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Lady Raven Jggidorrry Anima Spuds The Philosopher |
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| Honour Among Thieves; It's like the Count of Monte Cristo...with a memory wipe. | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 30 2013, 12:37 AM (649 Views) | |
| Captain_Riposte | Sep 30 2013, 12:37 AM Post #1 |
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When the woman opened her eyes, her body filled with pain. She was lying in the ground. With a whimper she sat up and examined herself. She was dressed in a riding dress, stained with blood; the scarlet fluid trickled down her long, slender fingers. She had no horse, no money, no weapons. She was alone. Buzzards circled overhead. Though her head swam--perhaps from loss of blood--she knew she had to move. She held her head as she placed one faltering foot in front of the other down the forest path. As she stumbled forward she tried remembering what had happend. She didn't know. She did not even remember her name. She nearly collapsed, and there she would have died. But the sight of a town ahead renewed her with enough hope to press on for a little bit longer. It was a timber-town projecting over a lake, fenced in by palisades. She cried to the watchman for help. Soldiers sat her down in the guardhouse, bandaged her wounds, and gave her a drink. But the soldiers' faces were grim, some gloating, and their hands were not gentle. The doctor came with a stretcher. The woman lay still on the stretcher under Doctor's orders. But even as she was borne out onto the streets, soldiers flanked her bed. The doctor tucked her into a secluded corner of his hospital. The patient remained under guard. That was months ago. Four, to be exact. The woman sat chained in a musty cell, staring blankly out her grated window, alone with her thoughts. The wounds she had suffered, her indoor confinement, and the "prisoner's cough" had reduced her to a gaunt, white skeleton. Her blood-red locks hung limp and uncombed, a solitary grey robe hung on her emaciated frame. She knew nothing of her past, save for the charges of murder and treason laid against her. The guards called her Prisoner 14. But she now knew her name as Mara Fell. |
| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Sep 30 2013, 12:52 AM Post #2 |
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Derrak stumbled his chains as one of the armor clad guards shoved him forward. "Watch it." muttered Derrak in an angry voice as he regained his balance. In answer, the guard gave Derrak another, harder shove, and he lost his balance completely, landing against heavy oak door. A flash of red caught his eye as he looked through the small barred window in the door. "A redhead?" he said, a mocking tone in his deep voice, "I didn't know redheads were still locked up these days..." his comments were cut off by slap from the heavy gloved hand of the guard. "Mind your mouth scum." said the guard roughly, shoving him forward yet again. Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:18 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Sep 30 2013, 02:26 AM Post #3 |
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The woman turned her head to face the grating in the door. Noise was an unfettered inmate in the dungeons; shrieks and wails, the rattle of chains, the ranting of the residents, the jeering of the guards, were everyday sounds. The sounds beyond Prisoner 14's cell were different. A man dared to make light of the guards. The man's dark, rigid face slammed into the grating of the door. Shocks of dark, greasy hair obscured most of his features as his face was pressed against the door, but it did not hide the ghastly scar running the length of the man's jawline. "I didn't know redheads were still locked up these days..." he said. Mara stared blankly at the prisoner. But as the guards hauled the man away, Mara peered through the bars until the man was out of sight. Without much else to do, she leaned against the door and stared at the wall. |
| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Sep 30 2013, 03:19 AM Post #4 |
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Derrak and his guards rounded a few more bends, continually going deeper into the dungeon. Derrak was keeping a sharp eye out for any chance he had to get away from his escorts, and finally his chance came. Some ill treated half mad prisoner threw himself against the door of his call the group was passing, and the heavy handed guard who had been shoving Derrak went over to the door to scare the prisoner into silence. The other guard who had, until that point, only been walking behind, moved forward to keep an eye on Derrak. With a quick snap, Derrak grabbed some of the chains which were hanging from his wrists, and used them for extra weight as he punched the stomach of the guard now standing next to him. The guard fell back, his breath knocked out of him, and before he had a chance to recover and call for help, Derrak quickly slammed his head into the solid stone wall. Moving as silently as he could with chains hanging from his wrists, Derrak dashed up the passage they had just come down. Behind him, he heard an angry shout as the other guard noticed what had happened. He scanned the passage as he ran up it, looking for a good place to get out of sight. The first thing he saw that offered itself as promising was the door to the cell he had fallen against a few minutes prior. Derrak looked wildly around as he heard the heavy running of the guard coming closer and closer, but nothing else looked as if it would conceal him. With a determined look, he quickly strode over to the door and placed his hand over the keyhole. His voice took on an even deeper tone as he quietly whispered, "Öffnen." The lock clicked as if a key had turned in it, and Derrak pushed open the door and slipped inside, closing it silently behind him.
Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:19 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 2 2013, 01:21 AM Post #5 |
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The rattle of keys stirred Mara from her daze. She ran a hand through her tangled hair and readied herself for escort. The prisoner bowed her head, eyes to the floor. She slid her feet close together and extended her hands, palm up, ready to recieve the chains. Mara didn't see the fugitive's face when he entered. But she knew he wasn't a guard. The prisoner was more aware than she had been for months. A strange but familiar sensation coursed through her mind and body; she anayzed everything, every movement of the newcomer, every sound in the room and without, she found herself monitoring her own pulse and slowly taking in deep breaths. She was alerted to everything that was out of place: that the "guard" closed the door behind him; that he sneaked in rather than entering with authority; that he panted for breath; that he closed the door. She raised her head. In her cell was the man she had seen through the grating of the door moments ago. With a deep breath Mara slid her body into position. In an instant, she lunged for his throat. Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 2 2013, 09:49 PM.
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| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Oct 2 2013, 10:56 AM Post #6 |
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As soon as Derrak had closed the door, he sensed a quick movement behind him. His instincts, made all the sharper from living by his wits for many years, made him dodge to the side quickly. As he did so, he caught sight of a woman with brilliant red hair, who had apparently tried to attack him. He quickly regained his balance and again took the chains in his hand, ready to defend himself. "Calm down." he said in a low voice, hoping the guards wouldn't hear him, "I don't want to fight you, just give me a chance to explain." Derrak was hoping that she wouldn't attack him again since he didn't want to fight a woman, but he thought he saw an almost murderous gleam in her eye, so he kept himself ready to repel her attacks. Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:20 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 2 2013, 10:08 PM Post #7 |
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Mara kept balance through the lunge. She faced her opponent. It was a quick movement; her body kept balance. "Calm down," the invader said. "I don't want to fight you, just give me a chance to explain." Mara didn't move. She kept all her muscles relaxed and poised to retaliate to any false move. Hollow eyes peered from behind dark rims, watching. They didn't blink. She didn't say a word or make a sound. She just stood there. She waited for the invader to deliver on his promised story. |
| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Oct 2 2013, 11:11 PM Post #8 |
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Derrak observed the woman carefully for a few seconds, waiting to see what she would do. Although her green eyes seemed to burn into his head, her gaunt frame began to relax, so he also relaxed slightly. When he saw she wasn't going to attack him immediately, he began. "You don't have to fight me; I'm on your side. I'm a prisoner here as well... or I would have been if I hadn't taken a chance to get away from my guards just now. If you don't give me away, I'll help you get out of here too, just give me a moment to get these chains off." Derrak watched her every move carefully, waiting for her answer. Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:21 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 3 2013, 02:54 PM Post #9 |
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Mara listened to every word the man spoke. Her face remained grim as she weighed each word on the scales of reason. The man was a prisoner promising freedom; that would have been funny if he hadn't made it this far. But getting past the rest of the guards through the gates was another matter. And still, he was a prisoner. He could be dangerous. But then again, she was in prison, too, on charges for violent crimes she didn't remember. And she was dangerous, too; she had lashed out with a ferocity that left her amazed. Her form, the thrill of danger, were darkly familiar. Mara's stomach twisted in knots. Was this what she was? A trained killer? She looked at her hands as they began to shake a little, but her eyes blurred with tears. She had to learn her past. More than a judge and jury would tell her. If her reaction was a clue, she had a fighting chance if this man betrayed his trust. Daze-like she moved for the door and leaned against the grating, blocking the man from view to any passers-by. She gave a curt nod to the man. Shouts and heavy bootfalls came from the corridors. "I suggest you make haste." Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 3 2013, 02:58 PM.
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| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Oct 3 2013, 04:59 PM Post #10 |
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Derrak nodded his thanks. He again placed his hand over one of the locked shackles on his wrist and whispered the same word he had used on the door. The shackle unlocked and fell off his wrist, dangling by the chain to his other wrist.He quickly repeated the procedure with the other wrist, catching the chains as they were about to hit the floor. Looking up, he gave the strange woman another nod, telling her that he was done. "I noticed a guard room, an courtyard, and a guardhouse at the gate we'll have to get past before we're away." He whispered, then added "And I need to stop to retrieve something in the guardhouse before we leave."
Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:22 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 3 2013, 05:19 PM Post #11 |
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Mara nodded wordlessly. She listened to the commotion in the corridor. "Six guards," she whispered, surprised that she could make that observation just from sound. "Two are stopping to secure the hall. There's one for each of us." Mara turned to look out the grating. She couldn't see the guards in the hall. Soon the sounds of the other four men receded into another corridor. "Please," she whispered. "Just don't kill anyone." Her plea was directed as much to herself as her fellow prisoner. Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 3 2013, 05:19 PM.
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| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Oct 3 2013, 05:46 PM Post #12 |
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Derrak chanced a quick glance out the grating. He saw the two guards; one leaning on the wall a few feet from the door, and the other pacing up and down the passage. He pulled back from the door and glanced at the woman again. Tall and gaunt, with almost transparent hands that showing under the sleeves of her frayed grey robe, and he had noticed before that her eyes were dark rimmed and sunken. He was unsure if she could take on one of the burly guards by herself.
Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:22 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 3 2013, 06:04 PM Post #13 |
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Mara stepped away from the door so the prisoner could look out himself. Then he just stared at her. Mara crossed her arms. "Well are you going to open the door or just stare at me?" She snapped. She pursed her lips at her own outburst as she saw the concern in her fellow prisoner's eyes. He appeared concerned for her well-being. She wasn't so sure herself. She felt weak. But she had awakened to some impressive fighting instincts. She was also as good as convicted. The fate that awaited her was chilling no matter the sentence the judge decided. She would hang by the neck until dead, and hang more until the crows feasted her flesh to the bones; her head would roll on a scaffold before being planted on a stake as a warning to future offenders; she would toil in chains for the remainder of a short life as a convict slave at the salt mines or mill houses until her final, exhausted breath; or she would remain confined until she succumbed to fever, the flux, malnutrition, or old age behind the bolts and bars. "I'll be fine." Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 3 2013, 06:17 PM.
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| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Oct 3 2013, 06:30 PM Post #14 |
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As Derrak was observing all of this, the woman snapped "Well are you going to open the door or just stare at me?", then seeming to read his mind she added, "I'll be fine." He was still unsure, but his jaw tightened as he made up his mind that he would do all he could to get her out of the dungeon alive. "You take the guard by the door. Try to silence him first or twenty more will be on us in seconds. I'll take the one walking." He put his hand over the lock, but then turned and added, "I'm Derrak by the way." Then he opened the lock and quickly shoved open the door, sprinting towards one of the astonished guards. Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:23 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 3 2013, 06:51 PM Post #15 |
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Mara emerged like a wraith from her cell; her sunken eyes blazed with battle fury in her pale visage. Her receding gums caused her teeth to appear longer behind her colourless lips. She glided silently on her bare feet while her grey robe-skirt blurred with motion as if she were floating. Blood-red hair streamed behind her. A cold hand silenced the mouth of the guard before the scream came and pressed the skull against the wall. The guard struggled to push back with the stave of his halberd. Mara grappled him with her legs and spare arm. She pushed the body until she could land a kick at the guard's knee-joint. It snapped on impact. The guard's resistance melted before the pain. Mara shoved his body to the floor. The guard squeezed his eyes shut as Mara raised her fist for the coup-de-grace. Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 3 2013, 06:52 PM.
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| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Oct 3 2013, 07:14 PM Post #16 |
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Just before he got to the guard down the passage, Derrak heard a scuffling sound behind him which he assumed was Mara taking care of the guard by the door. Derrak's guard recovered from his astonishment just in time to pull out his sword when Derrak hit him like a tidal wave, knocking him off his feet. They rolled a short way down the sloped passage before they came to a halt with Derrak on top. He had wrapped a length of chain around his hand before exiting the cell, and with this he rained down blows on the guard's head. Blood came pouring out of his nose and mouth, and the sword fell out of his senseless hand clattering onto the floor. Derrak ceased his volley and rose to his feet when he heard the sword fall, looking up to see if Mara was alright as he wiped his bloody hand on a rag he found on the floor.
Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:24 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 4 2013, 12:26 AM Post #17 |
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Mara drug her unconscious guard to her cell. She tugged a shoe off the guard and tried it on. It was big and loose. It would have to do. She drew the guard's dagger and hefted it in her hand. Mara's lips parted as a chill ran through. The dagger felt natural in her hand. More than a passing familiarity, she almost felt a bond between them. She thrust the dagger back in its sheath. "I'm sorry," she said as the removed the other shoe. She prayed that the man wouldn't become a cripple. She walked out of her cell wearing the guard's brown zupan and fur-lined cap. Her hair was bound up in the cap to hide the tangles. A messer and a dagger hung at her hip she clutched a halberd in her hands. Her heart raced. Would the other guards recognize her? Would her physical condition give her away? She forced the questions from her mind. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain. She came up to Derrak and leaned on the halberd, taking deep breaths to steady her nerves. "Go get dressed," she said in a strained voice. "Or you can put those chains back on and I haul you down the hall. It's you they're looking for, not me." Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 4 2013, 12:37 AM.
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| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Oct 4 2013, 12:43 AM Post #18 |
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Derrak glanced down at the guard he was standing over. His uniform was now covered in blood and dirt from the passage floor. Derrak looked back up at Mara. "I think it would be better if you hauled me in." he said with a shrug, "I don't think they would believe me to be a guard dressed in those." He dragged the guard through the door of Mara's cell, then added as he put his chains back on, "But remember, I have to get into that guardhouse before we leave. Something of mine is there and I need it back." After putting the chains back on, Derrak searched the guard for his dagger. "Ha! Perfect." he said as he found it. It was a slim dagger with a small hilt, perfect to fit in his boot without being seen. Derrak slipped the dagger into the top of his boot, then nodded at Mara to lead the way, closing the door behind them. Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:25 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 4 2013, 12:58 AM Post #19 |
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Mara laid a firm hand on Derrak's shoulder. "Get a move on, Scum, we've got places to go." The hint of a smile twitched at the corners of Mara's lips. She was impressed at her own gruff impersonation of a guard. She leaned forward to whisper in Derrak's ear. "It's been four months since I've seen the gate of this place. If you can point the way, I'd much appreciate it." Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 4 2013, 12:58 AM.
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| "Truth is truth to the end of reckoning." ~ William Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" V.I.4 | |
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| Tasha the Gypsy | Oct 4 2013, 01:05 AM Post #20 |
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Derrak wiped a smile off his face just in time as they passed another patrol of guards. The guards, however, seemed intent on their own business and didn't even acknowledge the other two as they went past. Soon they reached a side passage. "Turn left here." whispered Derrak, nodding his head towards the opening, "It's a back way. It might take us a bit longer, but there are less guard patrols here. Only a few know it leads to the courtyard." Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:26 PM.
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