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| People Watching; For Fin | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 17 2008, 10:25 AM (283 Views) | |
| Patrick | Aug 17 2008, 10:25 AM Post #1 |
Pirate
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How he had ended up in the city of Madrid, Patrick still wasn’t sure. He had arrived in Port Zedrin in Ankgar just a few weeks ago now, and what a mess that had turned out to be! The moment that he stepped off of the ship, he had ridden DawnStar through the streets of the city, only to fall off of her back a moment later when a cat ran through the road. If that hadn’t been humiliating enough, he had then almost gotten arrested because the ship he had taken to Ankgar was loaded with stolen goods. He had to convince the guards that he hadn’t known that any of the cargo was stolen, and that was the truth. Just when he had managed to convince the man he was speaking with that he had no part in stealing the cargo, he found out that the entire time he had been conversing with the King of Ankgar. It seemed as though his first day in a strange land was misstep after another. After that day had finally ended, he had mounted his mare and ridden her as far away from that place as he could possibly manage. Though he took a few breaks along the way, he travelled across the Kaadian way into Soto. He did not stop his journey until he reached the capitol city of Madrid, at least that is what a passerby told him the city was named when he asked her. He had liked the looks of Soto the moment he entered that country. It was full of nature of all kinds; plants, animals, streams, forests, everything that a farm boy who was used to the outdoors could ask for. He enjoyed the smells of the forests and the sounds of the waterfalls as the road they were on snaked past them. Though he was slightly surprised when he reached such a large city in the midst of the trees, he was quite glad for that fact as well. Partially he was glad because this was the kind of place that he would want to spend his days if he ever decided to settle down, and partially because he was running low on food. As he reached the city gates he dismounted Dawn, thinking that it would probably be easier to navigate through city streets by leading the mare instead of riding her. There was a good deal of people about the city today, probably because it was the weekend, and it was also about lunch time. The thought of it being lunch time was enough to make his stomach rumble. Though he still had a few strips of salted meat in his pack that was the only thing he had eaten for the past few days. Though he knew that the entire reason for this journey was to find his sister a see the world, right now a hot meal seemed like a more important thing to find. He followed the road deeper into the city until he managed to find the market place by following the sweet scents of baked goods, soups, and cooked meats. He led Dawn through the crowds, his jade eyes looking from one food stall to the next, each one housing wares that looked better than the one before it. So instead of stopping once and purchasing food at a single stall, he stopped at three different carts. At the first cart he purchased a bowl of cooked vegetables and noodles, stirred together with the spices of peppers. The second stall sold him roasted pieces of steak on a wooden stick because it was easier to carry through the crowded streets. At the final stall he decided to buy something for desert, opting for a pastry filled with cream and drizzled with honey and cinnamon. It was when he was at the final stall that he noticed a small square off of this road, with a large fountain taking up half of the space there. There were several benches around the outer ring of the plaza, and in between each bench was a water trough for people to tie their horses to while they rested on the benches. Though it looked busy, by the time he left the pastry cart and entered the square, there were a few open spots on some of the benches. He picked out a seat on the edge of a bench so that he could tie DawnStar to the trough next to it. He set down his meal on the bench and tied the mare up; making sure that she could easily reach the water and even have room to walk a few steps. Once she was settled, he sat down on the bench and began eating his meal, his eyes focusing on the fountain for a few moments before he began people watching. |
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| Fin | Aug 17 2008, 11:52 AM Post #2 |
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Princess of Thieves
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“Stop that fox!” The shout came from down the narrow lane, where a vendor was dashing madly towards the fountain with a meat cleaver in hand. People leaped out of the way, giving a wide birth both to the distraught salesmen and his quarry. Black ears laid back, three long, bushy tails waving madly behind her, Fin made her way down the street like a bat out of hell. Too big to be a true fox, but resembling one in the ways of structure and appearance, she jumped clear of the meat cleaver-turned-projectile and raced underneath the axles of a ornate pull-cart, upsetting two large draft horses who, in true domino effect, sent the carriage they were pulling askew on the road. She paused a moment to look back over her shoulder, doggish eyes gleaming with mirth as black lips curled in a smile. She turned back to the fountain and resumed her running at an almost taunting pace, more of a trot then a true run, dancing out of the reach of her pursuers. Her claws clicked on cobblestone, her tails swished. Still, as the enraged merchant came closer, she bolted again. A few horses tethered to their troughs reared and struck out, eyes rolling in fear. She leaped up onto the bench currently occupied by a boy with reddish-brown hair. She paused, tails swishing wildly behind her as she regarded him and then leaned over to sink her teeth into the delicious pastry he had left unguarded, resting on bench beside him. Curved ivory gripped the sweet tightly as she jumped off the bench and made to continue running. She jumped yet again, standing on the fountain edge and moving to run full circle around it and charge back the way she'd come. How was it, in all her time spent terrorizing Madrid, she'd managed to run herself into a dead end? It as ridiculous- Her thoughts were cut off as a rock connected with her side and she was sent sprawling into the fountain. Mid-fall she changed forms in the blink of an eye, splashing to her watery demise and looking up as the furious citizens of Madrid surrounded the fountain. The man with the meat cleaver stood in the very front, a vein throbbing in his temple and his eyes bloodshot with rage. Fin's ears twitched and her now singular tail swished behind her. Brown hair clung to her face, cloths soaked through, but still she managed to smirked and put her hands up, “Fine, I surrender.” Her clawed hand moved to her pocket, taking out a rather large, ornate pocket watch and throwing it to the man who had lead the fox hunt after her. People all around looked unsatisfied with this but none the less returned, albeit grumbling, to their shopping. Crowd cleared off, Fin stood and shook her hair dry. A young couple gasped indignantly as they were caught in the spray and indignantly hurried off, away from the ruffian who was stepping out of the fountain and then turning to fish out the soggy remains of her pastry. Finding only soaked, waterlogged fragments of what had once been a tasty baked good, she gave up her half-hearted recovery attempt and instead just combed her clawed fingers back through still-damp hair. Black clothes dripped, hanging from her form as she drew the two wicked blades, Ghash and Ring, from their sheaths, bound around her thighs. Carefully she investigated each one, slashing at the air to dry them before returning them to their homes and heading off without word. Moments later found her walking back to the fountain, bare feet leaving wet footprints on the stone as all around her people whispered behind cupped hands and shied away from her approach. It hardly seemed fair, she hadn't done any real harm to anyone. Still, though part of her hungered for attention and company, there was another part which sought to drive everyone away. There was no way to compromise, no happy medium the parts of Fin could come too. They were not unlike the pieces of a broken mirror, never to be reunited again. You can line up the pieces, push them close, by the cracks remain. She stood directly behind the boy from whom she'd stolen the cinnamon drizzled slice of yummy goodness that now polluted the crystalline fountain. He was taller then her, pierced ears, and an eye patch... Apparently an individual that, at the very least, would be nice to look at. She stepped closer and hopped to stand on the bench by him, gold eyes gleaming as she looked around before sitting cross legged. From a brown paper bag she drew a cherry-filled pastry and looked at it a moment, then at the boy beside her. She drew Ring from his sheath and in one quick, careful motion cut the treat in two, holding out half to the boy silently and then taking a bite of her own, “... I'm Fin.” Her voice was quiet, gold eyes turning to the taller individual besides her as her tail twitched and swayed behind her, gently sweeping the cobble stone. It was a hot day, and she had to admit, in this particular case, the cold water that filled her clothes was not entirely unwelcome. |
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| Patrick | Aug 18 2008, 11:00 AM Post #3 |
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Pirate
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Patrick sat happily upon the wooden bench and lifted the bowl of noodles up in his lap, taking the two sticks that came with it so he could begin his meal. He was just raising his first bite to his lips when a shout caught him off guard, and he dropped the portion back into the bowl. His head shot up as his one good eye searched out the source of the shout, as well as attempt to find the ‘fox’ that was the subject of the bellow. He immediately noticed the large black creature streaking into the square, his head tilting slightly to the side as he noticed that it had three tails instead of just one. He had never seen such an animal, which made him doubt for a moment that it was in fact a fox, though he couldn’t think of anything else that she could be. He watched as the fox ran underneath the cart causing it to topple, and that only reassured the fact in his mind that the mischievous little beast was indeed a fox. He wanted to go to the horses that were upset, for they seemed quite spooked by their encounter, and he had a fair hand when it came to dealing with the hoofed animals. He only managed to take one step towards them though when he heard his own horse whinny out of irritation; he knew her call by heart. He spun around on his heels just in time to see the fox dart past the trough that Dawn was tied to before jumping onto the bench he had just vacated. He eyed the creature warily, and it seemed to be looking directly back at him. Before he could attempt to either catch her or shoo her away from his meal, the fox sunk her teeth into his desert and ran off with that as well. He scowled and shook his fist after the creature, ready to join in on the chase himself. But then he remembered Dawn, who whined away, and he turned back to soothe her instead. He grabbed at her reigns and placed one hand gently on the side of her muzzle, all the while whispering softly to her. It didn’t take her long to relax enough so that he could sit back down on the bench; she was such a mild mannered creature as it was. He picked up his bowl of noodles once more and continued to watch the show before him…just as the rock was thrown that landed the fox into the fountain…was it really a fox? Just before it had hit the water, the creature changed into the shape of a human…at least she was now more human than she had been before. He still hadn’t taken a single bite of his meal, and now he was too stunned to even remember that he had food in front of him. He had never seen someone change shape like that. Of course he had heard of different types and forms of magic, but he had never seen anything like the sight he had just witnessed. Though she was still surrounded by the angry townspeople, he could see the poor girl now sitting soaking wet within the shallow depths of the fountain. He heard her surrender to the irate merchant who had been brandishing the cleaver and noticed a quick flash of gold as she handed something over to him; something that he assumed was the object she had stolen from him in the first place. He thought back to the pastry that she had also taken from him, but thought against asking for her to pay for it. He had already dealt with more thieves in the past few weeks than he had meant to, and he didn’t even know it then. He wasn’t about to purposefully place himself into the path of another bandit just for the few coppers that the treat had cost him. He finally began to eat his meal as he continued to watch the woman out of the corner of his eye, attempting to be as sly as possible, though that was not a thing that he was very good at. He would look down at his bowl to take a bite, but then as soon as the morsel had reached his mouth look up again to watch her as she shook herself off. His eye brows rose slightly at the sight of the two blades that she had with her. He himself wasn’t the best fighter there was, though he had enough talent with his two stiletto knives that he could at least attempt to save his life in most situations. The manner in which she drew the two daggers through the air told him that she had a good deal more practice than he did when it came to handling a weapon. He figured that she would be leaving the square now to go dry off, so he ducked his head again and took another bite of his vegetables, finishing off that dish entirely. He could still hear people whispering about the woman, though it wasn’t until he noticed that the whispers were getting louder that he looked up and glanced around, wondering what they all were looking in his direction for. It soon became obvious, when the foxy creature was suddenly standing on the bench next to him. He twitched in slight surprise, and then grabbed up his stick of beef that he still hadn’t eaten yet. He didn’t want to lose that either, since it was the main portion of his lunch. He relaxed when he saw her pull out her own pastry and cut it in half, offering one portion to him. He grinned at her as she introduced herself, before laughing quietly and taking the offered cherry treat. “If you had one of your own, why did you have to go and get mine all wet?” He laughed again, a soft yet still melodic sound that travelled to the corner of his good eye. He set the pastry in his lap before picking up his kebab once again. He broke the stick in half and offered part of it Fin, the bigger half. “I’m Patrick. I’ve never met anyone like you before.” He didn’t mean to be rude or offend her in any way, he didn’t even think about it before he spoke. He just thought she was a very interesting creature. |
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| Fin | Aug 18 2008, 09:34 PM Post #4 |
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Princess of Thieves
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Fin's ears twitched, fierce eyes softening ever so slightly as Patrick laughed. It was a nice sound, the sort of music that required no instrument, and yet soothed the soul and left a...pleasant, tingly feeling in ones chest. Her lips twitched into a small smile that showed off glinting fangs, but it faded a little as the food was offered. Why would he do such a thing? It was unnatural-but no... hesitantly a clawed hand reached out and accepted to precious morsel of meat. Holding the stick between her point and thumb she lifted it and paused to sniff it before taking a bite and ripping it free from the whole. It was good, to say the very least, and it had not escaped Fin's bright eyes that her new friend had opted to offer her the larger of the two. Tail still sweeping the stones beneath the bench, she did not stop the speak as she devoured the meet and then tossed the stick away. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, feral eyes turned to Patrick. He was certainly an interesting individual, his eye patch and long scar told of some terrible affliction, but the remaining eye... There was something undeniably interesting about this individual and his sea green eyes and sandy red hair. His comment made her ears twitch and lay back, tail stopping is metronome-like swaying. One look at his face told her the comment was not spiteful, and once more the swish-swish started up again. Ears perked, her fingers fashioned around her morsel and she took a small bite. One hand moved, wiping her mouth clean of melted frosting before she leaned over and nudged his shoulder with hers in a harmless, almost playful nature. “ Whats that supposed to mean, hm?” She took another bite of her cherry-filled treat and licked the sticky red substance from her lips carefully before going on, her small smile returning, “Do you mean you've never seen such an ugly girl or such a large three tailed fox?” Fin laughed softly, a sort of soft humor that warmed her eyes but not her heart. Such unfelt mirth left aftertaste aftertaste in her mouth, which, though wiped away by the final bite of cherry-filled goodness, made her chest feel hollow. What was wrong with her? She chalked in up to a nearing illness and resigned herself to drinking ginger tea until the feeling was no longer present in any fiber of her being. She pause din speech for a bit, concentrating on licking her fingers clean. People passing continued to watch with disapproving looks, whispering behind cupped hands and even daring to blatantly point as they gossiped a loud for all the hear. Fin's tall eras caught them all, twitching lightly at the harsher comments but never lying flat. The sun beat down, drying her black clothing as she paused and then reached over and used the underside of one curved, sharp nail to brush way a few strands of hair from Patrick's face, pushing her fingertip against the scar and running it gently to were it met the black eye path. She drew back suddenly, as if just now realizing she'd performed the action and had been burnt by the simple touch. Her own mop of uneven brown hair fell damp and unevenly into her eyes, which traveled to the large bite scar on her forearm before she looked back at him, smile gone, eyes not really cold, but empty, as if remembering something painful and hiding it away, “Thats a sword scar, right?” It was more then a random stab, but an informed guess. Her father, after all had, had his share of long blade scars, and every one of them had, had a story. Many of these epic tails of thievery and mischief had become Fin's bedtime stories, the things that could help her go to sleep and dream dreams where she too was a bandit. In essence she suposed her dreams had come too...Just... not in the ways she had hoped. She toyed absently with her ring, pulling it off her finger and reading the inside. “Fear Not” read the inscription, both a wish and a promise that had, on her fathers dying day, been cut and burned into Fin's very soul. |
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| Patrick | Sep 1 2008, 12:48 PM Post #5 |
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Pirate
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He smiled inwardly as he noticed her eyes beginning to soften, which may or may not have been part of his plan all along. He watched her smile, and even as it faded he couldn’t help but think how much it lit up her face, even as a flash of white showed off bits of her fangs that were usually kept hidden behind her lips. The fact that her lips fell as he held out the meat to her did not deter him, and he held his hand steady, even as her own claws moved hesitantly as it accepted the offering. His smile widened as his gray-green eye watched her inspect the morsel with her nose, finally finding it acceptable, and digging in. He almost laughed again, but instead simply began to eat his own meal, more slowly than she chose to though no less voraciously. He began to pick the succulent pieces of meat off of the wooden skewer, though didn’t get very far before he watched her ears lie flat against her head. At first he had no idea what could have caused the sudden change, but it didn’t take him long to rethink his former comment and realize how it could have been taken in a negative light. His face instantly fell as he understood his folly, for he hadn’t wanted to upset her. He was about to take back his words with an apology when she nudged him, nearly causing him to drop the remaining meat on his skewer. A hesitant smile traced his lips as she spoke and he recognized the joke within her words. Though he had meant that he’d never seen a kitsune when he had spoken before, he carried on the joke with a sly smile. “I only meant that I’d never seen a fox with so little grace before.” He edged away from her a little, so as to avoid any more nudges, as continued eating. One more bit and the meat was gone, though he still had the cherry pastry to turn to. He had only taken a single bite out of that when a strange swishing sound caught his ears. At first he thought that maybe it was just the horses to his right, but he was sure that the sound was coming from the opposite direction. He turned his head to search for what could be making the rustling sound, and his good eye caught sight of Fin’s tail. He watched her tail curiously as he finished up his meat, practically entranced by the softness of the fur on her tail, and the gentle way that it could brush against the dusty ground without disturbing it. He liked the soft sound that he tail made; it reminded him, in a way, of the gentle rocking of the ship that he had spent the better part of a month upon, and it relaxed him. He was so lost in thought that he hadn’t noticed Fin’s approaching fingertips until he felt them brush his hair out of his face. He immediately tensed up, more out of surprise than annoyance, and held perfectly still as he felt his soft fingertips on the tight skin of his scar. He let her do it, though the entire reason that he grew out his bangs longer on that side of his head was so that fewer people would notice the eye patch. He didn’t care to attract attention to himself, especially not the kind of attention that a deformity usually received. His gaze pulled up from her tail and traveled until it reached her own eyes; his face now more serious than it had since he had first seen her. Though she pulled her hand quickly away, his own fingers reached out with an equal speed to wrap around her wrist before she had a chance to pull it completely back to her lap. His gaze was intense as he tried to search for her reasoning in her own eyes, though weather he found it or not he didn’t say. He released her after only a few seconds, and his face turned once more to the fountain before them, contemplating his response. It wasn’t a story he liked to tell, for it was his own foolishness that caused the injury, but she hadn’t asked for the full story. A shadow of a smile returned to his lips and eyes as he rested his elbows on his knees and turned his head back towards her. “Yes, the injury was inflicted by a rather sharp and pointy sword. My own fault really.” He stood up suddenly, a strange way to try to change the subject, and walked over to DawnStar, who was only about five paces away. He motioned for Fin to follow, noticing how she was playing with her ring. He made a mental note to ask about that later, but for now he had other things that he wanted to do. He’d never been to Madrid before, and his curious nature was beginning to take over. “Care to explore the city with me? We can ride if you like, or just walk. Neither Dawn nor I have travelled here before.” Once again his countenance claimed a wide grin as he glanced at her conspiratorially, as if this were some secret adventure that they were on and no one else could know about. |
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| Fin | Jan 28 2009, 10:11 PM Post #6 |
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Princess of Thieves
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The hand that wrapped around Fin's wrist caught her by surprise and she froze a little as that deep sea green eye caught with her own golden orbs. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. He held her a moment and, when he let go, she exhaled, realizing at that moment in time she'd been holding her breath. She wondered vaguely why she'd reacted in such a manner but knew it must have merely been her surprise at being grabbed. Her face was barely tinted with the faintest of blushes as she listened on to the other's words, tail swaying and swishing again. Nearby a group of children were playing tag, their laughter reached Fin's vulpine ears and she turned her eyes to watch them. Three boys and one girl ran through the streets, giddy, fingers sticky with sugary sweetness and their faces smudged with mud. One boy, the bigger one they were chasing, ran in front of a women and sent her basket of baked goods flying. The smell of such goodies, fresh cookies and sweet breads, made Fin's mouth water. A thud and a cry hit her and she looked back at the children. The girl had tripped, fallen in the street. She sat there hugging her leg as if the scrape thereon was a mortal wound. Fin's heart tightened when she heard the crying turn, calling for comfort from her father. She felt bitter when it was answered and she found herself yet again fiddling with her ring. A few more whispers rode a gentle breeze to her and, paired with disapproving looks, they elicited a response from the half kitsune. “Just because something bad happens doesn't make it my fault.” The offenders all pretended not to hear Fin's response and turned away. Fin looked back as Patrick stood up and, after listening to her new found companions words, she too stood. Her bushy black tail swished to and fro as she walked, bare feet silent on the plaza's stone floor as she moved over towards DawnStar and said, eying the animal, “My mother never approved of me riding horses...So I think we should ride.” She laughed her soft laugh, embers glowed in her eyes but did nothing to warm a hollow chasm in her chest. She ran black-clawed fingers gently over the animal's side and then looked over at Patrick and admitted, seeming a little reluctant, “I haven't ridden with someone else since I was small though, so I'm not sure I remember how.” She shrugged and paused to glared at a scowling merchant passing them before she looked back at Patrick. Her mouth was a stoic, straight line, so her fangs protruded pas her bottom lip. Sunlight shone off the clear blue water in the fountain and sent patterns of this eerie light across the sides of the surrounding building. A cool wind made Fin shiver as it played across her skin and picked up the dust around, carrying it away. She longed, absently, to be part of the small dust cloud- to be picked up and moved and never remembered. Her ears twitched, her tail swayed. When the arbitrary thought passed she looked back at Patrick, “Yea...We should ride awhile, my legs ache. Then we can walk.” Her words were not all a lie. Her legs did ache, she'd been on her feet all day, but she was used to that... No, her motivations were different, and even she didn't want to admit them: She just wanted to be close to someone for at least a few moments, but she didn't want[/] to want that. She wanted to want to be alone. |
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| Patrick | Jan 29 2009, 10:00 PM Post #7 |
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Pirate
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Patrick stood by the golden colored mare and began fiddling with the tack. Dawn wore very little as far as gear went for a horse; merely a shaped piece of leather that could qualify as a saddle and a set of reigns. He had never found a need to make her wear a bit or blinders. Stirrups were generally meant more for rider comfort than anything else, but he could probably lie across her back and the ride would still seem smooth. Once he was finished checking all of the straps, he turned his head, expecting Fin to be standing next to him, and found himself standing alone. Apparently she hadn’t stood up when he did. Turning, he saw her sitting on the bench still, looking in almost the exact opposite direction. He let his own eye follow her gaze and felt the hint of a smile trace across his lips. The chase scene reminded him of when he was younger, running after his older brother Jorge with his sister, Talia. The smile was replaced with a look of concern as he watched the little girl stumble and heard her cry. He wanted to go to her, to wipe her tears from her eyes and make jokes until she began to smile again, just like he would have done for his own sister. But before he even had to stop himself, Fin’s voice caught in his ears. He gazed at her for long enough to notice the ring once again between her fingers before he looked at the ground at his feet. “No, of course not.” He kept his voice low, not sure if her own comment was meant to be heard by others or not. Though his curiosity was piqued by her comment and the scene which had caused it, he knew better than try to get any answers from her about it right away. He’d have to ease into the topic, and probably wait until she was in a good mood and might be more willing to talk. The sound of her movements, especially that intriguing tail, caught his attention and his gaze rose as she walked towards him and the mare. His jade eye glanced at the mare as Fin eyed her, more out of reflex than actual concern that the horse would lash out with a predator so near her. He gave a low chuckle at her comment about her mother, wondering if he should mention that his own mother never approved of him holding a sword, as she stroked the mare’s side. He decided against saying anything, as they both knew what cost he had paid for disobeying his own mother’s advice, and he didn’t think that he wanted to give her a reason so leave yet. He didn’t know anyone else in the entire city, and even though they had just met, he would rather spend just the next hour with someone else than have to spend the whole day by himself. His shoulders shrugged almost automatically as he waved off her comment about not remembering how. “Riding is the easiest thing in the world. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble remembering.” His gaze caught hers as she turned her own golden eyes towards him, and he wondered for the hundredth time since they meet what was really on her mind. She had her own secrets he knew (who didn’t?), but when he looked into her eyes he felt as if he could almost see them there at the edges, waiting to spill out. He watched her shiver briefly in the wind, though he wasn’t sure if that was entirely the reason for the tremor. He dropped his gaze again, looking at the mare to avoid Fin’s gaze. “I mean, if you still want to. We don’t have to tour the city; we can do something else if you want.” The words were quiet, though they came out stronger than he expected, as his mouth seemed to be drier than it was a moment ago. He turned suddenly, as if he suddenly remembered that he was supposed to be doing something, and in a single fluid motion he mounted the steed; a movement that he was well practiced at having grown up around horses. He gave the mare’s neck a quick stroke before picking up the reigns in one hand. His gaze traveled down to where Fin stood next to the horse and reached out one hand to her, an offer to help her up. His bangs fell further down over his eye patch as he looked down, though his good eye held a playful sparkle. “Come on.” He twitched his fingers in an inviting, though perhaps impatient, gesture, the hint of a mischievous smile twitching the corners of his mouth. |
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| Fin | Feb 1 2009, 02:59 AM Post #8 |
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Princess of Thieves
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Thoughts were racing through Fin's mind, but she looked back at Patrick when he spoke about how they could do something besides tour the city, should she want. The evening breeze pulled her scraggly bangs from her eyes and showed quite clearly the brilliant yellow gold eyes. Something strange gleamed there for a split second. It was out of place, that tiny momentary sparkle of fear, and as the breeze passed and her hair fell back more into its uneven tangle, it would be easy to believe that flicker of forbidden emotion was there. Still, now that it was murdered but her familiar feral ferocity. Ears twitched and her tail swished when Patriok moved so fluently. She marveled at the smoothness of the movement but allowed this only a moment before she crossed his arms and put a look of utter disinterest on her features. She crossed her arms and didn't smile, the tips of her fangs showing as she eyed her redheaded companion, reconsidering a few of her earlier assumptions. A hand was extended and, for a moment, she was caught off guard and stared at it as if he'd sprouted the appendage at that moment. His fingers twitched and she looked up at his face. Her ears twitched and perked up considerably, tail swishing as she caught the mischief on her handsome companions visage. Her own lips twitched in a small mischievous smile to match his own, eyes glinting the way only a bandit girl's eyes could. She forgot she was being disinterested and extended her own black-clawed hands, sliding a surprisingly soft hand into Patrick's and, by some miracle, arriving astride DawnStar's back. “Where are we going?” Fin asked, holding onto Patrick's shoulders, currently a little too proud to wrap even one arm around him. Her bushy black tail hung to her left side with her leg, crossing over it so that it brushed the piratey-boy's leg. The sun beat down, beginning to sink in the west though it would be a few hours before it dared to kiss the horizon. A storm gather in the south, rolling towards Soto, but none of this mattered. What mattered right now was that Fin was perched in a sandal on a horse behind a boy she'd met less than an hour before, and beyond that, she had her hands on her. She knew it was no big deal, normal people touched each other all the time, but in her book touches that weren't violent were usually not welcome (not that those that were violent were). Still, despite the facts he was awkwardly gripping his shoulders, the contact was....nice. “Going to tour the city or was I right in thinking that look on your face meant you had something else in mind?....Not that I really care.” Fin added the last bit, inhaling deeply the smell of Madrid, glancing to her sides, down at people who glanced at her and scowled, some people whispering to one another. She ignored it, a learned trick, and looked up at Patrick's afce ove rhis shoulder, waiting for his response. (OOC: Gahhh horrible. Sorry! Next one will be better, I promise.) |
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| Patrick | Feb 3 2009, 10:39 PM Post #9 |
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Pirate
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(That’s ok! Mine isn't that wonderful either, but the next one will be! I have ideas for it already! We all have our off days.) His smile only widened when he saw the look on her face, just before she took his hand. Her expression seemed just as playful as his as he pulled her up behind him. She weighed barely anything, so the act of helping her astride Dawn was easier than he had anticipated. He’d seen some people that can’t manage to stay on their own feet next to a horse, let alone sit comfortably astride one. But Fin managed to climb aboard quite well. He was about to comment that she’d probably done this before when she placed her hands on his shoulders, which wouldn’t give her very much to hold onto once the horse began to actually move. “You’ll have a bit more support if you wrap your arms around me, instead of just trying to hold my shoulders.” He didn’t speak in a commanding tone, rather factually. What she did with her hands was up to her, but it was true that she’d likely feel more stable holding onto his waist. With a flick of his wrists the reigns jostled and Dawn began to trot, cleaving her way through the crowds, which were thinning now anyway since it was after the usual dinnertime. She was going a bit faster than he meant her too, but she was anxious to get away from such a crowded area. Dawn liked people just as much as the next horse, but that isn’t saying very much. She walked straight past the vendors and back towards the main road that led to the town. He turned his head slightly to the side as he spoke, knowing she’d hear him better this way and he could still keeping a look out for where they were going. Where were they going? “Good question. There is only one other place that I really know around here.” He glanced down to his left as something brushed up against his leg. He was about to try to shake it off when he noticed that it was only her tail; the same, soft looking tail that had him so interested before. He considered what it would be like to touch, but figured that was a bad idea. He wasn’t sure what the protocol was on tails, but he doubted that it would be very polite to start petting the tail of a young woman whom he had just met without any permission at all. “I was originally thinking about a city tour, but I think we’ll go somewhere else now.” His clever half smile was back, and he looked straight forward now. He didn’t say anything else about the other place that he knew in the area, deciding that he would rather let it be a surprise, unless she demanded him to tell her. He wasn’t sure if she liked surprises, but this was going to be a good one; at least he hoped it would be. He led Dawn along the main road and ended up leading her out of the city, rather than further inside of it. |
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| Fin | Feb 9 2009, 07:41 PM Post #10 |
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Princess of Thieves
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As soon as DawnStar moved Fin scrambled to cling to Patrick, and impulse even her forced solitude had not trained her out of. Her arms wrapped tight around his middle, face buried against his back. She inhaled deeply the scents that made Patrick's unique own without any real intent. The ocean clung to his skin and clothes. Sweat and one accustom to sharing company with horses… She kept her eyes closed as the horse moved, feeling her heart, startled into a flutter, slowing down. This was nice- the closeness, the unintentional trust. Her ears twitched and her eyes opened a little, leaning back some, away from the other and turning her head to the side. Hot blood ran into her cheeks and she grit her teeth in anger at herself, embarrassed for the way she'd clung to him, seeking comfort in closeness and scent like some ridiculous pup! Her grip around his middle relaxed too, her left hand moving to grip the back of the saddle while her scarred right arm remained wrapped securely around him. This gesture was grudging-she wanted to leap away and run on her four long fox legs until she collapsed. She wanted to sheath Ghash and Ring in this boys chest… She wanted rest her ear on his back and listening to the fascinating heartbeat she'd almost forgotten she shared with all living things. She wanted to rest her head against his back of shoulder and sleep and maybe for once forget to dream of the burning house or of her mother, wrists bloody, laying cold and dead in the garden-and her father, her poor father who had been shot through the heart for his own family's coin. Fin lost herself in a hurricane of emotion, her gold eyes gazing off absently as her tail twitched, resting across her own leg and close to his. Only half aware, she watched scenery disappear. In her minds eye she saw herself, she remembered setting the blaze, remembered running off into the darkness of night, but how long before that even was it that she had allowed herself any ounce of trust or intimacy or even familiarity with the touch of another? She needed no one, she could take care of herself- she was the fox of Madrid! A bandit, in her late father's footsteps, with no time for friends or family or lovers!....Right? As she thought she shifted a little, too confused by her own thoughts to realize her actions as she rested her head against her back and sighed, ears relaxing, eyes closing. She rested like that for what felt like hours, though it was probably only a few minutes. Finally, she spoke quietly, not thinking as the words passed her lips, “I don't need this, or you, or friends, or anything...” There was a lapse in this melancholy murmur and then it continued, her shifting a little, “I'm better off alone..” "How much longer?" her eyes fluttered open a few silent minutes later, and she rose up a little in the saddle to peer over his shoulder, ember-eyes bright as she peeked just over his shoulder and swished her tail a little, adding, “Er, sorry. I must've dozed off... Been awhile since I've let anything else do the walking for me.” She glanced around at the new scenery. Madrid was disappearing as they moved further and further towards the outside, finally leaving the city. Her tail swished and her ears perked up, taking in all the new noises, her nose feasting on all the smells. She didn't question where they were going, after all, she figured she'd see soon enough. There was no trace of internal conflict on her features, and only the faintest trace of a subconscious war in her eyes. Still she peered over his shoulder again and smiled her mischievous smile, “This isn't some kind of trick to cash me in for my bounty, is it?” She was only half joking. [ok so I lied, this one is even worse >.<] |
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| Patrick | Mar 1 2009, 10:54 PM Post #11 |
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Pirate
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(That's totally fine, considering it too me several weeks to reply! I'm so sorry!) His eye glanced quickly down at Fin’s arms that had suddenly wrapped around him when Dawn had started moving. Though he knew to except a tighter grasp, he had sort of asked for it after all, he was still mildly surprised that she actually complied. He could feel her cheek, warm against his shoulder, and practically smell her hair. It had been a long time since he had been this close to a woman, and the only women who had ever meant anything to him were his mother and sister. But this felt very different from Talia when she was young enough to have to ride behind him. He swallowed thickly and unconsciously tightened his grip on the reigns. It wasn’t until after she had relaxed, pulling away with one arm to find a perch elsewhere, that he even realized he had clenched his fists. He smiled briefly, mentally telling himself to relax, and lead Dawn on the only path that he knew of outside of this unfamiliar city. Thick trees began to spring up alongside of the worn dirt path as they treaded further and further from the city gates. The ride wouldn’t be a terribly long one, but the distance wasn’t short enough that walking would be worth it either. The ride was fairly peaceful; while neither of them was speaking the only sounds to be heard came from the wind through the trees and the birds of the forest. He never saw a point to trying to have a conversation while riding like this; it would be too difficult for him to be heard without turning around and losing sight of where he was leading the horse. It must have been relaxing as well, for he could feel her slowly drooping forward to rest against his back once again. It didn’t come as such a surprise to him this time, so he had no trouble taking her touch in stride this time. Her words took him by surprise…if she was better off alone why had she agreed to come with him in the first place? He didn’t know what to say. Was this his fault? Had he said or done the wrong thing? He played back their conversation in his head, but he couldn’t come up with anything that would have caused such a reaction, at least not in his opinion. He was silent while he thought, but before he got a chance to speak again she was speaking again, in a very different one of voice, one that seemed more normal to her previous personality. “That’s alright, riding on horseback does seem to have that effect. Did you have pleasant dreams?” Perhaps she had merely been talking in her sleep, and some dream of past memories was what inspired the words; at least that’s what he hoped. “We are almost there,” he replied to her question, though the thought came with more questions of his own. She was definitely an interesting creature. “What do I look like…a pirate or something? Why? Do you have a bounty on your head?” He chuckled in a mildly cunning way, though even if she had a bounty he wouldn’t have turned her in, pirate or not. He was pretty sure that if he went back home he wouldn’t get that warm of a reception from the rulers of the land, and living the life of a pirate didn’t please that many people either, so who was he to judge? Everyone makes mistakes in life, and sometimes the necessary choices that seem important to one person are frowned upon by another. They finally came to the correct side road, and Dawn led them into the Immortal Gardens. The scenery immediately changed from a forest of trees to rows of flowers in all shapes, sizes, and colors. He had only been to the gardens once before, but he was surprised at how much he had enjoyed them. They had a peace to them that he rarely found away from the open seas. He dismounted Dawn just past the entrance, preferring to let her be and either walk or pick a bench to sit on. He stood facing the horse and held out an arm, an offer to help the woman down if she chose to accept it. Of all the questions that had been churning in his mind, there was one that kept coming back. He couldn’t help but ask, even though he knew this was probably an inopportune time. “What significance does that ring have for you? You seem to play with it a lot…I was just curious.” He hoped he didn’t sound too much like he was prying, when really he was only curious. Edited by Patrick, Mar 1 2009, 10:54 PM.
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| Fin | Jun 25 2009, 03:03 PM Post #12 |
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Princess of Thieves
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[Sorry its terrible, I'm a bit rusty] “I don't remember my good dreams, assuming I have them.” Fin said in response, still resting her head against the other's back. Her tail was swaying still, brushing against Patrick's leg as they rode on. It was the truth, the dreamland that had once offered her safe escape from misery and woe as a child now served as little more than a personal hell that nature dictated she visit or else be made slow and stupid by fatigue. Her unruly hair fell in her eyes as she watched the trees pass, the natural setting reflected in her poison-honey eyes. In response to his joking pirate comment the half kitsune laughed her quiet mirth and moved to peer at Patrick over his shoulder, “Well yes, but I suppose looks aren't everything, hm?” She did not elaborate on her bounty as they rode into the garden. Fin was instantly enthralled in the beauty of the place, looking around, her tail swaying happily. She looked back to Patrick as he slid with practiced ease off the horse to the ground, and then held his arm out to her. Taking it as a challenge Fin leapt as well, stubbornly refusing any help. The end result was her stumbling as her bare feet hit slippery ground and she fell froward, grabbing onto Patrick to stay up. She looked up at his face and then away, blushing faintly but there was no other sign of embarrassment as she turned her eyes to the marvelous plants all around. She made a mental note to practice all aspects of horseback riding, as it was obviously a weakness in her ability. Her thoughts wandered as her fingers caressed the petals of a white flower. She hadn't seen blossoms like this in a long time, not since she'd last been in her mother's garden- A long green tunic shirt and and black pants, dainty black feet making no noise as she ran through the elaborate and very well furnished mansion of a house in which she lived. She passed a group of well dressed eleven ladies, all chatting in their native tongue, but she didn't give them a second glance. Daddy was dead, father was dead, all blood and cold and gone. She'd had the dreams again, the dreams where she could save him but doesn't, and she needs mother's love to lull her morbid and morose thoughts into submission so she might once more sleep. It was a rare moment of her venturing outside the safety of her room where she'd surrounded herself with trinkets and things he'd given her, the precious ring on a silver chain around her neck until she grew big enough for it to fit on her finger. Where was mother? Long hair swung dangerously in a long braid as she whipped around corners, and finally ventured outside into mother's sanctuary: the garden. Candle-light moon beams reflected in her eyes (she had her father's eyes) as she searched around the entranced and finally ventured inside. “Mother!” She called, “Mother!” She stepped around the hedges that were trimmed like walls to hide the inside of the garden, into the only entrance, and froze. There was blood everywhere and mother was laying with wide wide eyes in her favorite white lilies while the fish in her man-made pond jumped and splashed. No, no, not mother too- Patrick's voice dragged her out of her reminiscing and she glanced down at her ring. She looked back at Patrick and smiled a little, “This ring is... Everything to me.” She admitted,and explained shortly, taking it off and holding it out for Patrick to look at it, watching as the pirate took it into his own hands, “It was my fathers, when he was young. He gave it to me...Read the inscription on the inside.” “Fear not” was clearly etched on the inside of the silver band. Fin watched Patrick carefully as he handled her treasure before her eyes trailed back to the beautiful flowers and the tall shady trees. It was a peaceful place. A true sanctuary that was untouched by the troubles and turmoil of the world outside. Against her better judgment she stepped away from Patrick to investigate some purple and black blossoms. After all, she doubted he would pocket her ring. In her opinion, he was far too nice for his own good. Vulpine ears twitched atop her head before they laid back in the coal-gray streaked brown mess of uneven layers. She could hear hoof beats, she could feel them in the bottoms of her feet as they got closer... And the sound of clinking armor. “Damnit...” She moved over to Patrick urgently to snatch her ring back, but as soon a few steps short of the pirate she saw the first horse rounded the corner at a run. The biggest held a thick brass bit in his mouth, and it drew blood from the corners of his mouth as the law enforcement official ground it back and forth to force him to stop. It dug its heels in and slid to a stop startlingly close to Patrick. The other two horses stopped as well, just as sudden, and the three stood eyes rolling and snorting as the guards slid from their backs. Their armor glinted in the sunlight, two held swords, one held a prematurely knocked bow. “Wilwarin Kyouraku, you are-” The lead guard, obviously high ranking as he stood with a general air of cockiness permeating the air around him. The horses pawed the ground nervously, confused overworked animals with previously long manes clipped short. Fin eyed them as she spoke evenly, “Sorry, no one by that name here.” She glanced over at Patrick, her eyes flicking to her ring, still in his hands. Her gaze flicked back up to his face before they turned back to the men. The guard, obviously not amused, stated. “You are Wilwarin Randir, you use the alias Fin Deloth, correct?” His voice was even but only a few tones away from straight out annoyed. Fin knew she should bolt now, but her father's ring... She glanced to it again, distracted. When she looked away the two silent guards stepped forward and the leader demanded, “Answer the question!” Fin stepped closer to Patrick, she looked at him and said, “...I expect that back.” The guards looked at once another curiously, but when they looked back to Fin she had switched forms. An over sized fox with lupine traits, fast and agile, darting between the captains legs, between the lesser guards, and under the large horse. It reared in surprise and all the horses shied, upset by the sudden presence of a predator. “After her!” The Captain orders, swinging back onto his horse and kicking its sides mercilessly to send it running after Fin. She ran for miles, hiding and dodging and using all the tricks that usually shook them, but this particular captain was stubborn, and she was not so lucky as usual (something she of course would link instantly to the absence of her father's ring). She thought on it, and on the kind stranger she had left it with even as she was taken into custody and stripped of her knives and (to the amusement and jeers of the guards) her clothing. They (the guards) had promised her she would either have her neck bitten into by an ax in a year or would die alone in her cell of disease- whichever came first. One on either side held an arm each, and two stood behind her wielding torches and short swords to ensure she made her way into her cell. As she passed other barred doors, plenty of rude things were said by her fellow condemned. “-hey there girl, wanna share my cell?-” “Curl that tail for me, sweetie!” “I'll tell ya what I'd like to do you your-” They paused at the end of the row of cells and the guard to her left pushed a brass skeleton key into the lock. It clicked into place and the door swung open silently. They threw her down and slammed it shut. “Nighty night, foxy.” One mocked, they laughed and walked away. She stood and glanced down at now skinned knees before looking around at her new home, anxious, her ears back. Her father never would've gotten in such a mess, then again, her father wouldn't have underestimated the law- how was she supposed to know a traveler had shown her bounty poster to one of the vendors (No doubt the same whose pocket watch she had stolen and only grudgingly returned). Her only comforting thoughts were that she had time to escape in, and that her ring was safe in the hands of who she could only hope really was an honest man, in no risk of being taken from th “evidence room” by a greedy agent of supposed justice. Once she escaped, she would track him down and reclaim it. Her new world was dim, a torch outside sending a few feeble flickering rays inside for her eyes to reflect. She eyed the rotten wood of the small table and chair and moved past them, where she switched forms and curled up on a dirty blanket, watching as a rat scampered across the floor. Slowly, her eyes closed, and she drifted into a familiar nightmare-memory. A year would be plenty of time to use devising her escape. Edited by Fin, Aug 16 2009, 10:00 PM.
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| Patrick | Jul 1 2009, 01:35 PM Post #13 |
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Pirate
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He found her comment about good dreams a bit strange. Does that mean that all of her dreams are nightmares? He chose not to say anything of the sort though, preferring to keep the conversation light for now. They were getting along fairly well; why spoil it with probing questions? He hadn’t met many people yet since having traveled to Soare, and not all of them had been very friendly either. Of course it didn’t help that the moment his ship landed he ran into the King of Angkar and was almost instantly accused of being a pirate. He had made it out of that situation alive by spinning tales of being a hapless passenger, unaware of what was really going on with the rest of the crew. Of course that was how his adventure on the ship had started, but he soon found he had a knack for the life of a pirate, at least part of it. He still had to work on his swordsmanship. “Yes, just because I wear an eye patch doesn’t make me a pirate. Though I suppose living for several months of a pirate ship does.” He hadn’t meant to say it, to tell her that he truly had been a member of a pirate crew. It just sort of slipped out. He cleared his throat swiftly and pretended as though he hadn’t said anything. One had to be careful who they told their past to, as you never knew who would be the one to eventually turn you in. He shrugged as he saw that she was going to help herself from the back of the mare, and he dropped his offered hand back to his side. He was just about to turn towards the garden when she stumbled forward. Instinctively his arms reached for her, steadying her descent as she grabbed his arms. For a moment he felt a small half smile come to his face, but it only lasted a moment. She looked away first, and he felt himself shake his head. He barely knew Fin, but he felt oddly comfortable in her presence. Though he was generally He had grown used to watching his back, spinning charming lies, and telling little about himself during the last few months. He didn’t completely trust her, but he didn’t have a good reason not to trust her either. He watched her out of his one good eye as she gently touched the flower petals, wondering how someone with a tongue as sharp as hers could be so gentle. She looked back at him with a smile that made the corners of his own mouth turn up slightly. He held out a hand to accept the ring and held it up at eye level. At first glance it didn’t seem like much, but he guessed that the monetary value meant very little to Fin. If it had been a gift from her father, than it probably could have been made of tin and cracked, and she still probably would have kept it close. Her turned it on its side to examine the inscription like she had said; “‘Fear Not.’ A noble sentiment.” He didn’t really know what else to say about the ring. Clearly it was very important to her, even if he couldn’t completely understand the significance. He dropped his hand slight and was about to hold the ring back out to her when she swore. A curious expression crossed his face as he looked over at her, seeing her body tense and her ears twitch. Then he, too, heard the sounds of approaching horses. He managed to take a single step towards her, hoping to return the ring to its rightful owner, when the horses came into view. He had to jump back several steps as one of the horses came dangerously close to running into him. Sailor’s curses ran through his head the moment he saw that they were members of the guard. Maybe they had finally figured out that he was indeed an accomplice on the DeathWatch and were here to arrest him for his own part in the crimes of piracy. He waited for them to speak, at least being smart enough not to give himself away before they asked, but it wasn’t his name they spoke. In fact, it wasn’t even a name that he had heard before. He had no trouble looking confused at their accusation. He shrugged his shoulders and looked up at the captain after Fin had spoken. “No, I’ve never heard of ‘em.” Truly he hadn’t, as Fin had never given him her real name. He glanced at her, wishing there was a way that he could slip the ring back to her without the guards noticing. He wasn’t bad at sleight of hand, and could have managed it easily, if only they were actually close enough to each other. He glanced at Fin one more time, casually placing both of his hands in his pockets and giving her the slightest of nods. He had no intention of keeping her ring any longer than he had to, but he would take care of it until the next time they met. If only he had known how long of a time that would really be. Fin darted off, and most of the guards went with her. Only two remained, and they had their orders to take him in for questioning, having been found with a wanted thief. If only he had actually been seated in Dawn’s saddle when they had arrived; he knew he could have gotten away. As it was, the two guards managed to cut him off from the mare before he had a chance to mount her and run off. He held up his hands and smiled as innocently as he could. “I don’t suppose you guys want to take me out to dinner…” Neither of the guards said anything, but one grabbed Dawn’s lead and the other drove Patrick forward along the path, leading the pair to the nearest guard tower. They searched his bags and his pockets, apparently hoping for any evidence that he was in league with the kitsune. Luckily he had several hidden pockets within his clothing so Fin’s ring was plenty safe. They didn’t find a thing, but still keep him for a couple more hours for questioning. He wasn’t a bit worried about that though. He had a lot of practice smooth talking his way out of tight situations before, and this one was no different. They ate up his lies about how he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he just happened to be walking through the gardens in the vicinity of Fin. After awhile, there were no other questions that they could ask, and they had no evidence against him so they were forced to let him and Dawn walk free. By the time the pair left the guard house, night had fallen. They walked back to the city of Madrid, hoping to still be able to find a room for the night. Patrick placed his hand upon the hidden pocket in which the ring was stored, wondering when he would see the fox again. All in all, just another day in the life of the pirate. |
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