Closed [Guest ST][Shiress] Without a Quicker Blood

[Hadyn Skellig]

Bullshyke. All of it. Hadyn held on weakly to the horse, waiting with each stride to come tumbling to the earth and end up trampled underhoof. It was to her great amazement when her cantankerous companion stopped the horse and once again came flying off yelling. Where were they? Brown eyes opened as her fingers unwound themselves from the horse's thin mane. Still in the fucking forest. Of course.

Dehydrated and delirious with pain the weaponsmith was done with the horse. The crazy bitch could drag her back to Syliras if that was her goal but she was not getting on another animal. Removing herself from the beast would prove tricky. Her limbs seemed less inclined to follow even the simplest direction from her brain. Instead of dismounting Hadyn untangled herself from the horse and merely fell in an uncoordinated heap at its hooves, groaning loudly as her bruised ribs expressed discomfort. Rolling onto her back she stared up at the blurring sky. She was going to petching die here.

She could hear the sound of a scuffle nearby but there was no way she could coordinate her muscles, bones and brain to find the source. Each breath in was agony, her lungs expanding against a deficient ribcage. Both shoulders still stung from the nerve shock courtesy of Jordan's asshole henchman. Her body felt disjointed and partially paralyzed. Hadyn wanted to sleep. She could feel the tug of slumber begging her to let go. Nearly willing to give in the sound of her name being shouted, however distantly, echoed through the trees. Shiress.

With a burst of pathetic adrenaline Hadyn turned on her side, grinding her teeth as a moan of pain pushed up her throat. Gathering herself enough to push her feet against the ground to sit up the woman reached up to grasp the surface of the horse's stirrup, using it to pull herself to her knees. Despite the gods-awful torment her body experienced the brunette staggered to uneven feet using the patient horse and its saddle. There was no way she was going to make it to Shiress. She could barely croak out a wince. Turning to find Lona the woman's brown eyes narrowed to discern the figures having it out just ahead of them. She couldn't make anything out, just blurred masses moving and hollering.

She was going to try to make it to Shiress. How, she didn't know. But the thought her friend being in a position to yell gave her some hope. Hadyn adjusted her grip on the saddle's pommel, which proved hazardous, the horse stepping to the side to accommodate the awkward weight. Losing her precious hold Hadyn ended up on her knees. Fine. She'd crawl. Anything to get away from this nonsense. She dragged one knee forward, gravity putting horrid pressure on her three bruised ribs.

"Damn," Hadyn hissed as she landed on her side, closing her eyes. That was it. She couldn't do anything more. Her mouth was dry. She was so thirsty. It was a hopelessly feeble struggle to remain awake, laying there in the dirt, the events of the previous bells taking their toll. Hadyn's breaths slowed to ease her bruised bones, shallow and uneven. A fucking awful place to die. But to rest a tick. Just a moment and she could collect her strength to get to Shiress. Instead of accumulating strength she lay there, prostrate and weakening. Surely she needed but a few more moments before she could get up.

[Orion Michaels]

If there was ever someone who looked the part of a hero, it wasn't Orion. It was a most pathetic scene that Hadyn and Lona came upon. Orion and the stranger were engaged in some stupid form of slap fighting, a stupendous display of martial prowess being offered to all that chose to view. More and more Orion just wondered why the petch he'd even come out. Lona wasn't a terribly attractive woman. She'd just been so forward and he'd been so drunk, well, he made a stupid choice. Now he was in the middle of the woods, likely complicit in an illegal activity; worst of all, he was wrestling with some asshole who was wondering out alone in the woods.

Some bit of relief came to his face when he heard the woman swear, but it quickly washed away when she seemed to know the petcher he tried to pin. Grasping for his arms and legs, anything he could get a hold of, but this 'Anpeff' was too wiry for his abilities. He was easily out of his control and up with a dagger in hand, clearly pointed at Orion.

"What. The. Petch!?" The squire gritted his teeth and drew his long sword, taking a few steps towards the other man, brandishing his sword threateningly.

"Mine's bigger."

Orion looked to Anpeff, then to Lona, and then back to the stupid man. What in the world had he gotten into? Was it all a trap to capture him? He'd spurned several women in his days, but to go to this extreme to get revenge, well it seemed a bit much. "What is going on here? Can't a fellow enjoy a midnight ride in the woods without someone spying on him?" He feigned a swing at Anpeff, trying to drive him back and get a little space between the two men. With Lona clearly not on his side and Anpeff wielding a weapon, Orion was in a bind. Toss a familiar figure laying on the back of Lona's horse, and the squire began to wonder if he was actually passed out drunk in the White Swan. This was clearly an alcohol induced dream.

[Accolade]

Shiress

The woman's cries only excited the brutes chasing her, and spurring them to run faster. Elijah waved his companion to run further to the side so that they could catch Shiress between them and take her down easily. They had wasted enough time, Elijah knew this and for that reason he decided to speed up his plan, no matter how dangerous it would be. He raced on after the woman, his vision becoming blurred at his fever worsened. This cause the man to slow, but Nall race on, huffing loudly as he caught up to Shiress. He had a breif moment and took the chance, leaping out and latching onto the girl's leg as his body hit the ground with a loud thump.

"I got her boss!!"


Orion and Hadyn

Lona was beside herself, everything had gone wrong and it seemed that she would be forced to get involved again. The woman had been teetering on the brink between worlds and what she was to become and what she didn't want to be, and for the time it seemed that she would slate both evils and pass though. But that was before, before the doctor took off, before Hadyn came to near death, and before Anpeff showed up again.

Anpeff had fight in him and even though the squire had a bigger weapon he wasn't about to give up. Not when he had something he wanted to fight for. Someone to kill for. "This petcher is trying to take me in Lona! Quick let's take him out before.." He his voice trailed off as he noticed Hadyn fall off the horse and land with a thud on the ground.

"Wait..what's going on with..?"

Suddenly Lona lashed out and slammed her fist into Anpeff's jaw and drop him to his knees. The boy fell back dizzy and confused about what was happening. Lona turned to Orion and pointed back towards her horse. "There, yer blacksmith lass, get her out of here." She was so tired and clearly not thinking straight but she did what she could as she went along. Her next thoughts were to try and convince Anpeff but that was before they all heard the loud scream from Shiress calling out for Hadyn.

[Shiress]

Shiress could hear the sounds of heavy boots stomping the ground behind her before her body slammed into the cold, hard earth, knocking the wind out of already deprived lungs. Her arms spread out over the ground, her hands grasping desperately at the dirt and grass as she lay stunned, struggling to breath with uneven, labored gasps. This was all nearly unbearable for her now. Two or was there three, Maybe four against one? The girl knew she had no chance, but she also knew she couldn't be taken down without a fight. Not this time.

As soon as she felt the man's grip on her leg loosen, she whipped around to her side, slinging dirt into his face and began to pull and kick at his hands. Finally, she planted the bottom of her foot against the man's nose and she felt herself free of his grip, but the kick jarred her body and a fiery pain popped and radiated through her midsection.

Shiress clutched at her side, lips parting with a full throated wail as her legs desperately pushed her body free of the man's reach. With effort, she twisted her body painfully and staggered again to her feet, only taking a couple of steps before realizing the woman blocked her path. "You petching bitch! She spat, glaring hard as the woman neared. Her head turned sharply before she would dart again, but her master approached in that direction. At this moment, Shiress was defeated, her exhausted body spent. Her knees buckled and met with the ground. A mix of anger and helplessness stirring her emotions as tear filled eyes turned up bitterly. "You pathetic waste of a human! What do you want from me?!"

[Hadyn Skellig]

Sleep evaded her. How perfectly infuriating. She could only lay there, eyes closed hoping some god would take pity on her and allow her the grace of unconsciousness. Hadyn lay on her side, one hand wrapped around her middle, the other bent before her. Her legs lay pulled toward her torso, not quite fetal but bent as though she were jumping. The dirt and debris of the forest was rough against her cheek, each breath a labor in tolerance. Narrow lines of dried blood stained her neck and collarbone, her shirt red where the blade sliced into her skin just below her left shoulder. A flowering bruise bloomed on her right side, discoloring the flesh where her ribs were bruised by the toe of the bastard's boot. Her lip bled into her mouth and her left cheekbone was bruised from gods knew what. Hadyn was a petching mess.

Her brain couldn't function with proper clarity, her thoughts drifting between wondering how long it take her to crawl to the tavern for a stiff drink to worrying incessantly for Shiress. Dehydration was taking its toll though she refused to entertain any visual hallucinations, keeping her eyes decidedly shut. Surely this would all pass in a moment and she'd be back on her feet. Her injuries weren't that bad, right? A kick and scrape, a bruise here and there. Nothing she hadn't experienced before. But the mental expense was equally taxing. The woman was so utterly bewildered by the events of the evening that she considered the possibility she was dreaming.

Hadyn flexed her open hand as she muttered incoherent words to herself, reassuring no one in particular that she'd be up in a moment. Dirt entered her mouth, mixing with the blood. Awful. She needed to roll onto her back. Wasn't there some miniscule weapon in her boot? Perhaps?

You petchin' idiot, she reproached herself. Fancy job y'did keeping Shiress safe.

With the state of things Hadyn knew she wouldn't be receiving a medal of bravery from the Knights any time soon. She couldn't manage to compartmentalize her thoughts adequately, shifting uneasily between condemnation, hunger, fear and anger. Why couldn't she petching sleep? where was the bar? what was the name of Shiress' bastard slavemaster? who was the bony bitch that scooped her up and deposited her here? how was she going to do a shot of whiskey with a busted lip? was that a stick digging into her hip? weren't there other voices or was she hallucinating? what the fuck just happened?

[Orion Michaels]

Orion was more than surprised when Lona went to battle with..for..sort of on his side? The annoying man was dropped with a vicious punch to the jaw and suddenly the circumstances had changed. Orion turned his focus to the woman, his sword waving back and forth nervously. He didn't have any idea who was on who's side, and was even less certain why he was out here.

"Blacksmith?"

Orion frowned, taking a few steps sideways, to get a better look at the person who'd slumped from the back of his horse. An unexpected figure struggled against the forest floor. "Hadyn?" The last person he would have thought to find out here. Hadyn Skellig, weaponsmith at the Sultros Blades and someone with whom he had a history. He'd not seen her since their trip to the Mithyrn Outpost had had a less than pleasant outcome. Was she the reason that he'd been brought here? An unexpected turn took yet another twist when a woman's scream ripped through the otherwise quiet woods.

"Will this never end? How many women are out here?" Orion snapped at Lona, motioning to the horse and Hadyn. "Load her up. I'm gonna see what that scream was about and then I'll get out of here." Orion wouldn't give her time to argue. He ran by his mount and snatched his helmet, rushing towards the scream awkwardly as he donned the protective device. Shock overcame his face when he came upon the source of the yelling.

Was this some sort of cosmic joke?

Her!?

"Gods be cruel, yes the gods be cruel . . . " Orion reached up and lowered his visor, readying his shield and sword for whatever she was running from.

The last two women he'd bedded were laying near his feet. Neither of whom he'd left on the greatest of terms with, putting it mildly. It was absurd. Absolutely absurd. Why were they both out here, and how had they gotten reduced to the condition they were in?

[Accolade]

Orion and Shiress

Nall crawled to his feet after Shiress pulled away, but by this time, the others had returned and blocked her path. The thug tackled the woman from behind, a viscous slam into her that caused her body to jerk hard against his, before she was sent head smacking the ground. Taking a hand full of hair, he lifted her head just high enough to shove it back down hard in the dirt.

"Stupid bitch.."

Elijah stood not far away and he was more than pissed. The man stood holding his head, eyes glaring out towards Shiress. He spat and threw his other arm in the air as he turned away. "Petch it all! We're leaving now, no more stops!" He was delirious from his sickness, and he wasn't making as much sense as he thought he was. But the others followed, Nall pulling Shiress off the ground and pulling her along with him. Hetty followed after them, cursing Shiress the whole way, and that's when the sound of drumming hooves burst into the clearing.

"Knights!!" Nall yelled, turning around and shoving Shiress to the ground. Elijah spat, pulling his weapon free and moving closer to where Nall stood. Upon closer look, they realized it was only one man on horseback. He was alone.. A crooked smile formed on their lips as they stepped forward to meet Orion in combat.

Shiress would hear the sweep of iron as Hetty drew her dagger and stood beside Shiress. If the woman had any strength left, if she had any ideas of fighting back..now was the time.

Hadyn

Lona was furious, and she made sure that Orion had heard her cursing him before he disappeared into the night. That was the second time that he had ran off and left her with Hadyn. Looking back towards Hadyn, the woman looked dead, and she didn't want anything to do with this any further. Anpeff stood up, slapping Lona's shoulder hard to get her attention, and the woman almost turned around and punched him again. "Hey damn you, enough!" he yelled and stepped back. "What's gottin into you?"

She had to think quickly, and either get him on her side, or remove him quickly. Yet, it was another idea, or at least half of one that came to mind and she sprung into action. "Change in plans, get her back on the horse and wait here, I'll be back!" and with that Lona raced off after Orion. Anpeff stood in shock for several ticks before turning back to Hadyn. He made his way over to her and pulled her into his lap. Anpeff wasn't the strongest of men, but he seemed to be able to stand with her, but getting her on the horse was another thing. Anpeff held Hadyn close and lightly smacked her cheek. "Aye, aye, wake up, get on the horse!" He tried to lift her, his boot slipped and the boy crashed to the ground with Hadyn on top of him. "Petch..."

[Shiress]

Shiress glared hard at her master, her body, exhausted and pain ridden, swayed as she sat propped on her knees. She pulled in long, steady breaths, exhaling through clenched teeth in a hiss as she watched her master move closer, his steps awkward and unsteady, his face soaked with sweat and delirium, but a familiar evil still lurked in his eyes. She waited, anticipating with bitterness what the man would do. The closer the beast came, the more something festered inside her, stirring to form an unfamiliar swell of emotion in her chest. She began to stand to meet the bane of her past- eye to eye when an unseen blow from behind sent her to the ground.

A jolt of pain in her head then nothing. Darkened silence.

She could feel herself being pulled to her feet and dragged before being dropped to the ground again, a thick trail of blood slowly creeping across her brow as she rolled to her back. She could hear the shallow, fast breathing from those around her, their voices growing distant. She opened her eyes and the hazy form of a female emerged and her sight slowly cleared, seeing that her back was slightly turned away and the glint of a shining silver dagger trembled in her hand. Shiress stared at it, knowing a fight for her life may ensue.

Slowly and quietly, she lifted herself to her feet, cleared her head with a slow breath and lunged at the woman's back, snatching the arm that held the dagger, twisting it around to her back while using her bodyweight to force the woman down and her leg to trip her. The petite, frail frame twisted and bucked beneath Shiress, knocking the girl off of her back and within an instant had straddled her, poising the dagger high about her head. Shiress caught her arms just as her stroke fell, realizing how strong this frail looking woman was, much stronger than herself as she now struggled to hold off the blade as it dangled eerily in a struggle of power just above her chest.

Shiress instinctively grabbed for the woman's neck, pushing hard against the flesh with force and purpose completely foreign to the girl. Her aggressor responded instantly, twisting and pulling away her head trying to tear her throat from the girls fingers. Her life now in danger, the woman threw a hand up to pry Shiress' fingers away, the other finding desperate strength to force the dagger closer to the girls skin. Fear washed over the woman's face as the edges of her lips began to darken. Her hand flew from her throat to meet the other against the knifes hilt in a hard downward thrust.

The tip of the dagger vanished into Shiress' skin, tearing deep into the delicate flesh just below the left collarbone. Shiress' eyes widened in horror, her lips parting with a gasp as the sting of the blade piercing her skin burned at her senses. Both hands now clung to the woman's forearms in a desperate attempt to push the knife from her chest, but tortuously, the dagger slowly sunk deeper. Shiress arched her neck issuing a pleading scream into the night as pain pulsed against the steel blade. "God's please help me! Knight, please!.."

"You. Stupid. Bitch..." She growled, her teeth gritted as green eyes met her aggressor's. "Kill. Me. He. Kills. You.."

[Hadyn Skellig]

Hadyn felt her person being hauled around but couldn't be bothered to do much. Vaguely aware of another body close to hers, tugging her from the ground and striking her cheek the woman groaned uncomfortably. It was the only response Anpeff would receive as he tried to revive her to consciousness. But then he was trying to hoist her up - a failed attempt, the suddenly downward momentum plummeting both to the ground heavily. This outcome seemed to rouse the woman enough to groan again, rolling herself away from the fellow. Her fingers pulled leaves and debris into a fist as she found enough paltry strength to flop onto her back.

Opening her eyes she lolled her head to squint at the one causing all the racket. Must be the doctor Lona was prattling on about. He looked no more than a lad, certainly not capable of handling a petch-up of this grandeur. Another moan released from her lips as she turned her head back to gaze at the sky. A dry cough rattled her, stifled as her torso convulsed, trying to stop mid-cough to alleviate the pain in her ribs. Shifting so she was laying on her side again, brown eyes searching for the boy's face she made no small attempt to speak to him.

"Water," she rasped with less authority than she intended. "Get... I need water."

Surely he must have a kit out here. Even a doctor's apprentice must think to bring supplies, the most significant (in her mind) being water. Closing her eyes Hadyn waited for him, doing her damnedest to remain awake.

[Orion Michaels]

Orion couldn't fight on horseback, he could barely stay mounted, so he wasn't going to pick now to try and become a great riding warrior. Without the horse he'd have to rely on the training he'd received from Dinah. It had been barely three quarters of a season since he'd laid down the scalpel and picked up the sword. That was barely enough time to understand not to grasp the pointy end of the weapon. That was not enough time to take multiple rogues in combat. At least he would die swinging, defending the last two women he'd petched.

"Fucking glorious," he bemoaned, as he watched Shiress' struggle begin to unfold. He wasn't going to be able to get to her in time to do anything. He wasn't quick enough with the blade to defeat someone who already had their weapon piercing someone. On top of that, he had two men barreling down on him. This was going to south faster than he could deal with.

Orion met Nall's advance with one of his own. He couldn't split his attention between the two sources of danger. He raised his shield to deflect Nall's attack. It bounced off harmlessly, though his defense would prove to be sloppy. Orion's feet scuffled against the ground as he tried to maneuver to keep the two men in front of him.

Maybe Hadyn will survive this. That'll make one of us.

He could do nothing to save anyone. He'd have to hope that his armor would keep him standing long enough to allow the rest to escape.

I'd heard that knights died all the time, but I didn't expect to be knocking on that door so soon into my squirehood.

If he'd stayed a doctor, he could have been drinking his days away in a cozy little tavern, surrounded by beautiful women, flowing coin and plenty of entertainment. He'd have been able to retire someday, living the lavish lifestyle of a man with endless wealth. Instead he was going to die, and for what?

The blue eyed man lunged out with his long sword, trying to deliver a piercing blow to Nall. The man evaded easily, almost shocked at how simple it was. A knight wouldn't be so sloppy with his attacks. A knight wouldn't be unbalanced so quickly. This man was a fraud through and through. He might look the part, but a knight Orion was not.

A blade sliced through the air at Orion, forcing him to step back quickly as he could. He barely interposed his shield between his body and the biting steel, though it only set him off balance even further. The man's blade was upon him yet again, sliding past his defenses, only to meet the heavy plate armor Orion wore. That was the only thing that kept him going. He should have been dead.

With Nall upon him, Orion barely stood a chance. With the second man rapidly approaching, the former doctor was ready to call it a day.