A Long Day's Knight

[Lady_Siren]

Ariana looked up at Rocky with surprise. It was the first time he had called her by her name and not her title. She reallized then that it didn't bother her rather she liked the sounds of her name coming from him. "Rocky don't apologize you didn't get us lost it was my fault, I am the one that came out here and got lost. If it wasn't for you I would probably be huddled in a ball scared witless" smiling at him she lightly touched his shoulder

 

[Isolde]

Arista

OOC: Sorry for the delay, everyone, my life has been anything but calm lately.

IC: Arista was about to tell Arky exactly what he could do with his marshmallows when she noticed something. Or, at least the abscence of something.

Looking around she realized that she and Arky were the only ones in the camp. Moving at a run, she dashed into the princess' tent and then went around the perimeter of the camp....no one.

Arista spent the next fifteen minutes cussing up a storm. The words that flew out of her mouth would have made the most hardened of soldier blush so deep that even Arky couldnt match the red with his fires.

After she was done and had run through her vocabulary two and a half times, she finally simmered down. She had to get them all back to camp and she had to do it now. She did not need 'losing the princess on a routine mission' on her resume.

Taking a deep breath, she went over to McBubba's bags and searched through them. Sure enough, she found several bottles of liqor. With a smile, she hefted one up and threw it towards the dying fire.

With a whoosh, the whole glen begin to smell like liquor. If that didnt bring him running this way nothing would. With a wider smile, she begin to pitch the bottles into the flames one by one.

 

[captainb]

Fook

"Dinger Whopple?" said Fook nervously. "Would be wise to retreat in safety." The firelight was hurting his eyes, and he realized the kumiss-effect was wearing off, leaving just the whiskey scratching at his stomach.

Another burst of firelight flashed through the treetops. Fire all around! Were they being attacked? By Whopples, or worse? McBubba exclaimed sharply, sniffing with his nose up high. Fook sniffed too. A tangy sweet burnt scent was rolling over them, making his eyes water. McBubba roared and stood swaying, looking wildly about. Fook stared at him. "What? What?!?"

 

[Darklord]

McBubba

Standing up, and sniffing the air like a scenting hound McBubba roared "MY WHISKEY! SOME ASSHOLE'S BURNING MY WHISKEY!" and with that he took off like a shot as Fook scrambled to follow. Tearing through the woods like a male bear after a female in heat he broke into the campsite just then to see Arista hefting quite possibly his last bottle of whiskey.

Unleashing a roar much like that of a Dragon with an upset stomach he ran and then leaving his feet, he hurtled through the air like a full back leaping a pile of defenders in a football match, he flew through the flames not even feeling the singing his body took, and tackled Arista before she could throw the last bottle in. With a "WHOOOF!" she let go of the bottle into the air as they hit the ground, hard, and rolling with a speed and grace he never had felt or done before McBubba rolled over in time to catch the bottle before it struck the ground. Getting to his feet as Arista tried laboriously to get breath back into her body he leaned over her and screamed. "You, NEVER, EVER, EVER!!!!! Touch MY whiskey again WOMAN!" and with that he bit the top off the bottle and proceeded to drain it in front of her.

 

[captainb]

Fook

Fook stood swaying in the clearing, watching in befuddlment as McBubba actually lifted off the ground and flew through the bonfire, landing on Arista with an audible crump! He blinked. Amazing that one like that could know the Hidden Dragon movements. Fook walked over to where Arista was staring angrily up at McBubba. A Wise Saying formed on his lips, but he bit it back seeing their expressions. Instead, he just watched calmly as McBubba leaned back to drain the bottle and continued backward until he was flat on the ground.

 

[Darklord]

Ummm....

Ooc: Ummm.... Is it just me or has this not been written in for a while? I was enjoying the storyline quite a bit, but all of a sudden this things stopped deader than molasses in upstate NY in Janurary. Be a shame if it didn't carry on soon.. :-(

 

[Isolde]

Arista

OOC: Sorry...I had some major problems in my life. I would like to continue if everyone else is willing.

IC: Arista rolled to her feet and ignored the drunken sot as he fell to the ground drunk. She reminded herself to take only the bumpiest roads during the journey tomorrow.

Well, that was two back at camp...now to get Rockingham.

Going to the part of the forest that the princess would logically take and called out, trying to keep the sarcasm to a minumum,"Oh my, is that a spot of dirt I see on the Princess' best dress? And look, I swear her shoes are scuffed. And, horrors! There is dirt in her tent! However will she survive on this journey looking such a mess?!"

With a step back, Arista waited for a reaction from deep in the woods.

 

[Lady_Siren]

Ariana sat up straiter. "I could sware I hear someone say there is dirt in my tent" looking around she shrugged. "I must be hearing things. Are you tired Rocky?"

 

[Rockingham]

Rocky yawned, looking into the fire.
"Actually I am, I don't know why. It must have been a long day, and I haven't gotten much sleep. I think it is time we turned in."
He took off his pack, unsettling the sleeping bag.
"Here you are, take this," he took out a second small blanket, "I'll stay up a little bit, and make sure no ones around. Don't worry, I'll help you get out of here."
He smiled at her, he swore his life. He wouldn't take that back now, or ever.

 

[Lady_Siren]

She hesitated a moment feeling guilty for taking his bed roll. "Are you sure Rocky? " then after a moment "I'm sorry for getting you into this mess I really am"

 

[Rockingham]

Rocky moved over, wiping the hair from her face. He kissed her forehead gently.
"I'm just glad your safe. Now get some rest, we'll do some hard travelling in the morning."
Rocky moved closer to her. It was an eventful day, and he was very tired himself. Off in the far distance an owl started howling.
Setting himself near the fire, but very close to Ariana too, Rocky began staring into the fire, waiting until the time came when he too could go to sleep.

 

[Lady_Siren]

Ariana was laying beside Rocky but she wasn't sleeping. instead she was staring. Rocky was so serious at the moment and she realized he was actually a really intelligent and caring man, he just hid it all. She wondered why. She also wondered why she couldn't find a husband like him. Instead of some peacock prince. Rolling onto her side she felt tears fill her eyes, she felt so alone...

 

[captainb]

Fook

Fook and Arista waited silently. His head was starting to pound now, and he sincerely wished that he had not mixed such a fine potion of fermented mare's milk with whatever rotgut McBubba had forced on him. His stomach burbled again, and Arista glanced at him.

He bowed slightly, although it was actually a mild cramp. "Most curious. I thought your solution to finding princess was most inspired, yet..." He gestured to the darkness and silence around them, broken only by McBubba's wet snoring. But as he gestured, he caught a faint glimmer of light, far off through the branches. He stepped near Arista and pointed.

"Is that a fire?"

 

[Isolde]

Arista

Arista grimaced. She must have read Rocky wrong. She was sure that would have gotten him to the camp in a hurry as he was always fussing over the princess.

With a sigh, she was resigning herself to the fact that she was going to have to go about finding both the knight, Rocky and the princess in the dark when Fook pointed to a small flickering light that was just out of sight. If a small breeze hadnt blown up and fanned it, they would never have seen it.

Nodding her thanks, she started walking that way, mumbling under her breath all the things she would like to do to the princess once she got ahold of her. It took her a good half hour to make it to where she could see the fire, Rocky and the princess. She was about to burst in on them when she stopped and looked at the scene before her.

There was Rocky hovering over the princess, protective as ever and Ariana was lying in a sleeping bag, looking at Rocky. It was a quiet scene and kind of nice. Quiet like that you couldnt buy with the princess around. With a sigh, Arista knew she would have to break it up.

Stepping into the firelight, she said,"Okay, everyone, back to camp. Princess, your tent is waiting."

 

[Darklord]

McBubba

As Arista wandered in the nether reaches of the woods McBubba did the second highest on his list of favorite things to do. Number one of course was to drink so heavily that you became unaware of existing at all, and Two was to sleep so long that you missed at least 3 to 4 days at a stretch. Right now he was cutting lumber in his sleep quite happily...

 

[Rockingham]

Rocky watched the leaves shake, he was suddenly aware of something watching him. In an instant he was up, grabbing at anything he could find as a weapon.
All he had was his satchel though. It turned out he didn't need it. It was Arista. Rocky looked at her, nearly sympathetic, almost as a dog would when it knows it has done something wrong.
"Arista, I'm sorry, but you told me that I was supposed to be the protecter of the princess, and she said she wanted to go home. I couldn't deny her that, she's been unhappy ever since she left. I just wanted her to be happy."
He saw her stirring in her sleep.

 

[Lady_Siren]

Ariana sat up hastily whiping away her tears. She gave Arista her best haughty look and shrugged. "I heard a noise in the woods and decided to check it out. Foolishly I got lost, I'm ready to go back to my tent now" The Ariana of a few minuttes ago was hidden once more. No longer the caring, lonely woman she was now the snobby, holier then thou princess.

 

[Isolde]

Arista

Arista looked at Arianna and nodded.

"Uh huh...sure. Rocky, the camp is that way," She pointed back the way she had come,"Take the princess there and I am going to tell you this once and only once. You...are...not...taking...her...anywhere. She is going to meet the prince and that is final. If she doesnt like him, she can talk to daddykins about the marriage factor. Right now, I have to find a missing knight and if either of you try to leave camp, I will set Arky as your watcher. You cant go anywhere if you are crispy critters."

She felt mean and, seeing the misery in the princess' eyes, she knew that this was a hard blow but they all had their duties to perform. Right? Yeah, right."

Cursing and mumbling, Arista set off to find the last member of their party.

 

[Rockingham]

Rocky felt the tears swell up in his eyes. He didn't want to do anything wrong, he really didn't. He just wanted to help out the situation. He sniffed, picking up his stuff. He followed Ariana back to camp.
"I'm sorry I got you into all this trouble," he said, almost in a whisper, "I didn't mean to."
Putting the things back in his knapsack, he put it around his neck, waiting for the camp to become visible.

 

[Neale]

Arky

When Arista left the camp, to search for the missing Princess, Arky noticed that the others seemed a little depressed... He felt it his duty as a Magus Superiore to lighten their spirits. Some others (upstart lesser magicians, all of them in the Sorcerors' Council!) might feel that using the Art to raise morale was an ignoble usage. Arky, in his wisdom knew better... as usual.

"Ho, all! Attend! I will amaze and astound you with feats of Mighty Majick!" Arky immediately noticed that he had everyone's full attention, from the way each and everyone leaped for a comfortable position behind the nearest solid object, the better to watch the show.

Arky sprinkled powder, suspiciously yellow, in a circle about the campfire, and chanted a few arcane syllables. Through tightly shut eyes, the onlookers could still see the flash of actinic light as it seared their retinas with afterimages. Everyone, save the happily cackling Arky, blinked away their tears, clearing their vision, and wishing they hadn't.

Once they were able to see, they saw a 30' tall being, composed almost entirely of fire. The only non-fiery parts were the bizarre clothing in which it was attired. Atop the man-like creature's head sat a tall, white, flat-brimmed hat. It was also wearing a sort of white coat, with long strips of cloth coming down from the rear. In its hands, it had a white cane. On the creature's feet were shiny white shoes.

Arky cackled wildly, and commanded the creature. "Ah one, and ah two!" This seemed to be normal language, but must have really been mystic words, as the fiery monster began to hop around the clearing in a bizarre sort of attack pattern, bellowing its horrible battle cry "PuH-TeeeNG AHN DUh RITTS!"

 

[Darklord]

McBubba

Not much could disturb a McBubba sleep induced by alcohol, but Arky bellowing something abot performing "Mighty Majiks" could cause the dead and dismembered to get up and head for the nearest ravine to hide in. Rolling away from the madly capering wizard McBubba fairly flew into the cover offered by some rocks and over growing bushes. Looking over the edge of the rock at the now...... dancing.... THING, caused him to roundly curse his lawyer, noble father for ever having fifth thoughts about having sex with his mother. Turning around he sank to the ground, and burying his head in his hands, he cried....

 

[Lady_Siren]

OOC: I still want this thread to survive if anyone is interested

IC: Ariana placed her hand in Rocky's as they walked and gave him one of her best smiles "Don't apologize Rocky. It was not your fault at all. You helped me, if it wasn't for you I would probably still be lost" give his hand a sqeeze she followed Arista back to camp.

 

[Neale]

Aye...

OOC: Everyone's favorite pyromaniac mage is still alive and kicking. In fact, his latest summoning, a soft-shoe dancing demon, is merrily cavorting about the campfire even now. Subtle, he ain't.

 

[Isolde]

OOC: Lets have a head count and see who is here and then we can continue.

 

[Lady_Siren]

OOC: One bratty princess at your service M'lady