Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Manus Fati (1x1)

It seemed to be a busy day for the bayside town. Merchants and vendors were out, trying their best to sell their items to the crowded street. It was a town that often seen foreign visitors, and that day showed no exception. There were many types of people, of all sizes and features. One stranger, was pushing her way through the crowd, trying to find a stall that sold dried meats or fruits. She pushed her long, black hair from her face, as her silver eyes scanned over the people around her the best she could.

Finally she had spotted one, and as she made her way toward it, she bumped into a young boy. "I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, and watched him continue on his way. When she finally reached the stall, she browsed over the fruits, occasionally being bumped into. She had never been to a port town, and after today, she didn't want to be in one again. "Ah, I'll have that, and one of those. And two of those," she said, pointing out the items she wanted to buy, and went to pay the vendor. That was when she noticed her pouch was gone, her coin with it. She patted herself down for a moment, before realizing that she had been pick pocketed. "That boy stole my money!" she exclaimed, turned quickly and pushing through the crowds once again, hoping she might be able to track down the thief.

Not too far off from the stall was an almost middle-aged man, average in build and not entirely impressive looking. Dressed in the typical tunic and pants of a commoner, e didn't stick out much from the crowd, and not many folks paid him much heed as he wove he way through the throngs of people.

That suited Draconus just fine, really-- he was simply trying to make his way back to where he'd left his horse. The less people to bother him en route, the better. Oh, but what was this...? The red-haired fellow couldn't help but pause and tilt an ear at the young woman's cry, and he turned about to try to locate both her and the thief in the masses. From where he was standing, he noticed the woman heading more or less away from him, and carefully he began to pick his way towards her.

And hopefully the thief too.

Narinaye found it a bit tougher to make her way back through the people than when she first went through, though it was probably anxiousness that made it seem that way. She would have normally just let the whole thing go, but that was all the money she had left. And if she was ever going to get out of the town, she needed what little she had. A small clear in the crowd, and she saw the boy slip into a side street, and she immediately pushed her way through toward him.

When she reached the street, she found a dead end, and no sign of the boy. She looked up and down the walls, not seeing a door or a window. This wasn't good. Maybe he had slipped back out into the crowd? Doubtful. "Come out, come out? Best give me my coin, before I take it by force." She wouldn't actually hurt the boy, but she wasn't about to just let him walk away with it.

It took a few moments longer, but Draconus eventually worked his way to Narinaye. Stopping a few feet behind her, he readjusted his sling and then folded his good arm under the bad one. He hadn't noticed if the thief had slipped by him or not, but he was still willing to help anyway. It seemed so impolite to not offer a helping hand.

"Are you in need of assistance, miss?" he inquired, sounding well-spoken and sincere in spite of how sickly he appeared.

Narinaye looked over her shoulder as she heard him speak. After a moment of studying him, she turned toward him fully and said, "I think I'm alright. Just looking for a boy." She couldn't possibly ask for assistance from someone who looked ill and tired. Even his arm was in a sling. It was a very nice thought though. She gave a quick smile and turned back to the wall that blocked the street. She noticed a dug out hole underneath. That must have been where the boy disappeared. It was far too small for her to fit through though.

She made her way to the wall, raising her hand in a sort of zig zagging manner. Ice began to form along the base of the wall and slowly toward the top. Soon, a make shift ladder of thick ice stood against the wall, and she made her way up it quickly, jumping over the wall and landing gently on the other side. She made her way down the alley, toward another street that seemed far less crowded.

"Very well then, ma'am..." Draconus took a couple of steps back, surveying Narinaye's work as she constructed her ice ladder. He looked mildly impressed. He continued to watch as she climbed it ad disappeared over the edge. Then the man, deciding that there was little else he could do, turned and began to head out into the streets again.

But... the further he got away from the scene, the more uneasy he began to feel. There was a nagging sensation that he really should have lend a hand, and it was quickly growing to the point where he really couldn't ignore it. With a light huff, he turned about, gave the alley a good stare around the heads of other people, and did a little mental calculation. There was no way he'd climb that ladder with ease, sickly or not. Figuring out roughly where he needed to go in order to get to the other side of the wall, and thus the alleyway the other two had disappeared into, he instead turned and began to take the "long route".

He was surprisingly swift through the crowds for someone in his condition.

Narinaye entered another narrow street, but this time, she stood infront of the boy who had taken her money. And he was not alone. A group of five grown men stood behind him, the kid smirking. Narinaye immediately had a bad feeling about it all, but didn't back down. She stood straight, her eyes narrowing a bit as she spoke. "My pouch please. And I would like to see every coin I have there as well."

"It looks like you could have a few more valuables on you," said one man. Narinaye did not have much else on her person, and she hardly felt she was dressed much better than anyone else here, so she just assumed he was saying that to scare her as if she were a victim. The man nodded his head to the others, and they began to move toward her. But before they made it more than a few steps, ice had formed over their feet and legs, holding them in place.

"I don't like to fight, if I don't have to," Narinaye said, walking forward and taking her pouch from the boy, who struggled like the others to break free. She thought it a horrible thing, using a boy to pickpocket and lead unsuspecting people into a mugging, but there wasn't much she could do about it. "Have a good day --"

Something hit her from behind and she fell before the group. She looked over her shoulder slowly, to see another man, who had obviously been waiting to attack. He gave a swift, hard kick to her and she rolled into the wall. Narinaye coughed a bit, shaking a bit from the surprise. "It's not nice to hit a lady, you know..." But the man didn't seem to care, and made his way at her again.

"... well now, it would seem I may have arrived right on time after all."

Draconus' mental map had been correct, from the looks of things. As the attacker made his way towards Narinaye, in entered the red-haired man. This time he came somewhat prepared for danger, holding in his working hand a piece of wood he'd plucked off of a broken crate on his way there. He held it up, obviously ready to hit someone with it if needed, and deeply frowned at the group.

The attacker seemed amused by the sight of the newcomer. It was obvious that he didn't find him a threat at all. He turned toward Draconus, momentarily forgetting about Narinaye, who was still regaining herself from the surprise attack.

"This should be fun... And quick," said the man, hitting his fists together in a confident way. He noted the way the red haired man looked, quickly coming to the conclusion that this would indeed be over quickly.

He squared himself against the man and took a deep, calming breath. His heart was beating much quicker than he would've liked, and he was far more uneasy than his outward appearance showed.

"I would not be so quick to judge if I were you..."

Although not entirely willing to try to fight, he was at least trying to buy Narinaye some time if he could-- she seemed far more combat-capable than he was.

And doing just that, Narinaye stood slowly, clutching her stomache in one hand. She took a few deep breaths before whispering something under her breath and holding her hand out, a long, silver staff flashing into existence in it. She raised it, and brought it down quickly, ice forming along the ground and toward the unsuspecting man. The ice rose quickly, growing tall and thick as it formed around him, into a sort of cage.

The man blinked a couple of times, before he began flailing against the ice bars, trying to break them. Narinaye gave a short laugh. "They won't break so easily. Magically created ice tends to have that property." She slipped her coin pouch into her pocket, and looked to the red-head. "Thank you for intervening long enough to recompose myself." She gave a slight bow to him.

Draconus smiled, pleased that he'd bought enough time to retaliate. Not a single indication on his part had been given that the mugger was in for it.

"Most impressive, miss," he complimented Narinaye. "And you are certainly most welcome," he added with a deep bow of his own-- one that he'd given probably thousands of times before. His make-shift weapon was casually tossed off to the side as he straightened up. "I hope they did not harm you too badly. Will you be alright?"

Narinaye gave a small nod, saying, "Nothing I haven't experienced before." She had been in many fights when training as an Elder, and had seen... and felt, worse that this. But either way, she couldn't wait to get out of this town. She didn't like the large crowds, and she didn't really care for the reception either.

She glanced to the man, noticing once again his appearance. "Is there anything I can get for you, or do for you, to repay you? You really did help me out of a bind." She asked, trying to find a way to be helpful to him, not just to repay him. But she didn't want to seem rude for doing it just because he looked like he might need it.

"For me? Ah, miss, you do not need to repay my kindness," Draconus insisted. "I am simply happy to be of assistance." Now that he thought about it, he did need to relocate the stables he'd left his horse at. Still, after what she just had to go through, he wasn't sure he could even ask her to accompany him on such a simple walk.

As a small afterthought he decided to introduce himself. "I am Forest, by the by-- Draconus Forest."

She nodded her head at him when he said that he didn't need anything. That was well enough for her. When he told her his name, she gave another quick nod, replying, "I am Narinaye, pleased to meet you. And thank you again, for helping me back there." This was a rare thing, her meeting someone with manners and common decency.

"Well, I guess I better go back to get my supplies and then I'm leaving this town," she said, sounding very happy to say that. She really couldn't wait to leave.

He smiled warmly and nodded to her. "You are welcome, Miss Narinaye, and it is a pleasure to meet you as well." Manners and common decency were something Draconus had enough to go around for just about everyone.

"And I probably should return to my horse. Hm..." And then quite suddenly, an idea formulates! "Miss Narinaye, if it is not an encroachment upon your person, may I accompany you to wherever you are going next? It appears that maybe we could both do with a traveling companion, and I assure you I shall be less of a burden than my appearance makes me for."

She was suprised by his sudden offer. Although she wouldn't mind having someone to talk to every now and then, she was pretty sure he wouldn't want to wander around with no place to go with her. She smiled and said, "That would be nice, but I don't have a specific destination. So, I wouldn't blame you for taking your offer back. I wouldn't want to be responsible for getting someone else lost if it came to it."

She also wasn't sure if he would make it without being in a town for too long, by his appearance. Though he said he wouldn't be a burden, she couldn't always just take someones word. If they were desperate enough, they would say anything for anyone to take them. But, of course, he had given her no reason to do so.

"M'lady, I have been lost since I left my home," Draconus stated in a way that seems fairly upbeat, as if he was used to such a remark from himself. "I simply go where I feel I must, whether there is a destination in mind or not. On the other hand..." He motioned to himself and gave a small shrug. "If you are uneasy to take me due to my appearance, that is understandable. I will simply be on my way, in that case."

Draconus was a man who was growing more and more accustomed to be turned away because of the hell his body had been through. If that was to happen here, then no matter to him. He'd go locate his horse and be on his way.

"Oh, no, not at all!" she said quickly, feeling embarrassed that he seemed to read right through her. "I would actually love the company you would offer. It would be nice for a change. I would be pleased if you came with me." If he really had no destination in mind, then it wouldn't be so bad. If wandering about for a while didn't bother him, then she wouldn't mind him at all.

He had said he needed to find his horse. She tried to remember where the stable had been, and quickly recalled it being nearby when she had been buying her supplies. "Well, let's go get your horse," she said, starting her way through the crowds again, once again wishing to be out of the port town faster.

He didn't indicate it visually very much, but admittedly Draconus was amused at her reaction to his remark. "Wonderful then. Thank you, Miss Narinaye; that is very kind of you." And then me motioned down the alley in an implied 'after you' gesture.

Draconus kept almost right up with her as the pair made their way back through the streets and their people. He made sure to try remember which way they were going, roughly-- you know, just in case he ever ended up in this town again and still didn't possess a map for it.