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 Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:55 pm
Raye cursed, grimacing in pain as the cuts on her feet opened again. She had no idea how she had come to be in woods in the middle of nowhere, but this path seemed the best way to get out, and so she’d done her best to follow it. It wasn’t very easy going, the trail wasn’t very well cut and a lack of shoes only made it more difficult. Perhaps, she thought, she’d been drugged. But how would that have happened? She would’ve noticed if someone else had been in locker room, right? Someone had been here recently, despite the overgrown path. Raye was no tracker but the prints were clear enough, seeming to confirm suspicions of kidnapping. But why leave her out in the woods? It seemed pointless. Unless…she grimaced, remembering the way the colors had seemed. No, that wouldn’t be it, she would’ve felt different if that had been it.
It was quiet here, unusually so. Raye hadn’t been out in the woods much, but you’d think so near Seattle there would be some kind of noise. Even on the Olympic Peninsula there were roads near by. Dark would be falling soon. She wasn’t sure how far she’d walked today but the path seemed long, and she didn’t want to spend another night in the woods, at least before she’d had the ruins for some shelter. It was creepy out here, and cold. Shivering, she paused to glance at the sky. It would be dark soon. Her stomach growled, reminding her to start walking again. All she knew how to identify were blackberries, yet she hadn’t seen anything like that today.
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:18 pm
Dusk indeed was quickly approaching, and fortunately for Raye, there was someone else out there in the forest, in fact, several people, all on horseback. Moving slowly along, and coming out from a nearly invisible side path that came out to the same that Raye was on, before she could see them, she could certainly hear them
" Tough day for hunting huh? something sure seems to have alot of the game spooked"
"Aye, very slow day, we were lucky to get those few pheasants that we did...wait hold up"
The three figures stopped, with the lead raising up a lit lantern on a long pole, illuminating the path and Raye from the long shadows that were growing with the coming darkness. The horseriders in front and rear were in plain brown & green tunics, cloaks and breeches, each with a quiver of arrows and a bow slung over their backs. The one between the two, was dressed in in more colorful clothing with a dark blue and blackcoat, and a stringer of three dead birds slung over the neck of his horse.
The Baron looked at Raye curiously, the young lady had unusual clothing but definitely didn't look like she was prepared to be out in the woods, and certainly not at night and alone, she didn't even have shoes.
"Ma'am are you alright?" the Baron asked
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 4:53 pm
Okay, this was crazy. Her first impulse was to run, to get as far away from this strange place as possible, away from these strange men who dressed like they were going to a medieval fair. But logic stayed her feet, or perhaps the cold. Instead she opted for gawking, wide-eyed at the sight before her. Who went hunting on horseback with bow and arrows? These would have to be some serious nerds. Was that sort of thing even legal? Swallowing her anxiety she tried to explain, as calmly and coherently as possible.
“I have reason to believe that I was kidnapped, possibly drugged. Could you please direct me to the faire? I need to call the police. Also my boss will probably be worried. Do any of you have a cell I could use?”
They had to be close to a town, this was probably some sort of re-enactment or something. She could contact the authorities and find out what had happened, everything would be alright, right? Unless they’re the reason you’re out here, a voice in the back of her head whispered. Trying to brush away her nervousness, Raye fidgeted slightly, tensed to run.
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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 4:57 pm
The three men looked among themselves for a moment, before the Baron turned back towards Raye. "Young lady, the Faire won't be for some time, perhaps you ought to rest a moment, collect your thoughts."
Randall climbed down from his horse, and motioned for the others to do the same, securing their mounts to trees but standing back as the Baron took out a canteen from a saddle bag, and walked over to to Raye and offered it to her.
"I'm Randall Thrydwulf, Baron of Loghedge. You said you were kidnapped and possibly drugged? Do you know who might have done this, what do you remember?" the Baron asked, getting a better look at Raye and her unusual clothing. "May I ask your name and where you are from?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:54 pm
Wait, if there wasn’t a…then why were they dressed like this? She took a step back as the baron offered her the canteen. “I’m…Raye. I’m from Seattle.”
Ignoring the water proffered at her, she scanned the the three men. This was getting weirder and weirder. She’d never heard of a Loghedge, and barons didn’t exist anymore, right? The title had always made her think of old times, like Transylvania and bad horror movies. And who had a name like Thrydwulf?
“I don’t, I can’t…” Her mind was going too fast, trying to process this information. It didn’t make sense, none of it did, and it didn’t help that she was already trying to focus on not fleeing. “Oh my god, where am I?”
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:03 pm
Randall held the canteen by his side, thinking about what Raye had said,
"You're in Ironwood Forest, and you are very fortunate that we have come across you, there are many that loose their way in the forest every year and never make it back." the baron choose to ignore the fact he never heard of Seattle before, thinking it would only distress Raye more.
"If you want, we can take you back to town, then help you find out what happened and how we can help you"
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:51 pm
Ironwood forest, what kind of a name was that? Maybe she was in Europe. How’d she get to Europe? Running was still and option, but she had a feeling they’d follow her. What choice did she have, really? Starve in the woods or go with these people. Someone would have to have a phone back at Loghedge. Biting her lip, she nodded.
“That would be…good. Thanks.”
It was better than freezing in the woods, and if they’d wanted to hurt her by now they would have. She could warm up and figure out some of this madness.
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 2:11 pm
Randall nodded and thought to himself as he took off his coat. It was now becoming dark as the sun fell further, taking the remaining light with it. The small clearing was now being illuminated solely by the lantern that the other rider had.
"Are you cold Ma'am? I can offer you my coat to you, we aren't too far from the road but it will be a while before we reach town, have you ridden a horse before Raye?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:41 pm
The coat was tempting. She eyed it uncertainly, then shook her head.
“No. Thanks. Umm…” She stared up at the horses. The beasts had large, dull eyes, that stared blankly.
“…It’s never really come up…”
She didn’t like horses much, not even as a little girl. As a city girl she’d never really met them, aside from seeing some out the window on a drive, and she’d never ridden one. They always spooked her a little, something that large and stupid was dangerous.
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 4:16 pm
"As you wish Ma'am" Randall said as he put his coat back on, then motioned for the others to get mounted on their horses and get ready to leave. The Baron moved back over to his own horse, checking the saddle and setting the canteen away in one of the side pouches. It sounded unusual to him that this lady had never had any experience with horses, but he knew they couldn't leave Raye out here alone, and didn't want to scare her any more than she appeared to be.
"No worries Raye, you can ride with me, I'll get on first and help you up" The Baron said as he swung himself up onto the horse, leaving one of the stirrups empty, leaning down and offering out a hand.
"Just place one foot on the stirrup, use my arm to pull yourself up and swing your leg up like you are trying to step over a large fence"
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:06 pm
Pausing, she stepped forward, taking his hand. Her attempt at following the baron’s advice ended up in clinging madly to the side of the horse, legs waving in midair. She was only a few inches off the ground but it felt like a lot more. Forcing herself to let go of the animal, she eased down to the ground, trying again. This time she managed to pull herself up successfully, even if it was not the most graceful mount. She was uneasy, the ground was farther away, and her proximity to the Baron was unervving. She didn’t like to be close to people, even when she knew them. Being this near to a stranger would never have occurred were circumstances not this dire. For now she didn’t really see a choice.
“Okay.” She said, exhaling. “Let’s go.”
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:18 pm
Randall moved himself up on the saddle once Raye was aboard, setting his boots in the stirrups. "You can hold on around my waist or my belt if you wish Raye. Vincent, you take the lead with the lantern, John the back, and travel slow, we don't want to get lost ourselves tonight." The Baron told his hunting fellows and they nodded in reply as they all set off at a slow pace, moving quietly along the path. It seemed like a long time before finally they escaped the dark, intimidating woods, and made it out to the dirt road, and were able to pick up the pace.
It wasn't long before the walls and lights of Loghedge became visible, and eventually they stopped before the bridge. "Raye, I welcome you to Loghedge"
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