Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format
Seas Of Erin > Tir-Nan-Og > The warriors' wail and the bay of hounds


Posted by: Fortuna Nov 11 2007, 06:40 PM
On the west field of Leabharcham, within sight of Cnoch-nan-Ainneal, the Hill of the Fires, the Queen's armed horsemen drew to a line stretching the length of the gate-wall. As they waited, another, small group of horsemen joined them, flashing the colours of the house of Oisin. The tallest of the horsemen wheeled her men into line, then poised before them. Behind the lines, the footmen--without uniform, anonymous, crouched, shifting and impatient. All parted in the wake of the house bard.

In her formal blue-and-white, the bright-haired bard drew calmly down the slope to the centre of the open field. The winds whipped her robes like flames. She arched back her throat and bayed out an echoing challenge-cry, long and undulating, toward the Cnoch-na-Niall camp.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 13 2007, 09:21 PM
Marcello, his shirtfront streaked with blood, looked out frantically, his eyes wild like a horse in a burning stable. He gripped the tent-flap so tightly his knuckles went white, and scanned the horizon with a look that panicked further and further as he saw the display about them. "Morgana! Mortoch!"

He looked back worriedly, then hastily instructed the nearest guards to cover their mouths and noses and see to the Countess, only venturing out another step, as if his hand were glued to the tent flap. "Someone find Morgana!" he pleaded. "Or Mortoch! Now."

His heart pounded in his chest, a hard, painful stone between his ribs, feeling as if it were about to sink into his stomach.

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 09:34 PM
Panting for breath (with her trousers looking scruffier than ever), Jamilah reached Marcello, having clearly just been running. "No, er, no hope that's reinforcements, then?" she asked flatly, crossing her arms over her stomach. "Where's La- what happened to you? Are you hurt?"

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 13 2007, 09:38 PM
"It's Niabheara," Marcello answered tightly. "It's plague. Goddamn plague. She's coughing blood. She's got a fever. Have you seen Morgana or Mortoch or anyone who can help?"

He looked back and forth, shuddering. "And this was just as I-- she's attacking now. Is the rest of the camp sick? Is-- where are all the trul?"

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 09:48 PM
Jamilah swallowed hard, glancing at the tent, and then quickly turning her head away again. "Oh. Ah." She took a deep, steadying breath. "Nobody else is sick, as far as I know, and I guess I would know if they were. I haven't seen Morgana, and I don't think I know Mortoch, and I don't know where the trul are. Do you want me to stay here whilst you go and find somebody?"

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 13 2007, 09:54 PM
Marcello bit down tightly on his lip, the chapped outer layer of skin cracking and bleeding. "Please," he answered hoarsely. "Do you--what's going on?" he asked. "I-- please tell me they give Oracle Priestesses some kind of medical training?"

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 10:05 PM
Rather than look at Marcello, Jamilah concentrated on the army, as she gave the answer she wished she didn't have to. "They don't. We have healers for that. I - can't help. I'm sorry."

She rubbed her hands together, shivering. "I was supposed to be good at foreseeing the future, but I didn't see any of this," she said, gesturing. "Nothing useful."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 13 2007, 10:18 PM
"Yes, you did," he answered brusquely. "Moira. There was something wrong with Moira. And then Niabheara got sick. I--"

He gritted his teeth, tightly. "I just don't want her to die, Jamilah. I-- Whatever you can do. I'm in your debt."

And he reached for her hand, squeezing it, before he started off.


Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 10:30 PM
He probably hadn't meant for her to stand stock still, but Jamilah couldn't make herself move, stuck staring at the place Marcello had vacated. She managed to occupy his position in front of the tent, but did not enter it, staring out at the assembled army instead.

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 13 2007, 10:35 PM
"Gods, woman, get under cover!" The bard reached for Jamilah's arm, casting a frantic look down at the field. "This is still archer-range! Why are you still here?"

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 10:40 PM
Jamilah started, pulling her arm out of reach. "Why are you still here?" she asked sharply, narrowing her eyes at the smaller woman. She threw a glance over her shoulder, hoping Marcello might reappear and tell her what had been wrong with Moira.

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 13 2007, 10:43 PM
"I've come to see to the Countess. The trul-priestesses have forsaken us!" Moira's grey eyes snapped fire at the sentiment. "If she's not too ill to move, she needs to be taken away from the encampment lest there is an out-and-out raid. And you, Marcello, and the Lady Ebhot need to be gone." She started toward the tent.

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 10:47 PM
Jamilah snorted. "You can go and tell Marcello that he's to leave," she said nicely, blocking Moira's path. "And this Lady Ebhot. I'll see how the countess is faring myself. Her - care has been entrusted to me." It was sort of true, she reasoned.

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 13 2007, 10:52 PM
The bard drew back her shoulders in outrage. "By whom has it been entrusted? Not that idiot tallfolk; he has not authority. Stand aside and draw to the south bulkward, mistress." This time she wrapped her fingers hard around Jamilah's wrist as if to physically yank her aside if need must. The black bands on the back of the bard's knuckles slithered like snakes.

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 10:58 PM
Jamilah stood firm for the moment, though she looked stricken. "Let go of me," she said quietly. "Marcello will be back in a moment, or you can go find him and make him hurry if he takes too long about it. He can't have gone far."

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 13 2007, 11:10 PM
Moira snatched her hand away. "Find him yourself. I have more important matters to attend."

The woman shouldered around Jamilah and into the tent.

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 11:21 PM
Jamilah looked around desperately for Marcello, then followed the woman into the tent. She stayed at the tent's entrance, fixing her eyes on the bard. "Moira, please, I - don't touch her yet, Marcello definitely said that she could not be moved, under any circumstances."

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 13 2007, 11:27 PM
Moira had already crouched beside the countess's mat, where the young woman lay on her back, her arms wrapped tight around her middle. The bard carefully wiped away a streamer of blood from the girl's cheek, put a wrist to her forehead, and touched the side of her neck. Her face, when she turned back to Jamilah, was grave, but faintly challenging. "There, you see?" she said calmly, her eyes narrowed to slits against the dimness. "Was that little worth so much struggle?"

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 11:33 PM
"I don't know," Jamilah said, trying to sound calm and trying not to think of Marcello's reaction. Her eyes lingered on Niabheara. "That all depends, I suppose. What did you do to her? Is she-" She broke off and trained her eyes on a patch of ground instead. "Will you leave her now?"

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 13 2007, 11:44 PM
"She's stable." The bard touched her own forehead to wipe a lock of hair from her face; her expression was stony, unreadable. "It should have . . . we're fortunate it has not advanced more in her. I think she is safe to move."

The small woman advanced on Jamilah, her eyes still narrowed. "Where has he gone?"

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 13 2007, 11:48 PM
"How relieving," Jamilah replied, shifting back accordingly to the other woman's movements. "He's gone to see if he can find her sister. Do you know where she might be?"

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 14 2007, 12:03 AM
"I thought I'd explained that." Her banded fingers rapped against her arm. "The south bulkward. Where you should be. Where he is, if he has sense." She tossed her head and started forward again. "Go, mistress. I'll take your watch."

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 14 2007, 12:12 AM
Jamilah raised an eyebrow in response, staying put this time. "I thought the question of him having any sense whatsoever had already been decided. I don't mind waiting here, honestly. I'm not remotely useful elsewhere, but I'm sure you must be, now that you've seen to the countess."

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 14 2007, 12:23 AM
Moira gave the girl an icy look. Then, abruptly, she swapped tactics. "Stay or go, then, as you wish. But warned: if the battle comes up from the valley, I am with my lady. I leave you to escape as best you can."

She turned back to the countess, who lay groaning faintly in her sleep, and rearranged the blankets that had been drawn up against her. "He stayed here all the night, did he?" she mused aloud, half to Jamilah.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 12:42 AM
Marcello was slightly-- only slightly-- less frantic than he'd been when he left. "And she was bleeding again, and I couldn't find the trul heal--"

He held the tent-flap back for the woman, only to go grey at the sight of Moira. "Moira," he said, his throat going scratchy. "Please come here."

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 12:48 AM
Morgana--as usual, labouring under an armful of bundles and baskets that she would entrust no one but herself to carry--dipped under the doorway. Her response was just a bit more harsh than Marcello's: "Get away from my sister. What was she doing?" she demanded of Jamilah.

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 14 2007, 12:55 AM
"She was - oh, I don't know. It wasn't much that I could see. She touched the Lady Niall's neck and her forehead, and said that she could be moved to somewhere safer," Jamilah said, looking relieved to relinquish control - not that she had exactly managed to gain control in the first place. "I tried not to let her in, Marcello."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 01:05 AM
"Moira," Marcello said, giving the woman a cautious look as he stepped determinedly over to Niabheara and knelt at the girl's bedside. "You lied to me yesterday. Why did you lie?"

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 14 2007, 01:17 AM
Moira did not relinquish her spot at Niabheara's feet, even as Marcello approached her. "When did I ever lie?" she said, shocked. "I've no reason to. Look, man, we've got a battle at our feet; this woman must be moved to safety. As must you all. We've only Cnoch-na-Niall left to our defences; all the rest have moved to the Queen's side."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 01:23 AM
"You left her tent, you lied to me and said she wasn't there, and then she fell sick," Marcello said stonily, glancing back at the others. "Within the hour. When you met me, you read a band, but one piece of the information was incorrect. You would know what it is now."

He looked to Morgana. "Where is the Puck?"

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 01:32 AM
"In irons, but I wasn't let near it." Morgana, furious that everyone else in this room seemed to feel her rightful place was theirs, opened her arms to let all her equipment fall with a clatter at her feet and inserted herself between Moira and Marcello. She seemed prepared to stand straddled over the girl if it kept the others away from her. "If the trul have gone, there is a very good chance that it was left unguarded, if it was left behind at all. It and His Majesty."

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 14 2007, 01:41 AM
"Within the hour of which of us, Marchese?" the bard snapped in reply.

Posted by: Jamilah Ai'livahzi Nov 14 2007, 01:49 AM
Satisfied that everything was being taken care of (and not wanting to be caught in the cross-fire, should any occur), Jamilah slipped out.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 01:57 AM
"Answer my question," Marcello answered fiercely, curling his hands into fists. "I'm not the one under suspicion. Guards! Morgana, call them in from outside?!"

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 14 2007, 02:02 AM
"Go on," the bard fired back, "call them in. By all means, expose what's left to the plague, they who are not in battle. We two are in here courting death, but it would seem that death has already pressed his ardour on the countess."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 02:22 AM
"She won't die!"

Marcello, red-faced, gritted his teeth and smacked the tent flap back, stalking out. "Morgana! Get Niabheara ready to move!"

It only took him a moment to return with an iron skillet that was a good twice the size of a human skillet and the chain from a cookpot.


Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 14 2007, 02:38 AM
The bard's eyes widened. She clapped both hands to her mouth . . . but burst out laughing anyway. "Oh, now we go to do battle with . . . what? Cookware and crockery? You spit line and verse when it please you, but you can't remember what every child learns from the cradleboard: to never drink of faerie wine."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 02:47 AM
Marcello gave the woman an incredulous look. "And I never drank-"

He stopped, pressing his lips together, and gave Moira a long, cold look.

He didn't even try to answer. Instead, he swung the frying pan at her face.

Posted by: Moira an Tiompan Nov 14 2007, 02:51 AM
The bard flickered out of existence before the iron could reach her.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 02:52 AM
--And the queen, behind Marcello, tapped his shoulder before swiping her claws at his face.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 02:58 AM
Marcello spun a bit faster than he might have otherwise, off the momentum from the already-swinging pan, shut his eyes, barely ducking in time for the woman's nails to slice across his forehead, as he kept swinging the pan in an arc toward her.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 03:08 AM
She moved fast, but the pan struck her elbow as she withdrew her arm. She screamed and cupped her arm close, dancing just out of reach. "Mortal man, mortal man," she chanted softly. "The deed's been done. What will you do to me if you catch me? What can you imagine?"

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 03:09 AM
"This, bitch." Morgana wrapped her fist up in the woman's long hair and jerked downward, hard as she could. "Marcello, the chain, the chain!"

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 03:14 AM
The Italian was already dropping the pan and wrapping the chain between both fists, stepping toward her as he aimed to wrap the chain around the woman's neck. "I can imagine quite a bit, you goddamn bitch," he growled.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 03:26 AM
Titania yanked her head forward, leaving a significant amount of red hair still tangled in Morgana's fist. She whirled and stamped the smaller woman's foot, then slammed her fist hard in Morgana's stomach and shoved her hard toward Marcello.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 03:38 AM
Marcello swore and half-stumbled, half-fell to the side to avoid Morgana, landing on his knees with a thud.

Blood was dripping from his forehead into his eyes, blurring his vision. Figuring it had at least half-worked the last time, he flung himself bodily at the Queen's feet.

"PRONTO PER MIO CAVALLO, PUTTANA!" he shouted at no one in particular.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 03:47 AM
"Go gcreime an Bhadhbh do bhall fearga," she hissed back, kicking at his face as she reached for her blade. "Have we played this dance before? I think we have. I think this time I shall not be so gentle with you."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 03:52 AM
Marcello shot her a fierce look, then dipped his head so her foot caught his temple, and thrust both hands, chain wrapped between them, out to catch the outstretched foot.

"MORGANA! GET ME A SWORD!"

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 04:01 AM
Crouched over her sister, Morgana screamed back at him in pure fury and confusion, "FROM WHERE? OUT OF MY ARSE?!"

Her eyes darted rapidly about the tent, finally falling to the wall. Wrapping her long sleeve double around her hand, she grabbed one of the tapered iron rods supporting a divider and yanked it hard enough to first tilt it, then rip it out of the ground. The section of ceiling sagged. "Here!" She all but shoved the rod at Marcello.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 04:04 AM
The queen stumbled, then fell; it did not seem to stop her. She kicked to loose the chain, shrieking as if it had branded her.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 04:09 AM
"Hold her feet!" Marcello cried at Morgana, scrambling to hold the chain around Titania's ankle with one hand as he clasped his new sword with the other, blinking to keep the blood and sweat from his eyes.

He jabbed at the closest, fleshy part of the woman's body: her upper thigh.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 04:28 AM
Titania shrieked again when the rod grazed her thigh deep enough to slash her dress and bring blood. She sat up fast and coiled around him like a snake, slashing at his back with her own blade.

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 04:33 AM
Morgana rushed forward, trying to catch the Queen's hands to tear them away from Marcello and receiving a gash across the forearm for her efforts. She pulled back far enough to cuff her as hard as she could across the face, her free hand still tangling with Titania's hands.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 04:45 AM
"I said her feet," Marcello growled at Morgana, caught like he was with the chained foot in one hand.

He winced as Titania's blade hit the woman, but took the opportunity to move back into Titania's motion, thrusting his shoulder toward her body instead of away, and he slashed his makeshift sword at her side.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 05:03 AM
The queen screamed again, panting hard through her teeth as she fought to wrap an elbow around the back of his neck, yanking his chin as if to pry his head off. There seemed to be no softness at all about her body, only infinite coils of muscle and sinew. She slammed her hip hard to one side, aiming for the groin.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 05:11 AM
Marcello seethed at the blow to the groin, cringing a bit as he slashed at the arm she was using for her choke-hold.

"IS THIS ENOUGH OF A KNIGHT FOR YOU, YET?!" he shouted, apparently at the air.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 05:19 AM
Titania jerked her arm away, let him go and rolled aside, a cracked, sick grin spread across her flawless features. "A knight?" she spat. "Better a pawn, a jester, a folly or a fool. You played into my hands; your every touch left a film of poison. And yet such a gentle swain that I might have to push you upon your lady. But never mind, the job's been done. She's seen her final sunset. I'm well pleased with you, little assassin."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 05:29 AM
Marcello's face went grey, his brow beading heavily with sweat, and he took a deep, struggling breath. "And I still-- Will it-- everyone I touch?" he said, sounding terrified. "Morgana?"

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 05:34 AM
The woman laughed brightly, even as she pressed a hand to her punctured side and twisted against her chains. "Both sisters, then? You've been misled. That one is as baseborn as any curr." With a sneer, she tossed her head toward Morgana. "What better? You curry favour with honeyed tongue, therefore I poisoned the honey."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 05:49 AM
Marcello tightened his grip on the chains, pulling himself up to his knees to shuffle closer to the queen, his jaw tight. "Morgana," he said quietly. "I need a better way to hold her. Please."

He held his makeshift sword like an expert fencer, and flicked it around to aim it at the queen's throat. "Surrender now," he said quietly. "Surrender and swear that you will never trouble Cnoch-na-Niall again."

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 06:08 AM
Morgana was frantic, arm limp and dripping at her side as she looked around the room for rope, for anything she could take that would not bring the place falling down on them. Then her eyes narrowed. She dabbed a finger in the deep cut, drew a warding, reversed, in thick blood on her palm. Then, decisively, she smacked the bloodied hand in the center of Titania's forehead.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 06:12 AM
Titania tried to turn her head away from Morgana, uncertain as to what was coming. The ward-shaped blotch stood clearly on her forehead. Twisting, her arms would not leave her sides. She glared with catlike hate toward Morgana. "You have signed your own death notice, woman," she hissed.

Her head whipped back toward Marcello. "Cnoch-na-Niall lies bleeding. There it is." Her head twisted to aim a wad of spit toward Niabheara. "The last that's left of it."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 06:22 AM
"That," Marcello said, in a chilly tone, "is the Queen of Avalon. Show her some respect. I want a surrender and an antidote for me and for her."

With his eyes fixed on Titania, he took a deep breath, loosed his grip on her ankle, and lunged, palm outstretched, and lips puckered, for the Queen's face. "And for you."

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 06:31 AM
Frozen, she could do nothing but submit, jaw clenched, eyes blazing. Before he pulled away she snapped her teeth at his lips. "I can hold out the cure long enough to watch her die," she said. "But I do not think I will watch her die. I've seen enough death in my day, I know what it looks like. I think I shall watch you watching her die."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 06:41 AM
Marcello wiped his mouth, then kissed the Queen's cheek. "Do you think your husband will be kinder to you?" he asked her softly. "If I give him my demands?"

"GUARDS!" he shouted again, followed by a close approximation of what might have been a Tuathalli word for the same.

He lifted his sword to the side of her head, just above the ear, as the first rustlings came from the outer tent-flap, the Tuatha guards who started in still covering their mouths thickly.

"And a little something to remind him of Tristan?" he asked challengingly.

"I need irons," he ordered. "I need irons and whatever Trul healers are still in the camp."

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 06:59 AM
"Do not presume with my dread lord." She hardly seemed aware of the point beside her ear, though her neck muscles strained and fluttered to keep away from it. "There is no damage you wrought that I cannot undo. I am Queen Titania. I will be here when you fall to dust."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 07:20 AM
"Yes, but I'll die knowing I lived a decent, full-eared life," Marcello answered cheerfully.

"Very well, then," he said, reaching for the irons that were provided, clapping them to both her wrists and her ankles. "Someone get a message to His Majesty that the Queensman of Her Majesty, the Queen of Avalon, would like to arrange palaver with his Puck. Inform him that if a single drop of Avalon blood is shed, his Queen will shed the same. Also inform him that she has taken ill and that we require the antidote to her plague. The one for Tallfolk as well as for Tuatha."

He eyed the woman cautiously for a moment, and then lowered his iron instrument, instead favoring the bronze dagger at his belt. "And give him this," he said, as he raised the blade over the woman's ear and brought it down.

Posted by: Queen Titania Nov 14 2007, 07:41 AM
She ground down hard against her screaming. It came out muted and strangled, and she never took her eyes off Marcello, not for a moment, as if she were memorising his precise posture and expression. Blood poured down the side of her neck as the flap of skin fell away.

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 07:54 AM
And Marcello stared hard back at her, wiped the knife on her own skirt, picked up the severed ear with a grim look and gestured for the guards to take custody of her and the piece of flesh as he finally stood, moving not to Niabheara but to Meg.

"And whoever goes to deliver the message to His Majesty, say that we desire the return of our Bard. If it is impossible to return her, he'll have her other ear."

When he finally turned away, and toward Meg, he went a brilliant shade of green. "I don't know where to put her," he whispered. "Where do I put her? I-- stay with Niabheara? I'll-- I'll send someone to take care of your arm, and who can take care of her, who's still with us? The Trul can drain the poison, can't they?"

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 08:06 AM
Morgana, gripping the two sides of the wound together as tightly as she could press, was still dazed and draining quickly. "I can care for my own arm. I don't know about the rest; I'd have to go looking, and the majority will be on the field now." She shook her head, not even sure how much sense she was making now. "I'll stay with Nialla. If I'm ill as well then it won't matter."

She stared down at the Queen. "Throw her down a well, for all I care," she said, her voice hardening. "Stable her with the horses."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 08:12 AM
"I'm going to find someone to take care of her," Marcello replied, not looking like he was going to get very far. "I'm not going to let her die."

He finally paused to wipe the blood out of his eyes. "And I'd kill the bitch now, but the last time someone did that, she just came back, didn't she?' he asked weakly. "Is there...can you think of a hiding place? Somewhere no one will think to look?"

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 08:20 AM
Morgana looked stern. "Oh, I can think of one, all right. I can't move her there by myself. But I know where to put her."

Very timidly, she touched the tips of her fingers to his sleeve. "You did very well."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 08:24 AM
Marcello shook his head. "I'll have done well when Niabheara's up and recovering," he answered quietly, glancing at the sick girl before shutting his eyes. "If she dies, it doesn't matter what I've done."

He swallowed, harshly, putting a hand to his mouth. "And I need to go be sick," he said, a bit abashed. "Can these men help you put the Queen wherever she has to go?"

Posted by: Morgana Northsbane Nov 14 2007, 08:35 AM
Now Morgana looked alarmed; she nearly clapped a hand to his back to guide him toward the door, but stopped herself just in time. "Go, go, then, for goodness's sake, go! I'll enlist some of these for her. I'll . . . " She swallowed hard herself, squeezing her arm tighter. "We will get through this. I'll find you here."

Posted by: Marcello Basciano Nov 14 2007, 08:40 AM
Marcello nodded, his complexion still growing paler with every moment. "That thing-- with the blood--" He traced his own forehead. "That was good, too."

Then he put a hand to his mouth, and tightened his jaw. "I'll be back soon," he managed, before he started from the tent, still limping a bit from the blow to the groin.

Powered by Invision Power Board (http://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (http://www.invisionpower.com)