Seeking RP Writing Partner

[Guest]

Ash shakes her head and tugs Ganelon back into the brush and woods. She didn't want to risk being seen by the villains that had killed the woman. "No - there is no use in trying to follow them." She said, ducking under the limp of a tree, "Lets just keep off the main road and get to Camille for the night. It won't be safe out here tonight."

She pushed her body forward, ignoring her exhaustion. There was no way in hell she was staying out here tonight! Hopefully Ganelon wouldn't question things until she was ready to talk.

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon Swordbearer

Ganelon could see she was tired, she stumbled more and more, her shoulders sagged and her arms swung listlessly. He noticed that she tried hard not to show it but in his time he had been as exhausted, or even more so, during his hard trainings. Now he recognised a tired person when he saw one. Picking their way through shrubs and branches was wearing her out even more but Ganelon lauded her determination, crazy though it was.

She stumbled again and he grabbed her arm to steady her and made to say they should rest but she only cast him an angry glance and pressed forward. He had nothing but to follow her and watch carefully for any signs of her exhaustion taking the better of her.

"Ash, stop. You'll faint if you carry on like this. Let's take a short break. For your sake, please!"

 

[Guest]

She shook her head and took an unsteady breath. Her body burned, muscle and mind all at once. "No! We have to get there before night fall. I'll explain once we get there, but right now we must find a place before night fall to rest." The unsteady ground made her sway a moment. Hitting her shoulder against a tree, she winced, but didn't want to let up. Sweat trickled down her face, her normally pale, cool skin was rosy and hot. She grit her teeth and kept moving with Ganelon at her side. He kept sliding concerned looks her way, which only served to fuel her irritation with herself.

They were closer than expected. In the distance, she could faintly make out the outline of the village. She stumbled again and stopped. Hands on her knees, she bent over double and tried to catch her breath. She was shaking, felt hot, then cold. Her head was swimming. "Oh god..." she mumbled to herself, "Pull yourself together." But it was just too much for her to take.

Blackness crept into the sides of her eyes and she shook her head, blinking furiously. She straightened, took another step and promptly passed out.

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

Despite his pleads the stubborn, determined woman pressed onward, shambling slowly towards the village the robber pointed during the interrogation. Ganelon was worried she was ill, her face was sweaty and her cheeks rosy as if with high fever. How come the sight of the mark on the dead woman's body moved her so? What was so special about that strange symbol, to make the usually calm Ash into a frenzied woman who would soon fall of exhaustion.

With the first houses of the village looming in the distance Ash finally stopped to Ganelon's relief. She bent over and heaved, her lungs desperately grasping for air they luckily had in abundance. Ganelon wanted to put his hand on her shoulder to steady her and offer help if she needed to lean on him for support but Ash straightened and stepped forward. The her legs gave in and she collapsed. As she was falling, Ganelon jumped and grabbed her. Touching her forehead he winced, she was burning, somehow the fever appeared in a matter of mere minutes.

Ganelon raised the unconscious Ash in his arms and trotted towards the village. The run tired him a bit as he sped as fast as possible but not so as to cause Ash any further discomfort. As the locals saw him run, a small crowd gathered, eyeing him suspiciously. Panting, he came to a stop, Ash limp in his arms.

"Do you have a witch-doctor here?" Ganelon inquired but only blank stares answered him.

"A midwife?" again, only stares, no one answered.

"Please, people, a wise woman perhaps? My friend here is ill I think. She needs help! A chirurgeon?"

There was a movement in the crowd and a short, plump woman of perhaps 70 years pushed through, squinting to take a better look. Ganelon looked at her, slightly relieved but still apprehensive. He didn't like the way the woman looked at him.

"What's all this racket about, boy, eh? Why scream you for help?"

"Please, good woman. My companion, she's ill! She needs help? Can you do something?"

"Aye, old Mebbeth can help you, yes she can. You follow me, boy. And you, folks, go back to your chores! They aren't the ones! Come!"

Ganelon followed the woman who called herself Mebbeth and they crossed the village green to a small wooden shack that smelled heavily of herbs, potions and cataplasms. As they entered, Ganelon had to fight hard not to sneeze.

"You put yer lady over yonder before you drop her and blow my house to pieces. Such a big man must have big lungs. Make yourself useful and light a fire while I take a look at her. Meanwhile you can tell me how this happened."

Ganelon started making fire in a small fireplace in the middle of the only room and told Mebbeth how they had found a corpse on the road and how the symbol had made Ash uneasy.

"Good, now that the fire is ready we can undress her... Hum, I will undress her and you bring me some water from the well. Can't have you abuse the good lady's state for leering, now can we? Shoo, off with ya! And don't be in a hurry. She won't be leaving just yet."

Mebbeth handed him two wooden buckets and ushered him from the cottage, pointing to the well. Ganelon quickly filled them with water and carried them back, anxious about Ash's health. As he entered the old woman covered Ash with a woolen blanket and waved for him to come over.

"You take this here rag and wash her face regularly. This might help lower the fever if it be natural... and if it natural be not... hum, I will consult me some friendly ghosts. You tend to your ladyfriend, boy, while I make a small errand. Worry not, fine everything will be."

Mebbeth left the cottage and Ganelon soaked the rag in the cold water from the well and pressed it to Ash's face, praying that she gets well.

 

[Guest]

Meanwhile Ash was trying to fight her way through the blackness of her mind. She could hear voices, faintly and strained to hear. One of them sounding like Ganelon. She wanted to call to him. She felt frantic, scared, wanting to find him and find a way out.

Disturbing images assaulted her mind and senses. The dark man from her dreams, the pain of being branded. She whimpered and tossed her head to the side. Coolness hit her skin and she moaned, pressing towards it.

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

"Shhhhh, Ash, it's okay. It's me, Ganelon. I'm with you, right here." Ganelon tried to soothe Ash as she whimpered but he couldn't see any change. He pressed the cold cloth against her forehead and cleaned her face from sweat and she seemed to want more. Maybe the coldness of the rag was bringing her some relief in her torment. Having no knowledge in this area Ganelon couldn't really tell what was happening. Ash seemed asleep or unconscious and definitely dreaming, her eyes were moving behind the eyelids and she spoke some incoherencies he couldn't understand.

"Ash, please, calm down... Shit!" he cursed and kicked the pail outside the cottage. "I'm no good at this. I'm no bedamned nanny. I was trained to hurt people, not cure them or bring relief! I've no idea what to do!" he cried in desperation. He had offered to be Ash's bodyguard but he was helpless at the moment, with no way of helping her or saving her from whatever nightmare persecuted her.

"Oi, what all this screaming be about? Yer ladyfriend needs silence and calm to rest and yer shouting won't help at all."

Ganelon tried to calm down but patience wasn't a trait he was familiar with. "So, what is it? Is she going ot be okay, Mebbeth?"

"Mebbe yes, mebbeth no. The spirits be uncertain what be happening to your companion, they advise she rest and sleep. Perchance her malady will pass by itself. You may both stay here, I'll go sleep to me sister's house over yonder. If something be changing, you come and call me. Keep cooling her face and head. That fever be nasty. Here are some herbs that will help, so give her when she wakes up. Then come for me. Patience, boy." Mebbeth smiled a toothless smile and patted Ganelon's hip.

He returned to the hut and resumed his vigil at Ash's side, all anxious and apprehensive about her state he carried on at wetting her face and forehead to try and fight the fever.

 

[Guest]

Sometime in the night, the nightmares slowly eased. Ash lay quietly, her breathing even and otherwise strong. Her color seemed to return some or lack there of. She was no longer flushed and hot to the touch. Late in the evening, her eyes fluttered and she moaned. A cold cloth made contact with her skin and she gasped, her eyes snapping fully open. Struggling to sit up, she felt strong hands pulling her back down and hushing her gently, but firmly. One held her shoulder while the other grabbed the sheet to preserve her state of undress.

She recognised Ganelon then and gave him a puzzled look. "Where are we? What's going on?" Her voice came out scratchy and she liked her lips. "Thirsty."

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

At some point in the late evening Ash regained her consciousness and she opened her eyes, slightly bewildered at unfamiliar surroundings. She tried to sit up weakly and the blanket that covered her slid partially down, almost revelaing her bust but Ganelon managed to grab it and cover her back, pushing her to lay back down, but not before he accidentally glanced at her clevage.

"Please, don't get up. You must rest, you're exhausted," Ganelon whispered and soaked the rag in fresh water. The fever seemed to have subsided a bit but he could see that Ash was weak and tired. "We're in Camille. You collapsed in the forest and I brought you here. I was so scared, you passed out on me there and wouldn't wake up. Here, drink this." He handed Ash the cup of herbal tea Mebbeth told him to prepare. "Let me prop you up."

Ganelon wound his left arm around her shoulders, helping her up and offering the cup that smelled strongly of herbs. She felt so fragile to him in this moment, Ganelon marveled how she managed to survive all those years by herself. This must have been so hard on her, not having anyone to rely upon, not wanting to rely upon anyone. He didn't want to know how many times she cried herself to sleep.

Ash drank slowly sipping the hot brew and began relaxing. She emptied the cup and Ganelon laid her down slowly.

"Rest now. I'll go and fetch Mebbeth, she wanted me to call her when you wake up. She's the local midwife."

 

[Guest]

Ash smiled weakly, "I'd feel better if I were pregnant." She teased softly and then closed her eyes. With a deep sigh, she slipped back into sleep. The herbs soothed and calmed her senses, letting her rest peacefully while Ganelon went to fetch Mebbeth.

Moments later, she woke again, fixing eyes at an older lady. "There there, girl, you'll be just fine. Yer fever has broke and now you just need to rest up and gain yer strength back." The lady fussed a bit around her and finally gave her a thoughtful look. "Yer not pregnant now are ye?"

Ash shook her head, blushing a little, "No, I am not."

The woman nodded, "Good. Rest up. I'm sure yer young man here will take good care of ye. Call me if ye be needing anything."

Ash watched the woman leave and then cast Ganelon a sleepy look. "Thank you."

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

Ganelon smiled, relieved that Ash seemed to be okay and that she had overcome her crisis, illness, whatever it was. He was grateful to Mebbeth for her help and advice. Right now Ash's health and safety were his first priorities, he was her bodyguard after all.

"You're welcome, Ash. Now try and get some sleep. You need to regain you strength... I'll be outside if you need anything," he added, looking at her naked shoulders. Smiling and nodding to her, he left the hut and sat on the groud.

On a small bench next to him Mebbeth was smoking a pipe, her face a mask of mystery.

"She'll be fine, yer ladyfriend. She be a wee strong lass. But you must protect her or terrible harm might come her way. The ghosts said ye've already saved her life once, in Artolia... They be saying you need to carry on together. This way maybe she'll find what she's looking for and regain her peace... Oh, and don't trust that banter about attracting trouble, it's just a talent for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

 

[Guest]

For once, she didn't fight the request and turned in the bed, curling up and falling right back to sleep. It was a welcome difference...being warm, sleeping soundly and being taken care of. Oblivious to Mebbeth and Ganelon's convorsation, she lay alone, letting her body regain it's strength. Later she would explain to Ganelon what had happened. She owed him that much after he saved her life for the second time now.

She slept for a long while and when she woke it was light outside. Stretching, she let out a yawn and sat up, grabbing her blankets and dragging them with her. She hooked the material under her arms to keep it from falling and rubbed her eyes.

Looking around, she found herself smiling. Ganelon sat next to her bed. His feet propped up on another chair before him and sound asleep. His chin hit his chest, his hair looked a little bit of a mess and she was afraid that one false move and he would hit the floor. A piece of the wall she had erected years ago around her heart and soul melted then. She blew out a long, easy breath...he was going to be trouble.

Leaning forward just a little, she touched his leg and nudged him, "Ganelon."

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon woke up with a start when Ash touched his thigh even before she uttered his name and he opened his eyes with a gasp, his right hand moving to unsheathe his sword and prepare for attack. Doing so he lost his balance on the chairs he had set to serve him as a resting place and he wobbled unsteadily before falling to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

"Yeauch!" he yelped as a kettle he fell on prodded him in the ribs. "What's the big idea, Ash? Oh! You woke up!" Ganelon exclaimed and got up rubbing his side. "How do you feel? Do you need anything? Do you want me to bring you something?" Happy to see her well and rested again, Ganelon couldn't hide his joy. He was relieved she recuperated and a big smile lit his features, although he was still afraid she might be too weak to move on.

 

[Guest]

She smothered a laugh away behind her hand and finally just smiled. "I'm fine, thank you." Her stomach grumbled noisely, making her blush. "Well, OK...so I'm hungry, but other than that, I seem to be OK again." Looking around the room, she finally asked, "Um...do you know where my clothes are? Perhaps once I dress we could eat together and see what our situation is..." She suggested hopefully.

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

"Oh, yes, of course! Just a moment. There was something here." He looked around himself to see if there was anything to eat and found some bread, cheese and milk. He brought those to Ash so she could eat. "Still too early for me, you know. But you try and wolf all this down. You need to regain your strength... is what Mebbeth said. As for the clothes..." Ganelon scratched his head. "Mebbeth took them for airing. Wanted to take mine too but I persuaded her that I would look ridiculous in just my undies and a swordbelt. I'll be back in a moment."

Ganelon excused himself and gathered Ash's clothes from the strings they were hanging on. He saw Mebbeth take a stroll through the village and waved at her only to blush, he forgot she was almost as blind as as bat. Ducking into the hut he put the clothes on the bed next to Ash who was busy eating. He smiled seeing her, it was a great relief that the fever had disappeared along with other symptoms of whatever illness had gripped her.

"The midwife will probably want to talk to you, now that you're healthy again... Ash, um... you scared me there. This was something I wasn't able to protect you from..."

 

[Guest]

She chewed on a piece of bread thoughtfully and looked at Ganelon, nodding slowly. Swallowing, she licked her lips and stared down at the food in front of her for a moment, trying to gain the courage to talk to him. Telling him her tale would mean putting him in danger. But obviously not telling him didn't help any either.

Still reluctant, she pushed her plate aside and picked at her clothes. The soft leather felt warm under her fingers. "I lied a little about attracting trouble..." She started off, her voice soft and thick with emotion. "A while back, I was captured by some thieves...only these were no ordinary thieves. They didn't harm me as such, but sold me into slavery where a powerful man bought me. I refused to be some man's toy. I was wild, disobedient, but the man would not let me go. He swore to make me his own and in turn branded me." She turned and pushed away enough blanket to expose her lower back and top part of her hip to Ganelon, showing him her brand.

She took a deep breath, "I still would not bow to his commands and one night was able to escape. Ever since, I've been searching for a way to remove his mark. I haven't been able to do so myself. The man was powerful, both in magic, strength and power. With this mark on me, he will always be able to find me." She looked up at Ganelon, her eyes fierce, "I will NOT let him have me and would rather die than have that man use me."

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

He thought for a moment, analysing what she said about her past, her life as a slave. Damn, that must have been in Villnore! It was the only region that still dealt with slavery. Ash had come a long way, traversed a lot of land to end up here. Ganelon was impressed on the one hand and on the other he felt for Ash, sad that such a pretty woman had to experience such hardships.

His gaze lingered on her skin, eyes following the soft line of her hip, dancing on the strange symbol burned into Ash's skin, identical to the one the dead woman had upon her. Ganelon tried to think about Ash as his employer and nothing else. In the current situation, however, he perceived her as a woman, flesh and blood and understood that more than a bodyguard she needed someone who would listen to her, offer advice and generally be a friend she could always count upon in her time of need.

"Bah! First he'd have to over my dead body to get you in his hands. I won't let him get near you while I draw breath," Ganelon assured her slapping the scabbard of his sword with his palm. "But seriously: do you think that woman was also a runaway slave and the three who killed her were hired or worked for that man? Do you think they are tracking you as well?"

 

[Guest]

She lifted a bare shoulder in a half shrug, "I'm not sure. The woman may not have been a slave. From what I could tell, he branded anything that he wanted as his or that he collected as 'payment' so to speak. Perhaps her husband owed the man a debt and in return his wife was taken. I do not know for certain." She said, taking comfort that Ganelon would want to lay his life down for her. For the life of her, she still couldn't quite understand WHY he would even consider it.

Self consciously she patted her braid that had partially come loose and probably looked a total mess. Taking the end, she unravelled it and smiled at Ganelon. If you give me a moment to dress, I'd like to move around a bit. I'm not used to just being in bed all day."

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

Ganelon blushed a bit and tugged at the end of his long braid.

"Um, sure..." he muttered and left the cottage, giving Ash the privacy she needed.

Outside, he pondered what she had told him about the man who put his mark on her body. A powerful mage who could use his brand as a scrying beacon. The three murderers of the woman on the road could either be his henchmen or someone who tried to cover something by killing people who had contact with that man. Ganelon's head spun -- there were too many possibilities. He would leave thinking to Ash and take care of material business himself, one that could be cleaved in half with his sword preferably.

The villagers paid him little attention, having acknowledged them as Mebbeth's guests. Unconsciously he was playing with the end of his braid, as usual when he was in deep thought and turned a problem around in his head.

 

[Guest]

She dressed quickly, not wanting to make Ganelon wait any longer than needed. It felt better to be back in her clothes and not so naked. Even under the blankets, she felt somewhat vulnerable.

She located her boots at the end of the bed and decided to go without them for a bit. Stretching, she padded to the door and opened it, finding Ganelon just outside. He looked lost in thought, so she cleared her throat to get his attention. His gaze flickered to her and he smiled. "I'm decent." She said simply and turned back into the house to search for a brush or a comb...something to take care of her hair. "I wanted to tell you also...the illness was my fault intirely." She explained, talking over her shoulder as she searched. "When I use my magic for healing or even for defense, it drains me. Then if I don't rest afterwards, I leave myself open."

Locating a brush among Mebbeth's things, she turned back around and sat on one of the chairs. Without even thinking, she motioned for Ganelon to join her. "Here...why don't I do your braid and you do mine? It always makes my arms ache to do my own and since we'll be together for a while...why not help out, hmmm? Besides, yours is looking a little frazzled."

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

Ganelon checked his braid, indeed, hairs started sticking out and the weave has loosened a bit so he decided he might as well follow Ash's cue. He sat next to her and turned his back so that she had better access. He untied the small green ribbon that held the end of his braid together and played with it in his fingers.

"Making my braid might make your hands ache as well, you know. It's almost as long as I am tall... it takes some time to do. Whenever I was doing it myself I would get all twisted and cramped..."

He could feel Ash unweave the long tail, separating his hair to three strands and then combing them. It took her quite a while to order Ganelon's mane up. If he stood up now, his hair would cover him just like a cape and sweep the ground. He could hear Ash sigh and whistle a sound behind him.

"At home it was always my sister, Lyseria, who would weave my braid." He said and smiled, playing with the ribbon she had given him for his 25th birthday. "She always asked me to tell her a tale while she was working. Each time I had to go to the house library and read a fairytale to tell her. She has great memory, Lyseria does, I couldn't retell a story, she always wanted a new one. Can you imagine how hard it had become after a few years? I had to order books from other regions hoping they would contain a tale she hadn't heard before..." Ganelon continued talking as he felt Ash work with his hair, sighing occasionally and mumbling something he couldn't understand.

 

[Guest]

She couldn't believe how much hair the man had. At first she struggled a moment to get it all combed out and wondered if he had ever considered a hair cut. Still, it was beautiful to the eyes and touch. She felt it was almost a pity for it to be held back, but knew it would be impossible to control otherwise.

As he spoke to her of his sister, she couldn't help but feel a small amount of jealousy. He obviously adored his sister and she had never had the pleasure of having a younger or older sibbling, often wishing she could share that sort of bond.

She listened to his voice as she worked, weaving his hair tightly into a braid. When she hit a snag, but mumbled to herself again that a hair cut was sorely needed and then sighed when she continued down.

Some time later, the braid was done. He handed her the ribbon and she tied the end tightly. Running a hand over the braid to make sure it was secure, she gave it a small playful tug. "You were right...my fingers are sore from all that work, but it was well worth it." She smiled and handed him the brush over his shoulder, "Your turn."

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

"I told you it's a pain to do it. There's no other way to have my hair... Family tradition you know..."

Ganelon turned and slowly and delicately unwove her braid, not as long as his but done much better than he would ever be able to do. He started brushing her hair, marvelling how soft and thick it was. And the colour, so deeply black, so rich. Ganelon felt a pang of envy.

"You've wonderful hair, Ash. The colour is so marvellous, so shiny, oh, I envy you. It's really something. Not like mine, neither red nor brown, something in between. And much easier to comb..." he talked as he worked.

He would have less work that she had, her hair was more orderly and shorter as well. Admiring it he got completely lost in thought, brushing her hair over and over again until she coughed and inquired what he was doing.

"Oh sorry, daydreaming..."

Embarassed and blushing he carried on to carefully weave her hair into a simple braid and secured it. Having her hair done up like that made her seem a bit taller with her neck uncovered. Looking at her from behind he couldn't help but notice how attractive she looked with her back so straigth and her head raised.

"There, all ready... It should last at least half a day," he joked and patted her shoulder. "Shall we go out now?"

 

[Guest]

Having Ganelon brush her hair had probably been the best and worst idea she had ever had. It could easily become one of her favorite things and she had only stopped him from brushing her hair to stop herself from feeling. With each stroke she had felt a little breathless, her heart skittering and pulse quickening. A deliscious little shiver ran down her spine when he accidently brushed against her back, even through her clothing.

Moving away, she smiled and went to fetch her boots. She struggled for a moment and finally got them on. "Don't envy my hair...yours is just as wonderful. I just couldn't imagine having so much of it. What I have is difficult enough at times." She smiled, straightening herself. "I think I'm ready. All things in order...I'd like to thank Mebbeth."

 

[Poganin]

Ganelon

"Good idea, she'll probably want to talk to you anyway. Seems to me she's not only a midwife but a clairvoyant as well, mentioned something about speaking with ghosts. Guess you two will have some topics to discuss."

Ganelon Led Ash to the house where Mebbeth lived with her sister for the time being. Before he had the chance to knock on the door, it opened and Mebbeth smiled her toothless smile at them.

"Come in, girl, come on in," she said to Ash. "And you, boy... Here's an axe, you go and hack some wood for this old woman, eh? We ladies have some things to talk about. Girlie-talk," Mebbeth cackled and winked handing him an old and terribly blunt axe.

 

[Guest]

Ash glanced over her shoulder, giving Ganelon a slight worried look before Mebbeth pulled her in and shut the door behind them. The old lady pulled her along and had her sit before a small fire. She didn't bother looking around...the woman was already studying her from top to bottom, deep in thought.

"Have ye told yer young man about yer past?" she asked, her voice almost a hushed whisper.

Ash nodded, "Yes."

The old woman nodded, a glad expression crossing her face as she patted Ash's hang in a loving, motherly manner. "Good. He is a good one and will keep you safe, but ye must be warned. Great danger will cross yer paths if something isn't done to yer mark. I cannot take it off and I wish that I could, but it cannot be so. Travel east to the city of Tylen and find the witch. She may be able to help."

Ash nodded in understanding and thanked Mebbeth, moving to stand. The old woman took her hand and held her, pulling her down to speak again. Her eyes bore into Ash's, suddenly full of life and vivid. "He will die for ye, young one. Do not let harm destroy him, for he is the key that unlocks and destroy all the evil powers. Ye will make him a happy and powerful leader."

Pulling away, Ash flushed, "You must be mistaken. Ganelon and I are put traveling partners."

The old woman huffed, "Do not ignore me, young one. What I say is true. No off with ye. Tell Ganelon to pile the wood up and take yer leave. Ye will not be safe here tonight."

Ash nodded and thanked the woman again. A thousand thoughts running through her head. She wondered if the woman was half out of her mind, but didn't want to argue. Let her think what she might...but east was where they were headed.