Innocence Caught in War (Open for a male lead!)

[Ambrosia_64]

It had been days of travel, the hours blurred in fear and terror, the hem of her dark blue dress torn and dirtied, tears here and there in the silk revealing swipes of pale, pretty skin. She was a refreshing-if waifish- sight, long, wavy honey blonde hair half out of the braid it'd been in, wide, matching honey hazel eyes full of tears, water droplets clinging to the fringed lashes. Stolen right off her father's estate, whisked miles and miles away to a warzone-she was understandably terrified.

And the things they had said! The threats they had made! Even if her father paid, they intended to try and extort more money-or use her. She prayed they would be happy with whatever sum given to them-that they would keep their end of a ransom and return her safe and unharmed.

But now-now she hears screams and the sound of battle, tears forming once more as the violence, her own helplessness-a struggle with the ropes that bound her arms behind her back around the tree, that coiled around a small waist. A second length was knotted around her dainty ankles, slippered shoes stained with mud and dirt. It sounded as if her captors-the men who had kidnapped her and kept her on the move for days on end to this warzone, who had bound her to yet another tree as they foraged-were being attacked. She begins to tremble, unable to see what exactly was going on, beginning to fear she would be left here for wolves, or worse-their killer would become -her- killer.

Struggling with the ropes, her shoulders burning from being kept in such a position for so long-she tried to shut out the sounds of violence. She had a heart shaped face with soft, cupid's bow lips currently cruely parted by a cloth gag, her smaller frame clothed in a maiden's chaste dress, the ropes forcing the cloth tight to her body to reveal feminine, if slight curves-the girl young, perhaps in her early twenties.

She was a protected beauty, and perhaps it showed-her hands were soft and bore no signs of work, her skin pale from lack of sun.

(This is the setting. PM me with any angle you'd like to take and come play with me. Will you play the captain of a small force of the King's men? A scoundrel fighting other scavenging men for the right to strip the dead? A hero? A villian with a cold heart, soon to be warmed by a young woman's innocence? Let me know! I'm hoping for something a bit romantic.)

 

[HotSouthernGuy]

They called him Jackal, it suited him, he plundered ship wreaks, battle fields, profiting on the misfortunes of others. His dark features also earned him the nickname, he had brown skin and pitch black hair and eyes. He had been a soldier once, hoping find his fortune that way, to see the kingdoms and all, but the killing didn't suit him. Today had been quite a successful day, he had found a cart full of armor, weapons, and even a set of silver plates, maybe something that belonged to a officer? well that officer wouldn't need it anymore.

As he cut through a forest he came along dead bodies, not of King's men, but of the Red army. As he walked he collected bits and pieces from their bodies, gold coins, knives, daggers, presents they had collected for loved ones at home, anything he could sell for a quick coin basically.

Suddenly he hears a muffled groaning coming from a small clearing, pulling out his crossbow he walks into the moonlit clearing, smelling the burnt out ashes of a fire, and spots the young girl tied to the tree.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

The groaning came from a half dead scavenger, skewered by a passing surviving soldier as he stripped the dead. Jackal would have passed him by on the way to the clearing, but it'd be too late even as his boots reached him.

Annette had given up trying to escape her binds, watching the ground at her feet now that the violence had quieted, left alone with the crickets and the scent of a burned out fire. She lifted her head at the sound of footsteps, surprised-and then alarmed at his appearance, the size of him, the weapon he held.

She couldn't flee, and as her heart beat faster in her chest, she tried to say something, ask a question-but it was muffled and incomprehensible through the gag, her widened eyes flicking past him, worriedly wondering of her kidnappers. Her eyes shifted back to him to see if he was injured, daring to hope...daring to hope he wasn't the sort of man to kill a woman without a protector.

 

[HotSouthernGuy]

Jackal walks up the the girl carefully checking for traps or eyes hiding in the bushes, his crossbow at the ready, a sharp point bolt glistens in the moon light. She does't look like one of the whores some of the soldiers would have for their pleasure, and she most certainly wasn't a village girl.

Pulling out the gag, he tips his canteen into her mouth letting her take a long hard drink "Who are you" he whispers, making sure to keep his voice down.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

He came closer, and closer, and for a crazy, rude moment-Annette just wanted to scream.

She kept her composure however, not flinching when he reached for the gag-but oh, she was afraid, so very afraid, trembling like a leaf. "Are...are you unhurt?" She asks him, her throat parched-accepting the sip of water, a nod when he lowered it. "T-thank you."

He asked her name in a whisper, and she whispered back, relieved to be asked it, relieved to be treated like a person again. "Annette. My name is Annette. From Rionheart." She mentioned the fiefdom softly-a place far, far away from here for sure, owned by Lord Rionheart.

Even though she was worn down from her ordeal, and even though he frightened her a little-Annette summoned a weak smile, a pretty sight even if it was a dim, exhausted mockery of her full one. "Pleasure." She said weakly, a little joke even as her eyes flicked to his cross bow.

 

[HotSouthernGuy]

He slowly pulls out his dagger, pressing his body against her. It seemed inappropriate yes but pinning her on the tree while he cut her down kept her from attacking or running for help. The exhustion causes her to fall to the grass as she is released. Jackal kneels and smiles "A noble?" he asks taking her hand and kissing it "Well then the pleasure is all mine, and I madam am a simple rouge, who makes my living here and there, and today it happens to be here, where these foolish boys through their lives for country and honor, and in hopes of being a man."

 

[Ambrosia_64]

(Let me play my charrie. : ) )

Annette's smile vanished when he drew the knife, her face carefully set to hide her fear even as she trembled-stiffening when he pressed against her. She had never been so close to a man, her trembling increasing twofold. "Please-" She started, only for him to cut her loose, step away-where Annette stumbled briefly, catching herself before straightening, trying to work the aches out of her shoulders as she caught her breath.

"I...yes. My father is a Lord. Do...do you know of him?" He took her hand and Annette smiled weakly again, uncertain-allowing him to kiss it. The war surely was about more than that, but Annette did not wish to discuss politics, to end up on a side opposite him.

She was alone, without an escort or even an idea of how to get home. Angering her current savior would do her no good.

"I...I see. And what do I call you?"

 

[Proactive_boy]

Ray as he was known used to his secluded life until the raiders had ransacked his community. In a flash he lost all that he had, his family, his pals.. He spent a long time in denial almost starving himself to death and one fine day when he did realize he had to move on, he had changed, forever..

His heart had become stone and his intentions clear. He had become one of the deadliest assassins in town, not sparing any raiders crossing his path. He didn't care for reputation nor for the souls around. He just continued with life, pillaging the raiders..

Here he was, on his way to the next town and amidst the woods he found a maiden bound to a tree. He forgot her for a moment, scanned his surroundings.. definitely the work of raiders. He made his way through the vegetation, unnoticed, he reached to the aid of the lady. He cut her loose and she whispered something he thought, but his ears open to the movement behind the bushes..

He signaled her to be silent, quickly made his way across to the man who was watching her and him freeing her. The fool had no idea of what was going to happen to him. He made a mental plan of his moves and in a flash a shuriken hit the man on his knees. He muffled his pain and looked back for the source, too late though, Ray had traveled the distance between them, his knife in his hand, he grabbed the thief by the neck and in one swift movement he lay dead..

He lay still to see if any more were around and when the coast was clear, he took his winnings and headed to the lady, who still looked nervous, perhaps not knowing what to do. He reached beside her and in a low voice, he spoke, "You're safe now" and he turned to leave her and continue his journey..

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Her words of thanks were silenced, and almost as quickly as he had appeared-he was disappearing, heading for-a man watching from the woods! Annette's eyes were wide, horrified as he threw a strange blade and-

Before anything else could happen, she turned to press her back to the tree, her trembling legs no longer supporting her as she slid down into a sitting position, hands over her ears. Oh God. Oh God he was a killer -too-.

She felt as if she might faint, and it wasn't until his boots came into view that she even noticed his return. Head jerking up, lips parting to say something, anything-perhaps plead for her own life-he simply gave an awkward gesture and left her there.

Her heart beat like a rabbit's within her chest as she surveyed the darkening, silent forest.

"Wait!" Ray would not have gotten terribly far before the anxious, feminine voice called out to him, the young woman on her feet and following after him through the brush and foliage. "Please, sir-may I trouble for one more favor? I, I do not know where I am...I..." She was afraid of him. Very much so, the noble born woman staying out of arm's length as she turned, looked anxiously around them. "What...what is this place?"

 

[Proactive_boy]

He heard a faint call for help as he was about to leave. "Wait!.. I do not know where I am.. I".. He generally disappeared from the scene after his work was done, he didn't stay long anywhere where his work was done.

Yet he noticed a fear in her eyes. She was lost, in the middle of no where. He didn't want any company normally, but something in him asked him to reconsider..

"We can discuss that later." He opened up his backpack, offered her some water. "Stay close" is all he said and started disappearing into the woods again. Carving a path through the woods and thinking of what he was going to do with her..

He didn't care where he spent the night. He hadn't slept in months, his eyes always open, alert to his surroundings. He might as well have spent the night in the woods, but with her along he needed a place where he could be sure no harm came to her.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Annette hesitated, then slid forward slightly to accept the water-standing back once more to blink at him when he strode off into the woods.

What option did she have? He did not tell her anything useful, but he did not bind her and carry her about like a sack of potatoes either, and she did so very badly fear recapture-hurrying after him, forced to take three steps for each of his one long strides, Annette tried again.

"I, I hail from Rionheart. Do you know it?" She hoped they were not heading -away- from her father's lands, but she also wished to make -some- sort of effort to converse with the stranger. If he looked at her, Annette would summon a small smile for him-a pretty thing, but only a fraction of her true smile's beauty.

 

[Proactive_boy]

Rionheart he heard in the distance, he thought he might have heard of the city. He still kept striding through the woods. He could see her fall behind..

He was used to fleeing a place. He worked alone, trusted no one, but he had company now, there was no other choice..He slowed down and allowed her to catch up. They kept moving on, they had to be out of the woods before it was dark.

She didn't look from around here, how come she was caught up in all this he thought. "Pardon my aloofness, I don't really interact much with people. I left that behind a long time ago" he said, as he looked at her, really noticing her for the first time.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

"I...I see." Annette's smile dimmed, disappearing from her lips altogether as she walked with him, her skirts at times becoming caught on thorny brambles, the young maiden having an easier time keeping up now that he had slowed his pace.

"I am very grateful you came along when you did, sir...?" She paused, waiting for his name-but continuing on even if he did not provide it. "For someone to come along...a bit of good luck after...after such dark days and hours. Are you a woodsman?" Her voice was pleasant, attractive-something to fill the silence, comforting.

 

[Proactive_boy]

"You can call me Ray" he said. He chuckled at the word woodsman. Did she really think he was from around here ? He himself didn't know how he looked. It had been such a long time since he had even looked at himself, *sigh*

"Such dark days and hours you say, how.. " and before he could complete a bat flew past them and in a flash he had his knife in his hand, ready to pounce on the assailant. He could see the fear in her eyes...He sheathed his weapon and calmed himself down.

Looking at her he saw innocence in her eyes. "Dark days you say. How come you ended up in these woods, lady" He didn't know if he had scared her enough, probably some small talk would bring her back he thought..

 

[Ambrosia_64]

"Please. You may call me Annette." And she curtsied for him, as ladylike as could be.

Annette was a little jumpy herself-the bat flew and she gave a small start, her pretty eyes widening-but his -knife- scared her most of all, the girl seeming to shrink into a silent, fearful thing even after he sheathed it.

She swallowed, walking on in silence. After some time he questioned her, and Annette slowly, carefully responded. "I was taken, Lord Ray. I was walking the fields picking flowers when, when these -men-" She shivered, her eyes far away as she bit her lip, shook her head. She seemed prepared to cry again.

"I hadn't done anything to them. I begged them to let me go but they would not listen. They threatened...they threatened awful things sir. Just awful." Another small shiver, but she braved through it, swallowed and continued talking. "When you came along, they had left to look for more wares. I believe...I think they were stripping the dead. I scarcely like to think on it, or this, this war."

 

[Proactive_boy]

Annette, she had a royal air about her. Her polished words.. he began to think what he might have gotten into. Yet he had to help her one felt. His mind skipped back to the times when he could have used help, he needed help, but nothing or no one came to his aid.

"They were raiders Annette. they just pillage whatever they see. You were no more than precious loot for them." He didn't want to reveal to her, what might have happened to her had he not come to her rescue.

The woods cleared into a small town. He normally stopped over for a quick meal and disappeared from where he came. Today though, he was on the look out for a place where they could rest and probably get some information on Rionheart. He really had no clue where it was.

The town looked deserted for the most part, probably had been raided a few days ago. People always took their time to get back to normalcy. It is they who always had to adjust back to their lives..

He found a small bar by the side of the road and made his way towards it."You must be hungry, lets take shelter in this town tonight, we'll continue to your home tomorrow." he said, looking at Annette.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

"You'll escort me back?" Annette dared to be hopeful, the surprise in her voice evident. "Truthfully? Oh, that would be wonderful-I'm sure my father will reward you, I shall like to be home again." That made her a little happier, in the very least-a bounce in her step as they approached the bar, her blue dress brushed off and straightened in an attempt to look more presentable before they went inside.

 

[Proactive_boy]

He noticed sudden excitement in her eyes. They gleamed like pearls, almost swelling up with happiness."Yes, I'll take you home Annette" The reward the least of what he wanted. He had taken up a responsibility, it was his duty to see to it she reached home safe. At least he took it upon himself now.

They entered the dimly lit bar, a few eyes turned to notice who had entered, but even that was just a glance. They took a seat at the far end. Some time passed and an attendant came across their table. She was scantily dressed and had this air about her. She bent forward and tapped the table with the pen in her hand, gesturing us to order. "I'd like to have a beer ma'am. "

Ray asked her about the menu and was deciding what to have. "What about you Annette ?"

 

[Ambrosia_64]

"Um, tea, if you don't mind." She requested, smiling politely at the scantily clad waitress. "And some handwashing water, please?"

The young woman sat straight backed, smiling prettily-if a little tiredly.

(Sorry for short post.)

 

[Proactive_boy]

(It's ok)

He settled down on his seat after placing the order. Taking a look around at the bar, it looked like the regular hangout of the town. He noticed the waitress was popular and quite the sweetheart, caring for her customers, listening to them, serving them.

He decided he would approach her to ask for a place for the night. Walking up to the counter as she was getting ready to complete her orders. He inquired about RionHeart first, and then for a place to stay for the night. He knew it was going to be difficult to find a place in a town which had just been raided. Cindy agreed to help them for the night. They could stay over after the bar closed down..

He moved back to their table. Annette was sipping at her tea. He had almost finished his beer sitting and chatting with Cindy. He filled in Annette with the info he had got. He felt a touch tipsy, he had not taken alcohol for some time now. "Its been a while since I stayed in a town" he chuckled. Clearly he needed rest, he had been on foot for long.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Annette seemed troubled. "My home is so very far away." She murmured, staring down into the tea cup, her small, delicate hands lightly touching the sides with her finger tips.

Honey hazeled eyes lift as he speaks, smiling softly at his chuckle. "There is comfort in it, isn't there?" She swirled her tea before taking a ladylike sip, dabbing her lips with the cloth napkin. "I...did not sleep much, these past few days, but the stars and crickets were nice, comforting." Looking for good even in the horror of her experience, it seemed.