Mel
Thief
Posts: 187
Profession: Professional Asshole
Affiliation: Bandits and Tiger and Bears, OH MY!
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Mel
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Post by Mel on Aug 4, 2015 18:30:42 GMT -6
Mel's fingers tugged against the rough rope binding so tightly, testing each and every direction to see if she could get the slightest amount of slack. The stiff fibers dug into her wrists uncomfortably, chafing her wrists raw with each new attempt to free herself from the bonds. Was the eighth time that she was testing their slack? Ninth was certainly a definite possibility as well. She had been at it for the good part of the last few hours, the dull ache from her shoulder spurring her on to continue the seemingly futile attempts at freeing her hands.
She sucked in a harsh breath as the bindings dug into a ripe patch of flesh that she had scraped the skin off, curling her fingers up between her wrists. Carefully she tried to cram the digits up between her pressed wrists, attempting to create any sort of gap that would allow her to slip off the bindings. Jude of course was being of little help, stretched out in the corner still fast asleep from a firm knock on the head. Some pirate, getting knocked out so easily with a firm slap on the back of his head with the flat of a blade. Mel knew that the situation they found themselves in was as much his fault as it was a fish's, however it certainly did not stop her from placing the blame on him to feel a little better. Even if for only a moment.
On their way back south through Bern they had both been on edge, the aftereffects of what had happened at the village finally settling in. She herself had been far more irritable, embarrassed that she had allowed herself to fall into such a position. Jude on the other hand was just the same, making snappy remarks whenever he could to break up the silence and make up the face that he had lost. Together the two had been making miserable progress, once or twice stopping in the midst of a heated argument that nearly had led to the teens exchanging blows. As for regarding what she could not even recall, it had certainly been something petty to quarrel over. And as much as Mel refused to admit it the arguments were more than likely her fault, sharp tongue finding something to criticize and antagonize him over with ease.
It had been during one of these heated feuds that they had landed in such a situation, and by a stretch of the imagination her fault. Though she certainly did not deserve all the blame, Jude played a large part as well.
They had stood beneath the treetops, foreheads merely three fingers apart with Mel's eyes frighteningly cold and Jude's eyes engulfed in flames of rage. He had yelled, bellowed some pitiful statement in an attempt to defend himself from her petty accusations. Then his shoulders tensed and the pink-haired teen and given her a rough shove with all of his strength, knocking the girl off back her feet and sending her sprawling through the underbrush.
A pile of dried leaves gave out beneath her as she rolled into it, a shrill yelp bursting from her throat as stake sharped to a point impaled her shoulder on the floor of the small pit. The wound seared with prickling pain, the fingers of her right hand twitching uncontrollably as she gasped like a fish. The sort of person that would set a trap like such for hunting animals was beyond her. Unless they weren't hunting animals at all, and her stomach dropped sharply as Jude's ridiculous puff of hair appeared above her.
Mel had hardly a moment to muster up a warning before a dark shape loomed behind him, and with a ringing crack the pink-haired teen was knocked down unconscious on top of her. Bandits lived in these woods, and their prior trek through them had been peaceful due to the heat, avoiding any traps with ease as they stayed following the riverbank. However this trip through they crossed the river far earlier than before, eager to scrub off their generous coating of mud. This left the duo wandering through the heart of the forest, far more at risk for any encounters. Worst of all the possibility of such dangers had gone unforgotten, even with how many times she had been warned of it as a child.
Playing unconscious she and Jude had been dragged off to a distant keep in the foothills, her wound crudely wrapped with a length of filthy bandages. Possessions stripped and their hands bound the duo were tossed off into a stone cell, the only light filtering in from the small grate set into the iron door.
"Jude!" she hissed, keeping her voice low in the chance that someone was outside keeping guard. Mel drew her foot back and gave a harsh kick to his side once, and then twice, attempting to force the sleeping prince to wake. "You've napped far too long!" She panted, letting out a low groan as she pressed her cheek to the cool stone to still her swimming head. Her face was unnaturally pale after having lost quite the sum of blood from the little shoulder wound, their missed midday meal certainly was not helping either.
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Jude
Thief
"Lotta things you learn in this life. I still don't know what the hell's going on."
Posts: 118
Profession: Wannabe Pirate
Affiliation: Jabal's Pet and Human Weapon
Guild: Mel's Miniature Muppets
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Jude | Tracker
OoC Alias: Tiz
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Post by Jude on Aug 4, 2015 21:21:42 GMT -6
His dreams were, at first, quite pleasant. Rolling hills, endless food feasts, all with pegasi littered about the landscape. It hadn't made much sense, but the sleeping boy, tired and wounded, was well enjoying it. Unaware of it, his unconscious body let out a few low, smooth snores that came from deep within his throat. The pegasi, the food... The green pastures, the rolling hills... The women... The... Wait, what was going on? Dream Jude became confused, as a herd of buffalo tramped heavily over the horizon of a hill, charging down, eating all the food and killing the pegasi with ease. One of them kicked him down, then stepped on him again... "JUDE!" It had hissed... Jude...
The boy's eyes opened slowly, and as he felt the soreness wrack his body, he let out a low groan. The... buffalo? No... F*ck all, it was Mel. His red eyes, tired, grew frustrated and disinterested. He looked at her through bitter, half-closed eyelids and rolled over on his other side, moving his bound hands beneath him. "Leave me alone," he said softly, a tinge of disgust in his voice. "I'm sleepy. I'm going to nap." But he didn't close his eyes again. He just sighed, neglecting to turn around and face Mel. Not only had he been half the reason they'd been landed here, but he was ALL the reason that Mel had been injured. He didn't look at her wound, and instead, spent time analyzing the situation.
They'd be caught. His hands were bound, he was in a cell with Mel, and he felt weak. His head was throbbing, his wrists ached, and his legs were weary. He didn't feel his dagger on the back of his waist, nor did he feel his throwing knives on his belt. Actually, his entire weapons belt was gone. His light blue waist cloak had been taken as well, leaving him with only his cutoff leather one-sleeved top, his glove, and his pants and boots. With futile effort, Jude raised his hands, bound by the rope tightly. His large hands would be too big to slip through the rope, and his wrists already ached... With the rope as thick as it was, Jude didn't see any way of breaking free of his bindings. At least not with what he had on his person.
He finally rolled around to face Mel, after a few long, dense moments of silence. "Where are we?" He asked quietly, his eyes trained on Mel's. He wasn't sure where they'd been taken, or how far out of Bern, their original destination, he was. He looked at the shoddy bandage on Mel's arm, and he immediately gritted his teeth, feeling the pangs of guilt. But he was a proud man, and so he said nothing about it. He'd be provoked, after all. That's how he justified it. That's what he would continue to believe.
He looked up into the dark room. The only source of light came from that door, with a slot to be looked through. Without any sufficient lightning, Jude could hardly make anything out past Mel's small silhouette and her big, blue eyes. He sighed disgustedly, and sat up, placing his bound hands in his lap.
"Well ain't this romantic," he sighed, flipping some pink strands of sweaty hair away from his face. "Cold and dark, just where I wanna be. How the hell are we getting out of this?"
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Mel
Thief
Posts: 187
Profession: Professional Asshole
Affiliation: Bandits and Tiger and Bears, OH MY!
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Mel
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Post by Mel on Aug 4, 2015 22:35:51 GMT -6
Mel watched Jude slowly begin to rise with idle irritation, her impatience taking hold at the silence she was met with. He was angry at her for what had occurred, that was something she was quite certain of. Yet as much as the thought irritated her it was neither the time nor place for it, they had to leave and quickly at that. Sure, while they were locked up in a cell there was no way for either of them to be aware of any pressing threats. However, she knew enough of the stories as a child to be aware of the dangers that could await them. Slavery, death, and with neither of them having much in the way of families ransom was crossed off the list. They were rather useless prisoners to a group of bandits, and she wanted to be leagues away by the time it was realized.
A throb of her shoulder reminded her of another pressing issue, one more so troublesome than the plans the bandits may have drummed up. She had been in a bit of a daze when the wound had been bandaged, but she was aware enough at the time to know that nothing else was applied to it other than a filthy bandage. Infection was a terrifying prospect, and at such a place she had to worry about losing the entirety of her arm if it set it, not to mention the placement of the wound in proximity to her heart. She had heard about blood poisoning from infection, and while she made a note to keep the matter away from Jude the possibility still weighed heavily on her mind. Dramatic and far fetched as it was she couldn't bear to lose an arm, and the sooner she could treat it properly the better.
With a grunt through gritted teeth Mel lifted herself up into a sitting position, legs laid out in front of her whilst her bound hands sat awkwardly at the small of her back. If she could just see them she could tear through the ropes with her teeth, or at least manipulate the knot enough to release a hand. Her luck had been horrid lately.
"Very romantic" she snapped at Jude, letting out a sharp sigh as she mentally scolded herself for lashing out even if it was only slightly. "I don't...erm" with a sheepish look she stiffly shook her head, sending her mind spinning as it did little to dislodge the woozy feeling that had drifted over like a haze. They were certainly tired, but the bandits had to be more so right? It only made a general amount of sense if one didn't dwell upon it for too long.
"We're off to the south east I think. I couldn't quite focus so I didn't get a good look. Besides for that the dungeons, I think I have the general direction memorized." Emphasis was placed on the think, Mel making it very clear that she was uncertain and the knowledge was nothing to be relied on. "As for how we'll jump ship, I think just sprinting'll do the trick." She didn't think that, and it certainly wouldn't with how many men congested the halls from what she had seen. A simple plan though was a nice thought, and she shrugged lightly whilst taking care of avoid shifting the injury.
"Anyways..." she trailed off, scooting a little closer out of the slight fear that someone could easily overhear them from just outside. "Hands, hold them up to me and I'll see what I can get done about them." She felt sluggish, limbs aching horridly heavy after a day of being tossed about like a sack of beans and here she was about to start up something new for them to complain about.
Mel leaned forward, shifting to the side so that the faint slivers of flickering light illuminated the complex knot. Luckily they had nothing but time to lose, and she bowed her heard to begin awkwardly tugging away at it with her teeth.
If all else failed she could likely take a bite from it?
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Jude
Thief
"Lotta things you learn in this life. I still don't know what the hell's going on."
Posts: 118
Profession: Wannabe Pirate
Affiliation: Jabal's Pet and Human Weapon
Guild: Mel's Miniature Muppets
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Jude | Tracker
OoC Alias: Tiz
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Post by Jude on Aug 4, 2015 22:59:53 GMT -6
"You think?" His eyelids still hung halfway, an eyebrow raised. He was not amused. He was not happy. Jude was not excited to be where he was, and although there were times he had to admit he enjoyed Mel's company, he automatically blamed her for their current situation, totally unable to see himself as half of the problem when he was so blinded by their present inability to get themselves out with ease. If he'd had a lockpick, or something that would double, he could at least undo the door... Though their hands were currently bound, so Jude figured they wouldn't make it far that way, either.
He sighed, inching his way over to the door, sitting next to Mel, using the light to look at the bindings. His hands were bound in front of him, which was fortunate-- they could've been from behind, which would've been infinitely worse. At least this way, he still had use of his hands... They just couldn't be separated. That could work. He'd been in tighter spots. Literally and figuratively, he had been in much tighter spots. "Hate to break it to ya," Jude said venomously, "but 'think' ain't gonna get us out of here. But you know what will?"
The pink-haired boy smirked, a twinkle present in his red eyes that penetrated the darkness. He leaned in, only inches away from Mel's face, and whispered. "Watch this. I'm gonna rescue us. You can thank me when we're out. Wine and dine me, something like that."
Jude stood. He sighed, clenched his fists, and banged his bound hands together against the wall of the iron door. Once shortly, then twice, lengthening the beating as he did. He shouted in faux agony as he did so, then sunk to the ground. "HELP!!!" He called, his voice surprisingly adept at maintaining an air of anxiety, fear, and desperation. "H-HELP!! SHE'S BEATING ME! GUARDS!!"
He pounded the door again, this time harder, then faked the sound he expected people made before they passed out, which to a trained ear, would be obviously fake. But Jude wasn't the sharpest pick in the drawer, so he hedged his bets and hoped for the best. He put his hand on Mel's good shoulder and pressed her against the wall on the other side of the door, so if it opened, it would shield her. He leaned down to be face-level with her and with a harsh whisper, he chided, "Don't you dare move, mini witch."
Before long, Jude heard footsteps down the hall. He pressed his ear against the door... It sounded like just two feet, but it could be more; more guards simply in tune with the other's footsteps would prove much more challenging. As what he expected was the guard approached, Jude pushed himself hard against the wall, again banking on his chances that the guard would burst through without seeing him. The room was dark enough, so it could work... but he'd have to act fast if it did.
Sometimes, Jude was a lucky man. This was one of those times. The guard charged through the door, throwing it open and recklessly heading inside. "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"
In a split-in-half second, Jude was behind the man. He threw his bound hands around him, looping his arms around the man's neck. He pulled hard with all his might against the guard's windpipes, using the crook of his elbow to constrict the airways. The man grabbed at Jude's forearm, trying to pull it away, but Jude's surprise attack had been fast enough that he hadn't the time. Before long, and with a great bout of struggle, the man went down, unconscious completely. Jude smirked as he released his grip, pulling his arms back over the man, letting him slump to the ground. At his waist was a key-- likely one they didn't need since the door was now open, but more importantly, a small hand axe was on his belt. Instinctively, Jude grabbed it and turned it upside down, clumsily trying to break the knots around his wrists. It didn't work for a while, as Jude had no idea how to make the blade face the way he needed it to, but in time, he freed himself. He grabbed Mel from the wall and immediately cut through her ropes, then tossed the axe aside. Bending down to search the man's unconscious body for anything of use, Jude came up empty.
"Sh*t. Nothing. Guy's got nothing." The angry, red-eyed boy threw his hands up in defeat, sighing as he did. "Well, that uh... Solves one problem." He offered his shorter friend a goofy smile. "If you really know this place well enough, I guess you should lead on."
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Mel
Thief
Posts: 187
Profession: Professional Asshole
Affiliation: Bandits and Tiger and Bears, OH MY!
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Mel
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Post by Mel on Aug 5, 2015 10:31:42 GMT -6
Mel tugged at the ropes with her teeth, jaw aching as she pulled away at the stiff fibers in futility. They wouldn't budge, and it would certainly take ages if she attempted to bite her way through them. At that point she wasn't quite sure that she would even have teeth left after all of the grinding it would take. The fact of the matter was that it was a stupid idea and Jude was correct in pointing it out, as aggravating as it was. She leaned back against the wall and let out a sigh through firmly gritted teeth, a throbbing in her left temple arising from stress. And when Jude voiced that he had a plan to free them the silver-haired girl was far too light-headed to question it, instead simply giving a nod and allowing the boy to shift her up against the wall.
His plan was certainly unoriginal, and she could almost recall doing something much the same once before. Although, at that time it had not worked very well due to. It was troublesome that she was unable to remember exactly the hitch in the plan. However, it was clear that Jude's version of it was executing flawlessly with the guard quickly subdued and strangled out of consciousness. Mel kicked aside the door gently and turned, allowing Jude the room to slice off her bonds with the small hand axe.
"Oh look. You've won, a passed out greasy old man is your prize..."
She wasn't feeling especially witty, and the napping bandit was more so their own age than some old coot's though far more heavily built. Mel flexed her fingers and neglected to rub her wrists, not wanting to irritate the raw flesh any further just yet. Her constant tugging against the bindings and certainly left their mark and she added another note to the rapidly growing list, rub some salve on her wrist once she retained her belongings.
"Tie him up and gag him" she grumbled, running her fingers back through her hair and removing the crude bandage wrapped about her upper arm to offer him. "It would be bad if he wakes too quickly and attracts their attention." Mel was unsure how often Jude was used to such delicate situations, as a supposed pirate she would assume that it was not often enough to allow him much slack in taking lead. Silent observation was her forte, a skill she had grown proficient in after long trial as and painful errors. Jude was...
Blue eyes raked over the pink-haired teen, evaluating his worth in the sticky situation they had found themselves in. The longer the bandits did not suspect anything the easier it would be for them to move about undetected and without any hindrance. Jude was rash and often dangerously so, and while she had mastered some of his reactions there were still so many others that she could not anticipate. The answer was clear.
While she considered locking him in the cell to keep him out of her way and potential trouble, the possibility that he wound stand there yelling at the top of his lungs was too risky. Mel would need to lead him along like a stray puppy, telling him to stay, sit, and keep quiet when needed and hoping that he would indeed listen without complaint. Hopefully he understood just how tense their situation was. Hopefully he...
Mel let out a long sigh and rose to her feet, stiff joints aching as she stretched her arms out in front of her and fought through the burning pain of her shoulder. "If you cannot keep quiet then you should stay here and I'll go search for our belongings."
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Jude
Thief
"Lotta things you learn in this life. I still don't know what the hell's going on."
Posts: 118
Profession: Wannabe Pirate
Affiliation: Jabal's Pet and Human Weapon
Guild: Mel's Miniature Muppets
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Jude | Tracker
OoC Alias: Tiz
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Post by Jude on Aug 5, 2015 10:46:29 GMT -6
"Tch," Jude scoffed, glaring at Mel a moment before turning to his supposed prize. What a brute of a man-- ugly, large, and powerful. He signed, knelt down beside the man, and tore a large piece of cloth away from his shirt. He shoved the thing deeply into the man's throat, back enough that he could not gag it out and spit it forward. Smiling, he used the ropes that once bound his own arms to constrict those of this man, being sure to not make the same mistake they'd made on him-- he tied the man's arms around his back, and then went for the ropes that had bound Mel, using those to tie his ankles together. This took a little more work, but in time, with careful diligence, Jude had completed his task. Bound in two places and gagged, this man would surely pose no more threat. Pleased with his work, Jude smirked, standing with both hands on his hips, proud of himself. He'd learned some time ago how to do things like this-- before he split ways with the crew, back in the Isles, he'd taken plenty of people captive. He knew what he was doing.
"Pretty awful consolation prize," The pink-haired boy joked. He turned back to Mel, who was too wounded to be of much use. He considered making her stay here while he stalked off to find some medical supplies so that she wouldn't be totally useless, but figured she would probably put up a fight. For this plan to be of any use, she'd have to agree to follow him, to take his orders, to bend to his every whim. He smiled wickedly as he though about it, then approached the girl, looking at her shoulder. He flinched a bit as he did, and his brow furrowed as he was forced to consider the fact that her wound was largely his fault. His anger had gotten in the way of... No, it wasn't him. He'd been provoked. It was her fault.
Her face was pale. She'd lost a lot of blood. Her wrists were raw and red, and she had no equipment. She was half his size and maybe less than that of his strength. He looked her up and down, casually studying her entire form. She would slow him down. This wouldn't do. This wouldn't do... What could he do, Jude thought.
And then she spoke. His eye twitched and the anger welled up inside of him, his face going red.
Jude leaned in close, grabbing Mel by the collar, pulling her into him until their foreheads met. With fiery red eyes, he stared her down, and with a harsh, hissing whisper, he spoke against her crude suggestion. "Keep quiet?! What are you gonna do, like you are?" He tossed her back gently, letting go of her, standing to his full height. "Please. You're gonna stay here and rest, keep this guy in line when he wakes up, and I'm... gonna... I'm gonna get some medical supplies." His red eyes flashed to her wound.
"Last thing I need is your useless half-pint ass at my tail, whining because you're injured." His gaze averted, trying not to come to terms with the real reason he was searching for her medicine. Without another word, he tipped towards the door and peered outside. A long, lantern lit hall-- no other guards in sight. Jude turned his head the other direction. A bunch of cells, he presumed, since most of the doors looked like theirs. With catlike grace and caution, he stepped outside and headed down the hall, towards the end where the opening stood. It was relatively dark, but he could see well enough to make his way. At present, he heard no other footsteps.
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Mel
Thief
Posts: 187
Profession: Professional Asshole
Affiliation: Bandits and Tiger and Bears, OH MY!
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Mel
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Post by Mel on Aug 5, 2015 15:42:16 GMT -6
Jude's footsteps faded from earshot, the male making little effort to conceal them as he had left the cell. He was stupid, rash, and sure to be caught within moments when he came across a group of them. And then what would they do? Kill him? It was the only sensible action to be taken, and there was no blame on their part for it. However at the thought of Jude's head being removed with the well aimed swing of an axe her chest seemed to constrict, twisting in the same knots that it had when she had learned of her village's fate. In a few short days he had wormed his way into a position where she would notice his permanent absence, possibly even yearn to see him. It was quite the nuisance.
Either way did he really expect her to stay put when she had not the slightest guardsmen that he was even going to succeed? When all evidence pointed otherwise Mel had to rely on someone far more skilled with such matters, herself of course. Counting on Jude was just as risky as counting on a child to bring home a pie from the bakers without them having sneaked a little taste along the way.
Without dwelling on the issue any further she carefully rose to her feet once again, swaying slightly as she found her balance and stepped out of the cell. The hallway was quiet and she pulled the cell door shut firmly behind herself, running her hands back through her hair nervously and preparing herself for what lay ahead. Mel slowly took in a breath and shut her eyes, holding it in and counting to ten. Her shoulder might plague her with terrible pain but not matter what she could not utter a sound. She was a fly on the wall, no one to notice her until she buzzed violently in their ear.
Upper body stiff Mel slipped off in the opposite direction of Jude, keen ears straining to hear even the slightest sound that would betray footsteps approaching. Mel was many things, but at this moment she was not ignorant of the limitations her injury plagued her with. With her dominant arm easily considered out of commission she was no use in a flat out brawl against a group of them, not even with her arm in top condition would she consider herself the likely winner. A one on one fight was far more her taste, easy to overpower her opponent with speed and wit rather than brute strength. Two even if she was lucky, but a whole hoard of them descending upon her with an injury would without a doubt be her fall and the silver-haired girl refused to risk it.
She ascended a set of stairs and pressed herself into a slight alcove, avoiding two men the passed with ease. Peering out she watched them turn right at the landing, heading off in the opposite direction of the cells. They would not be discovered missing just yet, and that left her far more time to move about with ease. Once they began searching it would be far harder to slip about, although not impossible by any stretch.
Mel continued along the hallway, speeding up at the sound of a knife slamming into what she assumed was a chopping block by the scent of cooking food wafting from an open doorway. She turned into the first doorway that was available, pressing her ear to the door and making sure that it was empty before slipping inside and casting an eye about.
A storeroom, crates lining up against the walls in various states of disarray. The contents varied from little bits of junk, hand carved charms, tattered books, torn scraps of fabric even. Jude's waistcoat lay on top of one of the crates, only added recently to the hoard of mundane loot. There certainly was not any of their weapons about, but she couldn't deny that she had found the far more useful of the two.
She grasped her pack and pulled it free from the crate, slipping behind the wooden box to keep hidden in the off-chance that someone would pop their head in. Mel tugged out a little tin of salve and grabbed a wine skin from a nearby crate, dragging over Jude's coat as an after thought of petty revenge. She soaked the hem of it with the wine and unbuttoned the clasps on her jerkin, gritting her teeth as she began to scrub viciously at the wound. A fierce wave of pain overtook her, hand stilling as she nearly couldn't continue on with her crude treatment. But she forced herself, slowly making her movements to complete the task. It dragged out the pain, but she forced herself to keep the logic behind the action in mind. When she felt that it had gone long enough she tossed the bloodstained waistcoat aside, kicking it away to the corner.
Carefully she unscrewed the top of her little tin and scraped up a glob of the paste with her fingers, generously spreading it about the wound. It burned, but she knew that it meant the medicine was working it's magic and relaxed back rubbing jaw still sore for clenching so tightly. With the large majority of their things found she could only curse at Jude for scurrying off, it would be quite the pain to find him now.
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Jude
Thief
"Lotta things you learn in this life. I still don't know what the hell's going on."
Posts: 118
Profession: Wannabe Pirate
Affiliation: Jabal's Pet and Human Weapon
Guild: Mel's Miniature Muppets
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Jude | Tracker
OoC Alias: Tiz
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Post by Jude on Aug 5, 2015 18:00:59 GMT -6
Hands stuffed in his pockets as he crudely walked about the halls as if he owned the place, Jude searched the immediate area. Hallway had turned to hallway, with no conceivable end, and he also had yet to see any doors whatsoever. He'd been traveling down a long line of empty halls, all illuminated by candles at the edge of the ceiling where it met the wall. The light was dim and orange, and he could barely make out the pattern of hardwood below his feet. His leather boots didn't make too much noise against them, but the occasional creak of the wood was enough to unsettle him. If he weren't so tall, maybe he wouldn't weigh so much. If he didn't weigh that much, maybe he might make less noise... He sighed, wondering when his rut of poor luck would run dry, hopefully to be replaced by newer, better luck.
Medicine, he thought. Where would their medicine be?
Well, he figured first of all, it was unlikely to be in a hallway devoid of doors. He had to get somewhere else. Somewhere more promising... But without finding any stairs, or any hallways with doors, he was feeling himself losing hope. Fortunately, the hallways weren't maze-like, so it was easy enough to just follow them further and further down until he got somewhere worthwhile. Although, Jude wasn't sure if he was even going in the right direction. This could be somewhere he didn't want to be. But the pink-haired boy figured it was probably too late at this point to consider going the other way... Plus, if he did, he'd have to drag Mel along with him. No. He definitely couldn't turn around now. He'd just have to find out what was at the end of the hall.
In felt felt like hours but was actually only a handful of minutes, Jude crossed into a hallway that was better lit, with doors lining both sides, some open, others closed. At the end of the long hall stood two large, wooden double doors that had ornate designs around the frame. At the top, a deer skull was mounted, above the door, right in the center. Jude internally scoffed, cursing the designs flaws that so easily gave away what he guessed was an important room. He'd try that first, then search all the lesser doors.
That was his plan, anyway. As he approached, he began to hear voices.
"NO, DAMMIT! I WON THAT GAME FAIR AND SQUARE! THAT LOT IS MINE!"
"HELL-BE-FROZEN, IT'S YOURS! IT'S MINE! YOU CHEATED!"
He heard a slam on a table, what he guessed was two angry fists. He pushed his body slender against the wall, leaning in as closely as he could without putting his face through the threshold of the door. He closed his eyes to listen more carefully, and could make out two voices-- there could be more, he figured, but if there were, they were dead silent.
"THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M GONNA LET YOU CHEAT ME LIKE THIS! You better sleep with your eyes open, pal, 'cause I'm coming BACK for that gold!" Jude almost laughed. They were fighting over what, a card game? He couldn't be sure, but he assumed it was some betting game that they were playing to kill time.
Wait a minute. Am I in the... barracks?
Jude's body went still and cold, his eyes widening. This was not where he needed to be. This was the worst place he could be. If it were night time, the rooms with the doors shut would be full of whomever lived in this fortress. This was bad. This was not good at all. This was very, very bad. Jude quietly leaped away from the wall, down the hall back the way he came, finally deciding to use some quiet finesse in his step, making little to no noise as he dashed back, into a room with an open door. He brought it to a crack, neglecting to shut it for fear of making sound with even the quiet click. He turned around to see, to his own horror, a bedroom. It was empty, but the door was open-- this belonged to someone, and probably to someone on his way back...
"We're playing again tomorrow, and I swear on my life that gold stack will be MINE, you filthy cheat!"
Oh Gods. Not him. Don't let this be his room...
Jude had to act fast. His red eyes darted around the room quickly, looking for a place to hide. Under the bed was a good a bet as any. With haste, he threw himself under it, concealing himself to the best of his ability towards the back, where the bed met the wall. On either side of the bed was a wooden stand, perfect to hide what parts of his frame might be seen from the doorway. And as if to confirm that the boy was in his own person hell, the door shot open, and in walked a large, brutish man with legs the size of tree trunks. Jude's face went pale.
As the man mumbled to himself, Jude realized it was the same one that had been speaking. Presumably, the one that had lost. This was wonderful. This was absolutely wonderful. Jude couldn't think of a better way to spend his evening.
In time, the man kicked his boots off and threw himself down on the bed, gently bending the wooden shafts that held under the mattress. Jude was careful not to breathe too loudly. Soon, the candle light went out and he was in total darkness, in a stranger's room, with the door shut, under his bed. Jude closed his eyes and pictured himself dying three thousand deaths.
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Mel
Thief
Posts: 187
Profession: Professional Asshole
Affiliation: Bandits and Tiger and Bears, OH MY!
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Mel
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Post by Mel on Sept 1, 2015 0:10:51 GMT -6
The next few steps were far simpler for the silver-haired teenager to preform, the worst moments of tending to her wound behind her. Somehow she had wrangled herself into staying silent, through a sheer force of will or simple irritation. Honestly, there was no way to tell and Mel certainly didn't have the time to brood over the slight accomplishment. Carefully with her uninjured side she dug through her bag, the slight order that she usually kept having long been disturbed by both prying bandits and her unfortunate tumble. Her fingertips brushed a thin waxcloth wrapped parcel wrapped in twine, a few surprisingly unharmed small glass bottles, the thin edge of a glass shard that cautioned her against digging further in such a reckless manner. Taking care not to cut herself on accident she slowly continued, a cylindrical bundle wrapped in waxcloth finally meeting her fingers and quickly being drawn out into the faint sliver of light from a window.
Sudden heavy footsteps burst down the hallway and Mel's heart almost seemed to freeze in her chest, eyes flickering quickly over her position behind the crate to reassess that she was just as hidden as she had assumed earlier. However the bandit hurried past the storage room, off in the direction in which she had come from. It was certainly unlikely that anyone knew just where she was, but that tidbit of logic did little to quell the rapid gallop of her heart once the potential danger had passed. Shoulders slumping for a moment she released a breath she had been unaware of holding and drew out a sigh, counting slowly to twenty for good measure to calm herself.
With a new found sense of urgency the teen tore away the waxcloth and held the roll of bandages up to the light to be sure that there was nothing glaringly wrong with them. No fat and furry patches of mold nor visible dark spots confirmed them to be of use, and she wasted no time unrolling the small bundle and gripping the tail between her teeth to make up for the single hand. Mel raised her injured arm up enough so that her elbow was parallel with her shoulder and began to wind the loosely woven cotton strip under her armpit and along the dip of her shoulder. She took care not to keep it too lose, bandages slipping down her arm an unwanted distraction. With care she gnawed through the remaining strip, using the extra length to craft a crude sling so that her arm did not move about too much and irritate the wound further.
"DAMNED RATS ARE MISSING!"
The bellow shook her from the little spell of concentration that she had fallen into, flinching in surprise and nearly slamming her shoulder into the crate she had been leaning against as she dropped down onto her stomach. Mel was quite sure that if someone had peered in minutes before they likely wouldn't have even been able to see her unless they investigated a little further in, however a little paranoia was certainly healthy at times.
The heavy footfalls out in the hallway multiplied, all sorts of voices adding into the growing rabble as the report of the two of them missing from their happy little cell came to light. Some of the voices sounded irate, likely a disturbed good nights rest to blame. There was no mention of Jude though, and she relaxed a little at the thought that he had somehow not gotten caught or killed. There had been no plan formed though of how she was going to meet up with him, Mel had simply ignored that crucial detail in her hurry to show him up.
She had though found their things, it was a petty victory over him and she was content to cling to it while unraveling their current mess.
"The men stationed at entrances say that no one has passed through."
There was an awkward pause in the rabble, and her gaze drifted in the direction of the door where the conversation was trickling in under.
"They haven't been drinking."
With the question that had been plaguing them answered the conversation erupted once again, only little snippets audible through the chaos.
"OI"
A deep voice sliced above the rest, and silence fell quicker than...it didn't matter.
"If yer' all plannin' on sittin' about sippin' tea-... Nae? Git your ruddy arses movin'! You three! You four!"
She could only assume by the retreating footsteps that the man was pointing off in various directions, sending them off to search for the missing captives.
"The rest! Spread out! Roam 'bout lookin'!"
That seemed to be the end of it, footsteps fading off in every direction as the bandits began their search.
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Jude
Thief
"Lotta things you learn in this life. I still don't know what the hell's going on."
Posts: 118
Profession: Wannabe Pirate
Affiliation: Jabal's Pet and Human Weapon
Guild: Mel's Miniature Muppets
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Jude | Tracker
OoC Alias: Tiz
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Post by Jude on Sept 1, 2015 13:54:59 GMT -6
Jude knew he would record these as the longest minutes of his life.
Each one, an eternity. Every sixty seconds, sixty minutes. Every sixty minutes, another eternity. This was no way to escape a prison. Under the bed of one of the guards, largely unarmed, hoping that maybe he'd find some medical supplies to bring back to Mel? Jude would've sighed audibly if he'd been able to stomach the thought of making so much as a peep in the presence of this large, brutish man that would no doubt skin him alive if Jude woke him up. This was bullsh*t. Mel should've come with him after all, and she should've devised a plan to get them out of this. How useless she was proving to be, Jude thought to himself, totally disgruntled, assessing his situation.
There were few ways out of this one, Jude thought to himself. He could try to slip out of the bed and open the door and get out, sure, but if the door made any noise he'd be roasting over a fire within moments. He could try and kill the man, but... With what? He'd been stripped of his throwing knives upon being thrown in the cell, and he hadn't a thing to fashion into some sort of shiv, or some otherwise useful took for death. But would about... Jude's eyes narrowed. That might work.
Timing his small, gentle movements with the man's snores, Jude slowly but surely made his way out from under the bed. Standing now at full height in the dark, moonlit chamber, he could see this fat man enjoying what was probably sweet dreams of mead and deer meat. It was disgusting, but at some level, Jude envied him. This man was safe in a fortress, in his bed, armed, surrounded by friends. It was the kind of easy life Jude would've loved, but... It also made him sick. Yeah, he was gonna have to kill this man. He wouldn't let himself leave without doing so.
Looking around the man's bedchamber, Jude saw nothing. There was an axe around the man's belt, but there was no way he could unclasp it and use it safely. It would be too difficult and too loud. There was nothing else around save for the extra pillows at the foot of the bed, and that's what Jude reached for. As he held it in his hands, he considered it funny that this man, who probably felt so safe, really wasn't. Giving into his hesitation for just a moment, Jude reconsidered what he was about to do. Some forlorn sense of humanity begged him to just try and slip out, but these times were simply too dire. Plus, most of him begged to use the pillow. And so use it he did.
In a sudden jump forward, like a cat attacking its prey, Jude covered the man's entire head with the pillow, pressing hard down. Immediately Jude felt the resistance, and gritted his teeth in response. He pushed down harder, felt the meaty, giant hands reach up around his wrists, but he didn't give in. Within but a moment, this one quicker than the others, he could feel the strength subsiding in the man, weakening until his grasp around Jude's wrists went limp and his arms fell to the side. After another moment, Jude removed the pillow and tossed it aside. He looked over the man's still colored body, realizing it would quickly lose color. His thoughts flashed back quickly to his first kill with Ryuzaki, his assassin tutor, and then he cast the thoughts aside, deciding it would be best to keep his mind clear for the remainder of the mission.
With catlike grace, Jude stepped out of the door and pulled it shut quietly behind him with a soft click. All the other doors were shut. If he stayed quiet, he'd be okay. His plans still rested behind the deerhead-mounted door, Jude expected, and so he softly walked with slow steps towards that door, hoping he would find some medicine inside.
And then he heard the voices. They sounded far, and yet, fast-approaching. This was bad. Jude quickened his pace to the end of the hall to the door he'd selected, and he thanked the gods he didn't believe in for a quick second when he opened the door without having to pick the lock. He shut it behind him with haste, then turned around...
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Mel
Thief
Posts: 187
Profession: Professional Asshole
Affiliation: Bandits and Tiger and Bears, OH MY!
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Mel
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Post by Mel on Sept 15, 2015 13:35:03 GMT -6
Mel assumed there really was no point in wandering about outside of the storeroom to search for wherever Jude had gotten off to. It certainly was more risky than staying where she was, an enclosed space where she would be instantly aware of anyone peeking in with more than enough hiding spots to stay safe. Wandering about the dimly lit hallways was a far more likely way to run into a bandit, and with a lack of knowledge for the hideout's layout there was a hopeless disadvantage to avoiding them.
It was pleasant to find though that within the long minutes that had passed since the bandits's little gathering that a large outcry had not arose from some other end of the hideout. The silver haired girl took that to mean that Jude had not yet been discovered, the useless lichen that he was. However that did give her quite the idea to locate him, as it surely was only a matter of time until the tactless buffoon found himself discovered. Pirate or no pirate he was surely useless in situations that required a, erm, delicate touch. All she had to do was wait to follow the raised voices, and there he would be at the end of her trail red faced and...never mind that.
Until then she busied herself with repacking their things, rolling Jude's waistcoat into a tight ball against the dirt encrusted floor and stuffing it into his pack. His scarf however she wrapped around her own neck, all the better to strangle him with later for some crime that she would have to construct. It was also quite comfortable for that matter.
Awkwardly with a grunt she shouldered both of the packs, weight forcing her to stumble every few steps as her balance was heavily impaired. Mel bent to the right, keeping the bags resting against her side so that her only good hand could reach for the knob. She paused, closing her eyes and straining her ears for any signs of someone lurking out in the hallway. But there was no sound other than he own heartbeat ringing loudly in her ears, and no vibration other than the slight tremble to her fingertips. Mel sucked in a breath and without any further hesitation pushed open the door, gaze flickering left and right before taking off down the hallway in the direction she had come from.
With the added weight of the bags her footsteps were certainly heavier, and the sounds far harder to mask. Luckily the alcove that she was headed to was in sight, and straining her ears to keep track of anyone approaching she made her way over towards it. Mel would have liked to have stashed their things somewhere closer to an exit so that they could be grabbed on their little dash to freedom, but without any knowledge of it yet she didn't have the luxury. Anyways if it was off across the hideout she certainly wouldn't have been able to make her way there with success in her condition.
Mel had just been about to pop her head out and start off further down the hallway when a faint cry echoed off from another part of the keep. It wasn't very clear as for what the words were, but her suspicions told her that it was either Jude being discovered which was far more likely, or a beacon that the pink haired ninny would flee in the opposite direction of.
She counted to ten, shoving her hand into her pack to tug out a tightly wrapped bundle of powder, holding the smoke bomb carefully as she slipped out of the alcove and started off towards the noise. Without use of her dominant hand she didn't have very many options to choose from, and anything else would require some sort of aim to be of use. All Mel had to do with this was just throw it on the ground and run, a simple but useful distraction.
As Mel made her way closer to the slight commotion she pressed herself to the walls, peering around corners and climbing out onto windowsills to avoid passing groups rushing towards the commotion growing ever louder as she slowly approached.
It was noted that the windows she passed were unbarred with a ledge two hands wide, however using them as an escape route was...complicated. The drop was steep, along a ridged cliff side down to dark river waters. She wouldn't want to risk jumping out a window and simply hoping that they wouldn't smash their heads open against the rocks or splatter in too shallow waters. It wasn't a good option, but for now it was the only option that she knew of other than running blindly to find an exit. Running blindly certainly gave them a better chance in every regard.
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Jude
Thief
"Lotta things you learn in this life. I still don't know what the hell's going on."
Posts: 118
Profession: Wannabe Pirate
Affiliation: Jabal's Pet and Human Weapon
Guild: Mel's Miniature Muppets
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Jude | Tracker
OoC Alias: Tiz
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Post by Jude on Sept 30, 2015 11:03:34 GMT -6
"Wondered when the hell you was comin' around, little one." The voice was dark, deep, and calm-- somewhat fatherly, but with a menacing air. As Jude came to full height, despite not actually being little, he sure felt it. The man before him stood relaxed, leaning against a large, open window, the curtains billowing the opposite direction as the soft, gentle breeze filtered through the room and helped close the door shut completely behind him.
He was tall, brutish, with muscles that rivaled that of the Mountain Man. His beard was full and black, his eyes the same, and his presence was like that of a castle wall: impenetrable, both physically and mentally. This man stared Jude down, who grew more nervous by the second. Weaponless and without any options at all, Jude faced him, walking forward slowly. There wasn't much he could do here, and he gritted his teeth heavily as he considered the enormity of his new problem.
The man spoke again. "If you're gonna plan a prison break, kid, you might be better off doing so quietly. You and your little friend have caused us quite a stir. When we picked you up off the road, we pegged you for petty thieves..." He pushed himself off the wall, crossed his meaty arms, and took a seat on the immaculate furniture to the right of the large, posted bed. "Come on, sit down."
Sit down? Why the hell would Jude do that? He hadn't spoken yet, but his fierce expression would have certainly told the man that he wasn't interested. Instead, Jude paced in a circle around the man, keeping him in the center of his vision, his chest facing forward enough so that he might not be taken off guard. Jude eventually made it without any resistance to the window, where he placed his hand, ready to vault himself over if need be. It could be an easy escape. What was wrong with this picture? He wondered. Unsure of what would happen next, Jude declined to hop out. The drop was steep, but it looked to land on some soft grass. Worst case scenario, he'd have to tuck and roll and hope not to break a limb. But... This was his way out, wasn't it?
"Come on now, kid, I ain't gonna gut you. I could'a done that when you got here. Come on, let's chat."
Jude said nothing, the pressure between his two rows of teeth increasing as he pressed them closer together. His face began to turn red like his eyes, and he tightened his grip around the window ledge. Simply, he said, "No."
The man sighed, laughed a bit, and leaned back into his chair. He didn't speak at first, but his posture said he truly was relaxed, as if he felt no danger whatsoever. "You know, we common folk are so misunderstood sometimes. Nobility, royalty, city folk... They just don't get our way of life, and they treat us like we're... I dunno, fiends or something. We're just... hunters..." His fingers lazily wrapped around his chin, his eyes scanning the room as he picked his words carefully, his deep but honeyed voice trying to wear on Jude's defenses. It wasn't working, but Jude was listening nonetheless.
"Hunters, is all. We find deer. Elk. Rabbits, when the deer ain't around... People, sometimes." He said it as though it were completely casual. "Man's gotta eat."
"Tch!" Jude let out a harsh hiss, leaning in towards the man, but kept his grip around the window sill. They hunted... People? Was that it? Surely they didn't eat them.
"My name is Maximus. I run this little operation. Usually we deal in pelts and deer meat to the surrounding villages, but sometimes we... Need a little more than what comes our way, yeah? Ain't that true for everybody though? Guess we aren't anything special..." He laughed a bit, shifting his weight in the chair. He once again motioned for Jude to sit down, and the pink-haired boy yet refused. His eyes darted to the door from which he'd entered. Was Mel on her way here, or did the voices spell trouble for her?
"I don't have anything to say to you. I'm getting the hell out of here, and taking my friend with me. We're done." Jude's voice was adult, almost, matter-of-fact in a way that he'd never actually spoken to Mel, or really, anyone else. The man simply laughed in response, a wave of his hand indicating that to him, Jude's words were lipservice, nothing more than a hollow threat.
"You could hop out that window right now and we'd probably never see you again. That is, if ya leave, I'll probably end up sellin' the girl. Or..." He paused, leaning in towards Jude. "I'll even let ya go back out that door and find her, maybe I'll count to ten on my pretty little fingers here, and then give chase, and if ya ain't gone when I come, we'll sell you both. How's that, yeah? That sound good, kiddo?"
Jude let go of the window sill. He fearlessly approached the black-bearded man, who immediately rushed forward out of his chair, knocking over the table in the center of it all in the process. In a flash he had Jude wrapped around his giant hand, a grip that was familiar to the pink haired boy, and tightened his meaty fingers around the collar of Jude's one-sleeved leather vest. Without hesitation, the man threw Jude over his shoulder and back towards the door, and Jude slammed heavily into it with a great thud. He felt the shockwave across the entirety of his body, and what energy remained in him was gone. As he slumped downwards and tried to recover, Maximus laughed.
"Get the hell out of here, kid. You ain't leavin'. We'll see that you and your friend both end up on somebody's dinner plate, you hear me?"
Jude tried to focus. His vision was blurry and his ears were ringing. Every muscle and bone in his body ached... He'd never been thrown like that before. The anger that most often plagued him was the only thing sustaining him, the only thing keeping him moving. He made balls out of his fists, bringing them forward to support him. As he hoisted himself up, Maximus laughed. The brutish man, no weapon drawn, approached Jude, who had somehow managed to find the strength to stand. Jude fixed his fiery red gaze on him, and the man's black orbs echoed the response, a wicked grin appearing on Max's face as he came forward. But Jude wasn't ready to let go-- not just yet.
Chest puffed out, arms hanging limply at his sides, Jude let out an angry, cracked yell, his voice breaking like a prepubescent child, or like someone who was on the verge of tears. Perhaps he was both. But in the moment, his anger sustained him, it gave him power, it fueled him, and before he knew it, a wave of kinetic energy shot across the room, a great spiritual pressure forcing itself down from the ceiling. The glassware on the side tables shattered, the table that had been knocked over broke, and Max coiled himself up, as though he were blocking the assault of a heavy storm. He was daunted, and Jude pushed forward a few feet as he yelled, his voice quickly fading him, the energy in the room growing to a head before dissipating almost entirely. Max backed off a bit more until he stumbled, and in an instant, Jude lost his voice, and the pressure lifted.
With almost a limp in his step, Jude threw the door open and rushed down the hallway, back the way he came, towards the cells from which he'd escaped. He had to find Mel and get the hell out of here.
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Mel
Thief
Posts: 187
Profession: Professional Asshole
Affiliation: Bandits and Tiger and Bears, OH MY!
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Mel
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Post by Mel on Oct 25, 2015 1:26:55 GMT -6
"Jude!"
Tact was gone. If she could connect the commotion to Jude, without a doubt every other inhabitant of the keep could do so as well. And with the sheer magnitude of the commotion, they certainly would have a good idea of where to look. Whatever little time they had was trickling away at far a more rapid pace.
Mel nearly collided with Jude sprinting around a tight corner, not exchanging a word as she widened her step to match his hurried gait. She didn't have time to examine him closely, but he certainly looked just as weary as she herself. How she would have loved to bring up the entirety of the mess and who was to be blamed. But the urgency of the pickle they found themselves in had wiped such thoughts away, she lacked the energy.
A triumphant group of bandits silently rounded the far corner with cruel weapons drawn and mirth in their eyes. An ambush or a lucky chance on their part? With their luck she doubted it was the latter. No sooner as she had pivoted to peer back the way they had come did she find another murder of bandits walking towards them in bemusement at their prey.
Her fingers firmly wrapped about Jude's wrist as her weight rocked up onto the balls of her feet. There was not a deep breath in preparation nor a word of warning. They were surrounded, unarmed, and hopelessly outnumbered. No choice was left for them.
Mel gently gave her companion a squeeze, more to reassure herself than anything else. Her heart skipped a beat, the nasty situation that they had long grown entangled in beginning to tighten around their necks. Jude might be stupid enough to attempt to fight them, however she had no such expectations of victory. Perhaps she could slip away and leave him behind to save herself. Mel knew though that she could never do such a thing, for some reason the mere thought left a nasty taste in her mouth. She tilted her head back to meet Jude's crimson eyes, stomach twisting itself into knots nervously. Would she really lie back with her belly exposed rather than fight a hopeless battle?
The handful of seconds they had before the bandits reached them seemed to stretch on. The silver haired girl's mind ran a mile a minute as she shifted through every possibility for survival. Negotiate, fight, plead, even surrender. She couldn't focus. It was so noisy with every fraction of sense she possessed giving in its own two useless cents.
Suddenly it was silent.
Mel reacted with pure self preservation, not a single thought in her mind as she leapt forward out their only pathetic chance of unlikely escape. Fingers tight about Jude's wrist she leapt from the window, launching herself further by a well timed spring in her step.
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Jude
Thief
"Lotta things you learn in this life. I still don't know what the hell's going on."
Posts: 118
Profession: Wannabe Pirate
Affiliation: Jabal's Pet and Human Weapon
Guild: Mel's Miniature Muppets
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Jude | Tracker
OoC Alias: Tiz
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Post by Jude on Oct 25, 2015 7:31:44 GMT -6
He could almost feel the consciousness start to fade from his mind. He was weary, wrecked, and ready to lie down and give up. His fiery spirit only carried him as far as his mortal body would allow, and he was reaching his limits. Between the events that had occurred to present, Jude just needed time away. Time to sleep. Somewhere to go to rejuvenate and forget about everything that had happened. He would've sighed, his eyes would've grown ruthless and angry, and he might've fought against Mel's grip, but truly, he was nearing the end.
Jude said nothing, his glare focused and loud enough to say something without him actually speaking. As the duo became surrounded, in no extended time did Jude realize the severity of their situation. All those stories he'd heard about bandit pillaging, about the heroes that wiped them from the face of the continent... How could those be true? These guys were vicious. They looked like killing machines. Jude wondered, in what he expected would be his last moments, what Ryuzaki would do.
Honestly, Jude thought with the slightest smile, he'd probably fight them. But Jude had no weapon, no energy, and no skill to take on this mess. Neither did Mel, from the looks of her injury and her lack of supplies. What could they do? Did they have any options? Gritting his teeth, Jude's eyes flashed between the giddy looking men, like an angry cat, looking for a way out of its present situation. He could feel the intensity of the room coming to a stark boil.
Then suddenly, Mel gripped his hand. His stomach and strangely his heart in a whirl, Jude only had time to glance over to his parter as she pulled him along, throwing his weight off behind him. Jude nearly lost his step, having had no idea that Mel had a plan; in doing so, though, one of the men lurched forward, swinging a crude iron blade downwards towards Jude, who by this point, was nearly out the window. As he felt himself pulled out into the cold night air, Jude thought he was free-- but he watched in horror as at the last few moments, the blade made contact with his shin, ripping open the flesh as his vision turned from blue to red to black. He felt the searing pain rush across the entirety of his body before the cool air kissed over him, the mixed sensations causing him to become confused in the hysteria of the moment.
He could feel himself falling, and expected that soon he would hit the ground. But even with Mel's hand wrapped around his wrist, he didn't stay conscious long enough to feel himself hit anything else. In the following seconds, Jude blacked out.
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Mel
Thief
Posts: 187
Profession: Professional Asshole
Affiliation: Bandits and Tiger and Bears, OH MY!
Affinity: Wind
OoC Alias: Mel
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Post by Mel on Nov 9, 2015 0:25:03 GMT -6
She had never given much thought to how one fell. Sure enough she had her fair share of valiant leaps from windows, but never one quite this perilous. Hindsight screamed at her to have found another option. Of course no matter how many times the scene replayed itself in her mind could she find another path. For a moment they were suspended, breath caught in her throat mid leap. And then Jude plummeted, a dead weight that dragged her quickly down towards the water. Her weight shifted with Jude's plummet, dropping headfirst.
It only took a matter of seconds for them to hit the unforgiving dark waters. The air was driven from her lungs and for a moment she feared that she might be crushed beneath the river's weight. Her shoulder howled as it was disturbed, shocks of pain shooting through her limb jolting her body from it's momentary stupor. Mel's eyes snapped open and she craned her neck to catch the light of the moon seeping through.
She wanted to panic, scream and flail fruitlessly to fulfill the instinct boiling up in her gut. Damned was it that common sense won out. She couldn't afford to panic. She had to control herself. Falling apart came far later, when she could feel safe enough to consider showing such things. Jude wouldn't see such a thing again.
Mel forcefully began to pump her legs, left arm cutting through the water. Only then did the chill begin to seep into her skin, numbing the edge off of her pain. She felt sluggish, thick fingered, and clumsy. Honestly there was no explanation on how she was able to pull herself together enough to awkwardly swim her way to the surface. It certainly wasn't sheer force of will, she had been focusing it all on staying calm.
The chill of the night air burned her cheeks as she surfaced, the girl treading water for a few moments as she sputtered and coughed. The first step was rising above the surface, and the second was to make it to the bank. Her eyes narrowed and she focused on the distant form of a tree. A landmark.
Mel's chest heaved as she began the slow trek towards it, limbs stiff and awkward. Jude was an afterthought that hit her mid stroke. Somewhere in the midst of the waters she had lost track of him, torn from her grip with the force of their plunge. Her heart skipped a beat and she forced herself to continue forward, ears straining for any sound of the other teen behind her. He would be just fine, yes? The pink-haired buffoon fancied himself a pirate, and she hoped that this was the time to prove it. What sort of pirate drowned? She didn't dwell on that last thought, realizing the irony.
He'd better not drown. Mel didn't exactly have some sort of plan if he had, but it would certainly involve a good amount of blame placed upon Jude. Her arm cut through the water. Screw Jude. Her leg pumped and propelled her forward. Screw Jude the Jackass. She continued the petty mantra until she found herself propped up against grass expelling the last of the water from her lungs.
It was odd to have faith in something. While the faith she had in Jude was...fairly nonexistent to be kind. He had a way of screwing up everything one way or another. However she had faith in his survival, the pointless and baseles- Hope. She had hope. The useless, baseless, and senseless yearn for him to appear out of the dark with a word that would give her reason to punch him.
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