(ORP) A Pickle

This is where the Kingdom of Fenia's main Inn is.

Moderator: Community Team

Post Reply
Aida

(ORP) A Pickle

Post by Aida »

Aida sighed. Her stomach was rumbling again, much to her annoyance. She glanced down amongst the branches she was perched upon, down at the brown shape half buried in the undergrowth she knew to be her satchel. There was definitely a pickled onion sandwich in there. The forest crawler, the tedious beast who had dragged her here sat below, just out of sight, half hidden in the foliage as they did when they were waiting for prey. She sighed again.

Her magick was drained. Helping Bhen she hoped, had been worth it for the unbearable tearing sensation that afflicted her whenever she dared perform any kind of spell bigger than sharpening Mistress Penn's carving knives. Now it was though there was a gaping wound in her chest that although invisible hurt as though it had been a steel axe not long slashed through her, and that was not as if there weren't plenty of real, physical wounds to be going on with. She leaned back against a branch and closed her eyes. The tree had been a fluke. Having been dragged what felt like miles, hitting her body against stones and rocks, her dress ripped and her skin also the crawler had brought her all the way to his den, ready for his snack, stopping to throw her in the air before swallowing as was their custom when - Oh.

She had hung suspended in mid air. For a moment, Aida really thought that might have been it, death, as everything swam before her eyes and for a moment there was no pain. It took her a moment to realise she had been trapped in the thick branches of an especially unusual tree and, adrenaline returning to her bloodstream, she clambered up as the crawler below whined and jumped frantically trying to climb to get her. So she had found a small space amongst the thick, curling, tangled branches and lain down and had remained so until the present moment.

The branches seemed for a moment to form a pattern as she opened her eyes, realising how thirsty and truly hungry she had become. It was lucky, too lucky, that none of her limbs seemed to have broken on that wild ride, but the bruising, the cuts and her invisble tearing wound had kept her stationary for what must have been hours, perhaps even more than a full day. With a pang, she realised that death was still a very real possibility. And that truly, the only thing that was standing between her and a trip to the afterlife was that pickled onion sandwich.

She made a plan.
User avatar
Duke_of_Earl
Posts: 2530
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2013 8:37 am
Location: On my bed.

Re: (ORP) A Pickle

Post by Duke_of_Earl »

Elsewhere: Image Timestamp: Halloween

*Has anyone seen Aida today?
We were supposed to make plans for pear gathering and fruit salad production.*
-A meeting of the clerical staff had just concluded and the cat was currently addressing Grandfather and Karina as the others shuffled out of the room.

"No, sir." Grandfather responds. "Records indicate she was last seen here with the Princess and that man from Imperius at the victory party last week."
*Last week? That's a bit long for her to be away from the office. Has she left already for Bravia?*
"I don't think so sir. Her books are still in the office."

*Hmmmm. Grandfather, please check with her Steward to see if she is alright. Let her know we have Aloe leaves and Mint Tea available if she needs it.
Karina, please check the jail; just in case those guards tried to arrest her again for looking the waif. I sent them instructions not to, ...but I don't know if they can read.
I'll prowl about the streets and near the walls to see if I can catch her scent; ...just in case there was any violence involved from stragling rebels...
Let's get started. We'll meet up in the afternoon.*
Image
NAME, RACE, -banner by Aida
Aida

Re: (ORP) A Pickle

Post by Aida »

Well, it sort of worked. The satchel hung suspended halfway along a branch, just out of reach. The creature below was up and about too, having been alerted by the mysterious rustling as Aida had foraged in the undergrowth from above with a large brittle branch she had broken off the tangle she lay about in. Having managed to get it caught on a branch in front of her she sighed and took a break, keeping one careful eye trained at the forest crawler below. They were nasty creatures, big things with long, fast legs and long sharped toothed snouts they liked to drag their prey with. They were hard to kill, with their tough, beetle like shell on their backs, although if you could get at the soft underbelly Aida had heard their guts spilled right out. She didn't have much time to ponder this before she heard the cracking of twigs on the forest floor and turned in her cradle of branches to see two more crawlers heading her way. She groaned. One was more than enough, what on earth was the hope now? They settled in the grass below, their beady eyes on her. One or twice she risked trying to edge up the branch towards her bag, only to recoil as they jumped up and attempted to snatch her arms in their mouths.

She could risk a break, couldn't she? Yes, just a small break. Exhausted, she leaned back, feeling as though the branches around her were getting closer. Were they getting closer? No, it must be her imaginations. She closed her eyes and leaned back, resolving... to try... again... shortly.
Post Reply