Musical Pursuit (Siola)

[Dimitri]

Spring 40, 511 AV

Dimitri was sitting down near the docks, wishing he had brought his fishing pole. He was on lunchbreak from training, but wasn't particularly hungry. He let his feet dangle gently over the water as he watched the boats. He scanned the clear waters, seeing the many varied fish and other aquatic life. It was refreshing not wearing his full armor. He left it in his dormitory after his training left for break. He still kept his sword on his hip and shield on his arm. The water was surprisingly relaxing to him. The soft lull of the waves, the cooling temperature, the salty smell all appeased to him. He heard the various sea birds crying, and watched the men unload various boats. He was surprised at the fact that the presence of Knights here was fairly low for this time of day. Maybe something important was happening elsewhere? He paid no mind to it however.

He got up from his spot thoroughly relaxed and looking for time to kill. He still had about a bell until he needed to return. He walked lazily, swinging his massive tower shield softly. He enjoyed the salty breeze down here, much better than the stench over near Winthrop Alley. Not too much went on here, very relaxing. However he spotted one person not relaxing. He was running. Running rather fast, looking over his shoulder constantly. He had some long cylinder thing in his hand. It looked to be some sort of musical instrument. It looked like a thief to him. Better off to catch him then ask however.

"Hey! You! Stop running now!"

[Siola]

Siola hummed contentedly to herself as she chewed on the slightly sour pulp of the apple in her hand. So far, it had been a good day, the early spring sunshine was spilling through the clouds which hung suspended in the sky. She had gained a few gold coins from passer’s by, going on their daily travels. It was nothing special, but it would be enough to pay for the small room she was staying in, near the docks. As usual, she was only here in this city that marvelled her so for a short amount of time. A tourist to see the sights and pay her way before returning home to Zeltiva. To her Mum and brothers. She already knew her father was away, trading in some place she knew not. Once again as she had done every day she had begged for him to take her with him, just for a while. But once again, as he would always say, the sullen words of decline. Siola’s father had always passed off his business to be highly dangerous and that thieves lurked around every corner, ready to steal your wares. But then… Thought Siola, her gaze shifting up to a passing cloud. crime is the norm and can’t be stopped, however hard the law to enforce it. Her thoughts were passing however, and didn’t stay in her frame of mind long enough to worry her.

After she had finished the last bite of the apple, Siola buried it under a small pile of dirt under a barrel. Purely by habit. Following this she slid down the rock she was sitting on and picked up her flute case, the light weight re-assuring her that she had some work. However little and unprofessional it was. Siola had been busking on the streets for around a year now, on and off. Depending on whether she could gain passage to the surrounding cities. It had pleased her, the way she could help her family get by. Contributing to her twin brother’s incomes. It made her feel she had earned her right to thread the stone streets of places she had been told about in the stories in the hotel before it had been burned down.

Slowly, Siola climbed the steps to the main section of the port, to return to where she had been standing earlier on, performing for money. As she walked through the crowds she began to sense someone or something watching her. Staring at the back of her head, she carried on walking. Not knowing what to do. Suddenly, she heard a click by her hands, she looked down and watched as the latches of the case swung open helplessly in the slight breeze. ‘No.’ The words came out involuntarily. Her flute. The one thing she had been saving up for. Her income. ‘HEY!’ She yelled as she saw the man dart off, she began to follow, pushing people aside hurriedly, as fast as her small frame would carry her. Luckily, her agility paid off and she was able to dart through the pressing crowds. Her feet clattered as she ran, trying to chase after him.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri saw a pretty young woman chasing the man, confirming his suspicions of him being a thief. Dimitri ran toward the only place the man could escape to the warehouse or Bittern District. Dimitri pumped his arms hard, his legs carrying him over the ground, his large shield swinging like a pendulum. He was running at an angle to intercept the man, who hadn't seemed to notice him yet. The thief stumbled a bit but maintained his feet. Dimitri kept his eyes locked on the man as they neared each other at an angle, he noticed the woman was closing in as well. She was quicker than Dimitri it seemed.

Dimitri reached the junction mere moments before the man and turned to face him. He crouched low, and braced his shield. The man noticed at the last second and attempted to turn and break away. His momentum carried him into the mountainous shield. Dimitri felt the light shock and pushed back and too the side. The man sprawled on the ground off to the side but was quickly on his feet once more. Dimitri saw the woman who had been right behind the man now heading straight at him. Dimitri didn't have enough time to move out of the way. He moved his shield to the side, ready in case she crashed into his body. He wouldn't hurt her much crashing into him compared to his bonecrushing shield. He watched the thief turn tail and start back down towards the boats.

[Siola]

Siola hurtled down the rough streets, pushing through people with little care, trying to get to the man, the thief that had dared to take the one thing she had brought with her which was relatively precious. Her bracelets, well, you couldn’t really steal them, and by the looks of things, no one would, they were only bits of coloured string, representing how long she had been on this world, suspended in the stars. Not many knew or cared, she was just another teenager after all, with some weird habit. Her rough leather shoes echoed as each foot slapped the floor, pushing her forwards. She was edging closer, bit by bit. She had the edge on this race. Although, thiefs we cunning and sly, an trait which was built into them. For all she knew she could be running into a trap, and end up in a trickier situation that was bargained for.

Suddenly, she spotted another man join the race, at first she had thought him to be another thief, a man to help his partner. It wouldn’t of been the first she had seen alliances like this, ones to stop or harm people, to draw the pain of the ordeal out. She had seen plenty through the times before the hotel was burned down to blackened ash. Merchants and shipbuilders who had become friends and allies over the times of travelling together, the most unlikely of friendships happened. But yet it was normal. Siola narrowed her eyes, trying to see who it was before realising that it was a man of the kingdom, a knight, or a squire, or guard? She didn’t know the exact intricacies of their uniforms to be able to differ between them yet. All she knew was that they held the law of the city, and it wasn’t best to go against what they said.

At this moment in time, she wasn’t sure who would reach the goal first, to stop the thief, Siola was slightly ahead, but this man had the stamina that she did not possess. She watched as he crouched and braced his shield in one fluent movement, Siola slowed slightly, not wishing the same fate the thief had on herself. The man collided with the shield, and for a brief moment in time she witnessed his expression, one of shock and amazement. Obviously not thinking that he would be able to be stopped. Her mind wandered slightly, watching the thief, and not realising she was still running, crashed into the structure of the man. ‘Sorry!’ She exclaimed, embarrassed, at once. She jumped back, as if burnt and glanced around, trying to see where the thief was. There. She could see him running to the boats.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri felt the woman crash into him, his muscles repelling her without injuring himself. He did a quick glance-check and saw that she was uninjured. He heard a quick apology, as he saw the man in the distance over her shoulder. He could ask her to wait here and leave it to the order, but she was likely personally vested. A simple, "Be careful," was all he left her with before he started past her. He was running, though not full out, his shield swinging up and back in his arm like a pendulum.

He saw thief stop momentarily, deciding which way to go. He turned toward the largest ship in the docks, a massive galleon, a trade ship. Dimitri pumped his arms hard, he had to catch him before he made it onto the ship. But he could tell he wouldn't make it in time. The man started up the gangplank, when Dimitri attempted something very unorthodox.

He planted his left foot hard, braking his running. His knee and ankle strained hard as he spun his right portion of his body back and around. He then planted his right food and continued the momentum with his left side and leg, his shield flattening as he sliced it through the air. As the shield, spun back to the front, he released it, hoping to send it flying toward the thief.

The shield spun awkwardly through the air, seeming to go toward the thief. However it dropped short and sailed far off to the right, crashing into a stack of crates, knocking it over across the gangplank. Dimitri cursed and started back toward the gangplank, his running slower now, due to the strain he put on his knees and ankles with the reckless move. As he reached the gangplank, he saw the man disappearing up on deck. Dimitri ran and attempted to jump over a few fallen crates.

As he leapt, his foot caught a corner and he was quickly pulled down to Mizahar. Hard. His chest and the side of his face slammed into the wooden gangplank. It didn't feel like anything broke but he was definitely going to be bruised. He started to slowly push himself up. This was going to be a long day.

[Archon]

Illumination of Development Dimitri +2 Running +2 Observation +1 Acrobatics +1 Shield Lores: Knightly Duty: Stopping a thief, Throwing a tower shield (Poor) Care to see more? : Pretty self explanatory here, you got what you did. Siola +2 Observation +1 Running Lores: Thieves are jerks, Watch for running Squires Care to see more? : Pretty simple, you got what you did. Notes: A nice exciting start to a thread. Siola, just a note: You don't have a flute listed on your CS anywhere that I could see. Please make sure that you stick to what you have in your threads, unless it's a flashback.