06-25-2009, 06:10 AM
1)
"Yes, the char and ash speak well of your skills."
Corbin's eyes narrowed dangerously at Marcus. He started to say something but Bartel cut in. "Corbin, they brought word about Samantha, we should talk with them."
"I am NOT letting some point-eared tainted-"
"He's not the one who burned us out!"
"No, but his kind have done enough!"
The two men continued to argue and as they did, Daniel felt a touch on his arm as Robin moved closer beside him.
"Was he like this when you were here before?" she whispered.
Daniel nodded. "Hates elves. Always has."
"Idiot."
Daniel tried to hide his smile. He reached down and quietly took her hand in his as they waited.
By now a third man had approached the row. He cleared his throat and immediately both men stopped arguing and gave him their full attention. Briefly he glared at the two, then turned his gaze towards the patiently waiting trio.
"My name is Aaron Mirro, provisional leader of... of what's left of Javon. Thank you for bringing us good news. We can use some right now. You can stay the night, I'm afraid we don't have much but-"
"Mirro, you can't-"
"Shut up Corbin. I've made my decision. Besides, they can't make things much worse than they are now. Bartel?"
"Yes?"
"Lead them to camp, the rest of us will continue watch."
Marcus muttered a quick thanks to Mirro, noting that Corbin's fuming eyes never left Daniel for an instant even as they were lead away.
"You say Samantha is well?" Bartel asked after a few moments.
"Not yet, but soon," answered Marcus. "She's in good hands."
"Most of us thought she was dead. This is good news, there are so few left... I don't supposed you know anything about her brother? He's all she has, you know."
Robin saw Marcus pale at the question. "...No, I'm afraid not," he said carefully. "I'd hoped he was here with you."
Bartel shook his head. "He's not with us. There're many missing, most dead, but if Samantha's still alive, maybe there's hope that Alston survived as well."
Alston shivered.
He sat on his knees in the tent, his arms tied wide between two poles, his head bowed. His body was a mass of bruises and scabs. There was no fire here, and the winter cold slipped through his ragged clothes, biting into his bones.
He didn't know why he still lived, only that when they found him and Hallah in the woods days after the massacre, the pale-haired leader of these butchers said he was "useful".
He didn't know where Hallah was. They'd been separated since they were caught. He remembered her screaming.
He didn't know what happened to Sammy, but he hoped against hope she was okay.
He did know that Javon was no more. Just burnt husk, dried blood, and bones.
A sound of someone entering made him look up. It was the pale-haired man leading a frightened-
"Hallah!" breathed Alton.
"Yes, the char and ash speak well of your skills."
Corbin's eyes narrowed dangerously at Marcus. He started to say something but Bartel cut in. "Corbin, they brought word about Samantha, we should talk with them."
"I am NOT letting some point-eared tainted-"
"He's not the one who burned us out!"
"No, but his kind have done enough!"
The two men continued to argue and as they did, Daniel felt a touch on his arm as Robin moved closer beside him.
"Was he like this when you were here before?" she whispered.
Daniel nodded. "Hates elves. Always has."
"Idiot."
Daniel tried to hide his smile. He reached down and quietly took her hand in his as they waited.
By now a third man had approached the row. He cleared his throat and immediately both men stopped arguing and gave him their full attention. Briefly he glared at the two, then turned his gaze towards the patiently waiting trio.
"My name is Aaron Mirro, provisional leader of... of what's left of Javon. Thank you for bringing us good news. We can use some right now. You can stay the night, I'm afraid we don't have much but-"
"Mirro, you can't-"
"Shut up Corbin. I've made my decision. Besides, they can't make things much worse than they are now. Bartel?"
"Yes?"
"Lead them to camp, the rest of us will continue watch."
Marcus muttered a quick thanks to Mirro, noting that Corbin's fuming eyes never left Daniel for an instant even as they were lead away.
"You say Samantha is well?" Bartel asked after a few moments.
"Not yet, but soon," answered Marcus. "She's in good hands."
"Most of us thought she was dead. This is good news, there are so few left... I don't supposed you know anything about her brother? He's all she has, you know."
Robin saw Marcus pale at the question. "...No, I'm afraid not," he said carefully. "I'd hoped he was here with you."
Bartel shook his head. "He's not with us. There're many missing, most dead, but if Samantha's still alive, maybe there's hope that Alston survived as well."
* * *
Alston shivered.
He sat on his knees in the tent, his arms tied wide between two poles, his head bowed. His body was a mass of bruises and scabs. There was no fire here, and the winter cold slipped through his ragged clothes, biting into his bones.
He didn't know why he still lived, only that when they found him and Hallah in the woods days after the massacre, the pale-haired leader of these butchers said he was "useful".
He didn't know where Hallah was. They'd been separated since they were caught. He remembered her screaming.
He didn't know what happened to Sammy, but he hoped against hope she was okay.
He did know that Javon was no more. Just burnt husk, dried blood, and bones.
A sound of someone entering made him look up. It was the pale-haired man leading a frightened-
"Hallah!" breathed Alton.