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 Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 1:17 pm
Busy market days—though really, "busy" and "market day" was pretty redundant—meant hustle and bustle, throngs of buyers crowding stalls, shops, sellers hawking their wares mingling with the cries of animals being hawked, prices being called, and deals being struck. So busy was the market square this particular day, in fact, that only a few surprised but mostly appalled people noticed the tall, undoubtedly foreign man tossing undoubtedly foreign curses after, what had that been?, a red-furred blur streaking past. Whatever it had been, it far outpaced the loping, uneven gait of its pursuer, but its terrified cries gave enough of a trail to follow.
And it was understandable that Rocinante should be terrified. He hadn't expected his Chosen to round on him with such startled fury once he had made his presence known with a friendly nudge as they walked to work, together, as it should have been from the beginning but, well, his Chosen had rounded on Rocinante with such startled fury that the fawn had panicked and meant to have fled back home, honest, but he hadn't actually known which way home was and so ended up now scurrying under an unattended cart and collapsing in frightened heap, bleating mournfully at the passing legs of so many strangers.
Ferdinand was livid, downright murderous as he lost sight of the soon-to-be-venison that had caused him no end of irritation since it had intruded on his life. He dropped the chase, slowing to a stormy stalk through the crowds as he listened for the already-familiar (ugh) cries of the fawn, sure he was getting nearer and even occasionally hissing a low, dangerous "Rocín, come on out...", much to the unease of those around him. Just as well; the wide berth he was getting would make it easier to spot the little pest.
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Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 2:16 pm
Maria Peregrine had come to the market, as she had for the last three days, in a to-date futile effort to find some sort of steady job. There wasn't much work for a former milkmaid in the city, however, and she and her Guardian, Nuala, had been turned away from many a door. The scant coin they'd made from their last endeavors had been spent on last evening's shelter, so this morning she was hungry and a touch desperate. And cross- it seemed like half the jobs they were being turned down for were a result of superstitious nonsense, people fearing that having a Chosen under their roof would somehow attract Wolves to the door... idiots.
The woman trudged past the market stalls, cheerfully hawking their beautiful wares that she'd once have cooed over and coveted, but now she couldn't even dream of affording. Nuala followed at her heels, her nose as ever only a few inches from her mistress' shoulder so that the blind doe wouldn't lose her in the crowd. Suddenly, the doe's head came up, her ears cupped to catch a small sound. At the spike of alarm from her companion, Maria stopped, looking up at the doe with a frown. "Whatcha got, dove?" she asked, reaching up to pet the half-grown deer's neck, but her hand never connected.
Bounding off at a speed that wouldn't have been safe even if she could see, Nuala shot into the crowd like a cream-colored juggernaut, chasing something the woman couldn't percieve, and Maria was stuck scrambling after her and apologizing to those who had been bumped or outright knocked down by Nuala's mad charge. "What has gotten in to you?!" she cried after her companion. "Nuala! Wait for me!"
The doe didn't wait, but it didn't take long for Maria to catch up to her. Nuala skidded to a stop, her hooves clattering on the cobbles as she fetched up near where Rocinante had finally hidden in his terror. Maria squeaked in surprise at this sudden turn of events and slammed right into Nuala's rump, startling a bleat and a reproachful look from the doe. "Sorry! Warn a body next time, you lump," Maria snapped, but Nuala ignored her. She knew her Chosen- the woman wouldn't be mad anymore in the next ten seconds or so. Now, if she could just... Calling softly, Nuala nosed blindly under the stall, trying to locate the source of the piteous crying she'd followed. She knew the fawn was close, she could smell him and his fear over the many odors of the market.
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 2:47 pm
At the entrance of this new, seemingly much more benevolent presence, the sniveling bundle of fur that had been Rocinante transformed into an entirely different kind of furball. Fear forgotten, replaced with the overbearing excitement only a fawn could manage, he wriggled over to the other Guardian and introduced himelf by way of shoving his dark muzzle to her own with a delighted cry, as affectionate as if they'd been old friends.
It was quite the scene for Ferdinand to walk in on, having been dutifully trailing the wailing of the creature, and it was perhaps that final surge of joy that had betrayed Rocinante's location: to the butcher's chagrin, he had realized he could occasionally feel the emotions of the insipid beast when they were near, all the more reason to keep it locked away, and the jittery euphoria he felt drawing him to the Guardian was certainly not his own.
No, what was his own was a spike of surprise at the sight of a cream-colored doe, unusually large for the species as Ferdinand knew them, and unusually beautiful, his gaze lingering for just a moment on the spot of what looked like blood on her fur... before snapping to glare harshly at the runaway fawn. Rocín knew he was in trouble but, emboldened by the presence of the other deer, a guardian for a Guardian!, he gave a defiant bleat and ducked back under his new fortress like a turtle withdrawing into its shell.
"¡Rocín!" Ferdinand took a bristling step forward, then paused in his advance, eyeing the doe less with awe and more with wariness now. Would she try to protect the fawn? Well, if it was a fight she wanted, it was a fight she'd get. When hadn't ol' Ferdie been eager to thrown down with an animal? The only thing stopping him was the realization that a lady was present, unusually chummy with the unusually large and unusually beautiful doe. Straightening, trying not to look like he was just about to wrestle Nuala, he regarded Maria with his usual aloof air. She looked plain, unaffected perhaps a better word, and he could respect that. That she was seemingly familiar with the deer also piqued his interest, and in fact, a thought occurred to him then.
"Madam, pray tell," somehow, Ferdinand had a natural gift for making respectful terms of address sound sarcastic even when he wasn't trying, and in this case he wasn't; maybe it was his diction in what was clearly not his first language, maybe it was the impatient look he gave even as he tried for restraint. "Is this your deer?"
Of course he realized how ridiculous the question sounded, but it would take something ridiculous to explain why Rocinante had suddenly materialized in his life and why he should meet another person evidently saddled with a just-as-unnatural deer, too.
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 4:01 pm
Nuala's pale ears had perked up in surprise at Rocinante's enthusiastic greeting, her tail beginning to switch happily in response... until the fawn had bleated in displeasure and disappeared again. That elicited an unhappy grunt from the blind doe, who tucked her head under the stall with a quizzical sniff.
Both the woman and the deer turned towards Ferdinand when he appeared, though Nuala quickly returned her attention to the space under the stall that smelled suspiciously of rat and root vegetables. She searched for Rocin by scent, resuming her gentle fawn-calls as she attempted to persuade him that it was safe to emerge. The doe acknowledged Ferdinand only to the point that she interposed herself between him and the fawn he was terrorizing; this meant that Ferdinand was looking at her dappled rump and tufted tail which gave an insolent, dismissive twitch.
"Nuala is my Guardian, yes," Maria answered Ferdinand as she stepped between him and Nuala, offering an extra layer of protection between Ferdinand and Rocin. She didn't bother to conceal the accusing note in her tone nor the anger in her eyes as there was no explanation she could conjure for the brown fawn's reaction to Ferdinand other than some form of abuse.
Clearly the man was a foreigner. It was therefore possible he was unfamiliar with the legends of Guardians and the Warden Tree. Given that, it was understandable that the sudden presence of one in his life might be stressful, but in her opinion anyone and everyone should be held accountable for cruelty. Ignorance was no excuse; especially when it came to something as special as a Guardian.
That he had looked quite ready to wrestle her dear Nuala into submission did nothing whatsoever to endear him to the former farmhand, nor did the snippiness in his tone as he spoke. She sat into one hip as she crossed her arms with an annoyed scowl. If she was intimidated by him it certainly didn't show in her demeanor. "Is this fawn yours? Why is it so scared of you?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:15 pm
By now accustomed to being received with varying degrees of hostility, but no less irritated by it, Ferdinand gave a lip-curl of open disgust, quickly dropping civility. Maria's answer, however, did bring him to pause at the word Guardian, then—ah. She was one of those kinds of people, those who took animals far too seriously, assigning such things as friend, partner, and now "guardian" to them. He scoffed, peering over her, trying to catch another glimpse of the runaway fawn but, ugh, Nuala's rump was perhaps a little less beautiful than the rest of her.
Ferdinand's annoyance was at least ebbing a bit to some amusement at the gall of this woman. Turning his gaze back onto her, green eyes gleaming with mischief, he tried to provoke her further. "It doesn't have to be mine. You seem well versed in caring for this type of creature; perhaps you would like to add it to your... family." He managed a smirk as he leaned back on his good leg, tone falsely congenial. "But, Madam, I must warn you: The fawn is cowardly, and I do not doubt it would try to run from you also."
Quite the opposite, Rocín was thriving on this attention, chancing another peek out and feeling his little heart soar with gratitude for the two defending him. It was true that the rage he so often felt from his Chosen did frighten him, terribly, but with Ferdinand's focus now on Maria, the coast was clear. After another giddy nudge for Nuala, Rocinante then proceeded to worm his way out and, back on his hooves, quickly wound about her legs, waggling his tail, in fact his whole rump so hard it threatened to topple him over. It was hard not also singing his thanks aloud, lest he attract his Chosen's ire again, so the fawn just vibrated with barely-contained enthusiasm.
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 1:26 pm
Nuala stood carefully still with her four white hooves spread slightly wide to give the kinetic fawn plenty of room to bound around. As much as she was moving, the blind doe couldn't guess where he'd be at any given moment, so she just lowered her head carefully, nosing his side and sniffing him over when she could find him to make sure he was uninjured.
Her own tail switched swiftly in greeting, pleased as punch to meet a new friend. While Rocin was remaining quiet, she bleated softly as if telling him where she was, trying to guide him to stand before her so that she could inspect him properly. Not that that was going well; wiggly little thing that he was.
Maria's head tilted as the foreigner offered to just give her his Guardian. That... that was impossible. He did know that was impossible... didn't he? "You haven't got the first clue what you're dealing with here, do you," she said softly as the realization struck her. She looked down at the fawn to check whether she was mistaken, but no- no natural-born deer of the wood could have such strange markings.
Looking back up at the butcher (as his leather apron and gloves would have her think he must be) she shook her head as if to clear it. "Haven't you ever heard of a Guardian? You went to the Warden Tree, right? Got a totem from the branches that turned into this little fellow?"
If she'd had the wit to think on it she wouldn't have pelted the fellow with so many questions at once. It was rude, and it tended to lead to confusion and worse made her look like an idiot, but he seemed to still think he had a normal, mundane animal on his hands. And that, quite simply, beggared belief at least as far as she was concerned, and she looked at her new acquaintance with eyes gone a little wide. "Is any of this sounding familiar?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 6:29 pm
If Maria were so inclined, she could take a turn to smug it up at the brief, but unmistakable look of shock that took hold of Ferdinand's features before he settled into a rattled scowl. "How can you possibly know any of that?" he snapped, answering her question well enough. Why, yes, it was sounding familiar, too familiar, but unless the woman had been present when he had obtained the totem and she most certainly had not, he could think of only one other way she could know.
Shooting a hateful glare at Nuala as if the doe had personally offended him, and she might as well have simply for existing, Ferdinand quickly turned nasty. "You mean to tell me this is a common occurrence in your country? If I had known the bloody totem would turn into that little fellow, I sooner would have chopped the tree down." Ah, spoken as if he had had any choice in the matter. The Hesperian remembered it more as an irresistible compulsion, and that only fed his anger.
That anger was already well-known to the fawn, naturally, but it didn't make it any less discouraging for him. Rocinante finally paused in his frolicking about to peek over at his Chosen, ears pulled back, certainly not liking that look he was giving Nuala. Rocín would have preferred it directed at himself, even, not his kindly new friend. Uttering a forlorn cry, he shuffled obediently before the doe in a sulk, embarrassed by Ferdinand's conduct.
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Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:49 pm
Maria's teeth clenched tighter and tighter as Ferdinand's rant continued. She allowed him to rave as he deemed necessary; it certainly wasn't worth her effort or time to interrupt the fellow. As far as she was concerned, he could make as much of a fool of himself as she cared to.She was also starting to wonder if, at any point, he'd actually hear himself and realize what an arse he sounded like. It didn't seem likely, however, and the only reason she didn't walk away was that poor fawn.
Nuala, meanwhile, had set about snuffling and grooming little Rocinante with a maternal thoroughness and concern. If she noticed or cared about Ferdinand's anger or nigh-blasphemy, she certainly didn't show it. Indeed, her white tail switched quite happily as she greeted and tended to the fawn.
"It is not a common occurrance, sir.." she said, laying subtle emphasis on the title in a likely futile effort to remind him that he was in public and ought to disport himself as such. "Until the last year or so it was unheard of. But I grew up sitting at my grandmother's knee listening to fantastic old stories of the Guardians and their battles with the Wolves. I didn't believe a word of it at the time; the life of a farmer's daughter doesn't leave much room for wonder. But as it turns out, the old tales held at least a grain of truth." She gestured to Nuala and Rocinante with a small humorless smile.
"Now, If you'd mind awfully not shouting and terrifying this poor little thing further, I might be willing to tell you what I know of the subject."
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Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 2:40 pm
No, no, Ferdinand really didn't want to disport himself as a sir, enraged by having his time wasted when he could be carving up the unnatural fawn instead, his idea of a problem solved, but... well, maybe it wouldn't be a complete waste of time to at least hear this out. If he would allow himself to consider such superstitious thinking, even, perhaps it wasn't just coincidence that he should run into another with a "Guardian" so soon, uncommon as it apparently was after all. So although the man gave a derisive snort at the mention of old stories, his anger was at least somewhat tamed by curiosity.
"That poor little thing would be terrified by its own shadow if it ever slowed down enough to notice," Ferdinand couldn't help but grumble as he looked to the two deer. Rocinante had quickly cheered up again under Nuala's doting and even dared give an enthusiastic bleat or five, leaning eagerly into her grooming only to stumble then right himself again to repeat the move. The butcher was really quite sore with how scared the fawn was of him and he certainly wasn't letting that go anytime soon, but it was a bit of a relief to see Rocín being bolder, though make no mistake by no means endearing.
Trying not to seem terribly interested, folding his arms and lifting his chin haughtily, Ferdinand regarded Maria no less unkindly but at least willing to listen. "Go on, then." It took a lot of restraint not to add some smart comment like 'I hope the Wolves won' or 'I hope this is useful' but, fortunately, his hopes remained unspoken.
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Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 3:04 pm
Pleased by even this bit of progress, Maria lifted her chin with the ghost of a triumphant smile on her lips, though it didn't warm her eyes. He certainly was a surly fellow, but with Nuala tending to it, his fawn at least seemed in better repair. Perhaps if she could keep the fellow talking, she could persuade him to treat the poor babe more kindly. Yeah, and sheep would fly.
"I'll tell you the short version here, but I'd rather go somewhere quieter to talk if you want to hear the tales whole," she said with a shrug. "My grandmother's stories say that wolves were once monstrous, huge things with bristling fur and fangs as long as your arm, and that they could speak. I fervently hope that's all exaggeration, but her tales also say that one day the forest took pity on the humans who, without claws and fangs of their own, couldn't defend themselves against the wolves. It gifted certain people with Guardians, powerful stags and hinds," she gestured to Nuala, "that helped fight back the wolves. These warriors and their Guardians beat back the wolves, and none have been seen in Sunderland at all... until recently."
Her expression fell into a brief grimace of pain, gone almost before it was formed at the memory of her James. But she rallied, straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin slightly as if in defiance. "And now the Guardians have begun to reappear as well. All I know for a fact is that wolves have returned as have Guardians, and that the Queen, long may she live, has declared the Guardians and their Chosen to be worthy of respect. She's even gone so far as to rebuild the old Guardian headquarters in Oldcastle. Rumor has it she has a Guardian of her own, a great black stag."
She smiled fondly down at Nuala, who was still happily pouring affection upon the enthusiastic young fawn, unbothered by Rocin's lack of coordination. "And I know that they really are special. It's not like dealing with a normal animal at all; her emotions echo in my mind, and I think mine in hers. I find it comforting to know I am not alone and never will be again."
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:18 pm
Despite the growing skepticism growing in Ferdinand's mind and, with it, the growing derision just begging to be spat out in a curt 'this is deluded' that would surely settle all matters, the butcher remained silent as he listened as well as he could. Perhaps she had a point; for a brief moment he considered continuing the conversation back at his shop—but no, no no, he didn't need to hear the whole stories that badly and he certainly didn't want this meeting to last any longer than it had to.
Which is why, though he had noticed the sudden change in Maria, quick as it was, he told himself he did not care. Wouldn't speculate on it, anyway, as it was bad enough his curiosity got him caught up listening to such fanciful dreck. The idea that the Queen herself should have a Guardian almost got a laugh out of him, a wry smile alighting on his face as he thought back to his own Hesperian monarchy. Suppose they had gotten a fashionable new pet, too? It reeked of wish-fulfillment from frightened peasants clamoring for status by latching onto folk tales and rumors. To think the fragile, flighty deer could stand up to the just-slightly-more respectable wolf.
And yet, Ferdinand couldn't dismiss it as just that. He tensed at the woman's description of her relationship with the creature, all amusement leaving him as he looked to the unnatural deer, too. No fond smile for Rocinante, but a harsh frown, as the fawn returned a knowing, gleaming golden gaze. He didn't need to ruminate on everything he had just learned. None of it changed his opinion.
"I would much rather be alone," Ferdinand said, his voice low and threatening, stark contrast to the cheerfulness of his Guardian, who had been reveling in Nuala's attention and the pleasant voice of her Chosen—good choice, indeed! In Rocinante's short existence, this had to be the best day by far, and he slunk close to Maria to give her an affectionate headbutt. If only Ferdinand could speak more often, more kindly.
Well, the man certainly had some words to say now, suddenly bristling as he glared back at Maria, as if this whole Guardian business was her fault. "I'm not even from this bloody country, and I'm expected to fight these wolves? With a deer?" Incredulous, he gestured to the delicate-looking doe, tone now openly mocking. "How can you possibly expect that to be of any help? This is a disaster in the making."
The most apt comparison Ferdinand could think of was of the horses used in the ring back home, so often killed right under the rider in his fight against the bull, nothing more than another tool used like the cape, the sword, the lance. And to think, this woman should hold such esteem for the doomed animal? The former matador shook his head in disgust, or maybe pity. Whatever it was, it was enough to give Rocinante, apparently well-named after all, a pause in his delight.
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:34 pm
Maria's fond expression as she petted Rocinante in greeting faded as quickly as it had come, her eyes snapping back to Ferdinand's face with a small frown of irritation. Nuala snorted and flicked an ear, and whatever emotion she sent to Maria caused the woman to chuckle and shake her head. The doe promptly returned her attention to the fawn, trying to distract him from his Chosen's idiocy by pawing the cobblestones lightly, then nudging his flank and loping away two slow steps, then turning to listen back over her shoulder for the sound of tiny hooves in pursuit. "Granted, a deer wouldn't have been my first choice for a warbeast, but Nuala's proven her worth." She looped her arm around the blind doe's neck again and gave Ferdinand a saucy grin. "We haven't managed to find a wolf yet, but she and I have gotten ourselves out of more than one scrape together." Her head tilted as her smile faded to something knowing and faintly mocking. "Have you ever seen a Guardian fight?" She shook her head, knowing the answer was 'no' if he hadn't even known what they were. "Then how do you know they can't?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:53 pm
Now there was a change—for a moment, Ferdinand looked properly abashed by that retort, loath as he was to admit he really couldn't know. If these deer, that is, Guardians were so special, could they have something of an upper hand? It was almost enough to have him interested, his old killing habits baying for a fight again. And yet, the man could only give a withering look as he watched Rocinante trying to match Nuala's long strides, stretching his knobby legs as far out as possible in eager lopes, only to over-step and collapse onto his stomach with a winded beh!
Ah, yes. A warbeast in the making. Without hesitation this time, Ferdinand moved in to grab the fawn none-too-kindly by the scruff of his neck, hoisting him up kicking and crying out in panic, though Rocín stopped abruptly once he ended up held in his Chosen's arms. Why, he could see much more from here! "Madam, what name should I listen for when I hear news of the latest woman run afoul, pray tell?" His tone was not as mocking as it could have been and often was, though he did squint in amusement, and Rocinante stretched his neck out to try to reach to Nuala, excited to show her, look! (or well don't), that he was tall like her now!
"These beasts do not seem fit for a woman's station," he tried, disbelieving that this sudden new 'Chosen' status should just upheave convention, and certainly skeptical of women fighting wolves, much less deer. "You may find yourself jailed before you find a wolf at all." The warning sounded more threatening than sincerely concerned. Maria was clearly a bold one, yes, and while he could respect that, it wasn't always a good thing.
Shady Maru Quoting from the RP is genius, dang.
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:17 pm
Maria had taken a step forward, drawing breath to protest the rough handling of the fawn (and Nuala's nose had indeed followed the fawn upward with a confused snuffle as she wasn't entirely sure how a fawn had learned to fly). But at Ferdinand's threat, Maria stopped, and was still. If the former matador had expected fear, he didn't get it, instead, the woman returned his gaze with a cold glare. "I've made my own way for some time," she said at length, crossing her arms below her breasts and sitting into one hip. Nuala, sensing her mistress' rising anger, snorted and stamped, though she remained intent on wee Rocin's well-being, touching her nose to his in his newly elevated position. "And I have left behind more than one safe haven because the law disagreed with the necessities of my life. As for whether or not a Guardian is fitting to my station- That is irrelevant. I did not choose Nuala. Did you choose him?" she asked, gesturing to the fawn. "No. You were chosen by him, just as I was chosen by Nuala. It seems the Guardians don't care for the limitations of human society." She shook her head, refusing for the moment to give this most unpleasant fellow her name, as he seemed to be threatening to have her arrested. Indeed, she would have taken her leave, but... her eyes went to Rocinante in Ferdinand's arms, and she hesitated, unwilling to give up when there might still be a chance to change the fellow's mind about the deer, or at least ease his poor opinion somewhat. "Just... be more patient with the little fellow," she continued. "He's only a baby yet. You couldn't wield a cleaver when you were still in your cradle." Soldier of Song Sorry for the double-post, I just realized that I had derped on what Ferdinand was currently doing for a living. -_-;
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