Pinching a Log in the Woods [O]

[COMFERANS]

Why don't we hide in the trunk of this tree for a while? Less than a mile from the nearest city, twas mere minutes past dawn. Rays of sun, gently stroked the bark. Light glistened through the fog, as dried leaves fluttered from the canopy above. They gently danced with the morning fog, one by one; caring only for the soft, calming whisper of wind. Droplets of dew, slowly slipped across the petals of wild flowers. Water trickled gently across the brook, as a butterfly rested on a rock, drying its wings before taking its first flight. All was peaceful, all was quiet. The forest peaceful and content. Birds sang and squirrels chattered as a wary stag nibbled at a berry bush... until a crashing thump and a holler echoed through the forest. SPOILER: Click to show "SARD!!" The treetops shook, as feathered wings fluttered hastily; carrying frightened birds to safer places. Deer galloped as quick as their tiny hooves would take them; routing for their very lives. The peaceful land was shaken to its core with a single word; and a curse, at that. What mischievous matter of man would ruin the peace with such unsavory tongue? His place would be easily tracked by his booming voice. A curious passerby mayhap chance to witness the scene! There, stood a man, squatting in the forest. His arms outstretched towards the ground, groaning aggressively at his feet. His eyes bulged as his face turned red with stress, seeming all the brighter against his dark, blue hair. [ tagged: @lucia ] [ muse ]

made by nette of gs / yasna of apo

[Lyrica]

some coincidences are deliberate

COMFERANS

Lyrica had heard about foraging for supplies they needed as they went. Certainly the amount of food they would need to feed an army (even if it was still small) would be quite large. Relying on what was stored in the caravans wouldn't work, it would run out. Neither did Lyrica feel they would make much progress if they went around like beggars, asking for food at every village they stopped at. They already did kinda beg for recruits. Begging for two things was probably a bit too much.

That left raiding - a prospect that filled her with dread and was currently a non-issue since they weren't near any battlefields - and foraging. Feeling she needed to do something, Lyrica had volunteered, moving through the foggy morning forest. It was still very early when she'd left, there was no way the sun was anywhere near noon, even though she'd already been in here.

She hadn't been all that successful though. No berries, no mushrooms (though she wouldn't trust those until she could find a book and double-check to make sure they weren't poisonous), not any real sign of wild game either, though Lyrica would have no idea what to do after using her bow. She'd never been taken hunting before, so she couldn't know where to start.

All that aside, she jumped and nearly screamed as something else in the forest gave a loud shout that pierced the morning's veil of quiet. Trembling she did her best to compose herself. She was a part of the Knights of Cydonia now, she couldn't run from something like that! What if someone was hurt or sick out here and that had been a cry for help? At the very least she should investigate it. Walking along cautiously, she more or less stumbled her way through a brush that separated her from the clearing where a heavily armored man was... what was he doing? "U-uh..." Lyrica cleared her throat and tried to start off strong. "Do you... uh... n-need help, s-sir?" In her defense she did start the sentence off confidently.

CODED BY DUCKIE OF GS

[victorie]

(Hah! Flagrant disregard of posting templates) 

Victorie yawned, arching her back a bit and putting one arm into the air to streeeetch high upwards as she winces and groans somewhat. "Mmmngh..." The young woman would groan, sleepily blinking about as she put her left hand against the back of her pegasus' neck and let the right fall limp to her side. Gods it was too early for this, and the fog clinging about her, the sensation of cool air wrapping about her like some soggy blanket and the rhythmic 'clip clop' of her mount on the dirt road leading out from the city were already working their trance on the exhausted young woman. 

She would let her head dip a bit, eyes fluttering shut as the blissful sensation of letting the world slip away for just a mere moment washed over her. The pegasus knight would sigh, her whole body slumping as she let a smile dance across her lips and her head went light as she drifted off to the gentle clips of her (lovely!) pegasus. For all intents and purposes, she looks like one of those knights of old that someone would tell stories about, clad in silver armor, sitting astride a snow white pegasus, braids bounding with each step and quite queerly slumped on her saddle as she snored gently.

Well, maybe not the last part.

But her little foray into the world of dreams (There were delightfully vapid and many, if not most, concentrated on some kind of fashion) was interrupted by that... Shout? Roar? Scream? She couldn't tell, as she knows is that she had awoken with a start, brown eyes shooting wide and her mount rearing as her heart skipped a beat and her chest was aflutter with excitement! Was it a bear? It had to be a bear, or- or a dragon! A bear dragon?! She would let this little tizzy of panic settle in her chest for a moment as she wheeled the pegasus about on the spot, hooves stamping and the animal snorting as Victorie eyed her surroundings. She could still hear the echo of that... Whatever that was rolling down the forest as she perked a bit and turned towards what she... Thought was the source? 

She'd canter forward cautiously down the road, lance now freed from her mount's side and leveled towards the ground in a half ready motion as she spurs on the pegasus with a gentle click of her tongue and a yip. She can't exactly see anything in the fog whatsoever until she's quite suddenly upon a woman dressed in blue! She'll hiss and turn a bit, deftly manuvering the winged horse around the person. "That was you?" She'll ask, utterly unbelieving as she tears her eyes off of Lyrica and catches sight of the man in the clearing.

"A-My word!" She'll cry out in the most stuffy of highborne voices, her nose screwing up and the woman putting on a queer face as she turns her steed about so she doesn't have to see what she thinks she might have seen. 

[COMFERANS]

Why don't we hide in the trunk of this tree for a while? The man, whom seemed to be shaming himself in the midst of the forest, took little consideration for his humbled onlookers' perspective when choosing his words. "Oh blessed be I, in the Naga's eyes, saviors from the forest emerge! I hath wandered through the forest, squeezing firmly upon my log, but only now hath I squeezed so firm that I have dropped the log where I stand..! In my armor, I am not so flexible that I may recover it myself." A strange sort of embarrassment spread across his his expression as he turned to them both. "I ask a favor from both of thee, that nary a soul should live to hear... I ask thou both to combine thy strengths, and return my dropped log to my hand. I do not wish for it to rot and fester, where it lay trapped." Perhaps the eloquent speech for which the LaRond family prided itself was a detriment in this certain situation. He may not of made himself entirely clear that he was literally carrying the trunk of a tree through the woods, and lost his grip. A filthy mind may have quickly turned to outhouse humor, but Comferans considered himself far above that. He looked expectantly between them both, hoping they would reverse his shameful mishap with haste. [ tagged: Lyrica victorie ] [ muse ]

made by nette of gs / yasna of apo

[victorie]

(( Pressing forward then ))

Sometimes

You just have to accept it

Victorie would blink blankly, her pegasus still turned about so she was presenting her back towards the Knight and his log, her face set in quite the grimace as she gets her first look at... Whatever that was supposed to be. Honestly, she was more than a fair bit confused. And his flowery speech did not help matters whatsoever for the young woman. Now, she had an ear for the speak since she had lived no other life than the one delivered by such honeyed words. But she also wasn't the most clean of mind (Of course, the stupid perfect jerks she called siblings would naturally be above such base humor) and she can't help but screw up her nose as she oh so very tentatively turns the winged horse about to get another look. One she really hopes she won't regret.

Aaaand, well... He was telling the truth to the T as it were. "...Huh." She'll finally remark, blinking no less than three times as she tilts her head ever so gently to the right. She'll let the awkwardness stew for awhile more before coughing in a self concious manner and sliding off of her saddle, hands resting on her hips as she shakes her head and ticks her tongue. Somehow, the situation looked even more rediculous as the lithe woman examined it from the ground, he was huge, as was his log.

"But pray tell, why would a Knight be... Pinching a log?" She remarks with a groan, rolling her eyes upward as if cursing some cosmic deity who had found today to be the day to walk her into such a childish comment.

### | @tagged | notes

❖ nox ❖

[Lyrica]

some coincidences are deliberate

COMFERANS, victorie / sorry, haven't been feeling well orz

It was most likely a good thing that Lyrica's growing up did not involve a lot of time spent with her slew of brothers, else she would likely have died of embarrassment from the words the knight was saying. Thankfully for her sake she didn't know what the typical meaning of 'pinching a log' was, though the knight's posture was still just as awkward as when she had first happened across it. At least his words held some strange, almost comforting level of poetic-ness to him, like the way people spoke from old novels. Well, she probably shouldn't share that, it might be seen as rude.

What caused her expression to remain blank was not a resistance to view the knight's words with a dirtier meaning, but confusion. A... log? Why would a armored knight make use of a log? He certainly was not a lumberjack, armored as he was, and she didn't see any reason for him to be carrying a log around. There weren't any houses or villages near here that she knew of, but that literally meant nothing. The only thing she'd known up to this point had been the light woods behind her home, and the town she had grown up in. She'd seen more places and things in the weeks joining the Knights of Cydonia than she had in over 17 years of living. Books excluded.

Hearing Victorie question, she chimed in herself. "Uhm, sir knight, what..." She paused for a second trying to piece together which question she wanted answered most, she didn't want to come off as rude by trying to give him 20 questions with no time for answers. "What... purpose do you have with the log?"

CODED BY DUCKIE OF GS

[COMFERANS]

Why don't we hide in the trunk of this tree for a while? Promply, the ill fated man parried and riposted the questions they thrust upon him, objecting, "Why..? WHY?! NEED THEE TO ASK?" His posture straightened as he took a strong, emboldened stance. As his feet spread firmly, the canopy opened in the breeze, letting the morning sun shine upon his incandescent pride. He rested his hands on his hips; his chin was high and his eyes fierce. Flecks of dust drifted calmly past his glowing image, as he gave his speech. His words rang with such passion and conviction that a listener's spine may tingle. "Why does the sculptor carry chisel? For what, might a farmer carry scythe? What gain, has a blacksmith from a hammer?" His stance shifted slightly, as he rest his massive boot upon the log. The massive weight of this burly man and his metal suit raised the other end of the log. It dangled ever so slightly into the air as his sheer mass of muscle and steel sank the log into the solid soil. "A warrior, be I; and lo, this trunk before you be the tool of my craft, so foul." The degree of seriousness in his expression must have been truly impressive to the two of them, as such a statement was more often than not in jest. "Lo," he elaborated, "... for to the eye untrained , it shan't be but a simple tree, stripped of root and branch. Though, be not deceived by looks alone; for within it, lay trapped a mighty spear that shall vanquish man and beast alike." Balling his fist before himself, and staring intently at it, he focused his passion and pride into grim determination. "But it is not to be just any spear; I will belong to it, before it will belong to me. A weapon of legend is not simply made; it is nurtured, and grown. I will not rest until I have taken the life of a foe, seven fold -- before I could even dare to unleash the potential this mighty trunk." He held his fist to his chest, and met his onlookers with a cold gaze. "It will be a spear so fierce, that it had ended seven lives while it was still a tree. I shall name it, 'The Spear of Seven Souls,' and with its might, I will see that it pierces the flames of hell itself." Seconds passed, after his glorified monologue, before he finally summarized his lengthy answer with, "... so, if thou could'st lend thy hand to raise it from rest, I would be largely pleased..!" The man then flashed a friendly thumbs up, to show his audience his appreciation. [ tagged: Lyrica victorie ] [ muse ]

made by nette of gs / yasna of apo

[victorie]

Wow...

He's kinda cute!

Victorie watched, her expression quite blank as her eyes blinked quickly as the man before her gave his speech. Her brows would eventually furrow, and then perk one by one as she put on just the queerest smile. She's trying to hold it in, she's trying very, very, very hard.

PFfff-Fffbth!" She'll suddenly snicker as he reaches the part about the seven souls, a gloved hand covering her mouth as she screws her eyes shut and snorts under her breath. She can't just laugh in his face like that, but wow. She loved her some fanciful language, and the conviction was simply inspiring! To say nothing of the fact he was quite certainly the most interesting beef cake she had ever met. So, she would shoot a sidelong glance to the woman next to her, tilting her head a bit upwards as she shot her a wink and then put a hand to her stomach to bow before the knight and his fallen log. "Indeed my valiant companion, but what would one do to return the favor of such an arduous task that you have put upon two fair maidens?" She'll ask, blinking once more as she puts on her most innocent expression and lets her hands rest on her hips, no matter HOW MUCH she really, really wants to shoot him a thumbs up in return.

And damn, she really wished she could get her hair to sparkle like that. But... She's quite honestly comparing this more to an encounter with a beast of myth than a real person.

### | @tagged | notes

❖ nox ❖

[Lyrica]

some coincidences are deliberate

COMFERANS, victorie

The loud exclamation in response to her question, caused Lyrica to squeak a little and seek shelter by moving to stand behind Victorie. Conviction and dramatic lighting aside, there had been a lot of noise very quickly and Lyrica had not been prepared for it. So she'd gone for cover, such as it was. Emerging her head cautiously to ensure that she wasn't going to get bowled over by the force of the knight's words, she emerged, a good deal more timid than before her questioning.

She let Victorie speak, though mentally she still struggled with several aspects of what the knight had said. Slaying an enemy sevenfold, well... there weren't too many things that could even resisting being slain onefold (if that was a true number, it probably wasn't). Slaying something sevenfold was... difficult perhaps. Maybe that was the analogy he was trying to make?

And for that matter... why a log? The archer still didn't understand why the knight would use a log as a weapon over literally anything else. Obviously he couldn't reach it if he managed to drop it, and what merits did it have over a lance, or even an axe or sword? It's weight? That seemed like more of a liability. In that manner Lyrica was grateful she didn't really have any armor to wear, particularly not the heavy, cumbersome armor of a knight. If he wanted the log though, she wasn't sure she'd even be able to lift it at all, help or not. An idea did strike her though. "U-uhm... i-if..." she trailed off timidly. She still had a lot of progress to be made on the courage front.

CODED BY DUCKIE OF GS

[COMFERANS]

Why don't we hide in the trunk of this tree for a while? "Hmm," the young man pondered to himself, searching for a way to repay the favor he asked. "Thou raise a notable point; perhaps it is too unbecoming of a man to ask a pair of strange ladies to raise his lumber for him." He rubbed his chin, completely unaware of what he'd just said to the two blushing young ladies. "I thought nothing of it, at first. Only for it to be raised to my hand -- so I may grip it again, and wonder on my merry way," His face was blank, as he shrugged at them both. "... but since thou both seek equal favor from lifting my log -- surely I could repay thy demands." The knight then began gesturing to his feet and legs explaining the nature of his request. "I might so chance to lift my own lumber, but I simply would not be flexible enough with my greaves on. I might try remove them, but to do so would'st leave my lower half quite exposed to ambush." His palm to the sky, he pointed at Victorie, curiosity in his face. "My question for thee, is what thou doth claim equal labor to lifting my log?" [ tagged: Lyrica victorie ] [ muse ]

made by nette of gs / yasna of apo

[victorie]

Where there is Unity

Victory Lies

Victorie would groooooan and cover her face with her hand, her chin tilted down and the knight trying not to break into a girlish giggle regarding the comment about these two blushing maidens (She's pink in the cheeks from mirth for sure!) raising his lumber. In fact, she's not even going to dignify him with a response for a few more moments at least. Clearly she should be keeping her wits about her on the other end! She could be ambushed at any moment!

At least in this pose she does provide ample protection to the cleric hiding behind her, who will at the very least get a cocked eyebrow in response when she tries to speak. She'll shoot looks between the Log Knight and the woman as she purses her lips and tilts her head to the right some with a click of her tongue. She'll even turn up one of her hands to try to convince her she has the floor before that final question is uttered and she is pointed at.

"My dear Knight, I ask for naught but a kiss upon the cheek in return for my service unto you. It would be an honor to carry such a tale to my friends and family." She'll hum smoothly, voice rich and just barely concealing the mirth as she puts a hand to her stomach and bows deeply to COMFERANS. It's the perfect bow even, her right hand sweeping up into the air behind her as she smiles oh so very elegantly. She has some practice it seems!

### | COMFERANS Lyrica | notes

❖ nox ❖

[Lyrica]

some coincidences are deliberate

COMFERANS, victorie, it didn't take me days to get off my lazy butt no >_>;

Lyrica looked at Victorie as she spoke about her 'reward' for helping the errant Log Knight. She didn't thankfully understand most of the innuendo. Which ultimately would be probably a case for things going bad. "I... I think we can get your wood up so you can get your hands around it." She still wasn't certain about the odd man, but she certainly hoped there weren't going to be any ambushes! She didn't know if her heart was prepared for something like that.

But then there needed to be a reward... Lyrica's face flushed. No, no that was much too sudden for someone like her, and she'd feel guilty if she was to get the same reward. "Y-you don't have to do anything for me." No that wasn't a a good way to phrase it. She hesitated , trying to think of a good way to properly phrase it in such a way that wouldn't seem like she was spurning hospitality.

"That is... j-just helping is enough?" She couldn't think of anything else, she really couldn't think of anything that she wanted, and if they were going to help, she was going to sincerely try her best. But she wasn't that strong. Even practicing archery with her bow back in the woods outside her home, she'd never been a terribly muscular person. She just wasn't built like that. The two of them might not be able to lift that log, especially if they couldn't get under it to get a grip on it. Thinking, Lyrica frowned and looked intently at the log, as if willing it to begin lifting. That wasn't helpful at all though, since she didn't have magic.

CODED BY DUCKIE OF GS

[COMFERANS]

Why don't we hide in the trunk of this tree for a while? A big, idiot grin sprawled across his face as the pair of ladies offered their assistance with virtually no thought of reward. It warmed the lad's heart to know that such noble intentions were still alive. "Zounds," he exclaimed in disbelief, "... m'lady would command that her repayment be to do me yet another favor? What madman would decline?" His focus shifted back to his log, his weight shifting onto his log as his face became riddled with pensive contemplation. He glared at the crude chunk of wood as his head swirled with hindsight. "Come it cross my mind again," he muttered, almost ashamed of himself. "... mayhap I should bind my weapon with rope; lest it betray my grip in days to come." Eventually, he shuffled off of his log, and glanced back to them both, concluding, "Either way, would'st thou both come to aid? I grow weary of staring longingly at my polearm, grand." [ tagged: Lyrica victorie ] [ muse ]

made by nette of gs / yasna of apo