Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 19:26:06 GMT -6
Spring was on it's way, the days grew warmer but the nights were still belowfreezing, the ground hardened with frost.. This afternoon there was a light breeze, enought to chill the sweat on her brow as she worked, clearing away brambles and briars from a section of land she planned to turn into a garden that would provide her with food and herbs for healing soon. tirelessly she worked throuout the day, the bundle of squirming baby tied in a sling at her breast.. now squalled loudly in protest of the constant motion, and his need for sustanace.. Laughing at the baby's antics she moved to settle on a stump shifting the baby so that he could nurse... looking over the task she was attempting to wrest from the overgrowth of years of neglect.
As she rested in the light of the afternoon sun, there would be a familiar sound drifting one the wind. Did she think for a moment that the ghost of her past stirred uneasily? The sound that she heard - the one that drifted to her ears - was the sound of booted feet marching along the road. Other shounds drifted with it; the sounds of creaking leather, the mutted sound of officers and soliders calling out a marching candiance. Hopefully, the ghost would be somewhat quieted.. Around the bend, came a unit of militia. Occasionaly, the nobility saw fit to task them with patrolling the roads. An attempt - perhaps a vain one - to ward away bandits or Saxons that lurked beyond the villages. Once this had been the duty of the mighty Roman legions.... Now? The Romano-Briton and Celtic lords were left with the task. In away, however, many of the Roman legionniares still marched these roads. They had taken wives and familys with the Britons, and had not great desire to return to Rome as the empire collapsed. The line of marching men would begin to file pass, and it would take a moment or to for her recongize a face: Faolon, called the Wolf. The first legionare - and Irishman - that she had encountered. And the first to have been kind to her. At first, it appeared that he had not seen her -- until his head turned slightly (very slightly) toward her. She would feel his gaze. Then his voice barked out, and the milita turned to get off the road -- a stream ran not too far from where she was making her home. And the soldiers needed to refill their canteenes and supplies.
Kind to her.. if kind ment taking her captive, turning her over to his commanders to work in the wounded camps, true, he had not beat her, nor used her.. but nonetheless he was the face of her rage, the first one to ruin her life.. When she saw him.. she shuddered, stilling, hoping beyond reason they would continue, the bared limbs of the woods, did not sheild her from his sight and his eyes caught with hers.. and she suffered a moment of panic, her eyes scanning the distance from where she was to the
small ramshackled cottage she called home.. but instead she sat still.. maybe they would pass on.. but that was not her luck.. they halted, heading toward the stream, but none seemed to see her but the Irish Wolf .
As the militia men headed to the stream, it was clear there were only a handful of veteran legionaries or auxilires amongst them -- the rest drawn from the local population. Their marching formation began to disolve as they meandered aimlessly to the stream, with some of them carelessly dropping weapons and such on the ground and others going to get food from their packs. Then some began to grouse when Faolon pulled four soldiers away from the stream and made them stand watch. "We aern't at war!" One of them groused. "We are in the wilds," the Irish Wolf snapped in the Romano-British langauge, "And we do not lack for enemies." While he spoke the Romano-British and Latin langauges, Irish Celtic was always his first. As she watched, would she admit that even some of his apperance could be handsome and striking? Quietly, he went toward a shady tree -- leaning against it. Lost in his thougts. Then he quietly raised his head, and looked again to her.
She was like a hare, caught in the gaze of a wolf, dare she move and attract the attention of others.. they hunted in packs these Roman soilders, even the ones from the local territories.. dogs brought into the pack, would jump into the hunt when the hare ran.. her sky blue eyes locked with his, when he looked back at her.. and then she stood slowly and bravely turned from him just walking quietly as a mouse thru the bare forrest heading back toward the safty of her home.. when one of the Sentries called Out "Halt " his voice sending a shiver of fear down her back .
There was little doubting that she would be surprised by his response. When she locked eyes with him, he canted his head -- and gave a slight cant of his head toward her. There was a slight smile on his face....that some how managed to convey both amusement and approval. Then he shook his head, before going about his duties. There was a sigh, when he heard the sentry tell her to stop. Then he made his way over, sighing. "....Caught a dangerous spy, did you?" The sarcasm pratically dripped from his voice.
"Im no spy and yu know it " her voice was strong and defensive " She shifted the babe in the fabric sling to hide him from the serching eyes.. " I live jsut there and I want no trouble " those blue eyes dismissed the sentry and stared intohis face, brazen as the copper hair that hung in a thick braid to her waist, it's color mesmerixing, in the grey ofwinter.
There was a slight pause, before the Irish Wolf shook his head and laughed, "....nor did I think you were." Faolon histated quietly, before he turned to the sentry and gave him a solid dressing down. Especially since the man's answer to 'Why did you stop her?' had been rather idoitic. Then he shook his head, before turn his piercing blue-green gaze back on to her. "...I'll see you safely home." And it was cearl, from his position, that he would not brook a no answer.
She nodded, giving the sentry a withering look as he was dressed down and sent on his way, then she turned heading home, if he wanted to follow he would do so, but the quicker she was home the better, as she walked, quickly her skirts sway, dirty about the hem from her labors, and when she bent beneaht a branch her hair snagged, and she cursed roundly.. before stopping and reaching up to where she was snagged and jerking at the braid that was hopelessly stuck,
Did she even look over her shoulder as she heard heavy boots setting out after her? There was a slight laugh, as he pursued her. To him, it an innocent thing -- much how like one child would chase another. When he was that she was caught in a branch, there was a pause. He canted a head, and softly asked, "...Do you want my help?" Granted, his first thought was to cut the braid off.
" no I can do it myself..." she grumble twisting about, and the babe let out a cry.. and she shushed him while she pulled and twisted at her hair, finally breaking the twig it was caught on, and letting it hang in her hair... " You don't have to follow me I'm fine " she hissed, moving on toward her home, it came into veiw, a ramshakle cottage and it's lean to shed, where a goat and a sad mongrel lay in the shade of it..
The Wolf nodded his head quietly, before simply crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her struggle with her hair. "....are you sure you do not need my help?" It was asked simply to tease her. Just when he was getting ready to help, she broke the twig and was free again. There was a pause, as he heard a baby's cry. Quietly, he touched her shoulder -- a question in his eyes.
"What you've never heard a baby cry " she challenged, jerking her shoulder away and moving on.. her jaw flexing in irritation.. " I'm home now go back to your Romans " she hissed.. pushing thru the door of the cottage, in a huff, and moving to the cradle..to settle the child within.
There was a brief look of annoyance on his features, when she jerked away from him. For a moment, it looked as thought she had thrown him from her scent. Then he sighed quietly, before going after her. Still, he would no go in through the door, "Why is it you despise me so?"
She turned looking at him almost increadoulus... " Really yu can ask me such?" the baby was settled and she moved back to the threshhold where he stood.. " You take me from my village.. for the romans... to heal them... yu saw what happed to me.." she braced her arms on her hips and leveled a glare at him.. " And now.. I'm branded a Roman Whote.. shunned by my own kin .. should I welcome you to dinner?" the sarcasm dripped from her mouth thicker than honey .
Faolon sighed quietly, and she would be rewarded with a flinch -- and teh fact that he no longer met her eyes. "...And was it such a terrible thing, to find a healer for my comrades -- for my freinds?" And he sighed, "And yes...I did see what became of you. And you know that I did try to stop it.... to keep you from falling to that." When he had first taken her to the roman garrison, he had gotten in to no less than three fights when other roman soliders had tried to rape her. Only when his superior had demanded her had he ceased fighting.
" you Failed... " she sneered... her anger aimed at him " You failed miserably..and when my belly filled, they tried to beat it from me.. but it held on.. I could have taken a brew to kill it, but I figured it was tough enought to bear the beating, it needed to live.. and what did that get me.. branded a Roman whore.. and a wtich.. when the babe was born.. deformed " she moved toward him.. "Get out.. and neva come back.. " her hands shoved at his chest..harshly " leave"
Faolon stumbled back just a bit, more caught off guard by her anger than the force of her push. "I did all I could," he said. There was a frustated sigh. And after a moment's hesitation, he said, "What more could I have done?" There was a slight shake of his head, "...and yes, I do regret that I was not able to do more." And he would take his coin pouch from his side, "....a small sacrifice of coin, then, to try to atone."
Her face was a mask of anger now.. " Coin.. I'm not a whore.." she scowled " Kee' it" she scowled at him, her beautiful face twisted in hurt and anger.. " Did you come here to futher shame me..?" she shook her head at him sadly, " Just go... away with you and take yur men.. far away "
As she rested in the light of the afternoon sun, there would be a familiar sound drifting one the wind. Did she think for a moment that the ghost of her past stirred uneasily? The sound that she heard - the one that drifted to her ears - was the sound of booted feet marching along the road. Other shounds drifted with it; the sounds of creaking leather, the mutted sound of officers and soliders calling out a marching candiance. Hopefully, the ghost would be somewhat quieted.. Around the bend, came a unit of militia. Occasionaly, the nobility saw fit to task them with patrolling the roads. An attempt - perhaps a vain one - to ward away bandits or Saxons that lurked beyond the villages. Once this had been the duty of the mighty Roman legions.... Now? The Romano-Briton and Celtic lords were left with the task. In away, however, many of the Roman legionniares still marched these roads. They had taken wives and familys with the Britons, and had not great desire to return to Rome as the empire collapsed. The line of marching men would begin to file pass, and it would take a moment or to for her recongize a face: Faolon, called the Wolf. The first legionare - and Irishman - that she had encountered. And the first to have been kind to her. At first, it appeared that he had not seen her -- until his head turned slightly (very slightly) toward her. She would feel his gaze. Then his voice barked out, and the milita turned to get off the road -- a stream ran not too far from where she was making her home. And the soldiers needed to refill their canteenes and supplies.
Kind to her.. if kind ment taking her captive, turning her over to his commanders to work in the wounded camps, true, he had not beat her, nor used her.. but nonetheless he was the face of her rage, the first one to ruin her life.. When she saw him.. she shuddered, stilling, hoping beyond reason they would continue, the bared limbs of the woods, did not sheild her from his sight and his eyes caught with hers.. and she suffered a moment of panic, her eyes scanning the distance from where she was to the
small ramshackled cottage she called home.. but instead she sat still.. maybe they would pass on.. but that was not her luck.. they halted, heading toward the stream, but none seemed to see her but the Irish Wolf .
As the militia men headed to the stream, it was clear there were only a handful of veteran legionaries or auxilires amongst them -- the rest drawn from the local population. Their marching formation began to disolve as they meandered aimlessly to the stream, with some of them carelessly dropping weapons and such on the ground and others going to get food from their packs. Then some began to grouse when Faolon pulled four soldiers away from the stream and made them stand watch. "We aern't at war!" One of them groused. "We are in the wilds," the Irish Wolf snapped in the Romano-British langauge, "And we do not lack for enemies." While he spoke the Romano-British and Latin langauges, Irish Celtic was always his first. As she watched, would she admit that even some of his apperance could be handsome and striking? Quietly, he went toward a shady tree -- leaning against it. Lost in his thougts. Then he quietly raised his head, and looked again to her.
She was like a hare, caught in the gaze of a wolf, dare she move and attract the attention of others.. they hunted in packs these Roman soilders, even the ones from the local territories.. dogs brought into the pack, would jump into the hunt when the hare ran.. her sky blue eyes locked with his, when he looked back at her.. and then she stood slowly and bravely turned from him just walking quietly as a mouse thru the bare forrest heading back toward the safty of her home.. when one of the Sentries called Out "Halt " his voice sending a shiver of fear down her back .
There was little doubting that she would be surprised by his response. When she locked eyes with him, he canted his head -- and gave a slight cant of his head toward her. There was a slight smile on his face....that some how managed to convey both amusement and approval. Then he shook his head, before going about his duties. There was a sigh, when he heard the sentry tell her to stop. Then he made his way over, sighing. "....Caught a dangerous spy, did you?" The sarcasm pratically dripped from his voice.
"Im no spy and yu know it " her voice was strong and defensive " She shifted the babe in the fabric sling to hide him from the serching eyes.. " I live jsut there and I want no trouble " those blue eyes dismissed the sentry and stared intohis face, brazen as the copper hair that hung in a thick braid to her waist, it's color mesmerixing, in the grey ofwinter.
There was a slight pause, before the Irish Wolf shook his head and laughed, "....nor did I think you were." Faolon histated quietly, before he turned to the sentry and gave him a solid dressing down. Especially since the man's answer to 'Why did you stop her?' had been rather idoitic. Then he shook his head, before turn his piercing blue-green gaze back on to her. "...I'll see you safely home." And it was cearl, from his position, that he would not brook a no answer.
She nodded, giving the sentry a withering look as he was dressed down and sent on his way, then she turned heading home, if he wanted to follow he would do so, but the quicker she was home the better, as she walked, quickly her skirts sway, dirty about the hem from her labors, and when she bent beneaht a branch her hair snagged, and she cursed roundly.. before stopping and reaching up to where she was snagged and jerking at the braid that was hopelessly stuck,
Did she even look over her shoulder as she heard heavy boots setting out after her? There was a slight laugh, as he pursued her. To him, it an innocent thing -- much how like one child would chase another. When he was that she was caught in a branch, there was a pause. He canted a head, and softly asked, "...Do you want my help?" Granted, his first thought was to cut the braid off.
" no I can do it myself..." she grumble twisting about, and the babe let out a cry.. and she shushed him while she pulled and twisted at her hair, finally breaking the twig it was caught on, and letting it hang in her hair... " You don't have to follow me I'm fine " she hissed, moving on toward her home, it came into veiw, a ramshakle cottage and it's lean to shed, where a goat and a sad mongrel lay in the shade of it..
The Wolf nodded his head quietly, before simply crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her struggle with her hair. "....are you sure you do not need my help?" It was asked simply to tease her. Just when he was getting ready to help, she broke the twig and was free again. There was a pause, as he heard a baby's cry. Quietly, he touched her shoulder -- a question in his eyes.
"What you've never heard a baby cry " she challenged, jerking her shoulder away and moving on.. her jaw flexing in irritation.. " I'm home now go back to your Romans " she hissed.. pushing thru the door of the cottage, in a huff, and moving to the cradle..to settle the child within.
There was a brief look of annoyance on his features, when she jerked away from him. For a moment, it looked as thought she had thrown him from her scent. Then he sighed quietly, before going after her. Still, he would no go in through the door, "Why is it you despise me so?"
She turned looking at him almost increadoulus... " Really yu can ask me such?" the baby was settled and she moved back to the threshhold where he stood.. " You take me from my village.. for the romans... to heal them... yu saw what happed to me.." she braced her arms on her hips and leveled a glare at him.. " And now.. I'm branded a Roman Whote.. shunned by my own kin .. should I welcome you to dinner?" the sarcasm dripped from her mouth thicker than honey .
Faolon sighed quietly, and she would be rewarded with a flinch -- and teh fact that he no longer met her eyes. "...And was it such a terrible thing, to find a healer for my comrades -- for my freinds?" And he sighed, "And yes...I did see what became of you. And you know that I did try to stop it.... to keep you from falling to that." When he had first taken her to the roman garrison, he had gotten in to no less than three fights when other roman soliders had tried to rape her. Only when his superior had demanded her had he ceased fighting.
" you Failed... " she sneered... her anger aimed at him " You failed miserably..and when my belly filled, they tried to beat it from me.. but it held on.. I could have taken a brew to kill it, but I figured it was tough enought to bear the beating, it needed to live.. and what did that get me.. branded a Roman whore.. and a wtich.. when the babe was born.. deformed " she moved toward him.. "Get out.. and neva come back.. " her hands shoved at his chest..harshly " leave"
Faolon stumbled back just a bit, more caught off guard by her anger than the force of her push. "I did all I could," he said. There was a frustated sigh. And after a moment's hesitation, he said, "What more could I have done?" There was a slight shake of his head, "...and yes, I do regret that I was not able to do more." And he would take his coin pouch from his side, "....a small sacrifice of coin, then, to try to atone."
Her face was a mask of anger now.. " Coin.. I'm not a whore.." she scowled " Kee' it" she scowled at him, her beautiful face twisted in hurt and anger.. " Did you come here to futher shame me..?" she shook her head at him sadly, " Just go... away with you and take yur men.. far away "