Masks of our forefathers (closed for La Reina)

[La_Reina]

The soup wasn't done. In fact it was barely luke warm. She realized she had gotten it early and as she crunched through some not cooked parts she kept eating it. She had too much pride, but dammit if she wasn't going to let him know she had jumped the gun with the food. She kept her face neutral though and waited for him to speak first.

"Yes."

He didn't ask a question, but she answered it nonetheless.

Shaundi shrugged. "Difference of opinion." It was vague, but she intended it to be.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

He grunted,

"You seem like somebody who has a lot of those."

He sat back and kept sipping his ale, allowing silence to fall between them again. The only sound he could hear was her breathing and the crackling of the fire. For a moment he thought about how he must look. Seated in the chair, his arms resting on the armrests, his back straight, his mask turned towards the flames...like the statues of the old gods, masks and all. He reached up and traced the outlines of his mask, testing the hinge that allowed the lower half to move along with his jaw when he drank and spoke. He finished his ale, got up and went to the kitchen to fetch more, he didn't trust the outsider enough to get her to do it. He may withstand physical attacks, but poisons can bring down any man. He returned and took his seat again, still the silence seemed to grow, if she did not wish to say anything further about her situation, he had nothing to say and he had all the time in the world to wait.

 

[La_Reina]

Shaundi smiled. She had come along way and actually she liked the girl she was. She had been docile and domesticated. She had been a victim. It was no wonder she had been taken advantage of. If it wasn't for Mikali she would have hated her life and popped out his seed and been unhappy. Now, well she was still unhappy, but she was a fighter. She had learned to fight and if necessary kill. She valued her life; her freedom and this huge man wasn't going to keep her docile. Nope, she'll figure out a way to escape.

Shaundi watched him caress his evil looking mask. She wondered what he was thinking. Before she wouldn't have dared ask. Hell, the 'Before Shaundi' would have felt intimidated by this man and done whatever he wanted quickly. Bu this was the new Shaundi and new Shaundi would be afraid of no man. Shaundi opened her mouth, but he left before she could ask. She finished her lukewarm soup and stared at the fire getting closer until the heat was almost burning her skin.

She heard her him come back and she turned her profile illuminated by the fire. "So you sit here and just do nothing, but stare into the fire? What do you do for fun?! I'm booooooored!"

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

He found that he didn't like that tone, was the girl really trying to make him angry? That would be a first.

"Me? I read for fun. Others? They drink, smoke various kinds of substances and fuck for fun."

His answer was blunt and to the point, he sipped his ale,

"If you are bored find ways to amuse yourself, just don't break anything."

Those words made him smile, the worst she could hope to do was break a window, but he had ways to punish such transgressions.

"What is your name? Or should I just call you Outsider."

He inspected her, who ever thought she would be a slave definitely knows nothing about people.

"And don't try to lie to me, I'll know."

That threat was not idle, she didn't yet know how to mask her body language and it was his job to read that language.

 

[La_Reina]

Shaundi scowled as she stared at him. "You can read?" Shaundi was being a bit bitchy, but he was being so short with her. Why did he ask for her anyways? Shaundi was bound to find out, but he had given her free range to look over his house and that had her standing up with the bowl and hurrying to the kitchen to place it in the sink. She heard him ask her name and she started to walk towards him again.

"I'm Shaundi. You don't have to tell me your name. I like calling you Giant and Scary One. If you say your name is Steve I might have to stab something." Shaundi laughed and it slowly faded away as she stared at a wall full of knives; long knives. Wait, they were called swords or something.

Shaundi looked over to where her blade was resting and groaned. Hers was nothing compared to what he had here. "Ooooh," Shaundi picked up a blue hilted one with a big red stone in the middle. The sword was shiny and when she placed her finger on the blade - sharp! She twirled it like a baton finding that it was heavy even and as she let it fly a little up in the air she caught it by the hilt and spun. She liked this one.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

"I am Zahl, but Gigante or Un Miedo works for me."

He turned his head to watch her look at his swords, she picked up one and start to play with it. It didn't take him long to see that she had no training, but the nimbleness of her actions and deftness of her fingers proved that she could learn. He kept a careful watch on her, the sword was one that could be thrown and even he wasn't immune to the long blade.

"And to answer your question, yes, I can read. You will find that there is many people in Zahul that can read."

He sipped his ale as he watched her, wondering what her reaction would be if that towel slipped.

 

[La_Reina]

"Zahl," Shaundi replied memorizing the name as she continued to play with the sword. She was now acting as if she was some kind of warrior woman and imitating what she had seen the warriors of her village do; thrusting, parring, etc. She had no clue what she was doing, but it was entertaining for the moment. "Gigante I can figure out, but what does Un Miedo mean?"

Shaundi turned to him holding the sword aloof as they talked. She smirked when he answered her question about him being able to read. It was a jest her inital comment and she realized that either he had NO sense of humor or people didn't tease or joke with Mr. Big here. Hell, if she was stuck here she was going to have some fun and trying to make this big guy laugh would be interesting.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

"Un Miedo, it means Scary One."

He had watched her as she moved and it seemed like she spent some time watching soldiers, a thought came to him and it immediately sparked his interest.

"Would you like to be able to handle that blade you have in your hand properly?"

Shield maidens was what had come to his mind, oh he knew that not all Shield Maidens was actually maidens in the true sense of the word, but that didn't matter. He sipped on his ale as he awaited her reply. She surely had the build for it, with proper tutoring her footwork would improve, a bit of training would firm up those lean muscles of her. He would most probably regret training her in the long run, but it may keep her busy for now and give him the opportunity to actually get to learn the girl behind that bitchy mask she wore.

 

[La_Reina]

"Un Miedo," Shaundi paused and turned with a sexy smirk on her face. "You like being Un Miedo don't you. You like that when you walk others get out of your way." Shaundi turned squaring her hips at him. She tried to look intimidating, but it failed due to the towel wrapped around her frame. "You like that when you speak others listen in respect or fear." Shaundi walked towards him until she was but a hairbreadth away and staring up into his masked eyes; fucking scary ass mask. "Un Miedo."

She glanced down at the sword in the hand. She nodded her head. Though she wondered why he would teach her to fight. Perhaps no one would spar with him and he knew she would. She wasn't afraid of him as she should be. "Yes, I would like to learn, but first. Why? Why didn't you just let that kid buy me? Why did you take me as your own?"

She stared up at him her eyes full of questions as she tried to see past the mask. She was sure he was hideous and scarred and that this town was redneck incestuous deformed people. Maybe he wanted her because she wasn't deformed in the face.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

"To these people I am Zahl the executioner, second only to the Magister himself. I earned this spot, I fought hard and long, suffered much to attain this rank. You may find me scary, but to them I am just human, until I do a very...shall we say graphical execution, then I am a god to them."

He scoffed,

"Zahul, the city of Death, I heard that name before and when I look around me, I think they are not far off."

Without warning his hand lashed out and grabbed her by the throat, standing up he lifted her from her feet without any effort.

"You like to run little one? You want to flee for the rest of your life?"

He opened his hand and she dropped back to the ground,

"To you I am Un Miedo and you will come to understand why you of all people should respect or even fear me."

He turned his body to look down at her,

"You looked like a wet feline with a broken leg the first time I saw you, a hunter should not look like that. When you kill Daniv Grendlon you would have been hunted yet again, this time by hunters that would never stop, never give in and when they find you, torture you until you are so broken down that the fire that burns in your heart is nothing but cold, damp ash washed away by tears of blood they made you cry."

He finished his ale and placed the cup down,

"Now I will teach you how to use the blade, I will drill you until you have perfected the art and then you can be a true feline."

 

[La_Reina]

Shaundi could not imagine the other people of this city not fearing the one in front of her like she did. His mere presence made her cringe. If it wasn't for her vow to be stronger she was sure she would be like these other people: hiding behind a mask. She smirked when he said he was a god to the people and was just thinking that maybe they were all crazy. Crazy sonsofbitches and she still thought they were inbreeds. It helped explain a lot.

She cried out when she was suddenly hauled from her feet. She was tall and he easily had her feet swinging in the air. She also didn't like the response it evoked in her. It was baffling. She was scared out her mind, he could crush her wind pipe, kill her, and yet it ... excited her. She arched her neck even more into his hand to feel the rough calluses against her smooth skin before he dropped her. She fell on her bum, the towel barely covering her, as she glared up at him. "You are going to get enough of just doing whatever you want to me?"

She had no clue what he meant that she should respect and fear him more than the other townspeople. Though his next words on her being hunted once more did make her thankful for the purchase. "How do I earn my freedom? How do I earn my freedom from you? Through like some sort of fight or something?"

She waited for the training to begin believing he was going to teach her so that she could not spar with him, but be a true warrior like he said and earn her freedom. He wanted her no more than she wanted him. He had helped her and now he gets the joy of what... teaching a warrior how to truly be a warrior. Maybe it was some weird thing inside him. She didn't care. As long as the end results were her free.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

He looked at her long legs for a while and with a grin turned from her, he had picked up the subtle changes in her body and how she arched her neck into his hand,

"If I am to do with you what I want to, I very much doubt that I'll grow tired of it."

He flexed his fingers, picked up the cup and looked at her again,

"We start tomorrow and under our laws, you earn your freedom by killing me"

He walked into the kitchen, placed the cup on the table and lifted the pot from the fire. Closing the lid on the stove, to allow the fire to burn out he placed the pot down, spooned some of the food into a bowl and returned to the room. He seated himself and started to eat,

"A few ground rules, tomorrow we will find you a mask, you will wear it in public, but in this house I don't care if you wear it or not, if you need clothing I will take you to get it made. You will carry your dagger as it is your possession, but the first attempt you make on my life or try to cause any bodily harm, I will use your teeth to break it in half. I will expect you to make one meal a day and clean the dishes. I will teach you how to use a sword and any free time you get will be your own time. If you flee I will drag you back to the executioner's block by your hair, flog and rape you in public. And I have no qualms in killing you either, so do try to stay alive, I would be rather upset if I have to kill you."

 

[La_Reina]

She growled at his smart ass comment as she covered herself and got to her feet. She hadn't made it far when he floored her with his words. She would have to kill him to earn her freedom. "But won't I get hunted like the kid I was going to kill? What's the difference if I kill him and get hunted and if I kill you and earn freedom?" She was baffled by his society and it made no sense. Also it made her cold to think she would have to kill this man. Not for any affectionate reason other than she didn't think she had a chance in hell of succeeding...yet.

He left her alone with her thoughts and when he returned she rolled her eyes at his threats even if they weren't idle. "Yeah, yeah." Though she cringed at getting her own mask. "No. Those things are fucking creepy. I don't want one." She crossed her arms, the blade crossing over her arm as she glared at him the challenge in her face and eyes. She was not doing that creepy, scary, weird ass tradition they had going on.

"Everything else I agree on. The mask I will not budge on. I'm already a slave because I did not have one on. I will not bow out and wear one now. I refuse." She walked on the other side of the table as a precautionary movement. He would have to lunge over the table in which case she'll jump back or he'll have to walk around it in which case so would she. They were going to have this out and she be damned if he was going to hit her again. Not if she could help it.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

"If you paid attention before you would have known the answer to that question. I don't have family that will hunt you, you will only be hunted by authorities and their influences ends at the city's border."

He said nothing about her mask comment, just continued to eat, he looked at her standing at the far end of the table. Then without warning he shoved the table against her, the chair that stood in front of her, slamming into her, preventing her escape as he kept moving the heavy table and only stopped when he had her pinned against the wall. He then calmly retrieved his chair, sat down and when it looked like she wanted to move he pressed the table against her, not that she could move it as it was heavy and just as sturdy as his execution block. He finished his food and looked over at her,

"You will wear a mask, there will be no arguing that point."

He got to his feet and walked over to her, he leaned in close,

"Struggling to breathe yet?"

Gripping the edge he pushed the table harder against her, the backrest of the chair pushing harder against her.

 

[La_Reina]

"So I could escape and no one would hunt me past the city's borders?" It was a question, but she also felt ideas blooming. The only draw back is that HE might hunt her and if he caught her she was sure he would whip her til skin came off her back or worse kill her. Though this was interesting and a girl could dream.

Shaundi was speculating this that she missed when he first started to push the table. She had thought he might try this and was going to either dunk under or jump on top and run, but instead she backpedaled and hit the wall with the table pushing against her. "Dammit," The table came right at her stomach and though it prevented her from moving and taking deep breaths it was more uncomfortable than anything.

She watched him eat trying to push the table off her. Every inch she managed he would easily push it back frustrating her. Exhausted she laid down against the table, her towel gone, as she watched her breath fog the hard wood. "I will not!"

"Nope, all good," and to prove her point she took in a deep breath, as deep as she could and slowly it go. She smiled until he tried to saw her in half with a table. Shaundi shrieked as she wiggled trying to push back against the thing.

"Okay!" She finally yelled feeling as if she had broken something inside. He pulled the table away and she looked down at her stomach where she had a huge bruise across her. She took a step and it hurt like hell. She didn't move as she tried to overcome the pain not caring that her body was exposed for him to see. That didn't matter. She was really fucking hurt. This was serious.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

He knew he had hurt her, maybe tore a few muscles, but he could have crushed her to death, that she had to understand. He grabbed her by the throat and slammed her onto the table, his hand easily pinning her to the table without choking her, he leaned in close, the metal edges digging into her cheek, he waited until she caught her breath before he spoke in a cold, deadly voice:

"You will get a mask and you will wear it in public, keep refusing me and I will break you down until you are nothing."

He gave her a hard shake, like a wolf shaking it's prey,

"You will submit to my will Shaundi, I am not a man with a serpent's tongue, the only thing I know is power and I will use that to bend you or break you. The more you resist, the more you will hurt."

He took a sniff and slowly pulled away,

"You smell nice, get dressed."

He turned away, picked up his bowl and carried it to the kitchen, not bothering to look back. He had taken notice of her naked body and he was sure that most men would have taken her right there, but he was not most men. He would bide his time, good things comes to those that wait.

 

[La_Reina]

Even as he pulled the table away he grabbed her by the head and slammed her down. It was so unexpected she could only react with an Ow! She felt his mask on her face and she winced away from him, but couldn't move far. She rolled her eyes to the side looking at him, seeing his eyes through the mask, something that was very unnerving. "I will not become a freak," she snarled not caring about his threats. But they weren't threats they were real. He was serious.

He shook her and she knew he would kill her if she did not listen. She closed her eyes feeling trapped and felt the tears leak from her eyes lids. As suddenly as he grabbed her he let her go talking to her nicely as if they had just been discussing the weather. She shakily stood up rubbing her face and her tummy where he hurt her. She refused to look at him not caring that she was silently crying. She knew he didn't give a damn. She snatched the towel from the floor and hastily wrapped it around her before going to the fire and snatching up her clothes. She went back to the bathing room, letting the door slam behind her, as she sat on the toilet and cried.

She didn't cry loud, but she muffled it behind her clothes. She had to get away. She didn't want to wear one of those creepy ass masks. She wasn't sure why it was so important to her she just knew she couldn't. Than again if she picked a common mask maybe he'll get her confused with others and she could finally escape this place. But she would have to wear one of those hideous things.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

He cleaned his dishes, left the soup in case Shaundi might feel up to eating something later on. He left the kitchen and picked up the sword she had dropped, placing it back on it's hooks. Moving with the silent thread he had learned through his years of hunting humans and animals, he went into his room and came out with practice swords: arming sword, cutlass, sabre, bilbo sword, curtana and even a rapier. Shaundi could pick one that she want to train with, he sat down in his chair and slowly started to clean and sharpen his axe, softly singing a song.

"The men have come to take the maiden,
they thought they were unseen,
the guard saw them and raised the call,
the leader was the last to fall.

All men haunt the castle,
to this very day,
through bark and thistle,
they come out to play,
and the skeletons dance all night long..."

 

[La_Reina]

Shaundi finally emerged fully clothed. She had washed her face and there were no evidence of her weakness moments before. She stepped cautiously from the bathing room, silently padding towards the main portion of the home. She heard his voice and at first couldn't make out the words. As she got closer, she stilled herself, afraid he'll stop and she'll miss this moment to see into his mind.

It was a sad frightening song. Especially his voice. She wasn't sure if the melody was supposed to creep someone out, but it made sense with this town. Especially as she approached closer and saw him actually making his ax's blade sharper. It was all so insane. She cleared her throat as she looked at the new weapons with a wary, but curious gaze. "Do you clean these nightly?"

Shaundi let her hands graze over the different types of blades before picking up the arming sword. It was thicker, meatier, and just a tad bit heavier than the thinner blades of it's sister. It was heavier too, but she liked the weight and she turned it over looking at the shine and her reflection.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

"The nightly bell toll away,
the morning sun arise,
the ghost they flee away,
the skeleton scatter like dice..."

He had heard the door open, but he only stopped singing when she asked her question.

"No, I was going to clean them since it's been a long time since I had to use any of them."

He tested the edge of his axe, finding that it drew blood with the merest touch, good. He wiped the blood from his thumb and leaned back into the chair.

"If you want to train with the arming sword, you will have to gain muscle, the training sword is the same weight, but the balance is all wrong and you will need the power to perfect the weapon."

He didn't say aything further, just looked at her. She was right, their normal masks would deduct from her rather than add. That hair and of course her figure was something to accentuate not hide. Her clothing said as much, it was practical, a survivalists choice. She had been on the run longer than he had first thought,

"Remember to keep your dagger on you when we leave the house, you may not carry a long blade outside of my walls, so I will carry your blade with me. Is there anything in particular that you would like to know or ask?"

 

[La_Reina]

"Understood. No one challenges Un Miendo." Shaundi said a bit snappily. "So your weapons get all rusty." Shaundi stared at the sword and she tried to turn it, but her arm shook with the strain. She groaned and had to drop the sword's blade tip at her feet. Shaundi narrowed her eyes at the weapon. "Is this a two handed weapon or one?" Shaundi hefted it with two hands finding it was easier for her to maneuver.

"Are we leaving the home now?" Shaundi placed the sword back where she had picked it up. She felt her muscles ache a bit just from the little she did. She never thought she was weak before, but he was right. Just how do you go about gaining muscles? "Where are we going? How am I supposed to act outside of this home? Is there something I'm supposed to know or do?"

Shaundi looked up as she slowly made her way back to her dagger. She saw a holster nearby and thinking he wouldn't get upset she strapped it to her thigh. She placed the dagger inside and cocked out one hip listening to his answers and knowing they were going to piss her off. She wondered if he could catch the blade if she threw it. She knew she might be tempted to do thus.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

"No, it's been a long time since Un Miendo had the honor of training a student in the art of steel and honor."

His reply was flat, almost deadly, he watched her with the sword,

"It's a one-handed weapon."

Setting his cleaning and sharpening tools away, he got up and held the axe lightly in one hand,

"I am going to do my rounds of the houses, I am not just here to kill people, I am also here to uphold the peace."

He tilted his head and looked at her,

"You will wear your mask, you can further engage in any activity as long as you do not dwell too far away from me or I will be forced to put a slave collar on you. You see little one, I am not too bad or harsh a master, treat me with respect and you will be semi-happy living here. You can retain your unique...nature, your defiance, but be careful about how you do it. Argue a point with me if you wish to, push me too far and you will end up hurting like you are now."

He thought for a moment,

"When you see a golden mask, bow, a gold inlaid mask is just some rich man with more money than common sense, golden masks is high statuses that even I must respect, but they are not above the law. If any person lays a hand upon you outside these walls without your or my consent, you are free to deal punishment as you wish. You are also allowed to ask me to deal punishment in your stead..."

A chuckle rose from him,

"As a slave to an unmarried man, you have the same social protection as a wife would have, but you do not share the status. Any further question?"

 

[La_Reina]

"Oh," Shaundi said in reply to him training a student. It almost sounded as if he thought of her as equals. One moment he was human the next he was an asshole. He could go from scary in 0 to 60 and she was had to stay on her toes around him. She had gotten too laxed too quickly. Her number 1 priority had to be getting out, not understanding this monster or the offering to be a better killer. Killer? Predator? Hmmm Shaundi was going to think of what she considered herself that didn't conflict with her morales.

"I don't own a mask. You can do your rounds and leave me here," Shaundi smiled sweetly knowing that wasn't going to happen. The moment he left her alone she would slip out and go traipsing through the streets looking for the freaking way out and if she got caught beforehand she would sing a merry tune and try to be as embarrassing as possible.

She smiled slowly at his warning the challenge in her eyes. Though she did cock an eyebrow at the gold sash thing. "So I can get you in trouble if I'm ... troublesome," her smile widen. She knew not to push this and she quickly move on to a new topic. "Social protection? Like what exactly? And what would be different from the status?"

 

[DeathsKnight]

Zahl the executioner

"You will be coming with me, that is one of the reasons I am doing my rounds today, apart from the fact that most people would still be busy enjoying their blood induced orgy, we will visit the Market to find or if I am not satisfied with the mask, let one get made for you."

He smirked at her,

"Your protection falls under what we can do together, as my wife I would be able to kill a man that talks wrongly to or about you and I can hear it. Very medieval state of mind, but it keeps people honest and women are treated much better than in the old times."

His smirked turned to a grin,

"If you want to compare your current experience to how life is here in Zahul, you must remember that you are testing my patience and so far I have been very lenient towards you. Now come and do try to look arrogant, I like to stir things up every now and then"

 

[La_Reina]

Shaundi rolled her eyes when he mentioned the mask thing again. Though she did perk up when he mentioned people were going to be doing the nasty. It was like a train wreck or a fat naked person. You didn't want to see it, but you couldn't look away. She didn't want to see people fornicating in the middle of the street, but that didn't mean she wasn't interested in what they may be doing.

"So because I am your slave and you are unmarried the same applies. Any man who speaks ill of me you can kill. So what is the difference between a slave belonging to an unmarried male and a married woman? Ooooh she doesn't have to do whatever you say?" Shaundi flipped her hair over her shoulder and smirked at his tone. He was always threatening her and the Gods forgive her she knew she was testing him and knew she wouldn't stop. Though she did smile when he told her to look arrogant.

Shaundi skipped. Yes skipped. To the entrance and flung the door open. She stepped out without a mask and eyed all the scaries wearing one. She started walking down the street when a meaty paw slammed down on her shoulder. She followed the hand to a wrist, to an arm, and up to Un Miedo's face. She was going the wrong way. Shaundi followed him a bit before moving ahead and watching people doing things better left in bedrooms.

"Oh my, look. I can't tell if that's two men or a man and woman!" Shaundi didn't mean to stare, okay she did. She didn't mean to be loud. Okay she did. She was just having a good time watching all the nasties and pointing like a rude person. She didn't quite care. She was just enjoying the night air and glaring at everyone who looked at her and then seemed to go still as they saw her face.

They reached the market and she sighed visbily losing her spirit. She knew what they were going to do. She stared at the masks and loudly stated, "Nope, too big, too ugly, who would wear that, by the gawds no, Nope, no, no, no, no...." Shaundi had no intentions of saying yes to a single mask.