Neko - 2001-06-22
tealing was nothing new to Isa. However, stealing anything as large as a horse was not something she had done a whole deal of on Islia. She stood in the middle of the stable, hands on hips looking about at the equines that surrounded her and wondered how, exactly she'd go about doing this.
One was saddled still and Isa finally settled on that one. She'd never ridden bareback before (she wasnt about to admit to even herself that she'd never actualy RIDDEN before) and didn't want to risk chaffing her legs or the horse. She went over to the horse and patted his neck, "Hey there, fella." She said in a soft voice, "You're a pretty horse, ain'tcha?" she sild her hand over the horse's neck and patted his front shoulder, "And a good one, too. So pretty and so good." The horse didn't buck or whinney in alarm as she moved her hand over his shoulder up to the saddle horn.
What a pretty saddle it was too. The leather looked so good and worn and comfortable to seat ones rear in. This horse definatly belonged to someone who traveled a lot and wasn't just some lush bar regular. Isa smiled, for such a fine saddle, maybe she could get a handsome price for it somewhere.
"I bet everyone's jelouse of you and your rider." she said to the horse as she carefully took hold of the saddle and brought her foot up into the sturrup, "I know I would be. Good boy. Good boy." Then she hoisted herself up into the saddle. For a moment she almost had enough momentum to slide off the other side, but she stopped herself by taking up the reins. She was amazed when the horse simply stopped eating and picked up his head. He didn't buck or anything. "Good, boy!" She patted his neck, "Good boy! You wanna take a little ride with me, huh, boy?" She asked gently urging him out of the stall, "Yeah? I bet you've been all over the world, haven'tcha?" The horse nonchalantly backed up and turned around, getting a little confused by the way she was holding the reins.
"Whoops, not that way, fella. Uh, almost, there, uh, straight ahead." After a few moments of going in circles disjointedly Isa got the horse facing the stable door, "Ok, now we're off to see the world, boy! Show me what you know!" She gently prodded the horse with her heel and lurched back as he started foward. After taking a deep breath, thankful she hadn't slid off the back she tossed her head and sat tall and proud. "Isa," She said to herself as the horse started to walk from the Inn and Bar, "you are a genius."
Yvonne - 2001-06-23
iana looked over the ridge at the town with a somewhat distasteful expression. Her nose twitched as the shifting winds brought her the scent of smoke and horses, of raw sewage and homely cooking.
"Are you going to simply stand and stare or are we going to continue?" Deran sidled up behind her and put his arms around her waist. She leaned into his embrace and closed her eyes.
"I don't know."
"Come on. It'll be fun! We haven't seen anyone since we delivered our charge."
She sighed. "I know. I detest Wruria towns. They smell."
"But I know you like bread!"
"I like bread," she agreed cautiously.
"I know you like flour for bread. I also know I used the last of it this morning. We're out of supplies, sister."
She snorted angrily stepped free. "You didn't tell me that!"
Deran spread his hands wide, the black of the tooled leather he wore blending in strangely well with the green of the forest behind him. "Too bad. We're going in. We need more supplies, and who knows, we might pick up another job!"
"*I* think we should spend the night in the forest and go down in the morning."
"And *I* think you are a coward. Come on," Deran said, and grabbed Diana's leather clad arm as he passed. She harumphed but fell into step a half pace behind him anyway.
She *did* like bread.
Spellbinder - 2001-06-24
s the innkeeper rambled on, Trevor became more and more amused at Selene's growing embarrassment. He was not fazed by the man's incorrect assumptions and did not attempt to correct him. He smothered the laughter that threatened to burst forth, settling instead for an impertinent smile and a certain twinkle in his eyes, which he favored Selene with. These only served to heighten her embarrassment.
As they stood alone in the room after the innkeeper left, Trevor could resist the laughter that bubbled in his chest no longer. He recovered his wits after a good laugh and moved closer to lovely Selene. In a voice that mimicked the innkeeper, Trevor said, "To think such a pretty little poppet as you" he patted Selene's cheek, positively beaming, "would be all alone!" Trevor collapsed again into peals of laughter, doubled over as he held his sides. Recovered again, Trevor straightened and took Selene's hand. "Ah, Mrs. Ainsley, what else is there to do in this little town but drink?" He took Selene gently into his arms and murmured softly, "As for the craziness, well this native of Torrigan is positively mad about you." His lips sought hers and they kissed for several blessedly uninterrupted moments.
Spellbinder - 2001-06-24
arren turned as he heard the door to the stable open and there to his wide eyed delight stood the auburn haired beauty whose necklace had caught the young thief's fancy. She hadn't noticed Jarren yet since he was out of sight in the stall he was cleaning. Her emerald eyes swept the barn's interior as he watched and the young man was momentarily dazzled by her beauty. She seemed to become very aggitated as she beheld the knight's mount, almost as if she had seen a ghost. She moved toward the horse without looking where she was going. He suddenly realized that she was walking toward a rather large, fresh pile of manure that he had recently removed from the adjacent stalls. He opened his mouth to warn her, but it was too late. She tripped and went to her knees in the steaming mass, which under the circumstances was a good thing. At least she hadn't fallen face first.
Jarren ran toward her, his voice and demeanor apologetic. "Oh, my eyes be damned for this! I am so sorry, Miss...er....well, here, let me help you." He took her hand somewhat timidly and lifted her to her feet, his brown eyes concerned. "I am afraid this is all my fault. I should have carted this mess away sooner." He got a good close look at the necklace as Azari stood and fought to keep his mouth from dropping open in awe. An aura stone! Also known as a fire and ice crystal. Quite rare and no doubt it would fetch a handsome price from the right buyer. Jarren knew quite a lot about gemstones since jewelry was one of his main targets for plunder. "Here, let me get a rag." Jarren recovered his wits and ran over to the wall. He grabbed a rag from a shelf and handed it to Azari. He looked down at the ground for a moment and mumbled shyly. "Um, my name is Jarren Merath. I'm sorry to meet you like this. I'm really very sorry, Miss.......?" His eyes were warm and somehow shy as he spoke.
Lawrence - 2001-06-23
"Come out thief!" the one in the lead called, as he hefted a great mace. "Come out or you will be killed here and now."
Slowly, and cautiously, Tarin hefted his club, and made his way through the underbrush, attempting to sneak around, and attack from the rear. Suddenly he a branch snapped, the knights turned in his direction, and called for the soldiers who were sweeping the forest. "Now young thief, you will learn the punishment of your crimes," the lead knight raised his mace high and charged.
Tarin, dove out of the path of the charging man, swinging his wooden club out, and clipping the war horses flanks. The other knights, and the soldiers who had arrived, formed a circle, preventing Tarin from leaving the single combat. Desperate, Tarin called out, "you call this honor?! You attack a man on foot, while you ride a mighty war beast! If you truly have the honor you claim, face me on my level, Knight," he spat the last word. "You question MY honor, thief? Who are you to talk of honor, you who steals from those who earn rightfully? But your case is true, it is dishonorable to fight thus." With that the armored man dismounted. "Now petty thief, we fight on even level, are you ready to die?!"
"After you of course," Tarin mockingly bowed, turning it into a roll, that brought him right up under the Knight's gaurd. He quickly thrust forward with the club, knocking the man back. "Damn armour," he muttered. Tarin followed his first strike with a brutal downward swipe, that would have finished the man right then, that is if he hadn't raised the mace in time to block.
"Foolish thief, you cannot defeat a knight of honor." This comment was followed by a brutal swipe of his own. Tarin dodged, knowing full well that swipe would have broken his club, as well as his ribs. Blows were exchanged back, and forth, Tarin dodging, and the knight taking them on his armour with a few parries here and there.
Tarin was tiring, and he knew the knight was not. In desperation, he dropped to his knees and begged to be allowed forgiveness by a priest before he was killed. The knight, afraid of comitting a dishonorable act to a penatent man, agreed. He removed some robe attached to his belt and moved to bind Tarin for a journey back to the city. Tarin waited until the knight was close, then leaped up grabbing his club in the process, and swung a devastating blow the the man's head, crushing his helm and skull alike. Tarin quickly grabbed the short sword, which hung at the knights belt, and hefted it, ready for any on coming attacks from the surrounding troops. A second knight stepped forward, "you have won the duel thief, but you won it dishonorably, giving just cause for your death immediatly," the knight raised his arm, with that movement a group of crossbowmen moved forward, with weapons loaded and cocked. With the entry of the crossbowmen, a gap was created, Tarin spotted it and made the dash, suddenly the air around him was humming, with bolts. One such caught him in the left shoulder, another grazed his side. Ignoring the pain, he dove, rolled, and kept running as he broke the circle. He heard a neigh to his right, and spotted the dead knight's horse. running quickly he made his way towards it. A knight intercepted him, causing him to dodge in the opposite direction. Grunting in pain, he made his way back into the forest, all the way with bolts smashing into trees behind him. He heard the soldiers behind him, and climbed up a tree. As he waited for the soldiers to pass he ripped his tore his shirt and attempted to bind his injuries. Soon the bumbling infantry was passed, and Tarin doubled back, hoping to find the horse ungaurded. He reached the edge of the woods again, this time, only the 4 knights remained, but 3 of which were patrolling the wooded border, the fourth gaurded the horse. "Don't miss." Tarin told himself as he lifted and threw his short sword at the knight gaurding the horse. The blade struck true as it drove into his breastplate, severing the man's life.
Tarin dashed, and leapt onto the horses back, quickly driving his heals into the mount. The surprised knights, went into confusion, as they called for the soldiers, and attempted to aid their dying companion. "Phew, that was a close one," Tarin said to the horse. "Well, let's find a good inn shall we, and we can sell this saddle of yours." Tarin dug into his cloak, bringing out a map, he quickly located the nearest village, and charged off to it.
Copyright (c) 1999-2001 Abigail Laughlin and the members of the Circle of Stone.