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The Hounds of Barsov
"What, are we but beasts?"

[ #Roleplays #18plus #Descriptive #Victorian #Steampunk #Male or #Female ]

"Did you hear? One of the Emperors hounds was found dead yesterday in Barsov." Glasses and trays chimed as a steam train passed nearby, the strong smell of coffee filled the parlor .
"Indeed? Let's hope the culprits are found, all of us know how the Emperor cares for his pets."
Two newspapers, sitting in red chairs, each with a freshly poured glass of coffee beside their golden canes.
Father and his friend, I can't even remember their faces, just papers, discussing news day in and day out.
"What a -! Even more taxes for the Steam Rail system being put up in Trellenburg, those people don't even deserve a system they can't pay for..."
Coffee, newspaper, the rolling of trains, and wooden toys... That's all I could remember of my Father and Uncle.
Age:8

The Market teemed with life; barkers trying to hock goods to the tourists, Farmers and Gardeners there to sell produce and baked goods.
"Best Coffee this side of the Atlantic! Get your fresh pork!
Come get your very own Hound, every households best friend!"
My eyes are enraptured with the sight, a row of carriages surrounding the largest steam-wheel my eyes had ever seen; the Carnival, machines of cog-and -brass designed by Clanker technology.
"There you are!~" A voice tugs at my attention, I wish I had looked up to see her face back then...

"Mommy thought she had lost you, come along boy, we'll see the carnival later alright? Mommy promises, we mus'nt stick around." She tried to move me away but my stubbornness... My selfish fascination with the contraptions.
I should have known we weren't allowed to be there, not in the rich folks market.
My eyes catch sight of him, a little boy around my age, he's with his family and they are all dressed up in white; he's so pale... Are Pure Humans that pale?
"Ma! Look at all them, they're so cute! Ma can I get one? Byron already got to pick his Hound! And he's a year younger!" The mother's pale skin took me by surprise as well, her gloves were as white as her skin, her beauty was unlike anything I had seen.
"We need to go now, please, listen to me don't shut out now!" Mom sounds worried, my eyes freeze over the other boy, even as Mom kneels in front of me.

"Such a witty boy, Take a look around and see if one strikes your liking, your father and I will get you a tether and muzzle for the beastie, does that sound good my love?" The boy, Erel, a Royal.

Screaming artillery shakes my trance away, the cart drew the pack of us Muzzled further and further towards the frontlines.
"Some reinforcements they are! You feckers just run with your tail between your legs! Cowards!" Soldiers mock us, they're walking the other direction , some are burned, some are holding others up.
Unlike us, they are free, they fought and are going home to their family, while we are sent to clear the trenches.
The Earth was caked with blood, and artillery and flak assaulted our senses as the horizon was dotted with black marks and forest aflame as high as the mountains.
The front lines...

Day 13 on the front lines, I'm one of the last 'Dog Soldiers' left, the rest of those I arrived with are gone, a water fall of fire has taken them to their deaths; Clanker flying machines bombarded us with sky-fire.
Lord Erel, I hope you forgive my handwriting, my left hand has been rendered inept, and my eye taken by a close encounter with a bayonet.
I hope this letter finds you well and in good health, with any luck, I'll make these three weeks and be sent back home to Barsov..

"Bombardment!"
No one in the bunker flinches as the shockwave hits, shaking earth and table alike, messing a line of charcoal across the parchment of the letter, my fist drives the pencil into splinters.

The Market seemed to slow down back then, like everyone knew what was going to happen.
"What about this one? Mama?" His voice was so loud, I hadn't realized he was right next to me now, my mother frozen still as the Family gathered , to examine me?
"Well... He seems, yes I think he'll do, make a name for your new friend!"
" I'll call you Scratch! You're going to be my best friend now! " Erel smiled, as my mother began to wail.

Why? Even now with lungs heaving with fire and smoke, My vision choked by blood of my fellow men, ears crippled by Clanker artillery bombs and fingers slick with the blood of torn throats?

I feel my ankle twist as I fall into the foxhole, landing on a Clanker; our rifles both discharge upon impact, wasting the steam charge. We were both left stunned and surprised, eyes locked onto each other as our rifles were useless.
This Clanker was no more than a boy, a young man, his plasteel tank containing fuel fell from his pack, his rifle useless without the pressured gas, my own out of steam.
His pleading eyes meet mine, voice muffled from the mechanical hissing of his breathing apparatus, we drop our rifles and pause, neither willing to take the others life.
"Hrrrrrgh!" A shout distracts us both, the reflection of fire inside the glass of a gas mask greets us both
A Heavy Clanker, hissing out steam from the tubes implanted in her chest, a readied flamethrower in hand dripping blood red fuel onto the ground beneath her feet.
Why do I think of you?

"Very well, Pa, compensate them." Without word the Father gestures, and two Royal Guards approach, one to guide Mother away, the other to place a strange wire loop around my neck; tightening it so I don't struggle against the muzzle slid over my neck and locked to my mouth over my lips.

The Burner flicks the safety of her thrower, ready to bathe our lives in flame.
Suddenly, White flares fire into the sky, Royal airships fill the air above; calling a truce.
Our bodies heave in synchrony, exhausted and bleeding, all three of us lay down our arms as the battlefield grows silent save our breathing.
Every soldier on that field cried out as the white rose petals fell from the sky, my metal muzzle caught these petals perfectly as I began to weep, I weep unlike ever before.
The Queen, was Dead.
I wept for more than war, for death or being ripped from my family, for being turned into a servant, I weep for the death of my Erel's Mother.

Nine years after the War.

Scratch inhaled deeply, looking down from the window to his cutting board, a faint smile met his lips.
"This time sure does bring back memories..." He had gotten lost in his thoughts again, about being taken in by the Royal Family and his time in the war.
He looked up out the window to see the white roses growing in the garden outside his home, a cottage in the Estate grounds next to the Garden.
Mother loved her Garden... Funny, Erel has me calling the Queen Mother, God rest my Queen.
"Boys and Girls!" He called , the one eyed soldier waited to hear scuffling before he turned back to the breakfast he was preparing.
"Your Lord Erel is preparing for his brothers Wedding today! I'm going to have to head out early, why don't you celebrate over breakfast with me?" He called again, hearing those footsteps filled him with such fatherly delight as a trio of young men came rushing down the stairs with hungry stomachs.
"Ah! Eben! Back upstairs with you and get dressed properly this time!" He whacked the young man's hand with a wooden spoon as the Hound had reached into the heated pan to try and steal some sausage before he had been served any.

..…..........

"Hey" , a hand gently brushes y/n's shoulder, trying to rouse you from your sleep.
"Hello? It's time to wake up sleepyhead..."
It had been a late night for you, having been taken in by Scratch to stay in his boarding house.
"Let the new ones sleep in, Elias." Another voice from the doorway of the room.
"It's alright, I'll stay here with them, I don't want them to wake up alone and confused like I did."
A weight settled on the edge of your bed, the person smelled like cold, so this was the one sleeping next to the open window last night.
"Alright, I'll try and save some breakfast but no promises." The footsteps faded and both were left in silence.
"It's okay, I know you're kinda awake but you can rest a bit, I'm not that hungry ~"
Elias became quiet as he waited for the new Hound to awaken.

(Male or Female welcome!
No text talk
No one liners
Must be able to reply thoroughly (not as in time wise but content wise)
Be descriptive and alive in this! I can't stand another one sided rp.
Romance is of course allowed, the lengths of which it can go is at your discretion.
Your Character must be a Hound; a Hound is nothing more than a genetically altered human created to display traits commonly coveted in Canines, Ie; increased sense of smell, hearing, sight, stamina etc. Only physical differences between Hounds and other people is their teeth and fingernails can sometimes change to be alike Canine's claws and teeth.
this is a Victorianesque Steampunk Era rp, Dm me if you're interested!)