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Post by Razgat on Jan 23, 2009 21:55:41 GMT -5
The dark skys were covered in clouds as rain came pouring down over the city of Birthold, Shaan. People who had said they would be out that day remained indoors, while others stayed true to their word and made their way the the city's center.
There, where people had started to gather, stood the powerful platform of beams. Stains of dried blood could be seen on the old stone under the planks above. The sharp metal had been raised and secured, but not cleaned. It was stained with the blood of traitors and awaited the prisoners asigned execution by beheading from the guillotine.
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Post by Razgat on Jan 23, 2009 22:35:03 GMT -5
A large prison about three miles away from the city's center was preparing for the main event. Its stones were corroded and falling off, but it stood strong. The rusted iron bars that held back the prisoners kept firm and would not give way. The prison was also heavily guarded and held plenty of ammo and weapons in case of a jail break, but it wasn't likely. No one had ever escaped.
A middle aged man dressed in in garments of the nobility and armor of a high soldier arched through the prison's halls holding a scroll with the seal of the king. The guards quickly stood out of his way and saluted him when he passed. He quickly ade his way down the stairs to the dark, damp underground of the prison. This was where the serial killers, assassins, and traitors to the kingdom were kept. The smell of blood, death, and rot hung in the air. The man made his way through the long, dimmly lit hallway as he passed by many soldiers, all of the standing in attention. He stopped before the door at the end, waiting as a guard nervously fumbled with his keys to unlock the door, and let three gaurds escort him inside.
In the corner, a small silouette could be seen. It was a young girl of about seventeen dressed in a cotten under dress. She was huddles into the corner with her legs folded against her and her head resting against her knees. Her long, flowing black hair hung over her upper half of her body, blocking her face. The soldier studied her, then opened his scrolls, clearing his throat before beggining.
"Odila Griselda, you have been placed under arrest by His Highness King Delroy XVI of Shaan for high treason against His Majesty himself. You have been sentenced to death of beheading at the guillotine. This act must be carried out immediately by order of the Good King Delroy. May God have mercy on your soul."
The young girl only lifted her head slightly to hear the man, but she had no reaction. She sat calmly to herself. Bright, golden eyes could be seen through her thick hair. The man stared at her uncomfertably then addressed the guards. "Have her cleaned up before the execution." And with that, he turned to leave the prisson in a hurry to get out.
Two souldiers grabbed her arms and jerked her up. Her white underdress was covered in soot from the prison's floor, and her hem was tattered. Her feet were also bare and patted on the floor as they led her to a stool. The third guard who had left earlier returned with shears in his hands. He roughly combed his fingers through her hair, pulling it to the back, and cut of a massive length in one snip. He began to cut away unevenly at random strands until it was nothing but a choppy, messy pile of black hair. It barely went below her ears.
She was lifted off of the stool and had her hands bound behind her back. Two rather young guards were assigned to lead her upstairs to the carriage area. That was where they would have her taken to the city's center. They each grabbed an arm and forced her to walk through the prison. Many prisoners stared at her through their bars while others shouted at them. The girls was silent the whole way with no expression.
They finally reached the loading area and awaited for their transportation. Prisonerd were usually escorted in a carriage to keep the townspeople from harming them, but as they heard the horse's hoofs trot along the street, they saw a wheeled cage pull up in front of them. The young girl looked at the cage with a hesitant expression and tried to hold her ground. The guards managed to pull her a few steps before stopping after hearing the horse whinny and stamp his feet. One guard left to help the horseman with his animal, and the other guard was left to guard the girl.
He saw the frightened look on her from the sight of the cage and chuckled a bit. "So, do you have any last words before your sentence?" He was entertained by her lack of emotions up until now.
She looked up at him with a fake smile. Her eyes twinkled a bit and she replied. "Just two: Look up."
"I'm not going to fall for any of your tricks now." He stepped a foot closer to her and leaned to her ear, turning to his partner. "You see, if you had even managed to trick me, you would still get caught. That guard is one of the fastest runners in the city!"
The girl noticed that he had one foot next to her and one over a bit. She smiled up at him maliciously, "If I managed to trick you?" She quickly swung her knee up at full force, nailing him between his legs, and began to run off.
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Post by Razgat on Jan 24, 2009 11:20:11 GMT -5
The girl ignored the shouts behind her and ran as fast as she could. She could here the foot steps of the guards behind her, and one sounded close. She rounded a corner onto the back streets that were covered with mud and smelled of rotting food. She took every turn she saw, trying to lose the men behind her, until she came to a stack of wine barrels outside a shop. She ducked down behind them and held her breath, listening to the foot steps of the guards who past her.
She waited a minute, then crawled out from behind them (which was very difficult with her hands bound). She scanned the alleyway and found a lanturn post. It was lit, and the girl knew what she could use it for. There were some crates piled next to it, and she climbed them to reach the flames. She stuck her hands in to let the fire burn the rope, but blew it out before it could spread. She watched the flames slowly burn their way threw the rope until they finally were weak enough. She pulled her wrists apart and snapped the rope.
She exained her wrists, which now had burns on them as well as rope burn, but ignored them to find some decent clothes. She walked down the ally until she saw some clothes hanging on clothes line to dry. 'What the hell? Who hangs their clothes up to dry when it's raining?'
She didn't complain (she was lucky to find this after all) and picked off a loose cotton shirt and some trousers. She thought they could make her look like a boy, and it would be harder for anyone to find her.
She was about to turn to go when she saw her reflection in a window. She exained her sheared hair and realized something. 'If anyone sees my hair, they will automatically know I was supposed to be beheaded by the guillotine. No one shears their hair like this.'
She found a stiff cotton cap hanging next to a door and took it along with some work boots. She positioned the cap so that it covered all of her hair exept a few that hung down in her face. She checked her appearance and thought she looked a lot like a boy. She walked out of the back alleys and onto the main streets where two guards ran past her, then doubled back to address her. The girl looked down to hide her face.
"Boy!" one of the guards yelled, "Have you seen a girl running around here?"
"No, sir. No one is outside today, not with rain like this."
The guard peered at her with a curious expression on his face. "What's your name, boy?"
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Post by Razgat on Jan 24, 2009 12:53:04 GMT -5
The young girl shuffled her feet and said, "Eric."
"Well then, Eric, if you see one with chopped black hair, then she's probably the one. Just tell a guard or soldier and we'll take care of her."
Eric watched as the guards ran off in search of their lost prisoner. She smiled and walked off, hoping to find some means of travel so that she could get back to Gemma. They still needed her help there. She looked at her locket that was coiled around her neck on a golden chain. It was in the shape of a heart with engraved paterns all oround it. Written on it in old english writing was "To My Dearest---"
Eric covered the name up with her hand. How could she have not remebered to cover it up. Boys don't wear golden lockets and she coudln't bare to take it off. She saw a bright blue flag hanging from a doorway with the country's insignia. She tore off a long strip of it and wrapped it around her neck, tucking the locket under it. 'I wonder why the guards didn't notice?'
She began to look for any carriages or wagons heading out of the city. She didn't know the way back to her hometown since the soldiers had blindfolded her when she left, but she wouldn't stop looking for it.
She passed by the center of the city where people had gathered around the guillotine. She saw the two guards explaining to the executioner why they didn't have a prisoner. The executioner waved them off and brought up the other prisoners. She watched as they tightened a belt around his chest to keep his upper half from moving, and his hands were bound behind his back. He was placed upon a board that was slid up to the head placement. It was fastened around his neck and the executioner asked for his last words as the blade was being prepared to drop. He begged for mercy just as a guard released the blade. Eric heard a thumo as the blade came down and the head fell into the basket. His head was picked up and held over the croud as they cheered.
Eric quickly looked away and began walking again, but she couldn't shake a thought from her head. She had saw the look on his face as his head had been raised. She stared at his dead eyes and thought she saw them move.
'Was that man....still alive?'
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Post by Razgat on Jan 27, 2009 17:37:43 GMT -5
The wagon wheels passed through the streets slowly, aking a loud noise as they rolled over the stone pavement. The crates shook a bit and the hay vibrated as Rye sat, wedged in between two bales. The bits that stuck out of the binding around them tickled his nose and made him sneeze. He listened to the rattling of the milk bottles rattle inside their crates.
Rye ran his fingers through his messy, dark brown hair. There were bits of hay stuck in it and some wheat too from the farm. His emerald green eyes sparkled in the sunlight, but the heat made him drip with sweat. His trousers had a patch on one knee, and his button up shirt was tucked in on one side, but undone on the other. He tugged at the bottom of his shirt so that none of it was tucked away anymore.
They hit a bump and the wagon jumped up causing Rye to fall farther into the hay. He fought to sit up and shouted to the driver, but his voice was muffled by the hay. "Damnit, Jurgen, watch where you're going!"
Jurgen was one of the extra hands on the farm where they worked. Rye's father, Bartholomew Barric, owned the farm. It had been in his family for generations, and Rye was destined to be the next owner, but he didn't think about it much. He was only eighteen and had some time.
Rye had managed to pick himself up again when they hit another bump. He fell deeper into the hay than before, but couldn't get up. He swore under his breath and lied there, waiting to arrive at their destination.
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Post by Razgat on Jan 27, 2009 18:47:43 GMT -5
Eric tried to get the picture of the beheaded man out of her head, but couldn't. She walked along the stone pavement, trying to clear her head, as she looked for means of transpertation. She looked around, but saw no one. The streets were perfectly empty. Everyone was either inside or at the execution.
She checked her surroundings one more time, then leaned against a brick wall, letting herself slide down into a sitting position. She wiped the sweat off her forhead and took her cap off. She shook the water out of her hair and sighed. The rain had stopped, but left the streets wet and slippery.
She ran her fingers through her chopped hair, rustling it up a bit to dry it a bit more. She tried to relax and stretched out her legs a bit. They felt stiff from being cooped up in that damp, dark cell for days. She grabbed her shin to pull it towards her to stretch more, but paused after hearing footsteps. She turned her head quickly to see two guards round the corner down the street. They paused after seeing Eric's chopped hair (a sign that she was put up for execution) and shouted, "Hey, you!"
Eric's eyes widened as she sat there, but she quickly sprung up onto her feet, tossed her cap onto her head, and burst out into a sprint down the street. She heard the guards run after her. "Hualt! In the name of the law!"
She didn't stop. She kept pushing herself faster and faster until the street conected onto another. She heard a wagon approaching before she rounded ran onto the street and tried to stop herself, but her feet slid across the pavement, and she fell onto the middle of the street just as a wagon was coming towards her. The horse whinneyed and reared up onto its hind legs, kicking the air. The man driving pulled on the reins and looked down at the girl.
Eric shouted quickly before the man had time to speak. "Please! I need to hitch a ride on your wagon!"
Before she got a response, she slapped the horse's side to get it to speed forward and jumped over the front and into the back. She landed into a pile of hay, but felt something move underneath her. She tried to get up, but coudn't, but didn't try to hard. The hay would provide a disguise.
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Post by Razgat on Jan 27, 2009 19:30:44 GMT -5
oof
Rye felt something fall on top of him, but he couldn't get up to push it off. It was hard to breathe and he struggled to try to push the thing off, but it was difficult since the wagon was shaking with speed. 'Why did Jurgen speed up?' He paused when he felt it move. 'So it's a person.'
He tried to shout through the hay, but could barely be hear. "Get off! GET OFF! GET OFF, GOD DAMNIT!"
Rye felt the person struggle to lift themself off, and he struggled to try to lift himself up. When he managed to sit up despite the pile of hay he had to make his way through and the violent shaking of the wagon, he noticed a boy staring at him. He rustled his fingers through his hair to shake the extra hay out. He looked the boy ove, but felt that there was something odd about them. "Who the hell are you?"
The boy averted his eyes and replied with a struggled voice. "I'm Eric. I really need to hitch a ride---"
She was cut off when she heard shouts behind her. Two guards appeared and were running after them. They were awfully fast and were catching up since the wagon couldn't go too fast, or else it would fall apart. Rye looked the boy over again, trying to find a reason as to why the guards would be chasing them. "Are you a criminal?"
The boy didn't answer. He was looking desperately around the wagon for something to use. He noticed the milk that had began to leak out of the crates due to the wagon's shaking. He eyed it then turned to the guards. They were getting very close. "Hault in the name of Justice! You are all under arrest for treasin against the king!"
"Justice?!" the boy's face showed exagerated confusion with a hint of sarcasm, "You call this justice?! How's this for justice?!"
Eric kicked the pile of crates full of milk bottles over the edge of the wagon and watched the crates and bottles shatter. Milk was spilt all over the street causing the guards to slip and fall onto the shards of glass and broken wood (lol justice milk). Eric smiled to himself and told Jurgen to slow down. He sat down and smiled mischeiviously, but he quickly changed his expression to an appologetic one as he noticed that the milk had belonged to Rye.
"I'm sorry about your milk."
"Don't worry about it. It was extra anyway. We were on our way back to the farm. I'm Rye by the way."
The two shook hands as the wagon exited the city and turned onto the dirt road.
(The reason that Eric is refered to as a boy here is because it is in Rye's point of view. As far as he knows, Eric is a boy.)
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Post by Razgat on Jan 27, 2009 22:07:16 GMT -5
Eric straightened her cap and made sure no hairs were sticking out. She stretched out her legs and leaned against the hay, letting out a breath of relief. Rye was staring at her, puzzled. There was something definitely wrong about her, but he couldn't figure out what. He pushed that thought aside and foccussed on a more important matter. "So, why were those guards chasing you?"
Eric's eyes opened wide, sitting up a bit. She cleared her throught and spoke in a low voice. "I....stole some bread from a cart. They were trying to catch me, but they're idiots. Although, they are getting faster."
Eric leaned back against the hay again and closed her eyes. Rye shimmied deeper into the hay until it was soft and comfertable. "Where are you headed. This wagon goes to Barric Fields. It's in the plains of Bancroft in the outskirts of Shaan. It will take a few days to get there."
Eric pondered a bit, wondering where her destination was. "I'm headed to Collier. It's surrounded by mountains, but I don't know which ones. I'm heading there to.....visit."
"Well, there are some mountains in Shaan, but they're miles away from our farm. You'd be best to stick with us."
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Post by Razgat on Jan 28, 2009 17:28:11 GMT -5
Eric settled into the hay a bit more. They would be traveling for days to get to the farm and it wasn't even close to her destination. How was she going to keep up her secret for that long? She adjusted her scarf to make sure that her locket wasn't showing and closed her eyes. She should sleep while she had the chance. She would need the energy when they got there.
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The air was as thick as dust as bits of coal powder floated through the air. The sounds of picks hitting their mark amongst the rocks could be heard throughout the town. Wheel barrels full of coal were being pushed here and there as the rest of the town bustled. A voice echoed throughout the mines as a girl sang while breaking the coal with her pick in a rythemic pattern. Her striped dress was covered in soot and her vest had been stained black. She had an apron tied around her waist, but it did no good.
A young man strolled in her direction, resting his pick on his shoulder. He whistled as he past by her, stopping just a few steps away from her. She lifted her head up from her work and leaned against her pick. The young man lifted his chin towards the mine's entrance. "Your mother's callin'. Wants you to work the kitchen."
The girl layed her pick gently against the wall of rock and ran out of the mine, brushing the coal dust off of her, but there were still many stains on her dress. She ran around many wheel barrels, nearly knocking one over, and jumped over one of the tables at the break area. She bolted into the kitchen and straitened out as her mother approached. "Good afternoon, mother! You called for me?"
Her mother was approaching her old age, but still managed to look somewhat young. Her laugh lines showed brightly across her face and the corners of her eyes crinkled. She walked quickly over to her daughter and placed a hand on her soldier. "Oh, I have wonderful news! Grab that basket of potatos and start peeling. I'll tell you as you work."
The girl sat down at the small corner table of the large kitchen filled with others who were hurrying about to prepare dinner. She grabbed the basket of potatos and pulled them towards her, grabbing a knife as well. She gently moved it accross the skin until curls of it began to fall from the clean spud. She looked up at her mother expectantly and smiled when she saw that she was nearly jumping out of her skin. She laughed at the sight. "What is it, mother?"
"Do you remember Colburn Caird, the young man who works in the main coal shafts?"
"Yes, the one with the red hair and the newsboy hat." She remebered calling him the coal fairy because he looked like a leprichan as a child. Red hair didn't come by often in Collier. Most of them had dark brown or black hair. He had grown up to be a fine young man.
"He stopped by to talk to your father today."
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Post by Razgat on Jan 28, 2009 19:44:48 GMT -5
The girl's smooth strokes became a little quickened. They sounded stressed instead of soft. "Oh?"
Her mother ignored her change in motion and continued just as excitedly as she had done before. "They spoke privately, but I have my sources." Her mother showed a maschevious smile and held up her index finger as if she was making a point.
"Listening through the door with a water glass again?" The girl glanced up at her mother as she smiled. Her daughter knew her too well to be fooled by her.
"Oh, it doesn't matter how I got it. Anyways, I heard Colburn talking to your father about something veeeery important, and your father seemed very pleased. He even called for some gin for a toast. He wishes to speak with you after his shift. I thought that you should help me in the kitchen until he arrives. He should be back very soon!"
Her mother turned and hurried about her work. Dinner was almost always served to the whole town. It was a small town, so it usually wasn't too much of a trouble, but there was still a lot of work to do. The older women, who had grown too feeble to work in the mines, and young girls, who were too young, were usually the ones to work in the kitchen. Ocasionally, an older girl would help out, but she usually worked in the mine. All of them were very strong and capable of work.
The girl's knife strokes became hussled and unprecise. The once smooth curls became uneven chunks. The spuds were no longer perfect in shape. They had become rough and choppy. The girl's fingers trembled, and she dropped the knife several times. She waited anxiously for her father to return.
The work bell let out its eerie tone signalling that the work shift was over. Her father would be home soon to discus her summoning. She did not like where this was going.
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Post by Razgat on Jan 28, 2009 20:48:35 GMT -5
A tall man walked through the kitchen to greet her mother. He had chopped brown hair that had grey on the sides and a short beard. He had deep wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, giving him a kind look. He was wearing a button up shirt with trousers that were covered with black powder from the mines. His boots left a trail on the kitchen floor. The girl scowled at the black marks in the wood, knowing she would be assigned to clean it up.
After embracing her mother, the old man turned to his daughter. "Ah, ----- (sorry, you can't see her name), how was your day?"
"Fine, father." She fiddled with the peelings that covered the table, tracing the curls of skin and eyes. "You summoned me?"
"Yes, I have something important to tell you. Come, let's go home first. We will discuss this matter there."
The girl stood up to follow her mother and father out the door and in the direction of their home. It wasn't far, only a few houses down. Most of the houses surrounded the mines. They all walked together to the small stone cottage that had a red ribbon hanging on the door. It meant that a daughter of the household was elegible for marriage.
They stepped inside and sat at the small, comfertible table in their kitchen. The mother poured some rum into a cup and gave it to the father. One cup sat on the counter, not given to anyone. The girl eyed it, wondering who it could be for. "Who is that for?"
The father took a sip from his cup. "That will be known later. Let us discuss the matters of which I summoned you from the mines today. You are aware of the young man Colburn Caird, am I correct?"
"Yes, father." The girl fiddled with her hands nervously, wondering why he was the subject.
"He stopped by today to talk to me. Now, as you know, the Caird family does very well in the mines. They work hard and are one of the strongest families, other than us ofcourse."
The father chuckled to himself. Their family was the head of the town. They were espected to be the strongest out of the whole town. They were supposed to have a son, but could only bare daughters. The mother was unable to have any more children, so they trained their daughter to be one of the best miners in the whole town.
"Their son, Colburn, has grown up to be quite a man at age nineteen. His red hair makes him a rare stone. He is also very intelligent, I am told, and can break nearly twenty blocks of coal in under two hours. He is a strong one." The father took another sip of his rum and cleared his throat. "Anyways, he came to visit me today. He seemed very anxious and spoke in quick tones. It took me a while to get what he was trying to say, but when he did......he had something very interesting to say. He mentioned you and your work in the mind. He thinks you are just as strong as some of the older men he works with, and twice as beautiful......"
The girl gripped her skirt tightly, predicting the outcome of the conversation.
"He has asked me........for your hand in marriage......and I.....have agreed to his request."
The girl's eyes shot open wide as her mouth dropped to the floor. She tripped over her words and gripped her apron tightly. Finally, placing a hand over her beating heart, she fell backwards off of the stool she had been sitting on and feinted.
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Post by Razgat on Jan 29, 2009 18:24:54 GMT -5
The girl fluttered her eyes open. She tried to get a sense of what had happened, but everything was blurry and dark. She tried to sit up, but realized she was in a position where that was impossible. Someone was holding her. She looked up to try and see who it was, but felt a sharp pain in her head. She held up her hand to her head, feeling the area where the pain occured. She thought she heard a chuckle as she did this.
She looked up again, struggling to adjust her eyes, and saw a blur of bright orange. She squinted and saw that it was actually red hair. She shook her head to shake out the blurs and looked up at the young man holding her. She saw him smile down at her and place his hand on her cheek. It felt soft and warm.
"You seem a little cold. You suffered a nasty fall from that stool."
It was Colburn Caird. His wild red hair hung down in front of his face, but his crystal blue eyes could be seen through it. His button down shirt and trousers were stained with coal powder, like everyone else. The girl looked around her and realized that they were outside, sitting on a bench. She tried to get up, feeling uncomfertible with the fact that he was holding her, but he held her tighter to him. She looked at him nervously. "Um, I think I should go home. I have a bit of a headache."
"They told you?"
"Wha--?"
"About the proposal?" He spoke quickly to cut her off. His eyes stared off in a distance, trying not to meet her gaze.
"Oh, yes. They told me." It took her a minute to remeber why she had feinted. She wished she could go home, but he wouldn't let her. It was making her feel anxious.
"Well? Do you accept?" He looked into her eyes now, looking for an answer.
"Colburn," she tried to speak politely, but her voice sounded strained. "To tell you the truth....I don't really have a choice, but if I had......" This conversation had become to unbearable. She hardly knew him. How could she possibly be expected to marry him?
"I know. I'm sorry. I know you don't feel the same way, but I feel......well....I can't really explain it. Perhaps this will explain."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden, heart-shaped locked. On it, engraved in beautiful coligraphy, were the words 'To My Dearest -----'. He placed it around her neck and smiled. She lookde down at the necklace more closely. She couldn't help but smile. She looked up at Colburn and wondered about their engagement. She had known him well as a child, but they hadn't spoken as often afterwards. She knew he was a kind person and that she would war up to him, but why couldn't he have waited to make sure...
Her train of thought was interupted as the sound of many horses and wagons could be heard not far off. Mighty clydesdales pulled the wagons as stalions carried the soldiers leading the way. They marched through with great authority and pulled to a hult in the center of town, just in front of the girl and Colburn.
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Post by Razgat on Jan 29, 2009 22:23:44 GMT -5
A soldier covered in shining armor and a white tunic looked down upon the two. His face was hidden in a cloak he wore over his armor. The top of it covered his mouth and nose. He rode a magnificent stalion adorned with armor and cloth that held had a pattern of the royal crest. He stared down at the two speechless teenagers infront of him.
"You two, go summon the rest of your town."
He spoke with authority and glared at the two when they just stared up at him. They didn't have to summon anyone because they had already started to gather. Colburn held the girl tighter to him in a protective manor. The soldier scoffed and looked over the others who had gathered around them.
He called to a squire who rode up on a less agnificent horse. He handed the soldier a parchment of paper with the king's seal. The rest of the men held their positions behind the soldier with the wagons haulted behind them. The soldier unrolled the parchment and cleared his throat.
"People of Collier!" He spoke with a loud, proud voice that boomed over the audience of concerned townsfolk. "The Good King Delroy XVI of Shaan has sent us here today on a mission. This town has been prosperous with heavy supplies of coal used for fuel and even a few gems once in a blue moon. You have no population problems and hold up well against attack and famine." The audience began to relax. A few breaths of relief could be heard throughout the croud, but Colburn only gripped her tighter. "Therefore, the King has sent us to take control of Collier. The mines now belong to His Highness and the town will be kept under close survey. You no longer work for yourselves, you work for the King. A tax will also be placed on all citizens and no festivities such as marriages or festivals may be held until the tax is payed and the king has all he has asked for. The royal guards will be living amongst you and will make sure that your duty to the King is being carried out. I hope that our stay here will be of good service. Long live the Good King Delroy XVI!"
The once quiet croud began to shout and cause an uproar. They had become agitated and felt betrayed and taken advantage of by the king. They tried to push towards the guards, but they drew their swords and held them threateningly. The croud soon calmed itself, but cowered like a mouse trapped in a corner by the mercilous alley cat.
Colburn remained on the bench holding the girl. He never once spoke out or showed any change in emotion. His grip had grown tighter and he held her closer than ever. The girl stared horrified at the army the king had sent. She looked up at Colburn, expecting him to let her go, but he merely glared up at the soldier on the stalion. She caught the firey glimpse in his eyes as he looked at the man like a snake about to strike.
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Post by Razgat on Jan 30, 2009 16:47:25 GMT -5
The rythemic movement of the wagon suddenly stopped with a jolt. Eric shot up into an upright position. Her cap pulling forward over her eyes. She quickly adjusted it and looked around. They seemed to be in a small town with a few people wondering around the market on its streets. Rye had jumped over the side of the wagon and onto his feet. Jurgen tied the horse to a post outside of the town that seemed to be where horses were kept while their owners away.
Rye looked up at Eric as she jumped over the side as well. "We're stopping in Villette to rest for the knight. Do you have any money on you?"
Eric just shook her head. She had had no time to earn any money before she left. She had to act quickly. Rye frowned at her, but shrugged it off. "We only agreed to give you a ride. We don't have enough to pay for you. If you want to go on ahead, then do so. If not, then I guess you'll have to sleep in the wagon."
Rye and Jurgen turned to look for an inn. Jurgen turned with an apologetic expression on his face, but turned around to catch up to Rye, who hadn't given the situation a second thought. They walked along the pebbled street to the inn that waited ahead.
Eric stood there, wondering what to do. She could go on alone, but she did not know the way, and she did not have any means of protection if a guard happened to recognize her. She couldn't outrun a horse. She decided to stay with them and she turned around to hop back into the wagon. Just as she had stuck a leg up on the ledge to hoist herself up, she noticed a poster on wall near by. She walked over to look at it more closely.
NOTICE
A prisoner has escaped from the jail in Birthol, Shaan. They were arrested with charges of high treason against the king, murder, and theft. They are highly dangerous and may attack. The prisoner is a young female with sheared black hair. They may also be disguised as a man.
If you find this prisoner, please contact the Royal Guard.
Long live the Good King Delroy XVI!
Eric gawked at the poster. 'How could word have traveled that fast? Could they have sent guards out to spread the word? They would surely be faster than the wagon.'
Eric's eyes traced over the few words of the notice. 'Theft? When did I ever steal any--' She looked down at the clothing that she was wearing. 'Oh...murder, eh? Guess that's what got me into this mess.'
She looked around to see the townsfolk loitering about a few yards away in the market, but none of them were paying any attention to her. She quickly ripped off the notice from the wall as a loud riiiip could be heard. She quickly crumpled it and tossed it aside, walking back to the wagon to hoist herself up into the back. She fluffed up the hay a bit, then she layed herself down in it. She shimmied to cover herself in the warm blanket of straw and watched the moon rise until she finally drifted to sleep.
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Post by Razgat on Feb 5, 2009 21:27:24 GMT -5
Rye got up in the middle of the night when he had heard some strange noises. It sounded like women singing. He had only heard it for a few seconds when he finally decided to investigate. It was too eerie to ignore it and go to sleep.
He looked around the room he was sharing with Jurgen. The room was pitch black and barely anything could be seen. The bed's white sheets looked ghostly in the night. He rubbed his eyes and blinked to try and adjust his eyes. When he regained sight, he checked the room. Jurgen was sleeping in the cot in the corner, snoring quietly. The cuboards were untouched and the door unopened. He sat up, listening for any sound, but only heard Jurgen. He slumped back into the bed and closed his eyes.
Moments later, he heard the singing again. He jerked up and glanced around. The singing began again, but this time a gust of wind flew into his face. He looked towards the window and saw the cotten sheets flowing in the breeze, but it hadn't been windy at all that day. A suttle glow shone through the window. He got out of bed and walked silently to the window, peering out. There was a definite glow coming from somewhere in the small town.
Rye put on some trousers and let his shirt hand loosely over his body. He hoisted one leg over the window's ledge and looked back at Jurgen. He was sleeping soundly, still snoring. Rye smiled then hiosted the rest of him through the window and onto the small bit of roof outside of his window. He jumped down from the ledge and landed clumsily on his feet, falling over and catching himself with his hands.
He looked up when he heard the quiet singing again. The glow was coming from an alley way. He got up and ran towards it, rounding the corner. The town was deserted at this hour, not even the streetlights were lit. He ran down the alley way and kept rounding corners. The alley turned out to be a long narrow path through the side buildings. The glow was getting brighter and brighter as the singing got louder and louder. He finally made it to the end where a lone door was standing. There was no building, just the end of an alley squeezed inbetween to buildings. His shoulders nearly touched the sides.
The door was old and rusting. Moss and ivy had began to infect in causing some small blue flowers to bloom. The handal was rough and bits of it had fallen off, but Rye could see that it had once been ornate. The light blue glow was eminating from behind the door, and the muffled singing sounded louder when he approached it. He studied it shortly, then shrugged his shoulders and reached for the door. It stuck at first, but creaked open after the handle was jiggled a bit. He looked at his hand that had grabbed the handle and wiped it on his pants after seeing the bits of rust and age rub off onto him.
Beyond the door was a small cring of ornate stones with gems embedded into them. A patch of soft, milky blue grass with white fuzzy flowers surrounded a well. The oss and ivy wrapped around the walls and well with the same blue flowers blooming everywhere. The singing was now crystal clear and the light blue glow was bursting out of the well. A light fog also snaked its way out of the well. Rye was frozen in his place as he stood in awe of the secret doorway he had found. He was only able to move after being distracted by the singing. It was so sweet and smooth like honey.
He moved slowly to the well, slightly peering into it. At first, he only saw water as clear as crystal, but when he stuck his head fully over the edge, little blue orbs that glowed with the same light that he had been following floated out of the well and circled around him. He glanced at them, but ignored them. There was still something else in the well. He peered slowly over the edge into the crystal clear water that still had many little orbs floating about. As he did, singing echoed from the well. Rye could see that at the bottom there was a pile of silk and veils that floated about. The glow seemed to be coming from the inside. Rye placed his hands on the edge to pick himself up to lean farther over the edge. As he did, a pebble fell from the edge and sent a parade of rippled to spread on the water's surface. The piles of cloth moved as a whole, stirring at the bottom.
A long, pale, thin arm stretched out from the form. It reached for one of the veils at the top, pulling it over. It revealed a young woman dressed in many different pure white silks and veils. Her long silvery hair flowed to and fro in the water. A light blue light eluminated through her chest where her heart should be. Rye had to rub his eyes to make sure it was real. The young woman began to sing again as little orbs came from her ice cold, blue lips. Rye leaned closer as the sweet melodies flowed up and out of the well.
He was speechless at first, but wanted to say something. He wanted to ask 'Who are you? Where are we? Why are you in that well?' and many more, but he coudn't speak. When he finally got the courage to try and speak, the young woman's voice turned into a loud shreek as she looked up at him with a face of evil. Her pale white skin was almost see through and had a blue tint to it. Rye could see now that her body was deathly thin and her bones could easily be seen. Her silk garbs were tattered and had hole in them. But her eyes, they were what frightened Rye the most. They were stone cold black. He could see a hint of his reflection in them as he stared at them.
She looked up at him, her evil look turning sweet and tender. She smiled up at him and opened her smooth lips to speak. "Oh, hello, Rye. It's nice to see that you've found me. I was so lonely."
Rye stuttered as he tried to speak, but her gaze was still frightening. "H-How do you know my name?"
She laughed to herself, looking down to cover her mouth with her hand before she abruptly stooped and snapped her head back up, her neck making an earsplitting cracking sound as she did. "I know all about you, Rye. You are the son of a prosperous farmer. You have a loving family, a lovely home, and even a lovely girl who works at the farm. Anything you could have wanted in your life you have, but it isn't enough for you, is it? Oh, tsk tsk."
She let out a shrill laughter as she snapped her head back. Rye tried not to listen to her, but he couldn't move. He was frozen in place, astonished that she knew so much, but she wasn't finished. "You hate that farm, don't you. Hate it with a burning passion. You want nothing to do with it. Over these past years, you have grown bitter and spitefull from working there. You were once sooooo happy on that farm. Your brother, Amal was it? Yes, he would take you out to the feilds to see the cows and horses every weekend, wouldn't he. He would place you on a horse and ride with y--"
"Shut up!" Rye cut her off. He didn't want to talk about his brother anymore. That had been a long time ago.
"Oh! Did I prick a nerve in that cold heart of your's? Silly me. I was only trying to talk about your brother. He was so hansome and brave and curtious to others. Everyone looked up to him. Everyone thought he was just so--"
"SHUT UP!" Rye gripped the sides of the well's edge as he faught to hold back tears.
"Feisty, are we? I almost forgot about how you get when your brother is mentioned. You loved him so much, didn't you? But he just had to leave to join the army. He just had to go to the battle. *sigh* But he came back, didn't he? You saw some soldiers riding up to the farm with a wagon behind them, and you thought one of them might have been Amal, so sat at your window and wouldn't take your eyes off of them. But you saw something. You saw that none of the riders were your brother. You ran down there and saw your parents standing at the door. Your mother was crying, wasn't she? You pushed past all of them to the wagon, and do you know what you found? It was Amal, cold as dea--"
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Rye was losing the battle with his feelings. He couldn't keep the tears back for much longer, but he had to stop her from talking. Her words were weakening him like a knight's sword.
"You hate him now, don't you? You couldn't forgive him for what he did. You couldn't forgive him for leaving you alone as the last heir. You used to love the farm. And now you hate it with a passion. You want nothing but to run away."
"HOW!? How do you know these things!?" Rye leaned way over the edge so that his gaze met with her's. She was still sitting there as calm as could be with a malicious look on her face.
"I know everything, Rye. I know everything there is to know about you. I am Lilith."
After speaking this, the crystal clear water turned into an inky black, concealing the young woman in its depths. Rye peered over it but jumped back after the water began to bubble and boil. The hot liquid steamed as the figure slowly emerged from the well, floating up from the middle. She stood perfectly still and had her head down. Rye backed away from the well, trying to turn and run, but he fell backwards. He looked up at Lilith as the black liquid oozed down her body. "W-what do you want from me!?"
Lilith slowly brought up her arm and pointed at Rye. The light blue glow from her heart turned into a blood red. Her bony finger looked sinical when it was covered in black ooz. "I simply want your company, Rye. I get sooo lonely down there by myself. Come with me!"
The black liquid bowled as the once bright blue orbs glowed as red as her heart as they came out of the liquid and towards Rye. He stood up and tried to run to the door, but it slammed shut on his face to prevent hi from escaping. He turned around just as long ropes of ooz came out of the well and bursted towards him. He kicked at it as they charged him, but they wrapped around his ankle and swung him upside down. They lifted him over to the well where Lilith was floating. His face was leveled with hers as the ropes held him inches away from her. "You cannot escape your fate, Rye. The light needs a soul to cast its shadow upon."
She jerked up her head so that her face was just a centemeter from his. She gave a wide, evil smile to show rows of jagged sharp teeth that were as black as her eyes. She looked straight into his eyes and whispered. "You must give your soul to the light." A shreek was heard as she lunged her fangs at his face.
Rye jerked awake. He looked quickly around and checked to make sure that this wasn't a trap. He sighed with relief and looked at the window as light shone through. It was closed. He got up to wake Jurgen but tried to open the window first. He tried hard, but it wouldn't budge. It was locked tight. 'So it was just a dream.'
He shivered as the image of the young woman came into his head. He cast the thought away and shook Jurgen's shoulder. "Get up, Jurgen. We still have a long way to go."
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Post by Razgat on Feb 10, 2009 17:26:34 GMT -5
Eric stirred in her sleep as she felt a rythemic movement that wasn't there before. The heat of the morning sun seemed to shift as they moved through cool spots. They corrisponded with the shade that occasionally passed over her eyes, so Eric thought they must have been passing under trees. The morning birds were singing their sweet melody as she heard their feathers ruffle about and their occasional twitters. They made Eric relax as she inhaled the delicate aroma of lilies and honeysuckles. She thought she couldn't be in a better place, but that thought only lasted a moment. She remebered her current position and that she could not rest until she made it to Collier.
Eric noticed that the rythemic movement felt different compared to a wagon. It felt smooth and even, not old and rickety. She did not even hear the wheels moving along the dirt trail. She stirred a bit more, anxious now. The soft, prickley straw could be felt no more. She tried to shift her position, but found that she couldn't. Something was around her shoulders and part of her legs. It was restraining her from movement.
Eric fluttered her eyes open, but gasped when she saw nothing but darkness. It's cool blanket wrapped around her eyes to sheild her vision from the man who had blindfolded her and was carrying her away. "Who are you? What's going on? Let me go!"
She got no response. She only felt a rag being forced into her face. It smelled awful, like the alleys of Birthold after a storm. Eric tried to pull her head away, but the man had pinned her against him. The smell seemed to grow faint as she struggled more, and soon she stopped fighting it. The scent overtook her as her head drifted backwards and she passed out.
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Post by Razgat on Feb 11, 2009 20:10:12 GMT -5
Rye and Jurgen thanked the inn keeper for the night's stay at the counter and tossed her a shilling as a tip when they headed out. The market that morning was filled with its normal amounts of people going about their daily chores. Young children were running around the crouds and giggling as one of them tripped every so often, causing the market people to either smile or grunt at their annoyance. Rye was one of those people who got a little peeved, but he only tried to steer clear of them.
Jurgen bought two apples for them to eat for breakfast as they made their way to the wagon. Jurgen tossed a granny smith to Rye who caught it on the tip of his finger and let it roll down his arm towards his shoulder. He jerked his arm and tossed the apple behind his back and caught it in his other hand. Some of the kids who had been nearby stopped to watch him as he played with his food. He finally bent his head down to take a bite out of the sweet, soft fruit.
He felt a hard pressure on his back as he was pushed forward, causing the bits of apple he had bitten to go down his throat harshly. He banged on his chest to try and even his coughs as he wiped the sticky juices off of his lips. He turned around to see a tall man in a gray cloak walking away with a heavy load in his arms. Rye stood up and shook his fist in the air and shouted between coughs. "Hey! *cough* Watch where you're going! *cough* Can't you see I'm walking here?"
Rye turned back to the street as he took another bite and walked to the wagon. It was still tied to the post they had left it at the night before. Rye wondered if Eric had woken up yet and hopped into the back. There was a large pile of hay that had been formed together, and Rye figured that he must be sleeping inside of it. "Hey, Eric! Wake up, will ya?"
There was no response. Rye jumped onto the hay, planning to startle him, but fell forwards into the empty heap. He sat up and spit some strands of hay out of his mouth. 'He's not here? Didn't he say he would stay? Maybe he changed his mind and took off.'
Rye signaled Jurgen to go ahead and go and looked at the market as he waited. He watched the children scurry between the people's legs as they passed by. They giggled and screamed and ran in circles. The people seemed just as cheerful, smiling to their neighbors and stopping to chat. They all seemed so happy and lively. Maybe this was why the man in the gray cloak seemed to stick out so much. Rye watched him as he turned a corner, eyeing what he had been carrying.
"Jurgen! Wait!" Rye signaled for him to stop just as he had started to move on. He jumped off of the wagon and sprinted through the croud after the man in the cloak.
He had been sure that that man had been carrying a boy. He looked exactly like Eric.
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Post by Razgat on Apr 27, 2009 20:16:08 GMT -5
Rye sprinted through the small croud of people on their daily routines in the market of Villette trying to catch up to the man in the grey cloak, who looked like he was kidnapping Eric. People were shoved out of the way as he tried to keep him in sight, but he was getting closer to the alley he turned down. Rye had just reached the alley and saw his cloak as he turned a corner, but he tripped over a small child that had been playing in the streets.
The small boy fell backwards as Rye toppled over. Rye looked up, ignoring the child, and tried to see the cloaked man, but he was gone. He cursed loudly, and the small boy began to cry. Rye quickly stood up, jerked the boy to his feet, and sprinted down the alleyway. It snaked through the buildings having only one path. It resembled the alley in his dream.
He ran as fast as he could, but he saw no sight of the cloaked man. He figured the alley would have to end eventually, and he would have him then, but when he rounded the last corner all he saw was a door. It was covered with ivy and moss and was blooming with blue flowers all over it. He must be in there.
Rye reached for the handle, feeling some of it dissolve as he touched it. The door stuck, but once it was rattled it willingly opened. Inside was a small circle of milky blue grass surrounded by ornate stone walls covered in ivy, moss, and blue flowers. In the middle was a well covered with the same foilage. Their was no sign of the man, but Rye had lost all memory of that. He was too distracted by the figure standing infront of him covered in tattered silks and veils just like Lilith.
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Post by Razgat on Apr 28, 2009 21:11:49 GMT -5
Rye stood frozen in the doorway. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The well from his dream with Lillith standing in front of it, facing the well. She seemed to be moving or holding something over the well as she hummed to herself. Rye shook his head, reminding himself that he came here to find Eric, and that this wasn't a dream. His dumbstruck expression quickly turned cold and hard as he marched forward towards Lillith.
He stopped just behind her and stood his ground. "Where's Eric?"
Lillith didn't even glance at him. She continued humming to herself, and Rye could now see that she held a long, purple branch. She was poking something with it in the well. Rye stepped next to her to look at her face, but her long, silvery hair was covering it, and veils hung over her hair. He turned his attention to the inside of the well, but the water level seemed lower than last time. He couldn't see anything from where he was standing, but he could see the top of whatever was floating in the well. Lillith gently poked at it, turning it in the water as Rye leaned over to see what it was.
At first he saw a mass of white linen and brown fabric along with a floating cap, but as Lillith turned it he saw that it was a body. It was someone in a cotton shirt, trousers, and a white cap face down in the water. Lillith poked the body until it turned over, and Rye saw the deathly pale face with a terrified expression. It's eyes were opened wide, but there was no emotion in them. They were dead. "Who is that?"
Lillith giggled and continued poking the body. "You don't recognize them? Take a closer look."
As she said this, she placed a hand on his back and leaned forward with him over the well. Her silvery hair fell from her shoulders and into the water, soaking the ends as she lifted her bony fingers towards the body to touch its face. "Poor thing. Didn't even see it coming. If only they hadn't been left behind in the cart."
Rye gasped as recognition came across his mind. The body floating in the well was Eric's, but there was something off about it. The white linens clung to his skin outlining the shape of the body. It was delicate and curvacious, not what Rye espected. "Eric is a.............girl?"
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Post by Razgat on May 5, 2009 20:20:02 GMT -5
Rye found himself back at the entrance to the small opening around the well. Lillith was no longer in front of the well poking Eric's floating body. The surounding was plain with moss and weeds, and there were no bright blue flowers. No one was around at all. How did I get here? I was just in front of the well with.....This is impossible. They just came in here. How can it be empty?
The man in the gray cloak and Eric were nowhere to be seen. When Rye went to see if anything was in the well, like in his dream, he saw that it was completely dried up and empty. Rye spun around and glanced at all the corners of the opening. "Eric?"
There was no answer. Nothing moved at all. Rye sighed and leaned against the wall covered in vines and moss. He almost sank into its moist foilage. I know what I saw. That has to have been Eric, but why am I even bothering? I barely know him. I just gave him a ride.
Rye closed his eyes and let his head fall back onto the vines behind him. He already knew the answer to his question. He had tried to save Eric because he reminded him of his brother. He felt like he was losing him all over again. He wouldn't feel right if he would have let that man get away, but he escaped anyway. Rye felt like a total failure, but there was nothing more he could do except tell some guards about what happened and leave with Jurgen.
Just as he started to give up something landed with a thud next to him. Rye looked down and saw Eric face down on the ground next to him, unconsious. "Wha---"
Something put a hand over his mouth, and he felt a sharp pain on his neck. The vines and moss behind him began to move, and as Rye peeked behind him he saw the cloaked man emerge from the foilage. Rye tried to scream and break free, but the pain in his neck increase as a fine line across his throat, and he could feel something warm trickling from it. Rye felt something tickle his cheek, and he saw the wool hood of the man scratch against it as he leaned close to him to whisper, "Shut up, or I'll slit your throat. The child is mine. If you try anything I will personally gouge your eyes out and squeeze the juice out of them. Maybe I'll even make you drink them."
Rye swallowed hard and tried to remain calm. His breath was heavy, but he remained stern and composed. The cloaked man put a blind fold over Rye's eyes and punched him in the stomach before tossing him aside. Rye collapsed and began coughing harshly, grasping his throat. It felt wet and warm, and when Rye licked it, it tasted like blood. Rye tried to reach for the blindfold, but he felt something hit his back, and he collapsed again.
Rye remained face down on the ground wincing from the pain in his stomach and back. Blood was still dripping from his throat, and he was begining to cough up blood, too. But he didn't try to get up. He would wait until he heard the man leave. He heard the cloaked man pick up Eric and a door slam moments later.
Rye tore off the blindfold and struggled to lift himself from the ground. He looked down at himself and saw his cotton shirt dripping with blood down the front from his throat. He was bent over slightly from the blows, but he could still manage to move. He headed towards the door and staggered through the narrow allyway after the man. He wouldn't let him escape, but he wouldn't try to do anything in the allyway when he was alone. That would be suicide.
He walked as fast as he could until he reached the market. He saw the cloaked man stil carrying Eric across from him past the croud, and Rye burst out into a staggering sprint from the entrance to the ally. Many of the people in the market screamed or became appalled when they saw the blood on Rye's shirt, but the cloaked man didn't do more than glance back at him. He didn't even consider him a threat after seeing how disoriented Rye was.
He thinks he can just walk away with someone just like that? And beat me one while he's at it? I'll show him not to mess with a Barric!
Rye dove from the croud and landed on the man's back. He locked his arms around his throat and squeezed tightly until he heard the man gasp for air. He dropped Eric out of surprise, and Rye watched the young boy roll across the ground. His cap tilted slightly and showed a mass of choppy, black hair.
The man grasped Rye's arms and flipped him over his head and off of his back. Rye slammed onto the ground and winced when he felt the pain in his back again, but he ignored it and swung his legs up to kick the man in the face.
His hood flew off as he staggered back, but he kept his head low. All Rye saw was wild red hair as the man rested his hands on his knees to catch his breath. He began to chuckle after a moment and slowly raised his head to look at Rye. "Do you think you can beat me, boy? I'm one of the strongest miners in my town. I can break twenty blocks in under two hours. I can easliy break every bone in your body, but if you really want to...."
The man grinned as he cracked his knuckles and balled his hands into fists. His crystal blue eyes were on fire with irritation. "Bring it on."
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