Another day, another pretty lass...

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Another day, another pretty lass...; PM to join.
Topic Started: Oct 31 2009, 07:17 PM (68 Views)
LMDwarf	Oct 31 2009, 07:17 PM Post #1
The Other White Meat Posts: 28 Group: Member Member #57 Joined: Sep 25 2009	The last of the morning dew was burning away quite swiftly as the sun rose high above the city of Edoras. The local tavern and a few other places that had somehow survived had now been cleaned up and repaired fully. The stables had been hit, but the horses had been fortunate enough to survive; unluckily, some of them had escaped. Those that had fled the stables and remained within the city had now been recovered, however. Most of them had already been brought back; there were only a couple that had not. There were also a few people who had died in the attack, and their horses were up for grabs - mostly sold by families who needed the money to rebuild. Thanks to his brother's secret hiding places beneath their home, Caranthir had the money to buy one of them; he'd never owned a horse before, but he knew enough about them from the people he'd grown up with. He was a native of Edoras, after all. He tried to calm the almost-wild Appaloosa as he guided her into the stables. He had decided to call the mare Ironheart, for she had been one of the last to leave the stables; that was probably why she was so skittish now. Caranthir had been told that she had just celebrated her fourth birthday a few days before the attack, so she would have a long, full life ahead of her as Caranthir's proud and noble steed. He finally managed to calm Ironheart enough to get her into one of the larger stalls; it had already been prepared, as had most of the stalls by now, so there was no trouble there. He spent a few moments with Ironheart to ease her nerves; she seemed to be trying to calm herself as well, and to understand that Caranthir was not an enemy. Looking deep into the horse's beautiful eyes, it almost seemed as though Caranthir could feel the same fear that Ironheart was trying not to hold on to...strange. He'd never been much for understanding others' feelings - except in the case of people he knew well, of course. He pondered this for a few moments, but he finally seemed to realize that she would be okay. It was an instinctive feeling, like he knew that the horse understood she would be okay...very strange indeed. Finally, he went to get some feed for the horse. He locked the stall and petted Ironheart again, smilling at her. She seemed to be pleased at his touch, and for that he was grateful. The feed was outside in a barn since there was a lot of it, so he was just heading for the entrance when he spotted beautiful maiden with hair of fire and eyes like the forest. She was walking around outside in the paddock with a bow on her back and a sword at her hip. Caranthir, always interested in the ladies, found himself watching her move with well-trained grace. A twinkle in his sparkling blue eyes, he found himself greatly enjoying the view despite the broken landscape behind his favored target.
	Azduum Tome of Azduum Adventures of Azduum / Adventures of Caranthir


AmethystRain	Nov 1 2009, 02:46 AM Post #2
Posts: 8 Group: Member Member #68 Joined: Oct 31 2009	The moment Alyinna had heard about the fires and destruction of her home of Edoras, Alyinna had made her way home as fast as she could. She had to make certain that her adoptive family was alright. As she rode, the fiery redhead was nothing but a ball of nervous energy, wondering what awaited her when she passed through the gates... that is if the gates were even still there. Alyinna pushed her faithful gray steed harder than she ever had as she caught her first glimpse of her home. It wasn't long before the large stallion and his rider thundered in through the gates and she saw the extent of the destruction. Alyinna's heart went out to her city as she lowered the hood of her cloak. Eyes of the widows, the orphans, the father and brotherless looked up to meet her as she slowed Shadowing to a walk as her large emerald orbs took in everything. As they did, they also took in the looks of her people, looks that plainly asked without words where had she been when they had needed her? Alyinna was a Lady of Rohan, a Shieldmaiden, she was just as dangerous with a sword and bow as any man, that had been assured after Lady Eowyn proved herself in the battle at Minas Tirith. When her skills to protect her people had been needed though, where had she been? She had not been there to protect them that's where. She had been off on some meaningless adventure. Alyinna leveled her gaze between Shadowing's ears, she couldn't bear the accusing and questioning looks any longer. She had failed them and that weighed heavily on the young woman who in many ways was still just a girl trying to be the woman most expected her to be. Alyinna made her way to the stables and untacked Shadowing before giving him a good grooming and feeding. He deserved it for the way she had pushed him in getting there. Once outside the stables, Alyinna took a deep breath to steady herself as she looked towards the Golden Hall. She couldn't face her family just yet, not after the looks her people had given her. There was no way she could face similar ones from those who had taken her in and raised her as their own. Instead she headed over to an empty paddock with a broken and charred fence that she had often used as a training field growing up. Alyinna passed through the break in the charred wood, her gloved hand trailing lightly along it before she stepped in the middle of the circle. She drew her sword, the magificent work of steel, wood and gold. She eyed the blade with its rose carving before running herself through a series of jabs, intricate swings and blocks. It was as she did so she felt eyes upon her and figured it might be a child watching her, as most tended to do when someone was practicing. She knew she had done her share of staring wide eyed at the Rohirrim as they had trained while she was growing up. Alyinna shifted her eyes just a fraction and saw that her faithful friend Tyra had somehow snuck into the city and was laying just under the lowest beam of the fence, her front paws crossed almost lady-like and her head resting on them, her unusual silvery blue eyes locked on the girl who had saved her life. She then noticed someone standing in the doorway of the stables and turned her head just a fraction to see who was watching her. A man, somewhere around her age, maybe a little older stood there with blonde hair, eyes locked on her as she practiced. He was handsome, but Alyinna was not interested in handsome, especially not at the moment. Her heart was too wild in her mind for anyone, and after the looks most had given her coming in, it was also too broken to even think about attempting some sort of friendly conversation with him. Instead she gave him an aknowledging nod and went back to her series of moves with her sword, seemingly locked in a slow battle with an invisible foe.
Posts: 8 Group: Member Member #68 Joined: Oct 31 2009


LMDwarf	Nov 1 2009, 07:41 AM Post #3
The Other White Meat Posts: 28 Group: Member Member #57 Joined: Sep 25 2009	Fine moves with a sword. Caranthir was hardly a swordsman, but his skill with the bow was well-known among those who had seen him hunt. Actually, he had been told that he would do well as a ranger; it was mostly in jest, but it fit in a way. The weight of a throwing or poleaxe was also something that fit him well; he might be young, but he was not someone the average soldier wanted to meet in battle. He could thank his father, brother, and Helm's Deep for that. But graceful and obviously skilled as this woman was with a blade, she had to be a shield maiden of Rohan. From what rumors he had heard during the war of the ring, it was a shield maiden of Rohan that had bested the witch king. If that was true, this woman was as much a warrior as he. If this was truly her home, and he had no reason to believe that it was not despite having never seen her before - or at least not that he could remember, anyway - she also had as much to fight for as he did. Ordinarily, he would be all over her. But the darkness of Mordor had taken too much away from him. First his parents, and how - a second time - his home. At least this time, he could rebuild at once instead of having to fight in a hopeless war. But it seemed that peace would never truly settle upon the Riddermark - or the world, for that matter. War was upon the Riddermark once more, and this so-called 'shield maiden' had turned her back on her people. His lips tightened for a moment. But he simply sighed and shook his head, for he had more important things to worry about. The king had been right about one thing: there were things that even someone who wasn't a builder could do to help in the rebuilding. There was more to repair than broken homes, he had said. Perhaps he was right. "We could use another good sword arm," was all he said as he watched her perfect form - and not just the form of her swordplay, either.
	Azduum Tome of Azduum Adventures of Azduum / Adventures of Caranthir


AmethystRain	Nov 1 2009, 12:27 PM Post #4
Posts: 8 Group: Member Member #68 Joined: Oct 31 2009	Alyinna's concentration was suddenly broken and it showed in the slight falter of her her swing as her emerald orbs turned to look at him, "So I heard. I only wish that I would have arrived sooner." she replied, the remorse obvious in her soft voice. It was true, the copper headed maiden had dropped everything and rode out as soon as she heard word of her homeland being under attack. She had pushed her Shadowing to his limits, only stopping long enough to rest the faithful beast before pressing on. She had ridden past villages, all bearing news that her precious Edoras had been greatly damaged and that many lives had been lost. The news weighed heavily on her heart, she knew she should have been there, she should have done all that she could to protect her beloved home. A home that by birth may not have been hers but a home that she had been welcomed into with open arms and should have defended with her life. Alyinna broke eye contact with him, she would not cry. She would not show any more than she already was how much it bothered her that she had not been here to defend her people and her family. Alyinna had never heard if any of the royal family had been injured or worse... lost in the fires. That though was visibly painful in the redhead's eyes as she lifted them to The Golden Hall once more and wondered what kind of reception she would have at her homecoming. She had been gone for a month at least, no... as she thought about it, she had been gone longer and the thought made her heart ache. It had been too long since she had walked the halls of her home, had been among her people. Alyinna closed her eyes and tilted her head down as her long hair fell about her face like a curtain. As if on cue, the brendle colored wolf rose from her perch under the fence and came over to the redhead, nudging her gloved hand with her head and leaning against her leg in a comforting manner. "I may not have been here to defend my people, but I will make up for my absence when the time was needed for my sword." she vowed, her voice low.
Posts: 8 Group: Member Member #68 Joined: Oct 31 2009


LMDwarf	Nov 1 2009, 06:54 PM Post #5
The Other White Meat Posts: 28 Group: Member Member #57 Joined: Sep 25 2009	The regret in the maiden's eyes was all too plain. That proved beyond the shadow of a doubt, at least to Caranthir, that what King Elessar had said was correct. There was more than broken homes to be repaired in Edoras. Whomever this woman was, she held remorse for having left this place to the destruction it had suffered, like a scavenger scared off by a predator. He nodded almost imperceptibly, accepting it without words, as he watched her. The wolf was a bit of a surprise, but it was a beautiful animal. Wargs were things he had only heard about, but wolves he had seen plenty of in his lifetime. They were beautiful animals who could survive by their wits either alone or with their packs; pack wolves were extremely family-oriented. They didn't typically like humans or other sentient races and stayed away from them for the most part, but they were docile enough when they weren't feeling threatened. This one was obviously a close friend of the maiden before the boy. He shrugged off his initial anger, which stemmed from his anger toward the Hand of Sauron. It had nothing to do with the shield maiden - not really. He approached her, though he didn't come too close; he stopped a few feet away, having spoken as he walked. "I am Caranthir, son of Fagan. I'm a tanner here. And you, lovely maiden?" He said this last with a smile, turning on his charm. He might as well get friendly with her. How else would he end up with a new fling? Besides, it was better than berating her for not being here.
	Azduum Tome of Azduum Adventures of Azduum / Adventures of Caranthir


AmethystRain	Nov 1 2009, 11:52 PM Post #6
Posts: 8 Group: Member Member #68 Joined: Oct 31 2009	Alyinna raised her emerald gaze once more to meet this Caranthir's as he introduced himself. She was surprised that he did not know her, then again, some of her people didn't because Alyinna was rarely around for them to know her. "My name is Lady Alyinna." She replied simply. Most knew her name if anything, there weren't many who hadn't heard about the baby found at the gates of Edoras with nothing but a sword, letter, and necklace as her only belongings that the royal family took in barely eighteen years ago. Alyinna rubbed Tyra's neck and head in reply to her attempt to comfort her friend and sighed softly, still beating herself over not being here when she was needed. "I came as soon as I heard word, how long ago was the attack?" She kept her gaze even, almost emotionless as she asked him this question. She would make the ones who did this pay, even if they had some measure of loss on their side, Alyinna would bring her own form of judgement to those who had attacked her family, her home. If she knew how long ago the attack was, it would give her an idea of how far the villians had gotten since then. Especially if they escaped on horseback. For now though she would wait. She would tend to her people, and tend to her own wounds that she had mentally inflicted on herself from the guilt. Alyinna sheathed her unique sword and turned to face the tanner. Now that he was closer, she could see he was handsome for sure, and probably had a way with the ladies. Alyinna figured it would be best to keep her wits about her, she didn't need to be another conquest for someone like she figured he might be. Not to mention the last man who had tried to woo her, she'd left with a broken nose and even more broken pride. Alyinna had not been a handful to those who had trained her and raised her growing up, she was a handful to anyone that tried to get near her, and if this Caranthir was going to try and do just that... well, he would soon find out just what he had decided to get close to.
Posts: 8 Group: Member Member #68 Joined: Oct 31 2009


LMDwarf	Nov 2 2009, 07:32 AM Post #7
The Other White Meat Posts: 28 Group: Member Member #57 Joined: Sep 25 2009	He nodded. Of course. He had heard rumors of the Lady Alyinna, though he had never had the pleasure to meet such a fine young woman. She was but a few years his junior and very beautiful, but she had a fire in her eyes that seemed to have died to embers. She was just as wounded by this as Caranthir; he saw that clearly now. They had something in common, however: neither had parents. She had adoptive parents, at least; his were dead. But he dismissed thoughts of them as he always did; now was not the time to dwell on the dead. To her query, he responded in a more serious tone. This was not a time to be wooing lovely lasses, much as he wanted to see how close he could get before he got burned. "A week, perhaps. I have lost some measure of time in the days that followed it." He said this slowly, somehow finding words difficult despite knowing what he wanted to say. Perhaps he was still in shock. Considering the magnitude of the attack, it would not have been at all surprising. It would have been more surprising for him to have mentally or emotionally recovered at all, actually. "We are rebuilding, but slowly. The ents are helping, bringing their own fallen for lumber. It is good that their brethren are giving one last burst of aid to old friends." In truth, he had never really understood ents. They were supposedly just like elves, only older and made of wood. But what were they really made of beyond the bark and timber of their trunks or the leaves that hung from their branches? What was it that gave them life and wizened minds?
	Azduum Tome of Azduum Adventures of Azduum / Adventures of Caranthir


AmethystRain	Nov 5 2009, 02:09 AM Post #8
Posts: 8 Group: Member Member #68 Joined: Oct 31 2009	Alyinna nodded as he told her how long it had been since the attack, they could be anywhere within that time frame, but the copper haired maiden knew that if Tyra could get a good strong scent, it would not be all that hard to find who had done this to her home. Perhaps the king would even want to lead a retalliation attack, she doubted it with the losses she'd heard about, but there was a chance. Alyinna was brought out of her thoughts when she heard him mention that they were rebuilding, slowly but rebuilding. That was good, she was glad that they were rebuilding. It was a good sign. "That is good that the Ents are aiding in the rebuilding." she replied evenly, a small smile on her face as she remembered the first Ent she encountered. She had been but a child of around five years old, out riding her first horse with her caregiver and some of the royal family that had adopted her. The tiny mare had not been pleased to see the giant tree-like creature move and as a result had nearly unseated the young Alyinna, who held her seat luckily and had managed to calm her mount down before staring wide-eyed at the wise old Ent who had smiled down at the young redhead and her mount before addressing the elders. Alyinna snapped out of the memory and looked down at Tyra before looking to Caranthir, "I hope that whoever did this will find their ends soon and as painful as the lives that they took from us." she murmered, mentally vowing that she would try her best to personally make sure of that end being as painful and slow as she could make it. Alyinna was a lady, and she was as far from being evil as one could get, but you did not harm those she cared about, and the people of Edoras and Rohan certainly were on that list.
Posts: 8 Group: Member Member #68 Joined: Oct 31 2009


LMDwarf	Nov 5 2009, 07:40 PM Post #9
The Other White Meat Posts: 28 Group: Member Member #57 Joined: Sep 25 2009	So she didn't know. That was odd, though not so much if she had been traveling. Helm's Deep certainly knew of it now, though it appeared that not everyone did. But most did. Nonetheless, it seemed to be him that would enlighten her. His eyes had a dull light with just a spark of fire in them, anger mingled with despair, as his voice took on a note of icy hatred. "It was the Hand of Sauron," he said simply, his face emphasizing what his eyes already showed. ((Sorry for shortness...I've got no inspiration right now. >.<))
	Azduum Tome of Azduum Adventures of Azduum / Adventures of Caranthir


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