Re: Viking Au Rp

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet nodded with determination, taking no notice of his discomfort. "I do not care about the castle. I just want my people safe, and if vengeance becomes readily available on that road I will gladly seize it. I will do what I must."

[Deathcap]

Raven nodded quietly. "All I ask is that if you run into the woman with blond hair and the scar across her forehead, or the man with one arm, to try and leave them alive, they're Ivar's parents, the young boy whose with us. If she has prisoners with her they might be my old clan, I want them hurt either if we can avoid it." He asked. "We'll approach before dawn at the east gate, and you can walk down the path after we're in position at dawn; the sun will be in their eyes and hopefully we can get in and attack before they realize what's happening."

After he'd spoken to the others and gone about the day preparing and planning, he eventually laid down the sleep, but couldn't get much rest, hope and worry twisting in his chest alongside thoughts of Pel, and a slight wariness of Sliet.

Wurm would stay back with Ivar and the elder, but besides them, they would need everyone. If they didn't send someone back, they were to flee.
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When morning came and they were hidden around the fort, Raven sat pressed with his back to the old stone wall under the cover of the shrubs with several of the others, waiting for Sliet as the sun rose.

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Pel headed out to the wall when Isar had let her know of the girl's return, surprised but wary, something like disbelief sitting in her stomach; firstly some seed of doubt that he'd actually let the other get close enough, that she'd been able to escape afterward... but also that he was dead. All this plotting and uncertainty, and that was it. She leaned over the wall slightly when the girl approached, watching the woods to make sure she hadn't been followed. "What happened?" She questioned tensely.

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet stood at the gates, unshaken, her nerves steeled. "What happened is that you sent a warrior to assiassinate a fool!" She shouted up to the woman, starting to feel exposed without armor.

[Deathcap]

Pel narrowed her eyes at the other's response, uncertain, but they'd had a deal. "Let her in." She ordered, sliding down the ladder to meet the girl as Isar and other soldier unbarred and drew the gates open, Gesturing for the other to enter. "Your siblings and mother are in the east tower. Are you sure he is dead? What of the rest of the group?" She insisted.
As the gates opened to their full length and came to a grinding halt, Raven and the others sprung from their hiding places to rush the gates. At the yelling and the sight of the rushing men through the yellow sunshine, Pel's eyes widened, her expression turning to fury at Sliet, as Isar screamed out a warning of attack, but the young soldiers forced the gate despite their attempts to close it, and Pel drew her sword, turning to fall back towards the castle.

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet snarled and turned on the man that yelled, bringing her knee harshly up into his stomach and grabbing his weapon away from him. "They have prisoners in the east tower!" she shouted to raven, very ready for this fight. very ready to kick some ass more like lmao

[Deathcap]

Isar stumbled as the other disarmed him, drawing his dagger and trying to grab onto her before he was pushed back down, the tip of a short sword under his chin. "You should sit down for this, old man." Dalian snarled, keeping the few at bay while the others pushed into the courtyard.

Raven nodded to Sliet in thanks, calling back to the others. "Head for the East tower, we'll move in from there!" Leading the others along as they clashed with the soldiers rushing out while Dalian kept up the back.

Unavyre and the Senior soldier from Raven's group stayed near Sliet, trying to protect her until they could get her armor again.

As they rushed into the bottom of the tower, two guards rushed to meet them; one unrecognizable and one of Pel's hired bandits that had brought Sliet and the meat out.

He just got his sword up in time to block her lunge, while the second man rushed the others.

[melodiousmysteries]

"Should we be leaving him alone back there?" Sliet asked breathlessly as she ran alongside the others into the tower, lunging to push the woman away from Raven, somewhat appreciating the freedom of movement that came with the lack of armor.

[Deathcap]

Raven hesitated at the other's concern. He knew she was right, but he was already starting to realize he might not have the stomach for any of this, even killing Isar. But they had to take the castle now, either way.
As sliet lunged and knocked the woman back, she stumbled and fell, hissing and trying to scramble up before Raven caught her wrist under his foot, angling his blade over her. "Drop it." He warned. She relented, and he picked the sword up quickly just as Dalian came in the back and threw himself against the door. "There's more coming!" Another rushed back to help him get the door barred, while Unavyre took down the second bandit with his hammer, and the other stayed dazed on the floor.

Raven left one to keep an eye on the prisoners and led the group on up ahead into the main chamber to see a few others, free but locked in the main chamber, Sliet's family?

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet grabbed the remnants of furniture and amything that looked heavy, shoving it all against the door as a makeshift barricade, too focussed on trying to stay alive to listen to the conversation.

[Deathcap]

Raven and the others helped in blocking off the entrances, guarding the door into the main part of the castle. When they were safe for the moment, Raven turned to one of the other men with them. "Cornflower, give Sliet your armor, You stay with the captives, Unavyre, Wallace, and Erikur, Soln, stay with us, Dalian, Danek, guard where we came through." He ordered quickly, before looking to Sliet. "If we can pick off her men one at a time, we might be able to overpower them without loosing anyone in a head on fight, if we used the entrance to this room as a bottleneck... do you think?"

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet nodded in agreement. "It may be best to keep some of the barricade as a barrier." She suggested, taking the armor thankfully.

[Deathcap]

Raven nodded, waiting for the others to get into position and meeting eyes with Sliet before opening the door, heart pounding. He rammed the first with his shield, hooking his foot around their leg and letting their own momentum carry them to the floor in the entrance; more of an issue for those who followed.

By the time the others had fallen, fled or been beaten back, and they led the others into the castle hall, he felt the rush of terror and adrenaline fade into nausea at the chaos and smell of blood, but tried to push the feeling back, looking back over his group to make sure everyone was okay. "Keep your guard up, lets find the others." He met Sliet's eyes to make sure she was okay to head on, all the color drained from him at this point.

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet stood proudly next to the small warrior, fighting fiercely at his side until all of their foes had fled or been felled.
She nodded to her companion, too caught up in the excitement of battle to notice his sickly palor, rushing off down the hallway ahead of him.

[Deathcap]

Raven hurried after the other, bewildered at her lack of exhaustion or worry.
When they made it to the main hall, he felt his stomach drop at the sight of Pel, flanked by two of the senior soldiers. At this point it was just him and Sliet, but he felt anything but fear of the other three.

Pel, running, came to a halt at the sight of the others, narrowing her eyes at the two and taking a step back, sword at her side.

"Where are they?!" Raven demanded, advancing towards the other but slowing short of the group's reach.
"Where are who?" She spat back, desperate anger in her voice.
"Gila, Vikar, Ira, Syl! You know who," He growled. "Did you take them? Tell me what you did, when you left our home in ashes."
Pel stiffened. "I did what I had to. I took them. I saved them from you. You were never meant to lead them, you would have let us be devoured." She retorted, round eyes wild, though took a faltering step backwards.
"Are they alive?" He hissed, ignoring her words.
"Not Ira. He might've lived if you'd died when you should have."
Raven moved forward again. "You attacked us."
"You cast me out. It was my bloodright."
"So you left it barren? We could have ruled together. You're out of your mind." He breathed.
"No, no, I won't submit to anyone again!"
"Pel-"
"We had to leave, we had to go!" She carried on, not letting him speak, voice frantic. "It was coming, you would have killed us all. I kept them safe, and you're ruining it, you shouldn't be here, I'll kill you." She hissed, moving back quickly and motioning as the two men at her side rushed him.

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliets vision turned red around the edges as the woman came into view.  She could feel the rage burning in her veins, flanking the boy and remaining still in her anger until the men attacked. She lunged at them with an unforeseen ferocity, trying to pull one away from the other and give him a better chance.

[Deathcap]

Raven brought his sword up to block the first attack, glancing sideways as Sliet rushed to his aid. He battered the other man's blade furiously, just trying to get him out of his way at this point, he didn't want to waste any more life, he just wanted to end this. He caught sight of Pel fleeing into another hall, but fought the instinct to chase after her; he couldn't just leave Sliet with the two others, not when she'd had his back all this time.
He stumbled as the other struck him across the jaw with his hilt, slashing out with his own blade as he fell onto his back, and catching the other across the ribs hard; not strong enough to break the chain mail, but enough to make the other fold and gasp for breath. He scrambled up quickly to check on Sliet; content to leave the others and catch up to Pel if she was okay.
------------------------
When they'd finally caught up with the girl in a rounded tower, Pel turned her back to the wall to face them, breathing hard and sword already stained. She looked almost wild with fear, lips drawn back in a snarl and stance low, watching the two with hatred and looking for a way out.

Raven approached her carefully, feeling torn and confused, he'd come here to kill her, but now he wasn't sure what he wanted; some of the others were safe - but she'd still destroyed their home, but her mind wasn't right, but that didn't excuse what she'd done, she'd tried to kill him, she had killed others. He didn't know what to do, but they couldn't turn back. Just as he stepped forward, a chorus of screams erupted from outside the castle walls, followed by a deafening roar.
Pel paled, stepping back unsteadily, before taking her chances and running as Raven glanced over his shoulder at the cacophony.
"Pel!" He growled, taking a hesitant step after her, but letting her go and racing to the nearby window to see what was going on outside.
He felt his heart sink and body freeze in disbelief at the sight of an impossibly massive bear, fur as black as coal blotting out the sun and towering over the fighters outside, bringing down gnarled claws and yellowed fangs on the scattered men as they rushed for the safety of the castle.
Pel had been telling the truth.
Breaking free of his shock, the slight man stepped back from the window, gripping his sword and rushing past Sliet without a word, hurrying down the steps and running for the courtyard, desperate to help the others.

Raven burst outside, taking in the scene in horror. Isar and most of Pel's soldiers who'd fled had met their fate before ever making it past the gates, and lay strewn in pieces across the ground. Wallace stood at the mouth of the east hall, now collapsed, where the captives had been and where some were still sheltering, guarding it and trying to help Unavyre escape from beneath the crushing stone despite a gash across his chest.  Erikur was motionless beneath the rubble, and Sloan lay among the other bodies. The towering bear pushed ferociously past Danek's blade and shield and crushed through his armor; silencing the man and letting his remains fall from its jaws onto the mud before raising its bloodied head, roaring furiously and rounding on Dalian and an injured Cornflower, who'd made it too late to save their companion.
Raven rushed forwards, crying out to try and get the monster's attention, but it ignored him and struck the two hard, sending Dalian crashing back into the rubble and knocking Cornflower from his feet as claws tore through his back. Dalian fell still, and Cornflower barely managed to scream as the bear fell on the unarmored young man.
Raven stopped short, slowing and frozen in horror as he failed to save either of them, watching paralyzed as the bear turned to look at him with empty black eyes, muzzle soaked in his friends' blood.

[Deathcap]

time skip


The defeated hunting party wove through the crooked elms after the sun had sank and the cornflower gloom hung low over the rain slick hills.
Dalian raised his hand quickly in warning Raven sunk a knee into the grey rushes, lowering himself. Unavyre stopped his breath, close behind. Cornflower crouched less gracefully in the grass; freezing as Raven held out his palm to him, all fear-round eyes on the crooked woods that crawled down into the moor, a black swath of unknown in the fading light.
A creaking crept over the cold grass and Raven looked up into the knotted boughs, following the sound and feeling his blood run cold at the rope swinging in the cold wind.
A dozen slain hung from the trees, left long ago.
“Not puresnows,” Dalian breathed. “Got the wrong colors. Thieves or killers, maybe”
“May they be at rest and let us pass in peace, whoever they were.” Whispered Cornflower; pale and cold as he pushed back into the rushes, death far too thick in the air.
Raven stayed, drawing his knife and swallowing in discomfort as he walked forward, reaching into the branches as he pushed himself up into the dusk-black leaves.
"Raven?" Unavyre questioned.
"It's not right to leave them here." The young man muttered back in reply.
The others stayed in understanding silence as he cut the ropes. Bandits or thieves, they had no families and no lovers to cut them down out here in the dark wood.
Dalian moved to help; and Unavyre followed. Pel hung her head silently, as she had since leaving the hold. Cornflower stayed nervously in the grass beside her.
Sodden forms hit the earth and soaked into the mud and growing black
In the dim light, a dead form shifted and Raven’s froze; watching in terror for the ghosts he denied.
It wasn’t death that stirred in the thick black of the tree, but a fading life on a rope tied wrong. A smallish, cloaked figure still drew rattling breath. "Shit, there's one still alive." He got out.

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet looked at the tree with a mix of disgust and horror. She wrinkled her nose as the bodies started to drop. This was nasty business.
She perked up at ravens shout, scanning the bodies hopefully. "Which one?" she asked, stepping forward to catch whichever it was.

[Deathcap]

"Here, can you lift him?" Raven directed, trying to support the other and waiting for Sliet to come over before he cut the rope and freed the other. When the survivor was down, he got down from the tree, coming over to check on the other.

Wulfar slipped down unconsciously, lying nearly lifeless on the grass, a death rattle in his chest. The boy had shaggy grey hair falling over paler skin, and looked as if he'd been close to death long before hanging; too thin and bruised badly. His eyelids fluttered as if he were dreaming while his body seemed to fight itself, seizing and trembling.

Unavyre grimaced. "I don't think he's going to make it...Look, his clothes are all wet, and it hasn't rained since this morning, they've been there all day."

Raven frowned worriedly. "He fought that long, maybe he'll hang on."

"And how do we know he's not a thief or a murderer?" Dalian questioned. "It might be best we end his suffering and leave it at that."

"We don't know why they were hung. We can't kill him on an assumption." Raven hissed.

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet set the stranger down as gently as she could, stepping back to get a better look. He seemed to have one foot in the grave from where she was standing. "Why don't we bring him back with us to try and help him but tie him up in case he is dangerous?" sliet suggested, looking between Raven and Dalian.

[Deathcap]

Raven looked to Sliet and nodded. "That might be wise... It won't hurt to tie him, but we should be gentle." He suggested worriedly, before bending down to pull the other up over his shoulder, and Unavyre moved to help.

-------------------------------

Back at the camp, Raven laid out woolen blankets for the other near the fire and covered him, trying to warm the other, but was careful to take Sliet's advice and tie his hands and ankles, perhaps a little too loosely, before going to tend the fire and take care of things.

It was late into the night before Wulfar opened his eyes, looking around quietly in confusion. The spirits hadn't lied; he was still breathing. He winced and coughed roughly, sitting straight up and looking around at the others sitting around the fire. He felt like he'd been hit with a stone, and everything was painful and blurry. He tried to reach to touch his aching throat but hesitated upon seeing the twine around his wrists. Curiously, he looked about at each of the strangers. He blinked at the Bear curiously, but felt his heart sink as he looked over the others; the dark haired boy. Perhaps he wouldn't be breathing for long. But where was the blonde girl? Swallowing, he shrunk back a bit as the other looked over and moved closer.

"You're awake; water?-" Raven held out his waterskin before the other cut him off.

"Please don't kill me." The sliver haired spoke quickly, voice a weak rasp. "I've got things to do, still, I think."

Raven frowned with concern, feeling uneasy about the haunted look in the other's eyes. "We won't hurt you if you don't do us harm. Would you like some water?"

Wulfar hesitated, before nodding, reaching out with bound hands to cautiously take the waterskin, sniffing it suspiciously before tipping it to his lips with bound hands and drinking it back desperately, tipping it up and closing his eyes for a moment before resting it in his lap and leaning forwards uneasily, blinking quietly and starring at his wrists.

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet watched attentively from the fire but made no motion to get up. Didn't seem dangerous so far at least.

[Deathcap]

Wulfar looked at the others gathered around quietly once he had finished the water. "Thank you for cutting me down. Would you please untie me?" He asked softly. "Unless you've got be tied for a reason, I suppose. I... You don't look like slavers... You're not slavers, are you?" He asked worriedly, suddenly feeling more anxious about whether they might kill him, or if he'd soon wish he was dead.
"Maybe; got any talents? Cooking? Maybe you could play us a song?" Dalian sneered.
Wulfar swallowed uneasily, eyes round. "I.. I can try,"
"We're not slavers." Raven snapped, looking at his friend in warning. "We're only travelling. We tied you up because we weren't sure of you. Who tried to execute you, and why?" He asked, trying to be stern, but feeling badly for the other still.
"Those others were bandits. The men over at the big white stone castle caught us and hung us. Used some of us as target practice."
"And I suppose you're innocent?" Dalian inquired.
"I...I think so... no... I didn't steal, I didn't hit anyone...But I killed them." The other teared up slightly at this, and Raven frowned in confusion. "You said the people at the Castle hung you all?"
Wulfar hesitated. "They took me from the temple with the women monks, after they bashed all the men's heads in. Thought I was a girl, but, then I told them things, and they listened instead of..." He gestured awkwardly with his hands. "I told, and then, I lied to them and they... them, with..." The boy waved his hands slightly in the air, as if trying to gesture to explain, but making very little sense, starting to cry as he spoke. "Then the castle-people caught us. It's my fault. We walked so far, we were lost." He rambled, raising his bound hands to try and wipe the tears streaming down his face. "I didn't mean to kill them, I didn't, I just wanted to go home, but I knew, I knew, it's my fault." He sobbed.

[melodiousmysteries]

Sliet listened to the boy pityingly. She stood from her spot at the fire, walking over to untie him. "It's okay. Come get some food." she told him, trying to comfort him.

[Deathcap]

Wulfar glanced up at the bear as she got up, watching her worriedly until she freed his wrists and ankles. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, reaching up properly once his hands were free to wipe his tears away. His hands lingered at his neck at he brought them down, gingerly touching the injury and wincing at the painful bruises. He blinked at her as she spoke to him, unsure, but nodding and getting up unsteadily to follow her back to the fire, and sitting down beside her. She seemed kind, but he didn't remember her like the other. He hoped she wasn't going to die.

Raven watched as Sliet took the other over to the fire, relieved she'd been able to console him - he didn't have any idea how to handle that kind of thing, as bad as he felt for the other.

Dalian watched everything unfold, highly concerned about this new madman in their group. This couldn't go poorly in any way, shape or form.

After managing to get down some food, Wulfar glanced over at the Bear, still exhausted. "Thank you. My name is Wulfar. Who are you all?"

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