Group role-play: Rodeo 4

Siaden | Athawe | Czrel | Noran | Fieron

Siaden
Alianna sighed. It was going to be one of those days. Her wonderful, but somewhat dim, husband and her two beautiful young boys had graciously decided they would help her today. “We’re going to take care of dinner today” they had announced gleefully this morning, waking her up in her bed before sunrise.
They had gone fishing. So graciously, they had spent the whole day lounging at the river, doing their best to trick creatures that have a five second short term memory. Graciously they had boisterously come home that evening with four very large, very stinky fish. Then, their hard labour done, they had retired to relax in other parts of the house. While she was left in the kitchen, to gut, clean, and cook the fish, as well as clean up the muck and dirt they brought home from the river.
Shaking her head, Alianna smiled to herself. They meant well of course.
Later, during dinner, an odd thing happened. There was a knock at the door. Generally alone on their remote little Sendarian farm, the family rarely saw anyone. While Doram rose to answer the door, Alianna brought another chair to the table and tried to quiet their excited boys. Having noticed earlier that the weather was turning for the worst, Alianna decided also to boil water to get the visitor a hot drink. She was turned away while Doram opened the door, amiably mumbling,
“Hello-Hello...”

top

Athawe
Doram stepped back as the stranger pushed him through the doorway. The stranger was tall, and wore a dark-coloured hooded cloak. Behind him, rain had started to fall, the sky dark and looming. A shaking hand reached up to push the hood away.
The face was that of a man of about thirty. His face was tanned, his expression troubled. Alianna pulled the boys to her protectively, while Doram stood there, dumbfounded. The man shook water off his cloak, and looked around him.
"Forgive my intrusion," he said, his voice harsh. He didn't sound apologetic, however, and Alianna firmed her grip on the boys. The stranger sat in a chair without being invited. Alianna didn't know who he was or what he wanted, but her manners took over. She was Sendarian to the core. Setting a cup in front of the stranger, she poured boiling water into it, then added some tea leaves. Doram still stood in the doorway, unsure of how to react.
"Close the door." Alianna said to him. He did so, then sat in a chair across from the stranger. The stranger took this all in, but didn't say anything. Alianna noticed that the man looked over his shoulder a lot, as if waiting for someone to come through the door after him.

top

Czrel
He reached out his dark cloak to grasp the ear of the tea cup. Alianna could see that his muscled arm was covered with scars. The man lifted the cup and took a long sip. Along the edge of the china, his eyes peered intently at the Sendarian woman.
"Good tea," he praised to no one in particular as he quietly put the cup back on its saucer. "A pity I won't get to enjoy it any longer."
From a distance, there was a soft murmuring in the fields amidst the horrid weather. The entire household waited in shock and awe. The murmuring gradually grew clearer and slowly took the form of the thunderous gallop of hooves upon wet, soggy soil. The sound was terrifying. The house shook as if an army had descended upon the farm.
Calmly, the stranger rose from his seat and turned to face the wide-eyed woman. He fished out a small black pouch from his surcoat and slipped it gently into her shaking hands.
"They have come for me," the tall man spoke gravely. "Take care of this until I come back to redeem it."
The velvety material gleamed maliciously at Alianna but she felt oddly safe and sound in the presence of the black pouch. Before she could react, the stranger had already unsheathed his two long bloodied swords previously hidden in his cloak. As he strode towards the doorway, he eyed Doram cautiously.
"Cherish your loved ones because time is not on our side," his harsh voice boomed over the lanky Sendarian farmer.
With that, the tall strong stranger raised both his mighty swords above his head. Then he dashed out into the cold merciless rain to face an unseen army of horsemen while screaming a war cry so blood curdling that made the boys hide under the table in fear. His cry seemed to drown out the thundering hooves but yet it looked impossible for the stranger to survive fighting against an entire army.
"Everything will be alright my dears," Alianna soothed the boys as she squatted down to hug them. "Everything will be alright."

top

Noran
The sound of clanking sword against shield continued for only a short time, causing a restlessness within the house. Soon the thundering of hooves was heard, first just one horse, but soon followed by large numbers rushing across the field and then on down the road. The silence of the night returned.
Doram spoke first, breaking the nervous silence. "Why don’t you give me that pou-"
He was soon interrupted by a rather hysterical Alianna "NO!" Seeming startled at herself, she rephrased, "I mean, I'd rather keep it, thanks."
Doram looked inquisitive, but shrugged and meandered off to the table to finish his dinner.

top

Fieron
It was quite some time after dinner that any of them dared to peer out of the windows. Alianna was mending the shirt one of the boys had torn during fishing. Doram was teaching the boys about crop rotation. None of them were could concentrate. Eventually, Doram sighed.
“Boys, stay here with mother,” he said quietly, and walked to the windows. Three pairs of eyes followed him. He reached out to the shutters, and hesitated. Then he opened them by a crack.
Silence.
He opened them further. The light fell on green grass and glittering drops of rain. Unable to stand the anticipation anymore, the older son asked eagerly,
“What’s out there?”
“I don’t see anything,” came the slow reply.
“Stay where you are,” Alianna warned the boys, and joined her husband at the window. Little could be made out in the darkness. Alianna squinted, and shook her head. “I’ll go out and have a look.”
“I’ll come with you,” Doram said quickly.
“No, honey.” Alianna pecked Doram on the cheek. “It’ll just be a moment.” She gave her sons, who were sneaking up to them, a stern look. They scrambled back to their seats. Alianna donned a cloak, picked up a torch, and thrust it in the fire. When it caught, she opened the door and stepped out.
Despite all that had happened, she still felt calm, almost detached, as she made her way slowly and deliberately towards the road. The spitting torch and the fall of rain were the only sounds to be heard. The grass was trampled. Splatters of blood zigzagged to a large, red smear on the grass. Curiously enough, there was no body.
She glanced back, and saw Doram’s face silhouetted by the firelight. She gave a wave, and thought he returned it. Smiling, she trudged on. Turning the corner, she followed the hoof marks around the hedge when-
The man jumped back, dodging her scything torch. She pressed in, whirling her torch overhead, but hands grabbed at her arms. She struggled, flailing her torch blindly. She felt it connect with one of the figures, which stumbled backwards. She grinned, feeling a brief flash of satisfaction as the torch slammed into another. At that moment, something hit her hard in the head.
Stars and sparks danced before her eyes. Several figures launched themselves at her, and she felt herself being crushed by their weight. She tried to scream and writhe, but the earth and grass filled her mouth, muffling the sound.
Then everything went black.
“Are you all right?” a voice asked. Alianna opened her eyes, and groaned. She had a splitting headache, and she had no idea why. A man stared down at her, a gash down his cheek bleeding profusely.
“What… what happened?” she asked faintly.
“Uh…” the man looked embarrassed. “Sorry we treated you so roughly, but we had to destroy the orb. I hit you on your head.”
“Orb?” She tried to get up, and the man helped her into a sitting position. Around them were a ring of men, armed and looking weary to the bone. She frowned, thinking back. “I only remember a pouch… and… a man…”
The man nodded. “It contained an orb, which was used by the Grolims to control people.” Alianna’s eyes widened. “Here, take this.” He offered her a pouch. She drew back apprehensively. A sudden wry smile appeared on his face. “It’s just some money.” He opened it, and coins gleamed in the torchlight.
“I can’t…” she stammered, then her tone became firmer. “I can’t… won’t accept it.”
The man rolled his eyes, stowing the pouch. “Sendars.”
“The man…?”
“He’ll get a decent burial.”
She nodded distantly. “And the orb?”
“That?” The smile dissolved. Then it reappeared. “Nothing to worry yourself over with. It’s in safe hands. Come now, best don’t catch a cold in the rain.” He helped Alianna up. “Do you think you can make your way back to your house?”
Alianna felt affronted. “Of course I can!”
The man gave a flourishing bow. “Then we must say fare well, fair lady.” Alianna blushed. He jerked a thumb at the stony faced warriors. “The Algars need to be back in time for the foaling season.” There was a flurry of activity as the warriors mounted horses. The man wrinkled his nose. “Belar, I hate horses,” he muttered, as he climbed into the saddle. Alianna did not know what to say. “Goodbye!” he cried, tossing a pouch at her, before wheeling his horse around. She caught the pouch instinctively, and, before she could react, the horses galloped away, leaving her standing alone in the rain.
She stood there, stock still, still not quite believing what had happened. The first thought that came into her mind was, Oh my. This was followed by I should have offered them some tea. Then it hit her that the man had thrown her a pouch. She tipped the contents into her hands.
“The cheek of that man!” she burst out. Coins gleamed in the moonlight.
A hand settled onto her shoulder, and she jumped.
“Alianna?” Doram asked, concerned, and his gaze shifted to the coins. “What…?”
Alianna shook her head. “Nothing, dear.” She smiled at his worried expression, then glanced at the sky. “Let’s get back into the house. We don’t want to worry the boys.”

top