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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Jul 6, 2018 17:16:54 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
His eyes watched Tilly depart with an appreciative, small smile in thanks to the fact she didn't gut Florence on the mention of Necromancy... Or himself for not telling her something crucial.
Lekalis supposed there was a lot to be thankful for in this meeting... Even with the absence of an artificer of magic, there were other avenues to pursue. Perhaps it was for the best, indeed, that they kept this group as small as possible.
His gaze drifted to Florence, and Adeney sharing words, it was rather apparent that the meeting seemed to be closed... Indeed, jobs were assigned and Tilly had already left but... She probably would have left regardless of topic, it was just a measure of when.
"I'll be safe and discreet." He assured simply, flatly with a nod as he looked down to his clothes; his cloak would certainly need to go... it had rested on his shoulders long enough, but his valor was now more threatening to his comrades than himself. It was a glum thought, but one he swallowed with pride.
Lekalis sighed, one last glance to Silvant and her curious nature... He hoped these two cold persons would treat her right. As Necromantic as her resurrection was, she still held some measure of humor and cognition... That much demanded respect. If not as a human, then as a creature all the same.
He knew his lands oft practices a kind of druidism... That animals were no less or better than men. In this, he could agree upon; now more than ever.
For a moment, he made to reach out and touch Florence's shoulder, to beckon her focus to him for a moment but he faltered. He had a duty, and no matter his impulse or subtle catches to her lingering gaze, the twitch of her hand... No matter his want, he had that duty to uphold. A dignity to respect, even if Tilly was gone. It hurt all the same.
Instead, his hands grazed over her arm in a painful indulgence, before he held out his hand to shake,
"... I'd like to be with you when you see to Cross; wait for me, would you? He can be a dangerous man."
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Post by black379 on Jul 10, 2018 18:15:31 GMT -8
"I should like to find Doctor Silvant a proper guardian, sooner than later. Before I go." Adeney affirmed with the raise of his chin and a short nod. He could search for a protector while Florence waited, for now, with the girl. It wouldn't be difficult to find a thick-skulled but closed-lipped mercenary looking for easy coin by protecting a young girl.
Even so, he was anxious to leave Silvant alone with Florence to pick at her brain. Adeney was eager to hear what the revived woman remembered of her life and death, and worried to hear what she might have remembered after.
He made nothing of Lekalis' strained efforts to handle the beaked doctor, though he noted it curiously. Then he offered his own hand towards the ex-lord.
"Is there anyone that comes to mind? What of the woman Tilly mentioned? Courcy? Perhaps she owes me for her life anyways."
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Post by Vanitypirate on Jul 10, 2018 23:01:33 GMT -8
Florence paused, momentarily puzzled by the extended hand before she, regardless, took his hand and shook it.
"I will visit Cross this evening, then, and wait for you. But I do not have any intention of fighting him." She pointed out, then frowned... she would readily believe that Cross may have intentions to fight Florence, herself; that doctor reveled in intimidation and cruelty.
She disliked him.
"I met Courcy once. I was on a brief expedition alongside her." She continued, listening all the while as she began to gather up her notes. "She is unremarkable, but stable and reliable. She may be an adequate guard."
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Jul 11, 2018 16:27:53 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
"Good, good." He stated simply, affirmingly as he smiled at Florence's taken hand and patted it with his other. It was odd to feel so relieved from such a small action, yet there it was. He could feel her precise fingers and rigid bone structure beneath her operating gloves... Lekalis almost didn't even mind the thought of where those gloves had been.
"Thank you; you might not have any intention, but Cross is rather violent against those who are better than him. And, now with the Gunsches closing in... he may well have a guard." He supposed with a small frown, realizing he might not be wholly up to the task of taking on more than one agent himself.
All the same, his attentions shifted to Adeney, who rose a fair point...
"Tilly and I have talked on it... But we can't guarantee Courcy will join us as a guard, consistently. She needs to earn her freedom from the Heir, and she's not rightly... Devoted." He didn't seem convinced himself, the word didn't sit right,
"Er, not-not devoted, but... Well; she's a bit aloof." Lekalis paused and sighed hopelessly,
"She might find herself in debt to you, but she may just as well likely not." It was a rather pointless point.
Lekalis eyes drifted over to Adeney; for a moment, confusion passed over Lekalis' eyes as he seemed to question what right Adeney had to assume he held the same merit as Florence.
Then, he rather slowly realized, the deed was far from something exclusively intimate.
Still, Lekalis' smile became awkward, as he stiffly took Adeney's hand and gave it a brief shake.
"If you find yourself in the tavern or the Guild Hall... Courcy may well be there. She doesn't change often; keep an eye out for a shock of red hair... blue warpaint across the face, halberd." He nodded, reciting before he paused.
"As for other persons... Most of my comrades I knew have long since abandoned their career here." He frowned with a touch of sincere sadness. A moment of loneliness passed over his heart with a sigh, before he wiped his hand off on his breast.
"Don't you fret; I'll do my best to keep an eye on her." He affirmed, giving Silvant a cursory glance. Her dark subtly curled hair and greyish eyes set upon a rather pleasant face... all of it roused a small, chilling memory of his own sister.
His features drew grim and focused before he relaxed and ran a hand through his hair. It had been much too long since he'd had a good wine.
"Right, I best get going then... Try not to touch too many corpses, will you Florence?" He jested lightly, to bring a spark of a smile to himself as he took a few steps back to the exit of the basement, giving Florence a little pat on the shoulder.
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Post by black379 on Jul 12, 2018 8:10:53 GMT -8
“Right. Well...” Adeney gave Lekalis a firm handshake and an appreciative nod. Though his features became troubled from the little confidence the ex-lord and the woman doctor held for the single potential candidate to protect Audrey. He was hoping to find someone close and loyal.
“I shall see if I can’t find someone.” Adeney was grateful, at least, that the girl would be safe within their small group. If only there weren’t eyes watching and schemes stirring, they may not have needed anyone more.
“Doctor Silvant, I don’t intend to be long. I will come back to you soon enough.” He offered her a short wave, but didn’t yet start for the door himself.
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Post by Vanitypirate on Jul 13, 2018 12:38:50 GMT -8
Florence nodded at Lekalis and spoke simply, "It is necessary to experiment on corpses for our research to be successful. But I will not tamper with an excess of corpses."
She looked to the both of them, Lekalis and Adeney, satisfied at a successful meeting.
"Be well, and choose your guards wisely and quickly. I will interview Doctor Silvant and record her responses."
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Jul 14, 2018 15:17:14 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
"Good enough, I suppose." He affirmed with a quick nod, worriedly glancing to Adeney, hoping the doctor didn't expect a specially directed nod towards him as well. A bit anxiously, he wringed his hands together and looked to either of the Doctors, then to Silvant with a cocked brow. Silence drew on and he cleared his throat,
"Right, well... I will be... Seeing you." He said one last time, looking to Florence.
It felt strange, to depart without even the slightest of embraces. So, he indulged; he took a quick step forward and gave the good Crowgazer a hearty squeeze, his arms wrapped about her so.
Whether or not she'd reply with her own was of little consequence, he wished her well and it still plucked at his heart to leave her alone. That much he couldn't deny, no matter the duty.
"Farewell!" He declared with a touch of rejuvenated joy, before turning on his heel to stride out of the basement in pursuit of Tilly...
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Post by black379 on Jul 16, 2018 8:45:30 GMT -8
Adeney remained near the exit, watching as Lekalis offered Florence some parting words and a hug. His eyes shifted again to Audrey.
"I would like a moment with her. When I return." With a nod toward both the women, the doctor took his leave. He meant to find this Courcy person, but if she didn't seem adequate, there were bound to be others willing to safeguard a young and injured girl. They needn't know more about her.
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Post by Kidney on Jul 29, 2018 13:46:52 GMT -8
Abandoned Water Wheel-
Roard had spent these hours alone, by a ruined house, most likely a farm. He had washed his beaten and pungent body in the river underneath a barely-creaking water wheel, occasionally tipping a large trough on the wheel to douse himself. His bandages, dirtied and bloodied, had been washed as well as Roard could wash them, hung to dry on a large branch on the shore. As well, the blighted giant had just recently washed his arms and armor.
But, as the time winded down to sunset, the man dressed again, wrapping his gigantic arms with bandages now dried, and begun to whittle a mask of a piece of dark driftwood. The practice was easy, and from Roard's youth, he replicated practices and forged himself a semi-smooth mask. The wood was now smoothed a bit and darker, but lighter in splotches across it. The mask would cover his entire face, two slits cut to see through.
He had even weaved a rope, to punch through the sides of this mask, and as he finally donned it, Roard sighed. If he was to serve his Lord and Lady, this would be his face. He was willing, just not altogether excited.
He looked to his blade, a gigantic hunk of steel, that he now took, and began sharpening.
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Post by Vanitypirate on Jul 30, 2018 18:05:30 GMT -8
/Lekalis/ " All the Nurses?" Lekalis guffawed incredulously, tossing his head back as if it had been the worst news he'd heard this week, he let his head rest against the stones, Tilly's grin spread to his own as he wasn't even a quarter as perturbed by her decision as he showed. "Our ' perfectly' good house is in bloody ruins and I can see through the bloody walls of that shack we'd holed up in." Lekalis rolled his eyes, letting a bit of Lordly privilege show in his tone and crossed arms. "It'll have to be a stern message though, for Florence. She touched a stinking, rotting corpse when I'd told her not to... You'd think the fact it was black and bubbling would be enough of a warning, let alone some semblance of respect." Lekalis lamented with a humm at the end, cocking his brow then nodded, as he clasped a hand over Tilly's. "I can't imagine wanting to be in a closet with anyone with you, that's true..." He mused distantly, "... Fine, fine; we'll find ourselves a tailor and attire, but I'd like to be here before nightfall. That's when I'm meant to see Florence, I believe." His tone was punctual but sweet at the remark as he pointed at the Sanitarium floors, letting Tilly's hand free. He shoved himself away from the wall and motioned to the receptionist, "Go on then, I'll meet you on the Streets..." Lekalis declared with a huff and grunt as he stuck his thumbs into his own belt, fixing the trousers about as he made his way over to leave the Sanitarium. \Lekalis departs to the Misc Buildings.\ --- With a laugh, Tilly backpedaled to the door with her hands planted on her hips. "You've never minded before!" She declared boldly, reveling in the freedom the vagueness offered. And then she fled out the door before Lekalis could reposte... It was liberating, really, to have found a solution so readily to their decisively extravagant conflicts. Never would she have imagined herself swept up in any assassination plots-- espionage, perhaps, but not assassinations... But here she was. She considered writing a follow-up to Frederick, but likewise suspected that it would threaten the clandestine nature of their communication. And it would be some time before she would find a response. Letting her hands come to rest in her coat pockets, she awaited Lekalis outside, but found her gaze drifting hopefully to the stagecoach. |
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Jul 30, 2018 18:14:49 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
He guffawed as he followed Tilly out the Sanitarium door in a hustle, hardly amused by being left without his last words; he made to sweep up beside her quickly, planting a kiss on her cheek as he wrapped his arms about her, before he noticed her rather ponderous gaze and pocketed hands.
"What's on your mind?" Lekalis inquired quietly, kindly, as he let his arms give Tilly some freedom, though he hooked an arm around hers.
He traced Tilly's gaze quickly enough and cocked a brow;
"Expecting assassins?" He asked curiously as he made to lead her on down a familiar market roads that wound out like veins from the heart of the Hamlet.
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Post by Vanitypirate on Jul 30, 2018 18:27:12 GMT -8
"Always." Tilly answered brightly in contrast to the rather grim subject. It was difficult not to when she was being ambushed as she was, swept up and mercilessly kissed.
Her hand escaped from her coat pocket so that his arm might hook about hers with greater ease.
"...But, also," Her smile flattened a touch, though it still brought her joy to continue moving on down the street.
They had made so much progress today.
"I was hoping that the stagecoach was bearing a letter or two from Frederick." She admitted with a shrug that was more nonchalant than she truly felt. "But I haven't got my heart set on it. He's not really supposed to acknowledge that I exist. Sending a letter sort of does that."
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Jul 30, 2018 18:37:27 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
He hummed thoughtfully, then cocked his head to one side,
"Your Fredrick is a smart man... I'm sure he'll find a way. If not a letter, then some nondescript gift of sorts maybe--" Lekalis shared Tilly's smile, he didn't want her jubilant flame to gutter out at the rather dower turn of topic.
He brought his free hand up to pinch at her hat, pulling it down a touch with a small chuckle,
"-- Maybe a new hat, no?"
All the same, as they strode on down the road, signs of oats and potatoes were plentiful, even the odd scale to signify a general store or two. Shears though, for a simple tailor, were hard to come by it seemed.
However, at the end of the road, a pair of scissors posed like a guillotine threatened to snip a red painted bolt of silk on a drab piece of whitewood, no doubt salvaged from the coast. The sign swung drearily in a dead breeze as the colorful couple approached; Lekalis's eyes glanced to it, implying their direction.
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Post by Vanitypirate on Jul 30, 2018 18:53:47 GMT -8
Tilly eyed the sign with some apprehension as they approached the tailor's shop. Already it seemed to be too pricey-- they could scavenge what they needed for a fraction of the price... she contemplated picking up sewing, herself, if it weren't so terribly dull.
Perhaps that was why it was so expensive.
"Maybe one with a feather would be dandy at the wedding..." Tilly contemplated aloud, then bringing up both her elbows, continuing whimsically. "I haven't gotten my measurements taken in... 'bout a decade. I wonder how much tougher and leaner I've gotten since then."
She looked to him,
"Have you ever visited a tailor since you've arrived here?"
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Post by Bloodtrailkiller on Jul 30, 2018 19:03:09 GMT -8
/Lekalis/
Her query stopped him shy of the entrance, his head tilted up at the sign as he racked his mind for an answer that was suitable. In truth, there wasn't one.
Lekalis' sudden halt was so jarring it almost pulled himself free of Tilly's arm and he stared dumbly at the sign for a moment,
"I... haven't." He spoke surprised and he shook his head, looking to Tilly with a touch of theatric woe,
"You've brought a terrible revelation to my mind and I'll never forgive you for it." He held a stern look before breaking into a soft chuckle,
"May the Flames be just when they judge me for such a sin as to have not visited a tailor in over... What is it now? Three years?" He scoffed and shook his head, looking to the door of the Tailor. A new found eagerness brewed in his gut, like a child set for his first barber.
Though, he glanced to Tilly now with a knowing smirk, eyeing her petite waist where he could only imagine her tight attire beginning to fill,
"Tougher, maybe... But you'll have to talk to our child about being lean." He offered teasingly, giving her ribs a light poke before nodding to the door, making to ascend the small stairsteps that led to a simple grey, windowless door.
Unlike most store establishments, this building seemed to be made of wood and plaster alone, with a cobblestone foundation. On closer inspection, a large portion of the facing of the building seemed to have some freshly brushed limestone on its surface, giving it an almost-clean egg-white hue.
The roof boasted two chimneys as well, though one seemed to be of shoddier make than the other, and queerly placed at the front of the building.
Lekalis strode up and made to open the door...
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