Blackthorne: The RP

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Avel stood up on the city walls, watching the ever deceiving jungle that surrounded the small village of Blackthorne. Of course it looked calm and peaceful, on the surface, but underneath he knew that anywhere there could be orcs and goblins just waiting to strike. He was ready for them though. To long was he ready for them. The afternoon sun was beating down hard on him, but it didn't seem to phase him, not as it did some of the other soldiers that paced the perimeter with him. Turning he looked inward to the peace of the town that he protected. His home since childhood. He continued his watch making his over the top of the gate that was the only entrance into Blackthorne. Often he would stop here to watch the hustle and bustle of people moving in and out.

Merissa looked at the town she was born in and hated. it reminded her of her past some thing she's tried to run away from her whole life. She became a Merc to get away from BlackThorne and now it had brought her to this place. She had to go where the money took her and with conflict brewing here the money would be good. she put up her hood to block on lookers hiding her self. she had weapons on her and would kill any who tried to take them from her. not yet has she been hired by either side so this could very well be a town that could soon become her enemy and so she would protect her self. she would try to blend in and slip in unnoticed if she could. spotting a guard who as watching the towns people passing by she saw an opportunity to slip in. her blood red hair glinted in the hot sun as she approached his group of the guards hoping to just slide past him. she felt a since of familiarity as she watched the guard some thing from her child hood, she ignored it thought. she was so close almost in the clear, she could breath and her chest would brush against him. but she suddenly lost her balance and yelped as she stated to fell from the gate.

Avel had been watching the hooded figure as she ducked in through the crowd. It wasn't to often people tried to hide themselves, even more mysterious as the fram appeared to belong to a young woman. Although in these times he supposed it wasn't so mysterious and was willing to let her slide by, there were more worriesome things in these troubled times than another miscreant. Besides, she'd probably end up at the end of some mercenary's blade before the end of the week. But, he couldn't help but keep his eyes on her, something about her movements and her actions gave him a small sense of familiarty. Shaking his head he put it behind him. As he began to turn to rejoin the rest of his men he heard a cry out from behind him, witnessing as the hooded girl started to fall. Acting quickly he doubled back on his steps and reached out with one of his arms catching her around the waist and pulling her up to his chest with her back to him. "Are you alright miss?"

Merissa's voice caught in her throat. she wanted to just stay in his arm's where she felt free and safe. Quickly she shock off her thoughts and annoying feelings. Feelings can get you killed. "UGH!" She shoved him back trying to appear angery or even annoyed by his touch but she was sure the slight blush to her cheeks gave her away. her hood fell back reviling her entire face now and her eyes couldn't help but stair into his. Now she new she knew him from child hood... surely this wasn't the boy she use to play kid games with as a child. her best friend. her lower lip shook as she tried to speak. thinking quickly again she glared at him not showing that she knew him. "I'm fine you fool. Go back to your post Avel do you have nothing to do but annoy people with your buffoonery!" Her eyes went wide as she quickly turned her back to him mentally smacking her self for saying his name and hoping he wouldn't notice.

Avel stared down at the girl as she shoved herself away, a shove he was sure was more meant to push his own person away. Looking at her, something more flittered in the back of his mind, he deffinately knew the face, from when he had been a child, there was no mistaking those eyes. But she'd turned to fast to say undoubtedly that it was her. He would have let it pass but, she'd said his name. A new person to the town shouldn't have known his name. "Meris....." He was cut off by the sudden commotion of people rushing the gate and screaming. "Damn, and it was looking to be such a peaceful day."
Leaving the girl standing there he made his way through the sea of runners. "Everyone, move quickly into the city! Sound the alarm, it's a raid!"

Merissa looked out at the people running then the people approaching with bad intentions. "Damn it." she ran to Avel. "I can help... Don't know why i want to do this for free but what the hell.. why not." she pulled off her cloak tossing it away revealing that her entire body was covered in leather and on the leather was weapons. throwing knives, throwing stars, swords, bow and arrows, and a staff just at first glance. her blood red hair was pulled back in a braid, and her gloves, shoulders and fore arms where covered in spikes. she looked up at the sun then back to Avel waiting for his answer.    

Avel continued barking out a few more orders before turning to Merissa and giving her a nod. As the people around them started to thin a small band of orc warriors could be seen giving chase. Shaking his head Avel pulled the halbred from his back and stepped through the last few people preparing to meet the charge head on. A quick volley of arrows flew out from over the wall catching the first few lines of orcs in their charge, a good number dropping from fatal or disabilitating hits only to be left trampled under the feet of their fellow warriors. With their balance gone Avel charged in and swung the heavy blade at the end of the weapon along their front lines, catching several unaware and breaking shafts off of others.

One of the orcs in the back fell over with a crossbow bolt protruding from the back of the head and then another, as the nearest three orcs started to turn around they started to fall over as the low whistling sound of bolts going through the air sounded, Drugall shortly after appeared with his small stature and a fairly big dwarven axe and charged at the orcs closest to the ones he shot with the crossbow he apparently had strapped on to his back again, as he passed the orcs he had shot he took out the bolts as quickly as he could then turned towards Avel and Merissa whom stood in front of the village and shouted towards them over the battle cry of the orcs. "You seemed like you could need a bit help, so I came to offer mine..." He groaned as he pushed an attacking orc off by sidestepping and moving his axe which he had used to block the attack with to the side so the orc and the weapon it used fell to that side and as he did Drugall shoved the axe into the back of the neck with a powerful yet simple movement. "However I don't come all that cheap I might add..."

Merissa grunted pulling two machetes from sheaths on her caffs. "I don't need any help..." she jumped over and sliced the head clean off an Orc about to stab the new comer Drungall. "And as far as you coming with a price, get lost i was here first and war is what i do best." she spon around and began slicing through Orc after Orc. the battle raged on with Merissa fighting when unexpectedly an arrow came from no where hitting and going into her shoulder. She cried out momentarily falling to one knee. "DAMN IT!!" she looked up and just manged to roll away from a sword as it bit into the dirt. laying on the ground she yanked the shaft of the arrow from her shoulder knowing the flint would need to be dug out later.

Drugall chuckled and swung the axe into the Orc that attacked Merissa. "I see that and well for hiring I can then tell that you're not the one hiring thereby not the one to tell me to scram young lass..." He swung the axe in a
circle to guard against oncoming arrows from orcish archers, yet due to that missed the orc coming from behind with a club, just barely moving out of the way for what would have been a fatal blow he gets a good bang on the head causing him to be slightly dizzy for a while.

Merissa didn't laugh or even smile just reached up and pulled Drugall down with her keeping him from another blow to the head. She leaped up screaming and beheaded another Orc. "Steady your self before getting up or you may get sick." She stood with her back to him as she circled around almost guarding him As she killed or maimed any Orc that got close enough only doing so because he was fighting on the same team 'this' time. Yet all the wile searching for Avel feeling a sense of dread for him. She glared realizing that she didn't want him to be harmed. Even more so she didn't want any one to know she cared.

Drugall groaned and stood up and grabbed his axe firmly then swung it at an Orc that intended to attack Merissa from behind. "Don't have to tell me lass... I know how to do on a battlefield..."

"If you've got time to flap your lips then you've got time to close their's!" A call came out from the middle of a circle of orcs. The creatures stabbed sparaticly testing the danger in which they'd encircled Avel. While surrounded it was becoming apparant that his reach and skill was more than the brutes were prepared to handle. Several tried charging in at once but where caught in a whirlwind as the halbred swung short around Avel's torso, the head and the butt of the weapon both being put to useful affect. The orcish hordes started breaking rank as many of them began their retreat, realizing that they weren't prepared for the fight they'd tried to start.

Drugall swung the axe around skillfully, opening some of the guts of the Orcs coming unfortunately close enough. "Well that depends on if I'm hired or not of course...." He said with a wide grin. "Otherwise I can always continue flapping my own."

Merissa began cuting her way tords Avel. "Keep trying to get hired and I'll will kill you my self...." she gurnted as Orc blood splashed up on her from a skillful slice to the throat. "Keep your mind and weapon in the fight! get hired after!" She jumped on an Orc useing him to leap throw the air and land a little too close to Avel. Merissa blushed as she looked up at him. "Um sorry." she quickly turned again and watched as more and more of the attacking Orc's were becoming the retreating Orc's. Her arm throbbed from the flint embeded in it and she couldn't help but let out a sound of pain as she put her hand to her shoulder at the wounds opening. 

Avel shook his head at the retreating horde as he gave his halbred a hard downward swing causing a spray of blood to fly off the end of it. Turning to the other two he met with Merissa first and couldn't help but notice the pain in her face. Following her hand to the source of her pain he placed his hand on hers and pulled it back slightly to get a better look at the wound. "It doesn't seem like it's to bad, but we'll still need to get it out." He looked up to her face again with a small smile on his own. "Thank you for your aid in the fight, we'll take care of your wound at the guard house." He looked up to Drugall, "You're welcome to come to the guard house as well, seeing as you both will need to be registered first before you can do any buisiness as mercenaries before that."

Drugall nodded as he swung his axe up to meet with a retreating orc's chest and then walked over to Avel and Merissa. "Sounds good to me, you lead on lad."

As they walked back Merissa grabed her cloke and put it on wincing as she moved her shoulder and put the hood up. She was sure people would ask questions once they relised who she was and that this town was her home as much as it was theirs. She wasn't sure she could open her self up to any one yet. she thought about being a child here as she looked at the back of Avel's head. She remembered being young and playing with the others and getting hurt and Avel being the friend he was tending to her scraped knee... Smiling before she could help her self that now he was doing the same. she wondered if he every married or had kids, she always had the bigest crush on him as a child. she hoped she would get to talk to him alone as he removed the arrow from her shoulder... She wouldn't let any one else do it at this point.

Avel pointed out several buildings to the new arrivals as they moved towards the inner part of the town, making sure to give his suggestions on which inns and blacksmith's he thought would best accomidate them. Occasionaly he would turn to look back at the mercs following him, making sure that they were keeping up with him in the crowded streets. He couldn't help but notice the smile on Merissa's face and blushed a bit as he turned his head back around. It had been so long since he'd last seen his childhood friend, he wondered what she had been doing these past years. If she had found herself a lover and companion in her journey's. Perhaps she was planning to have her family follow her here once she established a name for herself. It wasn't uncommon, Avel had come to realize, that a number of mercenaries had started families in their carriers. Avel found it hard to believe that the little girl that he had played with and cried for when she left, had grown up to be so beautiful. Surely his chances had passed him by far to long ago. Avel shook his head and cleared his thoughts as they approached one of the few buildings in the town made of stone, seeming to look more like a small foretress within the city then a building. A line of soldiers was marching out the eastern side of the building as another line moved in from the west. The guards were changing with the profficiency that Avel was proud to have been a part of setting forth. A small line of people were lined up outside a small door leading into the front of the building, a small sign indicating that mercenaries were to report there to register with the city. "Normally, you would have to wait with them before you could start looking for work in the town, but," he led the way towards another entrance. This one was much larger than the other, looking as though a line of men 10 wide could march through it if need be. Opening one of the smaller doors located on the large door Avel motioned for the others to enter. "You are with me, and so I will get you processed all the faster. Sir, if you would, talk to the man sitting over at the desk and let him know that I have given you permission to be a mercenary." Avel pointed to a slender younger looking man sitting behind a table mulling over some paperwork and scratching his head. Looking back at Marrissa he motioned for him to follow him, "We'll get your papers after your arm is seen too." He pulled the door behind him and took her off towards a side room that looked to be a bit of a mixture between the barracks and a training facility.

Drugall nodded and left the youngsters to what they were planning as he hadn't missed by that they both seemed very intrigued by eachother and walked over to the man he had been directed to.

Merissa took off her cloak wincing and once again reviling her face. A purple-ish bruise had began to bloom acrossed her cheek and jaw. "Um... I must say you grew up nicely." She blushed smiling sheepishly. she began unbuttoning her top so that he could get to her wound, but stopped and looked at him the smile fading. "before i disrobe you should know im...." she took a breath. "I'm quite scarred, some would even say disfigured." she bit her lip and turned her back as she pulled off her shirt just enough to free her arm then covered her chest and faced him again. every inch of exposed skin was marked with burns and scars. she kept her eyes blank and on the floor.  

The man looked up from his paperwork at Drugall, "Yes, what can I do for you? If you're looking to sign up I think you've gotten a bit lost, the door is actually a bit further down that way." He pointed behind himself. "If you just go out the small door in the larger set and take a right, you'll be heading the right way."

Avel watched nodding his head in understandment to her words, "You're a warrior now Merissa, I wouldn't expect that you still be unscathed." He stepped up to her and placed a gentle hand cradling her chin as he lifted her face to look into his. His blue eyes stared deep into hers with a slight smile on his face, "They're nothing to be ashamed of, they're badges of every battle that you've fought and lived through." He stared there for a minute, unsure of what to do next as his cheeks started to turn a bright red, burning his skin. He coughed several times as he turned his head, "So, umm, let's take a look at your arm." He composed himself some as he took her arm in his strong hand, his other grabbing near the wound, perhaps a bit rougher than he'd meant to on her more delicate from than those of the soldiers he was used to treating. Leaning in he looked at the wound, "It's not to bad, but still," he reached down next to his back side grabbing a flask from the back of his belt. "This will hurt, try and bare it." He slowly poured some of the liquid contained as it made a slight hissing noise when it came in contact with the wound. Grabbing a knife from his belt he quickly moved, sliding the tip into the wound and using it to pull out the flint. As soon as it came out he let it drop to the floor and yet again administered the alcohol to her arm. This time though he took her into his arms afterwards. "I've missed you for so long Merissa."

Drugall grinned. "I was told to come here by the guy that went with the young lass back there... He told me he said it was okay for me to be hired as a merc here." He took his hand down in one of his pockets and picked up a dirt-covered document with various names and insignias from various town officials. "That's my recommendations lad."

Merissa didn't scream or even move as Avel did what was needed. her eyes went wide and watered and as he huged her she relised she had biten throw her lip. she smiled as him a winced slightly looking down at her shoulder. "thank you..." it was her turn to blush as she saw she was still topless. "heh." she pulled it up covering her more now. "I should let you get on with your duties and back to your family." she mentily smaked her self. she didn't want to go find a back alley to sleep in just yet. she didnt stay at inns too untrusting and that would spend money. "um. i missed you to." she smiled at him. the dirt from the battles and her travels was making her itchy and the blood was so not helping. she wanted to hold on to him and tell him every thing about her life since they parted, but more so she wanted to know about his.


The man nodded in recognition of the fact that Drugall had come in with the Captain of the guards and took the papers, "Honestly, we usually don't worry to much about things like recommendations around here." He looked up to Drugall, "Unfortunately when you live in these times you can't always be to picky about who you hire. It's put a lot of strain on us, but it's eased up a lot more, so we can't be to choosy." He shuffled through some papers handing them across the table to Drugall. "These are official documents stating that you are recognized as an official mercenary for the town of Blackthorne. "If you have any questions I'd be more than happy to answer them for you."

Avel stared down at Merissa, "Actually, I don't have a family. And my shift is just about at an end. If you wanted, you could come and stay with me. I don't stay here in the barracks with most of the other soldiers." He put a hand on her arm careful not to place it on the wound, "Besides, it would give us a chance to catch up on old times." He looked at her with that charming smile that he'd had since he was a young boy.

Drugall nodded and smiled. "Good to know lad, I will do that if there is anything, guess there is then nothing else really more then to this? In that case I would like to find a place to stay where it'll be easiest to get to the battlefield quickly..."

Merissa smiled back at him. "If your sure i wouldn't be in your way I would very much like that." She pulled her bangs out of her face and tucked them behind her ear. "When ever your ready I'll just follow you home then. Dont rush on the count of me though." she winked and looked around.

The man nodded at the dwarf, "If I may make a suggestion then, there the if Fox Briar near the entrance to the gate that you first came in. It's not necessarily one of the busier or nicer places in town, but it's not bad either. It'll deffinately put you near the front lines should you find that most suitable."

"Well, you could take this moment to go ahead and get your papers, I just have a few things to take care of before I'm ready to leave." He pointed back the way they'd come. "Just talk to the same man that I'd had the dwarf speak with." He went to turn and then stopped still smiling at her, "Merissa, I'm glad your back, things haven't been the same without you." He put his hands yet again on her shoulders, pausing as if debating, a small blush came to his cheeks as he quickly turned and headed up a set of stairs in the back of the room.

Drugall nodded and scratched his beard. "Any idea of a good smithy around here? Not that I'd need their help but good to know where I can repair my weapons if need be."

Merissa came around the corrner. "The best Smithy in town is just a few buildings away from the Fox Briar. You cant miss it. The guy that own's the place has a bit of taste for flashy ness." She smiled and handed her ID's and such to the man that was helping Drugall.

Drugall smiled and nodded appreciatively. "Thanks lass, it's the one with the best gears and forge? Cause I don't need the smith himself, more his furnace and anvil..." He grinned and took out a grinding stone and started to grind off whatever damage there might been to his axe from the fight.

Merissa smiled and shruged. "Best i've seen for miles."

Drugall nodded and stroked his beard appreciatively. "That's good to hear lass, I'll better be going off then... I'd reckon that my company is not needed here anymore, so I'd better get myself a good room and wait for the next attack... Oh and thanks for the directions to both of ya."

Merissa bows her head slightly.

Drugall slightly bows his head back then heads off towards the tavern he had been directed to while humming to a song his mother always had liked when traveling while stroking his beard and inspecting the masonry with light interest. "Hmm... Not bad for humans..." He mumbled to himself.

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