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 | | From: | stormaf | | Subject: | Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator | | Date: | 28 Dec 2004 08:28:37 -0800 |
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 | Maybe, maybe... Just maybe Vance was about to get some good luck for a
change. While the crowd was ogling the scene on the other side of the
road, the young thief made off with not one, but three purses.
Carelya held Ajali's arm in protective confusion. Nanny Wilsy glared
at everyone, but especially Ajali. Carelya's penchant for getting
into trouble was a nuisance and this young man was beginning to be a
trial. The old woman grunted a sigh and put her hands on her hips,
her little drawstring purse dangling.
Ajali ducked his head, blond hair shrouding his face, and tried to be
inconspicuous. The crowd had cut off any escape to the fore and he
knew that movement on his part would probably provoke violence from
some; at least it had in the last town he had tried to live in. He
stood as still as death and as tense as rigor setting in.
A fierce frown marred Carelya's pretty features as she scanned the
gawpers and finally her annoyance settled on the white haired man.
"What are you talking about?" she fumed loudly, "Are Montfort's
citizens so rude as to shout imprecations in the street? And what are
you talking about anyway? Where is the unholy monster? Who'd want to
drink blood? You, sir, are crazy!"
Head held high, she pulled at Ajali's arm. Her escort didn't budge
and she might as well have tugged at a tree. The crowd to the fore
held its ranks and a murmur began to blow through the people like a
rising wind.
"I'd recommend that we not move," Ajali whispered, "They are on the
cusp of violence, some of them, and I would not see you hurt."
"What is he talking about?" Carelya asked hoarsely, "He's blind. He
can't see a blasted thing!"
"The blind see more than many sighted people do," Ajali told her, "He
can probably smell the blood."
The blind man moved forward, finger pointing unerringly at Ajali,
"Fires of the Redeemer shall burn you, unholy one! You shall writhe
in eternal torment for your sins!"
Carelya was stunned, not only by their predicament, but at the fact
that Ajali did nothing to defend himself from the old man's
accusations.
"Say something!" She told him, "Deny his claims! He's surely crazy.
The dead are – well – dead, aren't they?"
Raising his chin, Ajali smiled at her, "Some are deader than others."
"What on earth do you mean?"
He didn't answer, but he did slowly turn to face the elder and it
seemed as if the air darkened around him. Nanny Wilsy moved away and
the crowd took an unconscious step backwards as well. The blind man
halted his tirade for a second and Ajali spoke up.
"I wish no trouble. I am merely seeking refuge from persecution. I
do not plan any mischief." Lies slipped easily from his tongue.
Everywhere he went he caused some sort of difficulty and, given that
he had never planned any of it, part of what he said was true.
"Foul creature of the night!" the old man shouted, fairly shaking with
righteous anger, "Your kind is not welcome in Montfort. The Redeemer
brooks no vile nightwalkers in her pristine streets! You will die in
his fires!"
Ajali took heart in Carelya's grip on his arm. He had her now. She
would be a willing partner whenever he wished her services. A smile
grew on his face and he sought a way out of this situation.
Carelya stared at her new friend and found herself afraid and
attracted at the same time. She had never felt this way before. It
was as if a spell had been cast over her but she knew that nothing of
the sort had taken place. Even seeing the long, pointed canines in
his smile, top and bottom, didn't cause her any concern. Some people
had blemishes and others limped from birth, only a few came into this
life unscathed.
Nanny Wilsy stared at Ajali and formed her own opinions of the young
man, none of them very favorable. The blind man was right; all the
signs were there, the paleness, the beautiful looks, the fingernails,
the changeable eyes, the voice, that aura of power tightly leashed,
the height, everything in fact. She would put her own life on the
line to protect Carelya, her dearie, her lamb.
"Come lambie," she pulled at Carelya's free arm, "Over here, where we
may be safe until this is all settled."
"No, Nanny," Carelya insisted, "The old man is wrong. There is no
harm here. Can't two people walk the market at Winter Solstice
without being accosted by madmen?"
The muttering in the crowd grew and Ajali could see the Town Guard
mustering down the alley, planning to break up the knot of people and
to arrest the troublemakers. However, his preternatural sight also
located a young footpad hard at work nipping purses from several
wealthy members of the audience. Deliverance was at hand.
Ajali's eyes glowed slightly and his voice rang out with a tone of
command, "Look to your purses, good folk, for one walks among you who
would have them for himself."
Suddenly Vance found himself the center of attention.
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| | From: | stormaf at storm.ca | | Subject: | Re: Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator | | Date: | 29 Dec 2004 07:57:04 -0800 |
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| Sterling turned first to the guardsman leading the squad. "Go hunt for
the
pickpocket," he told the men, "I can see to this."
Then he pivoted back and pulled Willis away from the pair. "There'll
be no
burning tonight Willis," he said as he fixed his violet gaze upon
Ajali. He
stepped to the side, drawing vampire, maiden and a sullen Willis away
from
the rest of the crowd. "Montfort doesn't condemn any without reason,"
he
stated, "Though few of your kind show enough restraint to avoid giving
just
cause. Speak stranger. I would know your name and your intentions
towards
this city and that young lady."
Carelya stood with her mouth open and Nanny continued her grumbling.
Ajali tossed his hair back from his face and stared up at the minotaur.
It had been a long time since he had needed to look up at anyone and
at his height he didn't have that far to go. Minotaurs were not
common where he had hailed from and he gave the Sheriff a level stare.
"Thank you for...rescuing...me," he said softly with a sardonic
lilt to his tone, "I am Ajali ben azBirun, lately from the Southern
Counties. I am here to see the sights. This young lady is showing
them to me."
Her tongue finally broke loose and Carelya's words rushed out in a
torrent, "He was freezing! Imagine wearing a little silk jacket here
in the winter!" She hesitated then continued, "Is he really a
vampire?"
Ajali's expression showed a wry humor mixed with a fondness for the
girl, but whether that meant emotion or possessiveness it was
impossible to tell.
He broke his silence with a question, "What will you do to the little
pinch purse? Do you cut off his hands as they do in the south? I feel
responsible for him, since it was I who caused him to be caught."
"How do you know he's been caught?" Carelya asked.
The vampire replied, "Because a guard is bringing him here as we
speak."
Carelya's eyes became very round with awe.
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| | From: | Robin Banco | | Subject: | Re: Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator | | Date: | Tue, 28 Dec 2004 18:01:02 GMT |
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| Ajali's eyes glowed slightly and his voice rang out with a tone of
command, "Look to your purses, good folk, for one walks among you who
would have them for himself."
Suddenly Vance found himself the center of attention. Now that attention had
been called to him, he stood out like a sore thumb against the well-fed
merchants and celebrants. His cloak was thin and patched, his feet and legs
bound with anything he could find that might keep out the cold, his
cheekbones gaunt in his eleven-year-old face. Dirty hair straggled over
too-large blue eyes that got impossibly larger as he was caught in
disapproving stares.
He squeaked in alarm and deftly avoided a sudden grab from the man he'd been
about to relieve of his purse as the rest of the crowd checked their own.
Roars of anger came from those he had already attended to and - oh, gods -
the town's Guard was down the street!
Thin and awkward he might be, but he was fast and agile. He ducked under the
reaching hands, bolted under the bellies of several horses, _through_ a hot
pie merchant's stall, grabbing one on his way, and up to the roof of the
nearest building like a squirrel. This wasn't the first time he'd been spied
at his trade and he'd learned very early on in his career to have an escape
route planned at all times. He wasted no time in glancing behind to look for
opposition; he was already moving as fast as he could: looking behind would
not spur him on and might well delay him.
Turning, doubling back, over roofs and under obstacles... he finally reached
the tiny hole he called home - no more than a crawl-space under a grain
merchant's storage barn - and went to ground. It was warm in there - well,
warmer than the street, anyway - cozy with several filched blankets and rags
to keep the wind out. Rats might have been a problem if Vance had ever had
enough food to attract them, but no crumb was ever left for them to smell.
There was a well one street over and a privy the same distance the other way
that he could use unnoticed. All in all it was a palace.
He curled up in his blankets and devoured the warm pie, licking his fingers
so that no drop, no crumb escaped him.
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| | From: | Robin Banco | | Subject: | Re: Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator | | Date: | Tue, 28 Dec 2004 20:17:23 GMT |
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| He curled up in his blankets and devoured the warm pie, licking his fingers
so that no drop, no crumb escaped him.
Calor dropped his hand to where his pouch should have been and cursed
heartily. The damned little sneak-thief was good; Calor had not had any
inkling his purse was missing until the shout went up and he would have
sworn it was in a place completely inaccessible to any pickpocket. He swung
about, looking, but too late; the child was most of the way up what Calor
would have sworn was an unscaleable wall and his purse had gone with him.
Fear as well as anger tinged Calor's cursing. If any of Montfort's guard or
mages loyal to the king got hold of that pouch...
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| | From: | Blake Sinclair | | Subject: | Re: Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator | | Date: | Wed, 29 Dec 2004 03:40:12 GMT |
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| Ordered by the sheriff himself, the guardsmen spread out to start combing
through the alleyways and side streets in the direction Vance had fled.
Their searching was loud, intended to frighten the thief into flight.
Meanwhile, Mage Belle Springer wrapped herself in a spell of invisibility.
More magic allowed her to walk up the wall that the other had scaled like a
spider while another spell allowed her to see the fading hand and footprints
of her quarry.
Eventually she followed the trail to the roof of the grain bin. Clinging to
the wall beside the entrance, she allowed herself to become visible.
Brushing her light brown hair back from her face, the half-elf peered into
the small area and gave the friendliest smile she could.
"Don't run," she said, "It's not worth risking your life to try and escape."
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robin Banco"
Newsgroups: alt.dragons-inn
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 3:17 PM
Subject: Re: Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator
> He curled up in his blankets and devoured the warm pie, licking his
> fingers
> so that no drop, no crumb escaped him.
>
> Calor dropped his hand to where his pouch should have been and cursed
> heartily. The damned little sneak-thief was good; Calor had not had any
> inkling his purse was missing until the shout went up and he would have
> sworn it was in a place completely inaccessible to any pickpocket. He
> swung
> about, looking, but too late; the child was most of the way up what Calor
> would have sworn was an unscaleable wall and his purse had gone with him.
>
> Fear as well as anger tinged Calor's cursing. If any of Montfort's guard
> or
> mages loyal to the king got hold of that pouch...
>
>
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| | From: | Robin Banco | | Subject: | Re: Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator | | Date: | Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:56:17 GMT |
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| Brushing her light brown hair back from her face, the half-elf peered into
the small area and gave the friendliest smile she could.
"Don't run," she said, "It's not worth risking your life to try and escape."
Vance squeaked in alarm again. How had the woman found him? He'd been
careful, he'd checked his back trail; he hadn't gone to ground until he was
certain nobody was watching. Maybe what he'd heard - and discounted - was
true; maybe the Guard in Montfort had mages working for them. But surely a
few stolen purses weren't worth a mage's time...
He started whimpering in panic, pushing back as far against the wall as he
could get. Nothing had gone right since Da pinched that Lord's purse; first
Da had died, then Joss said they were leaving Bleckner to follow their
fortune. That brought them to Montfort, then Joss went to speak to someone
one night and never came back. Now Vance was caught and they'd probably cut
off his hands or something. It was hard enough keeping himself fed with both
hands; how would he live if the Guard cut them off?
His blue eyes grew enormous and started leaking tears. Maybe he could make
the woman feel sorry for the pitiful little waif, convince her he was
harmless, then run for the hills as soon as she was out of the entrance to
his hidey-hole.
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| | From: | Blake Sinclair | | Subject: | Re: Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator | | Date: | Thu, 30 Dec 2004 03:55:34 GMT |
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| >
> His blue eyes grew enormous and started leaking tears. Maybe he could make
> the woman feel sorry for the pitiful little waif, convince her he was
> harmless, then run for the hills as soon as she was out of the entrance to
> his hidey-hole.
>
>
Belle Springer sighed at the sight before her. "Come on out of there," she
said softly, "We'll be returning those stolen purses, then I'll take you to
the Tower. Its warmer there than here and I promise you a hot meal to
boot."
She paused and waved him closer. "Please," she added, "If you don't come
along with me Lieutenant Hawkins will be here with his squad to drag you
back to the Tower in irons. I don't think we need to be that harsh on you."
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| | From: | Blake Sinclair | | Subject: | Re: Winter Celebrations - LTMB thread 2 - Predator | | Date: | Wed, 29 Dec 2004 00:42:30 GMT |
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| The Tower Guard crashed into the milling crowd, taking hold of the most
agitated and shouting for calm. Then the bellowing voice of Sheriff
Wintermane rang out and a semblence of reason settled over the near mob.
"What is going on here?" the minotaur demanded as he strode into the middle
of the fray, drawn dispite being off duty.
"Old Willis found a vampire!"
"There's a pickpocket loose!"
The old man in question shook off those holding him and stumbled closer to
Ajali and Carelya. He thrust his weatherbeaten hand at the fair man.
"Blasphemious drinker of blood," he cried, "Bring torches! Bring wood! We
must cleanse this evil from our midst!"
"Whatever he is," one of the merchants shouted, "He hasn't done anything
yet. But that little scamp stole my purse!"
Sterling turned first to the guardsman leading the squad. "Go hunt for the
pickpocket," he told the men, "I can see to this."
Then he pivoted back and pulled Willis away from the pair. "There'll be no
burning tonight Willis," he said as he fixed his violet gaze upon Ajali. He
stepped to the side, drawing vampire, maiden and a sullen Willis away from
the rest of the crowd. "Montfort doesn't condem any without reason," he
stated, "Though few of your kind show enough restraint to avoid giving just
cause. Speak stranger. I would know your name and your intentions towards
this city and that young lady."
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