[Flashback - Bronze Woods] Not Lost At All, Really. (Luke)

[Tessa Poe]

Tessa sat, perched precariously on the back of his horse as he slid from it and watched him. The last bit of the ride had been quiet, as quiet as she was being right then after his hissed instruction, apart from answering her question with another one… she was sort of annoyed about that. Well, she’d have to ask him again then wouldn’t she, even if he didn’t want to talk about it. For some reason she wanted to know, to get some kind of understanding about him and why he did what he did? It just didn’t make sense was all, he really seemed like he didn’t enjoy what he did… so why keep doing it? One thing was for sure though, she’d not ask him again ‘til he’d put that blade away though, she didn’t want to irritate him while he was carrying that. She watched him stalk towards the little shelter, wondering how many times he’d done something similar to caravans and other travellers on the road with a little shiver, why was she doing this again? When had she decided to let her guard down around him? She chewed her lip nervously as he stepped inside, maybe it would be a better idea to try and slip off his horse’s back and disappear back into the undergrowth? If she could do it fast enough he might not be able to track her, and she’d have a head start on him, all she’d have to do was get out of sight long enough to climb a tree or something and she could lose him out there. The sight of him re-emerging and looking really quite grumpy put paid to that idea though, and once again she was confused. He’d been looking forwards to killing someone, to the point where he looked like he'd been slapped with a stick because he'd not been able to? Really? But… what about everything else he’d said? How could he take pleasure in killing someone but not like having to kill someone else? That just didn’t make sense, at all. All that was wiped away in another flash of irritation at his casually calling her ‘maid’, and partly in reaction to it she lifted her leg over the horse’s back to sit side saddle on it. She hesitated for a moment before pushingherself off, managing the landing with a little grace at least. She’d not be handed down again, not with him thinking that sort of thing. She had to admit it was nice to be back on her own two feet though, all that landscape flashing by while she was up there just didn’t feel right. “I told you not to expect much, it’ll be stew, my Ma’s recipe actually.” she said a little coldly, still not quite past the ‘maid’ comment. She didn’t look up at him as she shoved the pair of rabbits into his arms and walked off towards the shelter, scooping to collect a few of the larger stones she could see as she went. “Get them ready then won’t you?” she said over her shoulder as she pushed her way inside and dropped her pack on the ground. First things first she’d need a fire going, at least it seemed that whoever had used the shelter before them had left a stock of fire wood. That’d make things easier. All she had to do now was figure out if she could change her Ma’s recipe. It shouldn’t be too hard, her Ma’s recipe used salt beef, but she was sure it’d work with rabbit instead. Meat was meat, right? Just cook it ‘til it was tender and tasted done and the job was a good one. She rooted round in the fire wood stock, finding a pair of sturdy looking forked sticks and planted them either side of the fire, far enough out so they wouldn’t catch light too. She’d made that mistake once before and she wasn’t going to do it again. The taste of ashy stew really wasn’t all that nice. With the sticks in place she set about getting the fire started, ferreting through her pockets to find her flint and steel before building a little cone of sticks with a tinder nest inside. She’d have to be sure to replace the wood and tinder before she left, it was only fair since the last person had been kind enough to do the same. Soon she had a little fire crackling, the stones washed and sitting around it warming nicely. She carefully fed it before at last lifting her cook pot with a third, thicker stick threaded through its handle which she laid on to the forked sticks. She reached into her coat and found her notebook, she’d numbered them so she could remember which was which. This one, the second one, she mostly used for recipes and the like. She flicked through it ‘til she found the recipe for her Ma’s stew before digging the groundnut out of her pack and laying it on the floor. According to her recipe shed need to cook the meat off in a hot pot first ‘til it turned a nice brown colour, then take it out and set it to one side while the water heated with the spices and whatever else she wanted to add. The recipe called for pot barley though, and she knew she didn’t have any of that… but if she shelled the Fireweed that should work, the little buds were sort of like grains and they’d give the stew the body it needed. She lifted the various bundles she’d need for the cooking from her pack and set about preparing them, drawing one of her daggers from inside her coat and cutting the groundnut into cubes, treating the fat tubers just the same as the potatoes that the recipe called for. Alright, so this really wasn’t her Ma’s recipe, apart from the oregano, garlic and basil that was. She figured she’d throw the chives in as well, it couldn’t hurt after all, and she’d seen her Ma slice them up and put them in things before. She started to hum softly as she worked, setting the cubed groundnut pieces into her wooden bowl as she went and soon enough she was digging her nails into the fibrous stalks of the fire weed, digging out the little bulbs from within. Come to think of it she could chop up the stalks with the chives and throw them in too, they had a sort of tangy flavour that could really work, maybe she could use them instead of the onions? Had to be worth a try didn’t it? That way she had replacements for just about everything the recipe called for, so long as she kept roughly to the cooking times it recommended they should end up with an edible stew. Well, she could but hope anyway… she knew she’d be eating it regardless. It was not like there was any other choice... this really had better work, she had Luke's reaction to it to think of too after all.

[Luke Lammergeier]

The girl seemed to be a little pissy about his choice of words. If she lost her maidenhood already, it wasn't his fault for not guessing that. Perhaps she wanted to be seen as a grown woman? He had tried not to see her in that light but if she was insisting. He took the hares and smiled slyly. ”Anything you say M'lady.” Luke said watching her walk away. She was a woman grown, there was no doubt about that. Before his thoughts lingered on her thighs and what lied between them. He slung the rabbits on his shoulder and walked over to zephyr. Petting her main affectionately. ”Your not mad at me. are you girl?” She brushed against him affectionately as he rubbed her neck. ”That's my girl.” He knew she couldn't understand him but he didn't care. Tying her against a hitch on the side of the cabin. He unstrapped her saddle and carried it and the belongings inside. Not wanting anything to be stolen. ”Smells good.” He grunted, struggling to carry the saddle bags and keep the hares on his shoulder. His words where met with silence. It didn't bother Luke though. She was busy cooking and therefore kept her mouth shut. Less questions, less headache. With his hands free he slapped the hares onto the table and pulled out his dagger. He checked the edge, which was impeccable as ever. And started to cut the rabbit. Two slices around each ankle. Then a long cut down both thighs. Where he connected them at the groin. Tessa didn't seem to mind skinning or blood. Definitely a good quality. Having to go outside to do this would be a pain. When she started to hum quietly, he smiled. If he ever had a mother, he could see her humming as she cooked. Luke tugged at the skin around the legs. Pulling it down and 'undressing' the rabbit. At the shoulder he had to stick his thumbs in and work it off, but other than that the rabbit gave little resistance. It hadn't cooled long enough to get stiff and troublesome. Cutting the head off and placing it to the side. He dropped the the young rabbit pelt on her side of the table. ”Sell 'em at the market for a silver or two.” He growled at her. In a husky voice. He wasn't trying to be rude, but her questions bothered him. He didn't want her to not talk, but she was getting too personal. He hated to think on these things and once the question was asked. It didn't go away. Not for him at least. He was half way through the groin of the second rabbit when he spoke up. ”Not that I give a damn what a young girl thinks. But since you already asked.” He took a deep breath and pulled at the rabbit skin roughly. This one was being a stubborn little fuck. ”I was born to a man and woman in Syliras. Just a whore's whelp probably. In the end. She decided to give me away to the orphanage.” Just thinking about his parents made him sick with anger. ”It was a cruel place, filled with beatings, rapes and other things I don't care to mention. We had no mommy or daddy to kiss us at night or teach us how to be proper men. We stole to get bread and hurt anyone that tried to hurt us.” By now he was practically ripping the rabbit in half. And had to take a breath to calm himself. He needed to petching hurt something... Or someone. ”It just carried on into manhood I guess. Kain recruited me as a young green boy, aboud your age. And I learned to hurt people for different reasons stead of survival. I learned to crush men's throats with my hands. And watch them weep and beg as I cleaved their wives in two.” He chopped the head off and dropped the skin next to her. ”I learned to be a monster. And to lead other monsters.” Said Luke, as he turned to look at her. Gazing into her beautiful ignorant eyes. ”Only problem is my cock doesn't get hard when I'm supposed to rape the girls. And I don't take pleasure when I open up bellies. Or when I'm dismembering old men like your dear pa.” Said Luke, his voice thick and raspy ”Killing good people makes me petching sick. And I do this because its the only thing I'm good at.” Wiping the blood off on the underside of his cloak, He jammed his dagger back in its sheath. ”Excuse me as I get ready for dinner.” He went to the far end of the Cabin behind Tessa and took off his leather armor piece by piece.

[Tessa Poe]

Tessa squatted by the pot, completely unable to find her voice as Luke talked, and talked… what was she supposed to say? How could she say anything after… well, that? She swallowed heavily as she took the first carcass he’d dropped at her side, her hands shaking slightly as she slit it open and pulled the guts free. At least now she had a better idea of why he was… well the way he was. Who wouldn’t be after going through all that? Gods she couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like for him… she really should say something, anything, but there still wasn’t a single thing she could think of, nothing that would sound anything but trite anyway. Maybe it’d be better if she just got on with the meal, let the moment pass… and then just get moving, away from him and, and all that he was. She swallowed again, biting down hard on the inside of her cheek to keep herself focused while she hacked at the second carcass. It was a shame she’d have to waste the bones and the tiny bits still hanging from them, she remembered her Ma saying they made a good base for a stew so long as you had the time to boil them for long enough. Thoughts of her Ma managed to cheer her for a moment, until she remembered that Luke had never had anyone like that in his life… all he’d ever known were… and that was possibly the saddest thing about everything he’d said. She found tears clinging to her lashes as she tried to blink them away, blurring her vision while she tried to dice the rabbit into smaller chunks. She really had to say something to him, if nothing else she had to apologise. It hadn’t been any of her business; she’d had no right to pry into his life like she had done. “Petch!” She half cursed, half yelped as the tip of her knife nicked the side of her finger. Gods it hurt more than it had any right to. She brought it up to her lips, sucking heavily at the cut and suddenly she found her eyes focused on Luke at the back of the shelter, pieces of his armour stacked neatly beside him. She couldn’t look away and her other hand automatically groped for the meat and blindly tossed it into the pot, apparently the Gods were feeling kind today as it actually ended up there rather than fire beneath it. The meat hissed and spat as it started to cook while she crouched there, still just staring at him. Moments passed before she finally managed to say something that sounded like ‘Mmm Swrry’ and she flushed, realising that that would’ve made no sense whatsoever. Finally she pulled her finger out of her mouth, her eyes dropping to check how deep the cut was and staying focused there. It’d make it easier to talk if she didn’t have to look at him. “I’m sorry Luke… it wasn’t… I mean I shouldn’t have… it wasn’t right that I pried like that. It's your business, your life and all so... I'm sorry...” She sighed as she finished, turning her finger this and way that, finding that fortunately the cut wasn’t all that deep. It had pretty much stopped bleeding already, which was good since it meant she could get back to the cooking. As awkward as it might be in the shelter at the moment she owed Luke this meal and she was going to finish it for him. She scooped up the Groundnut and the Fireweed, roughly cubing the former and dicing the latter beofre adding them to the meat with a bit of salt and pepper. She took a moment to stir it all round together and since the meat had browned off nicely it seemed like the whole lot was ready for the water and the chives. All she had to do now was wait ‘til it all seemed done, then they could eat and she could be on her way. Gods be good and make that soon, she didn’t know how long she could spend in Luke’s company now that she’d made such a fool of herself.