Azaria Blue

[M] Shalodud

Role call, everyone here?

Who's Afraid?

Delilah jumped and spun around, backing up to a tree, "Oh! It's you..." she took a deep breath, "I'm continuing the plan I had all along," she peeled herself off the tree and looked him over, "You stopped bleeding...that's good..."

Who's Afraid?

She pressed on through the other side and found a trail. She was torn between following it because it could lead somewhere, or doing the opposite to avoid conflict. She remembered the strange beast once again, he had helped her, and not harmed her. He even said he would make sure she was safe. She thought that this trail might be one that he used, or would at least be able to find her more easily on it.

Delilah chose to take the path, keeping in mind to look out for anything out of the ordinary. She wasn't sure why she trusted that thing, maybe it was because he saw her stepfather as he truly was. Maybe it was because he knew his way found the forest, so there was a chance she could get away quickly. Maybe it was because he had shown her compassion, in his own way, that she hadn't seen in a long time.

Who's Afraid?

Tis absolutely fine ^_^ I've been busy too, and I think I was sick, but got over it before it got too bad lol

How talented are you at making cupcakes? (Male, Female, Cupcake etc)

Ey baby what's shakin?

Who's Afraid?

Something along the lines of

Who's Afraid?

Delilah used the police to her advantage, as her mother was busy with them, she slipped to the other side of the house. She was stopped by her 5-year-old brother standing at the door, "Sissy, why do you have blood on you? Are you okay?" he looked worried. The police had given her a new shirt and wiped off her face, but there was still blood on her arms. The look on his face broke her heart, how could she leave him? He would surely be beaten by her mother's next boyfriend, have to suffer though his mother drinking and taking up drugs again after the death of her "lover."

She knelt down and looked him in the eyes one last time, "There are some things you wont understand, Seth, sometimes confusing things happen. But no matter what happens, you stay strong, okay? You just have to make dreams of your own and follow them with every beat of your heart. Look at me, " she wanted to make sure this memory stuck out in his head, "I love you more than anything, and I will never..." leave you she wanted to say, "Stop loving you." then opened her arms for a hug

He looked at her a little confused but nodded, "I love you too," then wrapped his arms around her. She fought her tears by clenching her jaw. She wanted to take both of her siblings with her, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to find shelter for all of them, she wouldn't be able to keep them all safe, and she surely couldn't feed them. It would be selfish of her to drag them through this journey, so she let them go.

"Tell Trevor I love him too, okay?" she pulled back and looked into his eyes.
"Where are you going?" he looked at her bag.
She sighed, thinking. "I'm going on an adventure. I'm going to fight big, scary monsters and look for treasure. I would take you, but there's an age limit. I'll come back and get you both later, but for now I have to go on alone" he had sparkles in his eyes, his imagination probably taking over. She hoped one day he would look back and realize it was a metaphor. Suddenly he hugged her again, tighter.
"I don't want you to go..." he said, muffled into her shirt.
"I know..." she patted his back, "Me either..."

And with that she kissed him on the head and told him to tell nobody of her secret adventure. She waved him goodbye and headed out into the other part of the forest.

[M] Shalodud

Sure sure :) Do whatever you want lol

Who's Afraid?

Delilah knew he was right, but it still felt so wrong. She believed there could be good in anyone, even if this wicked man would have never changed. She felt confused and conflicted, really she didn't know what to do. She nodded as he limped away, still fuzzy in the brain, then heard something about him being one step closer. She didn't bother with asking what he meant by that, as he was already a distance away.

She hadn't noticed her mother running toward them until just now as she fell to her knees beside her stepfather's body. Her mom screamed "How could this happen?" into his chest and rocked back and forth. She just looked at the two. Did her mom really not know what he was going to do? Delilah didn't know if it would be a good thing or a bad thing if her mother knew. After some more crying, her mother's shaky fingers dialed the police on her cell phone.

The police came and took pictures, taped off the area, and put him into a bag. They said a wild animal, most likely a wolf, killed him. They asked why he was in the forest and before Delilah could say anything, her mother piped up, "He saw an animal and tried to scare it away with his truck, then he tried to shoot it to protect my daughter here" Her mothers hands gripped her shoulders, it felt wrong and gross. She could tell her mother was lying, "She was outside catching fireflies when the wolf attacked."

Delilah wished she had slipped away before the beast killed him, so she wouldn't be stopped by the whole scene. Now, not only would there be police watching her house, but her mother would be on watch. She needed a new escape attempt, and it had to be more thought out. Inside, she thanked the strange beast, he had given her rest from the pain, even if it were only replaced by a different pain.

[M] Shalodud

This house was little, but charming. It wasn’t what you expected of anyone with power, but they definitely had extra money to spend on little details. Like painting the outside a robin-egg blue, and having flower boxes on the windows, and trinkets lining the shelves on the inside. Really, it would be a house you would expect to see a family gathered around a table inside, or teaching their children how to read. It was nighttime, so the two children were tucked into bed and kissed on the forehead, before their mother paced back and forth. Her hadn’t returned last night, which was peculiar of him, especially now that their son has been so ill lately, he often needs his father during the night. He had went to that silly play, which she was sure he stayed after to drink and talk with the actors. Honestly, she had never seen him drink much, but perhaps their lives were too stressful to handle for not. She waited in the living room with the newspaper in her lap, so she would know as soon as he was back.

After about twenty minutes she heard a horse’s hooves clank across the stone path. This was peculiar, as her husband didn’t own a horse, nor know how to ride one well enough to take it out through the night. She pulled back the curtain and looked outside to see a burly man throw his leg over the side and come to the door. The woman panicked, either this was one of his coworkers or a guard. As worried as she was, she had children (and one of them ill) that could be harmed if she didn’t comply even if it was the worst situation. She pulled the heavy wooden door open and called out to the man, “Is everything alright?”

He just continued to walk toward her, then came to her doorway. She now knew for certain he was a royal guard. He spoke up, “Are you Ms.Williams? Mister Ethan William’s wife?”
Her heart stopped, there was something wrong with her husband. Was he hurt? Did he have too much to drink? Would she have to somehow convince him to come home in a drunken stupor? She blamed herself for this, if he came home drunk, she would probably beat him. She figured she would need to pick him up, but why a royal guard? Shouldn’t they just send a smaller force, like the ones who enforce curfews?

“Yes, is he alright? I do apologize if he’s been drinking again, I’m sure I can convince him to calm,” she gave him a sweet smile and batted her eyes, since worrying and looking fabulous were two things she was best at.
“I was directed to inform you that your husband has been found practicing magic-”
Magic? Ethan couldn’t do magic.
“-that caused three to die and many more to become fatally injured.”
The room was spinning, she became faint.
“In such case, you are arrested for affiliation. You and your family will be interrogated.”

She felt herself being pulled forward, but he body was limp and empty. She didn’t understand what was going on, “Wait!” she called out and pulled back, “My children, you can’t take them. My son will surely die-”

He shouted, “Ma’am, I am directed to take you to the palace” he gritted his teeth at her, “If you comply, it will be easier on all of you.”

Her mind was still fuzzy, “No, you don’t understand. He’s very...very... weak, he... needs... constan-”
A needle had poked into her side, and was now taking it subduing effect. The woman blinked a few times, seeing a dark, blurry image of two more guards come out of the back of the carriage that the other man pulled here.

~

Melanie shifted herself to her toes to get a better look. The town centre had a stage on it, as it was usually just a square with a few benches on the edge and vendors lining it with a square fountain in the middle. The fountain was, of course, off and covered with the portable, wooden stage. Atop the stage was a podium, a pole covered in chains, and a chest. She cringed at the thought of what might be in the chest, as the pole almost always meant there was a prisoner. On the stage, though, was the one thing she hated. He stood in the center, speaking to the crowd. He was dressed in some of the most gaudy clothing choices she had ever came across, It didn’t matter what he was saying, she would disagree with it anyway, but she still decided to tune in to see what was going on.

“He was a respectable noble, and did good for all of Shalodud. The second man was a town hero, we all remember the day that he saved a man who fell into the well as it crumbled...”

The well that you caused to crumble… Melanie tried her best not to roll her eyes, but it didn’t work. The only thing more strange than Namil saying something good about someone, is the fact that he seemed to be talking about people who seemed good even in his eyes, and with a setup like an execution. Maybe he wanted to chain someone to a pole and let these people beat them as a treat?
“-And they will be dearly missed.”
Things weren’t really coming together for Melanie. She debated on trying to just sell some more goods here while so many were gathered. Just then, a gust of wind came from behind, and continued to blow through the area. She looked up and saw some clouds making their way up to them, then looked to the front and spotted some clouds coming closer, too. Great… she thought at least I won't have to worry about the plants later…

“So now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for!”
Your resignation of position? Your suicide note? Melanie’s sarcasm was on a roll today. She didn’t join the crowd that thrust their hands into the air and cheered.
“The treacherous thing that has caused us so much turmoil..”
You’re finally admitting it? The crowd hissed, booed, and cheered like they were animals, not noticing the few drops that fell from the clouds joining in a slowly spinning circle.
“The man, and I use that word loosely, who decided to murder on a day meant for fun and relaxation”
It wasn’t just one day, but I’ll give it to you for being so honest… the rain began to fall more steadily,
“This practitioner of dark and evil magic has slain too many of our good people. He must be punished!” Namil fed off the crowd, the rain picked up and sped down at people’s faces like they were being smacked with a tree branch, “You will decide his fate, because the people have the right to determine the severity at hand” the group chanted “Kill him! Kill him” and matched Namil’s rage, “Please, now, we bring out the criminal!” the cheers turned into booing and hissing, along with the occasional shout of “Down with magic!” or the like.

The wind began to swirl around, then Melanie spotted who they were talking about. She was so taken aback by their accusations that she had simply been stunned until this moment. Three guards drug out a beaten man,one flanked to each side and one behind. The third guard pulled the hood off the man, and she took only a second to recognise him. He was a rather fortunate merchant, the recent economy had helped him, although not much. He had a wife, and a little girl, and an even smaller boy. A very, very sick boy. One that she was to save tonight. Without thinking, Melanie pushed her way through the crowd in effort to reach the front.