Private Tales Choosing Sides

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Tessa lifted her shirt to wipe the blood from her face and then drug her hands down her pants. She needed some water but the fabric would do for now.

The elf did as she was told and kept her eyes on Arwyl's feet as they moved. He was fast but she managed to keep up. "How did she find you...well...was she looking for you or was that luck?"
 
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"She was sitting at the inn at the centre of town with a nice little reward poster with a sketch of my face," he said. It might have amused him in other circumstances. If they got out of this it would certainly end up being a story he told around a campfire with great pride.

Kaius would complain that it had been foolish. He had gone with Caulden and they couldn't have expected to come across a Dreadlord.

"If one of the Vel Anir Houses is interested enough in our exploits to send a Dreadlord then we have problems."

He slowed to a stop. He could hear water. It would be a good way to cover their tracks, just in case the Dreadlord was a capable tracker. He doubted that. One couldn't dedicate their life to battle magic and sword work and leave room for other professions. He assumed it was what Tregart had been there for.

"You were very brave," he said, turning to face Tessa. He frowned as he looked at her cheek. The face could bleed a lot, he had expected to see plenty of fresh blood from the cuts.
 
Tessa wiped her cheek on the sleeve of her shirt to keep it from completely running down her face. If she could get her boots off and make skin contact with the earth, she would heal the cut. She would rather deal with the blood right now though. She would worry about using her magic when they were safer.

"Thank you...I guess after years of dealing with stubborn cows has come in handy for my own stubbornness." She smiled jokingly. She was trying to lighten the mood some. She needed to or she would cry again.
 
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"I was expecting those cuts to be worse," he admitted. "Not that it feels that way, I'm sure."

A dwarf had once split his brow with a headbutt. It had bled and bled and bled. The concussion had probably numbed some of the pain.

"We're going to cross the stream now," he said. "When we're on the other side we'll head upstream a way keeping out feet in the water. A tracker normally checks downstream of where their quarry crossed. We'll find somewhere to hide until light when we can get out bearings, wash up and get on the move."

Arwyl didn't know if it was a good plan. It was a plan. People looked to him for leadership and he had found having any answer at all gave them at least a little confidence.
 
Tessa nodded. There wasn't much else she could do or contribute. She knew nothing about tracking or hiding or anything. Once again...she was useless. She was an extra body that Arwyl had to keep track of and had to keep safe.

"Will you teach me all this stuff?" She asked in reference to his outdoor knowledge. His survival knowledge. "Also, how to fight...I feel useless!"
 
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"Of course we can," Arwyl replied, noting her expression curiously. Despite the situation he smiled. He sat down upon a rock and worked off his boots. He would at least get to wash the gore from his hands.

"I've got lots of people who know how to fight well - and how to fight dirty. Not a fucking one of them know how were actually going to feed all of them. Hunting isn't going to cut it for much longer."

Boots off, he waded out a few feet into the stream.

"Shit that's cold," he hissed. He was hoping to find a shallow point but it was going to be difficult in the dark.
 
Tessa followed suit by finding a rock and taking her boots off as well. She sighed happily as her bare feet touched the ground. She felt the power of the earth flow through her and the cut on her face started to heal. She didn't understand much of her magic but she knew the basics.

She stood as Arwyl told her about his people and she chuckled when he mentioned how hunting wasn't going to cut it. He was right. People needed other things besides wild game and she could help with that.

Tessa stepped into the water and flinched. "Yes, it is! I hate the cold," she laughed out as they started to walk slowly.
 
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As an elf with a magical heritage unique to his bloodline, he could still sense the magic of others. He couldn't quite place the signature of her power, but he felt the subtle shift in energy as she placed bare feet on the ground.

Treading carefully, he tried to find a shallow crossing. Arwyl still ended up soaked to just above his knees.

True to his plan, he turned upstream once they were in ankle deep water on the other side. They were a little exposed, but with the distance they had covered they left the Dreadlord a lot of ground to try and find them in the dark. She would probably have tried following the road. He allowed himself to feel a fraction more relaxed.

When he left the water he turned into a bank of ferns. They were soft and provided some cover. He found some ground free of brambles for them to camp down for now.

"Let's get some rest," he declared, setting himself down. "You can stay close," he offered, "if you want to stay warm." After the trip through the stream he was feeling the cold himself.
 
Tessa was certainly not going to turn down his offer of staying close. She was not going to turn down warmth when she was definitely cold as well. That would be asinine.

She joined Arwyl on the ground under the cover of the ferns. Hopefully they could make it through the night without being attacked. She hoped so. She was exhausted. Her connection to the earth was helping ease the ache of her muscles but she still needed actual sleep.

"You know, I am starting to regret this decision," her voice was light. It was a joke and she emphasized it with a chuckle. "I should've just stayed home and gone on with my boring life."
 
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"Stayed on your farm and lived out the life of a spinster for a thousand," he agreed. He let her lie down and shuffle close behind her so they could share some warmth. They both smelled of the running water, of blood and sweat. Having spent so much of his young life as a bandit on the road it was hardly a new experience for him.

"Still," he said quietly, breath making loose strands of gossamer hair dance in the moonlight, "our home is not so bad. We are few, but we look out for each other. I think...I hope that we might make something of it one day."

It was a hope that he hadn't allowed himself to feel for a long time. Many elves had made a sacrifice to get him out of Kiervarn before it was burned to the ground. He hadn't repaid them well with his attitude. His mother had been a great leader of a grand city and he had never felt that he could live up to that mantle.
 
Tessa felt Arwyl draw in close to her and his breath tickled the back of her neck. She was thankful for him and his men even if she joked about going back to her boring life.

"You will have to tell me about everyone someday. I feel like I should know about my new family." She yawned. "For now, let's try to sleep though."

Tessa brought one of his arms around her waist to try and get rid of any space between them. She was tired and she soon fell asleep. Well...she dozed off into a restless sleep.
 
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Arwyl was glad that he was exhausted. It had been such a ride of a day that he was certain his mind would replay it over and over until the small hours. He was feeling a lot of guilt for getting her caught up in everything, even though it could have been much worse.

It was light, but the sun was still just beyond the horizon when he woke. He blinked his eyes open and remembered that the warmth against him was Tessa and not one of his lovers.

He stayed still and listened to the breeze through the trees. There were song birds in the air and foraging mammals in the trees. No immediate danger.

Slowly, he drew his arm away and got to his feet. Blood was crusted across his hands and up his arms. He carefully made his way down to the stream, once again taking his time and looking for danger on the far bank.

Nothing revealed itself so he slowly peeled away his layers of clothes and left them on the rocky bank. He could wash them with running water and rough stones when he was done. Silently cursing the morning chill he stepped into the stream to wash.
 
Tessa woke up when she started to grow cold from her missing warmth. She yawned and let her eyes scan the area. Those eyes stopped on Arwyl as he began to step into the stream. She needed to do the same but she was dreading how cold it was in that water.

The woman slowly got up and walked over to the stream. She heard his curse as she started to take her own bloody and grim covered clothing off.

"Why can't it be a nice summer cool summer stream? I shall imagine it is," she joked quietly as she finished undressing. Tessa had never been a prude but she had never really been openly naked in the middle of the day with someone she barely knew. New experiences all around, she supposed.

"Fuck," she cursed. "Nope, I cannot imagine it. It's cold!"
 
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Arwyl turned, eyebrows rising high in shock. His gaze meandered around of its own accord, before he tried to act as if this was entirely expected. It hadn't been.

Whilst he was hardly shy and thought she might have woken before he was done, Arwyl had not expected her to join him.

"Imagination doesn't work against this," he laughed. His teeth chattered just a little. As casually as possible, he found a part of the stream that was waist high and waded into it.

The early light picked out the scars even more keenly than his freckles. Arwyl's early life had been dangerous, any it showed. His foolish exploits were now stories writ in flesh that he could not forget. His lithe build was hardened by those years too. Slim of waist and shoulder, but wiry muscle layered over his build.

"If you can find a rough stone, they're best for scrubbing with," he said. He collected his fierce ginger hair back, looking to her in feigned fright and dunked himself fully into the water.
 
Tessa felt bad as soon as she saw Arwyl's reaction. Perhaps she should have waited until he was done. She didn't mean to make is awkward. It was too late now though. She waded a little further in while cursing the entire way until the water reached her waist. This was terrible.

She couldn't help but look at Arwyl's back as he started to wash. He had more scars than she would have guessed and she was curious about those stories. She would never ask though. It was none of her business.

She chuckled as Arwyl ducked into the water completely and she winched. She was not looking forward to that at all. She needed to though.
 
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"Oh shit that's cold," he said, after bursting suddenly up from the water and sweeping his hair back. He was breathing hard and fast from the shock of the cold.

"Go on," he said, turning to face her with a grin plastered across his face.

"It feels much less cold after you've gone all the way in," he lied.
 
"You are a terrible liar, Arwyl!" Tessa had waded far enough in that the water reached her waist now. She growled with evey step.

Tessa didn't say anything else as she submerged herself completely. She came up with her teeth chattering and even more goosebumps pebbled her flesh.

She glared at Arwyl as she found a rock and started to scrub some of the blood off. "I think I prefer the blood and grime all of a sudden," she tried to joke between teeth chattering.
 
"I'm afraid I am a terrible liar," Arwyl laughed. He was also absolutely terrible at keeping his gaze to himself, given the wealth of skin on show. Laboured breathing was not just from the cold.

Arwyl had no experience in politics or diplomacy. He wore his feelings and desires on his sleeve. He was going to need more advisors who were not just military leaders. Arwyl had kept a following through the difficult years by being bold and leading by example, not by being tactful.

He had also kept a following because he was fond of raiding caravans transporting wine and spirits between human cities.

"I'm not going running in soaking wet clothes, so putting those grimy things back on is going to feel a little grim..." he said as he scrubbed his hands.
 
"This does seem like a cruel and unusual initiation you are playing on me, Arwyl." She tried to laugh but it didn't work. She was too cold.

Tessa managed to scrub the blood off of her arms and hands while trying not to stare at her companion. He was very handsome and she didn't mind the sight of his body in the slightest. She felt a slight twinge of heat hit her cheeks.

"How far are we from the camp?" She asked casually as she scrubbed. "And what are we going to do about the farm?"
 
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"We're a long way from our camp," he said. He drew his hands over his head and tried to press some of the water from his long hair. Her look didn't go unnoticed, but they were supposed to be escaping danger. Despite his conscious admonishment he waded rather closer, within arms reach.

"And going in the wrong direction. I don't want her following us back there. That hunter was so stupid I can't help but suspect a plot to follow us."

He looked over his shoulder, as attuned to the forests as any of his kind. Perhaps not as much as Tessa. He still lowered his voice.

"We're about three days away. Obviously it will take much longer on a roundabout route to throw them off. I still intend to get your equipment and money for your farm. We need to deal with the Dreadlord first."
 
Tessa was thankful they were not close to the camp. There was plenty of distance for them to lead the Dreadlord away without worrying about running to his people. She smiled as he waded closer to her.

Three days was a long time but it would be good for her to learn around Arwyl and his people. Her new family. "Do you think we will be able to get new clothes? I cannot wear those for much longer. I think I would rather just stay naked," she chuckled.

Tessa took a deep breath to prepare for submerging herself again. The squatted and brought the water up onto her arms and face before standing again. "This is terrible!"
 
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"So we travel without clothes. A fine endeavour - assuming you're going first - until we meet some brambles in the ferns," Arwyl laughed.

He was being deeply unfair. Tessa had been through a lot. The violence that came so easy to him and his crew must have been gut wrenching for her. Her old life might have been dragging alone, but she was about to take a big step into a new one. If she survived.

"You don't want to go under again?" he asked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. A plan to dunk her back under had formed.

It was unfair, but Arwyl also had his own style. There were things he knew, that he did not know he knew. That sometimes in the darkest hours a bit of silliness could lift the soul.

That, or a bottle of rum.
 
Tessa glared playfully at Arwyl when he asked her around going back under. "I will drag you down with me and then hold you under!" What he had planned was written plainly on his face. He would definitely suffer with her if he felt so inclined to act on those plans.

Honestly, Tessa enjoyed their banter and it made her feel better, happier, and hopeful. She hoped her knew that he had that affect on her. She would tell him at some point. Right now, she needed to stop thinking about him walking through the woods with no clothing.
 
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His eyes went wide.

"She's found us!" he hissed, pointing into the woods behind her.

Whether it worked or not, it did not matter. It wasn't the best piece of acting he had ever tried, but he was playing off her current state of alertness.

Arwyl reached for her shoulders and tried to twist her off balance and backwards into the icy water.
 
Tessa should've known. She should've! She still fell for it though. Her head whipped around to look in the direction he was. As soon as she turned her head, Arwyl grabbed her shoulders. She turned back to look at him with horror etched on her face as she fell backwards.

"Asshole!" She hissed loudly as she grabbed for his arm with a free hand. He was coming in with her!

The icy water hit her back and then the water rushed over her hair. It wasn't until her face was covered that she vowed to murder Arwyl.
 
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