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Vale of the White Horse
Topic Started: 5 Jan 2010, 13:03 (19,392 Views)
Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
Her tense smile warmed. 'Thanks, Braegne. I really am glad that you're with me here.' She took the plate from her maid and slipped outside. There were few people around; it was a small household after all. Briallen went up to his room. The door looked very stark. She couldn't hear a sound. With one careful hand, she knocked. 'Tudwrig?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
He didn't hear the knock - but then, he didn't hear much of anything right now. Prowling across the room, he pushed the furniture around. The window was open, and he didn't like the light. It had to be closed. He made his way over to it and straightened himself slightly. Close it..., but how? And was that his name he heard?
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She shook her head. Perhaps he was asleep? That was very likely. The silence did worry her a little. She'd just slip in, put the plate next to his bed and leave him to his rest. That was, if she could get in at all. Balancing the tray on her hip, she pushed against the door. He had unlocked it, or else Eiluned had been mistaken. Either way the door opened to a small crack and she could slip in as softly as she could. It was semi-dark. She heard breathing. Was he sleeping so loud? She could not yet see him, his bed was in the ajoining room, with the small wall and doorless gate seperating them. 'Tudwrig?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
There was someone inside, in the other room. How did that happen? He shook his head and tried to clear his mind. His other life - his normal life. Eiluned... He remembered with difficulty that she never came in at these times. Then who was it in his chambers? There wasn't supposed to be anyone. The fur on his neck stood on end and he growled softly. Couldn't be. It wasn't right. He hoped they'd go away before something happened.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
What was that? She stopped moving, feeling a sudden chill going through her. Growling? Was he having a bad dream? No, it sounded...She advanced carefully until she was in the small gateway. 'Tudwrig, are you awake? I'm sorry to disturb, I brought you some -' her speech faltered.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
He breathed in through his teeth - more than he should have, and a lot sharper too - and went to the other side of the room, keeping his eye on the woman in the doorway. She was familiar, he knew who she was and yet he couldn't remember. What was she doing here? He wanted to asked, but his mouth couldn't form the words.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'What...what is this?' she uttered, knowing that the question would not receive an answer and that her face had drained completely. She staggered back, her eyes sweeping the room. 'Where is - Tudwrig, are you -' But he wasn't here. Not at all. Her hands began to shake so hard that the plate fell on the ground along with the herbal draught. Something started to form in her head...something so terrible and so absurd that it could not be the truth.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
He gave a growl at the sudden sound, skidding backwards into the wall. Noise, all that noise - there was more drifting in from the courtyard through the open window and he couldn't take it. It made him lose it. He eyed the woman - wait. Something drifted around in his head, like a leaf on a stream. A ceremony, and... happily ever after?
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
Whatever the dreadful creature was - Gods, it looked like a wolf, or a dragon, or something of an uncanny breed in between - it was clear to Briallen that it could rip her open in a snap, leaving nothing of her but a bleeding pulp. It was hard to even keep breathing - too loud and it might attack. But now it staggered back, away from her. Was it scared? Surely not so terrified as she was! Briallen moved backwards, almost stumbling over the rolling cup on the floor. She had to get out. Whatever this was, whatever this thing had done with her husband, it was otherworldly.
She reached the door, but pressed it shut on accident. No! Her hands fumbled with the door knob, keeping her eyes all the while on the monster.
The monster stared back.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
What was Briallen doing in his room? Now that he remembered her name, it was easier to think. Eiluned should have kept her out, she had promised him. Why had she failed him? She needed to get out... Before it was too late. He remembered other wives, and the memories hurt him. He took a step towards her and tried to tell her to go, but all that came out of his mouth was something between a hiss and a growl.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
It was like she froze to the very marrow of her bone. 'Don't,' she breathed, barely loud enough to hear, 'don't hurt me...I'm not...' But not what? Not a danger to you? Not a snack? There, her fingers found the door knob and twisted it. Out, she would get out, slam the door and never ever come back in. This thing had already eaten Tudwrig, it must be so, or else where was her husband. No. It could not be.
As the creature moved towards her, hissing or growling, she stared into the eyes that had a very warm, not quite chestnut brown. The fur curled over it like small curtains. The eyes, she knew. Those curls, she had rather liked. Briallen began to shake her head weakly, not able to scream. 'It's you, isn't it?' It was only a sigh.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Was he? He didn't even know himself. Why was she asking him questions he didn't know the answer to? He growled again, but softer this time, and backed away again. Give her space, maybe she'd leave before... before what? He squinted his eyes shut and fought for control, to get rid of the beast, but it was a lost cause. When he opened his eyes again, it felt like his head had split from the top all the way down to his neck. And he still had claws and fur.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'I...Oh, gods.' She yanked open the door, pushed herself out and slammed it, staring at the other side as if he would tear through the wood with the claws and fangs. She was shaking so hard that she had to give herself a few seconds before she could run away. Where to go? To her own room, she decided, and her legs took her there as if she were flying. Braegne was inside. She hurled herself on the bed, after smacking the door shut. 'Gods preserve me,' was all she could say, panting and crying.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Braegne gave a start and jumped up, looking at Briallen's tears with a baffled look on her face. 'Briallen, what -' She rushed over to her side and slipped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. 'Whatever happened?'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
The comforting touch was the final stroke. She burst out in an uncontrolled gasping, partly sobbing and partly hyperventilating. 'I - they allowed me to be - I have been married to a monster!' She gulped down tears and continued with the ragged breathing. 'A real one, Braegne - I saw him - it was...not right. Otherwordly. A...a real monster, with claws and a fur and...And it was him, I just know it was him, and all the ills and Eiluned's been saying he could not see me, it was this, Oh gods -'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Braegne felt how the colour drained from his face. A monster? But - how? She bit her lip and held back the questions and the surprised exclamations, feeling that what Briallen needed now was someone to hold her close and calm her. 'Shh,' she said quietly and rocked her like one would a child. She wanted to say that it was okay, but if Tudwrig was a monster, nothing was even remotely all right.

-
Gwenllian looked over the rim of her teacup at Rhywallon. He'd been awefully quiet and hardly touched his foot. There was a distant sort of look in his eyes she wasn't quite sure whether she liked it. 'So,' she said then, 'I'll get the provisions on my own?'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'I...I don't know how. But I saw him, I even smelled it....Gods, Braegne, it all makes sense with Eiluneds excuses. I need to go back.' She straighted from her crumbled position, wiping her tear-smudged face. 'Home. Uncle never wanted me to marry a...a thing.'

-

'Hm-hm,' he said, making up his mind. 'Take as long as you need. After that, go straight to our room and wait for me to come back. Understand?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Of course, we will go tomorrow.' Braegne stroked Briallen's hair and used the hem of her skirt to wipe the wetness off her cheeks. 'I'll start packing our things just as soon as I made some tea for you.'

-

'Yes, sir,' she answered and scraped her plate clean of the juices with a piece of bread. 'Is there anything you need, aside from a horse?'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Yes...The herbal draught.' Briallen wiped her face again. This time she kept her eyes dry. 'I dropped it in his room. Oh. He must have known all this time. He must have sent me away last night because...well, that doesn't matter.'

-

'Yes.' His fist had made a tight curl on the table top. Now he slammed it and got up. 'And it is in your best interest to keep out.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'It's a dreadful thing,' Braegne said with a frown and got up. 'Will you be all right now? I'll run to the kitchen to prepare your tea.'

-

She gave a start when he banged his fist on the table. 'I shall,' she said, though his behavior really made her want to sneak after him to see what he was up to. But she had promised to do what he told her to, and she wouldn't want to lose his protection. The gods knew she needed it. 'Be careful, whatever it is you need to do.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'I will.' She inhaled deeply, sitting on the bed. Her hands lay limply in her lap.

'Oh, I shall.' The good part of his mouth curled into a smile. 'It's not me who needs to worry today. I will see you, Gwenllian.' He left the room without looking back. He needed nothing that was not already on him.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
She left the room and went into the kitchen quickly. The cook cast a curious look on her face, but Braegne didn't answer to his asking what the matter was and prepared the tea as fast as she could. It would've been better had she been able to let the leaves soak for a little while longer, but she didn't want to leave Briallen alone for too long. With the cup in her hands, she hurried back to the bedroom. Briallen hadn't moved. 'There you go. Careful, it's still hot,' Braegne added quite redundantly as she handed her the cup.

-
A little shiver ran down her spine. Gwenllian emptied her winecup and stared into it for quite a while. She wanted to be sure Rhywallon was well away before she left, lest she'd be tempted to follow him and see what he was up to. It was about fifteen minutes later that the door opened and a small group of Romans came in. She took it as her cue and got up, leaving the inn as unobtrusively as she could. She didn't like Romans at all and wanted to avoid them at any cost.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Thanks. I...' Her voice sounded thin and hoarse, like she had been having a terrible cold. She cleared it, taking the cup with careful fingers. 'Can you wait packing for a bit. You need to let Eiluned know that we are leaving as soon as we're ready. But we send our only man back after the ceremony. We will need to find a way to travel with a guard. Eiluned must provide us with an escort.'

-

He headed to the market, his hands itching but his breath forced into a calming pattern. This settlement was not large. He would find the man, the Roman. Find him. Get what he needed.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'All right,' Braegne said. 'I will tell her as soon as I can. Now, drink your tea.' She wasn't going to leave Briallen until she knew she was doing well, and was safe. For all she knew the monster could come to get her, and she'd be damned if she let that happen.

-

Gwenllian bought a woven basket on the market. Even though she couldn't take it with her when they'd continue, it was better to spend a few coppers than to risk dropping armfulls of provisions on the ground. It was a small market, and there were a lot of people bustling about, shouting to praise their wares or haggling vehemently. She got some bread first, stringing up a conversation with the baker's wife.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Aulus Cloelius.' The name came out of his mouth like the hiss of a banshee, something devoid of mercy. He had become a creature, a thing that lives to hunt, to kill. His hands looked like claws. He was bleeding...no, it was the blood of the filthy Roman at his feet...no, it might be his own. He hated the thought that his blood was mixed with that of this dead man. Rhywallon kicked it. The head lolled sideways. 'Yeah, you stare, go on.' There was a bitter taste in his mouth. 'Stare at the filthy ceiling for all eternity.' Again, his foot reached out and he kicked against the head until he heard a click. The large, Roman nose had broken, smashed to a pulp. Too bad he wouldn't feel it anymore. Quietly, he turned around, leaving the little sheep shed behind. It would be a while before they found him. By then, he'd be gone.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
When she was done with her shopping, Gwenllian went back to the inn and hauled the heavy basket upstairs. She opened the door to their room and stepped inside, setting the provisons down. It was a small room, she noted as she looked around. A little too small, maybe. There was a bed on either side of the room, and only one cabinet with a copper basin filled with water on top. Well, nothing to be done about that. It was either this, or sleep in a cow's shed. She threw herself down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, waiting for Rhywallon to return.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
It was already getting dark. That was good; it would hide the blood stains on his tunic. Rhywallon slipped into the tavern, quickly to the back hall where their room was. De door opened with enough noise to wake the entire household. Gwenllian had lit a lantern.

-

She drank the tea in perfect silence. It hardly did anything, but she kept her breathing calm. The first shock had worn off. She must not worry Braegne too much. 'Please. Go to Eiluned now.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
She gasped when the door banged open and shot up straight, placing a hand over her heart. 'Rhywallon, what -' Gwenllian suddenly fell silent and, jumping from the bed, looked at him with wide eyes. There were dark, wet stains on the fabric of his clothes. 'Oh, gods,' she breathed. What had happened? Why was he bleeding? She rushed over to him and started fidgeting with his sleeve to check the wounds. There was so much blood, he must surely be dying!

-

Braegne nodded and went outside, closing the door carefully behind her. She found Eiluned in the hall, discussing something with a tall man she'd never seen before. He looked like a carter, or perhaps a salesman. Braegne moistened her lips and waited until the older woman was done, then she walked straight towards her and after only the briefest of nods told her that Briallen and she would be leaving as soon as they possibly could.
Eiluned blinked. 'And why is that?' she asked slowly.
'Because you've been keeping secrets from us, which was not part of the treaty,' Braegne said quickly.
There was a long silence. 'I want to talk to Briallen,' was all Eiluned said before turning around and striding to Briallen's room. Braegne followed on her heels.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
He froze when she rushed over to him and he felt her hands all over his hurt arm. She was trying to pull the sleeve up. 'Gwenllian.' His voice sounded strained and hoarse. There was something inside of him still roaring, still rushing after the killing. All his muscles were tense. He wanted to slap her off of him. 'Get your hands away now.'

-

She swallowed the last, cold drops of the tea just when Eiluned came in. Her maid was right behind her. Briallen found she held her breath as she looked up. 'Well?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'You're hurt,' she rattled, not really paying much attention to what he was saying, 'let me take care of it. It must be cleaned and properly bandaged.' The blood was colouring her fingers a bright red and it felt all slippery. Her heart was trying to beat its way out of her throat.

-

'I should like to know why you want to abandon us,' Eiluned asked quietly, studying Briallen's pale face. Her hands trembled slightly, but she folded them together to make it stop.
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