3.1 Waters Take Him
Gargulec
impact!
- Location
- a garden
Unanimous votes! All of them for one and the same option, that is not obeying! The thing has spoken. Or something. Also, this is the bonus update!
At Cu's words, you did not move, even though your heart fell swollen and your muscles week; terror came over you. And for a while, all was silent around the fire, and all eyes were on you. And then Cu spoke again, his voice light, as if he was just a witness to a juggler's play.
His words were as such: "I was told that the women of Liefs are of such meekness that they meekly submit even when their life and virtue is at the stake."
He came closer to you and leaned over you, and his smile was altogether cruel.
"Yet for all of my urgings, you sit still; but unlike a female from the lands that are my own, you do not reach for the spear to defend yourself. A half-breed you must be, born of more courageous blood. Or deaf, for I am yet to hear you speak."
Others laughed at his words, and it only encouraged him further. He stepped back and presented himself to others, and his next words were in a mocking tone.
"But I know only of submission, and of fighting, and if you do not fight, you will submit, and yield me your spot by the fire. But as you are obviously weak, I will grant you that:
you can have the spear, while I will only have my bare hands!"
A roar of laughter went through the men at the fire; the only two who did not laugh were Reik and Notker, and only Notker spoke, standing up. And his words were harsh like lashes, and he declared that if Cu cuts you a finger, his arm will be taken at the shoulder, and at this the laughs died, and even Cu withdrew from you, taking his spear with him, and leaving you be for the night. But although you retained your place by the bonfire, you did not sleep easily or in fact at all; and so you watched the starless sky until it turned grey and it was the time for you to go with the river's flow once again.
Although the previous day was one of stories and games, this seemed cursed by silence and sombreness; few spoke, and when they did, it was in rough words, and often called each another not by the name, but rather by a derogatory moniker, and so you found that you were now referred to as "Notker's whore", and while previously they seemed indifferent towards you, now they treated you like one may treat a servant, that is unkindly and harshly, and sparing you little good word. And the sky above, though yesterday iron, now seemed leaden and heavy, as if a storm was to break.
Once again, you sat at the edge of the ship and wondered where the river Charm was taking you next, and whether the Saints would deliver you there safely, or would you perish on the day, or see worse things happen to you. Doubt once again took root in your heart, and although you tried to cheer yourself with the words of a prayer, they did not bring such consolation as to lift you up from the dark. And you wondered, too, whether it was because the kind of you was not fit to make pilgrimage, and that perhaps you should had stayed at your father's side and tended to him. In the dimness of the light and the silence of the bog, your whole endeavour seemed almost stupid to you.
It was then that you heard raised voices, and turned to see Reik discussing some matter with king's man Notker, who seemed very wroth with him. You did not catch what was the source of his displeasure, but aside from the look on his face, he was quiet, while Reik (as he was wont to do) grieved about the way he was treated and respect he was not receiving, and which was his due, and how Notker should be more mindful of him and perhaps more thankful, for he did much for both of them and gratitude was his due. Finally, his voice raised, he demanded he should be paid immediately and without delay, at which the patience that Notker had ended, and he reached for his sword and struck Reik in anger, and seeing that the blow was grievous, he cursed in an ugly fashion and shoved the man off the barge and into the river, which took him. Some words were exchanged between the others, but they seemed accustomed to such violence, and resumed their idleness. Thus died Reik.
You sat alone for a time, until Cu approached you and sat next to you, brandishing his spear to test his skill against the fishes of the river, and he spoke to you that it amused him greatly how afraid you were yesterday, but that you should not worry about him, for he had made a vow that he would not touch a woman under the light of the sun or moon, and from that vow his mettle originated, and thus he would not intrude on your virtue. He also told you more of Notker, who had also been known as Notker Red Hand, for he had killed his own brother in a quarrel, and although he spoke little, he was quick to rage and never hesitated to strike with bared steel, and that there were many feuds held against him, and many from his family were killed for him, but he seemed little concerned for that.
And then Cu laughed about Reik, saying that the man who angered Notker such had to be very stupid, and more stupid to make demands from him on his own boat, and that he was surely befriending fishes and eels now.
All while he talked, he skewered fish, but on that fell day, even that task did not go his way, and he did not catch half as many as yesterday. Angry, he put aside his spear, before smiling and handling it to you, asking if you wanted to try your hand at this game (which, as he had explained, was often practiced in the land he came from).
You…
[ ] Accepted and tried to catch a fish.
[ ] Did not accept it, but talked to him more.
[ ] Did not accept it and asked him to leave you, for you were grieving.
3.1 Waters Take Him
At Cu's words, you did not move, even though your heart fell swollen and your muscles week; terror came over you. And for a while, all was silent around the fire, and all eyes were on you. And then Cu spoke again, his voice light, as if he was just a witness to a juggler's play.
His words were as such: "I was told that the women of Liefs are of such meekness that they meekly submit even when their life and virtue is at the stake."
He came closer to you and leaned over you, and his smile was altogether cruel.
"Yet for all of my urgings, you sit still; but unlike a female from the lands that are my own, you do not reach for the spear to defend yourself. A half-breed you must be, born of more courageous blood. Or deaf, for I am yet to hear you speak."
Others laughed at his words, and it only encouraged him further. He stepped back and presented himself to others, and his next words were in a mocking tone.
"But I know only of submission, and of fighting, and if you do not fight, you will submit, and yield me your spot by the fire. But as you are obviously weak, I will grant you that:
you can have the spear, while I will only have my bare hands!"
A roar of laughter went through the men at the fire; the only two who did not laugh were Reik and Notker, and only Notker spoke, standing up. And his words were harsh like lashes, and he declared that if Cu cuts you a finger, his arm will be taken at the shoulder, and at this the laughs died, and even Cu withdrew from you, taking his spear with him, and leaving you be for the night. But although you retained your place by the bonfire, you did not sleep easily or in fact at all; and so you watched the starless sky until it turned grey and it was the time for you to go with the river's flow once again.
Although the previous day was one of stories and games, this seemed cursed by silence and sombreness; few spoke, and when they did, it was in rough words, and often called each another not by the name, but rather by a derogatory moniker, and so you found that you were now referred to as "Notker's whore", and while previously they seemed indifferent towards you, now they treated you like one may treat a servant, that is unkindly and harshly, and sparing you little good word. And the sky above, though yesterday iron, now seemed leaden and heavy, as if a storm was to break.
Once again, you sat at the edge of the ship and wondered where the river Charm was taking you next, and whether the Saints would deliver you there safely, or would you perish on the day, or see worse things happen to you. Doubt once again took root in your heart, and although you tried to cheer yourself with the words of a prayer, they did not bring such consolation as to lift you up from the dark. And you wondered, too, whether it was because the kind of you was not fit to make pilgrimage, and that perhaps you should had stayed at your father's side and tended to him. In the dimness of the light and the silence of the bog, your whole endeavour seemed almost stupid to you.
It was then that you heard raised voices, and turned to see Reik discussing some matter with king's man Notker, who seemed very wroth with him. You did not catch what was the source of his displeasure, but aside from the look on his face, he was quiet, while Reik (as he was wont to do) grieved about the way he was treated and respect he was not receiving, and which was his due, and how Notker should be more mindful of him and perhaps more thankful, for he did much for both of them and gratitude was his due. Finally, his voice raised, he demanded he should be paid immediately and without delay, at which the patience that Notker had ended, and he reached for his sword and struck Reik in anger, and seeing that the blow was grievous, he cursed in an ugly fashion and shoved the man off the barge and into the river, which took him. Some words were exchanged between the others, but they seemed accustomed to such violence, and resumed their idleness. Thus died Reik.
You sat alone for a time, until Cu approached you and sat next to you, brandishing his spear to test his skill against the fishes of the river, and he spoke to you that it amused him greatly how afraid you were yesterday, but that you should not worry about him, for he had made a vow that he would not touch a woman under the light of the sun or moon, and from that vow his mettle originated, and thus he would not intrude on your virtue. He also told you more of Notker, who had also been known as Notker Red Hand, for he had killed his own brother in a quarrel, and although he spoke little, he was quick to rage and never hesitated to strike with bared steel, and that there were many feuds held against him, and many from his family were killed for him, but he seemed little concerned for that.
And then Cu laughed about Reik, saying that the man who angered Notker such had to be very stupid, and more stupid to make demands from him on his own boat, and that he was surely befriending fishes and eels now.
All while he talked, he skewered fish, but on that fell day, even that task did not go his way, and he did not catch half as many as yesterday. Angry, he put aside his spear, before smiling and handling it to you, asking if you wanted to try your hand at this game (which, as he had explained, was often practiced in the land he came from).
You…
[ ] Accepted and tried to catch a fish.
[ ] Did not accept it, but talked to him more.
[ ] Did not accept it and asked him to leave you, for you were grieving.
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