What the hammer, what the chain

[Stelmarisa]

"Erm, how?" Lotte was confused. Surely Gherrick was a thief, not a healer? And anyway, she couldn't see that he had any equipment - no bag for bandages or salve. How he was planning to heal her was a mystery...

She flinched as he took her ankle in his hands, feeling the throb of pain going through it, and up her leg. She didn't have time to comment though, as he bent in his head in prayer, and amazing things began to happen. Her eyes widened at the glow of jewels appeared, and seemed to sink into her skin.
"Oh!" She gasped as the warmth spread underneath her fair skin, knitting together the torn muscle. It felt strange but oddly comforting and she closed her eyes for a moment as he spoke, letting her breath out in one long sigh.

The comfort didn't last for long though, as she warmth began to subside and her mind started to race. She looked at him worriedly, eyes flitting around the lawn to make sure they were alone.
"Was that magic? You can't do that here!" She whispered, voice urgent with worry. "You could be arrested!"

[visualspice]

Gherrick tried to hide his cringe at her reaction as he smiled through it.
"The world already knows I have magic," he informed her. "I've been hunted for a time, a large bounty on my head." Shaking his head, he remained near her, but did not dare get any closer.
"The world only sees me as a mage, as a thief; assassins and bounty hunters see the high price of my head, especially alive; and the poor see me as a hero, one defying the diluted laws and regulations against  those people repressed and hungry, those people who cry out to be saved, to be free."
His eyes studied hers most serious.
"I'm sorry I never told you before, Lotte. But I am a wanted criminal, if not for the mere acts of stealing bread to feed a poor and dying man, and magics used to heal those in need.  Too many people want my head," his eyes danced at the expression in a dark wonder. "But they haven't gotten it yet. And I aim not to let them get it at all."

"I'll understand if you don't want to see me again." he bowed before, humbled. "But I will not ever hold it against you." HE tried to smile. "How could I when I adore those well at dance, and well, your dance appears to be exceptional."

[Stelmarisa]

"Hmm." Lotte was silent as Gherrick spilled out his secrets, considering his words. Yes, she had known all along that he was a thief, but this was something more - magic was a dangerous trait to have in Connlaoth. She didn't want to see him dragged off and executed. And how often did he use it? One of the benefits of being familiarised with every type of person through her profession was that Lotte had met magic-users before, as well as non-using mages, and everything in between. She wasn't frightened of magic, as most Connlaothians, nor did she think it was evil, exactly, but she didn't understand it.

"Hm," she repeated, after a few moments of quiet. "Well, you need to be more careful. It might look secluded here - and Uthlyn may be safer than Reajh - but there are still Mordecai. Next time, maybe you should wait until we're in private."

She smiled at him then, accepting of his secrets, and folded her hands on top of his. "How can we dance if you are in jail?"

[visualspice]

"Yes, the mordecai," he didn't want to mention he seemed unaffected by them- but the truth of the matter was, he had NO idea how the mordecai would actually affect him. Normally his magics could be used on them ad in their presence, however...
he never relied on it, so he could never tell. For now, he just assumed he was numb to their effects.

"Well, we could dance through the jail cell bars?" he suggested, smirking at her with a boyish grin.

[Stelmarisa]

"Well, maybe, but it might be difficult!" She laughed, trying to picture how such a thing would work. She had never visited a jail, and was relying on stereotypes and hearsay to imagine how it would look. "We might have to dance a long way apart, though... and that is not the most fun. I suppose you could just watch me?"

She returned his smile, the handsome grin warming her. "But how could we show our pleasure after the dance? It's not like we could..." she paused for the briefest of moments, before lifting herself up on her hands, and touching her lips, butterfly-soft, to his.
"... do that."

[visualspice]

For all of his flirting, he hadn't expected her to be the first one to make a move. In fact, he was so ignorant to her advance that he froze the moment her lips neared his then- when she did it, his lips fell open, staring at her with wide eyes before he released a breath, face heating into a blush.

"I.. well I.." he stammered. "I..s.. suppose we could just, uh.. share a kiss through the bars?"
He hoped his mumbling was making some sense, as his mind was in a flutter, barely making any sense at all. His world was reeling. And to think, he was taken so off guard to the simplest thing as a sweet kiss!

"Yes, kissing through jail cell bars sounds kind of romantic, don't it?" he gave a bashful smile, still heated from the kiss as he looked at her, blue eyes bright as he leaned forward, almost as if to kiss her in return, but their lips remained apart, but ever so close together... not even a breath apart!

"Though hopefully we will never have to-" he began, moving a hand to politely, and most delicatley rest against her arm in an affectionate manner, when he touched the light chains that bound her, and found his hands stroking them lightly, before lifting them up with a frown before his eyes returned to hers.

"Is this a fashion statement, or should I be worried why you'd be wearing chains?" his face grew more serious, full of more concern as he looked at her.



OOC: I Hope this post makes sense. Ugh, so tired. XD

[Stelmarisa]

OOC: It made perfect sense! I hope you've had some rest now xD

Lotte's smile was bemused as Gherrick rambled on, stuttering. He had been so flirtatious, seemed so confident, and yet his whole demeanour was thrown off by the slightest of kisses! Amidst her confusion though, she had to admit to a small amount of pride. It was quite flattering, that her smallest attentions could distract him so much.

"Hopefully, there will never be that barrier. After all..." she started to say, but became distracted by the gentle touch of his hand - and then by his query. She frowned, pouting as she thought.

"No, I wouldn't say you had to be worried," she said eventually, with a delicate shrug of her shoulders. "I wear them - in some form - whenever I leave the house. It is my own fault... I brought them upon myself." Quietly she reached to take the chain away from him, looping it around her wrist with a casualness that could only be brought on by repetition, and replaced her hand in his.

"Don't think of them."

[visualspice]

"But.." Gherrick began, still frowning as he stared at the delicate silver. "You're in chains." His blue eyes went to hers.
"How long have you had to wear them?"
He could not himself but to get defensive, feeling greatly protective of her and the idea it was 'her' fault- this sweet young woman- who could do such a thing to put her in chains!?

OOC: Sorry it's short, but OMG.. your post was so sweet and cute <3 d'aww the cuteness of Lotte.

[Stelmarisa]

OOC: N'aw thanks! xD I still feel sooo rusty at writing!


"Since I was sixteen," she answered with an impressive air of nonchalance, forgetting that Gherrick had no idea how old she was - and thus, her statement wouldn't help him much. Her history seemed to natural to her by now that it was almost surprising when somebody didn't know about it. Part of that, of course, was that she so rarely met anyone who wanted to know about her own story, rather than boring her with theirs.

"I tried to run away," she offered by way of further explanation. "Sixteen years of living in a brothel, and too many of those as a working girl. I don't know where I thought I was going, but I tried nonetheless. Obviously, I got caught, and now I don't get to keep my own earnings... and I wear these whenever I go out. Sometimes they're less restrictive than this though." Pause. "Sometimes more."

[visualspice]

Gherrick felt his lips sag, his heart going out to her.
"Lotte.." he said, suddenly approaching, and delicately took her hand into his, feeling her soft and gently skin beneath his warm hands and holding it lightly before raising his blue eyes to meet hers. "You don't deserve this life. No one should ever have to be in chains." he informed her. "We.. " he gave a pull at the chains, but just lightly before looking to back to her eyes, his blue eyes wavering, as if with careful tears. "I could help you run away." he offered, as a soft breeze rushed between them, fluttering his dark red hair before his face. "Or I could buy you... anything to see you free."
He squeezed her hand lightly.

"All men and women are created equal. We are not animals. We are not slaves." his eyes began to burn with a fierceness of determination.
"I can not stand to see you so suppressed, when your body.. your heart cries to be free." HIs eyes went to her arms, her legs.. as he lifted up a piece of the chains.
"And it is not fair to suppress someone who just wants to dance..."

[Stelmarisa]

"Oh... Gherrick." Lotte was touched, so touched. She blinked several times, more moved to tears than she had been for a long time.  The breeze that ruffled Gherrick's hair tousled hers too, sending blonde strands of it across her face. Brushing it away gave her valuable seconds to wipe her eyes, and as she tucked it behind her ear she was smiling once again, if a little more sadly than before.

"We'd be caught before we got out of Uthlyn," she pointed out. "I don't see how we wouldn't be. For one thing, to be outside I'd have to be wearing chains, and the guards would spot them as we left."

She sat quietly thoughtful, chewing on her lip. "I don't know... I would love to leave. But I don't know what I would do outside of the brothel." She looked up, suddenly fearful. "It's all I've ever known."

[visualspice]

Gherrick's fingers lightly traced over her chains.
"I think you underestimate my abilities as a thief," he told her, still remaining close, but eyes locked upon the chains before raising his head, blue eyes to meet to hers.
"When there's a will, there's a way." he gently moved a hand forward, brushing some more hair from her face.  "And I'm sure you could find something useful to do with your freedom. I have many connections within the city and without. I'm sure we could take you far from here, to another place where you could make your own choices, be free...."

[Stelmarisa]

She laughed. "Well maybe I do- I suppose you must be quite good at breaking through locks and chains, yes?" Her eyes fluttered shut as he brushed her hair away, feeling the warmth of his hand on her delicate skin.

"That does sound good... but I don't have any skills, or useful talents. I don't know how I'd make a living. Or how I'd live on my own... I've only ever lived with dozens of girls, with someone telling me what to do and where to be, all day." Lotte shivered suddenly, even under the sun that was now risen fully, warming the grass.

[visualspice]

Gherrick stared at her for a good long while in silence before saying, "Well, you could always be a thief." His lips lifted leftwardly against his cheek as he looked down at her, squeezing her hand lightly. "I could even show you how to fight." He grabbed his bo staff, moving it towards his side and twirled it a bit just for finesse.
"You could be the best thief out there, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor! Maybe I could even make a name for you!" he laughed wondrously, hoping his humor might lighten the dreary mood.

[Stelmarisa]

Lotte joined in with Gherrick's laughter, her eyes following the progress of the bo staff through the air. She didn't know exactly what it was for - to her it seemed more an art of magic than weaponry. But either way watching him wield it was impressive.

"I don't think I'd make much of a thief," she admitted with a shrug. "But I like the idea of helping the poor. Maybe do something that helped others..." she trailed off, thinking wistfully of a life she could barely imagine. It seemed fantastic, unattainable, and yet... maybe it could happen someday.

"I could fight though!" She laughed again cheerfully, holding up her small fists in a fighting pose to Gherrick.

[visualspice]

Gherrick let out another laugh, then upon seeing her fists, he gasped and began to back away, hands up in surrender.
"My fair lady, you would threaten a gentle man in such a manner? Your fists, they are most unbecoming, and dare I say, make you appear dangerous whenever I was more taken by your innocent demeanor." He shook his head, giving her a boyish grin.  "Though perhaps this is just a surprise attack?" he said, dodging around, as if anticipating an attack from his new on coming foe!

[Stelmarisa]

Lotte laughed delightedly as Gherrick humoured her and sat up on her knees, mocking a fighting stance. "Ah, you back away, Gherrick!" she cried, her face lit up as she shuffled towards him, fists by her face.

"Come and fight me, like the dangerous criminal that you are!" She teased him wickedly, eyes dancing, and aimed the gentlest of blows at his shoulder.


OOC: A shorty, but real fight scenes are hard to make long, let alone play-fight-scenes!

[visualspice]

"I back away out of fear, I assure you!" the man replied, his face still swollen in a smile. "I don't know how I could dare fight a lady so fair- and this situation, I find myself in, even more unfair," he shook his head, still backing away and when her gentle fist struck his shoulder-
he let out the mightiest death cry as he clutched onto his pretend wound. Soon he was on his knees in pretend agony, wallowing away into the grasses.
"Oh, I think she got me! The agony of defeat! Such agony!" he cried, and with a dramatic hand to his forehead, he collapsed at her feet, playing dead.
"The great..." he began, voice choked by fake death. "The great Gherrick has been defeated by none other than that.." and he opened his eyes, just to let her see the twinkle in his eyes. "By that of a lady so fair." he said, smiling up at her, then sagged to the side, tongue lulling from his mouth as he made a gross noise to imply death as he sighed away~ body nestled t her feet within the grass.