writingrin

The Deposed Dilemma

She raised her eyebrows imperiously and gestured at the men's clothing she had on. "Why wouldn't I be?" At least the last outfit HAD been a dress! Once...

QUEEN Ferona perked up at the title, sitting up very straight, and listened intently. After that though, he didn't say anything she wanted to hear. And then he resumed working, just like that! She huffed in disbelief!

"CHORES!" she burst out, face flushing. "CHORES?!" Her eyes snapped and she got up. Perhaps everything he said was true, well, fine. She took out the bag of wig money and dropped it on the cot. Then she clutched the few left in her hands and stormed out to at least save those. She didn't have to stand for talk of chores.

The Deposed Dilemma

She pouted slightly. It would be so much more convienient if he did have servants, and it proved how poor he was (although she already knew). Couldn't some nobleman have saved her? She could be living in the lap of semi-luxury then! But realistically, she knew a nobleman was even less likely to care about her, in the state she was in. As he'd said yesterday, she was lucky he was the one who found her.

However the idea of her becoming the servant or apprentice was horrifying. She made a flabbergasted noise and wrinkled her nose again.

As to the offer to hang around here and talk, no thanks! He might be pretty to look at but it was sweltering in here! She was sweating too and it was disgusting! She did have something on her mind though... so for the moment she went and sat on the cot. She held her hand up and shuffled the coins around.

"Buy me a dress," she finally said, glancing up at him.

The Deposed Dilemma

He spoke up as she walked over to the dog. Had he seen her oogling him? She dropped down and petted the dog vigorously, trying to take her mind off it. Until now she hadn't realized how attractive the man was. And she was living with him!

"What about that, Humphery? What do I do about that hmm?"

She rubbed his ears and stroked his back. Of course his only answer was to lick her. She wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Fine," she said to Berek, without really thinking about it. Instead she thought about the coins and how to get what she needed...

Preparing herself for the sight she'd seen before, she turned around. But she was looking upon him at a different angle now anyway. A bit more smoke came into the room and she coughed slightly, squinting. She stood up and said, "You don't have any servants around here?" still grimacing at the smoke.

The Deposed Dilemma

Faced with the bed, Ferona had a similar experience to when she'd eaten the meager meal: she'd grown to appreciate less. There was a limit to this, of course, soon she would be capable of complaining about the lumpy bed and poor people's food. But for this night? A bed! A bed! That was such a glorious thing! She pratically fell into it, with her borrowed clothes still on, and slept well into the next morning.

So when she finally came out she found the food and was lucky the flies hadn't gotten to it first. She didn't want to eat it but her stomach growled until she did. Fixing herself a glass of water she looked around. Where was that man anyway? She saw the cot he'd mentioned but not him. How early did he get up? Probably as early as any servant would, she supposed. When was that, at dawn?

She did not know what to do with herself so she took out her purse and counted the money that was in it. It wasn't enough to pay for the loss of her hair, not in her opinion at least, but it was all that she could get. And at the same time, she knew the man had paid her well, including extra for shaving it off at the roots. She looked at her reflection in the water and rubbed her bare head. It felt so weird... She needed a scarf. And that was not all... she needed a dress for heaven's sake. And undergarments! All of this money might buy that much? At least she hoped it would. It probably wouldn't though, and she wanted to save it for when she really needed it. This money was HERS unlike everything else in this house. She should keep it. However, not all things were free in this world and she was staying with a poor person. He was feeding and housing her. Did he have to clothe her too? And all for free? She dreaded what type of reimbursement he might eventually ask for. So she put the money away, except for a few coins which she held in her hand, and searched for Berek.

The forge was oppressively hot and it stank with smoke and...metal? But Berek was indeed there and--as his white shirt had become so revealing now that it was wet--she was treated to quite an impressive sight. His muscles seemed to ripple--or maybe that was the wavering heated air--as he lifted a hammer and brought it down on some steel. The muscles in his chest also flexed. Ferona's face flushed and she turned toward the dog instead.

The Deposed Dilemma

She felt relieved, despite herself, that she could stay. As to the medicine... should she just take it? On the one hand it couldnt be as good as what she was used to. On the other hand, he must know more about it than she did... considering she knew NOTHING. She petted the dog again, this time letting him roll over so she could scratch his belly.

She eyed the medicine but picked it up and drank it down. It tasted even worse than she'd imagined. She shuddered. Then she ate more stew, partially to wash the taste away.

Her eyes flew up to his when he spoke of the sleeping arrangments. If she could walk into someone's house and turn them out, she would've done so already. She looked at the floor and nodded.

"It is nice to meet you too, Berek," she replied. He was the first kind person she'd met. Perhaps the first kind person ever, in fact. She wasnt sure she entirely trusted him just like that... but his kindness seemed to have no strings attached yet.

The Deposed Dilemma

She wiped her eyes, looking up at him and seeing his expressions change. He looked appalled! As appalled as she felt! Why was she crying? Her mother would have had a fit to see her daughter cry before Anyone!

Just like that she began to shut it down, to draw it all back in. She dropped her hands into her lap and clenched them. Then she shook of his hand and cut her eyes at him, though with a lot less heat than she imagined she was showing. It was as if to say, 'who's crying?!'

But his welcoming attitude and the simple acknowledgment of her name... Oh, even she could not stand against that.

She was not the type to throw herself in a man's arms, cry, and be grateful. There was a time she might have done that to her mother or father but that was long past. Now, however, she didn't know HOW to react. She looked at him helplessly, sincerely floundering.

"Ah... that will have to do. I suppose," she said quietly. She didn't say it with the disdain she'd shown earlier. But frankly it wasn't ideal! For a lot of reasons and not just her tastes!

The Deposed Dilemma

She tapped the table with her ragged nails in a rare show of discomposure, watching his face.

"There has been a rebellion brewing there for years. Long before the king was assassinated and the queen died in childbirth. Princess Ferona," oh god was it weird to talk about herself in the third person! "assumed the throne for lack of any male heirs and had yet to marry when she suddenly disappeared."

She took a breath. "That's the thing, you know. She DISAPPEARED," this fact really couldn't be stressed enough. "They claim she's dead and her sister believes it. But if there was a body, Faeryn would've known it wasn't me!"

Her face broke at the last statement and everything she'd been holding back rushed up inside her. But even then she held it back, burying her face in her hands.

Vulcan Hunting

AGGHH ignore this

Vulcan Hunting

There was a lot Rory hated about the snow, the mountains, winter. But winter clothes were not one of them! She was loving the warm skin-tight suit, fur-lined thigh-high boots, and her designer ski jacket. From neck to bust and shoulder to elbow it was white, but elbow and torso down it was black. The two toned look was stylish and the avant-garde shoulders were pure fashion. It had a black hood with white fox fur as well. Her backpack was turquoise like her covered hair. Most of her body felt surprisingly cozy and she looked like a million bucks! She was probably the most fashionable person to step foot on this mountain in years. (A dubious endorsement for her presence here)

Orlon the golden-furred Exceed was dressed similarly but not quite matchy matchy. He did not also need the face mask, but he still wore a black, fur-trimmed ski jacket with the hood up, and pants and fur boots. He'd objected at the time but Rory said it would be cold even for him and she was right... like always. To be honest, he never got tired of it when she took care of him. They still needed each other and he was happy for the reminder. His job today was playing hawk, keeping his eyes peeled for their prey from high above. But he mostly kept his eyes on his friend.

"Stop looking at me!" she called up when she caught him doing it for to long and also circling above her. He wavered in the air and then obeyed. But it was hard because he kept loosing her for a second beneath the forest canopy and fearing each time she wouldn't reappear. It was probably a stupid fear but what did he know about this place?! But fine, whatever, he would do his job! She would appreciate that... she would get to go home and be warm! Yeah! Perfect!

Rory turned her eyes forward again. It was a little tiring trudging through the snow but she wasn't adverse to exercise, no matter how she came off to people. Her life hadn't been easy growing up so she frankly wasn't that spoiled. She just LIKED to indulge wherever she could!

She examined her surroundings. She had driven a snowmobile to the edge of this forest and left it to go trudging deeper. It was all to track down a take over victim and change him back to normal. Such missions had been under taken before by lone mages and been miserable failures... But Rory was never truly alone. "See anything yet?" she called out.

"Uh...!" she heard before Orlon came swooping down to circle and land on her shoulder. "Someone's over there!"

Vulcan Hunting

@arowne97

Why do I always post it in the OOC section by mistake?!! Aaaghh