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Thread: Child

  1. #21
    Legend

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    Philomel's Avatar

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    Name
    Philomel van der Aart (+ Veridian)
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    30 (+10)
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    Faun (+ Fox/Earth Spirit)
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    There had been a single man the night of the riots in Akashima, by the name of Buraha Murashi, who had seen the ships leaving the harbour. He had been on port duty, and had a job, but supported the rioters for the simple reason he had friends and relatives who were starving. And that meant all the world to the quiet, lonely blacksmith.

    His eyes saw the foreign ship, her anchor in the waters. He watched as various women and men went back to and fro, some looking guilty, others looking pleased. He saw the red silks dangled over the side of the hull and he breathed slowly, putting the pieces together.

    It was him who raised the alarm about a non-national sea-faring brothel in the harbour. It was Buraha who said the first words that made the riot turn into one of fire and torment. It was he who cried wolf, and sent other men, who were much more angry and hungry than he was, down the wooden jetty and screaming for their lives.

    When the chase for the various, so-defined 'enemy' ships began, Buraha was hesitant. He thought it was not fair going into international waters and following the ahips to their equal ports. He protested, but he was dismissed and sent to follow one of the lesser wanted vessels - one owned by the merchant Mushi that organised trade from Scara Brae. Not too far away from Akashima, so he was not deemed a major threat. Usually the rioters would have not followed the escaping boats, but for this time, with the heinous introduction of the brothel-ship honour was shamed, people were disgusted. It seemed to be the final straw for many, and whilst the imperial guard fought back for control of the city many of the rioters took to sea.

    Buraha and three other men, in a small sloop, followed the Bonzai for weeks. They managed to keep them on their horizon for the majoirty of the voyage, only losing them when a large, angry storm hit the waters. For days after they were tossed around, one man eventually losing his life and many of the rations being spoiled. After the weather calmed Buraha and his two remaining comrades, Hiro and Wotari, sailed until their food ran low and their energy began to fail.

    For three days and three nights they gathered fever and hunger, coming to a point where they drifted on open sea. It was only luck that they came close to an island and a fishing boat, enough to be rescued by the kind fisherman. For some time they stayed with the man in his lonely little hut, confused at the start but gathering knowledge as they did. Hiro died, as he never fully recovered, and it was only after they had buried him that Buraha and Wotari thanked the fisherman, their minds beginning to alter about their opinion on non-Akashimans.

    And they made a pledge to sail home, ready to go back to their homeland and the uncertain destiny that awaited them there.

    That was until they came to the harbour town on that island, and heard the rumours of an Akasiman girl and a pregnant faun who were staying in a farmhouse. After some private discussion their altered opinions fading into nothingness, and they ran, knowing who exactly who these people were, and on what ship they had come this way on.

    The Bonzai.

    ~*~
    Last edited by Philomel; 09-19-2017 at 02:56 PM.

  2. #22
    Legend

    EXP: 127,650, Level: 15
    Level completed: 55%, EXP required for next Level: 7,350
    Level completed: 55%,
    EXP required for next Level: 7,350


    Philomel's Avatar

    GP
    14,025

    Name
    Philomel van der Aart (+ Veridian)
    Age
    30 (+10)
    Race
    Faun (+ Fox/Earth Spirit)
    Gender
    Female (+ Male)
    Location
    Corone

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    "What are you wanting to do?"

    Philomel did not speak as she rolled out of the bed. With lithe movmements that were born of something to do with her goddess she landed, softly, on a rug near her bed. Sakura scurried back a few steps, her tabi, woollen socks making the smallest 'sshh shhk' movements on the floor as the faun tried to move as quietly as her hooves could allow. Searching quickly around she leant and grabbed the bundle that was her fabric wrappings and array of weaponry before beginning to pull and tie it on.

    "... Lac- ... Faun!"

    It came out as an irritated hiss. Clearly partly because of Philomel's lies with her name.

    Twisting sharply around Philomel shoved a finger to her lips and shook her head, bidding the Akashiman to be silent. As Sakura did the faun made gestures; firstly pointing to her head and demonstrating pointed cat-like ears and then waving her hand behind her as if to imitate a tail.

    "I don't know where your fox is," Sakura said, sharply and distastefully. "Now will you just-"

    "Who's there?!"

    The words came from a new and angered voice. One that was definitely male and had command, as well as presence. It spoke with fury born of pain and suffering as well as frustration for a world that had not been fair to him in the last month or so.

    Not one bit.

    Grabbing the geisha by the hand Philomel pushed Sakura towards the window. Delving into her mind she shouted mentally for Veridian, certainly hoping that none of these men were telepathic in any way. If they were ... well.

    It did not take long for Veridian to reply. He sent Philomel a mental image of him already outside, in the shadows and watching the lounge of the house where one man was enjoying a slice of pie.

    The other ...

    "WHO is there?" the roar came again. Along with heavy, thumping boots that got louder and louder with each second.

    "Faun!" Sakura hissed as she was shoved again.

    "Just move!" Philomel spat at her, grabbing her armour that was left draping on the end of a chair. She was lucky it only covered her bosom. A whole breastplate certainly wouldn't be useful at the moment, not with her belly so swollen. "I can hardly fight can I? Not in my state."

    Sakura, now at the edge of the window ledge, and uncertainly poised over a two storey drop frowned and looked back at her. "Well, you might actually be able to. It just depends on-"

    And Philomel elbowed her. Irritated, as the footsteps thundered over to their door. As it flung open Sakura shrieked, tumbling down to the grass verge below. A huge shadow of a man, dark haired and with hatred on his face filled the doorway, giving Philomel just seconds to look at him. She gave a small, curt nod before grasping the window herself and dropping out.

    Falling down and away.

  3. #23
    Legend

    EXP: 127,650, Level: 15
    Level completed: 55%, EXP required for next Level: 7,350
    Level completed: 55%,
    EXP required for next Level: 7,350


    Philomel's Avatar

    GP
    14,025

    Name
    Philomel van der Aart (+ Veridian)
    Age
    30 (+10)
    Race
    Faun (+ Fox/Earth Spirit)
    Gender
    Female (+ Male)
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    Corone

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    They ran with little in their possession, but Sakura's kimono with no shoes and Philomel's weapons and armour - the things she deemed necessary. As they did a wild wind picked up, buffetting into their sides and battering them with frustration. This was soon coupled by a frightful downpour, wet lashing against their fronts and sides. It made the ground underfoot quickly muddy, the soil soaking up the water with thirst that could be deemed unhealthy. The paths became sodden, and in some cases indescernable from the wild land around them. As the dull dawn became normal day the cloud gathered thick and dreary, so the overall light did not change. Instead they scurried as fast as they could with one of them heavily pregnant, and the other in restrictive clothing, the fear of persurers constantly behind.

    At one point Sakura tripped, her knees slamming hard into the mud.

    "Kuso!" she swore. "Boke! That is my most expensive-"

    Philomel grabbed her hand and made no comment. Instead she dragged Sakura to her feet and bent down with a loud groan, even as the rain lashed against her. She took up the front folds of Sakura's now most ruined kimono and roughly hoisted them up, much to the geisha's surprise.

    "Stop that!" Sakura shrieked past the howling wind. "You are making it worse."

    "Either hold that or tuck it into your obi," the faun replied in a similar volume. "We need to go faster."

    "Pah, you are seven months or more pregnant. I have no shoes. We are already going as fast as we can."

    "Just hold onto it," Philomel ordered in a heavy, exhausted voice. "Please. Just do it."

    Sakura folded her arms, watching as the faun rolled her arms and dropped the folds. They were looser now, due to the undue tugging, and so flapped without ceremony in the harsh breeze.

    "You cannot tell me what to do," Sakura retorted, her hair sticking to her face, "You have lied to me all this time, all throughout this month and more. About who you are. What your name is ... how is it that you are in contact with a baron, hmm? Just who are you?"

    Philomel groaned, looking from Veridian, sodden and shivering before them on the road, waiting for them to follow, and then back to the geisha.

  4. #24
    Legend

    EXP: 127,650, Level: 15
    Level completed: 55%, EXP required for next Level: 7,350
    Level completed: 55%,
    EXP required for next Level: 7,350


    Philomel's Avatar

    GP
    14,025

    Name
    Philomel van der Aart (+ Veridian)
    Age
    30 (+10)
    Race
    Faun (+ Fox/Earth Spirit)
    Gender
    Female (+ Male)
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    Corone

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    We can just leave her behind, Veridian whispered. If she really doesn't want to come ...

    "I will pay you," the faun said, to Sakura.

    "You already said you would for my services."

    "Then I will pay you more. Double."

    "You seem to forget the fact that all your money is back at the house we just escaped from."

    Philomel ran a hand through her soaking hair, droplets flying as she did into the similar droplets falling from the sky.

    "Veridian?"

    Veridian paused, and hissed through teeth. There was one spare in your fabric.

    Philomel looked down and searched. True enough she found one small bag at her belt, filled with perhaps a week's worth of a high-class concubine's earnings.

    Which was alright. Still not much though.

    She grabbed the bag and tossed it to Sakura, the coins chinking as the geisha caught it, a surprise on her face.

    "You will get ten times that amount if you see my baby safe delivered and a further ten if we get back to Radasanth in one piece," she said with a hoarse, low voice. "Do this and then you never have to see me or mine again."

    The geisha looked at her for some time, her expression confusion behind the flurry of rain that had settled between the two women. For a while all she did was stare at Philomel, before she sighed and tucked the money bag away.

    "We best keep moving," she said, "In my opinion you have been through enough stress as it is and the baby may be in trouble."

    Philomel blinked, the dark and angry tone bothering her, but not enough to make her ignore the last comment.

    "Trouble?" she asked, confused. "What do you mean?"

    "I mean, I expect it to come early. Or actually, I think it is already on its way."

    She pointed at the between of Philomel's legs, up high near the thighs, where there was enough wet to make it look like she had lathered herself in the rain about, despite the fabric that should be protecting it from damp.

    "Tell me. Do you usually manage to soak your whole body during a thunderstorm, or is that just today?"
    Last edited by Philomel; 09-19-2017 at 04:11 PM.

  5. #25
    Legend

    EXP: 127,650, Level: 15
    Level completed: 55%, EXP required for next Level: 7,350
    Level completed: 55%,
    EXP required for next Level: 7,350


    Philomel's Avatar

    GP
    14,025

    Name
    Philomel van der Aart (+ Veridian)
    Age
    30 (+10)
    Race
    Faun (+ Fox/Earth Spirit)
    Gender
    Female (+ Male)
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    Corone

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    As the tempest continued to rage around them, and the threat of the enemy ever behind them, Philomel and Sakura had no choice but to find the closest shelter. Without any knowledge of if the men were on their own, and if the entire island had turned against them, they hid in the only place they knew - the forest. Deep in it, by a path that led close to the shoreline they found a cave.

    It was not large, nor was it grand with stalgamites and stalactites and ribbons of irridescent colour. Instead it was dull, boring and plain, with damp all up the slippy walls. Leopard rock was the likeliest of minerals that made up their temporary home, which was strong enough to made a shelter. As Philomel sat down she could feel the pain at her loins, that which her body had simply dismissed out of pride and very likely magic also. When she stepped from the rain, shivering but still strong, and collapsed she felt the first of the contractions beginning to rip agonisingly through her.

    "Fuucckk," she whispered, collapsing.

    Sakura, despite their friendship not being the best, caught her, and carried her over to a wall. There Veridian began to gather a small bundle of driftwood and roots, that which he could find naturally in the cave. As Sakura tended to his beloved he dragged the elements together into a pile before setting them alight with his own breath. Meanwhile the geisha-midwife helped the faun unwrap her fabrics from around her, shrieks going high into the air.

    "Shhhh," Sakura tried to help, rubbing her back, "Shhhh ..."

    But the pain was immense. And the timing could not have been worse.

    "The f-fire," Philomel growled through gritted teeth, "The men, if they - they f-followed might ..."

    But she broke off, another wave of agony coming.

    "Shhh," Sakura kept saying, her eyes checking for any sign, "Shhh ..."

    "But -"

    Do not worry about the men, Veridian said with a quiet voice. If they come I will kill them, no matter what it takes.

    Philomel smiled at him, in a soft, weary way, befroe suffering another bout. As she did Sakura began to clap her hands, crying out.

    "Oh my! Just - on the next one push as-"

    And then the earth began to shake, the very walls of the cave themselves. Side to side, up and down the island jostled its inhabitants. Somewhere in the farmhouse plates rolled off shelves and began to crash. Outside somewhere lost a man called Buraha tripped and fell down, splitting open his skull. In a grand mansion, off in the centre of the island a baron called Marmaduke barely held onto his bowl as his early morning breakfast began to slip out from underneath him.

    The rocks shook as the storm howled. Mud slipped and trees were uprooted. Wind howled and the earth shattered along fault lines, as a faun somewhere, in the middle of hell, gave birth.

    One and a half months early ...

    But the child was just as perfect. Designed and wanted by Drys.

    Her name?

    Celandine.
    Last edited by Philomel; 09-19-2017 at 04:28 PM.

  6. #26
    Viator Mundi

    EXP: 155,108, Level: 17
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    Level completed: 18%,
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    Shinsou Vaan Osiris's Avatar

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    Shinsou Vaan Osiris
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    Philomel receives 6420 EXP and 490 GP!

    Rewards include 1.5x Althanas Festival bonus!

    This thread will now be submitted to workshop!

  7. #27
    Viator Mundi

    EXP: 155,108, Level: 17
    Level completed: 18%, EXP required for next Level: 14,892
    Level completed: 18%,
    EXP required for next Level: 14,892


    Shinsou Vaan Osiris's Avatar

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    Name
    Shinsou Vaan Osiris
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    34
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    Telgradian
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    All rewards added!

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