Closed An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

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Center of scholarly knowledge and shipwrighting, Zeltiva is a port city unlike any other in Mizahar. [Lore]

An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Zamira on January 26th, 2014, 5:10 pm

What was starting to turn to be a fine day was changing into a horrible one. The angry squeals and grunts behind her weren't helping, except as an inspiration to run just a little bit faster. Bright eyes darted around her surroundings, skipping over flat areas and glancing off of trees with high branches as feet pounded into the frozen ground. How did she get herself into these messes?

Well, to be fair, she did know how she got into this mess... And she was still cursing herself with every word she wasn't suppose to know as she ran. How was she suppose to know that there was a wild boar on the other side of the bushes?! Well if you had been paying attention, Mira, you probably would have heard it... It's not like they're quiet creatures

The angry grunts behind her became just a tad too loud, but her fear of tripping on unknown ground kept her from looking over her shoulder to see just how close those tusks were to her. Casting one more hopeful glance towards the nearest tree, Zamira almost stumbled at the sight of a rope dangling down from it's bare branches. Lucky Ovek, please let this rope hold! Her frantic prayer gave her just a little more energy as she shoved off the ground with one foot and leapt towards the dangling rope, desperate hands gripping the woven life line.

"Yes! Oh, no. No, no, no!" Her gleeful cry turned into a desperate howl as she felt the burn of the rope on her hands as she slowly slid down. Gripping even tighter, she tucked her knees to her chest and tried to wrap the rope around her feet to keep her from turning into a hanging target. The angry grunts were far too close for comfort, especially now that there was a chance she could fall onto the angry boar. Wouldn't that be fun? Clenching her teeth against the burning in her palms, she reached one hand up and grabbed the rope just a few inches above her head. Inch by burning inch she managed to climb, a shaky smile tugging at her lips as she reached the branch the rope was tied to. Hauling her body up, she wrapped arms and legs around the bough and chanced a look at the ground below.

Her smile quickly turned into a frown as she realized that the branch she was on was not thirty feet off the ground... With a sigh, she rested her check on the rough bark and did her best to try and catch her breath. "At least... You made it..." Gods above, please don't let anyone have seen that With another shaky breath, she pushed herself into a sitting position and took a look at her hands. No bleeding, that was a plus, though she had a feeling that the scraped skin and angry red splotches were going to hurt like hell once her body calmed down enough to feel it. At least you didn't fall or get gored... That's a plus, though playing the harp or flute is going to be damn hard for the next few days
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Zamira
May my heart beat in tune with Rhaus's song
 
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Bartholomew Mercy on January 27th, 2014, 1:40 am

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Women danced upon the clouds in skimpy outfits. Spinning and twirling with one another in a ballroom fashion, Mercy was just about to join... That lovely one on the left looked particularly interesting. At least, till she and the others turned on him and began squealing like wild bore. Their faces changed to match, and their dancing stopped. They ran at him, teeth bared, and... Mercy jerked awake.

Resting in his hammock up in the higher branches, he was safe from all but that bothersome sound. The squealing and grunting and shuffling of a pig... I did not remember setting any traps so close to his camp, though. When he peered over, he saw that faint dot far below. It was difficult to miss with so much noise... It appeared to be interested in something though.

With his eyes focusing, he looked down to the tree it was circling, one of his trees in fact. It was hard to tell from this distance, but... it looked like a woman. He assumed she had taken refuge because of the rope he had tied to help climb to the higher branches. Mercy sighed heavily.

Rolling from his hammock, he caught the edge and dangled for a moment before his feet could find the thick branch below. Once he found a good balance, he quickly released and caught onto a branch instead. It took a few moments for him to carefully climb down the few feet to the block and tackle he had tied between the two trees.

He was no expert climber, so his movements took a focus and effort. He scaled further down till he was in range of this strange woman. Adorned in black dyed clothing with hair to rest between his shoulder blades and a scruff unshaven for quite some time, he may send of a number of negative signals as he approached.

Eventually he made it to the branches just above her, somewhat pinning her between the bore below and his new presence. He sat beside a slip knot with the rope ascending to the block and tackle above then down again to his equipment. "You look like you could use a helping hand," he said casually over the bore's noise.

And then he tugged the knot and released. In less than a moment, a large parcel was descending rapidly. At first, he had wanted to catch the pig under it, but... he missed. The loud thump was enough to frighten the bore, however. It quickly ran off into the brush. Mercy was suddenly, painstakingly aware how stupid that was... He had most definitely broken something in his bundle of gear.
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Bartholomew Mercy
Merciful, not weak...
 
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Zamira on January 27th, 2014, 5:27 pm

With her focus split between her hands and trying to balance on the branch, not to mention the horrid noises from below, Zamira didn't even bother to look up at the sound of something climbing down from above. With her breath finally caught, she closed her eyes and leaned back against the comforting strength of the trunk.

"You look like you could use a helping hand"

Bright eyes snapped open at the unexpected voice, jaw dropping in shock as she stared up at the scruffy and unkept person above her. The sight of Mercy above her only called up disbelief, brows raising in surprise as she looked over the man. A little voice in the back of her head pointed out the black clothes, the long hair, and the unshaven face; that voice was quickly drowned out by one question:

"Where the hell did you come from?!"

Her disbelief was cut short, though, at the sound something heavy thumping below her. The startled squeal, and then the silence, had her leaning over just a tad to see a large bundle slouching on the ground and the boar racing off.

"Um... Thank you?" Her tone of voice made the statement more of a question, her shoulders hunching slightly as she became more aware that there might just be a bigger threat in the tree now that the boar was gone. An unsure but game smile appeared on her face shifted nervously on the branch, squeaking nervously as the weight of the pack shifted with her. Knees clenched tightly around the bough, she gingerly placed her hands on the rough bark and steadied herself.

"Hopefully I didn't disturb you" She flashed another smile, hoping that the man wouldn't be too annoyed with her and just shove her out of the tree. His tree? Did she just scramble up into this man's camp? Gods above, of course she had. What other reason was there for him to be above her? Why else would there be a rope dangling from the branch. or a bunch of gear down falling from the tree, if he wasn't staying in the tree.
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Zamira
May my heart beat in tune with Rhaus's song
 
Posts: 15
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Joined roleplay: January 17th, 2014, 8:36 pm
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Bartholomew Mercy on January 27th, 2014, 10:19 pm

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She had indeed scrambled up into his camp. After the bore had raced off, he peered back at her, ignoring her question of his origin. It was a question dredged up in ignorance when the answer was obvious; from above. Even as she thanked him, he was already climbing down. Climbing closer...

Then, he passed her. He made his way down to the rope, where he slowly lowered himself to the ground below. He may not have been the best climber, but he was sure about his movements; slow and purposeful as they were. "I was sleeping," he stated with nonchalance to her next statement. As his feet touched ground, he turned and strides towards the lump of gear upon the grass.

"To apologize, you could get out of my tree and help with breakfast. Gather fuel and kindling for a fire." He had no problem with barking out orders, though with his roughened raspy voice it was almost a literal "bark" instead of just a casual suggestion. Without looking back to see if his suggestion was followed, he began rummaging through the folds of the tarp, not fully opening it just yet but peaking in to make sure nothing would fall out if he did.
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Bartholomew Mercy
Merciful, not weak...
 
Posts: 39
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Joined roleplay: May 19th, 2013, 3:52 am
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Zamira on January 28th, 2014, 12:06 am

She held herself still as he climbed closer, her smile faltering as she chewed nervously on her bottom lip. The closer he came the more she cringed, by the time he reached her had hunched her shoulders as far as her rucksack let her and ducked her head as if preparing for a blow. As he passed her, she raised her head and leaned over to follow his slow descent to the ground.

His answer to her hesitant statement had her cringing again, a slightly pained groan her only answer as she hung her head in chagrin. Good job there, Mira. Not only did you force yourself into his home, you woke him up. Luck was just not going her way today, next she thing she knew she would be cooking him breakfast to make up for her unintentional rudeness.

"To apologize, you could get out of my tree and help with breakfast. Gather fuel and kindling for a fire."

Her head snapped up at the gruffly said... was that an order? Well, it wasn't like she could just tell him no. It was his tree. And she was a little hungry, the little bit she had eaten at first light had been burnt up after her run just a few minutes ago. Now... How to get down.

Shifting uncertainly, she finally decided that getting off of the branch had to be similar to getting off a horse. With that image in mind, she began the process of getting out of the stupid tree. Leaning forward, she awkwardly hugged the branch and threw her left leg over the side. Soft grunts and squeaks were background music as she wrapped the rope around one leg and shuffled enough to have most of her bottom half suspended in mid air.

Gritting her teeth against the inevitable pain of fresh rope burn being rubbed by rope, she reached down and gripped the stupid woven life line. Inch by uncomfortable inch, she lowered herself to the ground. Feeling the hard earth below, she released the damned rope and shook her hands out. It was far too early in the morning for her to be doing this much movement, especially when it wasn't even on her terms.

Stiff fingers undid the buckle of the rucksack, one shoulder dropping to slip the backpack strap down her arm as she gently rested both packs on the ground. Shaking her hands again, she gave the man a quick look over before going off in search of the things needed for a fire. Maybe the man would be a little less grumpy with her if she made it back quickly and started breakfast.

A few minutes past before she returned with deadfall from the brush, booted feet kicking at rocks and bits of twigs to clear a spot for the fire. A quick shake of her head had her vision clear of her hair as she built a small square cairn of twigs, leaving the center free for some dried leaves and smaller twigs. Pulling out her flint and steel from her backpack, she hunched over the little pile of kindling and struck the two objects together. With a happy little flame starting to spread to the little twigs, she piled some more kindling in a teepee formation around the cairn and sat back on her heels to watch the fire grow.

"I'm Zamira, by the way. What's your name?"
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Zamira
May my heart beat in tune with Rhaus's song
 
Posts: 15
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Joined roleplay: January 17th, 2014, 8:36 pm
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Bartholomew Mercy on January 28th, 2014, 12:37 am

ImageHe found her sounds of strain and focus from climbing a bit... cute... though she would be the last to know. He payed her no more attention though as he began running through his morning routine. Luckily it could go unbothered; his equipment seemed unharmed, if a bit disheveled after the ten or so foot drop.

He opened the stiff tarp as she walked away to pull out his signature armor. He wrapped himself in it piece by piece, first his boots, then the grieves and the cuisse. The chest piece he slid on like a shirt before tightening a few belts behind his back. His rerebraces were next, followed by vambraces and gauntlets... Then the gnarly beast styled leather helm and the cloak. The armor may have been only leather, but it was Night leather. The black, spiked and form fit armor turned the stranger from the unkempt wild man to what could have been some unknown monster.

By the time he finished, the woman had built a small fire. Though he had been sitting behind the pile of his belongings, he had not exactly been hiding from her awareness. Rising to his feet, he pulls down the jaw of the mask and up on the helm to expose his face in what appeared to be the monster's maw. "That fire is too small," he stated indifferently. Instead of telling her to build it higher though, he instead takes from the tarp wrapped equipment a smaller bundle.

The man steps around his belongings and strides towards the woman. This time, he would not pass her. Instead, he tossed the cloth wrapped pouch to her and sat on the opposite side of the fire. When she asked for his name, his sharp green eyes flicked towards her with more focus than before. "Mercy." There was nothing else said to flush out what he meant, so it must have been his name.
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Bartholomew Mercy
Merciful, not weak...
 
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Joined roleplay: May 19th, 2013, 3:52 am
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Zamira on January 28th, 2014, 3:50 am

She looked up, brows frowned in annoyance as he pointed out the obviously small fire. "I know it's..." her snappish reply was quickly shut off, the annoyed expression melting into something akin to fear before she quickly looked back at the small fire. "Um...I'll... Put more wood on it, I just didn't want to smother it"

What had happened to the scruffy, if gruff, tree man she had met only a few minutes ago? Did he put his armor on because he was planning on attacking her? Or... She peered up at him through her lashes, letting her hair fall over her face in a veil to hide the cautious gaze. Did he put it on because he was afraid she would hurt him.

Hearing footsteps move towards her, she turned slightly in preparation for a sneaky attack or.. A pouch? Catching it, she sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth and set it down beside her, shaking her hands slightly before she set about adding more fuel to the fire. With flames licking higher and the wood crackling, she forced her body to relax enough to sit with her legs tucked underneath her. Shaking her hair away from her face, she reached out for the pack and dropped it into her lap.

"Mercy"

She stopped from opening the pack and looked up at the armored man, forcing herself to meet his eyes and ignore the way the leather carapace turned him from man into monster. "It's nice to meet you... It's too bad we couldn't have met in a less dramatic and noisy way" she flashed a smile and went back to her task of opening the pouch.

At least, she tried to open the pouch. Tender fingertips burned at the feel of the cloth, and a memory from long ago...

    Garrick tugged harshly at her arm, his green eyes flashing angrily as he dragged her away from the circle of children and into an empty alley. "What is wrong with you? I did not raise a brat, nor did I raise a cruel child!" He crouched down to her level and gripped her shoulders, his fingers putting enough pressure on her skin to show that his anger was not something to brush aside. "Why did you call that boy a stray dog?"

    Little Zamira trembled, tears streaming down her face as she tried to figure out just why father was so angry. "I... I don't know. He looked like one! He's all dirty and he acts funny around grown ups...Like the stray dogs in the city" She said softly, her lower lip quivering as she looked up at Garrick's angry eyes. "Daddy, I didn't mean to say anything hurtful. Honest! I just... Said it with out thinking!"

    Garrick shook his head and wiped at the tears streaming down her face, his features softening just enough to let Zamira know that he wasn't going to be mad at her forever. "Little Song, words are sometimes more cutting than the sharpest blade. Whether you meant to hurt him or not, your words cut his heart deep enough to leave a wound that may never heal. Remember that, Zamira. Remember also that those with wounded hearts will cloak themselves in the image of frightful things so they can never be hurt again. Let your words be a balm to pained souls, not another weapon."

"I'm afraid I hurt my hands when I climbed up the rope earlier. I'm sorry to burden you with another annoyance, but would you mind opening this for me?" She looked up at Mercy, no trace of fear in her eyes as she moved to her knees and shuffled around the fire just enough to hold out the pouch. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have done that before he asked me to build a fire before breakfast.... Hopefully
Last edited by Zamira on January 28th, 2014, 12:23 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Zamira
May my heart beat in tune with Rhaus's song
 
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Joined roleplay: January 17th, 2014, 8:36 pm
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Bartholomew Mercy on January 28th, 2014, 10:23 am

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After having taken his seat, the man reaches behind him to a little nook on the back of his belt. For a moment it may appear he was going for a stashed weapon... but soon his hand reappeared with nothing more than a pipe and pouch. Shifting the pouch from one hand to the other, he tamped the pipe's head on his knee to remove a bit of the ash and old tobacco before resting it in a ridge of the armor. He swiftly opened the pouch and placed a small pinch into the pipe, packed it, and closed the pouch once again.

His eyes flick towards the woman as she apologizes and offers the package back. Dropping the tobacco pouch on the grass, he plucks the pipe up and clinches it in his teeth. The man-beast leans forward to take the pouch with one hand and a twig from the small flame in the other. No words were offered, but he made her wait as he worked the oversized flame at the end of the stick over his pipe. After a trail of smoke rose though, he seemed more open to the task at hand.

After replacing the stick, he made easy work of untying the string around the top of the pouch. What was inside was nothing extraordinary, it was an assortment of meats, jerked and smoked and even seasoned. Mercy offered back the cloth and assorted meats to the woman without much explanation. In fact, the only response was possibly a particularly deep tug from the pipe.
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Bartholomew Mercy
Merciful, not weak...
 
Posts: 39
Words: 29667
Joined roleplay: May 19th, 2013, 3:52 am
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Zamira on January 28th, 2014, 4:33 pm

She did her best not to squirm as she waited for Mercy to take the pouch, her blue eyes slowly narrowing as took his damn time lighting his pipe before untying the string. Muttering a thank you, she took the pouch back and sullenly reclaimed her seat on the other side of the fire. I can be grumpy and mysterious, too...

Her mood improved when she noticed the different kinds of meats inside the pouch, her posture straightening in hopes that he would be willing to share. Setting package of meats on the ground before her, she tugged her backpack over and riffled through it until she pulled out a bundle of cloth. Setting that on the ground, she flipped the corners of the cloth back and pulled out a couple pieces of seasoned hard tack. By itself the fried bits of dough were tolerable, with a couple pieces of meat it would be a meal she'd write a song about.

Wrapping the bundle up, she threw a few more logs on the fire and shuffled just close enough to Mercy so she could set both bundles near the silent man. A longing look was shot at the meat before she took a bite of the fried dough and tugged her pack closer, carefully tugging out the wooden case. Quick movements had the buckles and straps loosened and the lid lifted. Wiping her fingers on her pant leg, she pulled the case a bit closer and, using her nails, picked out a quick scale on the harp. The sound was dulled by the padding, but it was enough for her to be reassured that her running, jumping, and climbing hadn't done any damage to her father's harp.

A soft smile pulled at her lips as she gently closed the lid and secured the straps, her touch gentle as she gave the case a loving pat. At least one thing had turned out right, though she would do a more thorough look over once she had stopped for camp at night fall. Turning her attention to her meal and the fire, she drew her knees to her chest and watched Mercy through the flames. "You know, if you didn't want unexpected guests you should pull that rope up when you're not using it"
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Zamira
May my heart beat in tune with Rhaus's song
 
Posts: 15
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Joined roleplay: January 17th, 2014, 8:36 pm
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An Unexpected Guest (Mercy)

Postby Bartholomew Mercy on January 28th, 2014, 6:04 pm

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After he handed her back the opened meat, he made no move to reclaim it or even bits of the bounty for himself. He just sat there, his knees bent with one to the ground and the other propping up an elbow so the hand could hold the pipe in his mouth. The other hand seemed just as occupied, what with propping him up and all.

His attention drifted to the harp as it made an appearance with an appealing sound. His gaze did not stay long, after a moment they drifted back to the small-but-growing fire. The way he seemed so distant even when he physically sat right before her might seem a bit strange, as if his attention were always focused elsewhere.

She did earn some of it when she spoke again. Her statement made him question her for a moment. This Zamira seemed a bit... sensitive. "What makes you think I did not have it there for just such reasons?" He stated bluntly. "Did you ever think it was the pig that annoyed me?" He tacked on. Mercy added one more lash, then soothed it over so casually; "Don't assume I'm treating you any better than I treat anyone else, stranger. Had I been blessed by a dancer in my tree, this scene may have played out differently." Of course, it might be a 'Different' she would not have appreciated in such a circumstance.
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Bartholomew Mercy
Merciful, not weak...
 
Posts: 39
Words: 29667
Joined roleplay: May 19th, 2013, 3:52 am
Race: Human
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