Roleplayer Guild - Roleplay Forum

Brynacha · #1 (**permalink**) 08-01-2009

Lady Errasti walked along in amiable conversation with her friend. She was dressed plainly, a change from the normal noble’s dress, and her white teeth flashed in a smile against her olive skin, her black hair tied in a detailed set of braids down her back. This journey was proving to be, if not the lap of luxury she was used to, rather enjoyable. They were going to meet with the next village over, to ensure that they had not forgotten about the tribute owed to the King. Errasti had been sent to make sure the village would pay the tribute, as every village needed to. So she’d dressed in plain clothes to distguise herself for safetey’s sake, and was walking alongside her friend through the jungles.

“I definetly think he’s interested in you,” Errasti ensured her friend with a humorous smile. “Wave at him. See what he does.”

Her friend, a maid named Jaya, giggled and waved shyly at one of the soldiers who looked over his shoulder, startled, and gave her a grin.

“See?” said Errasti. “I told you.” She smiled and looked up at the canopy of trees above. Sunlight filtered in between, making their path a mosaic of dappled beauty in the humid heat of the jungle air. It was a nice change from palace life, though Errasti wasn’t going to object to clean clothes and a nice bed sometime in the future.

owolniak · #2 (**permalink**) 08-01-2009

Doro flew through the trees, his light calfskin shoes making no sound on the dense jungle ground. Two of his most trusted men were with him, slipping through the thrush and vines like shadows. Doro needed to catch up to the noble group before they reached the village. He knew that one of the women among them was in fact pure royalty, quite precious to the King himself.

His fair skin was a curse for such missions, for it stuck out against their surroundings like the sun itself. However, he had long discarded the black tunic, impeded by its bulkiness. He needed to be pure speed. His men had no problems, as their native brown skin melted into the hues away from the sun.

Doro cursed his Northern ancestry for the third time that day.

Abruptly he stopped, his men following suit instantly. Peeling his dirty blonde hair away from his forehead Doro listened carefully. He could hear the sounds of a large group moving, not bothering to keep their voices down. A woman laughed. Doro smiled. This was going to be blissfully easy.

He reached down and unstrapped a fierce looking machete from his thigh. Another smile crossed his lips.

Brynacha · #3 (**permalink**) 08-01-2009

Errasti looked about the group, subconsciously checking to see if everyone was present. Though the captain of the soldiers was officially in charge, the young noble knew that she was responsible for each and ever person present. Their two elephants lumbered along beside, carrying most of the weight that the group needed. There were the fifteen men of her personal guard including the captain, three maids to attend her, five men to care for the horses and elephants, and five other people of her court who had decided to aid her in her endeavor. Some of them had been wise in dressing plainly, others simply too ostentatious to give up their finery.

That was settled. Heads counted, human, horse and elephant. Errasti decided she was going to trade with someone on a horse soon. The sun climbing up through the trees above coupled with their already long day of walking was making her tired for a rest. In fact...

"Captain, call a rest," said Errasti. Her people were hungry and tired, they could all use it.

"Halt!" shouted the captain from atop his horse, and after a few minutes everyone had stopped walking. The elephants let out a few strange noises and the horses began happily eating the food that was given them.

Errasti smiled as her three maids came to see if she needed anything. "No, thank you," she said. "Bring me the afternoon meal and that will be plenty."

owolniak · #4 (**permalink**) 08-01-2009

He made his way stealthily until a few soldiers came into view. They were sitting cross legged on the ground, four of them. The enormous elephants were on the opposite side of where Doro and his men stood. His sharp rust colored gaze scoured the rest of the group.

The only women in sight were near some of the horses. There were four of them, all dressed in plain clothes. Another look around showed a few people still in rich silks and expensive cloth. Doro knew from instinct that the noble he was looking for wouldn't be so stupid.

He looked to the plain women once more, and saw one walk away, returning moments later with food. One of these women stood out. Her black hair was tied back, and there was an air of command around her.

Signaling to his two friends, Doro shrank back away from the clearing and the people. He made his way around, a finger twitching on the handle of his weapon. He positioned himself closer to the women. Soundlessly, his two men slit the throats of the four soldiers, killing them, but leaving them in a seated position.

No one noticed a thing. He nodded in their direction, and used his free hand to pull a blow dart from his only pocket.

Brynacha · #5 (**permalink**) 08-01-2009

Jaya looked around curiously. "Did you hear a noise?"

Errasti followed her gaze but saw nothing wrong. "There are many men here, of course there are bound to be noises," she said with a humorous laugh, and took the food from the other maid. She took a seat on a spare rock near the edge of the forest. "Jaya, sit with me. You girls can do what you will. Go flirt with the soldiers," she said with a smile and a wave, and bit into her food. She hadn't realized just how hungry she was until now.

The captain made his rounds, and stopped in horror before the four bleeding soldiers. "Men! Scout the areas for intruders!" The camp was in a flurry of activity, and Errasti stood, wondering what was going on.

owolniak · #6 (**permalink**) 08-01-2009

Doro was about to congratulate himself on how easy this was. Their target was sitting by herself, all too close. Then one of the damn soldiers noticed the dead ones. A panic erupted in the camp as all the armed men melted into the forest. They left only a few behind to guard the nobles, and no one was paying enough attention to their target.

Doro's men were long hidden, the jungle being their home; they knew all the tricks. Doro crawled towards the girl who just stood, and clamped a hand across her mouth. He locked another one around her arms and waist, leaving her immobile. The maid looking girl that had been sitting next to her screamed. Doro smirked at her, eyes flashing, and dragged his captive into the trees before the soldiers even looked around.

Brynacha · #7 (**permalink**) 08-01-2009

Errasti's eyes widened as she struggled in the sudden arms of her captor, breath coming suddenly short for her, fast through her nose. She tried to say something - anything - but she couldn't. There was a big hand clamped over her mouth, a big, terribly white hand. Errasti struggled a little more as she was dragged backward, into the trees beyond help of recovery. They would never find her. Whoever had her was going to do whatever he had in mind, and no one could stop him. Not her maids, not her guards, who were busy elsewhere.

Panic coursed over her mind like a cold, freezing river to which there is no bank. What was going to happen to her? She didn't even know what he wanted...

Finally Errasti lashed out in a fit of anger. She bit down hard on the palm of the hand grasping her and writhed in his grip, making tremendous sounds of protest. When he loosed his grip slightly Errasti took her chance and dropped from beneath his arms and scrambled up and away, quickly failing to maintain balance as she tripped on a root and fell face-first not three feet away from her attacker. Worth a try, anyway. Errasti had enough time to groan before he grabbed her again.

owolniak · #8 (**permalink**) 08-02-2009

Doro snatched her up quickly and jabbed the small blow dart into her neck. It could have been done more gentle than that, but the bite hurt. As the poison coursed through her veins he knew she'd be feeling almighty sleepy in just a few seconds. He hefted her up over his shoulder and made his way back into the forest.

After a few minutes he knew he wasn't alone.

"Loki, Tanger, I can't thank you boys enough."

The two partners grinned, their eyes lighting up when Doro reached into his pocket with the arm not holding his captive, and pulled out gold coins. He nodded once at each of them, and the second he blinked they were gone.

"Thank God they're on my side," he thought to himself.

He shifted the unconscious weight on his shoulder, and tried to ignore the feeling of pure woman on his bare chest. It was sweltering hot; the heat was relentless even though the sun was setting soon. Just before dusk, Doro finally made it to his small campsite.

A decent sized elephant hide tent was set up next to a dead tropical parrot. The blue and gold feathers were magnificent, but under them was an exotic tasting flesh that Doro was planning on cooking soon. He mentally thanked his friends for hunting this before they disappeared until their next assignment.

He dumped the girl onto the soft ground and tied her wrists with sapphire silk. It was damn expensive, but it held better than rope and wouldn't chafe that pretty skin of hers.

The idea hadn't been his, but Loki's. They wanted information, not the King's army on their backs for harm done to his beloved noble. Doro knelt down next to a pile of dry twigs and leaves, and pulled out a bit of hidden flint from beneath them. He went to work.

Brynacha · #9 (**permalink**) 08-02-2009

Errasti gasped at the sudden sharp sting in her neck, and had enough time to attempt a struggle once as he hefted her over his shoulder before she felt very weary. All the energy seemed to leave her limbs and she couldn't move, and then she slipped blissfully into unconsciousness...

***

Consciousness returned slowly and painfully to Errasti. It was deep night, and there was a dim, bleary light of fire visible through her confusion. Errasti moaned and tried to push herself up - but her hands were bound. She looked at them as if they were some foreign objects, not able to comprehend what or why this was happening. She chanced a look around but most of what she saw was forest.

Errasti pushed herself into a kneeling position, waited for her head to stop reeling, and then got to her feet. She wondered which direction she had come from, and wondered where her captor was.

owolniak · #10 (**permalink**) 08-02-2009

Doro heard her stir, and then eventually rise, but decided to stay hidden in the shadows. He wanted to see what she would do. It would be pure suicide to wander off into the jungle on her own, hands bound nonetheless. He had already had to kill some pretty venomous insects that tried making their home in her hair.

He watched her calmly from behind the tent, out of sight from the light of the fire.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Play-by-Post Forum Roleplay

Roleplayer Guild - Roleplay Forum