genet
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Post by genet on Jul 9, 2015 16:12:30 GMT -6
The Man had been the sole inhabitant of the small, stone room for hours now.
After months of being on the run, even when he had found someone to shelter him, he was still alone. He had had good fortune on first arriving that the Scale in its entirety seemed deserted. No one saw him enter, descend the stairs, and lock himself in one of the many small basement rooms. He knew with absolute certainty that this was the only place in Wildgard that he could disarm himself. Under the strain of his mysterious ailments, he pulled the quiver up over his shoulder and unbelted the longsword and dagger from his hip, laying the assortment of weapons against the wall next to the door, with the bow he'd been using as a crutch. Then he turned and considered the bed. Cautiously, he maneuvered over to it, and sunk onto its edge, sat upright. Having lived in the wilderness for so long, he could not tell what the true quality of the mattress was, but having known only the spaces between tree roots and the floors of caves, it was the most luxery his backside had felt in a very long time. Did he dare increase his comfort, and remove the coverings from about his head?
"Only one knows that you are here, no other," he reminded himself.
With hesitation, he lowered the brown hood and untied the green kerchief from behind his neck. With the thick mess of hair still covering his face, he was sure that none would recognize him even now that his outer mask was discarded. Perhaps if his defences were not so lowered, he would have had the mental discipline to stay awake still, but his exhaustion was too strong and the bed was too soft. In spite of himself, unconsciousness took him.
A life of running had made a light sleeper of him, the gentle knock on the door was rousing enough.
Immediately suspicious, he swiftly retied the green cloth across the ridge of his nose and dove for the floor by his armaments. He freed the long dagger from its sheath and readied it for whoever was about to enter...
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Post by Ashen Windsong on Jul 10, 2015 1:13:54 GMT -6
"Hooded one, its me Ashen, Im coming in. there something i must give you." Moving her hand to the door knob she noticed it was locked. With a sigh she had thought of opening the heavy wooden door with her keys, however that was no way to gains someone's trust.
looking behind her, she scanned her eyes around the area allowing herself to check for hidden souls. Her eyes glowing green for a moment after she whispered the word "tracking" still, nothing showed; she was indeed alone.
Turning her gaze back to the door, she sighed. "i checked im all alone, you can let me in" Her eyes returning to its normal jade.
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genet
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Posts: 6
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Post by genet on Jul 10, 2015 8:17:51 GMT -6
He could not help but sigh with relief at the familiar voice from the other side of the door as he stood to unlock it. He lowered his blade, but kept it in hand, ready for anyone beyond who had remained unseen, or might arrive in time to witness his presence. Opening the door about the width of his foot, the gaze of his hollow but keen eyes immediately locked on those of his host.
"Busy day?" he asked gruffly.
Humour was something he had not had need of in a long time, but something about returning to the town seemed to draw out this side of his former self, whether he meant it to or not. He was unsure which was more surprising, his own levity or the fact that he had surrendered what little security the small room had so easily. When was the last time he had been so trusting?
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Post by Ashen Windsong on Jul 10, 2015 11:46:29 GMT -6
"Indeed...it was" keeping her distance from him, she couldn't help but cough slightly. Holding up a small bag for him to take, Ashen locked her gaze with him.
"It's medicine, there's something going around infecting people, coming from Pan'ti, just to be careful due to the infection in me, and a few others, im making sure that everyone has some" Ashen couldn't help but smile a bit, it seemed like the 'old genet' was still somewhere under all that facial hair and scruff he hid behind.
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genet
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Posts: 6
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Post by genet on Jul 10, 2015 12:27:15 GMT -6
There was something about her smile that was as painful to him as it was warm - perhaps it reminded him of easier days he knew he could never return to?
"Medicine? I'm not sure what good it will do for me now, given the nature of my state... But, obtaining further maladies is certainly the last thing I need. Thank you."
Lowering his eyes from hers, he swung the door the rest of the way open, ushering his rescuer inside, and securing the door again behind her. Accepting the package she had brought with her, he laid it and his dagger on the small bedside table. A somewhat uncomfortable silence hung over the room. Standing a fair distance from her -more from shame at his presence in her home than fear of mutual contamination- he removed his green mask again.
"I'm sure you have questions," he said at last, "the most pertinent probably being why I'm here."
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Post by Ashen Windsong on Jul 12, 2015 19:17:12 GMT -6
"the serum is for the plague going around, sadly i caught. and a few others, at least now your covered.' Crossing her arms and leaning on the door, she let her gaze lock onto the man again, noting he was armed for a moment. 'good thing i asked permission to come in'
looking toward him, she smiled slight as he removed his mask. "indeed i have questions, why your here, if you wanted to run, why leave bear? why everything."
she continued to lean as she waited for his reply.
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genet
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Posts: 6
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Post by genet on Jul 13, 2015 9:13:13 GMT -6
A heavy sigh rattled from the depths of his soul. He had thought he was ready to explain himself, but it was clear there was more he would have to answer for than he was ready. He rubbed his hand hard against the creases of his brow, and pondered where to start.
"Even before I came here, I was a soldier. For much of my life, all I knew was duty, and the honour required to uphold one's duties," as he spoke, he found he still could not look at her, "there were many important duties imposed upon me in this place: serving in the Guardians, trying to keep the peace as sheriff, attempting to guide and protect Princess Urstrid... I failed at all of those and more, and brought great dishonour upon myself. I left because I dared not face the ruin I had brought to myself and those I cared about. I had been so ineffectual in my service that I might as well not have served at all, so I resolved to flee the duties that bound me here, to try and absolve myself of the failures I had wrought."
In a perverse way that startled and disturbed him, confessing to Ashen the motives for his flight reminded him all to much of the enchantment the witch in the woods cast upon him, forcing him to spill out his life's story and innermost desires, ultimately causing him to be cursed out of the earthly plane every seven days. He steeled himself to continue, the woman he was with now meant him no harm, and he had one last thing to make clear.
“Where I am from," he began again, "we revere the names given to us - surnames especially, they denote our roles in society, or our key characteristics. With everything I’ve failed to do in the past, I don’t deserve my name anymore. I’ve decided that I don’t want a name, not while I’m here, maybe never again... A name provides more than just a designation, it creates an identity, and I cannot afford to have one of those right now, not while my mission is at hand. If you must refer to me to anyone, simply call me 'the Faceless Man' or ‘the Man in the Mask.'"
He realised of course that he had yet to properly explain the nature of his mission to her, though he had danced around the issue before revealing his identity. For the moment he decided it best to let what he had said already sink in, for he had said much, and was beginning to wonder what she would say in return.
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