Second Chance (M)

[Wild]

Wild smiled sadly when Kilarhas showed sympathy afting hearing her story. "Thank you," she replied softly, sitting still as he continued cleaning her wounds. It stung now and then, but she knew it would be better once the wounds were bandaged.

She listened with interest when he started telling his own story. It did not surprise her to hear that he was a prince of blood. He did have an air of command around him. Her eyes filled with compassion when she heard him telling about his parents, so much less loving than her own. While she had kept her parents for only 5 years, they had still been loving the short while she kept them as her family.

She did not like the evil lord who sought to take over the Kingdom of Kilarhas and was glad to hear that Kilarhas and his friends had assassinated him. But a frown crossed her face when she heard how his friends later stabbed Kilarhas in the back, leaving to him to take all the blame. What kind of friends were they? Nobody betrayed their friends like that!

"I'm sorry," she said softly, spontaneously placing her hand over his for a brief moment to show her sympathy. "It was rude of your friends to pin it all on you - and it was even worse that your father believed in them and banished you. I know I am no angel, but I could never stab someone's back to feather my own nest..."

She smiled when he spoke of traveling the world and seek adventure - it sounded like a lovely and free life, a life that she could only dream of before she met him. She mused for a moment when he asked her what she wanted to do with her life and what kind of job she would like.

"You know, I have never given it much of a thought," she said. "Before I met you I lived a very unsafe life. I never knew if I would live to see the next morning, and kinda tried to survive one day after the other. It never occured to me that I would have a future."

She mused for a moment thinking of what kind of job she would like.

"I am  not sure," she said. "I guess my choice is kind of limited, since I don't know how to read or write. I imagine reading and writing increases your chances in a job hunt. The only thing I know is stealing - but I don't want to steal. I also know my way around a tool box and can repair things that get broken."

[JackieCat]

"You said you were good with a bow and daggers," Kilarhas said, continuing to tie on the bandages. "You could become a ranger or a mercenary.  Or you could be an adventurer and quest-taker." Kilarhas laughed. "I do all of those things!  Though if I take a job as a mercenary I only do it for good causes."

When he finished binding the wounds he stood and walked around the bed to sit beside Wild.  "Those wounds, though deep and long, are not infected," the elf said, "and they should stay clean with the poultice I put on them and if we regularly change the bandages."

He carefully took her hand in his own and started to gently feel her fingers for any breaks. "You know, I can help you learn to read and write, if you like," he said. "Though I must admit, I may not be the best teacher."

He set down her hand.  "Two of your fingers are broken, your right finger and middle finger, does your other hand hurt?"

[Wild]

Wild smiled by the thought of the things Kilarhas said she could become. "What is a mercenary?" she asked. The expression was new to her, as her former Masters were men of poor if any  education and had used simpler words. "It sounds fun to be able to travel the world and seek adventure though. I don't know how to be a ranger. Can you teach me?"

She was glad to hear that her wounds were not infected. There were times where she had worried as she laid herself to sleep and felt the aching of her wounds. "Thank you," she said as he finished binding her wounds. "It doesn't hurt as much now that they are taken care of. I agree that we should change the bandages regularly."

She allowed him to take her hand into his, knowing it was necessary if he was going to examine the hurt in her hands. Her face lit up in a smile when he offered to teach her how to read and write. "I would love to learn how to read and write," she said softly. "And you are the only one who has offered to teach me. Thank you."

She nodded when he informed her as two of her fingers were broken. She had been unable to bend them after the Captain of the city guard and his men had tortured her. "My other hand hurts too," she said. "It hurts when I try bending my fingers, but at least I can see them moving when I try bending them."

[JackieCat]

"A mercenary is a person who does jobs for people for a sum of money," Kilarhas said, taking Wild's other hand in his and feeling gently. "They most often do fighting jobs, but not always.  They may guard a caravan, take a quest, even take in someone for a bounty."

Kilarhas set her hand down and got up, walking over to his bag. "Those fingers are not broken," he said. "One is sprained, and the others badly bruised." he picked up some of the things that he had taken out of the bag and went back over to Wild, sitting again beside her.  He set the things between them and took the hand with the broken fingers. "I can teach you to be a ranger," he said, and then, in one, quick, motion, he snapped two bones back into place. "Sorry!" he said. "I know that was probably painful, but if I hadn't done it, the bones would have grown back in the wrong places.  When the pain goes away I'll continue," he said. "Tell me when you're ready."

[Wild]

Wild listened to Kilarhas as he explained to her what a mercenary was, whimpering a little with pain as he felt over her other hand. "Fighting jobs?" she said. "I don't know.... I know how to defend myself, and I do so when it is needed, but I don't see myself as a warrior. The quests sound fun though. What kind of mercenary jobs do you do?"

She was relieved to hear that the city guard had not been able to break fingers on both her hands. She watched as he set the things between them, wondering what they were. "I think I would love to become a ranger," she said, then giving a loud squeal of pain as he snapped the two bones back to place. "Especially if you are going to teach me."

"Oh, that hurt," she whimpered, wiggling her fingers. Then a smile crossed her face when she felt the pain slowly fading away. "But now it feels much better. Thank you so much..."
She took a break and caught a deep breath, nodding when he said he would continue when the pain went away. "I am ready now," she said. "Please continue..."

[JackieCat]

Kilarhas nodded when she said to continue.  He started to put a splint on her two broken fingers and then gently but firmly bind a bandage around them. "For your other fingers we will have to use ice, if the bar has some.  I'm pretty sure they would, but if not, we'll just have to use a rag soaked in cold water.  As well as that I'll have to bind them together, it will help with the swelling."

"As for mercenary jobs," Kilarhas said, continuing to bind her fingers in splints. "I most often guard caravans and take quests.  I also am hired to go after evil beings and people.  I do that anyway, but I have to make a living, the coin doesn't hurt!"

[Wild]

Wild sat still, allowing him to treat her broken fingers. Even if it hurt a bit when he bandaged them she knew the wounds would heal faster now that they had been bandaged. She nodded when he spoke of ice or a rag soaked in cold water.

"I am quite certain there will be ice in the bar," she said. "Considering how many humans who like ice in their drinks."

She listened when he spoke of mercenary jobs. His words about caravans and taking quests sounded exciting, also the part going after evil beings and people. "If you ever get a mission going after my former Masters," she said. "I will be more than willing to help you catch them. I know all their hiding places and how to get there. I also know how to open the locks to each hiding place."

[JackieCat]

Kilarhas raised his eyebrows and nodded when she said she could help him catch her former captors.

"That would be very helpful, Wild," Kilarhas said. "Where do your captors live?  Are they here, in Zantaric?  Or somewhere else entirely?"

[Wild]

Wild nodded when Kilarhas asked if she could help him catch her former captors. Even if she did not have the physical strength to tackle Master to the ground, she did know how to open his advanced locks and contraptions. Because she couldn't read or write she had developed an excellent memory, remembering all the things she had seen. She could even have copied down Master's notes on a piece of paper word for word, even if she could not have read it afterwards to explain what it said.

My former Master was a disgusting pig, calling himself Professor Frank N. Stein," she explained. "And he kept himself with an equally disgusting creep called Igor. He stays mainly here in Zantaric, where his main laboratory is - and it is here he keeps the majority of his prisoners. He does travel a bit though, trying to find new victims to put into his hellish contraptions."

She shuddered, and her pale skin got a pale green addition in color. "I don't think you will wish to know what he did to the victims afterwards..." she mumbled. "It was... disgusting... I was supposed to be next. That's why I ran away. I can't overpower Master, as he is a very LARGE man - but overpowering Igor is a piece of cake..."

(OoC: I made Wild's former Master yesterday. He is up for plot if Kilarhas wants to try capturing him ^^ )

[JackieCat]

Kilarhas frowned. "Igor?" he asked.  He assumed they Igor was one of Wild's captors, but whoever they were, they sounded horrible, and Kilarhas couldn't imagine what Wild's life was like after she was captured.

"You're free now, Wild," Kilarhas said. "You don't have to call him master anymore."

Kilarhas knew from past experience that if you called a being by it's true name, it lowered the fear factor, despite how horrible the being was.  Rather than calling a shadow demon 'The Dark Lord', calling by it's true name makes it less terrifying, at least by a small amount.

[Wild]

(OoC: Igor is Master's assistant, played by my RL best friend Silvertongue. She is also eager to get to plot with you ^^ )

Wild nodded when Kilaras asked about Igor. "His name is Igor Shutupsky Petrov," she said. "Shutupsky is the name M.... Professor Stein uses when he's mad at him. And that, truth be told, is quite often. He is a sly little sneak of a man, but strong. He uses dirty tricks when he fights and will stab your back if you turn away from him. I think in a pressed situation he would sell out his own mother if he had one."

She looked worried when Kilaras said she was free. "But for how long?" she asked. "I have been their prisoner for 13 years. I know way too much about them - about their secrets. Do you really think they will just let me leave to live my own life? I fear they will chase after me and kill me - as I have seen enough to help get them imprisoned for life."

She smiled and looked up at Kilarhas. "I am not afraid when you are here though," she said. "I didn't think men could be as kind as you are... Thank you."

[JackieCat]

"You are very welcome," Kilarhas said. "And, sadly, I agree with you, I do not think you have seen the last of Stien.  But if, or when, they come after you, we will be ready."

Kilarhas finished binding her fingers and looked at her face. "Are there any other wounds that need tending?  Cuts, bruises?"

[Wild]

Wild smiled and nodded when Kilarhas agreed that she had probably not seen the last of Professor Stein. She had expected that much, and she also knew that Igor would be seething with anger after he had discovered she had stolen his lockpicks and helped the other orphans to escape.

"I only hope the others managed to get away," she said. "And that Igor didn't manage to catch them and bring them back. The youngest kid I freed was only 4 years old...  I helped them escape when I freed myself from the orphanage.

Well, it says Orphanage on the door - but in reality it is a run-down house that soon will fall over the poor kids trapped inside. And in the basement Dr. Frank has his secret laboratory and the dungeons for kids who dares to protest.

He uses children and young women for his experiments and keeps them in cages when they are not testing out his contraptions.  I think you would be very angry if I told you what more he does to them..."

She nodded when Kilarhas spoke of being ready for Master and Igor if and when they came after her. It was rather a question of when. "Professor Stein is a fat man and will most likely stay in his secret laboratory or torment the kids at the orphanage," she said. "Now and then he travels with horse and carriage when he has to go somewhere. I doubt he would leave his comfort zone over an orphan - it is more likely he'll send Igor. Igor is not as fat as Professor Stein - he kinda looks like a midget. A rather mean and nasty midget. I think you could easily overpower him if he tries anything. He will fight dirty though, using dirty tricks. I will warn you of that now, so you won't be surprised if you have to fight him."

She blushed and looked down when Kilarhas asked for other wounds. "Mas... Professor Stein tried to cut off my blouse in the front with a sharp knife when he tried to force me into one of his horrible contraptions," she said. "I have a thin, long gash in the skin across my... chest area... I have tried to keep it clean, but I fear it needs stitches. And as you know, it is very hard to patch up yourself... It's easier patching up others..."

[JackieCat]

Kilarhas grit his teeth when Wild told him about Professor Stein and his experiments, but his face softened when Wild told him of the cut on her chest.

"I know of a healer who works near here.  She is a contact of mine, and despite living in Zantaric, is a kind woman," Kilarhas said. "It would be better not to leave this room, in case you are seen by Stein or Igor, but it seems that we should go there now.  She will be able to take care of your wound.  Do you agree?"

[Wild]

Wild could tell from Kilarhas's face expression that he did not like Professor Stein, and she agreed with him. Dr. Stein was the scum of the earth in Wild's opinion, and Igor was not any better.

She was surprised to learn that there were any good people in Zantaric, as she had never seen any the 13 years she had lived here. But if the healer was a friend of Kilarhas, Wild would allow her to take care of her chest wound.

"I agree," she said. "She can't be a bad person if she is a contact of yours. I only hope she won't betray me to Stein or Igor... In case she is one of his connections as well - would you please stay nearby? I feel safer with you around."

[JackieCat]

"Don't worry," Kilarhas said. "I have faith in Cora, but I will stay near."  Kilarhas stood and grabbed his cloak.  "You should wear this, just in case.  We'll get some ice you can hold on your hand on the way to Cora's shop."

[Wild]

Wild nodded when Kilarhas said he had faith in Cora. She had never met the woman, and thus she was quite certain that Professor Stein didn't know her. If he did, she was one of the connections he never spoke of in front of the kids.

"Thank you," she said and put on the cloak Kilarhas offered her. "But what will you wear? I don't want you to feel cold either...."

She whimpered a bit from the pain when she managed to entwine one of her broken fingers into the cloak while putting it on, but after a bit of struggle she managed to free herself without ruining Kilarhas' cloak.

"I am ready," she said and looked up at him with a sheepish smile. "Lead the way please."

[JackieCat]

"I have a second cloak," Kilarhas said when Wild inquired about what he would wear. "It's not as thick as that one is, but it's not that far a walk to Cora's shop."

Kilarhas pulled another, thinner, cloak from his pack and put it on before slinging his pack over his shoulders.  He waited for Wild and then went downstairs to the bar, where he asked for some ice.  The bartender nodded and then went into the back, returning a minute later with a few pieces of ice wrapped in a cloth.

Kilarhas handed the ice to Wild.  "Just hold that on your hand," he said. "It will make the swelling go down and it will feel better besides."

[Wild]

Wild was glad to know that Kilarhas had a second cloak too, even if he had been galant to leave her with the thickest one. "You are kind to borrow me your clothes," she said softly. "I wish I could repay you one day, when I have a proper job of my own and can earn my keep."

Following Kilarhas down to the bar, she gratefully accepted the cloth with the ice and placed it on her fingers. It felt cold, but it was better than the ache she had felt since her fingers were injured.

"Thank you," she said softly to Kilarhas. "Perhaps there is some way to fasten the cloth to my hand so the ice won't fall out?"

As she stood there talking to Kilarhas, she all of a sudden noticed the fat man sitting in a half dark corner of the bar. The man was reading a newspaper and had seemingly not seen her yet, but she could recognize that fat frame and the hideous appearance anywhere. Her face paled, and she looked helplessly up at Kilarhas....

[JackieCat]

Kilarhas frowned when he saw Wild's fearful look, and he followed her gaze to the figure in the corner.  He narrowed his eyes.

"Is that him?"  Not waiting for an answer, he took Wild's hood and quickly pulled it over her face.  Then he took her shoulder and led her towards the door.  He hurried, but not enough to seem strange.

Out on the street Kilarhas started to walk faster. "Did he see you?" he asked Wild quietly as they hurried along.