Thick as thieves

[Lovelickin]

Fellheim was buzzing, the annual feast of the god Elmet was in full swing, the celebrations rang out in the streets and the crowds gathered to receive the blessings from the priests. Eac year twenty would be chosen as sacrifice, but this ensured a good harvest, and a spectacle to watch. It was deemed lucky to be splashed with the blood of the sacrifice,and the positions close to the podium, while risky, were sought after. It was from these willing members that the chosen would be taken.

Braynolf walked the outskirts, his leather armour hiden beneith a long travelling cloak. He had left his normal weapons safe,for this was meerly a scouting mission. The raiders were poised outside the city,waiting to enter and liberate the temple of its wealth. He watched, noting the guards, how they relaxed, the crowd,how it moved.

This should be easy,but then they had thought that of the raid on the Tamari caravan.....



Swords & sorcery srp - seeking female to play a role,can be sacrifice, priestess, raider or anything you like to become embroiled with brynolf - PM with ideas!

 

[LadyCara]

Malia stood with the other sacrifices. All had been chosen for their physical attributes. She knew she was beautiful, with breast that took a mans eye, but as her father was poor she had yet to find a man and so her Father had presented her for sacrifice, to carry favour with the gods. With their favour he hoped wealth would come his way and her sisters would be able to make a good match, thereby increasing his wealth.

Many here deemed it an honour to be sacrificed and looked forward to their rewards in the afterlife, but Malia trembled at the thought, she didn't want to die.

The sacrifices wore nothing save a white cloak, held together with by a clasp, so that it was easily removed when they stood by the altar.

So Malia sat and waited for the gong that would tell her the ceremony would begin, though that was still several hours away.

 

[Lovelickin]

the celebration would begin now, reaching its climax as the sun dipped below the ity wall. Brynolf knew he had time to get into the temple and find his pize, the dragons eye was a ruby the size of a childs fist, it was to be taken to the halls of king Anulf - there it would be usd as ransom.

Brynolf blened carefully into the masses, following the sacrifices progress from a distance. He moved closr to the city wall and ducked into a small building. Carefully he pulled himslf onto the roof and moved to climb onto the temple roof. All the citizens and guards were rapt, watching the ceremony as the sacrifices were slowly paraded to the alter steps. Each one looked for faces in the crowd, most with smiles but one was obviously not happy to be chosen, she looked sad, lost and trapped. But it was of no concern - he had a prize to steal....

 

[LadyCara]

Malia walked through the crowds with the other sacrifices. She knew somewhere in the cowd was her Father, looking to milk the situation and teling everyone he is an homoured person for having a daughter as a sacrifice.

With so many in the plaza Malia feels hot and can't wait to get to the end. Unlike the others she doesn't smile, a resigned look on her face. This is her fate and she cannot change it, no matter how much she wants to run off into the crowds.

Eventually they reach the foot of the Temple and begin to ascend the steps to the large golden doors.

Once inside they are lined up and the high priest removes each of their clothing in turn, afterall, the sight of blood on skin is more effective to keep the masses quelled and also the added benefit of allowing the blood to flow freely.

One by one they are taken up another staircase which leads to an open balcony on which the altar lays and as the sun lowers over the horizon, one by one the Sacrifices are slautered to the cheers of the crowd and the enjoyment of the sadistic head priest.

Malia watches each one taken and awaits her turn.

 

[Lovelickin]

The main temple was deserted, Brynolf slipped carefully inside an stood before the dais. Gingerly he took the Dragons Eye from its golden stand and secreted it in a pouch beside his heart. The easy part was done, he slippe through the priests quarters,lifting a fresh robe from a chest and slipped it on over his armour, the advantage of his leather was that disguise was possible.

'You!' the voice was demanding and strong 'they have chosen, take the blade to Krynn and take her life' the lean priest held out a shining obsidian blade and pushed Bynolf towards the baying crowd.

he walked out, seeing the crowd, the blood stained high priest and the naked girl. She held an air of defiance, resignation almost. Brynolf walked to the high priest and passed him the blade. The old man looked at him 'hold her' he hissed and Brynolf felt his plan develop

 

[LadyCara]

Malia is taken to the altar and stands proud. She will not show fear even though she's shaking with fear on the inside. She would not dishomour her father with a cowardly show.

Malia watches as a man comes out carrying the blade that will hold her demise. She notes he's good looking and in another time or place may have flirted with him a little, but her time has run out.

Malia moves and lays on the altar.

'hold her'

Malia waits to feel the strangers hands on her shoulders to stop her moving so the blade will hold true to her heart and she waits for the feel of the knife on her skin.

The Priest begins his ritual, all eyes of the crowd on him as he raises the knife above her.

 

[Lovelickin]

with firm hans Brynolf grips her, he leans in, catcing a good sight of her body and whispers 'up for some fun?' he whistles loudly and steps infront of the girl, using a blade to strike the priests hands from his arms.

the crowd roars its anger and he pulls the girl towards the temple, using her to block the priests 'don't fear you're chosen, they can't harm you and I think you'd rather get away from their dirty plan' he pinned her hands, gently simulating force,then leaned to kiss her full on the lips. 'my compliments gentlmen' he grinned and pulled her into the dark

'follow me if you want to live' he hissed and ran into the depths of the building, finally he arrived at a basement and set to picking the lock of a large grated door. 'keep an ear out, they'll be coming' he hissed

 

[LadyCara]

Everything happens in a rush that before Malia quite knows what's happening she is being saved by a stranger.

She knew she should scream or fight when he kisses her, but somehow she finds that she quite enjoyed it, even if it was only brief.

'follow me if you want to live'

Malia nods and follows him through the building aware of her nakedness, but getting away stops her from doing anything about it. Maybe i'll steal some clothes later, she thinks to herself.

'keep an ear out, they'll be coming'

In the distance a shout was heard and Malia shivered, she didn't want to be caught and find herself once more on the altar.

"Hurry." she pleaded.

 

[Lovelickin]

'fools' he muttered and opened the grate, it was a simple lock, one he'd been trained on as a child. He pushed the grate and stepped through. 'so you coming?' He smiled an held out his hand to the girl, his eyes roaming her naked form, and dwelling on her breasts. He took her hand and pulled her through, pushing the grate back and applying his own lock 'lets see them try' he grinned and headed into the dark caverns below the city.

after a few turns which he had memorised from scouting trips, he stopped in the passage - letting the girl walk into him, 'shhh' he whispered and listened to the grate being rattled. Te guards had obviously decided that they hadn't gone that way 'we're safe for a while' he whispered

 

[LadyCara]

'so you coming?'

Malia nodded in response.

'we're safe for a while'

"Thank you for the rescue." she whisphered.

The cavern was cold and Malia couldn't help but shiver, her nipples standing out in response the the cold air brushing against them.

She heard the gate being rattled. "Which way now?" she whisphered.

 

[Lovelickin]

He smiled. 'Thats the cunning part, we wait' He turned and placed the torch into a crevace in the wall and sat on a stone, using his jerkin to make it more comfortable. 'so I guess as we're stuck together, I'm Brynolf.' he lifted a cloak from a pasck secreted in the wall and offered it to her. 'although its a shame to cover you up.....you'd be uncomfortable naked own here for long' he watched as she moved to collect the cloak then stood an walked to the opposite wall.

In the wall was a gap, large enough to lie in, deep enough to fit two people. 'Its a squeeze but if we're to fully escape we're stuck for a few days.'

 

[LadyCara]

Malia didn't want to accept the cloak from a stranger, but knew the cold would eventually make her ill, so accepted it, gratefully wrapping it around her.

"My name is Malia." she told him.

"Do you know these catacombs well?" she asked hoping that Brynolf wouldn't get them lost down here. "Are there other exits?"

Malia moved over to the crevis he indicated wondering how he found it as it was half hidden behind a fallen rock. The only trouble would be if they were caught, then there would be no escape.

"And won't the Temple guards search down here?"

 

[Lovelickin]

Brynolf smiled. 'I'm Brynolf, and don't worry. We are safe, the guards haven't been down here for some time.' he began to loosen his tunic. 'they will guard all the exits,even the ones this drain leads to, but the only place they will leave unguarded is the temple, and that's my way out'

he removed his tunic and washed in the water dripping from one corner, 'I've scouted these caves and watched the patrols. They never check these drains as they have those locks on the doors, but we've got the keys' he grinned 'you're welcome to leave when I do, but I must insist you do what I ask...'

he turned to her, 'we ought to get to know each other Malia, we'll be here a few days'

 

[LadyCara]

"I will do as you ask, so long as it is within reason."

Malia watched as Brynolf removed his tunic to wash, watching the way he moved. She was unsuprised to see muscle as he had already proved that he was fit.

"Ask away, though there is little to tell. My father is a farmer, but the crops have not been kind and when a priest came on search he was only too glad when I was chosen."

Malia turned away saddness in her voice. "I will never be able to return home, for he would hand me over to the priests or risk their wrath."

Malia's hand moved beneath her cloak over the mark that all chosen were branded with, knowing her future looked very bleak even if she did escape, but first she would stay with this man and escape, then consider her options.

Shaking herself out of her reverie she looked over at Brynolf. "So tell me, what is your story?"

 

[Lovelickin]

he sat and looked at her 'I'm a rogue, a thief, a scoundrel. I only remember my master in te slums- showing me how to steal, to kill and to hide in plain sight. I have no father, no mother.' he paused 'but I have my wits, my sword and the will to use what comes my way. I was told of a treasure here - and now I have it. But the joy is in te getting and escaping, I hold no value in possessions.' he stood and walked closer, crouching before her.

'your father was pleased you would be killed? Were you?' he asked, a puzzled look crossing his face

 

[LadyCara]

Malia pauised a minute before answewring his question.

"It's not a case of being pleased or not it's the way things are. Life and death is a circle and death helps those in life." I knew it wasn't really the answer Brynolf was looking for, but I wasn't ready to examine my feelings on how close to death i'd come. I knew my Mother would have wept for me, but my father always kept things to himself rarely showing much affection for me and my sister, who he had married off as soon as she came of age.

I moved over to the water and sipped from it using my hand, as much as to hide my face and my feelings. I hadn't wanted to die, but I had resigned myself to my fate and here I was free.

 

[Lovelickin]

Brynolf snorted 'It's always the young who are sacrificed, the old hang onto life and guard it jealously!' he walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder 'live - it's the best thing we have. You can do anything, and owe nothing to anybody. Do as you will and enjoy it'

He paused there - his hand gently resting on her shouler, knowing her vulnerability - but he was never one to take from a woman what she didn't want to give

 

[LadyCara]

Malia leaned into his touch and covered his hand with hers, taking comfort in his nearness, wishing she knew him well enough for him to wrap his arms around her and make her feel safe and then she remembered the kiss and couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"Thank you for saving me. I don't know what the future will hold for me, but at least I have one now."

And then on impulse she moved to kiss him on the cheek but whether he moved or she miscaluclated, she wasn't sure, but her lips found his and she found herself wrapping her arms around him, her body trembling, the aftermath of her ordeal beginning to set in, the memory of the knife, the fact she nearly died all culminating in her clinging to him, the only rock she had that she could hold onto.

 

[Lovelickin]

that kiss and embrace shocked him, it felt so different. He knew women, te whores from the streets were his friends and he had taken many, but their touch was somehow cold. Yes he had kissed her on the altar, but that was bravado,stone cold bravado. Now he felt something odd. A boiling in his stomach 'It's OK' he whispered 'I'll not let you be harmed, I'll.....I'll take you with me.'

he held her the light from the torch making their shadows dance. 'maybe some rest is needed? You take the bed' he whispered

 

[LadyCara]

'I'll not let you be harmed, I'll.....I'll take you with me.'

She looked up, did he mean it, truly?

"Thank you. That would be beyond kindness."

'maybe some rest is needed? You take the bed'

She nodded, suddenly aware how weary she felt and made her way over to the bed he indicated.

"Will you stand guard, or will you rest to?" she asked

 

[Lovelickin]

'I'll sit here' he smiled gesturing at the rock he had sat on before, 'there's fur skins in there and only a little room' he smiled. Torn between his bodies reactions and his confusion over this girl. He knew they would spend two days there, then he would get her out of the ity safely. It would be her choice as to where she went next but a large part of him hoped she would stay close to him. 'do you want the light out?' he asked, as he watched her step towards the makeshift bed

 

[LadyCara]

'do you want the light out?'

"You will need the light to see." Malia couldn't help but wonder if any of the light would give away their position, but Brynolf would surely have thought of that as she made her way over to the creavice and furs.

She arranged them as best as she could and settled down to sleep.

It took her a little while to sleep and her dreams were punctuated by knives, blood and a cheering crowd.

 

[Lovelickin]

Brynolf sat and watched her sleep, he was happy that they were safe, the twists in the passage kept the light fom being seen, he had checcked when setting up the lair weeks ago.

He watched Malia begin to twitch a sleep overtook her, bad dreams. Gently he moved closer sitting on the rocks beside her, and slid a hand into the furs, fining her hand and gently taking it in his, gods know what she was feeling, but her vulnerability combined with an obvious inner resolve was difficult for him to ignore.

 

[LadyCara]

Malia woke slightly when she felt his hand hold hers and it like a life line as she drifted back into sleep this time with more pleaseant dreams of a handsome hero. How long she slept she didn't know, it was hard to tell how much time had passed in the cave.

The sleep had done her good, she felt more in control.

As she opened her eyes she looked up and saw Bryolf next to her and could feel his hand and hers touching. "Hello." she smiled at him her eyes lighting.

Malia sat up, "I needed the sleep."

 

[Lovelickin]

Brynolf grinned 'you needed that' he gently squeezed her hand and stood, 'I think food may be in order next' he reached for a bag, held on a small ledge and opened it to reveal a small loaf, some cheese an cold meats. 'I wasn't expecting company, so it's not much. But I'm sure it will do us for a couple of days' he sat again beside her and offered the bag