Private Tales The Hunter and The Tiger
- Thread starter Sung Chei
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A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
"Did she seem afraid of sunlight?" Sung asked her, his food now forgotten and his tone serious. He had had more than enough bad experiences with vampires before, if this was another one, he'd have to kill her for one, and for two, he'd have to be ready to be attacked. Vampires were insanely difficult to predict, and you never knew whether or not you were on their menu.
He never looked at Hemmerlind, he was staring intensely into the fire, thinking.
He never looked at Hemmerlind, he was staring intensely into the fire, thinking.
"YES!"
Sledge glanced over to Hemmerlind. Sung's question sure as hell riled him up. Man was positively glowing with excitement. As much as he could be while tied up to a stake.
Hemmerlind returned Sledge's look. "Your friend there knows what I'm getting at. And yes, it's that. Exactly that. The Mistress of Koninghaven is a vampire! Are you...are you seriously telling me you didn't know?"
"Hey. Hemmerlind. I already told you I don't ask questions. And she didn't pounce on me and try to suck my blood as soon as I walked in her manor."
Hemmerlind scoffed. "That's because she wanted me."
"You?" A quizzical look over to Sung, then back to Hemmerlind.
"Fine. Don't believe me. You don't have to take my word for it," Hemmerlind said. And he craned his neck some. "Take a look for yourself. Pull off my scarf."
Sledge glanced over to Hemmerlind. Sung's question sure as hell riled him up. Man was positively glowing with excitement. As much as he could be while tied up to a stake.
Hemmerlind returned Sledge's look. "Your friend there knows what I'm getting at. And yes, it's that. Exactly that. The Mistress of Koninghaven is a vampire! Are you...are you seriously telling me you didn't know?"
"Hey. Hemmerlind. I already told you I don't ask questions. And she didn't pounce on me and try to suck my blood as soon as I walked in her manor."
Hemmerlind scoffed. "That's because she wanted me."
"You?" A quizzical look over to Sung, then back to Hemmerlind.
"Fine. Don't believe me. You don't have to take my word for it," Hemmerlind said. And he craned his neck some. "Take a look for yourself. Pull off my scarf."
Sung had met Sledge's quizzical gaze. He moved over to Hemmerlind and removed his scarf as suggested. And there, right over his artery, were two circular scars, not entirely finished healing either, almost as though it were recently reopened.
Sung looked back at Sledge. "The evidence is at least enough to bring up a few questions. And if she is indeed a vampire, she needs to be dealt with. I'm not saying we should let him go, I'm saying that she needs to die. You can get your pay, but afterwards, I'm going to make sure that she is who Hemmerlind claims, and if so, I'm taking both of their heads, with or without your help."
Sung looked back at Sledge. "The evidence is at least enough to bring up a few questions. And if she is indeed a vampire, she needs to be dealt with. I'm not saying we should let him go, I'm saying that she needs to die. You can get your pay, but afterwards, I'm going to make sure that she is who Hemmerlind claims, and if so, I'm taking both of their heads, with or without your help."
Well goddamn. Look at those marks.
Hemmerlind looked nervous, given what Sung had said. Looked like he had more to say.
But Sledge spoke first. She met Sung's gaze and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and said, "Yeah...all I care about is my payment. I don't know if Hemmerlind is right, and I don't care. It's none of my business."
"None of..." Hemmerlind trailed off in frustration. Closed his eyes and grit his teeth. Opened his eyes then and said, "Alright. Listen. Hear me out. I know at least one thing is going to happen here, and that's me getting returned back to the Mistress. You two seem dead set on that."
He took a breath. "I've lived in Koninghaven for all my life. Twenty-three years. I was too young to remember when it happened or how it happened, but the Mistress came in one day and she established herself as the Lady of the town. Now listen. She says that she protects the town, in exchange for saps like me who volunteer to live in her manor and let her drink their blood. Six years in there, for me. I was young and stupid and, well, truth be told, being a younger man at the time and her being ageless and beautiful...well, shit. I didn't even really know what a vampire truly was back then, alright? Koninghaven is a small, remote town, and..."
A slight scowl. "And everybody there loves her. Most everybody, I should say, some just tolerate the situation, but practically everybody. It's no secret among the townsfolk that she's a vampire." A glance to Sledge. "They didn't tell you because, one, you didn't ask, and two, you're a stranger. Look. Corner the right person, press them on it, and they'll tell you. You know it's seen as an honor to volunteer to 'aid' the Mistress? Yeah. And she prefers younger men like me."
A look with a small hint of fear back to Sung. "Now. Look. Sung, was it? You don't need to cut my head off. I know I'm a piece of shit but I had to do what I had to do once I escaped. By rights, I ought to be a vampire now, shouldn't I? If she bit me. You know I learned a lot in those six years. Especially from the other two older volunteers. You get bit by a vampire and survive you turn into one, right? That how it works? Well, I wouldn't know, because she uses these...what would you call them?...sharp, thin, metal things to stick into your neck. Always the goddamn neck. Draws out the blood and she's on the other side lapping it up. That's when her fangs come out. Soon as she gets a whiff of that blood."
Hemmerlind sighed.
"I just didn't want to be confined to that manor anymore. So I got the hell out when the time was right."
Sledge took another bite of her potato. Chewed it slowly.
Could Hemmerlind be lying? Sure. Wouldn't be the first time, but it might be the most creative tale she'd heard spun. That was the thing about taking your bounties in alive; they had all that time to try and convince you to take their side. Made sense from their perspective. Why not at least try. So bounty hunters needed a finely calibrated filter for bullshit and a heart that didn't bleed for every sob story told.
And this lad Hemmerlind. Sledge had seen the inside of the Mistress' manor for herself. The curtains. Hell, the location of Koninghaven itself. Weather was hardly bright and cheery, now was it? And there the marks on his neck. All circumstantial? Absolutely. But eerily close to lining up with his story? That too.
Hemmerlind looked nervous, given what Sung had said. Looked like he had more to say.
But Sledge spoke first. She met Sung's gaze and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and said, "Yeah...all I care about is my payment. I don't know if Hemmerlind is right, and I don't care. It's none of my business."
"None of..." Hemmerlind trailed off in frustration. Closed his eyes and grit his teeth. Opened his eyes then and said, "Alright. Listen. Hear me out. I know at least one thing is going to happen here, and that's me getting returned back to the Mistress. You two seem dead set on that."
He took a breath. "I've lived in Koninghaven for all my life. Twenty-three years. I was too young to remember when it happened or how it happened, but the Mistress came in one day and she established herself as the Lady of the town. Now listen. She says that she protects the town, in exchange for saps like me who volunteer to live in her manor and let her drink their blood. Six years in there, for me. I was young and stupid and, well, truth be told, being a younger man at the time and her being ageless and beautiful...well, shit. I didn't even really know what a vampire truly was back then, alright? Koninghaven is a small, remote town, and..."
A slight scowl. "And everybody there loves her. Most everybody, I should say, some just tolerate the situation, but practically everybody. It's no secret among the townsfolk that she's a vampire." A glance to Sledge. "They didn't tell you because, one, you didn't ask, and two, you're a stranger. Look. Corner the right person, press them on it, and they'll tell you. You know it's seen as an honor to volunteer to 'aid' the Mistress? Yeah. And she prefers younger men like me."
A look with a small hint of fear back to Sung. "Now. Look. Sung, was it? You don't need to cut my head off. I know I'm a piece of shit but I had to do what I had to do once I escaped. By rights, I ought to be a vampire now, shouldn't I? If she bit me. You know I learned a lot in those six years. Especially from the other two older volunteers. You get bit by a vampire and survive you turn into one, right? That how it works? Well, I wouldn't know, because she uses these...what would you call them?...sharp, thin, metal things to stick into your neck. Always the goddamn neck. Draws out the blood and she's on the other side lapping it up. That's when her fangs come out. Soon as she gets a whiff of that blood."
Hemmerlind sighed.
"I just didn't want to be confined to that manor anymore. So I got the hell out when the time was right."
Sledge took another bite of her potato. Chewed it slowly.
Could Hemmerlind be lying? Sure. Wouldn't be the first time, but it might be the most creative tale she'd heard spun. That was the thing about taking your bounties in alive; they had all that time to try and convince you to take their side. Made sense from their perspective. Why not at least try. So bounty hunters needed a finely calibrated filter for bullshit and a heart that didn't bleed for every sob story told.
And this lad Hemmerlind. Sledge had seen the inside of the Mistress' manor for herself. The curtains. Hell, the location of Koninghaven itself. Weather was hardly bright and cheery, now was it? And there the marks on his neck. All circumstantial? Absolutely. But eerily close to lining up with his story? That too.
Sung replied to him with a dark chuckle. "I might not need to cut your head off. But one less brigand is always better for the environment, wouldn't you agree? Either way, she dies if she is a vampire, I've known enough of them to know not to take chances. So what is your take on this Sledge? Are you going to help me get rid of a probable honest threat?"
Hemmerlind looked perturbed still. Had that 'I got so much shit to say' look on his face from before.
"I--"
"Shut it, Hemmerlind," Sledge said, interrupting the man before he could go on again. "You've said your piece."
The man grimaced and grumbled to himself.
And Sledge looked to Sung. Said flatly, "It's none of my business. Unless the Mistress makes it my business. Then I'll have a problem. Otherwise, I'm going to get paid and leave her be. Vampire or no vampire."
The campfire crackled and the flame swayed with a breeze.
"I--"
"Shut it, Hemmerlind," Sledge said, interrupting the man before he could go on again. "You've said your piece."
The man grimaced and grumbled to himself.
And Sledge looked to Sung. Said flatly, "It's none of my business. Unless the Mistress makes it my business. Then I'll have a problem. Otherwise, I'm going to get paid and leave her be. Vampire or no vampire."
The campfire crackled and the flame swayed with a breeze.
"Very well. I won't drag you into it. I appreciate your help with all of this, getting rid of the brigands I mean." He says returning to his meal. "Now what should we do about shutting him up? Use his scarf as a gag maybe?"
He didn't so much as glance at Hemmerlind, he didn't care one bit about him. He'd happily lip off his head once Sledge received her bounty.
He didn't so much as glance at Hemmerlind, he didn't care one bit about him. He'd happily lip off his head once Sledge received her bounty.
No hard feelings from Sung. That was good. Sledge couldn't say that she'd met and spent time around too many overly zealous-types before, but she was glad to know that Sung wasn't one of them. A few ex-Templars and ex-priests in Blair Company, funny enough. They were cunts. Did all the same shit everybody else and acted like they were still somehow better. Berated everyone--everyone but Captain Leona--who didn't agree with their beliefs. Only reason they were tolerated was so somebody could be the butt of most jokes. That, and they were the people everybody else unanimously hated and could have some cheap, effortless fun talking shit about.
Yeah. Turned out Sung just didn't like vampires in general. Good reason for it, of course. Who the hell wanted to get their blood sucked by an overgrown leech? Aside from those 'volunteers' in Koninghaven, anyway. If Hemmerlind's story was even true. That still remained to be seen.
"Heh. Yeah. That scarf ought to do," Sledge said.
Hemmerlind just grumbled. Looked into the fire.
Sledge finished her meal. Found a nice spot beside the fire and lay down with one leg on top of the other and her hands on her stomach. Would've been nice if she'd brought her bedroll. Poor planning. Still though, it wasn't like she could get more comfortable and take off her armor. Had to be ready. Just in case.
So it was a night to 'rough it', as it was often put by mercs and military-types. Sleep in her armor on the ground without any kind of covering or shelter, just trying to get what sleep she could.
She closed her eyes.
Yeah. Turned out Sung just didn't like vampires in general. Good reason for it, of course. Who the hell wanted to get their blood sucked by an overgrown leech? Aside from those 'volunteers' in Koninghaven, anyway. If Hemmerlind's story was even true. That still remained to be seen.
"Heh. Yeah. That scarf ought to do," Sledge said.
Hemmerlind just grumbled. Looked into the fire.
Sledge finished her meal. Found a nice spot beside the fire and lay down with one leg on top of the other and her hands on her stomach. Would've been nice if she'd brought her bedroll. Poor planning. Still though, it wasn't like she could get more comfortable and take off her armor. Had to be ready. Just in case.
So it was a night to 'rough it', as it was often put by mercs and military-types. Sleep in her armor on the ground without any kind of covering or shelter, just trying to get what sleep she could.
She closed her eyes.
"And Hemmerlind, vampires don't turn you by biting you, this disease is spread through blood to blood contact." He says getting up and gagging Hemmerlind.
Sung sat down in the lotus position, his feet on top of his knees, he placed his hands on top and slept. He would wake up a little bit after Sledge did.
Sung sat down in the lotus position, his feet on top of his knees, he placed his hands on top and slept. He would wake up a little bit after Sledge did.
Dawn.
The fire had burnt out.
And Sledge awoke and groaned and sat up slowly and dragged a hand down her face. Roughing it never was particularly pleasant in the morning. Always a general soreness somewhere in the body. Didn't help she still had some lingering bruises and wounds.
She groaned again as she stood up and found her feet. Not a morning person. Never was, roughing it or no roughing it. Plenty of times she'd been splashed with a bucket of water in Blair Company because she just wouldn't get the fuck up. Fair enough. She didn't much like it at the time, but she got over it.
Goddamn she hoped the Mistress wasn't a fucking vampire. That'd be a mess and she didn't want anything to do with that. Or maybe she'd at least keep her fangs to her fucking self. All Sledge wanted was to turn in her bounty and get the coin and head back to the local inn for a bath and a smoke.
Sledge walked over to Hemmerlind. Kicked him in the leg. He shook and woke and muttered a muffled something into the scarf gagging his mouth.
"Rise and shine," Sledge said. A smirk. Those splashes of water were always followed by some dick saying 'Rise and shine'. Felt good to be the asshole saying it this time.
She bent down and untied him and stood him up and glanced over to Sung. Huh. Man slept sitting in a weird position. Who knew. Another one of those eastern things.
"Hey. Sung. Ready?" Some almost suspicious glances up at the sky through the forest. Clouds rolling in. Seemed right. Koninghaven was a mostly dreary place.
"We ought to arrive in town soon enough."
The fire had burnt out.
And Sledge awoke and groaned and sat up slowly and dragged a hand down her face. Roughing it never was particularly pleasant in the morning. Always a general soreness somewhere in the body. Didn't help she still had some lingering bruises and wounds.
She groaned again as she stood up and found her feet. Not a morning person. Never was, roughing it or no roughing it. Plenty of times she'd been splashed with a bucket of water in Blair Company because she just wouldn't get the fuck up. Fair enough. She didn't much like it at the time, but she got over it.
Goddamn she hoped the Mistress wasn't a fucking vampire. That'd be a mess and she didn't want anything to do with that. Or maybe she'd at least keep her fangs to her fucking self. All Sledge wanted was to turn in her bounty and get the coin and head back to the local inn for a bath and a smoke.
Sledge walked over to Hemmerlind. Kicked him in the leg. He shook and woke and muttered a muffled something into the scarf gagging his mouth.
"Rise and shine," Sledge said. A smirk. Those splashes of water were always followed by some dick saying 'Rise and shine'. Felt good to be the asshole saying it this time.
She bent down and untied him and stood him up and glanced over to Sung. Huh. Man slept sitting in a weird position. Who knew. Another one of those eastern things.
"Hey. Sung. Ready?" Some almost suspicious glances up at the sky through the forest. Clouds rolling in. Seemed right. Koninghaven was a mostly dreary place.
"We ought to arrive in town soon enough."
(Hey, I'm sorry... Again. I've been having less and less time to get on and I don't have any time for RPs. I'm going to have to cancel this. Thank you very much for doing this with me, I enjoyed it immensely and I hope you did too. Maybe, if you're up for it, we can do something like this again when I have more time. I'm sorry, and thank you.)