| Logs |
2002 July 21
| Idlewild |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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| Realms: Idlewild Logs |
June 7th-- raw.
Aiden and Steven have succeeded in their quest for clothing, and availed themselves of the motherly shopkeeper's offer to let them change in the store-provided changing stalls. The wind gets under the cloth walls, but they're private and presumably no one outside notices the briefly unclad foreigners. When each man emerges, he looks far less out of place in his new surroundings-- the breeches, belts and shirts are well-made but commonplace. Aiden declined the vest that came with the suggested outfit, but Steven has accepted his and looks less drab, tiny beaded edges glinting slightly in the afternoon light.
Aiden stuffs his clothes from home into his backpack, and heads off to the woodworking booth that Steven pointed out to him a moment ago. He proceeds to find and purchase a whittling knife so that he can start to contribute some earnings to the group, and hopefully make some useful things for them as well. He tucks this securely into a pockets of his backpack, so that he remembers where it is and doesn't have to unpack the whole thing to find it, then heads back to collect Steven and go back to the camp.
Steven is collected willingly, ever-amiable, and the two start to make their way back to camp.
Aiden and Steven both fail to notice the young man running towards them until he has nearly collided with them both in his frantic dash.
Aiden manages, just barely, to keep his feet when the boy nearly collides with him. "whoa..."
Stephen stumbles but regains his balance before toppling either himself or his companion.
The boy gives them both a terrified look out of cat-slit lavender eyes, then scrambles to his feet and takes off running again in the same direction, as if he's running away from something. Long, deep blue hair streams out behind him. He appears to be wearing an outfit made mostly of lightweight silver chains.
Steven says in an outraged undertone to Aiden, "That child has lash-marks all over his back and thighs!"
Aiden frowns. "An escaped slave?"
Steven makes a face as if to say, "How should I know? I just got here too!" but adds out loud, "Does it matter? Do we support slavery?"
Aiden looks back at Steven. "I guess that depends.." He thinks, "On how big the guy chasing him is.. Do we really want to get involved in this?"
So far, no one is pounding the pathway in pursuit of the runner. The crowd is only mildly impressed, most watching curiously to see if anyone's going to do anything especially interesting.
Aiden sets off in the direction that the boy was running, walking, but walking quickly.
Steven follows Aiden, looking relieved he's not going to have to argue.
Lotte emerges with Penny from between two tents, only to be run down by a young man running like hell. He hits her with a thud, and she goes flying, then immediately regains balance and lands on her feet steadily. Penny hangs on for dear life.
The young runner goes sprawling facefirst in the dusty walkway. The other walkers step away or step around him, clearing space, so he's easy to see as Aiden and Stephen stride up.
A few of the passersby clap, presumably for Lotte's skillful recovery.
Lotte goes to help the young man up, equally angry and worried and slightly abashed at her recovery.
Aiden is just reaching down to help the boy up, when Lotte does it for him. He frowns thoughtfully at the boy.
The dusty-faced boy scrambles to his knees, flinching from both Lotte's touch and her anger. "Please, mistress, I'm sorry!" He turns to see Aiden and Steven looming behind him and freezes, eyeing the taller men warily, still on his knees.
Lotte's anger dissipates at the boy's reaction to her help and to Aiden and Steven. She is now full of worry and apprehension. "They won't hurt you. Stand up."
IdlewildGM says, "Oh! Heh. Hi, Jon!"
IdlewildGM says, "**editor: ahem."
The boy stands immediately at Lotte's direct order. He's even shorter than Lotte, dressed mostly in light silvery chains-- quite a lot of them-- and is wearing a medallion around his neck, attached to a high black leather choker. Pierced pointy ears stick out of his long blue hair. He's also wearing high black boots, though they're scuffed and pale from falling in the dust.
Steven has a moment's bizarre sense of panic when he takes note of the boy's outfit, but realizes shortly that he's at least wearing something underneath it. Oddly, the boy is built more like anadult. The vagabond starts to get a faintly queasy sensation, not quite wanting to know what the boy's particular duties might be. He tries to be as unthreatening as possible, especially when he sees how quickly -- and how -- he responds to Lotte.
Aiden frowns again when he notices the bondage-type harness that the boy is wearing under those chains. He makes a mental note of the symbol on his medallion, a nine-stranded black whip with barbed ends that are dripping little rubies. "Sex Slave."
Lotte frowns slightly at the boy's appearance, which she can't quite process or place, and waits for someone else to say something.
The boy is still standing-- standing very still. He's watching Lotte hardest, but his eyes flick to the two men as well.
Steven's eyes flick over to Aiden, and he frowns deeply. He'd not quite brought himself to acknowledge that, but it's inescapable.
Aiden clears his throat and says, softly, "Who are you?"
The dusty boy in artistic chains says softly, in a well-trained and pleasant voice devoid of all hope, "Insolent Worm."
Steven frowns, glancing around the murmuring crowd. He whispers quietly to Aiden, "Aiden... what does 'loviatar' mean?"
Steven's eyebrows almost disappear under his forelocks at the boy's name.
Aiden blinks at Steven, "Uhm. Doesn't mean anything to me." He turns and looks at the boy, "Is that what you are called?"
Lotte gasps as the boy speaks his name. A feeling of wrongness creeps over her and she shivers.
The young man nods, a long lock of deep blue hair falling across his lavender eyes. He picks up on Lotte's dislike very quickly, and says "I will be honored if mistress chooses to give me a new name, if this is not to her liking."
Lotte is visibly shaken by the boy's mannerisms, but her voice comes out a bit harsh. "I can't give you a name! What is your real name, besides... that other one?"
The boy flinches and says hurriedly, "I don't know what you want, madam! Please, let me make up for it somehow?"
Steven blinks, then steps up quietly beside the bard. "Lotte... he's scared witless. When he ran into us earlier, I saw lash-marks."
Aiden looks at the boy, "Are you a slave?"
Lotte finally picks up on the boy's subservience and terror. She reaches out to touch his arm in an attempt to comfort him. "I'm not a mistress or a madam. My name is Lotte."
The boy looks Aiden in the eye for a moment,and his eyes are crashingly weary. His voice is pleasant, though, and resignedly calm-- he's given up on the impulse to run away. "I am if you want me to be, sir... I am only in training to serve Her will."
Lotte says, "Why are you running?"
Steven frowns. "Her?" he asks quietly.
Aiden sighs, "I'm not asking what I want. I'm asking for your vision of the truth."
The young man turns to Lotte's touch, chains swinging gently. "I had a failure of will, m-- Miss Lotte. My new teacheris... harsher than my last."
Lotte looks to Aiden and Steven as if to say 'What the heck is this guy talking about?'
Steven shakes his head, equally in the dark as Lotte.
The boy answers Steven, in tones of reverent fear, "Loviatar. The Maiden of Pain... the Willing Whip." He looks at Aiden. "That is my truth. I strive to serve, despite my failures. I will be whatever is required of me, as a priest in training, until I am worthy."
Aiden nods at the boy.
The chain-clad lad looks calmly at the group. "If my name displeases you, I would truly be honored to answer to something else, for you."
Lotte's eyes widen in disbelief as she begins to understand the boy's position.
Steven winces slightly at the boy's description. That explains what the crowd was murmuring -- they must know he, uh, well, he serves her. He gingerly rubs the wooden medallion in his hand, frowning thoughtfully.
Aiden says, "Don't you wish to return to your training?"
Lotte turns to stare at Aiden. "No! He will not return to his... training! I won't let him!"
Aiden blinks at Lotte. "What if returning to his training is what he wants, Lotte?"
Finally, Steven shakes his head. Man.Pelor never asked that of me! He blinks a bit, looking at the medallion. It's warm...? There is something Pelor wants me to do, I think. And I imagine Pelor isn't one to be terribly fond of this... Loviatar.
The boy's gaze drops to the ground. "I am weak. I was running away. I should go--" he stops, eyes rising to Lotte, widening. It looks like her declaration got a reaction. He says almost reverently, "If the lady wishes..."
Lotte says, "I... I don't care. No one can really want that. I mean, well... maybe they can, but he was running. Away. "
Lotte takes a breath and makes a decisive statement. "No, you are coming with us. We would not let you return to someone who treats you so horribly."
Steven grimaces a little. He hates being in front of crowds, but.... He addresses the boy. "Is being a priest of Loviatar what you want to do? Or is it what you've only been raised to do?" With Lotte's declaration, he looks around, wondering when the people looking for the elf-boy are going to be showing up. He guesses that one does not run away from such a thing without it being noticed and frowned upon.
Aiden stays where he is, silentlywatching and listening as his companions decide the boy's future.
The decorative young man's eyes follow Lotte's every move like those of a dog. He whispers, "AS my lady wishes." He turns to Steven with something new in his eyes. Those familiar with the fanatical might recognize it as a Cause. He says simply, "She has spoken. I am a willow."
The crowd-murmur suggests suddenly that perhaps someone new and interesting is coming closer.
Aiden turns in the direction that the crowd murmur is coming from..
Lotte says, "Let's get out of here."
Steven opens his mouth, then closes it, blinking. Crap. I know that look. He nods a little. "We'll talk," he says simply, then glances around as the crowd begins to murmur. Hoboy. "Yes," he says quietly. "That's a good idea, Lotte. But slowly, casually, not like we're, uh, stealing. I'll bring up the rear."
Lotte takes the boy's arm and starts casually walking towards camp.
Aiden shakes his head and turns to go, following a little behind Lotte.
Steven nods, and follows behind Aiden, glancing behind him often but trying to make it look casual. Rule one of surviving in gang territory... don't look like you don't belong there. Rule two: don't show fear. Rule three: don't carry anything gangbangers might want. Well, two out of three ain't bad....
The boy outweighs Lotte in muscle though not height, but trails obediently behind her at the light touch, almost drifting. Behind them, the crowd closes again, as if complicit in this theft of Loviatar's property-in-training.
Lotte feels more than slightly odd with a chained, blue-haired elf boy following her. She takes off her sweatshirt and hands it to him. "Here, wear this please."
Lotte's new blue-haired elf boy complies quickly, having seen her take the sweatshirt off. He puts it on and is no longer dangly or shiny, though he looks rather like a half-dressed dancer or a male version of Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman in a shirt that comes down barely past his crotch, and those high boots.
Lotte pulls the boy's arm so that he walks next to her. "What does is mean when you say you are a willow?"
The sweatshirted elf-boy says agreeably, "I am pliant; I bend to harsh winds. The world is filled with pain and torment; the best that we can all do is suffer those blows than canot be avoided, until we can deal pain back to those who offend."
IdlewildGM says, "**editor:cannot."
Lotte wrinkles her nose. "What a load of crap! Who taught you that?"
Steven winces as he hears that from the boy. It really rankles against the faith that his teacher instilled in him in the view of the world that Pelun and his followers have. He files it away for 'soon,' however, since he's watching the rear of the little train, hoping they're not about to be pounced.
The boy says to Lotte, "Why is it crap? Do you not see that the strong are those who come through pain and still strive onward? These are the teachings of Loviatar."
Steven murmurs, "Remind me to tell him what Pelor thinks," as he casts another glance around. It sounds like the makings of a first-class bully, if he wasn't so pitiable in his current state.
Aiden shakes his head again when the boy says that, though it's not quite clear if it's disapproval or something else. He glances behind him, to check where Steven is, or if they're being followed by the boy's teachers.
Lotte says, "Yes, I can see that. But that doesn't give anyone the right to inflict pain! We struggle every day with more than enough emotion. No one needs any extra purposefully added to it!"
Both Steven and Aiden see atall, flamingly blood-red head of hair on a tall person above the crowd. It is scanning the surroundings, as if looking for something... or someone. A spiked neck collar is barely visible. Its skin is a similar ruddy hue, and its eyes are spots of fire from here. They sweep once, missing the retreating group entirely, then a second time-- catching Steven, but not Aiden, in direct eye contact for a moment.
Steven blinks, finding his gaze caught by that... person. He? She? It doesn't matter. He hasn't felt such a wave of desire for someone in a long time. Such fire... it's really pretty, very attractive. He can't help himself, walking towards the person -- not even knowing who or what it is -- step by step, mesmerized.
Aiden runs back towards Steven and grabs his arm. "What'cha doing, Steven? The camp's the other way. Remember, we're leaving?"
Lotte and her follower, with their backs turned, continue walking toward camp and the dubious safety of the group's tent.
Steven blinks, finding himself looking at Aiden and blinking. "What...?" He shakes his head, and starts to look back the way they came. "I was just... no. Let's go. Let's catch up to Lotte. Now." Oh, Pelor, I'm ashamed. How could I let that happen? Relax, Steven... you don't know half the wiles and wyrds of this place.... "Come on. We need to get out of here and out of sight."
Aiden sticks close to Steven, just in case he changes his mind again, and starts making towards Lotte. "Steven, we should really try to blend into the crowd. Let's not just walk straight to camp.. We'll duck around to another traffic corridor once we catch Lotte."
Steven nods quickly, moving to catch up to Lotte. "I agree. We should take a roundabout route. And someplace that won't noisilly kick us out for having the elf boy with us.... We should ask penny if there's a good place to go."
Aiden comes up on one side of Lotte. "Your boy's master seems to be following us. Stop walking in a straight line and try to blend into the crowd."
Lotte says, "What? Oh! Um... ok."
Penny says sleepily from Lotte's hood, which is now adorning the elf-lad, "Mmhuh"
Aiden leads the way, taking the group around some tents, into a different traffic corridor and trying to blend into the crowds as much as possible before they actually get out of the tent city and go back to the camp.
The wary group arrives back attheir campsite and communal tent without mishap. Lua is sitting outside it, sharpening a knife. She nearly cuts herself when she looks up to greet the group and sees the new member. Her eyes go straight to his medallion, tiny rubies winking in the sunlight. She says in a strangled tone, "Oh, my lady bright. What have you done?"
(Log stopped Sun Jul 7 1902 08:44 PM by "IdlewildGM" at "Idlewild Soundstage" OOC)
( Listing Complete OOC ) (OOC) Aiden wakes up. Aiden has arrived. Steven says, "Hithere!" Aiden says, "Steven. I can't believe you made the 'invincible' comment around our GM.. :P"
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