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Post by Mortimer Speigel on Jul 23, 2005 15:09:26 GMT -5
The small horse trod its way wearily up the side of the small grass hill, minding its footing on the dusty path. It let out a disgruntled wine, tiredness catching hold of its aching muscles and partched mouth, its rider swayed from side to side as the tired creature picked out its foot holds, riding cape blowing easily in the light wind. With two last pushes the laden animal made its way to the top of the hill, the last of many before the open fields of grassland that led up to the city walls ahead. It stopped, braught to exaustion by the two large sacks of lauggage mounted on each flank of its sweaty bulk. It lowered its head to the ground, sniffing out one small patch of green grass that had not already been tradden in or wilted by the harsh sun.
The rider did not care, staring out over the grasslands and onto the city. The city that he never wanted to return to, it was, at least even if he did not like to admit it, the only real hell forsaken place that he called 'home' if only for a short while. The man sighed, slumping back into the sadle, spitting a long stalk of grass from his mouth. He was tall and lanky, with a large abundance of frizzy, unkempt and untidy brown hair. He frowned, freeing a hand and plunging it deep into his riding cloack where he fummbled for a short while before pulling out a cigarett and a small box of matches. He places the cigarette loosly between his lips and struck a match, his eyes still being drawn lazily to the city. Or, at least he tried to light the match.
ugh
He mummbled. Damp. Pushing the box back into the over coat he sighed once more, attempting to kick off his steed to no avail which seemed to be vastly more interested in the lush grass than its desgruntled owner. He chewed agrivatedly on the end of the cigarette for a moment before lighing withdrawing it from his mouth and flicking it over his left shoulder.
"Come on.."
He again pulled upon the rains of the unwilling mule.
"Jeez.."
He scratched his head looking down onto the back of the head of his moody companion.
With one last push the horse gave in and took its first slow step down the other side of the hill towards the city gates.
Mortimer Speigel was back after 7 years of being away from the city that had grown, moulded and scared him. He rode on lazily into the afternoon, occasionaly taking a swig from a hip flask as he did so...
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Post by Eidlin Isilramel on Jul 24, 2005 20:16:39 GMT -5
Eidlin felt her horse, Balsid, halt in his hour long trot toward the city. She feared to enter it's high walls but knew that she had to do so. Her long brown hair clung to her sweaty back as the gold orb of the sun burned down upon her. She had ridden for a few minutes with her eyes closed, sure that her horse would not steer away from her desired destination, and feeling this change of pace opened her weary eyes.
She looked around the parched grasslands around her to see what Balsid did. She felt that she wasn't the only one there, but as her lake experience proved, her sensed were not usually wrong.
This time she was ready. Reaching down the left side of saddle she felt for her sword that was resting safely in it's scabbard. With her left hand on the hilt, she pulled her black horse to a halt with her right, and turned him around as she scanned the grasses in all directions.
It was then that her eyes fell upon the second rider a little ahead of her to the right. His horse's weary tread showed her that he wasn't going to make it unless he had rest or water. Fearing that his rider was in a similar situation, she contemplated whether to head over to him or not. It seemed that they were headed in the same direction anyway, so she urged Balsid toward them despite the reluctance she felt. She had taken too many risks lately, and what if this rider was going to be one too many? Still, she liked adventure and that meant risk.
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Post by Mortimer Speigel on Jul 25, 2005 14:29:55 GMT -5
The tired horse trod on down the grassy side of the hill, slowly swaying the man from side to side. The chewed silently on a stork of grass, his eyes mistily looking towards the looming city gates in the distance. Six days of traveling could soon take their toul in such harsh weather on a hungry and thirsty wanderer.
He pulled the long over coat tighter around hiself, shading himself from the afternoon sun that beat down, cursing beneith his breath the damp matches and his craving for tobacco. Then, from behind his own tracks Mort heard the low sound of another horse, slowly gaining on himself. He moved his head slightly to one side, attempting to gain a better judgement on how far away his persuer was. He looked slyly back towards the city, slowly and gently pushing his right hand into his dark overcoat, fummbling for something within.
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Post by Eidlin Isilramel on Jul 25, 2005 14:40:46 GMT -5
Eidlin tightened her hold on the hilt of her sword as she neared the stranger. Pulling a little to his left but still behind him, she wondered why he hadn't acknowledged her presence. Of course, if he didn't know she was there then he really was in bad shape. Yet the slight movement of his arm hadn't escaped her piercing gaze, and she knew that he was conscious.
This action unnerved her for he must know that he wasn't alone. Yet being this close, she wouldn't let herself pull back again until she was sure he was all right, or she was sure she was in danger. "Excuse me sir," she finally said, her brown eyes focused intently on the other's every move.
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Post by Mortimer Speigel on Jul 28, 2005 15:01:36 GMT -5
On hearing the straners voice Mort's overcoat was thrown open, one of the two small crossbow pistols was drawn from benieth, rearing his small steed round with a quick yank of its rains he swiftly outstretched his arm, drawing the sights to his eyes, firing off a bolt from the small crossbow into the floor near the strangers mounts hooves. Out of the corner of his eye he found the stranger, the crossbow bolt startling her animal, a woman, a beautiful woman.
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Post by Eidlin Isilramel on Jul 28, 2005 16:04:07 GMT -5
The other rider's quick movements caught Eidlin off her guard. She saw him throw off his cloak and fire an arrow towards her horse. Balsid reared and as he did, she managed to pull out her sword.
"Down Balsid. Calm down," she whispered to him and indeed, the horse's front hooves touched the ground softly enough. Grasping the reigns, Eidlin pulled them tant, but didn't let the horse move in any direction.
She saw that the man before her hadn't aimed to kill, even though he could have. Seeing the second weapon, Eidlin held her sword high and focused her brown eyes on the stranger.
"I never thought that threats and weapons were a way of greeting, sir. I only bothered you to inquire if you need aid, your horse looked weary a league away," Eidlin replied her voice level and undisturbed by the hostility of the other rider. "I mean you no harm, sir, and if you would be kind enough to lower your weapon, I shall do the same."
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Post by Mortimer Speigel on Jul 28, 2005 17:41:46 GMT -5
"Heh" He grunted, a small grin appearing, forming out of the frown that adorned his smooth long face. He watched her cooly as she calmed her horse, staring into the womans eyes.
"Didnt anybody ever tell you to not sneak up on strangers when you were a lass?" He said, slowly lowering the small crossbow to his side, his grin widening as he chewed softly on a stalk of dead grass. He continued to watch her intently.
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Post by Eidlin Isilramel on Jul 28, 2005 18:33:26 GMT -5
Lowering her sword, she looked hard at the stranger. Ignoring his question, she asked one of her own instead. "Didn't your elders teach you to be kind to strangers? I'm sure that they did not teach you to attack them without at least giving them a warning ahead of time."
Her brown eyes swept him over. 'Well, he's no knight,' she thought, looking as he chewed on a piece of grass. 'Just like a child, and his manners could be better.' But despite what she saw in him, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, she learned well enough how appearances were decieving.
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Post by Mortimer Speigel on Aug 14, 2005 8:42:01 GMT -5
occ: I am alive, honest! ;D Been camping and at work and car internaly combusted in the entirly wrong way, sorry!
bic:
Mortimer grinned to himself although this was mostly braught on through the girls cool words. He tugged his horse around, it still fighting his commands, he looked at the woman side on.
"I've never trusted any strangers no matter how innocent or beautiful looking, ma'am."
He lowered the small crossbow, pushing it back benieth his long overcoat, momenterily taking his eyes off of the stranger.
"And so whats a nice lady like you doing out here all alone?"
He muttered, again funndling within his think garments for a cigarette.
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Post by Eidlin Isilramel on Aug 14, 2005 15:45:31 GMT -5
(ooc: I'm happy to hear that you're alive. Although, I am sorry for your car. ) bic: Eidlin eyed the stranger warily, but seeing him put away his weapon, she sheathed her own sword as well. Now with both her hands free, she loosened her grip on her horse's reigns but did not allow him to move in any direction. "It seems that many of us are alone in the world, but traveling alone has never been a crime, my lord," Eidlin replied, her cold tone diminished but her face remained expressionless. His words had startled her, after all, it wasn't often that she received such compliments from strangers. She fought with herself to not lower her guard although he did not seem dangerous to her. "Forgive me for startling you sir," she finally said, her brown eyes watching his every move, "but it seems as though it is you yourself who should not be out alone. I could see your horse's weary step from a great distance, and I thought that his rider might be in danger. Now, as far as I can see, I wasn't entirely wrong, although I have been wrong before." As she finished, Balsid snorted and kicked the ground in agitation. He wasn't used to standing in one place, and the heat was making both him and his rider uncomfortable. Gently, she reached down and patted his neck. 'We're not the only one's, my friend,' she thought to him, in her mind implying the man and his weary steed before her.
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Post by Mortimer Speigel on Aug 14, 2005 17:31:52 GMT -5
"No, traveling alone has never been a crime."
He said absent mindedly, pulling a cigarette from a small box retreived from a pocket.
"I for one take great pleasure in being alone."
He again replyed grufly, pushing the cigarette between his lips and took a small match box from another deep pocket. Stooping lightly he swiped the little wooden stick against the side of the box, sheltering the small flame with a hand and his stooped body from the light breeze. He lit the end of the cigarette and shook the flame from the match. His attention shifted again to the woman.
"And I dont know why I would ever be so lucky as to be a Lord my lady, but to thoes who know have the misfortune of knowing me i am simply Mortimer, Mortimer Speigel."
He took a deep breath of the smoke, looking intently into the womans eyes.
"And how about you my lonesome traveling friend?"
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Post by Eidlin Isilramel on Aug 14, 2005 18:16:23 GMT -5
Eidlin did not pull her gaze away from him when his eyes locked with hers. Instead, she looked back at him with out even blinking. Her brown eyes were not angry or menevolent, they simply sparkled a little with intrigue and curiosity.
"Well, sir Speigel does that mean that I shall know similar misfortune as those others have since I have met you?" Eidlin asked, a little smile playing on the corners of her lips.
"My name is Eidlin Isilramel," she finally said and allowed her horse to walk forward a few feet, but she still kept distance between her horse and that of Mortimer Speigel. "Now, if you or your horse do not require aid, or water, I shall be on my way. After all, you said yourself that you take pleasure in being alone, and I'd have to make you feel uncomfortable," she said looking him over once more. She knew that she should fear him, but for some odd reason she did not feel that her life was in danger. At least not from him, for the hot sun was making it hard for her to concentrate or breathe. Looking away from him, she scanned the area for shade or a more comfortable road on which to travel.
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Post by Mortimer Speigel on Aug 15, 2005 14:36:26 GMT -5
Heh
He grinned at his new companions comment.
"Your fortune, well that would depend."
He let a wry smile play upon his dry lips, contemplating his next move for a moment, after a short pause he sighed lightly.
"I'll keep you no longer then."
He said, tugging at his steeds reins, the horse side stepping from the dusty path to give the woman room to pass.
"No dout I'll be seeing more of you..."
He muttered under his breathe bowing his head slightly, his fag hanging limply out of his partched mouth.
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Post by Eidlin Isilramel on Aug 15, 2005 17:23:36 GMT -5
Eidlin looked at him as he moved his horse so that she could pass. Confused, she looked at Mortimer once more, the mystery behind his actions was alluring.
"Are you not heading for the human city then?" she asked. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to leave. "Besides, you have yet to answer my previous question. I bothered you to find out if you required aid, and I want to know if you do. I could never forgive myself if I left any man in a time of his need, no matter how dangerous he should be." Forcefully, she turned her own horse to face that of Mortimer's. Her face was set with deliberation and her eyes were sparkling, despite the hot sun.
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Post by Mortimer Speigel on Aug 16, 2005 6:49:16 GMT -5
Mortimer looked for a moment at the proud figure of Eidlin upon her steed as she manouvered herself opposite him. He looked over his shoulder breifly towards the large gates of the human city. A harbourer of such feelings, emotions and memories that the city encapsulated for the man. He looked back towards the woman.
"No I dont require aid."
He paused, thinking.
"But I suppose having a bit of company wouldnt hurt."
The horse snorted to itself, bending its head to reach a clump of nearby grass.
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