Lumina
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Fantasy Expedition: Treasure Hunt
- Thread starter Lumina
- Start date
StarryKnights
A Spastic Collection of Characters and Ideas
Hadley Slade
Vare Fore.
A bustling city, built atop a series of large rocky cliffs which were once thought to be the edge of the known world. Vare Fore was home to numerous races, though the city itself was built by a lost civilization of elves eons ago. The mark of this ancient fey race was easily seen in the architecture. The large, twisting spirals that topped many buildings, which themselves were imposing structures. Vare Fore was known to be a rather high end city, and it was often plagued by bandits, which in turn lead to the creation of Vare Fore's force of elite guards.
This police force was known for arresting and imprisoning the city's vagrant population, along with any criminal that entered.
These guards had the potential to be a royal pain in the ass for a certain pirate, who was docking at the city's port.
"I fucking hate this bullshit...". Hadley swore under her breath as she fiddled with her shirt, she was dressed as a common merchant woman. This meant ditching her usual attire for something plain and simple, a buttoned up vest with a white undershirt, paired with a brown skirt with some simple blue embroidery. There was a patch which read Rodman's Wares on the left breast pocket of the breast, this was the name of the caravan Hadley and her crew had...intercepted.
It had been too easy really, sneaking up on the merchant vessel as it stopped for the night, they'd been so close to shore to. Had they tried and sail through the incoming storm, they would've made it ashore safely. Now, half the crew was dead, and the other half was tied up securely in the cargo hold on the Widow, Hadley's beloved ship.
She scowled at herself as she glanced in the mirror, her long dark hair was pulled up into a neat braided bun.
"I look like a nun", she sighed as she wrapped the blue scarf around her neck, competing the peasant look. It would be far easier for herself and her crew to move about town in disguise, though only she, her first mate and a handful of others were heading to shore. The others were remaining on the ship and unloading the cargo, and the remaining crew members were on the Widow, which was stationed outside of the bay.
Hadley hoped that they'd finally found what she'd been looking for, the keys to her future endeavors. She'd grown tired of chasing after ghosts.
"We'll find them today...even if it means tearing this pathetic port apart", she flashed a grin at the mirror she was looking in, here in her stateroom she was free to state her mind. Though her crew would have no issues dispatching the townsfolk if necessary.
Vare Fore.
A bustling city, built atop a series of large rocky cliffs which were once thought to be the edge of the known world. Vare Fore was home to numerous races, though the city itself was built by a lost civilization of elves eons ago. The mark of this ancient fey race was easily seen in the architecture. The large, twisting spirals that topped many buildings, which themselves were imposing structures. Vare Fore was known to be a rather high end city, and it was often plagued by bandits, which in turn lead to the creation of Vare Fore's force of elite guards.
This police force was known for arresting and imprisoning the city's vagrant population, along with any criminal that entered.
These guards had the potential to be a royal pain in the ass for a certain pirate, who was docking at the city's port.
"I fucking hate this bullshit...". Hadley swore under her breath as she fiddled with her shirt, she was dressed as a common merchant woman. This meant ditching her usual attire for something plain and simple, a buttoned up vest with a white undershirt, paired with a brown skirt with some simple blue embroidery. There was a patch which read Rodman's Wares on the left breast pocket of the breast, this was the name of the caravan Hadley and her crew had...intercepted.
It had been too easy really, sneaking up on the merchant vessel as it stopped for the night, they'd been so close to shore to. Had they tried and sail through the incoming storm, they would've made it ashore safely. Now, half the crew was dead, and the other half was tied up securely in the cargo hold on the Widow, Hadley's beloved ship.
She scowled at herself as she glanced in the mirror, her long dark hair was pulled up into a neat braided bun.
"I look like a nun", she sighed as she wrapped the blue scarf around her neck, competing the peasant look. It would be far easier for herself and her crew to move about town in disguise, though only she, her first mate and a handful of others were heading to shore. The others were remaining on the ship and unloading the cargo, and the remaining crew members were on the Widow, which was stationed outside of the bay.
Hadley hoped that they'd finally found what she'd been looking for, the keys to her future endeavors. She'd grown tired of chasing after ghosts.
"We'll find them today...even if it means tearing this pathetic port apart", she flashed a grin at the mirror she was looking in, here in her stateroom she was free to state her mind. Though her crew would have no issues dispatching the townsfolk if necessary.
Cassius
"Come on Merrina, time to get going", Cassius offered his sister a hand up as he grabbed his pack, the old thing was falling apart at the seams, but it managed to hold the two's belongings...the few belongings they had. This sudden move was not the first, staying in once place for long wasn't the best plan with the guards about. They often arrested the homeless and down trod, Cassius and his sister had been lucky to avoid them the past few months. That being said, the blonde wasn't happy about their impending departure, as it had been nice to have a roof over their heads...even if that roof was full of holes.
But it wasn't safe here anymore...honestly Cassius wasn't sure if anywhere was.
He wished he could tell her why they were running...and what from, but he'd vowed to keep her safe, and knowing the truth would only scare her. it was best she didn't know the potential danger they were in...all because the markings on his back were reacting to...some unseen force. Cassius hadn't thought much about the slight pain he'd felt, it had been a long day and sore muscles could easily explain the discomfort. But when he woke that morning, his back had been burning, as though someone had lashed him with a whip. He distinctly the wave of panic that settled over him as he realized that the pain was limited to his tattoo, a sprawling image of a black dragon which stretched from his left shoulder blade and down his torso.
Their parents had instilled in the boy a warning, should his tattoo ever begin to act strange, that they needed o move, and while he wasn't sure as to why, Cassius wasn't willing to take any chances.
He had to keep Merrina safe above all else.
"We need to get ging if we hope to catch the next outbond ship".
He hoped he had enough to buy the two of them some tickets, elsewise they were going to have to sneak aboard
"Come on Merrina, time to get going", Cassius offered his sister a hand up as he grabbed his pack, the old thing was falling apart at the seams, but it managed to hold the two's belongings...the few belongings they had. This sudden move was not the first, staying in once place for long wasn't the best plan with the guards about. They often arrested the homeless and down trod, Cassius and his sister had been lucky to avoid them the past few months. That being said, the blonde wasn't happy about their impending departure, as it had been nice to have a roof over their heads...even if that roof was full of holes.
But it wasn't safe here anymore...honestly Cassius wasn't sure if anywhere was.
He wished he could tell her why they were running...and what from, but he'd vowed to keep her safe, and knowing the truth would only scare her. it was best she didn't know the potential danger they were in...all because the markings on his back were reacting to...some unseen force. Cassius hadn't thought much about the slight pain he'd felt, it had been a long day and sore muscles could easily explain the discomfort. But when he woke that morning, his back had been burning, as though someone had lashed him with a whip. He distinctly the wave of panic that settled over him as he realized that the pain was limited to his tattoo, a sprawling image of a black dragon which stretched from his left shoulder blade and down his torso.
Their parents had instilled in the boy a warning, should his tattoo ever begin to act strange, that they needed o move, and while he wasn't sure as to why, Cassius wasn't willing to take any chances.
He had to keep Merrina safe above all else.
"We need to get ging if we hope to catch the next outbond ship".
He hoped he had enough to buy the two of them some tickets, elsewise they were going to have to sneak aboard
Lumina
b i r b m o m
Alaric Sellner
It had been a bit of a journey getting to this port town, but here they were. Alaric Sellner, the first mate of the pirate crew aboard the ship, had been tasked with making sure everyone knew what they were going to do while they were here. Who was to deal with the cargo and what was to be done with it once it was unloaded, that kind of thing. He, on the other hand, was tasked to head ashore with the captain and a few others. Hadley had heard rumors that what they were looking for was here... whatever it was. He didn’t really ask about it, because to him it didn’t really matter. If Hadley wanted it, he would help her get it. Alaric dedicated his life to Hadley and her cause, so there would be no objection from him over whatever it was that she wanted to do. And right now, that involved something in this port town.
Once Alaric was finished with his duty, it meant that he needed to get ready for actually going ashore. Looking like a pirate would only make things harder for them, so they agreed that disguising themselves as peasants would help them go more unnoticed. Alaric changed from his normal white and black uniform to a simpler beige tunic shirt and black pants and boots. A brown belt tied around his waist finished the look, and he exited his room to go search for Hadley.
The blonde figured she’d be in her room changing just as she had. The crew knew she was changing and that they were not to disturb her until she was done, though Alaric knew he would be able to get away with visiting her. He and the captain had a close relationship, onethat the rest of the crew was unaware of, which meant he had to sneak into her cabin without anyone noticing. Alaric wasn’t worried. By this point he had mastered it, and the crew was none the wiser. His room wasn’t all that far away from hers, so it wasn’t long after he had exited his own quarters that he had entered hers. He quietly closed the door behind her just as she had slipped on her shirt, glad he came in when he did. Hadley hadn’t noticed him yet, so he got to watch his half-naked captain get changed into her peasant disguise. From her vocal complaints, it didn’t seem like she liked the outfit, though Alaric disagreed with her. “But you’re a cute nun.” he finally spoke up, his gaze affixed on her as he did. “It would be nice to find whatever it is that we’re here for. I know you’ve been searching for it for a long time. Let’s hope it’s not just another dead end.” His words were true. He saw how the frustration seemed to be building after every lead went cold. Finding what they were here for would make her happy, and that’s all he wanted.
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Merrina
Unlike her brother, Merrina didn’t understand why it was that they needed to be leaving. They had just settled in to where they were living, or at least that’s how it felt. And now they were just going to leave? It didn’t make any sense. They didn’t cause any trouble. They kept to themselves and didn’t make a mess. They had finally even made a more comfortable bed to sleep on. But all of that didn’t matter because they were just leaving. The younger sibling was tired of moving around. They never stayed in one place for long before her brother Cassius was packing up their things and moving them somewhere new. But unlike her brother, the young blond girl didn’t understand the dangers of the world, at least not yet.
She had made sure to grab everything that she could, which really wasn’t much. A book or two that Cass had bought for her, the little clothes that she had, and of course, her amulet necklace. Merrina never went anywhere without it. Cass has given it to her when she was six, saying it was from their parents. She didn’t really remember them at all, since from what her brother had told her they had left when she was three. Too young to really remember anyone or anything. So she protected it and cared for it with her life, not wanting anything to happen to the one thing she had to remember her parents by. She never understood why her parents weren’t around or why they hadn’t come home only until recently, so it was even more important to her. She made sure it was secure around her neck before she reached out to take her brothers hand.
He mentioned something about a ship, which meant that he was taking them to the nearby docks. Their latest home was located in a port town, and she had seen many a boat both come and go from the shores. It seemed like this time they would be leaving with one of them. As she did, her expression showed a bit of internal, childlike conflict. “Why do we have to go? I like it here!” she whined, her gaze looking a mix of sadly and angrily up at her brother.
StarryKnights
A Spastic Collection of Characters and Ideas
Hadley Slade
Hadley whipped around as someone spoke behind her.
"Damnit kit, you about gave me a heart attack", she chuckled as she turned back to the mirror. It wasn't uncommon for Alaric to sneak into her room, his presence didn't bother Hadley. The fact he'd seen her dressing was of little consequence, as the two of them had been through a lot together.
"And there is no such thing as a cute nun...well...", the captain stopped to ponder that statement as she thought of one pretty red head she'd me on their travels... She'd been a nun in training...
She shook her head to chase the thought away, as it hardly mattered now. All that mattered was finding these blasted keys, and setting sail. She wasn't sure where they were hiding, the rotten traitors were good at covering their trail, but somewhere along the way they'd fucked up.
She knew they were well and gone now...but their kin lived on.
"We're looking for...a couple of children my cute little pet", she turned around to face her partner in crime, there was a serious light in her silver eyes. "The brats left behind by our...former...allies...". She crossed the room, her heels clicking on the wood floor as she did, the skirt swayed at her feet making it look like she was dancing almost.
Hadley was a lithe and agile woman, but her tall, shapely frame hid a fair amount of muscle and a lifetime of combat experience. She was not the kind of person one wanted to piss off.
"we'll need to take them alive...but once we get the keys from them...well, I don't rightly care what happens after that". She flashed the man a devilish smile.
"Shall we head ashore, Mr. Rodman?", she offered her arm, as the two would be acting as a couple for this little stint.
"I grow tired of waiting".
Hadley whipped around as someone spoke behind her.
"Damnit kit, you about gave me a heart attack", she chuckled as she turned back to the mirror. It wasn't uncommon for Alaric to sneak into her room, his presence didn't bother Hadley. The fact he'd seen her dressing was of little consequence, as the two of them had been through a lot together.
"And there is no such thing as a cute nun...well...", the captain stopped to ponder that statement as she thought of one pretty red head she'd me on their travels... She'd been a nun in training...
She shook her head to chase the thought away, as it hardly mattered now. All that mattered was finding these blasted keys, and setting sail. She wasn't sure where they were hiding, the rotten traitors were good at covering their trail, but somewhere along the way they'd fucked up.
She knew they were well and gone now...but their kin lived on.
"We're looking for...a couple of children my cute little pet", she turned around to face her partner in crime, there was a serious light in her silver eyes. "The brats left behind by our...former...allies...". She crossed the room, her heels clicking on the wood floor as she did, the skirt swayed at her feet making it look like she was dancing almost.
Hadley was a lithe and agile woman, but her tall, shapely frame hid a fair amount of muscle and a lifetime of combat experience. She was not the kind of person one wanted to piss off.
"we'll need to take them alive...but once we get the keys from them...well, I don't rightly care what happens after that". She flashed the man a devilish smile.
"Shall we head ashore, Mr. Rodman?", she offered her arm, as the two would be acting as a couple for this little stint.
"I grow tired of waiting".
Cassius
Cassius glanced down at his sster, frowning when he saw she looked upset.
"I'm sorry Merri, but we need to keep moving...things aren't...ideal here", he offered her a smile, hoping that is words were scaring her.
Truth be told, the teen was somewhat terrified, as his tattoo had never lit up like it had the night before. The eyes of the dragon had glowed softly in the night, and the phenomena left his entire being burning like molten fire. Hs parents warning resonated within him as he'd frantically packed their things in preparation to leave.
Beware the time when eyes due glow, for this means it is time to go.
His mother had always spoken in riddles, she was a bard through and through. His father had been a far simpler man, but Cassius knew he'd loved his mother's carefree spirit. He saw that spirit in Merrina each and every day. His gaze moved down to the amulet around her neck, this too was apart of the trouble, but so far it didn't seem to be reacting to whatever had set off Cass.
He was thankful for that, he didn't want Merri worrying about anything. It was his burdon to bear.
"I promise, we'll find a new home...a, a nicer one. I'll get a better job, maybe we'll even be able to afford new clothes...or a new book".
He smiled at her as he tugged her along, though it was early in the morning the streets were crowded, he held tight to her hand so they wouldn't get separated. They just needed to reach the docks and board a ship, after that, he'd relax.
Cassius glanced down at his sster, frowning when he saw she looked upset.
"I'm sorry Merri, but we need to keep moving...things aren't...ideal here", he offered her a smile, hoping that is words were scaring her.
Truth be told, the teen was somewhat terrified, as his tattoo had never lit up like it had the night before. The eyes of the dragon had glowed softly in the night, and the phenomena left his entire being burning like molten fire. Hs parents warning resonated within him as he'd frantically packed their things in preparation to leave.
Beware the time when eyes due glow, for this means it is time to go.
His mother had always spoken in riddles, she was a bard through and through. His father had been a far simpler man, but Cassius knew he'd loved his mother's carefree spirit. He saw that spirit in Merrina each and every day. His gaze moved down to the amulet around her neck, this too was apart of the trouble, but so far it didn't seem to be reacting to whatever had set off Cass.
He was thankful for that, he didn't want Merri worrying about anything. It was his burdon to bear.
"I promise, we'll find a new home...a, a nicer one. I'll get a better job, maybe we'll even be able to afford new clothes...or a new book".
He smiled at her as he tugged her along, though it was early in the morning the streets were crowded, he held tight to her hand so they wouldn't get separated. They just needed to reach the docks and board a ship, after that, he'd relax.
Lumina
b i r b m o m
Alaric Sellner
Alaric would be lying if he said it wasn’t at least a little entertaining to startle Hadley. She was a sharp woman for sure, and not much got past her, so it was at least a little satisfying to get a reaction out of her. He had leaned against the door after he entered her cabin, using it to hold his weight as he leaned against it. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as she called him Kit, the nickname she ever so lovingly called him not escaping his ears. Kit. An “endearing” reference to his non-human half. If it wasn’t coming from Hadley, Alaric most likely wouldn’t have let it slide. But because it was Hadley who called him that, he supposed he didn’t mind too much, even if he did detest that part of himself. “You’re too stubborn to die from something like a heart attack.” he commented, his eyes taking in how strange it was to see her dressed like this.
If Alaric was one for laughing, he might have chuckled about Hadley’s “no cute nun” comment. But instead he only raised an eyebrow. “You’re thinking of Amelia again, aren’t you?” he asked, having a pretty good idea about why she seemed to contradict herself. She remembered that mission, she didn’t seem to shut up about her for at least a few days. If he was honest with himself, it annoyed him that someone other than himself could occupy her thoughts for so long, but that wasn’t something he’d ever admit aloud. Alaric closed his eyes and took a breath before he got too worked up about something so trivial. It wasn’t like him.
He opened his eyes again when he heard the Captain’s mention what it was that they were looking for. Kids, huh? So their goal all this time was just a couple of brats? That’s annoying. Specifically the “brats of their former allies”, as she called them. Alaric had to think for a moment before he could recall exactly who Hadley was referring to. “Right... that female bard and her male companion, right?” Ah yes, those two. They crossed paths more than once, never parting ways on negative terms from what he was aware. Though it looked like the captain had slightly different opinions from the tone of her voice. His eyes followed her as she crossed the room to him, enjoying how the skirt moved on the frame of her body that he loved so much. “As you wish, my Captain.” he answered, linking his arm in hers so they could begin to head ashore.
Merrina
Merrina couldn’t help but look up at her older brother as he walked them from what she thought was supposed to be her home toward the docks. Her expression showed she was worried, but only as much worry as a 13 year old who didn’t understand what was going on could muster. Really, she didn’t want to have to uproot her life yet again, and so soon after they had settled down. She also noticed the worry that seemed present in his face as well. It seemed like there was something else to all of this that he wasn’t telling her, now that she was getting a good look at his face. He seemed kind of frantic for reasons she didn’t know, and it didn’t seem like he was going to tell her anytime soon. “Cassie...” she spoke mainly to herself, wondering if there was something more going on that she should be worried about too.
Merrina loved her brother. She adored him, and looked up to him as a role model. He was the only family she had left, and she was the same to him. Because of all this, Cass seemed to take on burdens for the both of them, so that she didn’t have to take them for herself. She noticed how hard he worked to make things as easy for her as he could, and the toll that it took on him. Merrina only wished that he would rely on her as well instead of carrying the world on his shoulders by himself. She didn’t say anything as he talked about finding a new home or making money, instead opting to just quietly follow along her brother toward the docks with her hand clasped tightly in his.
StarryKnights
A Spastic Collection of Characters and Ideas
Hadley Slade
Hadley snapped and nodded as Alaric mentioned Amelia, that was definitely the name of that sexy little red head. She wondered what she was up too now...perhaps they'd have to find out. But none of that mattered at the moment, they had bigger things to worry about.
Finding these kids wasn't going to be easy, as Hadley wasn't sure what they even looked like. One of them would be wearing the amulet though, and that would make them easy to spot. She knew there were two, and she was certain her intel had said there was a boy and a girl, but other than that they were flying blind. She wasn't worried though, and it showed.
She practically skipped out the door, arm linked with Alaric as she went. Some of the crew snickered seeing the pair linked, anyone who did so loudly enough for the captain to hear got a dirty look, which was enough to shut them up.
The pair had an unusual relationship, Hadley was perfectly at ease with Alaric, and that wasn't something she could say about most people.
She chuckled a little as he called her MY captain, it was as close to a pet name her got...well, that and Haddie, though sometimes that one earned him a punch to the shoulder...or face. It depended really.
The two had an extended past, wrought with hardship, bloodshed, and more than one instance of Hadley knocking the half breed on his ass. She was one of the few aware of what the man was, and while she knew he detested that half of him, Hadley found it rather fascinating. Hence her playful teasing earlier. She kept it limited to their private time though, she didn't want the crew seeing her acting more catty with her first mate, it might cause unsavory rumors to fly.
The air outside was clean and clear and smelled heavily of the sea...mixed with whatever was being baked nearby. The port was bustling, completly unaware of the danger laying in weight.
"Yes Alaric, those two...supposedly they settled down and had a couple kids...their trail has gone cold, but there's a good chance their kids have the keys...", she looked up at the man, there was a mischievous glint in her silver eyes.
"if finding them requires tearing down this entire town to find them...then that's just half the fun".
Hadley snapped and nodded as Alaric mentioned Amelia, that was definitely the name of that sexy little red head. She wondered what she was up too now...perhaps they'd have to find out. But none of that mattered at the moment, they had bigger things to worry about.
Finding these kids wasn't going to be easy, as Hadley wasn't sure what they even looked like. One of them would be wearing the amulet though, and that would make them easy to spot. She knew there were two, and she was certain her intel had said there was a boy and a girl, but other than that they were flying blind. She wasn't worried though, and it showed.
She practically skipped out the door, arm linked with Alaric as she went. Some of the crew snickered seeing the pair linked, anyone who did so loudly enough for the captain to hear got a dirty look, which was enough to shut them up.
The pair had an unusual relationship, Hadley was perfectly at ease with Alaric, and that wasn't something she could say about most people.
She chuckled a little as he called her MY captain, it was as close to a pet name her got...well, that and Haddie, though sometimes that one earned him a punch to the shoulder...or face. It depended really.
The two had an extended past, wrought with hardship, bloodshed, and more than one instance of Hadley knocking the half breed on his ass. She was one of the few aware of what the man was, and while she knew he detested that half of him, Hadley found it rather fascinating. Hence her playful teasing earlier. She kept it limited to their private time though, she didn't want the crew seeing her acting more catty with her first mate, it might cause unsavory rumors to fly.
The air outside was clean and clear and smelled heavily of the sea...mixed with whatever was being baked nearby. The port was bustling, completly unaware of the danger laying in weight.
"Yes Alaric, those two...supposedly they settled down and had a couple kids...their trail has gone cold, but there's a good chance their kids have the keys...", she looked up at the man, there was a mischievous glint in her silver eyes.
"if finding them requires tearing down this entire town to find them...then that's just half the fun".
Cassius
The teen wished desperately that he could tell Merri the truth, but honestly he wasn't sure what they were running from. he was going off the word of the parents he hadn't seen in years...who'd left him to care for his sister while they were god only knew where. If it had the time he might've been angry about it, but looking after Merri consumed most of his time and processing power. Right now, that meant uprooting their lives and moving as far away from here as possible.
The two navigated the crowded streets, the port wasn't far from where they'd settled, though the crowded streets complicated matters. People bumoed into them along the way, but Cassius's firm hold meant they didn't get seperated.
"On the upside, we get to sail again...you love sailing". He smiled dwon at her, he was trying to keep the mood light. Seeing her necklace though sent a new wave of dread washing over him, what it began acting funny out here in public? What if there was someone looking for it...?
"Merri...just for today...I think you should take your necklace off. I don't...want it to get stolen".
The teen wished desperately that he could tell Merri the truth, but honestly he wasn't sure what they were running from. he was going off the word of the parents he hadn't seen in years...who'd left him to care for his sister while they were god only knew where. If it had the time he might've been angry about it, but looking after Merri consumed most of his time and processing power. Right now, that meant uprooting their lives and moving as far away from here as possible.
The two navigated the crowded streets, the port wasn't far from where they'd settled, though the crowded streets complicated matters. People bumoed into them along the way, but Cassius's firm hold meant they didn't get seperated.
"On the upside, we get to sail again...you love sailing". He smiled dwon at her, he was trying to keep the mood light. Seeing her necklace though sent a new wave of dread washing over him, what it began acting funny out here in public? What if there was someone looking for it...?
"Merri...just for today...I think you should take your necklace off. I don't...want it to get stolen".
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Lumina
b i r b m o m
Alaric Sellner
Alaric didn't say anything as he let Hadley lead her out the door, completely gotten used to ignoring the looks he got from others around him. As Hadley's first mate, it was natural that he'd spend a lot of time with her. But, with that came rumors about the two of them together, as with any couple of people who spend a good chunk of time together. Hadley was able to shut them up with a single look though. She was the type of captain you didn't want to necessarily speak against, so any looks or whispers the two might have been getting walking arm-in-arm were quickly silenced. Though, behind closed doors, the two had a bit of an intimate relationship, one that led to him having to sneak into her cabin for. Not that he minded, of course.
Hadley was really the only person that Alaric felt truly comfortable with. The pair had known each other since they were kids, though the way they met was probably not one that anybody would wish for. She was the only one who knew exactly what he was, and if he could he would keep it that way. Her nickname for him came from the non-human half of him, calling him "Kit" to lovingly reference it. If it was anyone else but Hadley that called him that, he would probably rip their throats out. But because it was her, well, Alaric supposed it was fine. The things you do for love.
He looked out at the port town as they arrived outside, noting just how busy it was. He narrowed his eyes, wondering just how they were going to find two kids in that mess of people. There were plenty of kids running around, so how was it that the keys were looking for just so happened to be on two kids in particular at this specific port. Alaric had his doubts, but that probably stemmed from the fact that they had been searching for these so-called keys for what felt like ages now, and he was less than optimistic. "Huh," he commented, shrugging his shoulders a bit. "I never pegged them as the family type. I would have never guessed they'd have a kid, much less two." By the time they had last crossed paths, they probably had the kids, but he couldn't recall them ever having mentioned them. Ah well, looks like he was going to meet the brats soon enough. "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that." he mused, looking back from the port to his captain. "Well, shall we get going?"
Merrina
The younger sibling couldn't really do much other than be led around by Cassius. The longer they walked, the more worried Merrina got. Right now, the worst part of it all wasn't that they had to move again (though that part did kind of suck... a lot), but it was the fact that Cassius wasn't telling her anything. Usually he at least gave a vague explanation, but this time... nothing. Merrina trusted her brother, of course, so she was going along with him regardless. There was a reason for the sudden upheaval of their home, though she just wished she had at least an idea of why.
Merrina gripped her brother's hand tightly as he wove through the crowded streets. There was a lot of people up so early today doing their business in the ports with there being so many different commerce careers established here. Businesses would have their stock shipped in, and today was no different. Thankfully Cassius knew to hold tightly to his sister so they didn't get separated, which for smaller kids was quite easy to do. The adults really didn't care what happens to kids, especially the orphans. It was why Cassius was always so careful, because one misstep would probably spell disaster for them both. As they walked he mentioned how the upside to this was that they would get to sail again. It was a bit of a consolation, though not much. Cassius was right that she did love sailing. Merrina loved the stories of people getting to sail around and see the world, so the few times they ever did get to go sailing (which only seemed to happen when they were moving to find a new home) was quite nice. The wind in her hair, the blue seas all around them, all of it. Merrina had always wanted to see the world, but she never told Cass that. It was an unrealistic dream, so there was no need to say anything about it.
Though what he said next caught her by surprise. Merrina actually stopped walking, yanking her hand out his grip in the middle of the street they were on. "Why?" she asked, looking visibly upset. She always wore her amulet. She never took it off, to the point where sometimes she forgot she was wearing it and would occasionally panic trying to find it. Cass knew this, hell he had even commented on it before. So what was the deal now? She brought her hand up to her amulet, holding on to it as if it might disappear from around her neck. "First you make us leave our home without explaining things, now you're telling me to put this away??" She looked up at him, her expression a mixture of anger and being on the verge of crying. "Something is going on, but you never tell me anything!" Her frustrations were starting to bubble over, still obviously emotional from having to leave home AGAIN. "Stupid brother!" she yelled before running off into the crowd on the street.
StarryKnights
A Spastic Collection of Characters and Ideas
Hadley Slade
Hadley snickered, Alaric was right, the pair didn't look like the type to have kids. But hey, crazier things had happened. Speaking of kids, there sure were a lot of them running around the port. Seeing them made her scowl, as Hadley actually hated kids. Well, she hated most people, or at least felt strongly indifferent about them. Alaric was the exception to that rule, the half breed was the only person she really trusted.
He'd more than earned her trust, over the many years they'd known one another. They hadn't met under the best of circumstances, hell they'd met in chains...but they'd won their freedom together, and once they found this so called treasure...the two of them would never know another hardship...
That, and her own desire for power was what drove the pirate, no work was too big, no target too small, anything that got her closer to that goal.
"This won't be easy...", the captain whispered softly as she waved at some people, it seemed that the caravan they were masquerading as had been expected, as she and Alaric stepped onto land some of the crew got to work unloading the cargo.
It was best to keep up appearances, so long as they were under cover.
"Finding two specific kids in this fucking mess", the woman rubbed her eyes and shook her head. "From what I've been told they have blonde hair...and given their parents are awol they're probably street orphans...so checking the slums will be a good place to start".
Her information ended there, a vague description and the fact they were probably orphans.
Hadley snickered, Alaric was right, the pair didn't look like the type to have kids. But hey, crazier things had happened. Speaking of kids, there sure were a lot of them running around the port. Seeing them made her scowl, as Hadley actually hated kids. Well, she hated most people, or at least felt strongly indifferent about them. Alaric was the exception to that rule, the half breed was the only person she really trusted.
He'd more than earned her trust, over the many years they'd known one another. They hadn't met under the best of circumstances, hell they'd met in chains...but they'd won their freedom together, and once they found this so called treasure...the two of them would never know another hardship...
That, and her own desire for power was what drove the pirate, no work was too big, no target too small, anything that got her closer to that goal.
"This won't be easy...", the captain whispered softly as she waved at some people, it seemed that the caravan they were masquerading as had been expected, as she and Alaric stepped onto land some of the crew got to work unloading the cargo.
It was best to keep up appearances, so long as they were under cover.
"Finding two specific kids in this fucking mess", the woman rubbed her eyes and shook her head. "From what I've been told they have blonde hair...and given their parents are awol they're probably street orphans...so checking the slums will be a good place to start".
Her information ended there, a vague description and the fact they were probably orphans.
Cassius
Cassius stopped as Merri did, he tried to hold onto her but she pulled way.
"Merri please I...", he didn't know what to say, seeing his sister cry always made him freeze for a moment. He didn't know what to say...what to do, all he knew was he was upsetting her.
"Merri I'm sorry but...pleas you just have to listen to me".
People were beginning to stare now, normally no one paid either orphan any mind, they could slip though the streets unnoticed, so long as they stayed together things were okay. But now that the girl was getting upset and yelling, people were beginning to watch them. The teen fidgeted nervously, they didn't have time for this...
But before the teen could come up with something to say, Merri was gone. The girl turned and ran away, leaving Cass standing there in the middle of the port, semi stunned. It wasn't like the girl to explode like that. After a secnd Cass processed what had happened.
"Merrina!", he called out and scanned the crowd frantically.
"Come back! Please I'm sorry!", he ran toward the docks, hoping she'd been heading for the boats.
He needed to find her, quickly, before someone else did.
Cassius stopped as Merri did, he tried to hold onto her but she pulled way.
"Merri please I...", he didn't know what to say, seeing his sister cry always made him freeze for a moment. He didn't know what to say...what to do, all he knew was he was upsetting her.
"Merri I'm sorry but...pleas you just have to listen to me".
People were beginning to stare now, normally no one paid either orphan any mind, they could slip though the streets unnoticed, so long as they stayed together things were okay. But now that the girl was getting upset and yelling, people were beginning to watch them. The teen fidgeted nervously, they didn't have time for this...
But before the teen could come up with something to say, Merri was gone. The girl turned and ran away, leaving Cass standing there in the middle of the port, semi stunned. It wasn't like the girl to explode like that. After a secnd Cass processed what had happened.
"Merrina!", he called out and scanned the crowd frantically.
"Come back! Please I'm sorry!", he ran toward the docks, hoping she'd been heading for the boats.
He needed to find her, quickly, before someone else did.
Lumina
b i r b m o m
Alaric Sellner
Being a half-kitsune, Alaric's sense of smell was better than the average human's. He couldn't help but turn up his nose a bit at the intense amount of new smells hitting him all at once. It was something he could never quite get used to no matter where they went. There was almost too much to handle at times, but thankfully having Hadley near him seemed to help a bit. Having someone he trusted and a smell that he was used to and was familiar with helped to ground him. Otherwise it would be way too distracting in a place like this. Though, having a good sense of smell made it easy to pinpoint and locate something if he wanted to focus on it. So maybe they could use that to their advantage... though he couldn't count on it for sure considering Hadley's annoyed tone at the amount of information they had to go off of. "Street orphans, huh..." his voice trailed off as he noticed some kids running around. If only he could have been allowed that luxury. Alaric blinked away the thought, not wanting to dwell on it for much longer. "The slums it is then." he nodded before walking them inland toward where he guessed the slums might be. If he was wrong, it wouldn't take long to actually find them. While doing so, his eyes scanned the crowd for any young kids with blond hair. It wasn't a common trait, so if there was anybody with hair that color, it would be easy to spot.
Merrina
The young girl had no plan as to where she was running to. All she knew was that she wanted to get away from Cass in the moment. She knew that she was younger than him, but couldn't he trust her a bit? There was something going on, and she hated that he wouldn't tell her. It was probably something important, why couldn't she know? She could probably help! But no, he was more concerned about proving that he was a big strong man that could protect her and keep her safe. While she did appreciate that about her brother, it was frustrating and upsetting sometimes. Just like right now. Merrina's emotions fueled her energy and she just kept running, slipping in the crowd due to her orphan status and her small size. People maybe turned to watch as she ran by, but as soon as she passed by they returned back to whatever it was that they were doing. Merrina kept running until she felt like her lungs were going to burst, and when she stopped to catch her breath she realized that she had no idea where she was. She was somewhere near the port, as evidenced by the docks and the boats anchored in the water. She had never been to this part of the port before, and didn't recognize any of the streets, so that meant she was definitely lost. She did notice a particular boat unloading a bunch of cargo, but didn't think on it too long. Tired from running and emotional from her brother, Merrina slid down against a wall hidden between some crates, the tears flowing freely now as she cried into her knees. She was just a kid after all, and it was hard to understand why things were the way they were. "I'm scared, brother... where did mom and dad go...? I don't understand...!"
StarryKnights
A Spastic Collection of Characters and Ideas
Hadley Slade
The slums were always int he most desolate parts of town, but more often than not it's denizens would flock to large gathering places, like ports. The picking of pockets and the steal of supplies could all be had here, if one was quick and stealthy enough. Hadley followed after Alaric, as his instincts were almost always on point. As they walked she smiled and made small talk with some of the other merchants, it seemed that no one suspected that they weren't who they claimed to be, luck for the pirates this trader was new to this area, and their arrival had the locals curious.
"Hello milady", the woman stopped as a man approached her, he was dressed rather nicely in a pair of brown pants and a vest. Hadley could tell he was another merchant, and there was a familiar look in the older man's eyes as he offered her a handshake.
"Welcome to Vare Fore, I hope the city brings you good fortune".
Hadley flashed a smile and shook the man's hand warmly, she didn't complain when he held on for a moment longer than she would've liked.
"My my, the locals certainly are friendly here, it's nice", she chuckled, putting on her best impression of an innocent young woman, excited by her new surroundings. In truth the way this guy kept staring at her chest made her want to gut him like a fish...
Hadley glanced toward Alaric as the old man continued to prattle on to her, about how this was a prosperous place where anyone could make a proper living.
Not wanting to seem rude, or cause a scene, Hadley smiled, nodded and even followed after the man as he gave the two of them a make shift tour of the docks.
All the while she shot Alaric exaggerated looks of disgust and boredom, such was the plight of a pirate trying to act nonchalantly.
"This here is my shop, my son and I specialize in special medicines created right here in Vare Fore".
"Oh that's....facinating sir..".
She rolled her eyes as the old fool turned around, bored out of her skull she turned to Alaric, with the intent of telling him to head off without her.
However, she paused for a moment when she caught sight of a streak of blonde, running through the crowd. She only caught a glimpse, but she was certain she'd seen a blonde, teary eyed girl, though she disappeared as quickly as she'd appeared.
Hadley blinked, and then, chuckled. "Well well Kit, did you see that?", she spoke, pointing in the direction the girl had gone.
"Uh...I'm sorry?", Hadley glanced to the old man, who looked quite confused at the moment.
Hadley snickered, sliding a blade from her sleeve she buried the blade in the old fool's heart, elicitng a strangle gasp and a scream from a nearby woman.
"I think we can drop the act Kit, this is far too tedious", she chuckled darkly as she wiped the blood off her skirt.
"Go find that girl".
The slums were always int he most desolate parts of town, but more often than not it's denizens would flock to large gathering places, like ports. The picking of pockets and the steal of supplies could all be had here, if one was quick and stealthy enough. Hadley followed after Alaric, as his instincts were almost always on point. As they walked she smiled and made small talk with some of the other merchants, it seemed that no one suspected that they weren't who they claimed to be, luck for the pirates this trader was new to this area, and their arrival had the locals curious.
"Hello milady", the woman stopped as a man approached her, he was dressed rather nicely in a pair of brown pants and a vest. Hadley could tell he was another merchant, and there was a familiar look in the older man's eyes as he offered her a handshake.
"Welcome to Vare Fore, I hope the city brings you good fortune".
Hadley flashed a smile and shook the man's hand warmly, she didn't complain when he held on for a moment longer than she would've liked.
"My my, the locals certainly are friendly here, it's nice", she chuckled, putting on her best impression of an innocent young woman, excited by her new surroundings. In truth the way this guy kept staring at her chest made her want to gut him like a fish...
Hadley glanced toward Alaric as the old man continued to prattle on to her, about how this was a prosperous place where anyone could make a proper living.
Not wanting to seem rude, or cause a scene, Hadley smiled, nodded and even followed after the man as he gave the two of them a make shift tour of the docks.
All the while she shot Alaric exaggerated looks of disgust and boredom, such was the plight of a pirate trying to act nonchalantly.
"This here is my shop, my son and I specialize in special medicines created right here in Vare Fore".
"Oh that's....facinating sir..".
She rolled her eyes as the old fool turned around, bored out of her skull she turned to Alaric, with the intent of telling him to head off without her.
However, she paused for a moment when she caught sight of a streak of blonde, running through the crowd. She only caught a glimpse, but she was certain she'd seen a blonde, teary eyed girl, though she disappeared as quickly as she'd appeared.
Hadley blinked, and then, chuckled. "Well well Kit, did you see that?", she spoke, pointing in the direction the girl had gone.
"Uh...I'm sorry?", Hadley glanced to the old man, who looked quite confused at the moment.
Hadley snickered, sliding a blade from her sleeve she buried the blade in the old fool's heart, elicitng a strangle gasp and a scream from a nearby woman.
"I think we can drop the act Kit, this is far too tedious", she chuckled darkly as she wiped the blood off her skirt.
"Go find that girl".
Cassius
"Merri Merri!"
Where could she have gone? The market was packed at the moment, making it difficult to move quickly through the square. He gt many dirty looks and angry shouts as he pushed past others, all the while calling out for his sister.
She was all he had, and he'd promised his parents he'd look after her...
The tattoo on his back burned as he ran, sucking the breath from his lungs. The teen fell to his knees, coughing and hacking in an attempt to catch his breath.
"Cure this wretched mark", he swore under his breath.
He couldn't bring himself to tell Merri the danger they were in...nor could he admit that he truly didn't know what was going on.
All he knew was that there was a chance that some bad people were coming after them...because of his mark...and her amulet.
He shouldn't have told her to hide it...she treasured that necklace...understandably, it was all she had of their parents.
A piercing scream drew the teen's attention, looking up and staggering to his feet, people began to rush past him, and he could hear more screaming coming from the port. Cassius's blood ran cold as he saw smoke rising from the port, a passer by went past, screaming
"Pirates! Pirates are attacking!".
"Merri Merri!"
Where could she have gone? The market was packed at the moment, making it difficult to move quickly through the square. He gt many dirty looks and angry shouts as he pushed past others, all the while calling out for his sister.
She was all he had, and he'd promised his parents he'd look after her...
The tattoo on his back burned as he ran, sucking the breath from his lungs. The teen fell to his knees, coughing and hacking in an attempt to catch his breath.
"Cure this wretched mark", he swore under his breath.
He couldn't bring himself to tell Merri the danger they were in...nor could he admit that he truly didn't know what was going on.
All he knew was that there was a chance that some bad people were coming after them...because of his mark...and her amulet.
He shouldn't have told her to hide it...she treasured that necklace...understandably, it was all she had of their parents.
A piercing scream drew the teen's attention, looking up and staggering to his feet, people began to rush past him, and he could hear more screaming coming from the port. Cassius's blood ran cold as he saw smoke rising from the port, a passer by went past, screaming
"Pirates! Pirates are attacking!".
Lumina
b i r b m o m
Alaric Sellner
Just like with Hadley, playing the part of a merchant was a tiresome task. He always did his best to pretend to get into the part, though he wasn't sure how convincing he usually was. Hadley was definitely better at dealing with people then he was, so he usually let her take the lead when it came to stuff like this. Her ability to get into and stay into a character seemed to be necessary far sooner than he would have liked, what with the old man deciding it necessary to introduce himself and give them a tour around the port. Obviously it was necessary to keep up appearances but damn did Alaric want to just die from how boring and annoying it was. He couldn't keep his attention on the man if he wanted to, instead making sure to keep an eye on the rest of the port while Hadley had to deal with the merchant. Alaric wasn't comfortable not being fully aware of their surroundings, so it was probably best this way for both of them. It was his job to make sure he had her back, after all.
The streak of blonde didn't escape the kitsune's attention either. It was a stark contrast against the rest of the port denizens, and just a hair color you didn't see that often. It was easy for Alaric to know that considering the color of his own hair. "Yeah." he nodded almost imperceptibly, eyeing the old man as Hadley detached himself from his arm and took his life. It always amused him how much she both lacked and had such finesse in her movements, simultaneously getting such clean kills and making a mess. Yet another thing about her that he loved. "Already on it." he spoke, beginning to make his way toward where the girl was running to. There were already people screaming, so there was no need to try and act casual. As he ran, he sniffed the air, trying to pinpoint the girl's individual smell to better follow her. Otherwise it might be really easy for her to slip into the crowd.
Merrina
Merrina wasn't sure how long she sat crying between those crates. For a girl of her age, it felt like an eternity, but she didn't know much better. Her sobs seemed to eventually calm down into sniffles, and she wiped her nose on her sleeve as she pulled out her necklace and stared down at it. She couldn't get it off her mind why Cass had told her to put it away. Was there something about this that was important or something? All she knew about it she was told by her brother - that it was a gift from their parents, something that she's had her whole life. It was why she made sure to always keep it on her. She was too young to remember her parents before they left, so it was an extremely important treasure to her... and probably to Cass too. He was probably just trying to make sure nothing bad happened to it, for her sake. And yet here she was, crying like a child and overreacting. And now look where it got her. Crying and hiding between cargo crates, lost in a place that she didn't recognize. And now that she was paying a little more attention to her surroundings, she noticed that there seemed to be some kind of commotion happening. Freaked out, Merrina pulled her legs close to her chest, staying hidden in the crates. She kept an eye on the people running by, some screaming and freaking out, some concerned and running to find out more. And then there was some guy who ran past the crates with more of a purpose, a guy with the same color hair as her that wasn't her brother. Merrina didn't dare look to see why he was moving with such a purpose, but she did catch a glimpse of him pushing people out of the way as the crowds were screaming about pirates. Was he one of them? As this thought came to mind, the tears started to come back, this time from fear rather than from being upset. She really wished that she hadn't run away from Cass now, and was hoping that he would somehow magically be able to find her amidst all of the chaos.
Just like with Hadley, playing the part of a merchant was a tiresome task. He always did his best to pretend to get into the part, though he wasn't sure how convincing he usually was. Hadley was definitely better at dealing with people then he was, so he usually let her take the lead when it came to stuff like this. Her ability to get into and stay into a character seemed to be necessary far sooner than he would have liked, what with the old man deciding it necessary to introduce himself and give them a tour around the port. Obviously it was necessary to keep up appearances but damn did Alaric want to just die from how boring and annoying it was. He couldn't keep his attention on the man if he wanted to, instead making sure to keep an eye on the rest of the port while Hadley had to deal with the merchant. Alaric wasn't comfortable not being fully aware of their surroundings, so it was probably best this way for both of them. It was his job to make sure he had her back, after all.
The streak of blonde didn't escape the kitsune's attention either. It was a stark contrast against the rest of the port denizens, and just a hair color you didn't see that often. It was easy for Alaric to know that considering the color of his own hair. "Yeah." he nodded almost imperceptibly, eyeing the old man as Hadley detached himself from his arm and took his life. It always amused him how much she both lacked and had such finesse in her movements, simultaneously getting such clean kills and making a mess. Yet another thing about her that he loved. "Already on it." he spoke, beginning to make his way toward where the girl was running to. There were already people screaming, so there was no need to try and act casual. As he ran, he sniffed the air, trying to pinpoint the girl's individual smell to better follow her. Otherwise it might be really easy for her to slip into the crowd.
Merrina
Merrina wasn't sure how long she sat crying between those crates. For a girl of her age, it felt like an eternity, but she didn't know much better. Her sobs seemed to eventually calm down into sniffles, and she wiped her nose on her sleeve as she pulled out her necklace and stared down at it. She couldn't get it off her mind why Cass had told her to put it away. Was there something about this that was important or something? All she knew about it she was told by her brother - that it was a gift from their parents, something that she's had her whole life. It was why she made sure to always keep it on her. She was too young to remember her parents before they left, so it was an extremely important treasure to her... and probably to Cass too. He was probably just trying to make sure nothing bad happened to it, for her sake. And yet here she was, crying like a child and overreacting. And now look where it got her. Crying and hiding between cargo crates, lost in a place that she didn't recognize. And now that she was paying a little more attention to her surroundings, she noticed that there seemed to be some kind of commotion happening. Freaked out, Merrina pulled her legs close to her chest, staying hidden in the crates. She kept an eye on the people running by, some screaming and freaking out, some concerned and running to find out more. And then there was some guy who ran past the crates with more of a purpose, a guy with the same color hair as her that wasn't her brother. Merrina didn't dare look to see why he was moving with such a purpose, but she did catch a glimpse of him pushing people out of the way as the crowds were screaming about pirates. Was he one of them? As this thought came to mind, the tears started to come back, this time from fear rather than from being upset. She really wished that she hadn't run away from Cass now, and was hoping that he would somehow magically be able to find her amidst all of the chaos.
StarryKnights
A Spastic Collection of Characters and Ideas
Hadley Slade
Hadley smirked as Alaric headed off, after the girl they'd spotted. There was no guarantee that she was the one they were looking for, but she was their most promising lead. Her intel had suggested there was a girl and a boy, so as the docks burst into chaos, she kept an eye out for a blonde haired boy.
Putting two fingers in her mouth she let loose a high scream, catching the attention of the men on her ship.
"Alright boys! Play iimes over, light this place up, and take whatever isn't nailed down!"
The men let loose a rowdy cheer, dropping the boxes they carried they pulled out their swords and descended upon the town. Hadley guessed they had maybe ten minutes before the guard arrived and complicated things, so it was best to move quickly.
Humming a tune to herself she picked through the frantic crowd, occasionally pausing to loot a corpse at her feet. Her men were ruthless, probably in an attempt to prove themselves. She'd recently wrenched control of these men from their former captain, who'd made the mistake of crossing her while they been docked. Now, even he had to prove his worth, less Hadley kill him and his former crew.
Alaric had said she should've killed him from the start, but she rather liked having the pathetic rat licking her boots.
"Oh where oh where have my little rats gone...oh where oh where could they be...?", she chuckled as she finished her little rhyme, a call from a nearby man pulled her attention from the crowd, and no sooner she looked away did someone barrel straight into her.
The sudden impact of a body made her stagger, but Hadley did not fall. She whirled around and glared at the fool who'd dared to get in her way, knife out she cast a frightful glare toward the unlucky soul.
"Well well, what do we have here?", she spoke with a small smile.
Hadley smirked as Alaric headed off, after the girl they'd spotted. There was no guarantee that she was the one they were looking for, but she was their most promising lead. Her intel had suggested there was a girl and a boy, so as the docks burst into chaos, she kept an eye out for a blonde haired boy.
Putting two fingers in her mouth she let loose a high scream, catching the attention of the men on her ship.
"Alright boys! Play iimes over, light this place up, and take whatever isn't nailed down!"
The men let loose a rowdy cheer, dropping the boxes they carried they pulled out their swords and descended upon the town. Hadley guessed they had maybe ten minutes before the guard arrived and complicated things, so it was best to move quickly.
Humming a tune to herself she picked through the frantic crowd, occasionally pausing to loot a corpse at her feet. Her men were ruthless, probably in an attempt to prove themselves. She'd recently wrenched control of these men from their former captain, who'd made the mistake of crossing her while they been docked. Now, even he had to prove his worth, less Hadley kill him and his former crew.
Alaric had said she should've killed him from the start, but she rather liked having the pathetic rat licking her boots.
"Oh where oh where have my little rats gone...oh where oh where could they be...?", she chuckled as she finished her little rhyme, a call from a nearby man pulled her attention from the crowd, and no sooner she looked away did someone barrel straight into her.
The sudden impact of a body made her stagger, but Hadley did not fall. She whirled around and glared at the fool who'd dared to get in her way, knife out she cast a frightful glare toward the unlucky soul.
"Well well, what do we have here?", she spoke with a small smile.
Cassius
Pirates!? Here, now!? Of all the times...
Cursing himself Cassius got to his feet and took off running, could this be because of his tattooo? Was this the misfortune that it would bring them?
He had to fine Merrina, and fast, before someone else did, he wasn't sure who these pirates were, but if they were connected to their parents heirlooms then they'd likely recognize the necklace she wore.
The teen didn't want to think of what would happen if a band of pirates found his naive little sister, not seeing her again could be the least of his worries.
The tattoo on his back continued to burn as he ran, sending sharp pain through his very being with each step, but he ignored it, he had to, he had to find her. His mind focused on that and that alone, he ignored the fleeing people, the smell of smoke and the grisly screams of the pirate's victims. He had to find her...before she was gone for good. He was so desperate to catch a glimpse of his sister that Cassius lost sight of his surroundings, and wound up running head first into someone.
The impact knocked the teen onto his butt, and ripped a gasp out of him as his back pain flared. Panting, his eyes widened as the silver tip of a blade was levied at him.
"Well well, what do we have here?"
Slowly, Cassius looked up, into the cold, silver eyes of a dark skinned woman with dark hair, and a twisted grin. He gulped, as she knelt down in front of him.
"Are you the rat I've been looking for....I wonder?"
She reached out toward his face, prompting a uick smack of her hand.
"S-stay away from me!", he screamed as he scrambled backward.
The pirate whistled.
"Oh, you're feisty...Marva was feisty too...and you look...a lot like her...", the pirate stood up and followed the teen, she steps were short and leisurely, as theough she was convinced she had the frightened boy.
"I remember those beautiful blue green orbs well boy...", she chuckled darkly.
Cassius's heart was beating a mile a minute in his chest, this woman...there was something not right about her. There was something in her eyes...something less than human...something terrifying. He had to get away...find Merri and go.!
Turning the teen made a mad dash to escape, he scrambled to his feet but only made it a few steps before the woman appeared in front of him.
"GOTCHA!", she laughed as she brought the hilt of the knife down between his shoulders, she caught him just as he tried to run past.
Pirates!? Here, now!? Of all the times...
Cursing himself Cassius got to his feet and took off running, could this be because of his tattooo? Was this the misfortune that it would bring them?
He had to fine Merrina, and fast, before someone else did, he wasn't sure who these pirates were, but if they were connected to their parents heirlooms then they'd likely recognize the necklace she wore.
The teen didn't want to think of what would happen if a band of pirates found his naive little sister, not seeing her again could be the least of his worries.
The tattoo on his back continued to burn as he ran, sending sharp pain through his very being with each step, but he ignored it, he had to, he had to find her. His mind focused on that and that alone, he ignored the fleeing people, the smell of smoke and the grisly screams of the pirate's victims. He had to find her...before she was gone for good. He was so desperate to catch a glimpse of his sister that Cassius lost sight of his surroundings, and wound up running head first into someone.
The impact knocked the teen onto his butt, and ripped a gasp out of him as his back pain flared. Panting, his eyes widened as the silver tip of a blade was levied at him.
"Well well, what do we have here?"
Slowly, Cassius looked up, into the cold, silver eyes of a dark skinned woman with dark hair, and a twisted grin. He gulped, as she knelt down in front of him.
"Are you the rat I've been looking for....I wonder?"
She reached out toward his face, prompting a uick smack of her hand.
"S-stay away from me!", he screamed as he scrambled backward.
The pirate whistled.
"Oh, you're feisty...Marva was feisty too...and you look...a lot like her...", the pirate stood up and followed the teen, she steps were short and leisurely, as theough she was convinced she had the frightened boy.
"I remember those beautiful blue green orbs well boy...", she chuckled darkly.
Cassius's heart was beating a mile a minute in his chest, this woman...there was something not right about her. There was something in her eyes...something less than human...something terrifying. He had to get away...find Merri and go.!
Turning the teen made a mad dash to escape, he scrambled to his feet but only made it a few steps before the woman appeared in front of him.
"GOTCHA!", she laughed as she brought the hilt of the knife down between his shoulders, she caught him just as he tried to run past.
Lumina
b i r b m o m
((Changing things up a little bit))
Alaric Sellner
As much as he didn't mind creating chaos, sometimes it could be a bit annoying. It meant having to push through people and hopefully not get stuck or caught up while trying to achieve your goal. And with everyone running and screaming around, it was a bit of a sensory overload to the kitsune. There were so many people now that even if he had caught wind of that girl brat's scent, it was gone now. He stopped, not very far away from where Merrina was hiding actually, looking around for some sign of anyone with as blond of hair as he had seen earlier. When this came up unsuccessful he scoffed, annoyed that he let her get away. Well, it wasn't entirely his fault but that's how he was viewing it. The captain was counting on him, he couldn't just return empty-handed. This street in particular was starting to clear out, making it a little quieter and easier to think. Now if he were a scared little girl, where would he go? Probably either running to try and find her family, or hiding somewhere and hoping she wouldn't be seen. Considering her age and her size, he guessed it would most likely be the latter, guessing she probably would have gotten freaked out and tried to hide somewhere and wait it out. The thought annoyed Alaric, as it meant she would be a real bitch to try and find, if he could at all. His sense of smell was a bit muddled at the moment.
But even with the muddled sense of smell, there were two things that he had trained his nose to pick up on no matter what: Hadley and blood. He made sure to always be able to keep Hadley's scent available to him at all times in case of emergency. Blood was for somewhat of the same reason, like in case she or any other crew member were hurt. Or just knowing where any fighting was taking place in case he might be needed. It was skills he made sure to always keep sharp, mainly for Hadley's sake. So when he suddenly smelled blood in the same vicinity as Hadley, Alaric's attention snapped immediately in her direction. He started running in that direction, but stopped himself when he heard some kind of movement behind him. Turning around, he spotted some crates that weren't as stationary as they were before, his eyes narrowing at the sight. How had he missed those? In the chaos and confusion of the people running around, he must have completely skipped over it. Alaric made his way back over to check them out, noticing this time that there was a small, blond girl hiding amongst them. The same small blond girl that he and his captain had seen running before. He looked down at the poor thing, who looked scared out of her mind, stepping forward to inspect her closer with an intrigued expression.
Merrina
Of all the years they had spent as orphans, Merrina never really actually felt super scared. For the longest time she was just too young to really understand what kind of life she and her brother were living. On top of that, Cass always did his best to keep her in high spirits, so she never really had a chance to get scared or worried about what the real world was like. However, Merrina was on her own at the moment. She didn't have her brother to distract her from the chaos happening around her. And she was terrified. Terrified of never seeing her brother again, terrified that something bad might have happened to him, terrified that something bad might happen to herself, terrified for the other people around them since apparently pirates were attacking. Being a young girl with no way to defend herself didn't help at all, and she would be an easy target for them. So hiding seemed to be her best bet for the moment. But, being so young meant not really understanding how the world worked yet. So when it began to quiet down in the alley way, Merrina began to wonder if it was safe to come out yet. She moved a bit to begin to stand up and check, but instead knocked over one of the smaller crates sitting in the pile that walled around her. She froze, hoping that it wouldn't attract any attention.
This hope was dashed as soon Merrina found herself staring up at a blond-haired man, a man who looked down at her as if he had found some kind of long-lost treasure. She flinched as he stepped forward, staring in silent fear as he leaned down over her to get a better look. "You are pretty small, no wonder you were able to hide so well from me." he spoke, his words like that of a hunter to its prey. Merrina felt like she was looking at her death now, honestly wondering if he would kill her or not. His eyes looked to be that of a killer, though his actions contradicted this. Alaric's eyes looked over the girl, noticing the resemblance she shared with that man he knew from years ago. "You really are Leones' daughter. He had the same bright eyes that you have." Her eyes in question widened at the mention of an all-too-familiar name. So he knew her family... which meant that he probably knew about Cass. She didn't have time to think about it too much as he suddenly picked her up by her neck, leaving her struggling not to choke against his grip. Alaric picked the girl up with ease, musing at how easy it was. He might not be human, but it was still easier than it normally should have been. He had noticed her thin, almost malnourished frame, maybe that had something to do with it. He felt a sort of pity for her, knowing what it was like to be in that kind of state. But that wasn't important at the moment. What was important was the item hanging around her neck. He lifted it in his free hand and investigated it to see what about it was so damn important for Hadley to be hunting down the world for it. Merrina struggled to try and stop him, but his hold on her and keeping her suspended in air made it difficult to do so. "This is what Hadley was after, huh..." Alaric looked from the amulet to Merrina, who could really only grasp at his wrist as he held her up. "It would be so easy to kill you," he commented, his grip on her neck tightening a bit and making Merrina cry out a bit, "but you probably know more about this amulet than either I or the captain do. So I'll take you to her and see what she wants to do with you." With that, Alaric threw her over his shoulder, leaving her weak and coughing as he made his way toward Hadley.
Alaric Sellner
As much as he didn't mind creating chaos, sometimes it could be a bit annoying. It meant having to push through people and hopefully not get stuck or caught up while trying to achieve your goal. And with everyone running and screaming around, it was a bit of a sensory overload to the kitsune. There were so many people now that even if he had caught wind of that girl brat's scent, it was gone now. He stopped, not very far away from where Merrina was hiding actually, looking around for some sign of anyone with as blond of hair as he had seen earlier. When this came up unsuccessful he scoffed, annoyed that he let her get away. Well, it wasn't entirely his fault but that's how he was viewing it. The captain was counting on him, he couldn't just return empty-handed. This street in particular was starting to clear out, making it a little quieter and easier to think. Now if he were a scared little girl, where would he go? Probably either running to try and find her family, or hiding somewhere and hoping she wouldn't be seen. Considering her age and her size, he guessed it would most likely be the latter, guessing she probably would have gotten freaked out and tried to hide somewhere and wait it out. The thought annoyed Alaric, as it meant she would be a real bitch to try and find, if he could at all. His sense of smell was a bit muddled at the moment.
But even with the muddled sense of smell, there were two things that he had trained his nose to pick up on no matter what: Hadley and blood. He made sure to always be able to keep Hadley's scent available to him at all times in case of emergency. Blood was for somewhat of the same reason, like in case she or any other crew member were hurt. Or just knowing where any fighting was taking place in case he might be needed. It was skills he made sure to always keep sharp, mainly for Hadley's sake. So when he suddenly smelled blood in the same vicinity as Hadley, Alaric's attention snapped immediately in her direction. He started running in that direction, but stopped himself when he heard some kind of movement behind him. Turning around, he spotted some crates that weren't as stationary as they were before, his eyes narrowing at the sight. How had he missed those? In the chaos and confusion of the people running around, he must have completely skipped over it. Alaric made his way back over to check them out, noticing this time that there was a small, blond girl hiding amongst them. The same small blond girl that he and his captain had seen running before. He looked down at the poor thing, who looked scared out of her mind, stepping forward to inspect her closer with an intrigued expression.
Merrina
Of all the years they had spent as orphans, Merrina never really actually felt super scared. For the longest time she was just too young to really understand what kind of life she and her brother were living. On top of that, Cass always did his best to keep her in high spirits, so she never really had a chance to get scared or worried about what the real world was like. However, Merrina was on her own at the moment. She didn't have her brother to distract her from the chaos happening around her. And she was terrified. Terrified of never seeing her brother again, terrified that something bad might have happened to him, terrified that something bad might happen to herself, terrified for the other people around them since apparently pirates were attacking. Being a young girl with no way to defend herself didn't help at all, and she would be an easy target for them. So hiding seemed to be her best bet for the moment. But, being so young meant not really understanding how the world worked yet. So when it began to quiet down in the alley way, Merrina began to wonder if it was safe to come out yet. She moved a bit to begin to stand up and check, but instead knocked over one of the smaller crates sitting in the pile that walled around her. She froze, hoping that it wouldn't attract any attention.
This hope was dashed as soon Merrina found herself staring up at a blond-haired man, a man who looked down at her as if he had found some kind of long-lost treasure. She flinched as he stepped forward, staring in silent fear as he leaned down over her to get a better look. "You are pretty small, no wonder you were able to hide so well from me." he spoke, his words like that of a hunter to its prey. Merrina felt like she was looking at her death now, honestly wondering if he would kill her or not. His eyes looked to be that of a killer, though his actions contradicted this. Alaric's eyes looked over the girl, noticing the resemblance she shared with that man he knew from years ago. "You really are Leones' daughter. He had the same bright eyes that you have." Her eyes in question widened at the mention of an all-too-familiar name. So he knew her family... which meant that he probably knew about Cass. She didn't have time to think about it too much as he suddenly picked her up by her neck, leaving her struggling not to choke against his grip. Alaric picked the girl up with ease, musing at how easy it was. He might not be human, but it was still easier than it normally should have been. He had noticed her thin, almost malnourished frame, maybe that had something to do with it. He felt a sort of pity for her, knowing what it was like to be in that kind of state. But that wasn't important at the moment. What was important was the item hanging around her neck. He lifted it in his free hand and investigated it to see what about it was so damn important for Hadley to be hunting down the world for it. Merrina struggled to try and stop him, but his hold on her and keeping her suspended in air made it difficult to do so. "This is what Hadley was after, huh..." Alaric looked from the amulet to Merrina, who could really only grasp at his wrist as he held her up. "It would be so easy to kill you," he commented, his grip on her neck tightening a bit and making Merrina cry out a bit, "but you probably know more about this amulet than either I or the captain do. So I'll take you to her and see what she wants to do with you." With that, Alaric threw her over his shoulder, leaving her weak and coughing as he made his way toward Hadley.
StarryKnights
A Spastic Collection of Characters and Ideas
Cassius
Cassius cried out as he hit the dirt, both the impact of the hilt on his back and falling into the dirt knocked the breath from his lungs. A searing pain raced down his spine, making it impossible for the teen to do little more than twitch as the dark skinned woman loomed above him. She flashed a devilish grin as the teen struggled to move.
"Still squirming, perhaps I didn't hit you hard enough?", she chuckled. "Your as stubborn as your mother".
Cass grit his teeth, this woman knew his parents somehow, that fact only made him more nervous. Was she what his parents had warned him about, was she here because of his markings and Merri's amulet? he hoped and prayed his sister was hidden somewhere safe...he didn't want this woman getting a hold of her.
The teen's hopes were quickly dashed, as he struggled to get onto his hands and knees approaching foot steps sounded the arrival of another person.
"Oh, who do you have there Kit?", the woman's attention shifted to this newcomer, as Cassius managed to push himself up he caught a glimpse of the new guys feet. His eyes moved upward, and widened as he spotted his sister draped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Suddenly his blood began to boil, how dare these people lay a hand on Merrina!
"Let her go!"
The teen attempted to get to his feet, but no sooner he stagger upward were his feet swiped out from under him. It happened so fast, one second Cass was trying to stand and the next a black blur swiped his feet out from beneath him.
He hit the ground hard and cried out in pain again as he landed on his back.
There was a whistle from the woman. "Damn kid, learn when to stay down".
Hadley Slade
Hadley couldn't help but chuckle at the teen groaning on the ground. He was a tenacious little shit, she had to admit. He either didn't realize how dire his situation was, or seeing his precious little...sister(?) in danger prompted him to ignore the situation.
Still, it seemed they had found two promising leads, both of these kids were blonde, and the boy struck an uncanny resemblance to Marva, it seemed the pirates had lucked out.
Hadley's attention shifted to Alaric as she bent down and grabbed the boy by the collar and dragged him to his feet.
She had to hold him up, as his legs were barely strong enough to hold him up.
"Watcha think? he looks like Marva doesn't he?", she chuckled as she cupped the teen's chin, pulling away just as he snapped at her fingers.
"He's got her spunk to", Hadley chuckled as she knocked the teen to the dirt, this time he landed on his stomach.
"So, who's the girl, another promising lead?", she stepped around the boy and approached her first mate and the child he carried. A skinny twig of a girl, she had the other teen's blonde hair, so they were definitely related. She placed a hand on Alaric's shoulder and looked around at the carnage the crew had caused.
"Ah, pillaging and thievery, it's been a...productive morning", Hadley chuckled lightly, but her jovial mood dissolved as she spotted a couple of men dragging a woman toward the ship by the hair. The captain's eye twitched as she rubbed her eyes.
"These boys never learn", she spoke in a grave tone as she motioned to the men, who stopped dead in their tracks as their shadows rooted them to the ground. Both immediately looked around fearfully and when they spotted Hadley's angry scowl they both gulped.
"Alaric, drag these kids to the ship while I deal with our unruly crew members", she pat the man on the shoulder before walking off, still humming to herself as she closed the distance.
Cassius cried out as he hit the dirt, both the impact of the hilt on his back and falling into the dirt knocked the breath from his lungs. A searing pain raced down his spine, making it impossible for the teen to do little more than twitch as the dark skinned woman loomed above him. She flashed a devilish grin as the teen struggled to move.
"Still squirming, perhaps I didn't hit you hard enough?", she chuckled. "Your as stubborn as your mother".
Cass grit his teeth, this woman knew his parents somehow, that fact only made him more nervous. Was she what his parents had warned him about, was she here because of his markings and Merri's amulet? he hoped and prayed his sister was hidden somewhere safe...he didn't want this woman getting a hold of her.
The teen's hopes were quickly dashed, as he struggled to get onto his hands and knees approaching foot steps sounded the arrival of another person.
"Oh, who do you have there Kit?", the woman's attention shifted to this newcomer, as Cassius managed to push himself up he caught a glimpse of the new guys feet. His eyes moved upward, and widened as he spotted his sister draped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Suddenly his blood began to boil, how dare these people lay a hand on Merrina!
"Let her go!"
The teen attempted to get to his feet, but no sooner he stagger upward were his feet swiped out from under him. It happened so fast, one second Cass was trying to stand and the next a black blur swiped his feet out from beneath him.
He hit the ground hard and cried out in pain again as he landed on his back.
There was a whistle from the woman. "Damn kid, learn when to stay down".
Hadley Slade
Hadley couldn't help but chuckle at the teen groaning on the ground. He was a tenacious little shit, she had to admit. He either didn't realize how dire his situation was, or seeing his precious little...sister(?) in danger prompted him to ignore the situation.
Still, it seemed they had found two promising leads, both of these kids were blonde, and the boy struck an uncanny resemblance to Marva, it seemed the pirates had lucked out.
Hadley's attention shifted to Alaric as she bent down and grabbed the boy by the collar and dragged him to his feet.
She had to hold him up, as his legs were barely strong enough to hold him up.
"Watcha think? he looks like Marva doesn't he?", she chuckled as she cupped the teen's chin, pulling away just as he snapped at her fingers.
"He's got her spunk to", Hadley chuckled as she knocked the teen to the dirt, this time he landed on his stomach.
"So, who's the girl, another promising lead?", she stepped around the boy and approached her first mate and the child he carried. A skinny twig of a girl, she had the other teen's blonde hair, so they were definitely related. She placed a hand on Alaric's shoulder and looked around at the carnage the crew had caused.
"Ah, pillaging and thievery, it's been a...productive morning", Hadley chuckled lightly, but her jovial mood dissolved as she spotted a couple of men dragging a woman toward the ship by the hair. The captain's eye twitched as she rubbed her eyes.
"These boys never learn", she spoke in a grave tone as she motioned to the men, who stopped dead in their tracks as their shadows rooted them to the ground. Both immediately looked around fearfully and when they spotted Hadley's angry scowl they both gulped.
"Alaric, drag these kids to the ship while I deal with our unruly crew members", she pat the man on the shoulder before walking off, still humming to herself as she closed the distance.
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