Ringulf's room. If he could have turned into a falcon, he would fly away from here such was his shame and guilt but his freinds deserved better so he shut his mouth and swallowed the lump in his throat facing his future like a The Skandian man he was supposed to be.
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 13, 2010 13:13:27 GMT -5
(OOC: Tory, Mylia and Ivy)
Tory was disoriented when she first woke, the threads of her nightmare still swirling in her mind, but Mylia’s practical answers and matter-of-fact attitude did wonders to calm Tory down. She was disappointed that Aribjorn had gone already and she hadn’t gotten to say goodbye. Was she ever to see him again? Oh, yes, she remembered, she was supposed to help him take those ponies to Araluen. Comforted by the thought that he would be back she then chewed on her dilemma with Ranger Tandar.
Mylia brought her back to her present with a couple of simple questions, "Now then, how are you feeling? Are you up to eating anything?"
“Like I got ripped in half by a couple of mules,” Tory answered with a weak grin. Her mouth tasted awful and she longed for a huge glass of cold water. “Thirsty, that stuff Fin gave me was horrible tasting and I can still taste it.” She made a face and stuck her tongue out, trying to scrape the residue off of it with her teeth. She thought that she might be able to eat a little, but in spite of the fact that she hadn’t eaten anything in many hours, she still didn’t feel very hungry. “I guess I probably should eat a little something, but it can wait until morning. I don’t want anyone to go to any trouble on my account.” She always felt guilty when others had to do something for her. She knew that the next several days were going to be hard for her to accept seeing as how she was virtually helpless and was going to have to rely on her friends for help. Maybe there would come a time when she would be able to repay their kindness, but even that thought didn’t make it any easier.
She looked around and saw her kitten lying down between her legs grooming herself. She moved her toes and the kitten jumped. She wiggled her toes again and the kitten pounced on them, her tiny claws just barely pricking through the blanket to nick Tory’s foot. Tory giggled and moved her foot again and again the kitten pounced. She moved her hand under the blanket and caught the forest cat’s attention, guiding it up closer to where she could pet it. All the while it was watching the blanket move and kept leaping up into the air and landing with a pounce and claws extended on top of her hand. She giggled and said, “Hmm, I think I might know now what to call you.” She looked up at Mylia and asked, “What do you think? Should I name her Pounce?” She hadn’t had much conscious time with the kitten to figure out what to name it, but she liked to name animals according to their personality.
“What did you name your kitten, Mylia?” She asked her and then she saw Ivy’s ragged tom cat in the corner glaring at them and she looked back to Ivy, “And what is his name?” she asked curiously. “How does he get around with one leg missing and how did he loose it?” She shifted her attention from Mylia to Ivy and wondered what her story was. She seemed to be very reserved and not very happy. Thinking that perhaps it was her fault, Tory looked around the room again. “I am sorry if I am invading your room. I had no idea they were going to bring me here. I will try not to bother you too much.” Tory looked timidly at her. She wasn’t very good at making friends and never knew what her peers were going to think of her. Usually it wasn’t favorable. Mylia and Drenith had been the only two who had accepted her right away. Most kids thought she was very weird. Still, she wanted to be friends.
“By the way, my name is Tory Waterton, apprentice ranger to Patric- oops!” her face fell and she fought back the familiar pain of Patrick Palisade ditching her with the Royal Scouts. “I guess, well I think I am apprentice to Tandar Polaris now. If he is not too mad at me.” She sighed and absentmindedly played with her kitten who was trying to chew one of her fingers off as she looked to Ivy. What a strange thing it would be to have girl friends her own age, Tory thought. Friends that would stand by her and she by them and they would all have the Ranger Corps in common and keep in contact through the Corps and be friends for the rest of their lives. She couldn’t even imagine as to what that would be like.
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Solo
Apprentice Cook
No! Seriously?
Posts: 82
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Post by Solo on Nov 15, 2010 10:19:32 GMT -5
Since Miss Smiles And Sunshine appeared to be interested in watching Miss Comatose sleep--which was fine with her-- Ivy climbed into her hammock and lured Do-over into coming out of his corner and getting an ear-scratching. Whatever Bunt might say, Do-over didn't have fleas. The gray tom sat hunched up on her cheast, keeping his good eye on the two new girls and their kittens, while encouraging Ivy to keep scratching his ears by giving a loud rumbling sound, that no one but Ivy would have called a purr.
The silence was broken by a piercing scream that sent Do-over bolting for his corner, growling, and Ivy sitting up in her hammock to look over at the bed where Miss Coma was appearently waking up. She really wouldn't want to miss this, so Ivy slid out of her makeshift bed and went over to stand by Tory's bedside as the girl awoke and began jabbering at, like, a thousand miles an hour.
“Hey! That Skandian woman drugged me!”
Ivy raised an eyebrow at that. What a good idea! Where was that wonderful Skandian woman when they needed her?
She moved to sit up and the pain ripped through her side again. She gasped and lay back, remembering she wasn’t supposed to move. “Oops! I forgot about that. Ari is going to be mad at me, don’t let him throw my covers overboard.”
That's it. Ivy rolled her eyes. This girl is totally crazy.
“Do I know you?”
Ohhh boy.Ivy forcefully swallowed her sarcasm and answered. "No, you don't." You've been comatose this entire time. Too bad for Tory, the sarcasm didn't die when Ivy swallowed it back. It continued to live and thrive inside her brain. Meantime, Ivy's answer didn't seem to be fazing Tory one bit--she kept on rattling off questions, to which Mylia provided an answer, and answers to Mylia's questions. Ivy began to wonder if spontenayous insanity were possible--if so, she was well on her way.
“I guess I probably should eat a little something, but it can wait until morning. I don’t want anyone to go to any trouble on my account.”
Oh, good save. Ivy headed quickly for the stairs, saying "Oh, trust me, it's no problem at all!" She charged down the stairsand over to the stove where leftovers from dinner sat. The woodstove was still warm and Ivy grabbed a bowl and laddled thick stew into it She grabbed a mug, added milk and took her time climbing back up to the loft and rejoining the....Mylia and Tory.
Tory was giggling over her kitten's antics, saying, “What do you think? Should I name her Pounce?”
Ivy shrugged her shoulders and plopped the bowl down on Tory's lap without ceremony. "Dinner." she said, holding out the mug to Mylia. "Milk--if you want it."
“And what is his name?” ..... “How does he get around with one leg missing and how did he loose it?”
Ivy looked from Tory to Do-over sitting in the corner, glaring at the kittens. "He's Do-over. Dunno how he lost his leg--lost it before we met--but he gets around better on three legs than most cats do with four." Ivy said, looking down at Pounce.
“I am sorry if I am invading your room. I had no idea they were going to bring me here. I will try not to bother you too much.”
Ivy looked at her skeptically. Unless she missed her guess entirely, this girl was as timid as a mouse around her. She gave a snort and sighed, resisting the temptation to roll her eyes, instead looking away from Tory toward the far wall. "This isn't my room. Your mentor, Ringulf is invading my room." she said, looking over at Mylia. She turned away toward her hammock.
“By the way, my name is Tory Waterton, apprentice ranger to Patric- oops!” ...... “I guess, well I think I am apprentice to Tandar Polaris now. If he is not too mad at me.” Ivy turned to look at Tory and raised an eyebrow. "Mine's Ivy M--Bramble." Good thing she'd recovered from that early enough to save it. She wasn't Malone anymore. Now and always, she was Bramble. And why would this Tandar guy be mad at you?-- You know what, I probably don't want to know about it." she added as she crawled back into her hammock and squirmed around so that she lay on her back, hands behind her head, staring up at the ceiling. "By the way, my bark is worse than my bite...for now." she added, and mentally kicked herself for telling them. Why did you tell them that? Now they'll drive you crazy for sure! She barely contained her sigh, and turned her face to the near wall.
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Post by Firehead on Nov 15, 2010 14:08:40 GMT -5
“Like I got ripped in half by a couple of mules,” Tory answered with a weak grin. Her mouth tasted awful and she longed for a huge glass of cold water. “Thirsty, that stuff Fin gave me was horrible tasting and I can still taste it.” She made a face and stuck her tongue out, trying to scrape the residue off of it with her teeth. She thought that she might be able to eat a little, but in spite of the fact that she hadn’t eaten anything in many hours, she still didn’t feel very hungry. “I guess I probably should eat a little something, but it can wait until morning. I don’t want anyone to go to any trouble on my account.”
Mylia opened her mouth to respond, but was beat to the punch by Ivy, who was down the stairs before Mylia could shut her mouth. Ivy looked like she was busting out of jail, the way she left in such a hurry. But Mylia didn't linger on that too long-- Tory was playing with her cat, and when Loki saw his sister having fun, he wanted to join. Mylia placed him on the floor and distracted him with a piece of leather twine.
“Hmm, I think I might know now what to call you.” She looked up at Mylia and asked, “What do you think? Should I name her Pounce?”
Mylia looked up to study Tory's kitten and had to grin at the kit's antics. "As good a name as any. It certainly works at the moment. Pounce. Its a good name." She switched her grin to Tory. Ivy returned with stew and a mug of milk for Tory.
“What did you name your kitten, Mylia?” Tory asked.
Mylia smiled, accepting the mug from Ivy. "Thanks. I named mine Loki, after some Skandian god of mischief. That's what mine seems to be--a bundle of mischief."
“And what is his name?” ..... “How does he get around with one leg missing and how did he loose it?”
Mylia glanced around and finally spotted the gray, three-legged cat that Tory meant. Now that one had been through the mill grind! He was one-eyed, too. And very scruffy.
Ivy looked from Tory to Do-over sitting in the corner, glaring at the kittens. "He's Do-over. Dunno how he lost his leg--lost it before we met--but he gets around better on three legs than most cats do with four." Ivy said, looking down at Pounce.
"By the way, my bark is worse than my bite...for now."
"Okay....That's very good to know." Mylia said softly. She'd thought the girl had seemed a bit unhappy.
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 15, 2010 15:57:44 GMT -5
Tory tried to protest as Ivy flew down the stairs, but the girl was gone so fast Tory didn’t even get the ‘don’t’ out of ‘don’t bother’ out of her mouth before Ivy was in the kitchen. Tory looked at Mylia and raised an eyelid and nodded toward Ivy’s hammock as if to ask ‘what’s her deal?’ but she didn’t say anything about it. After a couple minutes Ivy returned.
Ivy shrugged her shoulders and plopped the bowl down on Tory's lap without ceremony. "Dinner." she said, holding out the mug to Mylia. "Milk--if you want it."
Tory moved the bowl so Pounce wouldn’t get in it and reached for the milk as she said, “Oh thank you! I am so thirsty.” She gulped down half the mug before setting it aside and picking up the bowl of stew. Pounce looked at Tory indignantly as she lapped at the gravy on her chin. “Pounce! That was for me.” Tory exclaimed and then shrugged. It was only cat germs after all, how bad could it be? She scooped up a spoonful and chewed it slowly.
“This stuff is great, did you make it?” Tory asked Ivy. If not her mentor was a far better cook than Patrick. Tory had done pretty much all of the cooking while they had been on the road.
Then Ivy climbed into said, "By the way, my bark is worse than my bite...for now."
Tory looked at her. ‘I kinda figured.’ She thought but kept it to herself. She was used to people thinking she was weird, so she decided not to pass any judgment on Ivy. The girl might have her reasons for being a sourpuss, besides she had gotten the stew. Tory looked at her bowl and realized it was almost empty. She set the bowl in front of Pounce and let the kitten lap up some of it but Pounce left most of it so Tory offered it to Do-over by setting the bowl on the floor next to her bed.
She lay back and thought about Ari’s startling blue eyes and muscled back and flushed just a bit. She was about to ask Mylia a question about Ari when she heard yelling downstairs.
Ogmund barreled through the door yelling, Bunt I did not fint him but der vas a big fight and several farmers are dead....Oh...oh You found him ver vas he how dit he get out?"
‘”What’s going on?” Tory asked, wanting to sit up higher to see over the railing. “Who was missing?” she heard voices downstairs but couldn’t make out what they were saying. “I thought you said Ari was gone?” she asked Mylia. “Wasn’t that his voice a few moments ago?”
Tory wanted to get up and run downstairs to see if it was Ari, but she knew better than to try and move. She lay back against her pillow and slammed her fists into the bed on each side of her. “Damn! I hate being an invalid.” She glared up at the ceiling as she tried to hear what was being said downstairs.
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Post by Firehead on Nov 23, 2010 9:13:42 GMT -5
They sat in silence for a while, until the door banged open allowing a ruckus to enter the cabin. Mylia rose from her stool and went to the railing to look down into the main room.
‘”What’s going on?” Tory asked, wanting to sit up higher to see over the railing. “Who was missing?” she heard voices downstairs but couldn’t make out what they were saying. “I thought you said Ari was gone?” she asked Mylia. “Wasn’t that his voice a few moments ago?”
Mylia frowned as she headed for the stairs; she wasn't seeing anything from up here--most of the commotion was in Ringulf's room. "I don't know, yet, but you're right about it being Ari's voice. I'm going to fnout what all's going on around here. I'll be back, hopefully with some answers." she said as she trotted down the steps. She found Bunt, Fin, and Ogmund standing by Ringulf's bedside, and spotted Ari in the corner with his head down. Looking around her at everyone's faces she asked, "What's going on?"
(OOC: Sorry if i'm a little bit disconnected from the story line.)
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 24, 2010 13:45:10 GMT -5
Mylia frowned as she headed for the stairs; she wasn't seeing anything from up here--most of the commotion was in Ringulf's room. "I don't know, yet, but you're right about it being Ari's voice. I'm going to fnout what all's going on around here. I'll be back, hopefully with some answers." she said as she trotted down the steps. She found Bunt, Fin, and Ogmund standing by Ringulf's bedside, and spotted Ari in the corner with his head down. Looking around her at everyone's faces she asked, "What's going on?"
"Finn vas attacked on de vay home to her vagon ant Ringulf shot her attackers ant saved her. But ven ve found him he vas not conscious so ve brought him back here, he is exhausted, I don't even know how he got out dere in de first place. but it seems as dough he can valk, or could anyway, ant he most definitely remembers how to shoot dat big bow of his dats for sure!"
Ogmund came over to the two of them and said, "Mylia he is unconscious ant has been since he vas brought back. I don't know how he got out past me, He must have vafted through de room like a spirit for me not to have heart him! How do you people do dat?
"Vere you sleeping vit de patch over your eye again?" Ari said happy to redirect the subject and the focus of attention to Ogmund.
"Ya vell of course I vas, you know I can't sleep unless I do but I vas vatching none de less! Ogmund protested. "From now on I vill tie a string betveen our big toes!
"I don't tink dat vill be needed right now I tink tree iss a crowd" Said Ari pointing toward his kinsman with Fin resting her head on his chest.
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 30, 2010 23:41:50 GMT -5
Fin listened to the others in the room and half wished they would all go away and yet she didn’t want to be alone. The incident had really shaken her up and as she rested her head on Ringulf’s chest she thought back to Ari’s words when she had asked how Ringulf had known she was in trouble.
"Ven two hearts are linked like yours and his must be, Freya ant Odin sometimes gif de Falcon Sight to watch over de vone you love. I tink he loves you more den his own life or he could not haff done dis."
She could not deny that there was a strong connection between them, even though they had just met. It was almost as if their souls had met in a previous life. She lay there listening to his heart beating and his regular, steady breathing wishing she could just climb onto the bed and lie next to him. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world.
She thought about her feelings for him and wondered how they could be so strong when they had just met. Was Aribjorn right? Did Ringulf love her? Did she love him? She thought so, but this was all so new to her she couldn’t be sure. She did know that she wanted to get to know this man who had saved her and she didn’t want him risking her life for her again. From now on she would be accepting that offer of Aribjorn’s to walk her home – if he was still so inclined. She felt a pang of guilt, knowing she had probably hurt him when she had whispered to Ringulf out in the woods. She hadn’t meant to, but she had been distraught and wasn’t thinking about him in her concern for Ringulf. The words had slipped out, but she didn’t regret them. She only wished that Ari had not gotten a crush on her. She had no desire to hurt him but wasn’t sure how to handle the situation.
She trembled and moved her arm across Ringulf’s stomach in a loose embrace. The adrenaline in her system was waning and with it her self-control. She was no longer able to hold back the reaction her body was having to the attack. She buried her face in Ringulf’s chest and shook from head to toe, the after effects of her fears running their course. She hoped none of the others noticed. She couldn’t bear it if they saw her shaking like a little girl. A few tears slid down her cheeks and melted into Ringulf’s covers, but eventually she stopped shaking and the tears dried up and slowly she drifted off to sleep in the rather awkward position.
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Post by Ringulf on Dec 1, 2010 0:06:24 GMT -5
Aribjorn was listening to Ogmund and the others but he was watching Fin and Ringulf.
They seemed so good together so "right" as he saw the two. He shook his head at the immature crush he had developed, but he understood why it had occurred. Aribjorn was a romantic and a dreamer an idealist who treasured the stories of the old gods and mixed them with the lofty ideals of chivalry with a healthy dose of a young Skandian male's budding hormones. When this woman stepped into their lives he saw Freya incarnate, a Valkyrie fallen to earth.
She was the embodiment of all his fantasies and he was swept away with his feelings.
He realized now, now that he saw her human frailty and her very human emotions, that she and his kinsman were destined for each other and that he was blessed by the gods just to be her friend and his kin and vowed from that point on he would help them to be together if he could.
"Come everybody let us talk outside de room ant let dem sleep."
He spread his big arms and gently herded them out the door pulling it too behind him.
Ogmund, Bunt, Mylia and himself all moved into the main room of the cabin to continue their conversation.
Inside the dark room Ringulf lifted his arm and gently set it across Fin's shoulders.
"Sleep my Valkyrie, I am here for you and always will be."
He gently kissed the top of her head rested his head back again and drifted off to sleep, following his beloved into deep slumber.
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Post by Firehead on Dec 1, 2010 10:31:11 GMT -5
"Finn vas attacked on de vay home to her vagon ant Ringulf shot her attackers ant saved her. But ven ve found him he vas not conscious so ve brought him back here, he is exhausted, I don't even know how he got out dere in de first place. but it seems as dough he can valk, or could anyway, ant he most definitely remembers how to shoot dat big bow of his dats for sure!"
"What?! How?" Myli demanded, astonished, and looked over toward where her mentor lay, with Finn sitting at his bedside, looking ready to crash.
Ogmund came over to the two of them and said, "Mylia he is unconscious ant has been since he vas brought back. I don't know how he got out past me, He must have vafted through de room like a spirit for me not to have heart him! How do you people do dat?"
Mylia blinked slowly and shook her head with incredualty. "Lots of practice." she said absently.
"From now on I vill tie a string betveen our big toes!"
"I don't tink dat vill be needed right now I tink tree iss a crowd" Said Ari pointing toward his kinsman with Fin resting her head on his chest. "Come everybody let us talk outside de room ant let dem sleep." He spread his big arms and gently herded them out the door pulling it too behind him.
Mylia reluctantly left the room, trailing behind the others, watching her mentor until Ari closed the door and shut him off from her sight. She turned away. "Well, we at least know now that he can walk."
Another thought hit her than and she turned to Bunt. "I'm gunna have to send a report back to Crowley, and tell him about this." She paused a moment, biting her lip uncertainly before continueing. "I was thinking I'd send it by pidgeon, so he'd get it quicker." And have more time to decide what fate she would suffer. She wondered if she would wind up like Tory; getting a new mentor, especially if Ringulf didn't get his memory back. Speaking of which...."Do you think he'll remember now?" she asked of the rooms occupants in general, hope tinging her voice.
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Post by Ringulf on Dec 2, 2010 0:52:02 GMT -5
Mylia reluctantly left the room, trailing behind the others, watching her mentor until Ari closed the door and shut him off from her sight. She turned away. "Well, we at least know now that he can walk."
Ogmand reminded her, "Vell ve know he did valk but ve don't know if he may have re-injured himself badly vith all dis hero stuff! I am glad he saved Fin dat is a goot ting but yimany vy he did it ant how he did it I vill never know!"
Ari said softly as he patted Mylia on the back warmly. "He did it because he iss in love I tink ant I tink Fin may feel de same vay."
"Don't vorry Mylia I know you are still his best girl!" he said as he saw her face.
Another thought hit her than and she turned to Bunt. "I'm gunna have to send a report back to Crowley, and tell him about this." She paused a moment, biting her lip uncertainly before continuing. "I was thinking I'd send it by pidgeon, so he'd get it quicker." And have more time to decide what fate she would suffer. She wondered if she would wind up like Tory; getting a new mentor, especially if Ringulf didn't get his memory back. Speaking of which...."Do you think he'll remember now?" she asked of the rooms occupants in general, hope tinging her voice.
There was a general murmur and though it was somewhat noncommittal because none of them were without their doubts, they all tried to encourage her.
"Don't Vory Mylia He vill remember, he remembered how to valk in silence, track his quvarry, shoot his huge bow over two hundred yards vit accuracy enough to kill several men vit one arrow to each! Yah I tink he be remembering a hole heap a stuff already! it is a wonder dat he is not dead ant he is runin arount saving people!" Ari said brightly.
"Vell I tink dat if Ranger bunt can help you wit de report de sooner his superiors know vat is happening de better ant you vill all be off to Araluen soom anyvay so you may get vord dere as to what to do, I vill watch for your messages vile I am her vit him ant I know Ranger Bunt ant Fin vill help too so you all need to rest ant prepare for de trip!" Ogmund said. "I vill sleep by de door here so novone can get out vitout trippin on me, you all go get some sleep!"
Ari agreed he felt better now that he knew Tory and Mylia were safe here in the cabin as were the rest of them and saw no need for him to be there. Feeling kinda low he started for the door and said,
"I go back to de ship goodnight everyone I vill see you in de mornin"
He opened the door took a quick look back and started down the dark lonely road back to the ship.
in his heart was a very unsettling mixture of emotions, so many he could not identify just what was bothering him most. It was not his finest hour and he looked past his weariness to see that he was disappointed with himself. He was not showing much in the way of nobility, chivalry, honesty or even goodness.
"maybe I am not meant to be a knight, perhaps I am not worthy to become one. I should never have left home." He thought to himself. A lump formed in his throat and his eyes started to water. Then he checked himself,
"I have not failed yet I must be strong, I may not be worthy but I will become worthy! I will be a knight or I will die trying,"
"Dis I svear to de Allfader!!!" He exclaimed loudly into the darkness.
An old raven took off from a nearby branch startled by Ari's outburst. He was the only witness to the oath, or was he?
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