Shealyn Donal Finds the Band (join me) [open]

[Lady Saravhem]

She had traveled far on foot following rumors of The Band of the Red Hand's location, and fleeing any word the White Cloaks may have put out about her. Just when she thought the Children had forgotten her, she would blunder into one searching for an escaped dark friend with unusual eyes. Flaming bloody cowards, Shealyn thought, if they ever ran into true shadow spawn they'd flaming well soil themselves. Blood and ashes, how I hate them.

 

On and on she had trod, across Andor into Cairehien only to find out the Band had moved on. But Shealyn was not detered, she kept going forword following every whishper he heard about the Bands where abouts. She ate when she was able to bring game down with her sling or her bow, sometimes she had been lucky enough to tickle fish out of the ever shrinking streams and to scrounge up withered tough edible roots but most times not. The few times she had approached farms to attempt to work for a meal and a night's shealter in a barn the occupants had been put off by her abnormal eyes, one a light gold-brown the other the color of green jade, and had turned her away. In these strange and uncertain times she could not truely blame them for their fear. Still she went ever onward searching for her goal, plodding on mechanically. The much wearied girl no longer even knew for sure what country she was in.

 

One day, after months of fruitless searching, Shealyn awoke before first light, and made her way stealthily through a sparce wood. The sun had only just fully cleared the horizon when she spied a large military encampment on a rise still some distance away. Even though she would have normally avoided such a place, something in her told her to make for the camp. It was as if she was being pulled into it like a leaf in a whirlpool. As she closed the distance she felt her heart leap, there at the top of the rise was a banner, a large white banner that flowed in the already hot morning breeze, and in the middle of that banner was a large red hand.

 

She had found them at last! The Band of The Red Hand and their already legendary young commander. Her eyes stung for a moment with potential tears from the strong surge of emotion that flooded through her. She made her way to the fortifications of earth and sharpened logs and presneted herself to the men on guard duty.

 

"I am Shealyn Donal, and I have come far to find the Band. Please, I would like to see a Banner Man, I wish to put my name on the roll, and join you in your fight against the shadow. I hope to train and develop the skill with a bow my uncle told me I was begining to exhibit. He would have taught me himself, but flaming gutless White Cloaks killed him. Can you help me?".....................

[Jocelyn]

It was another hot day. Sweltering. Miria wiped her brow, in an attempt to remove the sweat beading there and remove her blonde waves from her eyes. The humidity that had come with the heat seemed to turn her hair wild, curling more than usual, and refusing to stay confined in the blue ribbon at her nape.

 

One of the perks of being the highest ranking scout on duty at the gates that day meant that she could recline in the shade against the wall while the others remained in the sun. At least they would change guard soon. Miria meant to go find herself a cool bath, a cooler drink, and perhaps her far from cold lover, Kedyn. The thought brought a smile to her lips, as it always did when she thought of him. He made the bleakest day seem bright.

 

Word of a woman approaching had already reached Miria's ears, long before she made an appearance at the gate. Scouts further afield had sent the news back, so that Miria was expecting her arrival. Her lips twisted as the woman approached a rather tall young private, naturally assuming the young man had a position of authority among them. And why wouldn't she think so? Her tiny stature and innocent face always made Miria seem a lot younger than her twenty years. And she was a woman. Well, this Shealyn would find many women in the citadel were high ranking, more so than herself.

 

Pushing away from the wall, Miria stepped out into the sun, greeting the woman with a smile. "Lieutenant Miria Landed." The woman turned away from the private and looked at Miria, no doubt somewhat surprised. "New recruits are always welcome here, Shealyn. Come, I will take you to sign up." Waving her to follow, Miria moved to lead her into the Citadel.

 

 

Miria

[Guest Estel]

Ooc: hmm...really most poke Drew to update that history thing, we’re actually in a permanent residence now with a big stone fortress to keep all the baddies out

 

ic:

 

Total list of accomplishments completed today: waking up, getting dressed in his usual only half-dressed way, washing down his bacon and eggs with a mug of ale and then strolling around the Citadel streets basking in the blazing sun.

 

Total list of accomplishment needed to be completed today: mountains and mountains of paperwork that he could barely read, mountains and mountains of reports to be shipped off to Quibby that he struggled to write and any number of officers of privates that needed a good slapping upside the head to get them motivated.

 

Carnhain groaned audibly in anticipation of the latter list. He loathed paperwork. Blood and ashes, he couldn’t even have done paperwork until three years ago when Kedyn taught him to read! However, with his recent promotion after the Illian affair, he seemed to understand more and more why Mehrin had been such an alcoholic and less and less why the man had given it up.

 

He was just on his way to his office when he stumbled upon a young woman, not in a Bander’s uniform though build like a soldier, pleading her case with the guard at the main gate. Approaching, the men on duty immediately turned their attention back to the rest of the crowd constantly moving in and out of the enormous “gates” that were only in their beginning stages. Carnhain almost sang for relief- a blessed distraction from bloody paperwork.

 

“Good morning... er... afternoon.” he said amending himself with a grin. Perhaps it was her shape or attitude, but he immediately fell into the soldier-to-soldier attitude he had developed as a way to communicate with female Banders without turning his face into a shade similar to colour of the Band’s flag, flying high above the Citadel.

 

The woman’s build reminded him of Kiarma’s rather than Jatasha’s or Miria’s. She was taller than him by a few inches and likely weighed about the same. She carried a bow with her which drew his interest immediately. It seemed a decent enough bow, though the arrows seemed to have been made by inexperienced hands. Wondering how well she could draw it, his eyes suddenly caught sight of hers and his eyebrows, light enough to be barely seen, shot up into his blonde hair. They were different colours! Not just that, but one of them almost reminded him of the eyes of the Wolfkin whom he had seen occassionally.

 

It was a few moments before he realized he was staring and shook his head to clear it of the questions. “You said you needed help, miss?”

 

At this exact moment, a teeth-grindingly familiar face decided to show up. Just the mention of his adopted brother’s lover was enough to set his fists to cracking and the sight of her set his temper aflame. Apparantly she hadn’t noticed that he was one of the crowd gathered around the woman yet as she had not bothered to spare him a disparaging glare. Carnhain’s face was a furious shade of red- and not from embarrassment this time. Light! She was acting as if she held the highest rank! Not on his life!

 

With bow-legged grace, he cut Miria off from the stranger as if he simply hadn’t noticed the lady scout was there. “My apologies, miss. I forgot to introduce myself: Captain General Carnhain Stromblade.” So what if he had fallen to the level of one-upping Miria? “Oh! Lieutenant Landen!” he said with mock surprise finally turning to acknowledge the woman’s murderous glare. “I didn’t see you. No matter, I can take it from here, please feel free to return to your duty.”

 

 

Carnhain Stromblade

Cavalry C.G.

Being a prick

 

Ooc: Carnhain’s blonde, short for an Andoran, athletic rather than muscular and an obvious pretty-boy. He’s shirtless and one scar runs from the top of his neck to his groin while another is a slit across his stomach.

[Guest Estel]

[Post Deleted

To summarise - Miria passed a snippy comment with Carnhain, insinuating that the newcomer didn't need his kind of womanising 'help' because she was irritated at him deliberately pulling rank on her...not to mention she dislikes him greatly anyway]

 

 

“My kind of help, Landen?” he said dangerously. “Are you insinuating something? And when I “asked” you to return to your position it wasn’t a request.” The last was practically a snarl. “I hold the senior rank and if you do not return to your position Drea will have no choice but to discipline you and you know Kedyn can do nothing in that situation. I don’t know if he would anyways.”

 

In a classic comedy moment, just as Miria was turning away with Shealyn, Carnhain took the woman’s arm and gently steered the poor obviously confused woman in the other direction. “Now where were we?” he asked adopting a friendly grin ruined by the angry flush that still covered his face.

 

 

Carnhain Stromblade

Cavalry C.G.

Ready for Tug'o'War

[Jocelyn]

Miria stood, open mouthed as Carnhain dressed her down in front of everyone. Her cheeks flamed scarlet, a mixture of embarrassment and seething anger. A flurry of colourful curses filled her mind, but she bit them all back, instead turning silently on her heel and stalking out of the citadel gates, out into the woods beyond. She was afraid she would do something she would regret if she didn't leave. Something like put her fist into his face again.

 

Miria flopped herself down beneath a tree, setting aside her bow and kicking off her shoes in an agitated gesture. Burn that man! Like she wasn't unhappy enough at the moment. Ever since finding out she wasn't pregnant after all, nothing seemed to be right. And deep down, she was terrified that Kedyn would discard her. What good would she be, if she didn't give him the children he so wanted?

 

And now, no doubt the rumours of Carnhain's tongue lashing were already flying amongst the soldiers. There had been many people there to witness her humiliation, least of all a raw recruit. No doubt the story would twist and contort into something much worse. She had only made a snide comment really, she hadn't even realised Carnhain was present when she addressed the girl. She was just doing her duty, and it seemed Carnhain was determined to thwart her every step of the way. Damn him, but she would get her revenge on that trolloc-kissing fool. Though no doubt that would just give Kedyn more reason to want to leave her.

 

Miria could almost hear the creator laughing at her. It was almost dark before she decided to show her face in the citadel once more.

 

 

Miria

 

OOC: Just setting you up for a showdown later, Es

[Lady Saravhem]

Shealyn eyed the man leading her toward an incomplete large stone fortress. There seemed to be some sort of tension between him and the blonde woman she had met at the gate. Perhaps they had once been lovers and things had not ended well with them. By the looks of him Shealyn was certain Captain General Stromblade did not want very long for female companionship. A very attractive man even with the scars, and a definite rogue. She would have to be careful aound him. It seemed he probably liked a good chase and conquest, but that did not mean he was a bad person.

 

Shealyn took a deep breath and let it out. She had made it, she did not have to be totally alone in the world now, she could belong to something.

 

"Captain General Stromblade, I have come far to join the Band of the Red Hand. My travels have not been easy. I have been chased by Children of the Light, and if ever I came to a farm to ask for assistence, the flaming sheep-gutted farmers took one look at my eyes and demanded I leave, some even set their dogs on me.'

 

'My family was murdered by White Cloaks because of me, I had nothing left and no where to go. It was then that joining the Band come in to my head; it was as if a force outside myself pulled me here and all the things I faced along the way were proving grounds. I never felt anything like it before.'

 

' I was beginning to show some ability with a bow and my Uncle Padrig-may the light illume his soul-had only just begun to train me when the bloody Shadow damned White Cloaks struck. I wish to continue that training as well as learning other fighting skills, so that I may be of use where ever you may need me."

 

Shealyn's face reddened when she realised how a man like Stromblade might interpet how ever you may need me. She hoped her moment of embaressment would be wrote off as weariness from her long journey. Oh Dear Creator,she thought,I truly am exhuasted, but I think You for guiding me here.She followed him on as he led her toward the Citadel.

[Guest Estel]

Her blush confused him. He had immediately associated her with Kiarma, who he’d never seen blush or really do anything terribly “feminine”. It appeared that once again everything he thought he knew about women was actually nothing and for a moment soldier-to-soldier slipped to man-with-woman. Suddenly, he was terribly conscious of the hand he still had on her arm and ripped it away quickly, his face blushing in answer to hers. Muttering an embarrassed “Sorry”, he stared at the ground rather than at her.

 

An awkward moment of silence passed before he shook his head and tried to once again envision her as a soldier and not a woman. “I don’t suppose you can talk to wolves can you?” At her incredulous look, he explained. “Just wondering because a few miles up into the mountains is a clan of men and women who can talk to wolves and have yellow eyes. Just wanted to clear that up before you enrolled, else we’d send you up to them.

 

“Now, which corps are you joining?”

 

 

Carnhain Stromblade

Cavalry C.G.

Fake Womanizer

[Lady Saravhem]

Did the man just blush? Shealyn would have it thought impossible for this man, but what would she know she spent little enough time around other people let alone men, other then her uncle, and he had been a simple man.

 

'Talk to wolves? Is He insane?' , Shealyn thought, 'whoever heard of anyone talking with wolves.' He did seem very serious though.

 

"No, I can't talk to wolves. My eyes being two different colors has caused me enough problems. I'd hate to see were talking to wolves would get me. My grandparents always told me my eyes were a curse from the creator for being born a bastard."

 

Stromblade seemed to wince at Shealyn's bluntness about her birth. But that was Shealyn, she did not see the point in trying to pretty up the truth because that was not going to change it.

 

 

"I have thought to join the caverly, Captain General. But I would like to train in as many areas as I can, a warrior should know many ways to deal death."

 

Stromblade only smiled at her last comment, as if to say 'My thoughts exactly.'

[Lady Saravhem]

The two continued on in silence for some way, as Stromblade led Shealyn toward the recruit barracks. Her mind was full of questions, and she did know which to ask first. Finally she could take not knowing any longer.

 

"Will I be added to the roll now? And how soon 'til I can start training? I will need to learn much to join the cav, I've never rode a horse before. I wish to learn how to use a bow, knives, cutlass, and to fight hand to hand. But then I feel all who wish to soldier should know these things, I have a feeling you never know what you could come up against."

[Guest Estel]

Bastard.

 

Light, he knew so little about his own birth; his own family. Blood and ashes! He knew next to nothing about his people! Though, surely he was not a Tinker. He knew next to nothing about the Travelling People, didn’t follow the Way of the Leaf, had lived his entire life in a permanent home. Was his birth alone enough to classify him as one of the Tuatha’an? Was his parents identity his own? Burn him, could they even be called a family if he had never seen them?

 

Why did any of this matter? He had made his own identity, found his own family. So what would happen if any of them were to suddenly show up and claim him as their own? Would he care? Should he care? They were his blood but they were strangers. He barely knew how to act towards family. Sure, he had a brother and an uncle but they had been his best friend and mentor before they “adopted” him.

 

Carnhain was so caught up in his own philosophical dilemma that he gave Shealyn’s choice of the cavalry only a quick smile, not fully comprehending what had been said. It wasn’t until she asked him about enrolling that he left the topic of his birth and family for another time.

 

“Sorry, my mind was elsewhere.” Finally, he actually thought about what she had said. “Cavalry?” a wide grin split his face. “An excellent choice. I’m not sure if I mentioned this, but I lead the cavalry here in the Band. Best corps there is.” He puffed out his chest in a typical male expression of pride.

 

“As for enrolling, I’ll talk to the Sergeant in charge of the Lions platoon, he’s been needing more men...er... and women since Illian.” Carnhain checked to see if he mad brought the legendary female fury upon himself by prodding the sensitive gender equality issue. “And as for your training, no worries, I couldn’t handle any weapons when I arrived and was a worse rider than the infantry! Your training will begin tomorrow. Any other questions?”

[Lady Saravhem]

Tomorrow, good that would give her a night of rest. And after months of nights sleeping on the ground even a recruit's cot would seem a blessing of the light. She nodded her thanks to him.

 

"Thank you, Captain General Stromblade. I greatly appreciate your help, and look forward to learning from you and serving under you."

 

Again she blushed at the unintended ambiguity of her comment. She needed to watch what she said to save herself futher embaressment. Plus she was afraid that anyone else might hear more then she really meant. Stromblade might like to give chase but, Shealyn had the feeling he would only chase a woman he knew was more than willing to be caught.

 

She extended her hand to him and he took it in a firm grip she returned with one of her own.

 

"I am glad to have met you", she said, " and I suppose next time I will have to salute you, won't I?"

 

She turned and followed the directions he had given her to the women recruits' barracks, found an unoccupied cot and fell into the best damn sleep she had had in months. The past was over and tomorrow would take care of itself.

 

OOC: So how do I go about being trained now, and am I now considered a private in tBotRH?

[Guest Estel]

Creator blast all women! Why was she blushing again? Oh damn him, now he was too! Completely exasperated, Carnhain took her hand self-consciously and made the seemingly trivial task of shaking it as difficult as possible for himself by worrying about whether or not she was interpreting the strength of his handshake in some way he couldn’t conceive.

 

He laughed at her comment about saluting. “I wouldn’t worry too much about saluting anyone here. On the battlefield it’s one thing, but off, well, we’re all the same as the next guy... or girl.” he added hastily. “Although I do recommend you salute the commander.” Mehrin would hate that.

 

As she left, he remembered the mountain of paperwork awaiting his signature and slumped towards his office.