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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 2:54:52 GMT -5
"The Master lets everyone fuck her, doesn't even charge for it, didn't think he'd care if I tried it on," Markus muttered.
Emeric laid the girl on the ground and lashed out, catching the bigger man across the face. "Mind your tongue. You're not giving me any reasons to let you live."
Markus glared. "You won't kill me, you need all the help you can get."
Emeric slammed him in the gut with the hilt of the sword hard enough to bring him to his knees and whipped the sword around, resting the point beneath his chin. The two men stared at each other and fear slowly crept into Markus's eyes. "At this point you're more of a liability than an asset," Emeric murmured. Markus gulped.
The girl stirred, not enough to alert Emeric. For an instant her eyes, dark as night, flickered open and she shifted, as if she were going to try and take off again.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 3:22:36 GMT -5
He looked away from Markus. It was true, Markus had compromised the mission. Emeric had hid the girl away in a cage with wards and runes to keep her in, and the curious out. He wasn't certain how Markus had managed to displace the spells, but it was done. Markus was a fool, he deserved to be left behind. His eyes shifted once again to the girl, and frowned. Had he seen movement? He started to pace towards the girl, getting a head start, in case she bolted again.
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 3:30:15 GMT -5
"I think we have an understanding," Emeric's voice was quiet. Markus shakily climbed to his feet. He was right about one thing, they had need for all the muscle they could get, so he would be spared...for now.
Emeric turned his gaze down and spoke quietly," Rauni." There was note of warning in his voice.
The girl stirred and lifted her head, glaring up at him then Vladik with hatred burning in her eyes. Emeric was unmoved. "Get up and behave yourself."
She looked down and suddenly whipped a hand out in Vladik's direction, claws unsheathed, trying to slash his leg. Emeric snarled something and she curled up before she touched him, letting out a low wail of pain. Emeric crossed his arms. "Get up, Rauni."
She was still for a moment and slowly pushed herself up onto her feet. Emeric placed a firm hand on her shoulder and guided them back to the wagon.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 3:39:26 GMT -5
She hated him. Well, he was used to hate. There were many who hated him. Which is why he had learned to watch his own back, and sleep with one eye open. Dodging the blow was simple for him. He let out a small chuckled. The bitch had claws... literally.
Vladik cleared his throat and followed the pair, passing by Markus without a glance.
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 3:47:35 GMT -5
Emeric casually pulled the loose blouse she was wearing...she had only that and a pair of tattered trousers and yet she didn't appear to be cold...down a bit at the back. There was a line of runes scarred into her flesh and he tapped one lightly. She flinched, letting out a soft hiss, and he nodded once.
She moved forward because those marks carved into her flesh compelled her too. Rauni had sunk into a mire of abject misery. Granted she'd expected they might recapture her but she'd thought she might be able to get away far enough to find some one to cut the runes out of her flesh. She'd almost done it once. She hadn't taken the ranger into account because she hadn't had a chance to observe him.
She flinched when she saw the wagon and keened softly.
Markus snarled from behind Vladik. "Christ, I hate those sounds she makes, she's like a godsdamned animal."
"Shut up. Be glad that's all she makes," Emeric said coldly, shoving her firmly into the wagon and closing the door before moving to redo all the spells to keep her in and stop her from warping the wood on the wagon. "Before the Master cut her tongue out she was able to do much worse than make trees attack us."
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 4:02:43 GMT -5
He hadn't seen anything like it, runes actually etched... no carved, into her skin. She was truly a slave. Not simply caught and jailed, but forced to do the bidding of others against the will of her own. His eyes softened a little, feeling pity for the girl. Not disgust, but pity.
Vladik's anger returned with the petulant prattle coming from Markus. He could feel the hairs on his neck stand up in reaction to the sudden rage. He hadn't wanted to kill a man more in his life than he did with this fool.
So that explained the slave girl's silence and muted noises. Her tongue had been cut out as well. So she was magic and not simply some form of shifter. What had she been before all this? What crimes had she commited to condemn her so? Was she meant to be killed when she was delivered?
He let out a long sigh. Things were becoming complicated. He hated complications. This mess had held up their trek long enough, and on top of it the bridge was out and Vladik would be forced to lead them through an alternate route... a worse route.
"Let's move on before it gets too dark." He returned to the spot where the map had been dropped, brushing it clear of snow, and folding it up. He handed it to Emeric when they were ready to leave at last.
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 4:09:18 GMT -5
Emeric took the map and fell into step beside him as they moved on, everyone taking up position around the wagon again. "I apologize for that. Apparently our little wood wife there managed to erode the spells on the door enough she was able to lure Markus in. The fool."
Inside the wagon, Rauni crawled into the corner of the wagon, nearest to the horses, and curled up into a ball. She couldn't sing anymore but she hummed some of the old songs, trying to comfort herself.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 4:18:49 GMT -5
He mused over asking Emeric what would happen to the "wood wife," but he didn't feel it appropriate. Perhaps the subject would come up on it's own. Who was he to ask?
"I am just pleased I was able to retrieve her for you."
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 4:21:55 GMT -5
"I'm amazed you were able to. If she'd been in woods populated by more fey, you probably wouldn't have for all your skill. In the wilderness she's almost impossible to get to, that's one of the reasons I needed you in particular. You'll get us through quickly. Once she's in the city again she doesn't have much power."
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 4:26:33 GMT -5
He nodded, smiling a little.
The curiousity was nagging at him, and after some silence he broached the subject. "She is fey?"
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 4:38:45 GMT -5
"I believe they're called Leshyi in the place the Master brought her from, but yes, she's fey. The Master calls her a dryad or a wood wife." He was quiet for a moment. "I know the runes and the removal of her tongue seem cruel but it's necessary, that much I can tell you. Listen." In the quiet, underneath the creaking of the wagon, they could hear a soft musical hum that caressed the ears and seemed to twine around them. "When the Master first captured her, she would sing, not hum, and the forest itself would attack, trees lashing branches out, roots breaking through the ground of the path. She's a vicious little creature." He held out his arm, showing healed scars where she'd obviously opened his arm up with her claws.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 4:48:30 GMT -5
"Why was she captured?" He winced a little. "Put me in my place if I'm asking far too much."
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 4:52:05 GMT -5
"By no means. If anything, I owe it to you for not telling you what trouble she can cause before the journey started. The Master, you see, is a collector of many exotic things, his mistresses...harem really...included. I wasn't there at the time but he got her overseas where he was helping build the palace of an old acquaintance. They were taking wood from what she considered 'her' forest, and kept attacking the workers when they went in. When they finally captured her, he had her subdued and taken back with him rather than killing her off."
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 5:04:50 GMT -5
He pursed his lips a little and tilted his head to the side. Fair enough.
"And she proved too much to handle..." he nodded, understanding at last. He frowned a little. "Which explains the runes. For what reason does your master suffer her then?"
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 5:07:49 GMT -5
"Because he's a collector." Emeric shrugged. "And she belongs to him. He has many dangerous things in his collection. Hell, when we get there he'll probably show it to you, he loves showing it off."
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