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 Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:24 pm
ikshiva "What will you do?" she asked, hesitating. What would he do?
If none of the other mercenaries that the family had hired were back with the carts then it meant that they'd either perished in the undertow of the fighting or that they'd run off either with or without the cart. He could see precious little other situations.
He sighed. "The Master and Mistress of the House must be told this, lest they believe that their servants have run off with the food. Then, they may work something out. Perhaps they can rally a few of the other great houses in this area to pull together for another food shipment, under the guise of needing more food for more lavish parties. A week, perhaps, is enough time for them to reorganize." He smiled, ruefully. "They will not want to speak to me after today, so it might well come to you to offer them this advice."
With trembling hands, he took out the slice of bread from his jacket pocket, still wrapped nicely, and held it out the the woman. "Here," he said, voice steadier than he'd thought it would be, "take this. It is my fault that the food did not come through and I must make recompense."
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Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:54 pm
"Where it that patch of...ah!" Fae pushed aside a board blocking an abandoned building in the Stables. Most of the roofing in this area had degraded, and the buildings, while useless for shelter, were excellent for working and resting during the day. They were also excellent for growing things you didn't want other people to find. And today Fae wanted to find some Comfrey.
She found the patch growing in the back corner in a sunnier part of the building's shell, and immediately began picking as much as she could without harming the plants. She wanted to make sure they kept growing back, and over harvesting was a sure way to kill them. There wasn't time to make an infused oil, but she could make a surplus of poultices swiftly. Once she was satisfied with her harvest, she left this area of the Stables in favor of another corner of the district, to what could loosely be described as the closest thing to home Fae had.
She moved the boards aside, stepping into another abandoned building that was easily overlooked, hidden in the back almost against the city wall. This was her sanctuary. A safe place to work. A place she could sleep with much less fear. For some reason, the Stables seemed to have been mostly forgotten, and sometimes on a quiet day you could almost forget the city here. 'Her' building still retained most of it's roofing, but boasted a good amount of holes. Old pots and vessels sat under those holes to catch rain water when it came in. Rain water was clean, and it was useful to her, so she collected as much as she could. There was a small fire pit in one corner where the most roofing was missing. A crudely patched together shelf held some smaller iron cauldrons and a small still. Dark glass bottles sat on a window sill in the back of the building, letting the tinctures and oils inside brew until they were ready. A tattered blanket and a pile of straw in the most covered corner served as a decent bed. It wasn't much, but it was Fae's. Everything she owned that she couldn't carry with her was here.
She still had a bit of wood, and started a fire, setting a cauldron of rainwater on the flames. She shouldered off the box she carried on her back carefully, placing it by the fire. She crossed the room to her bed, brushing half of the straw aside. A large piece of board lay underneath, and Fae pushed it aside, surveying the contents of her small hidden cache.
She kept her most valuable things here. Any money she could manage to scrounge and save, and the more valuable goods of her trade. Sometimes she wondered why she didn't eat the things she stored here. There was a large earthen jar of sugar and another smaller jar of salt. Both would be enough to buy her meat, fresh meat, if only she should she sell it. But she needed the sugar to make the alcohol for her tinctures, and salt was useful for cleaning wounds and treating a wide array of ailments. Too valuable to merely be eaten for the momentary pleasure of flavor. A small manual of herbal remedies sat beside several bundles of rarer herbs that couldn't be found in the city. She pulled out a small bundle of lavender before closing up her stored treasures and hiding them again under the straw with a small sigh.
By now her water had started steaming, and she went to work, letting herself get lost in her work. Something about the process was soothing, almost cleansing, and Fae even forgot her hunger and she boiled and ground the herbs down to a fine mash. The poultices were stored into small pots and packed away inside her box for safe keeping. If she was lucky, some of the guards from the brawl in the street might use some of their coin for her remedies, and maybe she wouldn't need to meet that woman guard in the Boneyard tonight.
Sealing up her hidden home tightly, Fae struck out for the city once more, the tinkling of glass bottles trailing in her wake.
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Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:37 pm
Saint-Cinq "Here," he said, voice steadier than he'd thought it would be, "take this. It is my fault that the food did not come through and I must make recompense."
She didn't like the idea he had, of speaking to the Master and Mistress. It made sense no doubt about it: she had lived in this estate long enough to understand for food to go missing so mysteriously, only the servants could be blamed. But if this man would not speak to them, and she was required to? Inwardly she cringed. The thought of drawing the extra attention to herself worried her. It would not be the first time the Masters would take the anger out onto the one who bought them the news. Did her rank as cook, and not mere servant raise her from such situations? She doubted it. She didn't think logic worked the same way in their minds as it did in hers.
She eyed the bread with a look of unease. Take the bread and she would be sealing herself into an agreement she was too much of a coward to undertake. He was so steady, so sure! A guard. She shook her head, pushing the parcel back towards him.
"I cannot take this." food, was different. It was a serious matter, and she could take it for this situation. "But..." she hesitated as she looked up. She met the eyes that had been so strong before. "My children are missing. I do not know if it is a pressing concern, because they often do go missing during the day. I was intending to go search for them in the nearby districts, because they are not on this estate, and they are too young to understand how to care for themselves." the words stumbled out of her quickly. If she went and spoke of the missing cart, maybe he could help her find her children.
"I will... speak to the Mistress." she said slowly. But she didn't want to do it alone.
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:05 pm
ikshiva "I cannot take this." food, was different. It was a serious matter, and she could take it for this situation. "But..." she hesitated as she looked up. She met the eyes that had been so strong before. "My children are missing. I do not know if it is a pressing concern, because they often do go missing during the day. I was intending to go search for them in the nearby districts, because they are not on this estate, and they are too young to understand how to care for themselves."
"Take it," he said, "especially if you have children. They're young and need it in these strange and mixed up times. I can always work to earn more, but I feel this would be put to better use with you and yours. Please, allow me to make some restitution for my wrong in this small way." He actually rather liked kids. Besides, for a mercenary in a dangerous city, there was always work waiting somewhere. It all depended on how much you were willing to risk, how much of your honor you were willing to lose...
But honor hardly filled empty stomachs. That, he also knew too well.
Something about the way the woman mentioned her children, though-- Valerius blinked, losing all severity of the moment past. Children, missing? Something had to be done.
Having no idea how to proceed, he frowned. Then, he decided to introduce himself, but knowing little of how to properly greet a cook, he stood very confused for a few moments before choosing a course of action. Eventually, he bowed. "If there is anything I can do to aid you in your search, say the word. My name is Valerius Saunderly, Lieutenant First Class, and I place myself at your service for the safe return of your children, Madam."
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:44 pm
Saint-Cinq "If there is anything I can do to aid you in your search, say the word. My name is Valerius Saunderly, Lieutenant First Class, and I place myself at your service for the safe return of your children, Madam."
This man was bowing to her, to her! Anya took a step back instinctively, her eyes widening as she took in the form in front of her. She bobbed back a curtsy, her hands curled around the piece of bread. She bowed, unable to help herself. There were rules, strict behavioral manners: what was she supposed to do now? And if this man, this Valerius was willing to help her search for her children, she had no choice but to go speak to the master and mistress now.
She was torn. Her children lay outside the gates somewhere, either safe or in danger they were outside. As a mother, she wanted nothing more than to take this young man by the hands and have him help her find her children. But the food cart had been stolen: she as a cook understood the repurcussions of such an event in ways that might not have occurred to some other serf. She KNEW what this might mean for the families. Her eyes darted from the main doors, to the guard to the gates.
"I..." she started.
Her family was first. But if she didn't take this news to the Mistress? If she was punished? She would have no means to care for her family. She nodded her head with a sigh. "My name is Anya Wilks, sire." she started. "Two girls and a little boy who are too young to leave the estate on their own. I will go speak to the Mistress now. I will go and attempt to explain this situation..." she hesitated. "Will you wait? Will you wait for a while? If I take too long I understand I will be in no situation to seek my children out. But if she is in a forgiving mood, I shall be able to return quickly." she bobbed her head. Yes, yes. She'd take the steward with her, explain her situation. That man had his own children to understand her turmoil. With him, maybe she'd be able to work out a deal.
"Lieutenant Valerius Saunderly, I'll do what I can. Just give me some time." she'd see.
She stepped towards the main doors and hesitated, looking back at the guard. This would go well. As long as he waited and as long as the mistress wasn't angry, this would go well.
She pushed at the doors and stepped inside wondering just how she was supposed to survive the meeting.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:45 am
ikshiva "Lieutenant Valerius Saunderly, I'll do what I can. Just give me some time." she'd see.
Something about her words bothered him. Take a little long? He wondered at that. Having never had servants-- his family had been strictly middle class, those that didn't go into the military-- he was unsure as to why this meeting would take overlong. Perhaps the mistress of the house would be unwilling to believe such things. But then why would this woman, this Anya, be unfit to search for her children? The emotional strain, he figured, of breaking the news must be it.
Would they want to see him, rebuke him for his lateness? He stood his ground. He was at fault, and he was well-prepared to make reparations where need be.
And so, he lingered there by the door, so lost in his thoughts on the doorstep of a wealthy manor that he was quite uncharacteristically unaware of what was going on around him.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:06 am
Event for Saint-Cinq!! .:: [ . EVENT FOR VALERIUS . ] ::.  Several minutes passed as Valerius waited for Anya's return. Nothing about the room was particularly remarkable, and so time seemed to pass dreadfully slow. Suddenly, the lieutenant was blinded by a white light that flashed once, then disappeared. As his vision cleared, the world around him had grown hazy, as though the objects in the room were no longer quite solid. However, more peculiar was a door that appeared against a wall opposite of him. A strange blue light leaked from under its frame, and a melancholy song could be heard playing from the other side. This strange door compelled him to enter...
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:34 am
Anya sighed as she stepped into the large main hall of the estate, picking her steps quietly towards the Mistress' office. A few of the serfs who worked indoors cast glances at her with curiosity: after all, what would the cook be doing in the main house when meals were not being served? She ignored them as best as she could, feeling the tight gnawing in her stomach growing with each curious glance. It would not do to be a bundle of nerves before having to tell the Mistress the news.
"Anya?" The steward's voice was quiet and composed as he stepped out of the office, pausing as he held the door open behind him. His glance at her attire and her expression was enough to have the older woman understand that she was not composed at all. That her nerves were written all over her face. So she swallowed once, uneasily.
"I have news for the Mistress." she started, her voice firming up by the end of the sentence. Her gaze darted back towards the ground as she took another step towards the door. "A guard has relayed news of our intended food cart that has gone... missing."
The steward hesitated as he glanced back at the opening of the door. He gently closed it behind him and took a step towards her, a frown touching his face. "She is not in a good mood at the moment, Anya. Perhaps it would be best if you returned later, and seek her when she has forgotten the ill news I have just brought." he grimaced.
Anya perversely, felt better knowing that she would not be the only one to dull the woman's day. Still... she couldn't afford to wait any longer. She'd need to go speak to her now, in order to find the time to go search for her children. "I will speak to her now." she said firmly, and then broke. "If you please." she added hastily. "I will like to speak to her, and perhaps ease her concerns. I know I can make the supplies last."
Barely. But the man didn't need to know this.
The desire to say no was written across his face, but the steward nodded his head and knocked on the door for her. "Good luck." he mouthed under his breath, and she relaxed, slightly.
"Mistress, the cook is here to speak to you of some... happenings."
Anya squared what little will she had in her self, and pushed at the door, entering the den. Later, she'd thank him for not sending in the news ahead of her. Later maybe, if she came through this whole.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:26 pm
Event for Saint-Cinq!! .:: [ . EVENT FOR VALERIUS . ] ::. Several minutes passed as Valerius waited for Anya's return. Nothing about the room was particularly remarkable, and so time seemed to pass dreadfully slow. Suddenly, the lieutenant was blinded by a white light that flashed once, then disappeared. As his vision cleared, the world around him had grown hazy, as though the objects in the room were no longer quite solid. However, more peculiar was a door that appeared against a wall opposite of him. A strange blue light leaked from under its frame, and a melancholy song could be heard playing from the other side. This strange door compelled him to enter...
He remembered a white flash, though--what had that been? And Madam Wilkes, he chided himself, what of her? What would she do if she found him gone, off through some door that lead to somewhere he didn't know of? But something in him was decidedly curious, and was willing to put these concerns aside. This was a scouting mission and there was something he had to find out...
Gently, gingerly, for a moment fascinated by the blue light playing over the floor near the door, he turned the knob and stepped inside.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:24 pm
Event for Saint-Cinq!! .:: [ . EVENT FOR VALERIUS . ] ::.  As the door swung open, it took several seconds for Valerius's eyes to adjust. The room was dark as night, with only a faint blue light giving form to the people and objects inside. Now that he was in the room, he could hear the distinct sound of a woman's singing, accompanied by a piano's melody. Despite the many mysteries of the room, his eyes were drawn to a settee in the center of everything, and a man whose limbs were thrown rather carelessly across its cushions.
The man straightened in his seat as Valerius entered. He picked up a sheet of paper, scanned his eyes over it briefly, then dropped it from his fingers. Picking up another piece of paper, he paused this time, taking in the words.
After a minute had passed, he spoke to Valerius: "Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor, and I have called you here to offer my services." He paused, watching Valerius with subtle curiosity. "I can awaken your full potential; the ability to make your dreams come true. However, there is one condition." Igor raised a single finger. "You must accept the fate that is ahead of you. You will claim responsibility for all actions that pass from this point. If you agree to this condition, we can proceed."
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:50 pm
Event for Saint-Cinq!! .:: [ . EVENT FOR VALERIUS . ] ::. As the door swung open, it took several seconds for Valerius's eyes to adjust. The room was dark as night, with only a faint blue light giving form to the people and objects inside. Now that he was in the room, he could hear the distinct sound of a woman's singing, accompanied by a piano's melody. Despite the many mysteries of the room, his eyes were drawn to a settee in the center of everything, and a man whose limbs were thrown rather carelessly across its cushions.
The man straightened in his seat as Valerius entered. He picked up a sheet of paper, scanned his eyes over it briefly, then dropped it from his fingers. Picking up another piece of paper, he paused this time, taking in the words.
After a minute had passed, he spoke to Valerius: "Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor, and I have called you here to offer my services." He paused, watching Valerius with subtle curiosity. "I can awaken your full potential; the ability to make your dreams come true. However, there is one condition." Igor raised a single finger. "You must accept the fate that is ahead of you. You will claim responsibility for all actions that pass from this point. If you agree to this condition, we can proceed."
An offer of services? He surely could not afford that, not when he was so down on his luck, like most of the city's populace. Though, the idea of making all his dreams come true sounded exciting--but then again, he asked himself wryly, what remained of his dreams now?
"I hardly know what dreams I would have made reality," he began. "but I can swear upon my honor as a soldier that I have never attempted to nor will ever pass on others any responsibility that was my own to bear. My actions are my own and my responsibility alone."
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:15 pm
Event for Saint-Cinq!! .:: [ . EVENT FOR VALERIUS . ] ::. As Valerius agreed to the conditions of the transaction, Igor scribbled something quickly on the sheet of paper before him. He then turned to a strange machine that had been sitting at his side: an odd little box connected by a stiff string to another smaller, rectangular box. He lifted the smaller box to his ear, so that the mouthpiece of it rested near his lips. After pushing a series of buttons on the larger box, he began speaking, though it seemed as though his words were directed towards someone who was not presently in the room.
"Good afternoon...Didn't think you would be hearing from me so soon again, eh?" Igor gave a brief chuckle, then continued. "Our next client is here, and he's agreed to the terms as well... Yes, they all give in quite easily, don't they? It really shows in these humans, that they've become so desperate... Well, we can talk more about this later. For now, prepare to send the creature in."
As their conversation concluded, Igor placed the two boxes together again, then rose and approached a chest that stood near the settee. Suddenly, the room became even darker than before, and the music of the piano receded into silence. However, the darkness was soon penetrated by some voice, far above their heads. The figure owning the voice appeared, a being that glowed dimly, like a ghost from children's books. It wasn't long before other figures joined in, until the whole ceiling of the Velvet Room was crowded by ghosts and their conversations.
While Igor lifted the lid of the unusual chest, one of the ghosts descended towards Valerius, its movements precise and powerful. The figure of the ghost was anything but human; it appeared as an enormous silver lion, though it owned body parts that made it quite unlike any lion the soldier had ever seen. The beast opened its mouth, and a fierce roar caused the entire room to quake. Then with one swift turn, it leaped into the open chest at Igor's feet. The man slammed the lid closed, and slowly, the ghosts disappeared and the room returned to normal, with dim blue light and piano music.
Igor opened the box. Instead of the frightening beast from before, a small child lay inside, his eyes alert and somehow feral.
"He is now your child. On the Other Side, he was known as Cerberus, a guardian of the Underworld," Igor said, returning to his seat. "Take him and go. If you serve the child's needs, your rewards in the future will be great." 'Sirius' as an Infant .: [ 'Sirius' (Infant) ] :. [ Origin ]
The child once possessed the form of a fearsome beast: he was a guard dog who served Hades, the god of death. He was given the task of preventing souls from escaping the Underworld. When he lived on the Other Side, he had a sibling named Orthrus, and the brothers challenged the bravery of mortal heroes.
[ Physical Traits ]
In his present form, Cerberus has a mane of thick, coarse silver hair. When he reveals his teeth, his canines are much more like a wolf's than a human's. However, his most abnormal and conspicuous trait is a thick, serpent-like tail that grows from the base of his spine.
[ Personality and Behavior ]
Because of his true nature on the Other Side, Sirius seems to have many bestial qualities, his behavior similar to some wild animal. He seems to lack any comprehension of basic human formalities and etiquette, though this does not seem particularly strange in a young child. Among his quirks is an oral fixation; he spends much time sampling the flavors and chewiness of various objects around him, including shoes, books, and toys. Overall he resembles other children in his playfulness and curiosity.
[ Relics ]
( - None currently held - )
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:02 pm
As the morning continued along, Kale continued his lecture on the various plants and their uses that were within his garden. He no longer bothered with the tools as he had covered them already and the variety of plants were far more vast. He seated himself near one row of planters with Alyson on his lap and gently guided her attention to this plant or that.
After awhile however, he needed a break and felt that Alyson probably did too as her attention was finally starting to drift. He got up and left the secret rooms of his hiding place within the church. Along the way out he grabbed a bit of food, most of which was salted or pickled, and seated himself at a table with a 'clean' mortar and pestle.
He took a look at Alyson and then at the food and began to mash it up so that he could feed it to her, not so much that it was a fine mush, but so that it was easier to spoon feed her instead of having to use a fork.
He gave out a faint, almost emotional smirk that faded quickly before he turned to the task of feeding his Persona, Alyson. Once that was complete, he started contemplating what he thought would be inevitable...changing her diaper...wait...
He had a moment of confusion as he tried to figure out if Alyson even had a diaper.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 5:38 pm
Grondax made his way into Kensington to collect his dues from the small herbal business he had funneled supplies to. After collecting the bars of metal into a briefcase he made his way toward the theater.
Approaching the theater he knocked on the door.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:20 pm
Event for Saint-Cinq!! .:: [ . EVENT FOR VALERIUS . ] ::. "He is now your child. On the Other Side, he was known as Cerberus, a guardian of the Underworld," Igor said, returning to his seat. "Take him and go. If you serve the child's needs, your rewards in the future will be great."
He'd thought that the strange boxes being taken apart, talked to, and then put back together were questionable enough, but then--it was like some waking dream, all the voices crowding around the ceiling-- and the forms that went with them! The roar still echoed in his ears as he gazed down at the small being before him. He could hardly believe that it had been one of the voices of the things above them, things perhaps that would manifest themselves in human form as the wild-eyed child had.
He was called back to reality rather sharply by the magician--for there was no other way around it, the man had a power Valerius could not comprehend-- as he mentioned that the child from the box was now his own.
He meant to cry out, but training suppressed it. It must have been one of the oddest orders he'd been given, but he would follow it. He bowed. "I shall carry out this mission to the best of my ability, sir. Good--" Good what? What time of day was it even? "--evening." He settled for, after a pause, figuring that the darkness of the room was about all the hint he would be given.
Valerius attempted to take his leave, but it took a little longer than expected as he was not quite sure what the proper way to carry a child was. Eventually, after a few attempts at which the strange child looked at him rather oddly, Valerius ended up tucking him into the crook of his arm, pretending that he was carrying a living sack of wheat.
Wheat...he thought hungrily, and then pushed the thought far out of his mind as he walked back across the door, and turned the doorknob leading out. The little boy, meanwhile, had begun to nibble at Valerius' jacket with great gusto.
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