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The Hanged Man (played anonymously)

The Hanged Man cleared his throat as Anke gently goaded him. He decided it would be a bad time to reveal that his hangings had all been by the left ankle, and not the neck--the latter would probably wind up being quite fatal. The rope, though not yet tight, still pressed against his neck, making him gulp. "Please," he said again. "My lady, have mercy ..."

He followed Atropos with his dark green eyes, watched carefully as she strode up to Anke. At first, the wanderer couldn't tell that the elf was faking, but once he saw her hand tighten on her weapon, it became clear. Even so, he was surprised that she succeeded. Bound as he was, he couldn't back her efforts--and he was nearly overcome by the sharp, piercing sound of Anke's scream. Gasping, he struggled to cover his ears, and in the chaos he was shoved forward by Morgan. His cheek hit the floorboards.

Under better circumstances, the Hanged Man would enjoy being pushed around by a man with Morgan's looks and demeanor, but not today. Today, he was wholly fed up. "I am not a knight!" he said, dumbfounded at their foolish insistence. He bore no crests of allegiance, his armor was antique and not from any known court, and he certainly didn't have a noble demeanor. But Morgan likely wasn't in the mood to hear these excuses. At least Lancelot untied him. "Nor am I a healer," he grumbled, scooting towards the fallen vampire on his knees. "But I'll do wh-what I can ..."

Then there was the matter of Atropos. Morgan seemed like the sort of man who was true to his word--if the Hanged Man abandoned Anke right now, or tried to take her prisoner, he risked the townspeople losing their lives, even though that would mean Morgan would be ruling over a village of ghosts. As the wanderer cut away Anke's dress to reveal her injury, his eyes flicked over to Krystal. A sudden thought would fill her mind: go with her. He looked back towards Atropos to indicate who he meant. Maybe he'd be able to catch up to them later.

The Hanged Man inspected the extent of the injury, not entirely sure how to treat it. He started by ripping off a piece of his white cloak to tie around her midsection. Of course ... Merthyr might take offense at this scruffy fellow pawing at his woman, even though he'd been ordered to. It was ... unseemly.
Under Construction (played by koobler)

She watched as Atropos approached, immediately recognizing that the grip on her weapon was tightening. Though her reflexes weren't quick enough to try and get a hit in. The shrill scream of the vampire instantly made her hands slam on her ears, watching the windows shatter and the fog blow inside right after.

When it eventually ended, she lowered her hands. Frowning a bit at Morgan's demands for The Hanged Man, she gripped her weapon and stepped forward. Krystal didn't care if they would try and arrest her. To hell with them.

Though she did catch the look that the wanderer gave her. The half dragon forced herself to calm down, then she glanced to Atropos, taking a step back as she let the arm holding her weapon fall to her side.
Atropos (played by strawberry_champion) Topic Starter

Atropos scowled, grumbling an “over my dead body” which was becoming more and more likely as time passed. She stared at Blackbeard, hesitating as if checking him over, “Keep up.” And then the elf sprinted, not for a door but one of the shattered windows, diving through it cleanly and taking off towards the trees. She wasn’t exactly used to traveling in packs, nor did she really care for it to begin with, so Atropos wasn’t making much of an effort to make it easy to follow her, friend or foe.

Anke hissed, and The Hanged Man would probably notice her fangs, now sharper than ever, and it would come to mind that those of her kind were immortal under the right conditions. And while, like a human her body would make more blood, the more natural way would be to take it from someone else. Meaning she was going to be a dangerous predator shortly, if she overcame the pain of the injury.

For now, she writhed, her own fangs cutting into her lips from her biting. She probably hadn’t ever suffered such a severe wound; some of her kind could lose limbs without flinching, and it was expected with how young she seemed to be.
Merthyr was much too upset to even focus well, his visibly shaking hands and trembling arms were all the more clumsy for his eyes were clouded with tears, the perception that her life depended in his inexperienced and lacking healing abilities making him all the more distressed.

When Morgan roughly tossed The Hanged Man to the task Merthyr moved aside a little to give the man space, for once the two lords in agreement that such was for the greater good.

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"Please, sir knight... do all you can to help her" mumbled Merthyr placing a soothing grip upon The Hanged Man and withdrawing shortly

He returned with fresh linen, a bowl of hot soapy water, a bucket of clean warm water, cloths to clean up the wound, a needle and thread to stitch it and whatever he found useful for treating her injury including a hot incandescent rod from the hot coals in the fire place often used to burn the wound so it stopped the bleeding.

Had prince Merthyr just fallen under a spell? or did he truly fall in love with her? It was very much hard to tell the truth of the matter for... if it had only been a bewitching spell, the prince would have snapped off it the moment he turned away to gather the utensils, would he not?

Be as it may, he wanted her healed and knew not how to help further, though he was doing his earnest to help out.
The Hanged Man (played anonymously)

The Hanged Man watched Atropos leap out of the window and felt a pang of desire to follow her and be rid of all this mess. But he knew he stood little chance of keeping up with her swift pace, with his limp and heavy armor. He looked at Krystal again and jerked his head towards the window. Hopefully the half-dragon would be able to keep her safe, and he could find them later. They seemed to be two of the only sane people in the whole establishment!

There was still the matter of Anke. The Hanged Man wasn't very knowledgeable about vampires--he knew them to be quite resilient, but didn't know the boundaries of that ability, and he wasn't prepared to risk her dying. The wanderer held his arms towards Merthyr. "I-I need help ... kindly unbuckle my gauntlets, my liege," he said. His hands were trembling. He wasn't looking forward to tending Anke's wound when he couldn't even take off his own gauntlets.
Under Construction (played by koobler)

When Krystal got that look again, she nodded in response. Now she was getting more nervous than anything. "....Yeah, okay, okay," she muttered, the words more or less to herself than anything. "Be careful around her, alright? She's dangerous. ....But you knew that already." She told The Hanged Man.

Without waiting for a response, she made her way to the window, vaulting through it and heading in the direction Atropos had gone to. "Hey! Wait for me!" The half dragon huffed out. She was going as fast as she could, but she was somehow still a little behind.
Atropos (played by strawberry_champion) Topic Starter

Anke was attempting to move now, the young vampire pushing herself up and hissing in pain, “I’ll kill her myself—!” She choked, before her arms gave out and she dropped to the floor, letting out a small whine of pain, “T-They won’t survive in there—“ Her voice was quiet again, eyes shut gently, her expression twisted in pain but attempting to bear a triumphant smile, “They’ve started my game and I can’t even j-join, how tragic...”


Atropos glared a bit, not keen on traveling with others; but then again, there had to be a reason these woods were so dangerous, right? It would be better to travel in a pack, for now at least...

She stopped for a moment, resting against a tree and taking in her surroundings. The fog was thick, but at least the heavy cover of the forest meant little rain could get through. She rang her hair out and wiped the water from her face, looking to Krystal once she caught up, “That Fire...were going to need it. It gets darker in here...” she glanced back to see if Blackbeard was following, and rather hoping he had just gotten lost or something. But with the treasure waiting to be found in that castle, she highly doubted any of those men would be skipping out on the chance.
Merthyr pushed everyone else back, even nudging Morgan out of the way to kneel by The Hanged Man.

"Yes of course, sir knight" agreed Merthyr stretching his arms and undoing the gauntlets quickly and expertly so, feeling out of place at having to do the chores of a common squire but biting his pride back for he would not let anyone else nearby the wounded Anke least they harmed her further.

Once he had undone and removed the gauntlets, he placed them carefully on the ground, not too far neither in the middle of the way.

"I am ready to serve, sir, tell me what needs be done" prompted Merthyr keen to help in any way, his eyes gazing at Anke amorously so
The Hanged Man (played anonymously)

As Merthyr pulled off the Hanged Man's gauntlets, the map of ugly scars marring the traveler's arms became apparent. He no longer usually felt self conscious about his marred skin, with all its furrows and ridges of stretched scar tissue. The damage was remarkable but clearly had been aided by some kind of magical healing, or else he would have no use of his arms at all. "I'm not a knight, my liege," he grumbled. "I'm just a w-wanderer."
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The Hanged Man rolled up his sleeves and flexed his trembling fingers a few times. "Hold her," he told one of the knights, or perhaps Morgan, whoever was closest, while looking down at the squirming Anke. He mopped up her blood with one of the cloths and then gave it a gentle wash, frequently dabbing gently with the cloth to keep the injury clear. "Thread the needle," he instructed Merthyr. There was no way he'd be able to manage it himself. "Then poke it through here ..." He pointed to one side of the gash, and mimed where it should go, showing the prince how to do a quick overcast stitch. "... and then pull it out here ... then back to here ..."

Hopefully the prince would be willing to try. If he did, it would likely be a hideous job, but the Hanged Man was sure to bungle it far worse with his hands the way they were. As they worked, he spoke to the vampire. "Mmm ... wh-what kind of game is it?"


Atropos (played by strawberry_champion) Topic Starter

Anke was, at this point, still attempting to get up, though her attempts were much weaker, and the woman could hardly get herself off the ground. Her pale hair was again stained red, though this time it was her own blood. And of course, was the (quite literally) growing problem of her fangs, but with the weak focus of her eyes it was seeming like she slipping away from them.

“Hide...and seek....” she breathed slowly, “I never...can get a good group...but the winners get prizes....” she laughed faintly, rolling her head to the side to smile at Merthyr, “Doesn’t that...sound fun, dear? We can...be “it”.” It was hard to tell if Anke’s childish behavior was all an act, or if she was truly as innocent as her mentality suggested.
Merthyr took a deep breath and wiped the tears away from his face with the back of the hand.

He threaded the needle and leaned over Atropos, stitching the wound gently and carefully, biting his lower lip whenever he had to pass it yet again, aware of the pain such stitches would cause her.

Contrary to what everyone feared, Merthyr did a fairly good job at it. Though he probably felt the pain all the more so than she did. His teary eyes contrasted with the forced smile he deliver to reassure her.

"You will get better, you will see... and we will play... hide and seek... and we will be "it" and I will command the entire royal army and the guild of rangers to partake too, so you get a very good group" promised Merthyr softly, kissing her forehead.
The Hanged Man (played anonymously)

((Sorry for the wait!))

The Hanged Man oversaw the stitching. Once Merthyr had finished it off, the old wanderer snipped the sinew and
dabbed at her injury again to blot away any more blood that had oozed out. Binding her midsection was a simpler task, and once the jute bandages were in place, he leaned back. The woman was fading, her fangs still elongating in a frightful manner. "Prizes?" He reached out and gently shook her shoulder, trying to keep her from lapsing into unconsciousness. "What prizes? Our freedom, perhaps?" The prince's naivete made the Hanged Man wrinkle his nose. "If we cannot escape this spell trap, I don't see how you'll be able to issue those orders. See sense!"
Anke Nacht (played by strawberry_champion) Topic Starter

The Hanged Man’s mistake, of course, had been leaning over her. Her slitted pupils narrowed suddenly, eyes darting to his arm; in a second her strong grasp had snatched his wrist, yanking his arm forward and sinking her fangs into the flesh where she would find an artery. The look on her face was entirely predatorial, though there was a faint flush to her cheeks- Anke hated feeding in front of others, especially men. But with how weak her body was, she had no choice.

There was a difference in the two ways she fed, entirely based on the cooperation of the second party. If her victim willingly allowed her to take from them, she would be able to secrete a toxin from her fangs, a numbing agent that seemed to work like an aphrodisiac, making the act pleasurable for both. But when a victim resisted, with her focus on maintaining her grip and a steady flow from their body, she had little care to make sure the act left them unshaken, and it resulted in a terribly searing pain that burned through their veins.

Had Anke had the energy, perhaps the vampire would’ve requested Merthyr or Morgan to assist her in this manner. They certainly would’ve volunteered, she was sure. But her remaining strength wasn’t enough for her to speak, and it was her predators instincts that kicked in, that urged her to attack The Hanged Man in such a manner.
Morgan snapped in rage at The Hanged Man

"How dare you offer yourself and make such advances. You're no worthy suitor for her. Guards, take him away and chain him to a post" barked Morgan glaring at the knights who came quickly to restrain The Hanged Man

Merthyr quickly took his sword, blade pressed against the odd knight.

"Unhand my fair lady and distance yourself. If she seeks a mate for comforts ... I am here already... no need for you to compete or volunteer" spat Merthyr seeing her lips and hungry eyes and disregarding the fangs as a minor side detail
The Hanged Man (played anonymously)

There was no way the Hanged Man could react quickly enough to avoid the bite. As her hands seized his mangled wrist, he let out a startled gasp and instinctively tried to pull his arm away, but it was too late--her fangs had already found purchase in his flesh. The sensation of his blood rushing out of him made him turn pale and clammy. Grimacing, he used his free hand to try to pry open her mouth or push away her head (in a most undignified manner), but this only caused the pain to sharpen, intensifying into a searing sensation that filled every vein with fire. He fell still, though his arms trembled violently in Anke's grip.

The reactions of Merthyr and Morgan, who believed that he was making untoward advances, only exacerbated matters. "W-wait, you fools--" One of the knights grabbed him, and Merthyr laid a sword at his neck. The Hanged Man swallowed hard and tried to explain, his voice even shakier than normal. "... you don't under--understand, I-I don't want this ..." The prince's command to distance himself made him snarl in frustration. "I-I am t-trying, you b-blind fool! Help me!"
"Oh I certainly will" scoffed Merthyr using the back of his hand to smack The Hanged Man across the face briefly for his pretentious lying and for stealing the maiden's kiss.

Turning the head away would, of course, expose Anke's mouth biting deep into the knight's neck and it caused Merthyr to pause and reconsider his position. He lowered to Anke's level looking at her steadily.

"Dearest... you know you have me already...you had but to call my name and I would be here, ready to serve. Tell me, am I not pleasing enough? am I not worthy of your attentions and affection? I can... I can change... for you... to meet your demands... you only need to say what you dislike and I will make amends. If you like men with armour I can polish mine, and if you like them muddy warriors, then I will roll in the dirt instead, for you, you know?" assured Merthyr watching her bite The Hanged Man deeply

Merthyr paused and sighed in defeat as he assumed she clearly preferred older men. Seasoned warriors with battle scars, like The Hanged Man. It seems this opponent was the chosen one, which caused Merthyr to feel inadquate and all the worse for it.

Having examined the situation he changed his mind on the matter, seeking to please her above all else, so he turned his attention at The Hanged Man yet again.

"It is evident that she expects your services, knight, so you will refrain from resisting her advances and from manhandling her in any way again.

It is clear she has chosen you above all others and, given she will be your future queen... my beloved princess can have you as her own... servant... for you to cater to her needs, no matter how unusual these may be.

So... if I sense the least refusal from your part, or you dare push her away again, or even lay a finger on her, I will cut off your hands and deliver them on a platter. Am I clear?

Now be still and let her do as she wishes with you..." warned Merthyr now giving the woman her chosen toy instead, at The Hanged Man's expense, Morgan agreeing with such decision

"Yes, yes indeed... you are at her service if that is what she wants... which it seems to be the case." mused Morgan halting the knights to release The Hanged Man so Anke could feast on him undisturbed.
Anke Nacht (played by strawberry_champion) Topic Starter

Anke’s face had flushed particularly darker when Merthyr came down to eye level, but her eyes widened as he began to speak. Quickly she released her hold on The Hanged Man, bringing a sleeve up to her mouth to wipe away the blood, “I...apologize. That was improper of me...” she mumbled. Judging on the fact her fangs still persisted, though not as long they had before, she hadn’t taken enough; that became clear when she attempted to move towards Merthyr, instead dropping and clutching over her stomach. Perhaps it would be enough to heal her wounds, but if it was, her hunger would return...

“I...didn’t w-want to hurt you...” the young vampire stuttered out, her fangs pressing into her skin as she spoke, “I can a-assure you both...this m-man is not my type. And I a-am not his, I’m c-certain...”

It was odd of her to let go; the vampire, in her time here, was never known to be merciful. Her eyes remained downcast, as she slowly sat up, wincing from the stress the movement put on her stitches.
The Hanged Man (played anonymously)

The Hanged Man flinched when struck, his head being tossed the other direction, jostling Anke's teeth in his flesh. His own teeth were bared in an uncomfortable grimace. "Goddess preserve me, the whole world's gone mad," he muttered to himself. So now he was to be some vampire's blood poppet! "Please, let's think, ah, r-rationally," he said, though his voice was weak.

Just as swiftly as she had seized him, the vampire let him go. He clapped a hand over the bite wound and held it tightly, though he needn't worry about it bleeding. Anke's words--"and I am not his"--made him clear his throat loudly. "The lady speaks t-truth," he said, but he hurried past that, not wanting them to speculate on it. "Now, lady ... I thank you for releasing me ..." Of course, if she only hadn't bitten me to begin with! "... perhaps we can talk about this game of yours?"
Merthyr held a gentle palm over her shoulder in a comforting, soothing touch but a firm stiff one over The Hanged Man's shoulder, keeping him still and kneeling and smacking his hand away from the bite, not permitting the knight to hide the goods away from her preying eyes

"I didn't mean to interrupt or startle you, sweetest lady." murmured Merthyr softly "I just thought... I ought to make myself available too" explained Merthyr softly

"But I can wait and bide my time... if you need more off him... you seemed rather occupied" accepted Merthyr patiently looking at The Hanged Man meaningfully for him to tilt the head and offer the neck with easier access, the sword ready to ensure compliance and remind this commoner of his newly appointed unusual duties

"I am sure he can spare you some more of it for he is at your service, as am I, as well as any man here present for the matter. You may choose to your liking" offered Merthyr softly, waving his manservant Taff to fetch a drink of wine for The Hanged Man to recover a little in case she wished to continue.

Taff had been sitting in a quiet corner finishing to learn spells regarding vampires. When prompted he fetched the goblet of wine and brought it to The Hanged Man, leaving the cup within easy reach and quickly withdrawing from her presence
Anke Nacht (played by strawberry_champion) Topic Starter

Anke’s eyes flicked up at the movement, watching Taff with curiosity. Her lips curled into the ghost of a smile, and she stood carefully, “You there. Boy.”

She flashed The Hanged Man a smile, with her fangs on full display, and if anyone would notice, the wound on her stomach had begun to heal faster, though it would remain tender and fragile until she could get more blood, “Well, the fact is I am far too weak to play...your friends have rushed into the game not even knowing the rules.” Her elegant speech had returned, though her slow moments signaled she was still in some level of pain or discomfort. Her white hair dragged behind her on the ground, but judging on the fact it picked up no dirt or leaves, she had charmed it so. Leave it to a young girl to use magic for such a purpose.

But nevermind that. Anke’s attention was now fixed on the manservant in the corner, not as it had been with Merthyr, but with a predatory smile. Anke has proved herself not entirely keen on personal space for anyone, so if she was able she would drape herself over Taff’s shoulders, smiling wide so he could see her fangs, “Aren’t you an interesting one, were you just going to sit in this corner and ignore me?”

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