[RP] A Royal Hunt

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Zuan
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[RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Zuan »

Northfenshire. The ducal seat of the King of Fenia, his private lands in the northern part of the Kingdom were the most rural and forested region of the kingdom, well known for the inhospitable nature of the territory during the winter months, and known for having a longer and harsher winter than the rest of the kingdom. It was this fact however, of difficult winters, and few major towns or villages which made the region an excellent private escape for the Winterbourne family during the summer months. Whenever the King or his family members were not required to be at court they could often escape to the quite of their estates and be free to live, hunt, and enjoy life without having to deal with courtiers or petitioners, which was a significant problem for the Winterbournes who through their head and Monarch were often approached for favours or aid.

The forests which surrounded the main estate were vast and plentiful with deer, boar and other game, and therefore were an ideal hunting ground for the King, his family, his hunters and any others who sought out food within the territory. Yet, this was a rare occurrence and often the forests were quiet with naught but the sound of nature, the songs of birds, the beating of wings and the sound of deer and other animals traversing through the forest. However, this was not one of those quiet days.

Hooves thundered as a large war horse crashed through some dense thickets and finally entered into a wide open clearing, it would be ideal to set up their camp. Enough open space for tents to be pitched and for them to have space for their horses, feed, food and wine. Sat upon the horse as he turned it slightly was King Zuan Winterbourne. His dark hair was of a short length, and his facial hair was likewise well kept and more stubble than beard as he sat upon his horse.

He was wearing not his usual regal attire or in truth an attire that could be considered overtly fancy. Rather he was wearing black breeches and riding boots, as well as a black leather jerkin. The jerkin hinted at his finery given the dark material it was made from, and how neatly woven the fabric was, and the sleeves were laced with silver thread which shimmered slightly as the sunlight danced through the branches above. But the biggest give-away to his wealth was not his clothing but rather the rings upon his fingers, both his wedding bands as well as ring of state and that of the Winterbourne clan all adorned his fingers, while at his hip sat his usual longsword. Made of steel and with a silver hilt which was finished with a wolf-head pommel that had ruby eyes, it was again a piece of equipment he was often seen with.

Still upon his horse he turned his steed to face back out toward the pathway which he had entered the clearing from, the sound of hooves and horses clear in the distance. After all, this was not simply a King escaping from court, castle and crown for a few days, but rather a family escape, with other members of his family tagging along to escape the bustle of court and enjoy some quality time together. Up above birds still sang, but the King and his fellows were here to enjoy the bounty of the forest, not simply for an escape, but a hunt.

Once they agreed to set up camp, they would better equip themselves with bows, arrows, boar spears and the like to see what they might make for an evening meal. Or least, those among them capable or with interest to participate in said hunt.
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High King of The Fenians - Brother to Dahlia, Ambra, Trinity, Sera & Zhou
Zhou

Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Zhou »

Up ahead the King went thundering through the thick woods, plowing over the underbrush like some careless brute on his destrier. It was as if his brother wanted the land to know who owned it, happily trampling it underfoot until capitulated. Zuan was in high sprites today, something he couldn’t say for himself. That was the difference, he supposed, between the one calling the hunt and those forced to attend. He had trotted his own palfrey slowly behind at a distance, horse matching it’s owner’s enthusiasm.

Coming to the clearing at last, he hesitated a moment before urging his horse forward. Since his initial audience he had done his best to avoid his brother, or if he had to attend functions he usually kept to his silent brooding self. Apparently he hadn’t ridden Sleipnir slowly enough though as he found himself alone with Zuan. Out here without the court watching, he merely gave him an acknowledging nod before brushing some sweat from his brow.

Dismounting, he picked at this buff coat. Insidious burrs had attached themselves, clinging on as he had brushed against the growth on some of the narrower trails. The small inconveniences of the woodlands, he chuckled to himself. Many people would not guess at his love of hunting or prowess with a bow. That was fair, he had done little of it in New Absynia, that court had preferred less masculine pursuits. As a result he had turned to more urban pleasures in the past fifteen years.

Those passions were still within him though and he had always kept up training with the bow. Every arrow he let loose at a target brought him back to those memories of his youth. Those had been some of the happiest years of his life. Even now images of past hunts played clear and vivid in his mind. He could feel his father’s hand correcting his grip on a bow; he could smell the meat roasting as the night around grew dark, listening in awe as his older relatives got drunk and told tall tales all night, and he could remember the sensation when he had speared his first boar. He had been only fourteen.

It did feel good to be back here, this was the heart of Winterbourne after all. Unfortunately it had a different feel to it now; it wasn’t the same and it never would be, too much had changed. He still blamed Zuan for it all, whether it was truly right to do so or not. With his usual look of contempt he turned to Zuan again, calling out as he retrieved his bow from its place on the saddle. “Shall head out and see what we can bag before the others catch up. Let them set up camp anyway, leave the chores to those who couldn’t keep up.”
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Zuan
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Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Zuan »

He looked over at his brother as he arrived in the clearing, and like his brother he swung his leg over his steed to dismount. No point remaining on horseback if they were indeed to go hunting, the horses would attract far too much attention and scare any good game off for quite a distance. It was indeed strange being back in these woods, especially with a family that for so long had been separate and divided – and if he was being honest as he looked over at his brother, while the distance had closed, the divisions still naturally remained. Time could not heal all wounds, nor could it work in reverse, full well knowing that his brother would likely remember their hunting trips in their youth. How free it often was – however even there, there had been a separation between them due to age.

While his brother at 14 had been spending time with family spearing boar, Zuan, well he had been hunting something quite different in his early twenties. Thus, while they both had learned to hunt they had not exactly done so together. As when Zuan was hunting in his teens, his younger brother had more mundane pursuits like shooting rabbits. However, he could not deny, his brother was a good shot, he always had been. Zuan, while a skilled bowman, often favoured the sword, and yes, even he had to admit, his archery was perhaps the one area in combat he would openly surrender first place to his brother. Perhaps even third if Cordelia had something to say about it.

Perhaps that is why he hunted less? His focus was on the more chivalrous pursuits of combat, melee and jousts – or just the fact ever since he had become King his chances to hunt outside of the cities of Fenia had become minimal, whereas melee and combat both through tourney and wars had been more bountiful.

After dismounting his horse, he guided his horse to a nearby tree and neatly secured it. There was no point of leaving the clearing, it would afterall make a fine camp site. Plus by leaving the horses the others would likely know to make camp, he did wonder how far behind they were – then again knowing Thea, she was likely still complaining at the castle. Removing his own bow and a quiver of arrows which he slung over his shoulder he looked up and over toward his brother before speaking.
”Aye, I see no point in waiting, after all, we both know of a few voices that will complain if there’s nothing for the fire.” He said with a smirk before turning on his heel and beginning to head outward into the forest, his eyes using the afternoon light to look for any prints of tracks with which they could follow. In his right hand, a finely crafted boar spear was to hand, after all, the woods were hardly tame, and if they came across a boar no amount of arrows would do – and you would never wish to be up close to a boar with only a sword. So with his bow, sword and spear he led the way into the forest to search for any signs of potential food to bring back to the camp site.

Whether they would actually come back to a completed camp was another matter. Naturally he was the King, so even if they were hunting in relative privacy there would still be several attending servants, guards and squires – after all, he never truly had any privacy, and even though he was skilled in combat his council never wanted him to travel alone.


”So brother, pray tell, what shall we consider a successful bounty for an afternoons hunt hmm? Or better yet, how many freznics would you like to bet that over this weekend I shall bring down a larger boar than you?” His grin was perhaps the first Zhou had seen since his return, of his brother, being more his brother than his king. And what better way to represent that, than a friendly brotherly contest and a hefty gamble.
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High King of The Fenians - Brother to Dahlia, Ambra, Trinity, Sera & Zhou
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Serafay
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Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Serafay »

Serafay had Winterbourne blood, but a very different upbringing that had blurred the cards of her personality. Far away from the land of her birth, she had taken foreign customs and rules for her own and it was years of careful grooming she had to adapt to this new environment. So many things needed to be unlearned, habits to be broken or adopted. The young woman kept her cool, accepted the challenge without saying a word, setting out about observing and questioning. Deep inside though, and even with all the efforts made to make her feel at ease, she felt like a stranger. She watched her siblings and cousins interact with graceful countenance and a familiarity she couldn't feel for herself. She was envious of how easy it seemed for them to speak and to live up to the way they were supposed to be given their status. Sera had been brought up as a gentle lady, mild mannered and obedient... She didn't know how to be someone with power of her own, someone who was expected to stand up for herself if need be. All of that, it was supposed to rest on the shoulders of her betrothed. That glaring hole in her education would take time to be corrected.

Today, though, wasn't a day to mop around. It was meant to be merry, a learning opportunity for an inexperienced hunter like her. Serafay remembered the few trips on which she had been allowed over the years. She knew her fiancé had begged his parents more than once to let her come with him. His father hated the idea as he saw the young lady as a distraction from his son's manly showcase... his mother thought it was perfect to show the genuine affection the future spouses had for each other. The brunette was happy to accompany the party each time. Since she was forbidden to bear arms or to do lowly chores, she entertained herself with books, picking flowers, embroidering or discussing with whoever met her path. This time, she knew it'd be different. She had already acquired a bow and was both eager and nervous to be taught how to use it.

In elegant dark breech and thigh high boots, the princess also wore a doublet with a high collar atop her shirt. Tucked under, she kept a necklace with her engagement ring as a pendant. Her hair was in a low bun with a few wild strands already escaping it because of the ride. She was moving one out of her eyes when she came to a halt where the two horses had been left. She scouted the area with her eyes and decided to dismount her horse, a gentle and calm grey mare speckled with black and a black mane and tail. Serafay wasn't so sure on what to do in the meantime.


"A fire" she murmured to herself. "We'll need to make a fire..."

She summoned back to her memory what she had seen the men do when she was with them hunting. She chose a spot where the canopy was far enough not to catch fire and cleared a place on the ground so it was only soil and all flammable dead leaves were pushed far enough not to be set aflame in case of sparks. When that was done, she set about to gather small twigs and branches in the near surroundings.
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Thea
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Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Thea »

It was early in June when Thea received a note ordering her to prepare her things as the King had decided to bring the Winterbournes to Northfenshire for a royal hunt. She absolutely and unequivocally did not want to go on this trip. "Family bonding" in isolated northern woods was something she wanted no parts of.

"I don’t want to go."

Thea protested loudly and to no one in particular, but the guard responded in what almost sounded like a cheery voice to the troublesome girl.

"You don’t have a choice in the matter."

This was not the answer that Thea wanted to hear. She skulked and stewed with her own thoughts for the next several days. On the day before the trip, servants entered her quarters to prepare her things for the journey. They packed fur lined cloaks, riding clothes, and several nicer dresses 'for the evening.' What would she need to dress up for? Probably one of the King’s stupid orders in order to further humiliate her. When it was finally time to leave the castle servants again entered her chambers to prepare her. Without any invitation, they stripped the girl of her clothing and prepared her for a day of riding. The attire consisted of a grey dress with long slits to allow for her to easily mount a horse plus form fitting leather riding pants to make sure she was fully covered. Over her outfit they fitted her with one of her cloaks lined with the fur of the red wolf. Thea grumbled as the servants finished their work. She was not an imbecile. She knew how to get dressed on her own. Granted if she had been left to get ready on her own it would have never have gotten done. No amount of protest or obstinance would get her out of this.

"Alright, down to the stables. The King and the rest of your family are surely off by now."

Thea responded with a glare at her glorified prison warden. She crossed her arms over her chest and left the chambers and headed down towards the stables. One could not mistake the slight stamp of her feet as she walked which only further illuminated the petulance to her demeanor. When she arrived at the stables she was shown to a palomino mare. It was clearly a well bred horse, good for travel. A stable hand tried to help the girl mount the steed but she just smacked his hand away and helped herself into the saddle. The brutish woman shook her head at Thea’s antics and mounted her own horse. Not even for a family hunting trip could Thea get away from the annoying watchdog.

It was a long journey north, longer than Thea cared to be riding horseback. When they arrived it was still daylight hours, but it would not be too long until dark began to fall. Servants had begun to fill into the area to set up camp and she spied her cousin trying to set up what appeared to be a fire. A smirk fell on her lips as she watched. Surely the servants could do that. Was that not one of the perks of being Royalty, or in Thea's case Royalty-adjacent?
Dorathea "Thea" Sanchari Winterbourne | Lady of Redcroft Manor | The Red Wolf
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Cousin of the Winterbournes | Mother of Zevander, Corabel, Elodie, & Lenora | Wife of Aileigh
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Cordelia
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Location: Clogwyn Keep, the Highlands of Fenia

Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Cordelia »

It had not taken much convincing to get her cousin to organize a hunt. Cordelia woke early, following her morning routines in her apartments. She enjoyed watching the sun rise and hearing the castle come to life outside her door. She had packed days prior in preparation of an extended stay in Northfenshire, so there was naught to do but enjoy the start of a new day.

Following breakfast, she got herself dressed. While she may often need a second hand with some of the elaborate lacing and buttons her ornate gowns had, today was different. She went for something much more lax because she would be riding and, in time, hunting. Fine trousers in black cloth were almost completely hidden by her knee high riding boots and her long blouse. The blouse, white with gold floral, was loose to allow movement and breeze for the summer hunt. The sleeves bunches around her wrists, more idea for archery than a curtain of fabric dangling off her arm. The sheer-like material was layered atop a yellow shirt that fit more tightly to prevent any scandalous slips. A simple pair of gold tear drops hung from her ears and her Everhart ring adorned her middle finger. Gold banded, the center ruby was propped by antlers. It was simple, but it had been her grandmother’s and never left her finger. A portion of her chocolate locks were braided across the top with the rest cascading down her back. This would keep the hair from her face. Should the wind get too be too much, she could easily braid the rest of it.

Cordelia left her room, immediately met by the familiar face of Mauir. Zuan had agreed that her bard could tag along on the trip, be it for her entertainment or his she was unsure. (The King seemed to have taken a liking to the half-elf.) It would not be an unfamiliar venture for the pair, as Mauir had accompanied her on many hunts in the few years he had spent under her employ. They walked to the stables in comfortable silence, got on their readied horses, and headed out with the king and company.

After arriving in Northfenshire, it was like the horses came alive. They were home. The heart of the Winterbourne family. It had been a while since she had ventured this far north, with the Hartlands being in the Duchy of Athena. The air was different: crisper, sharper. The scents of wildlife and nature filled her nostrils, providing a blanket of peace that the busy castle simply could not give. While she loved being at court, the Hartlands was sea and forest, with no bustling city and nature abound. At heart, that was the setting where she belonged.

It was not far into the territory that Zuan and Zhou spurred ahead. Cordelia wanted to follow, but she decided to give the two some time alone when her grey eyes fell onto a game trail. She grinned at Mauir before spurring her own horse forward, pulling away from the company. She could find them later. The thundering behind her told her she was not alone, while she kept alert to the trodden path beneath them.

A hunter was only as good as their tracking skills - at least, that was what her father at taught her. She slowed the mare to a leisurely pace before halting completely. She slid off the saddle and took a moment to prepare. Now across her back, the quiver was made of fine leather, yet worn from use and age. Antlers stemmed up from the bottom, carved into the leather. In her hands, she held bow that was newer than the quiver, well cared for and well used. The quiver had been Lord Everhart's, but the bow had been made for her specifically with her careful direction. She had it designed to mirror her father's bow, with a curve and pull befitting her small stature. The wood was a deep red, contrasting with the white dove feathers hung off the top. A weapon of precision and war, balancing the idea of peace.

After tying off her horse to a tree, she proceeded forward. Her steps were careful, mindful of the noise that could give her approach away. In slow pursuit, she carefully followed the trail of broken twigs and distinct prints left in the hardened mud. It was a bird of some sort. A pheasant, she hoped. The size and shape of the footprints alluded that her guess was correct.

As they continued, a smell infiltrated the air. She could only assume they were close to the den, droppings now in abundance beneath their boots. A few feet away was a fallen tree, its branches creating perfect coverage for a small den. Watchful eyes scanned the area while she withdrew an arrow from the quiver. With the arrow placed, the bowstring remained lax. It only remained so for a moment more before an obnoxious and familiar screech emitted from behind the den. Her eyes widened slightly, raising her bow and pulling back. It was no pheasant. It was a cockatrice.

It had been some time since she had last seen a cockatrice, as the beasts usually avoided humans. She watched the creature emerge from behind the tree, jumping atop its den with another shrill cry. It was defending its home, which she had mistakenly trodden too close to. That made the cockatrice all the more dangerous. The scaled, thin bird swiveled its head as it hopped down to the ground. It was sizing her up, but she did not wait for an attack. The arrow released, but a millisecond too slow as the cockatrice sprung forward. They were fast creatures, with bites that would turn its victims to stone. There had once been an infestation of them in the Hartlands, in the plains between Hart Helm and the forests. In flocks of a dozen, they had taken down a few men before the problem was resolved. They were vicious and relentless, not running away from a fight. She had seen the damage they could cause, turning skin to stone.

Her hands moved without thought, another arrow retrieved from the quiver and strung up. No time was wasted in pulling back to her cheek, releasing the arrow with her full strength to penetrate the dense scales. The arrow met its mark, embedding beneath its breast bone. Another shrill cry filled the air, but another whiz of an arrow cut the desperate sound short. The cockatrice fell into a heap, only a few feet away from her boots. She did not relax yet, looking around with another arrow strung. It was not common for there to only be one cockatrice. Yet, the forest was now silent. She remained ready for a few moments longer before lowering her bow, slipping the arrow back into the quiver.

With a disappointed huff, Cordelia looked at the bard. "Well, it's no dinner, but it may be worth seeing the look on my cousins' faces."

She was, of course, referring to Serafay and Thea. Neither were hunters, so had they come across such a hideous bird? It could be amusing. Mauir seemed to be in agreement as he retrieved the bird. They retraced their steps back to their horses, mounted, and were off again.

Arriving at the chosen spot for camp, Cordelia looked around to find that Zuan and Zhou were absent. Just maybe they were having a good bonding moment out of earshot, or she hoped. She hopped off the horse, letting one of the servants take the mare off her hands. With her beloved bow in her hand, she curiously approached Serafay. She could only imagine how strange the world was for her young cousin right now. With that sympathy in her heart, she offered Serafay a smile.

"Would you like me to help?"
Viscountess Cordelia Zabel (Winterbourne) Everhart-Gellygen of the Highlands, the Horned Wolf
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Big Sister to Elisabeth “Elisa” | Cousin to High King Zuan, Thea, & more
Married to Rhozin Gellygen of Kiene | Mother of Winter Pearle and Keir
Zhou

Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Zhou »

Zuan made off with a gaggle of guards and servants in tow. It was a necessary evil he knew but it would hinder them. He called up to his brother, “How about your Kingdom? Should be a fair enough wager for a hunter as skilled as yourself”. It stank of sarcasm as a smile forced its way onto his face. Handing his spear to a retainer and fastening his own quiver onto his belt, he moved to catch up with Zuan. “I suppose it wouldn’t get me far to ask to be sent away on another assignment again?” He already knew the answer to that one. “Well, as I derive all my wealth from your bounty I’d say freznics back and forth between us would be of little value. I’ll think of something other than money I’d like to take from you though before today’s hunt is over.”

Falling back a bit he began searching for tracks where the ground was still muddy enough to hold the prints. It had not rained recently though, so he turned his attention to the brush, looking for broken branches or disturbed foliage which might indicate a deer path. He could feel his senses sharpening as he took it all in, it was like slipping into a familiar form. His blood was getting up as the thrill of the hunt rose within him. It had been too long since he had felt this way, almost as if he had forgotten the heart of what a Winterbourne was these past years.
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Zuan
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Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Zuan »

He looked over at his brother as he called to him just as he and a few servants planned to depart and go their separate ways to Zhou and his own small group. The purpose of the servants was obvious, to hold equipment, carry kills, wine and so on. However Zuan did not tend to take a large company with him, not only did he find it a distraction to have a court in the forest, but also it tended to cause the game to be scarce due to the noises of multiple footmen. ”Away on another assignment? I didn’t realise you were ‘that’ eager for work dear brother?” Ignoring the obvious implication that the reason for his desire to have another foreign assignment was more about escaping Zuan than the assignment in of itself.

He looked slightly amused at his brothers last words before they departed.
”Well, feel free to think upon the matter, I no doubt await with baited breath to hear of your high-stakes wager over a rabbit or two.” He shook his head before turning and heading deeper into the forest, naturally heading in a different direction to Zhou in order to ensure their hunts would not run into one another. His gaze drifted skyward toward the sun, they had travelled for much of the day, and so the chances of good light remaining for more than a few hours was unlikely. Yet that was no excuse to not use the light which remained to hunt for some food after all.

He took in his hand one of the boar spears, an ideal weapon, not just for boar but any of the more dangerous creatures which inhabited the forest. While a bow might be more desirable for certain game it was not ideal in the event of a creature rushing you, and the forests in North Fenia were not simply quiet because of which family owned them, but also because of the fireside tales and inn legends which related to some of the creatures that supposedly made this uninhabited wilderness their home.

Zuan remember back to their youth, when hunting with his father and uncle they had been ambushed by a creature known as a chimera. The beast with its three heads, of lion, serpent and goat was quite the eye opener to the teenager at the time, as he watched his uncle and brother skilfully put their talents to show. Zuan being somewhat involved, albeit more in awe than in action, yet he could claim the credit of taking the head of the lion down with one direct spear through the eye socket of the beast. Perhaps that had been a sign, the wolves killing the chimera, of what was to come in Fenia years later. The Kingdom forged by the chimera rebuilt in the image of the wolf.

However chimera were not the only beasts to haunt the forests of North Fenshire, yet Zuan dearly hoped his family would do well to avoid those creatures which might bring more harm than food to the banquet table. It was at this point his focus turned to tracks, they had entered an area of the forest where little light breached the forest floor, and thus while the day was dry there was still mud across the forest floor and within it the unmistakable tracks of a boar.

Leaning down, Zuan knelt against the tracks, and sniffed upon the air, the damp smell lingered in the air, that of damp boar fur. The beast had been wallowing in the mud, again as deadly as the boars tusks might be, it was known that the beasts rested in mud to keep cool, the heat of the day now gave the King a deadly advantage. Follow the tracks, and the smell, and a prize boar would most certainly be within his grasp. Signalling silently to his men to hold and stay no fewer than fifteen paces behind him, he began to follow the tracks, to see where they might lead and hopefully to the creature he might slay and bring as a prize on the first evening of the hunt.
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High King of The Fenians - Brother to Dahlia, Ambra, Trinity, Sera & Zhou
MarekUrtar

Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by MarekUrtar »

Marek and Gora had relished the chance to join in the hunt. Usually the hands of Zuan and Zhou were castle bound, working as instructors to the winterbourne or their troops, listening carefully to the endless debates of the privy-council so as to provide advice to their lords in private or any of a hundred other tasks.

They had followed the royal party as it headed towards the woods, trailing behind and enjoying a drink and free conversation with each other, well out of earshot of their masters.

Once the group had reached the clearing they had handed over their ponies to the servants and vanished into the woods. Barefoot and wearing only light clothing they could sense the rock and earth underneath their feet and ran through the thick underbrush blindly.
Eventually they slowed their pace and with short hand gestures became fully silent, searching for trails of something worth hunting.
A few nearby cockatrice stared at them as they searched, rather unsure whether these two were creatures they could turn to stone and eat or creatures of stone that would eat them. Seemingly deciding that cowardice was the better part of valor they fled.
After about an hour Marek found a large boar’s trail, as many as 3 of the fierce creatures likely went by there not long ago.
It wouldn’t take long before they came upon a stream, losing the tracks. They decided to split up. Marek would follow the stream up, Gora down. Planning to meet up there again at the end point of the tracks in a while in case they couldn’t find anything.


Marek was in luck, less than half an hour of walking up the streams back he came across a giant boar. A dire creature, not unheard of in these parts and a fair bit more dangerous than their common counterpart. Larger, significantly stronger, with a barbed hide thick as platemail and highly aggressive at that.

It kept drinking from the stream until Marek was some 20 paces away and then lifted its large head defiantly towards the hand, snarling a challenge.
For 1 breath it was as if time stood still, the majestic creature and the small man staring deep into each other’s eyes and then the quiet woods exploded into sound and violence.
The creature clawed 3 times at the ground and then charged, as Marek’s short boar spear flew and glanced off its hide harmlessly. Marek attempted to draw his sword but was too late, the boar hitting him square in the chest and throwing him into a nearby tree, its tusks scoring deep gashes into the linen shirt and bits of rocks breaking off of Marek’s skin.
The air was knocked out of his lungs as he hit the tree, and his became blurry for a second as the boar prepared for another charge, he once more tried to grab his sword but found it to be no longer in its scabbard. With a fury equaling the boar he roared and prepared to catch the creature’s charge head on, attempting to grab its tusks. His right hand missed, but his left managed to grab a hold. The boar began to shake its head wildly trying to throw the little man away, slamming him against the tree, and the ground but Marek refused to let go. Attempting time and again to grab hold of something with his right arm. He eventually managed to land on the back of the boar’s head and wrap his arm around its neck, squeezing as hard as he could in a desperate attempt to start choking the animal.
They thrashed around for another 5 odd minutes before the enraged boar suddenly stopped, probably to ponder what to do of this pesky small human-esque creature that it just couldn’t shake, it’s not like Marek was actually succeeding in choking it, he was mainly an annoyance. Marek had realized this exact thing minutes earlier but had held on anyway and was waiting for a chance exactly like this. He let go of the boar’s tusk with his left hand and drew his rondel dagger, quickly slamming it in the boar’s neck several times.
The boar screamed louder than it had before and charged straight at the largest tree in sight, throwing its hind legs up so its full back hit the tree, crushing Marek between it and the tree. Marek collapsed in between the roots of the tree, exhausted and out of breath, but smiling. He had managed to hold onto the dagger during the boar’s last desperate attempt to get rid of him and had kept slamming it into the neck wound, and as a result a fountain of blood now spurted from its neck.

Marek sat there staring at the boar as it slowly collapsed and eventually died with a last defiant angry snort, slowly catching his breath and taking stock of his own wounds. The boar’s barbed hide had cut most of his clothes to ribbons and left deep gashes in the outer rocky layer of his skin, but it was only pierced in a few places. Nothing a few good days of rest and some coin couldn’t solve.
He slowly got up and collected his weapons before he kneeled down next to the boar and drank deeply from the blood still in the wound, whispering a prayer of gratitude to the boars’ spirit in between gulps. After this small ritual he went to the stream to wash as much of the blood off as he could and began dragging the boar back towards the clearing where Zuan had setup camp. Chuckling and wondering aloud if Gora had managed to track down such a fine beast.
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Mauir_Arazor
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Re: [RP] A Royal Hunt

Post by Mauir_Arazor »

The elvish part of Mauir sung and roared deep in his chest, out here in fields and forests, hidden from prying eyes he could finally give into it. Cordelia was much the same, in company a proper lady but when traveling or hunting a wild beautiful creature and he suspected there was some elvish blood in her veins.
The further they traveled the more Mauir felt it, until he could no longer contain it and burst out in song. Singing of ancient hunters and great beasts in the darkest of nights, and of love and passion under a bright full moon.
As the king and his brother charged off he mused for a second whether to ask Cordelia to follow them. Whatever the king choose to hunt would make for a good tale. Cordelia clearly had other plans, he shook his head smiling as he saw her grin and charged after her.

Unlike Cordelia he did not ty his horse’s reins to a tree, a few words and a deep glare in its eyes sufficed.
He followed her into the deeper forest, staying about 1 meter behind her at all times, wiping out their tracks with a small effort of will and ensuring nothing could ambush her. He smiled pondering how much she had improved in her tracking skills since those fateful days when he first came upon her and her father hunting cockatrice in the plains and forests of their home. He had fond memories of the time he had spent with them at the old lord’s invitation.
When he noticed that they were following cockatrice tracks, the little bugger’s front talon was longer, so as to break chunks off their petrified prey with more ease, and cut deeper into the dirt than other bird’s, he became more careful. The creatures rarely liked to follow the same path and they had traveled this trail often it seemed. They had to be heading straight towards their den, potentially a dangerous proposition but it might make for a good tale.

Once arriving at the den he held his breath for 4 heart beats, listening carefully for how many of the creatures would be around. It was only 1, just out of sight on the other side of the den. It was safe enough to let her handle this on her own, for now.
As the first arrow missed he tapped a nearby tree with the tip of his staff. Immediately he could feel the sap coursing through its branches and the wind caress its leaves, ready to bend to his will and pluck the charging cockatrice from midair with its branches if the second arrow missed. It was for naught as her second arrow struck home. He released the tree with a sigh that he hoped she hadn’t noticed and went to retrieve the creature.
He smiled and nodded as she mentioned something about it being no dinner, while listening once more for any hint of more cockatrice near the den and hearing none, but faintly smelling something else, the kind of something that a traveler learns to avoid if they live long enough.

On their way back he lead her quickly to the horses and rode behind her as they left the area, looking over his shoulder every so often to ensure that whatever he had smelled, wasn’t following them. Whatever it had been, it’d been more for a hunting party of veteran warriors like the king and his brother, not for Cordelia and him.

As they returned to the camp the sense of danger had left him and he felt elated, he was proud of her for this successful kill without so much as suffering a scratch.
He pulled the cockatrice from a saddlebag and showed it to the cousins that Cordelia was talking to with a grin and brought it over to the cooks.
He pondered for a moment what to do, he could remain around the camp area and entertain those that were working there but he couldn’t shake a feeling of worry. Something was out there, something very dangerous and many small groups of hunters were still in the forest, the king and his brother, the hands and others he did not personally know. The human in him wanted to stay here where it was safe, surrounded by the royal guards, the wood elf in him wanted to go chase this creature, and aid whoever ended up in combat against it. Internally this struggle seemed to last an eternity, in truth it only lasted seconds.
He walked over to Cordelia and asked her permission to go off and track down the king, making some excuse about wanting to see his lordship hunt. After promising her he’d be careful he headed off, first on horseback but once he reached the thicker part of the forest again he sent the horse back to the camp and climb to the higher branches of the nearest tree. From there he began to run and jump from tree to tree, stopping only from time to time to listen and look around for any of the hunters. During all of this he pondered the day so far. Cordelia's skills were developing at a great speed, in a few more years she would be able to match him in his tracking and stealth skills. he therefor, or perhaps because the roaring woodelf inside him emboldend him, decided he would take her away from the camp during the depths of night to dance, to dance with him under the silver moonlight.
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