Public Site |
* Orlann walks up the stairs, his new bow and a quiver of arrows slung across his back. Folded under one arm he carries a purple tabard and a chain mail shirt. * Tarri is inside, sitting by the window and trying to finish mending a tunic with the last of the sunlight. She looks up with an expectant smile as she hears Orlann's tread on the stairs. * Orlann opens the door and walks in. He frowns at the unlocked door and closes it behind him, bolting the latch. <Tarri> ::looks at the purple cloth and chain under his arm:: You did it... Starting... tomorrow? <Orlann> ::nods:: Yes'm. Only three days a week, right now. The Lieutenant says he's been right overwhelmed with home-guard volunteers. ::looks at her sternly:: Darling, I'd feel right more at ease if you'd lock this door when you're home by your lonesome. <Tarri> It's not- ::she breaks off, looking at his face:: All right. If it's that important. <Tarri> At least, I'll try to remember. * Orlann gives her a quick smile. "Anything can happen, darling. I just don't want it to be happening to you." <Tarri> All right. It's not like you're asking me to wear armor all the time or something. ::she grins and waves at his bundle:: Speaking of... Let me see! * Orlann drops the bundle in a nearby chair then shakes out the tabard. Made from a medium purple cotton, there is a stylized dark purple dragon on the front. Three silver pipes mark the sleeves. <Orlann> There's a helmet that goes along, but they didn't have a spare in my size. ::he grins a bit bashfully:: So they'll be making one up for me. <Tarri> ::leans back in her seat, absently folding up her sewing as she admires the tabard:: Well... No doubt about it. You'll look splendid... ::she flashes a smile at him:: There's just something about a man in uniform... <Orlann> ::folds it back up, then stands his bow and quiver in the corner next to his sword:: I'll only be on guard in the days, for 'bout eight hours. I reckon Master Bran'll be able to keep an eye on you. <Tarri> Oh, probably. ::she sounds amused, looking at his stack of weaponry and armor:: It's starting to look like an armory, over there. <Orlann> ::grins and blushes faintly:: I'll get myself a weapon's rack, if it'll make your house look right tidy. <Tarri> ::laughs:: No, it's all right, though I might change my mind if you get much more. ::she cocks her head at him, her eyes twinkling:: Don't I get a kiss? Or are you mad about the door? * Orlann crosses the room to kiss her soundly. "No, I ain't mad. Just concerned is all. Things have a way of happening that I don't rightly like." <Tarri> ::returns the kiss with interest:: I don't know what's going to happen *here* that a lock would do anything to stop, but I said I'd try to remember. <Orlann> ::shrugs and sits down on the sofa next to her:: Give you a bit of warning, if nothing else... Mistress Lisl's been showing you defenses. ::he gives her a tight smile:: And sometimes a lock'll discourage someone what's in a bit of a hurry. ::he looks at her, his pale eyes fading a bit in memory:: <Tarri> ::touches his cheek:: What are you thinking? <Orlann> Just remembering on some things that happened in Bleakhill, a right while ago... ::shakes his head:: <Tarri> ::somewhere between curious and uncertain:: Can I ask, or would it be too nosy? <Orlann> ::takes a deep breath:: It's a bit of a bad story, darling. But maybe I should tell you. I wasn't exactly the most honorable person in't though, and I'd... well, you've told me your stories, ain't exactly fair of me to pretend that it didn't happen, is't? <Tarri> ::raises her eyebrows:: Now I'm curious, I have to confess. <Orlann> ::nods:: I reckon you would be... Bleakhill's always had problems with the orc-tribes. It ain't surprising, really. The Stormhorns is their home, and has been for generations. Couple times a year or so, they'd raid the town. Steal some cows and chickens maybe. Kill some people if they could. Sometimes they took slaves. ::shudders:: Reprisals were always lightning-fast, so they didn't linger. <Tarri> ::shivers and nods:: <Orlann> One summer was right bad... we couldn't seem to catch em out. They'd creep into the village an' kill a farmer, steal his things, and... ::he blushes angrily:: and make free with his wife's person. We'd never hear a thing. Find her th' next morning, dead and ravished, and we'd never even have known. <Tarri> ::shudders and takes his hand:: That's awful... <Orlann> We took to havin' active patrols and it didn't help. We still... we found *nothing*. Days'd go by and nothing happened, then... We couldn't figure it. Orcs're bad enough, but *clever* orcs're worse. <Tarri> ::watches him, her eyes wide:: <Orlann> I was on patrol one night and nothing had happened in a while, few weeks maybe. I was just a Private then, hadn't been in the militia for more'n a year or so. Guess I musta been about sixteen years... I heard somethin' and went to look. I... couldn't believe what I saw... <Tarri> What? <Orlann> They weren't... they wasn't *orcs* at all... it was men. People I *knew*. Three of 'em, dressed in scraps of orc-leather and carrying orc bows. ::he shudders:: They'd already killed Brenner and... ::he closes his eyes:: I... didn't know what to do... <Tarri> ::whispering:: Blessed Mother... <Orlann> I jus' *stood* there, like an idiot, staring in the window. Everything made some awful sense then. Of *course* we never found anything, wasn't tracks or nothin' to find. And they'd know the patrols... I just... *stood* there. <Tarri> What- what happened? * Orlann looks down at his hands. "I murdered those men, Tarri. I didn't... I should have run for my captain... but I was so... shocked. Missuz Talbert was crying around this bit of cloth they'd stuffed in her mouth, and I just... I didn't try and arrest 'em, or even challenge them... I murdered them." <Tarri> ::shivers and takes his hands:: It's okay, Orlann... <Orlann> It ain't... Jense didn't even hear me coming, and I put my sword through his back. He wrenched it out of my grip when he fell. Dani just *grinned* at me, awful grin. He held his hands away from his side and... ::he scrubs at his face with his hands:: and offered me a go at Missuz Talbert, if I'd let 'em go. <Tarri> ::horrified:: That's disgusting! <Orlann> ::nods slowly:: It's only damn luck that they didn't kill me. I wasn't... not near the warrior my father was, and my sword was stuck in Jense's back. I don't... I don't rightly remember what I did then... I lost my head, I reckon. <Tarri> You were... still half a boy, Orlann. <Orlann> I'd never... never killed a man before... Jense's dad was sore upset about the whole thing. Called me a liar and a murderer... Mizzus Talbert backed me up, and... I thought I was gonna die of shame. There was this trial, and people were tellin' their kids not to talk to me, cause I might kill them... But I was cleared, an after a while people said they was sorry for suspectin' me. <Tarri> ::firmly:: That wasn't dishonorable. <Orlann> ::shakes his head, clearly not convinced:: They shoulda had a trial, been judged fair... <Tarri> ::likewise not convinced:: Maybe. Maybe you didn't do the *best* thing you could've done. That doesn't make it dishonorable. Just a mistake. You were just a boy. And you saved that woman. They'd have killed her if you hadn't come along. Or used her as a hostage, if you'd tried to arrest them. <Orlann> I hated it... the way people *looked* at me... sneered when they thought I wasn't looking... ::shudders:: I ain't never forgotten it, not one single day... ::looks up at her, a shimmer of tears in his eyes:: I... <Tarri> ::lays her hand along his cheek:: Not Mistress Talbert, I bet... Whatever mistakes you made, you should be proud that you stopped them from hurting more innocent people. <Orlann> No, Missuz Talbert was right kind to me... I just... I wish I didn't feel sorry that they're dead. They... they needed killing. But I can't help but wish it hadn't been *me* that did it. <Tarri> ::nods:: That's good. I'd hate to learn you were the sort of man who took joy in killing... even if they did deserve it. <Orlann> ::shudders again:: I... hope you ain't too disgusted with me. I... I wasn't gonna tell you, but you were so brave and told me about your young man back at home. You told me and I didn't... it weren't fair to keep secrets. <Tarri> ::smiles and wipes a tear from the corner of her eye:: Silly man. You were a hero, even if some other people were too stupid to see it. How can I possibly be disgusted because you made a mistake and managed to turn out a hero despite it? ::she hugs him, hard:: Silly man... * Orlann looks at her helplessly for a long moment, then folds her into his arms. <Orlann> I don't deserve you, darling. I really don't... ::he gives her a squeeze:: But I am glad of it anyway. * Tarri snuggles into his arms and tucks her head under his chin. "*I'm* the one who tried to sell my honor, and *you're* talking about deserving?" She laughs. "Silly, silly man." * Orlann kisses the top of her head. "I do love you, darling." <Tarri> ::looks up, surprised:: Do you? * Orlann takes a deep breath, then nods. "Yes'm, I'm pretty sure." <Tarri> ::breathless:: Oh... ::she blushes:: I think I love you, too. * Orlann tilts her head up and kisses her softly. "I'm glad to hear it, darling." |
|
|