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Post by shadowmask on May 4, 2008 21:27:45 GMT
People pushed their way through the crowded market as they rushed to find their items to purchase or sell. A few were yelling off their goods in hope to get extra attention, while others were coaxing people over as they passed their stalls.
ShadowMask let out a long breath as a smile curled on her lips. She had finally reached this place after long days of traveling. Abruptly someone walked right into her where she stood, muttered an apology and walked off. "Well then..." She said to herself, thinking about how convenient that was. "Here is my dinner." With a more mischievous smile she brought out a very crudely made money purse, stolen from the man who bumped into her.
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Post by jakeplatt on May 5, 2008 16:55:54 GMT
Jake walked distractedly through the Market Place. He had no business there, it was the apothecaries on the far side he was heading for, but coming from Nettlestone, it'd been faster to go in the near gate and walk through he market, rather than go all the way round the high walls that surrounded the city. Or he had thought it would be. The market was more crowded than he had expected it to be, and it was an effort not to stand on anyone's feet or trip over.
He'd nearly reached his destination when he walked straight into someone who he was sure hadn't been standing in his path a moment ago. He really needed to stop walking into people when he went to the market. "Sorry" He murmured, keeping his eyes averted. Knowing it his luck it'd been a guard he'd just walked into, or a noble. Not that nobles really vested the market that often, but fate hadn't exactly been kind to him lately, she had no reason to change her tune now.
He was so caught up in his thoughts of fate that he'd taken a good few more steps before he registered the new lightness at his belt. Panic rising in his throat, he put his hands to the place his purse had been "No, no-!" he whispered, eyes widening with fear.
Trying to rationalise the situation, he turned and walked back the way he had come. Maybe it'd come loose when he'd knocked into the possibly-noble. His eyes scanned the floor as best they could, but there were too many pairs of feet to see properly, and terror was beginning to take over, because that purse of money meant the difference between life and death.
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Post by shadowmask on May 5, 2008 23:05:32 GMT
ShadowMask had just settled herself upon a barrel and was just about to count the amount of gold when her eyes noticed a man making his way towards her, looking across the ground. It appeared to be the same man she had just stolen from, though she could not be sure. She had only swiftly saw him when they bumped into each other, and had not cared to look back for a closer look.
Leaning forward with interest she wondered how things would turn out. It was always more fun stealing if you let yourself be caught, which was why she never left far from a place she stole from.
'Now then...' She thought to herself, amusement sparkling in her eyes from the dark of her hood as she brought out the purse and let it dangle from the string from her fingers. 'This might be fun.' She made sure the purse would be plainly obvious to the man, so that she might clarify by his expression if it were indeed his.
One man, who might even had owned the barrel, looked at venomously ShadowMask perched calmly atop, but ShadowMask fearlessly glared him down. With a smile at her accomplishment, she pulled up her hood farther over her head then looked back to the man, wondering if he would react.
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Post by jakeplatt on May 9, 2008 9:52:09 GMT
Jake was trying his best not to start hyperventilating. He’d had to raid the few savings he had to get enough money together for the medicine - not much, by anyone’s measure, just a few pennies, but what with the increasing level of taxes the apothecary couldn’t afford to charge any more than that, for fear of ending up like the people who bought his quackery.
Coughing and spluttering with fear, Jake forced himself to keep looking for the missing purse. They’d been struggling to get by as it was - things were improving since Luke had started working on the farm, but that meant that Jake had to pay him, too, and he’d been beginning to worry that soon he wouldn’t be able to afford that.
But now he had worse things to worry about. Emma had fallen ill a few days ago. At first he’d thought it was just a mild fever, and that it would pass quite quickly with care and rest. But it hadn’t. Each day it’d gotten worse, until she was barely conscious, and when she did come round she was delirious. She’d be mumbling words of fear, calling out for her mother and father, which made Jake’s heart ache, though he didn’t let it show in front of his new farmhand. He hated himself for it, but as much as he loved his sister, part of his mind was worrying about what would happen if she was ill for much longer, or if she could never work again. He didn’t know what would happen to him then.
Tears sprang to his eyes just at the thought of it as he scrabbled about on the floor looking for the lost purse, making it even harder to see what he was doing. He dashed them angrily with his sleeve - if he kept on like this, they’d all end up dead.
It must have been a stroke of good fortune that he looked up just as there was a lull in the crowd, enough for him to see the very object he was looking for, hanging from the hand of someone just a stone’s throw away. He paid no attention to the person who‘d was holding it, he was far more preoccupied with the sight of his salvation “My purse!” he croaked, relief filling his body. Someone had found it. They were saved.
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Post by shadowmask on May 11, 2008 2:47:39 GMT
Stone cold eyes watched the man approach. Her red lips smiled, though her hand secretly sat upon a silvery dagger within her sleeve. She was a thief, and a thrill seeker, but she was also careful. She knew from experience that even those with worrisome faces like he had could prove to be dangerous.
ShadowMask smiled slyly. "Your purse?" She asked the man before bringing it back up into her hand. "Now...I might need some proof of that."
Leaning back, she let out a relaxed sigh. It always felt good to get off of her feet after traveling for a long time on foot, even so, she was careful not to let her guard down.
She forced herself to keep the grin as she looked over his face. He seemed extremely worried for the sake of the purse.
Looking him over she saw that he was not the noble she had assumed him to be. No, just by glancing at his hands she could tell that he was a farmer...but what a farmer was doing with such a fair amount of money she did not know.
She doubted that he would want to fight her for it, though, she was still interested in gaining some entertainment from him.
((Sorry for the late reply))
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Post by jakeplatt on May 11, 2008 13:02:40 GMT
At the woman's request for proof, all the relief drained out of Jake's body. It was only then he started focusing on who it actually was he was talking to - he hadn't even realised it was a woman until she'd spoken. Now he looked at her, he could tell he'd made a mistake. A woman dressed like that was neither peasant nor noble, and the dangerous smile on her lips made him quake. He felt like a rabbit being weighed up by a capricious fox.
And the purse was lost. How could he prove the thing was his? It was a simple leather thing, the same as any peasant might have, with nothing distinctive about it. The only important thing about it were the coins inside, enough perhaps for a watery meal at one of the local taverns, or a tankard of mead. Or a vial of life-saving medicine.
"Please" Jake begged, a last ditch attempt to recover the purse "My sister, she's ill, I need the money for medicine" His eyes filled with tears as he spoke. Ordinarily he would have been ashamed at crying in front of a stranger, but all that really mattered was getting the money back "Please, it's only got three pennies in it, and not even silver ones. Please, that's not even enough for a nights stay here" Jake's voice cracked there, unable to continue with his reasoning any longer. He wished Luke was there, to stand beside him, make him feel stronger. But he was on his own, and if the strange woman didn’t return the stolen purse, he’d probably end up on his own for good.
[OOC- No problem, mine was later ^^;;]
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Post by shadowmask on May 13, 2008 1:16:32 GMT
ShadowMask was enjoying the varied emotions spreading across the mans face untill it came to the last. Quickly she looked away from the watering eyes in order to keep her cold composer...though the cracking voice was impossible to hide from. "Three pennies...?" ShadowMask opened up and peeked inside, finding it to be exactly as he said.
Letting out a sigh she crossed her arms, still being carefull to avoid his gaze. "Then I soppose this was not worth my trouble to start with." She hated the look within his eyes. It was reminding ShadowMask of her fathers reaction when she once refused to give up the life of a thief, even though it was he who taught her such skills. Her father, although not blood related, cared for his daughter dearly, but ShadowMask was to raised too wild and witnessed too much blood to live such a time life. This refusal created almost the same worrisome gaze as the man giving now, so, with a slight hesitation, she tossed it to the ground at his feet. "I had better not find out you were lieing of your riches, or next time you will find me not to be so considerate." She added. Last thing she wanted was for word to go around that she could be a good person. No, this was a new city for her and she wanted to become much more whispered about and feared by nobles than the one they called "Robin Hood".
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Post by Luke Scarlett on May 13, 2008 17:11:36 GMT
(OOC: *Noms on thread* I hope you don't mind me jumping in and upping the tension a little.)
Luke's lungs were burning in his chest and his cheeks were flushed bright red with exertion. He'd run all the way from Jake's farm to the market, the frantic worry that bubbled consistently in his stomach never letting him drop his pace below a sprint. The muscles in his legs were screaming at him to slow down and they trembled with exhaustion almost making him trip and fall as he dodged clumsily around the people going about their business.
Finally he stopped, allowing himself only a moment to stoop and catch his breath he then stood on his toes straining his neck to try and see over the crowds to spot the familiar, dark head of Jake. Luke's gaze quickly sought out his boyfriend and employer and he felt a simultaneous rush of relief and annoyance. Relief that he'd found Jake and could hurry him back to the farm. Annoyance that the man thought he had time to stop and chat to some woman. Emma's fever had spiked alarmingly high. Luke knew he probably shouldn't have left the farm or her unattended, but he'd panicked and Jake was the only person who'd know what to do.
"Jake!" He called before he reached them. It came out as no more than a breathy pant as he had not recovered from the long run to get there. His legs were also protesting to being forced back into movement but he managed to force himself into a jog, darting through the crowd to reach Jake's side. He jolted to a halt seconds too late, colliding into the man and bringing a hand to his shoulder to stop either of them stumbling to the floor.
"Sorry." Luke apologised roughly. He barely even spared a glance at the woman Jake had obviously been talking to, his mind too preoccupied with Emma and the hurry to get home. "Jake, what are you do-." He cut the angry question short as he caught sight of Jake's tearful expression. All his irritation dissipated to be replaced with another layer of worry. "What happened?" He asked, then turned to the woman, tone accusing and eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"
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Post by jakeplatt on May 13, 2008 20:21:11 GMT
Jake's chest tightened painfully as the thief looked down at him before rifling through the purse. If he didn't get it back, he didn't know what would happen. Could he fight her for it? He was physically strong, from years of labouring on the farm, but he lacked the skill needed to survive a fight, let alone survive it. But he couldn't let her get away, it would be effectively condemning Emma to death. He considered asking the people around him for help, telling them his purse had been stolen by that woman, but he doubted anyone would believe him, or be inclined to help.
Just as he felt despair begin to overcome him, he heard the clink of coins as the purse thudded to the ground at his feel. He looked up, confusion in his tear-stained eyes. He was dimly aware that the would-be thief had said something, but he'd been to consumed by his own grief to hear it properly. Hardly daring to believe what had happened, he knelt to pick up the purse, and looked inside - all three coins were still there. Another sob racked his body as the looming despair turned to relief. He would probably have started crying in Ernest, had he not been jerked back to reality by the sound of someone calling his name.
“Luke?” He said, puzzled, as he turned to see who had called him, only to be collided with a moment later. Luke’s forehead connected sharply with Jake’s cheekbone, and it was only sticking both his hands out to grab onto the tops of Luke’s arms that stopped them from tumbling to the floor “What is it?” He asked, suddenly full of worry, seeing how flushed and out of breath Luke looked “What’s happened?” He felt the tears rise unbidden in his eyes again. He didn’t think he could cope with any more trauma.
But then Luke was asking him questions, too. He flushed and took a hand away from Luke’s arm to brush the tears from his eyes, letting the other one fall to his side. “I- I just- it’s nothing, it’s okay” He averted his eyes, looking at the floor. As much as he had wanted Luke there with him, he hadn’t wanted the other man to see him with puffy eyes and a quivering lip. That was hardly what you expected from an employer, or a- well, anyone else.
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Post by shadowmask on May 16, 2008 18:57:14 GMT
ShadowMask was starting to find this whole mishap rather boring and was about to leave when the voice of another caught her ears. With eyes of only mild interest she glanced up at the newcomer. Just by looking at him ShadowMask could see that his personality reflected the opposite of the other. He seemed much more confident and protective.
"Jake and Luke then is it?" She said with a smile. Their names did not mean much to her, in fact, they meant nothing at all, it just so happened that knowing the names of people made her job easier.
Out of habit she pulled her hood farther over her head. It always seemed to make things run smoother when she did that. Something about her blond hair and sea green eyes proved to be more intimidating while hidden. Not that she cared much either way. As long as money was to be made and adventure to be had, she would be content.
It was very apparent that she did not even care enough to answer the question Luke asked her. No, she knew that most people found it much more annoying to be ignored, and ShadowMask loved to be annoy. However, if this man did not prove to be more entertaining than his friend, ShadowMask might move on to another person. That was the beauty of city's. She could steal all day long before rumor and warnings of her started to spread.
((Sorry...again....school kept me busy.))
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Post by Luke Scarlett on May 16, 2008 23:34:54 GMT
Jake's questions fell on deaf ears as, for the moment, all of Luke's attention was on the anger bubbling up at the thought of somebody upsetting Jake. Jake who had taken every penny he'd saved to buy his sister medicine, who was running the farm now that his parents were dead just for the little family he had left. Luke had no illusions that if things were different, if Jake had no family to care for, he could travel and make a life for himself as a writer, a philosopher, and he could leave Nottingham without a backwards glance.
"Yes," He confirmed their names curtly, the smile on her lips seemed to taunt him, daring him to confront her even as she shrank back further into her hood, obscuring her features and making her seem all the more dangerous. He did not care that Jake had said it was nothing, the tearful expression told him otherwise, and having run all the way here Luke was in no mood to just let it drop. "I'm afraid I don't know your name, stranger." He added the last word unnecessarily as an accusation. All the hostility her felt towards this woman pouring to the surface as he spoke it.
"I asked you a question." Luke said coldly, his eyes flashing as dangerously as Will's had the day their father died. "What happened here?" He did not know where all this anger had come from, perhaps it was frustration that had been building as the people of Knighton and the surrounding villages got sicker. The dread as first Kate then Emma fell ill, at the added tension that filled him as he watched Jake worry himself to the brink of sickness and exhaustion. Kate's father had been asking for his pay, especially now that Kate was ill and her contribution was no longer supporting the family, but Luke did not have the heart to put another burden onto Jake's shoulders.
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Post by jakeplatt on May 16, 2008 23:58:20 GMT
"Luke?" Jake persisted with his line of enquiry, even though Luke seemed to be ignoring him "Luke! What's happened? Is everything okay? Is it Emma?" His heart lurched as the last thought came into his head. What if she'd gotten worse? What if it was too late? He felt the panic rising in his chest again and his throat constricted as if an invisible hand was tightening round his windpipe.
Jake looked around fearfully as the Thief addressed them. He'd half hoped she'd leave, knowing that his money was all but worthless, but she seemed content to stay. And she knew their names. The relational part of his mind told him that there was nothing wrong with that - plenty of people knew his name and it had never been a danger to him before - but this woman seemed abnormally dangerous. She had just taken his purse from him, after all, even if he had got it back in the end.
"Luke..." Jake tugged at the younger boy's sleeve as he started firing accusation at the female thief "Leave it, I'm fine" In all honesty, he wasn't, but he'd already established how dangerous he believed the woman to be, and he'd be a lot less fine if Luke ended up getting himself killed. He'd only just buried one loved one, and was seemingly about to bury another soon, he didn’t think his heart could take it if he lost a third.
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Post by shadowmask on May 21, 2008 18:09:37 GMT
ShadowMask looked between the two boys, her eyes sparkling with amusement...not that any could tell from the darkness of her hood. Once again she considered leaving, but another side to her sensed that things might become more interesting. Of course she planned to help aid this event on its way to entertainment.
With but a sly smile to Jake's hostility, ShadowMask sprang without effort from the barrel to her feet and made a deep, mocking, bow with exagerated movements of the hand. "ShadowMask, thief and assassin at your service." She said with a small laugh. She still had no intention of answering his first question, no, after that she guessed he could figure it out himself if he had enough wits.
"Now...what are you...." She glanced at his hands and tanned skin. "Another farm boy perhaps?" Her voice became much more insulting. "Tell me...what is it like wasting your life away on that land of yours for the sake of a few pennies? I can not imagine it being worth it all...." She read it easy from the face of Luke... he seemed to be angered quick when others threatened those close to him, so that was what she planned to work with. "...not with someone like him living with you..." She made a casual motion to Jake.
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Post by Luke Scarlett on May 25, 2008 11:00:48 GMT
Jake continued to question him and Luke knew that he should answer, tell his friend that Emma's condition had worsened and that they should hurry back. Instead his own foolish anger prevented him from doing the right thing. He turned to Jake, his expression softening from the ugly scowl that he was directing at the woman. "It's fine, Jake." He said quietly. "Emma will hold until we return, she's strong." It was a lie and one that could potentially have terrible consequences.
Luke could no longer look at Jake. His friend's face was still wet with tears, dark circles under his eyes from sleepless nights only made the guilt worse. It was twisting in Luke's stomach and he felt like he was going to be sick. His own stubborn pride was stopping him from letting this drop and it would be on his shoulders if Emma died. He remembered what it had been like when Will abandoned him at the castle to go and avenge their father. He'd sworn he would never do the same to anyone, yet here he was lying to his friend just so he could square up to this masked woman over an unknown slight.
The woman's extravagant bow brought all the anger rushing back, flooding away any doubts that this wasn't the right course of action. He stared at her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, but even burning with rage he had not missed the grace with which she moved. If it came down to it his unskilled strength would probably not be enough. A fight with this so called ShadowMask would be foolish but Luke found he didn't care, he was too riled up to back down now.
Her introduction made it clear to Luke what must have happened. She'd tried to take the few coins Jake had, the ones he needed for Emma, and that was unforgivable in Luke's eyes. Jake had so much to deal with already with the farm and struggling to make ends meet, caring for his sister and dealing with the death of his parents. But he'd still found the time to take Luke on, give him the job he desperately needed, even though he was unskilled and clumsy. Even though there were a dozen other lads out there who could do the work twice as well as he could.
She was an assassin too. A trickle of fear undermined the fury in Luke. She'd as good as admitted she was capable of murder. Just because she was paid to kill somebody did not mean she was not willing to commit the same act when there was no money involved. Especially when she'd tried to steal a purse over a couple of pennies. Was she working for the Sheriff? Would she head into the forest after his brother and the rest of Robin's gang after this?
ShadowMask was openly taunting him now and it was all Luke could do not to snap and hit her. She seemed to be reading his mind, digging up all the frustrations that burned in him every day and bringing them to the surface. The betrayal he felt at not being allowed to join the gang. At having to go and work on a farm for pittance. The only reason he had not run away to the forest and stubbornly insisted he be allowed to join was Jake. And she dared to suggest he was not worth it.
"You're wrong!" He growled, voice shaking with pent up anger. He took a step towards her, one hand still clenched into a fist at his side the other raised to point accusingly at her. "We'll be on our way..." He paused, allowing his words to sink in, then continued. "After you've apologised to Jake." Luke had chosen the one thing he did not think she would do. He was itching for a fight, adrenaline already making his heart beat faster in his chest and stubborn rage making it impossible for him to back down, choose the safer path.
(OOC: Woah uber, I guess I found my muse ^_^;; )
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Post by jakeplatt on May 25, 2008 14:56:26 GMT
Jake calmed slightly at Luke's comforting words. Emma was alright, or as alright as was possible, and she hadn't gotten worse. It was a relief, and if it wasn’t for the imminent danger posed by the smirking thief, he might have relaxed.
He momentarily wondered why, then, it was that Luke was in the market place, but didn’t have time to ask before the thief launched herself from where she was sitting, advanced on them and introduced herself. An assassin? Jake had realised she was dangerous, but not that dangerous. He felt the fear and panic start to take hold of him again, made even worse by how angry Luke seemed to be getting. He was still worried the younger man was going to get himself hurt, and even if Emma condition hadn’t worsened, Jake didn’t want Luke injured.
Jake felt as if his insides had iced over at Shadowmask’s words. He’d spent his whole life trying to be something more than a farmer, fighting against his circumstances. Who was this woman to salt his wounds? He wanted to yell at her, to maker her understand that he was more than that, that he was versed in Plato, Socrates and Aristotle, that he could speak Latin and Greek, that poetry came as naturally to him as breathing, but part of him had already given way to despair. No matter what he said, the woman wouldn’t believe him, probably wouldn’t even care. She’d probably laugh in his face.
However, he didn’t have to say anything, because Luke spoke for him. He was touched that the other man sprung to defend his honour, but he couldn’t help but panic again. Shawdowmask didn’t look like the kind of person who apologised. She looked like the kind of person who’d knife you in the guts as soon as look at you. “Luke, you don’t have to…” Jake muttered. He wanted to get as far away from there as soon as possible, and he wanted to see his little sister again.
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