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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 (652 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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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 4 2013, 01:33 AM Post #21 |
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"This way, Maggot!" She shoved Derrak to the passage. After they had walked some distance she whispered, "Sorry for the rough treatment. No offense, but you look like you can take some." |
| "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, 10:11 AM Post #22 |
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Derrak grinned in reply. "Don't worry, my back has felt much worse things than shoves. I'll live." His eyes were darting back and forth, looking for a certain sign he knew of to show him where they were. Finally, he caught sight of a small grating near the floor. "Careful here," he whispered over his shoulder, "We're almost at the courtyard. There'll be at least fifteen guards there, and more near the gate. The guardhouse is just to the side of the gate." Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:17 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 4 2013, 10:41 AM Post #23 |
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Mara stopped in her tracks. She held Derrack in place with a tight grip. "Fifteen guards?" She let out a long, drawn-out breath. "Just how am I going to convince fifteen guards I have orders to move you to the guardhouse and not solitary?" Her mind raced. If Fortune's Wheel had turmed in her favour, it was making her work for her fate. "Derrack, just what is in the guardhouse that you need?" |
| "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, 10:53 AM Post #24 |
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Derrak looked undecided. He wasn't sure if he should tell Mara he was only going to retrieve his swords, because she might think they could leave without them. Derrak knew he had to get his swords back before they fell into the wrong hands... He took a deep breath. "My swords are in there, and I can't leave this place without them." he said, then looked a Mara to see what her reaction was. Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 12:16 PM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 4 2013, 11:00 AM Post #25 |
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"Take mine, I'm better with a knife anyway." Mara didn't know hoe she knew this. It felt instinctive. Perhaps this knowledge was awakened when she gripped the dagger. She pushed the question of what she had used daggers for from her mind. She hoped Derrak didn't feel her shudder. |
| "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, 11:11 AM Post #26 |
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Derrak's heart sank. "Take mine, I'm better with a knife anyway." He was afraid this was what she would say when he told her what he was going for, but there was no time to explain. "No, I can't take your sword." he said after a pause, "I have to get mine. If you want, I'll help you get out of here first, but I'm coming back to get them out of the guardhouse or die in the attempt." His face had a determined look on it. Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 4 2013, 11:50 AM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 4 2013, 11:38 AM Post #27 |
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Mara shook her head and laughed. It was the first time she remembeted laughing sice...well, it was the only time she laughed since regaining conciousness on the forest path without any memories. It was a dark laugh. It riduculed all the scemings of man and his attempts to unfetter himself from his lot. With a snort she mocked the Cosmos and resigned herself. "Alright, doggie sprang me from the fence, doggie gets a treat. I assume that you had some idea as to how we're going to do this?" Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 4 2013, 11:44 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, 11:49 AM Post #28 |
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"Well, not as of yet..." Derrak said. He started to edge edged forward, chancing a quick look around the corner into the courtyard. A slow smile crept up on his face at the sight that greeted his eyes, as a plan quickly formed in his mind. "I have now." he said triumphantly, "There's a prison cart being filled with prisoners to transfer, and one of the guards has my swords." Derrak's jaw tightened slightly as he said this, but then he continued, "You haul me out there as if I were supposed to be transferred, then take your place as one of the guards. As soon as we're out of sight of the gates, I'll get myself out, and we can take out any other guards. There shouldn't be more then four on a transfer, and you'll be one of them leaving three for us." His eyes began to flash as he watched the guard who carried his swords. "Leave the one sitting next to the driver. He's mine." |
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 4 2013, 12:02 PM Post #29 |
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Mara nodded, impressed. It sounded a lot more sound a plan than taking the seords from the guard house. "Very good, she said. "The accounts are balanced after this. You helped get to freedom, I help you get your swords. We don't owe each other anything else." She nudged Derark towards the courtyard. "My name is Mara, by the way. Just in case we die." She kept her surname to herself. It seemed she was well-known in these parts and Derrak might be tempted to collect the bounty that the authorities were sure to place on her head. Besides, he only gave his first name, so they were even. |
| "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, 12:15 PM Post #30 |
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"The accounts are balanced after this. You helped get to freedom, I help you get your swords. We don't owe each other anything else." said the woman, then added, "My name is Mara, by the way. Just in case we die." "Fair enough." replied Derrak, "I was nice knowing you Mara." He chanced another quick look at the courtyard. "I think we should get moving. It looks like they're loading the last of the transfers now." |
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 9 2013, 12:27 AM Post #31 |
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"Come on, Prisoner, we've got a cart to ride." Mara shoved Derrak into the courtyard. She was in the open now with only an ill-fitting guard uniform to veil her from the horde of armed guards. "Fall in line with the rest of the scum!" she snapped. She stomped to the sergeant herding the prisoners into line. She thrust her chin up in a mask of confidence. It was now or never. She stole a glance at the swords hanging at the man's waist. Two of them hung from crossed baldrics. This guard was Derrak's target. "That's the last of them, Sergeant. Shall we ride?" Edited by Captain_Riposte, Oct 9 2013, 12:28 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 9 2013, 02:04 AM Post #32 |
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Derrak kept his head down as he was shoved into the cart. Since he had been the last in line he had a seat near the iron door of the prison cart. He heard guards muttering and complaining, and his fellow prisoners moaning, but he ignored all the sounds around him, trying to visualize the steps of the plan in his mind. Suddenly the cart begin to move, and Derrak carefully looked up. They were passing through the tall oak gates and were entering a small road just outside the bustling city of Delaria. Derrak half smiled as the cart turned away from the city, perfect for their plan. He glanced up at Mara who was sitting next to the driver and gave her a quick nod. Silently he removed the shackles from his wrists for the second time, then quietly put his hand over the lock on the door. Just as Derrak heard it unlock, there was a commotion from the direction they had just come from, and the deep, rich tones of a bell were heard. Derrak knew immediately that their escape had been discovered and they had to move quickly. He wrapped both ends of the chains around his hands, leaving a length loose in the middle and leaped out of the cart at the closest guard. He looped the loose chain around the guard's neck and pulled back sharply, cutting of his air supply, then bashed the guard's head into the the unyielding iron bars of the cart. By this time the other guards were aware of what was happening, and were all advancing on Derrak. The scar on his face began to show his quickening pulse, and he let go of the senseless guard, taking a battle stance.
Edited by Tasha the Gypsy, Oct 9 2013, 02:10 AM.
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| Captain_Riposte | Oct 27 2013, 02:15 PM Post #33 |
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Mara looked away to hide her smile as the cart left the city. She blocked out the driver's chatter, goading him on with token "yays" and "nays," straining her ears to hear Derrak's next move. She could just hear the creak of the grated door. She seized the reigns. "WOAH!" With a shocked cry, the driver gripped the reins and braced his back against the cage. The cart jerked to a halt. Mara whipped out her dagger and bashed the pommel against the back of the driver's head. He slumped in the canopy. She looked behind the cart. Prisoners and guards swarmed toward one point. Derrak had to be their object of attention. Mara lept from the canopy. Her sabre lay bare in her hand as she ran. Prisoners rushed on the guards, grasping at their spear shafts. Mara threw off her cap, her blood-red hair cascaded and billowed behind her. "NO KILLING!" she shouted. Careened with a guard from behind, shoving him to the ground. "Subdue and bind them! Mara parried a blow with a ring of steel; she jut out her leg and hooked the guard off his feet. |
| "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 28 2013, 07:52 PM Post #34 |
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Two of the remaining three guards came at Derrak. He began swinging the chain menacingly, ready for them to advance. One dodged forward, trying to catch Derrak off balance. Derrak quickly sidestepped and swung the end of the chain at him. It wrapped around the guard's arm, and the snap of the bone breaking was clearly audible. The other guard stopped short as the first one crumpled to the ground, moaning in pain. Derrak let go of the chain which was still around the arm of the guard, and faced the other empty handed. The guard gained confidence, seeing Derrak unarmed, and began advancing again. "Give up now while you still have a chance." he hissed, drawing his sword. Derrak smiled grimly and replied, "I never was one for taking a chance." |
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| Captain_Riposte | Nov 3 2013, 02:51 AM Post #35 |
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With two guards down, the captives overpowered the remaining two by weight of numbers, beating them to the ground. But they didn't stop there. Again and again they beat their captors with sticks and chains. Mara's cries fell on hardened ears. She charged and pushed aside two of the prisoners. The group glared at her. Some reached for the guards' swords. Two of them were the ones Derrak was after. Mara's heart ran cold. In a confrontation like this, lethal force was almost inevitable. "Derrack, help these men!" Edited by Captain_Riposte, Nov 3 2013, 02:55 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 | Nov 3 2013, 03:18 AM Post #36 |
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Derrak looked up from the guard he had just laid out cold. "Derrack, help these men!" Mara yelled. Derrak took in the scene in an instant. He saw the remaining two guards surrounded by the other prisoners, and two or three of them were reaching for swords laying on the ground. Instinctively he knew they were going to try to kill the guards, and Mara was going to try to stop them with whatever force it took. Suddenly everything else melted out of consciousness when he saw his twin swords being reached for. He was in the midst of the group in seconds, and had his swords in his hands before anyone had a chance to think. His mind cleared as he felt the familiar leather-bound grips, feeling the power running through his hands, then he remembered why Mara had called to him. Slightly puzzled, but determined to help Mara in whatever he could, he took a protective stance over the unconscious guards. "The first one of you that wants to harm these guards will have to get past me first." He said menacingly. There was a steely, unrelenting gleam in his eye as he said it. |
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| Captain_Riposte | Dec 10 2013, 04:01 AM Post #37 |
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The criminals stared at Derrak. By his learned stance and the fire in his eyes, they could tell that he was no novice. "C'mon, it ain't worth dyin' over the jailkeeps!" Some of the men needed no second thought to turn and run, others were more hesitant but turned away with a curse on their breath. Mara's chest heaved as she gasped for air, watching the criminals scamper off. Her gaze fell to the sabre that now hung limp in her hand, pointed at the ground. She had wielded it with a fluid precision that could come from only years of rigorous training. Somewhere, sometime, she had learned to kill. She needed to rediscover her identity; she wanted a new life free from crime and bloodshed, but first she needed to know her haunted past. She had to know who she had been, even if she decided she was no longer her old self. "We've got to get out of here, Derrak." Edited by Captain_Riposte, Dec 10 2013, 04:01 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 | Dec 12 2013, 02:03 PM Post #38 |
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Derrak nodded his agreement, but said nothing as he started unhitching one of the horses. "You might want to lose that heavy armor before we go." He said, "I don't think you'll be needing it." Derrak's quick fingers had the harness off the horse quickly, and he cut the straps of the bridle so they would be short enough to use as reins . He tied it to the side of the wagon and began unhitching the other horse. "You do know how to ride don't you?" He asked. |
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| Captain_Riposte | Dec 12 2013, 05:00 PM Post #39 |
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Mara struggled to unbuckle the armour as she watched Derrak prepare the horses. "I don't remember," she said, "but if I can horsewhip these gentlemen then surely I can ride a horse." She flung away a vambrace. Fortunately, prison guards didn't wear much armour. She had demonstrated the instincts of a warrior when it came to fighting. Amoury was proving to be another matter. Edited by Captain_Riposte, Dec 12 2013, 05:02 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 | Dec 12 2013, 06:34 PM Post #40 |
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Derrak finished getting the other horse ready, and stood watching Mara attempt to get her armor off for a moment. "Do you need any help?" He asked, seeing that she wan't getting very far. |
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