| They've Taken Her | |
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| Topic Started: May 1 2008, 07:27 PM (144 Views) | |
| Leandros | May 1 2008, 07:27 PM Post #1 |
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In a small village, still in the in sight of the great mountain near the city of Sparta. He awoke calmly in his house as first light began to peek through his window, its gentle warmth beckoning him out into the world. He slowly sat up, a smile upon his lips, how his life had change from the horrific memories he possessed. He was finally feeling at peace at more times than not, and found that there were things beside fighting and hunting that he could enjoy. He turned to his wife as she lay sleeping beside him covered in a white robe and breathing peacefully. He placed a hand carefully on her shoulder and smiled as she made a soft sound in response to his touch. She turned to him and opened her eyes. She grinned at him, and leapt out of the bed, off to get ready for the day. He chuckled at the sudden yet graceful burst of energy, and got out of bed himself. After a short while they both sat at their wooden dining table, eating bread, occasionally exchanging a loving glance. They fitted together better than his bow fitted on his back, something he would never had imagined possible. Soon he wrapped up the remainder of the bread and gathered the crumbs from the table, throwing them out of the window for the birds. Now standing behind his wife his placed his hands on her shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze then speaking, "I have to help your father with a few details about his business and trading, shouldn't be too long, although I did promise to finish a carving I've been working on," he walked to the door as she stood up and replied. "Okay, Leandros," a cheeky grin spread across her face and she spoke again, "Don't leave us for too long," she passed her cloak to him, placing it upon his shoulders as confusion spread across his face, noticing she spoken in the plural. "'Us'?" he asked slowly. "Yes, Your child and I," she laughed, patting her belly. He joined her long and hearty laugh and then kissed her upon the cheek. "I won't be long, family," and with that he left his home, his spirits even higher than usual, heading toward the place of his father-in-law. Once he arrived and they greeted each other enthusiastically, they worked for a few hours and then he could finally return to his wife and unborn child. However, as he stood at the foot of the hill upon which his small home stood, his stomach tightening, he glared in fear and anger. His home had caught fire and he could hear shouts and laughter. He could hear is wife's screams. He cursed loudly and ran faster than he ever had to the top of the hill. He couldn't see his wife anywhere, but issuing from the home were more and more bandits, he could see others in the distance, running down the other side of the hill, though they were too far away by now that even his good eyesight could not tell him if his wife was among them. In his chest there was a fire that felt hotter and more dangerous than even that of the fire that ravaged his home, and possibly his wife. The shouting bandits did not see him at first through the rising smoke as he ran like a madman into the house, flames licking his skin. Two of his enemies were on their way out of the house, but he did not stop, simply charged straight through them with all of his strength. He moved further into the houses, knowing exactly where he had left his sword, bow and arrows. He grabbed them, but by this time the house was on its last legs, its fight against the heat coming to a bitter end. Whether it was by the Olympian blood that was part of the mix within him, or by sheer determination and fear, he searched each room for his wife as the flames slowly burnt him and the smoke and heat made him begin to feel delirious. Without luck he emerged coughing and spluttering from the entrance of his house, only to be faced with a good few bandits that had stayed around to watch his house burn into the ground. He was surrounded by laughter and the sound of unsheathing weapons. The image of his wife's face flashed before his eyes and he yelled, the sound was like the embodiment of rage and power itself. He ran toward them, his sword raised, vengeance coaxing his conscience into letting all anger loose. |
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| Xena | May 1 2008, 09:20 PM Post #2 |
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It had already been a long day of riding. She had moved on early, even before the sun was up, and only taken a break during mid day. Argo had wanted to drink and graze a bit, and Xena had to admit some food wasn't such a bad idea. Now in the after noon she came across a small village. In Laconia, Xena had wanted to visit Sparta, it was a city that was known for it's army, and she had several run-ins with them before. However, she wasn't going there to amend for her past, but she needed some new supplies. And the best and most choices were still found in the bigger cities. She could choose to ride up north again, or go to Sparta first. She had decided the latter. So far it had been an easy ride, no one had jumped her, she hadn't come across people she knew from the past. And well it was nice for a chance. Somehow the stillness of the nature rubbed off on her, and she rather enjoyed riding together with Argo. And Argo was content too, as long as the horse got her breaks to drink some water. In the distance, when riding over a hill, Xena could see a small village plastered against another hill. She wasn't far from Sparta anymore, the mountains that isolated the city from this side could be seen in the distance. But it couldn't hurt to see if she could buy any food in the small village, as she was almost running out of those, and she didn't want to go through those mountains without any fresh food. Halfway across the valley she hushed Argo to a standstill. Narrowing her eyes to watch more closely. There was an uproar in the city, and on the top of the hill was a house burning. 'Yah.' she yelled and Argo picked up the pace immediately, running on full speed towards the little village. Coming closer and closer, she could see man running around with swords, some retreated, others kept standing about the house that was burning down. She rid right through the village, and people were left standing amazed, but none seemed to make any movements towards the house to help extinguish the fire. Just when she reached the top of the hill, a man came running from the house, held a sword high in the air. Charging towards the closest standing man. When the bandits drew their swords to kill this man. 'ailalalalal shii ai.' did her war-cry go when jumping off Argo in a leap through the sky. Landing softly on the ground, Xena threw her chakram, it hit off the wall of the burning house, right across four men who were advancing on the men, knocking them over and their swords falling down on the ground, and Xena caught it from the air again. Some men turned around towards her and charged. With ease she knocked the first guy over, who landed in some burning hay, he screamed and eventually found his way into a water reservoir meant for cattle. The second she gave a kick in the nuts and the third she knocked him over and the guy was knocked out. 'Hey, is there still someone inside?' She shouted at the men who seemingly lived here and was defending his home. Some of the other man already seem to choose for running instead of fighting. And the heat from the fire became almost unbearable standing so close. Edited by Xena, May 1 2008, 09:21 PM.
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| Leandros | May 2 2008, 03:20 AM Post #3 |
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It was almost as if he had only one purpose, could see only one end: the death of the bandits, his revenge. For a moment his vision was clouded with that only purpose as he mercilessly cut down the first bandit. Suddenly a shrill battle battle cry echoed across the hill and bandits were cut down around him. For a horrifying moment, it felt like the last ever rage he had been in before, when his body had been taken over by blood of the god of war within him. It was always as if he was simply powerless to control himself, and people just dropped dead around him. However, this was not one of those times, as became apparent to him as he heard a strong, but female voice call to him, 'Hey, is there still someone inside?' She had already immobilised or killed several of them and many ran away shouting and screaming, staying to watch the fire obviously no longer a top priority on theirlist of things to do. Some bandits however, remained, keen to finish their task, and crush this new female nuisance. Though judging by the way in which she fought, they had no chance at all. "My wife is gone!" he shouted, an enemy sword grazing a minor cut into his arm as he neglected to parry the blade, just thrusting his own sword into the man. "I checked everywhere inside..." his arms sagged, and sweat began to poor down his face as the nearby fire raged beside them, the new life he had built for himself burning around them. |
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| Xena | May 4 2008, 05:26 PM Post #4 |
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With his reply still ringing in her head she jerked her head back towards a man charging at her yet again. Normally it didn't affect her at all if someone who she didn't knew died innocently. But now, it seemed to affect her. The rage she saw went out from the man fighting the bandits was almost scary. But impressive at the same time. With the blunt side of her sword she gave a good hit against his head, and he dropped knock-out onto the ground. With piercing blue eyes she looked at the others, who now stood still, and looked at each other, and in a spur of the moment they started running into the other direction. Away from the burning house, away from what they came here to do. However sad it was, it seemed they had finished their job. Xena lowered her sword and stepped away from the house a bit, which started to fall apart. The first parts of the walls were already collapsing. Soon the whole house would collapse, and eventually only ash would lie where once the house stood. When she was sure they wouldn't be jumped anymore, Xena put her sword away. She faced the man, and to her horror she saw he was quite burned, and seemed to have inhaled quite some smoke. 'You need to be taken care off.' She said walking in his direction, she would understand that he wanted to go after them. But in the state he was in there was no way Xena would let him. She was surprised he was still standing. (short I know XD) |
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| Leandros | May 5 2008, 07:42 PM Post #5 |
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(hehe was about the same size as mine anyways :P) The last bandits either fled or fell by the sword of this woman who had aided him. He sheathed his sword and took his bow off of his back, placing one end of it into the grass and using it as a walking stick to lean on. Never normally would a good warrior be so exhausted after such a fight, but the loss of his wife, his unborn child, and his house had taken its toll on his heart. After a moment of heavy breathing, and staring mindlessly at the floor, his head sagging, he finally looked up at the person who forced him to live on when he was just starting to give in. 'You need to be taken care off.' There seemed to be a note of compassion in the warrior's voice, and she probably knew, as he did deep inside, that he was in no state to chase the fleeing bandits now. He would have to hunt them down when he had recovered, he had to know if his wife was truly dead, or whether she was captured alive, and being tortured in that very moment as he stood, burnt and weak. He forced a determined look upon his face, he could not fail her, dead, or alive. He took a couple of steps toward her, thinking to extend his hand in gratitude, and introduce himself, but only stopping and frowning. A tear sidled down his cheek and he shut his eyes. "How can I tell her father this?" he asked the heavens, shaking his bow, then letting his head sag again for a moment. He looked a sorry state, a pathetic remnant of his past self. Even as his hope and joy faded from his heart, he still felt ashamed for the wreck he had become so quickly, when something he held dear was ripped from him. "I'm sorry," he finally said after a moment, wiping the tear and looking up, trying to push away his thoughts. "And thank you. My name is Leandros," he extended the least burnt and charred arm of his in greeting. |
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| Xena | May 15 2008, 11:35 AM Post #6 |
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"How can I tell her father this?" A tear came from his eyes and made it's way down over his cheeks. Hurt, this man was hurt because of his loss, or his possible loss. There was no proof that his wife died in the burning house. But it was a big posiblity. There was no way to look for her body now. The house was burning still, and in the distance the first people came running from the village who now dared to come closer when the bandits were gone. Xena didn't knew how to reply to that. Only once she had to tell a loved one that someone had died in her family. Her brother. But that was so long ago. "I'm sorry. And thank you. My name is Leandros." 'Don't apologize,' Xena said, 'it wasn't your fault.' She looked around when half of the roof collapsed. 'My name is Xena.' She hesitated, but then took the arm of the other man to give him a short handshake. 'I think it might be a good idea to let the house burn out.' It sounded harsh, but it was true, there was nothing to be saved anymore. And the house was located on a hill, so there was no danger other houses would catch fire. 'Is there a tavern in town where we could take care of your wounds?' Some of the burns looked nasty, and if she could cool them down with water, they might heal better. Maybe the man was even in shock and couldn't feel the pain. She had seen burns before, and had seen people die because they had burned badly. Some of his burns appeared to be the same. |
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| Leandros | May 28 2008, 06:40 PM Post #7 |
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His shoulders still sagged, but after shaking Xena's hand he slowly stepped away from the burning house. Soon it would be nothing but a memory. The remaining heat from the house upon his back made him sweat as he took a moment to mourn the loss of his wife. He would hunt them down, every last one of them. His quest for revenge upon the Amazons now even more forgotten than it was when he was happy. 'Is there a tavern in town where we could take care of your wounds?' Her voice seemed distant compared to the flames that seemed to encase his mind and thoughts. He could not let himself be dragged down however. It was not in his being to give up and crumble. He was no stranger to wounds, he just had to recall that part of him that used to delight in both dealing and sustaining injury. That animal part of him that had been quieted of late. "Yes, a short walk from the foot of the hill. It's close by to my father-in-law's business," his second sentence was more like a whisper, a small reminder to himself. No matter how much anger was beginning to boil within him, his burns were too harsh for even he to just charge after his enemies. Xena spoke sense and he intended to heal first. He took a few more steps in the direction of the foot of the hill, and the tavern. "So why is it you come to such a small village?" he asked, his voice still slightly distant. |
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3:39 PM Nov 26
