Scale Unbalanced (Private)

Subject: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Wed Feb 23, 2011 8:16 pm

Lynde marched next to the roan stallion that her mentor had chosen to ride on. She wasn't privileged enough to ride, but she didn't mind. The young mercenary in training was far from fazed by the weather that made the road disgusting and nearly impassible. The mud squelched beneath her boot, sucking her in all the way to her calf. However, Lynde was a warrior. Without glancing down, she would tear her leg free and continue the march as if nothing had hindered her. Somehow, she managed to keep up and never rush. It was all in the pursuit of pleasing her mentor.

"Lynde. You're being quieter than usual," the pompous old warrior taunted his apprentice. He was fond of the girl, referring to her as his dear daughter on more than one occasion. He firmly believed that her temper was her weak point, however, and would push her to her limits.

Refusing to be provoked, Lynde smiled and soldiered on. No answer came from her, but after a few minutes, she drilled him with questions. Everything she would normally ask in a few hours came out in a few minutes: Where were they going? What would they do there? When was her next meal? Would they be able to practice sword play soon? When did he expect her to improve enough to be able to afford herself a horse? Would she be sleeping with his horse that night? Would they even find an inn? What was their next quest? Why did she get such a low cut? The questions continued endlessly, waiting only long enough to get a clipped answer. There was no farther inquiring on the topics, no true interest. There were questions because questions were what were expected.

So they traveled for the remainder of the day like that. Hours passed and the weather leveled out, but the road was already mud. Carriages shot past, splattering Lynde with mud. The mud higher up dried, while it began to cake heavily on her armor, especially on her already heavy boots. The cold crept through the thin, clothe shirt she wore beneath the metal. Along with it came the damp and a feeling of being unclean. Through it all, she merely kept a blank face and continued on, her head held high.

When night fall finally came, it was night and her mentor was leading her into a town. He swung down from his horse and walked beside her on the coddle stone streets. Lynde didn't think once of the mud she carried through the clean streets. In fact, all she thought off was curling up in some warm hay and falling into a deep sleep. She didn't even want to think about whether she'd be staying in the inn with her master or not.

As they came to the place they were staying, her mentor shook her from her thoughts. He sternly told her to clean her armor and then join him in the tavern. Without a word of protest, she went into the barn with their horse, sat down next to it, and began scrubbing away the mud with a handful of hay. Once that was finished, she got a rag from their belongings and began to polish each piece of metal. As she worked, her head was bowed low and her mind worked on painful, cruel ways that she could give her mentor the death he deserved.

Spoiler:

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Fri Feb 25, 2011 11:46 pm

Kyrie sat in the back of the tavern, his master a table away from him. Books lay around him, some closed others open. A candle sat in the middle of the table, aiding him in his reading. A goblet of water rested away from the edge of the table. To those looking at him, he was just another apprentice catching up on his studies, which he was. However, he was also aware of every human body that came close to his. He hated the feel of human skin against his, the heat, the smell, everything. His master had found out when Kyrie had shoved him into a lake when the old man had tried to hug him.

"Kyrie, quiztsh being antiiii-soshial, come zhoins me." Kyrie barely looked up from the text before him and glared at his teacher. The only reason Kyrie put up with the drunk old sod was because he was the best mage Kyrie could find and Kyrie wanted to learn from the very best. "We .......our ...... no .....hour .....no.....aha are meeting shome friendsh of mine."

Another reason that Kyrie was in a bad mood. He hated meeting new people. They had a habit of wanting to shake hands. Kyrie shivered at the thought, and returned his gaze to his books. His mouth moving as he silently spoke, committing the text to memory.

"They should be here." Kyrie glanced up, not surprised that his master's speech had switched back to normal. His mahogany hues flicked towards the door, letting out the breath that he hadn't known he had been holding.

Spoiler:

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:49 pm

Lynde's master entered the tavern and soon spotted his old friend. He approached and called out a warm, loud greeting. He moved with a warrior's strong, yet lithe grace. Barely flicking a glance towards Kyrie, he plopped down, causing the chair to creek under the weight of his armor. Boisterous and loud, he asked how his friend had been and of his journeys. He drank freely and spoke eagerly. His attention didn't turn back to Kyrie until Lynde entered.

The young female was bone tired by the time she had finished scrubbing her armor. There had been mud in places she didn't know mud could get into and each link of the chain mail that covered the backs of her legs had needed careful attention. After that, she had been filthy and had had to find the water and light the fire herself. It was altogether unpleasant but normal in her life.

Approaching the table, she stood at attention at her master's elbow. Her powerful hands were clenched at her sides and her gaze was locked straight forward, staring over the top of the white haired male's head. In a controlled, respectful tone, she reported, "I fed, watered, cleaned, and dried the horse. My armor and weapons are in order, sir!"

With a chuckle, the old warrior patted the metal plate that covered her abdomen and introduced her, "This is my apprentice, Lynde. I found her in a hovel."

A smile twitched at the lips of the young warrior. What a lie. Darren sure knew how to tell them though. So far, he had found Lynde at the side of the road, clutching at her mother's dead body and sobbing, enslaved by blood thirsty monsters that were going to eat her, in a cage up for sale, leading a band of bandit children, and so many others that she couldn't recall them all. Each new person they met and she gained a new life. It was endless amusement. She knew it spawned from the fact that she refused to tell her master about her past. Though she hid nothing too horrible, in her own opinion, she simply did not want him to know.

"It is an honor to meet you, master Evan! My master speaks highly of you," she told the mage, her attention snapping to him. She had the keen eyes of a hawk that seemed to look through people. Even if she didn't realize it, there was pain and aggression in her eyes. Both seemed beyond control.

Darren burst into loud laughter and mocked, "If speaking highly is calling you a dog, then I speak very highly of you, old friend!"

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:38 pm

Kyrie yawned as he shut his eyes for a few seconds, images flashing through his head, before opening them again at the sound of a hearty greeting. Mahogany hues lifted and watched as his master stood greeting the warrior with just as much vigor. His master was swaying his chair, probably telling the tale of how he had killed some fictional creature. Sighing in relief, Kyrie returned his attention to his studies, unaware the door had let in another warrior.

“Kyrie, get over here.” Kyrie jerked his gaze up, white hair falling about his face. He glared, but did as instructed. Why he put up with the old sod, he had no idea. “This is my apprentice, Kyrie. I found him sniveling out in front of my cottage.”

Kyrie scoffed, but otherwise kept silent. His master had been drunk when Kyrie had gone knocking on his door; soaking wet from the downpour, yet the old man was set that he had been sniveling. He kept his gaze on the table, his mind imagining a fire. The table did not light, since he refused to let the power out.

“While Kyrie is weak with stuff as a sword, he is very strong in magic. He might someday surpass me, maybe.” Kyrie’s gaze snapped to the smirking face of Evan and he shook his head.

“Hello, Master Darren and his apprentice.” Kyrie could not really remember being introduced to the apprentice, oh wait it was Lynde. “Sorry, I meant Lynde. Master, if there is nothing else I would like to return to my studies and eat before heading off to bed.”

“Very well, why don’t you take Miss Lynde with you to your table and get to know her?” Kyrie stiffened and nodded, looking up at the female.

“Would you care to join me, Lynde? My table is over in the corner.” He pointed to the one he had been sitting at.

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:55 pm

'What a pretty girl,' Lynde thought as she resisted the urge to stretch her weary muscles. As the mage apprentice was introduced with a 'him', her embarrassment nearly appeared on her face. Normally, the warrior's keen eyes picked up minute details that depicted gender. Since she was so masculine, she was rather hyper aware of it. To have made such a mistake, she felt shamefaced and glad that she hadn't had the chance to open her mouth.

Bowing her head, she greeted the apprentice, "Greeting Master Evan's apprentice, Kyrie. May our paths cross with grace." Despite his rudeness, she didn't feel offence. Her master had well and beat it into her: she was nothing. Until she could ride a horse, she was lower than the dirt. If he or anyone else wanted to kick her around, she wasn't to do a damn thing about it unless she was being paid. That didn't stop her from breaking guys' ribs when they came onto her, but it did help her from taking offense. If the weak freak wanted to be rude, the belligerent warrior knew she had suffered through worse than bad company.

Lynde nodded at the invitation. Glancing at her master, she asked, "Where shall I be sleeping?"

"Oh, I suppose I can afford a room for you," her master said grudgingly, before laughing and suggesting to Evan, "Mayhap we should just stick the young ones in one room and save the gold. Split the price right even." Meeting Lynde defiant gaze, he taunted her, "Not much of her could tempt even a drunken man."

Even though she had heard the words from him before, there was still a bite to her heart from them. A beautiful girl told by someone she loved that she was ugly would be convinced. An average girl told by the only person that knew her that she was ugly merely served to reinforce her own feelings. Dipping her head politely, she told them, "As my master decides with me."

With that, she turned and marched over to the corner. Out of sight of her master, she sank down on the bench. Her armor clanged loudly and the wood creaked from the weight of the warrior and her weaponry. With a soft sigh, she murmured softly in elvish, "Ow, mine aching bones." Oddly enough, she didn't know the language she spoke, but she did know the meaning of the words. How she knew elvish, not even she knew. Her master didn't speak it and Lynde was half convinced it was just gibberish that crept into her mind.

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:22 pm

"That's an excellent idea. Kyrie, boy, be sure to show Lynde the room." Evan's arm flung wildly, almost hitting Kyrie in the face.

Kyrie's already stiff body tensed even more at the suggestion, but he couldn't do anything about it as his master was paying for the room. Huffing in annoyance, he stalked over to his seat, sliding into it with grace. Taking the cup he drained it's contents.

"Damn old sod" He muttered, not bothering to switch languages as he looked at the text of his book. He jumped when Lynde sat in the chair. He watched her lips as she muttered, not hearing what she said, but understanding it was elvish. "Why do you mutter in a language that is not your own?"

His gaze drifted over her, taking in her disheveled brown hair, freshly clean armor, and how it made her look like a guy. Maybe she was a guy pretending to be a girl. He had run into a few of those on his travels before. He looked up as the barwench came over to their table.

"May I get you anything?" she held a badly made tray in her hand.

"Water." He handed his cup to the woman, careful to avoid contact with her.

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:47 am

Lydne's eyes flicked open at the sound of the boy's voice. A small smile twitched on her lips and she replied sweetly, "Why does any lunatic rave nonsense? Because it is comforting." That was not her logic. It was her mentor's. He often answered trivial questions before she could and that was a reply she had heart quiet often when her hushed voice had been over heard.

Turning her crimson gaze towards the barwench, she smiled crookedly. It was a masculine expression of admiration to say the least. Lynde was, after all, very open towards others. Male or female, she found beauty in them. Despite being unclean and leading a sad life, the barwench was a beautiful girl with an elegant figure and legs toned from running around inside the cramped inn. Her hair was well maintained unlike many women's and the golden locks felt to the middle of her back.

"Ale, meat, bread, and a bit of cheese," Lynde requested. Looking towards Kyrie, she waited until they were once again alone before telling him, "You'll stay tiny forever if you don't enjoy the luxury of food while you can." Laughing, she added, [b]"You don't honestly want to stay shorter than a girl, now do you?" Her tone was friendly, despite how cruel her words may seem. For a long time now, Lynde had not once had to interact with any that weren't warriors or warriors, so she was out of practice with talking to people. Mocking and rough pats were all the manners she had.

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:43 pm

"It offers no more comfort than when you say it in your head, warrior." He retorted, flipping the page of his book. Assuming, of course, that she knew elvish. He tuned her out for a moment as she ordered her own food. The word tiny was what caught his attention.

Glaring as he looked at the warrior, "I don't particularly care about my size since I don't have to be 'intimate' with my kills as you do. Besides, I'm not that short." Bitterness colored his tone as he gave the warrior a slanted glare before returning to his books. "Besides if you eat too much you'll become fat and lazy, then people make fun of you. Then they don't hire you which results into you becoming bankrupt along with any family you might have at the time."

The image of a fat male in badly fitted armor flitted through his mind causing him to shiver. "Will you be able to eat all of the food you ordered anyway?" Though he didn't understand why he was worrying. She really hadn't ordered that much. Maybe he should start eating more, his robes were starting to hang on him. When the barmaid came back with his cup he thanked her, taking the cup carefully. "Would you also be so kind as to bring some ................bread would be fine. Thank you" He didn't look at the warrior, afraid she'd have a smug grin on her face.

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:11 pm

A chuckle escaped Lynde before she answered, "As you insist, my small friend. I hardly have to worry about growing fat or lazy. My master would beat me to death before I could gain a single pound more than I should." Noticing the shiver, her eyes narrowed with slight concern. It was something familiar to her. A memory causing suffering even years later. God, she wished every day of her life that she didn't know what that was like. With a snort, she snapped, "I'd eat more than that if I weren't so tired." She stretched luxuriously, enjoying the break from the cold and wet. As her meal arrived, she thanked the barmaid with a warm smile before tucking into her meal. Just as she was savoring the first bite, she heard Kyrie order bread. Throwing back her head, she roared with laughter before catching the lass's arm. "Bring him a bowl of fruit as well. The boy is but a twig, aye?"

Not bothering to see how her intervention had been received, she went back to her food, staking the small pieces of meat with her fork and quickly demolishing the pile on her plate before moving onto the cheese, and finishing with the bread. It took her but a few moments to finish her food. As she did, she wiped her mouth and grinned. Looking at Kyrie, Lynde gestured to her empty plate and teased, "I told you as much, did I not?"

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:02 am

Kyrie narrowed his eyes as the warrior called him something in Elvish once more. Maybe she did understand what she was saying. He glanced at said masters, wondering briefly what they were talking about. His attention was drawn back to Lynde spoke again. He couldn't help but smile at her comment.

"I didn't know eating was such a tiring task." he teased as he took a sip of his water, his eyes never leaving the text of his book. He glanced at her, wondering if he should be offended she ordered more food for him. "I'll burst if I eat all of that. You take the bread."

Kyrie liked fruit and briefly wondered why he hadn't ordered it himself. The thought wasn't there long as the barmaid quickly came back with what he had ordered. He quickly pushed the bread onto Lynde's plate and began eating the fruit. The sweet juice was heaven after days of just water. He made sure to close the books and set them aside as to not dirty them. His master would be angry then. He paused in eating and looked at Lynde.

"You really should eat more. If you work too hard then you'll become nothing but bones. Then what would you do if you were trapped in nothing but a desert of snow?" he asked, genuinely curious as to her answer.

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Mon Apr 25, 2011 8:00 pm

"Ah, but everything is tiring when you are already tired," the warrior replied with a soft laugh. Hearing his remark about it being too much, she shrugged and remarked honestly, "That is fine by me. Bread has all of the life ground out of it. At least fruit will offer you a bit of nourishment, rather than just filling you with fluff." There was no logic to her words, but Lynde believed them all the same.

Accepting his bread, she tore it into chunks and laid back on the bench, angling herself so that she could see Kyrie's face and that he could see hers if he looked down. Smiling, she answered thoughtlessly, "I would survive off stubbornness and malice!" Laughing tiredly, she twisted her neck to pop it before confessing, "My master has taught me to survive in many places. I would use my knowledge to survive if I were trapped in a frozen desert...but I eat so much, I am sure that I could survive just off of that storage!"

For a moment, she was silent, chewing her bread thoughtfully. The warmth and the white noise of the room lolled her already weary body into relaxation. At a moment's notice, she could be up and ready to fight again, but in that moment, she was calm and serene. She hardly looked like a fighter-anything.

Yawning, she asked him, "What of you? What would you do if you had no way to get food? Surely you would simply waste away!"

Subject: Re: Scale Unbalanced (Private) Tue May 17, 2011 2:24 pm

Kyrie simply blinked at her answer, somehow finding it logical yet illogical at the same time. His lips twitched as he tried not to smile. He quietly at his food for a minute, leaning against the table as he ate. "Ah, but it's all snow so how would you stay warm? Fur can only do so much if your own body temperature drops."

He finished all of his fruit, smiling as the barmaid appeared again as he signaled her. "More fruit please." He shivered as her fingers brushed against his to get the bowl. Turning his attention back to the warrior he mentioned his eating habits. "It's not that I don't eat much, because I usually eat six full meals a day, it's because my stomach eats it all quickly. I don't gain much wait, I'm lucky to gain 5 pounds in a full seasons cycle."

The bowl was placed in front of him quickly with a quick "Enjoy."

Smiling, he ate some more, taking a drink of the now disgusting water. He paused in eating as he pondered her question. What would he do trapped in a snow desert? "I would find food, kill it, strip it of his fur and keep the bones for the marrow as I created fire to keep myself warm. All such a tiresome task, I'd probably wither away before the nights out."

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