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| Afternoon Follies | |
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| Topic Started: 6 Apr 2007, 07:31 PM (554 Views) | |
| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:31 PM Post #1 |
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. It was one of those days that the Jamaican sun was stronger than usual. The heat was intense, but with a beachside breeze and the shade of lush vegitation Kisha was finding means to enjoy it anyway. Outside of town, Kisha was picking her way through green, moist soil clinging to her feet. Her bright orange dress was tied high on one side to keep it from dragging, and stood in contrast to her surroundings like some form of tropical bird. It was a simple dress, and appeared as though it may have once been something of much finer quality than it was now. The orange had survived, but it was tattered, especially along the bottom, and worn thin. In this heat, however, Kisha was greateful for that. She had also ripped out the sleeves, leaving her arms bare and the eges along her shoulders with bits of fray. Beyond that, however, it fit her nicely. It was not as tight as some 'upsanding' woman of money might wear one, but it did not leave her figure without definition either. The buttons along the front were all in place, save a few at the top which left her a little exposed, but not overly. She bent to pluck a few flowers, using a yellow hip scarf with faded fringe to collect them in. The hodgepodge collection of beads around her neck and wrists slid and clacked with all her movements, and every step had a soft jingle from a ring of small bells around her ankle. Another strip of yellow was used to tie her hair from her face, but the wild mess of dark curls was far from easily tamed. More than a few strands still found themselves in positions where Kisha had to continually brush them aside. The sade of the trees was a welcomed things, especially for one like Kisha avoiding the sun. Fetching plants in the dark was near impossible, so she had left the day open to tend to these errands. Flowers, roots and leaves were on the shopping list for many purposes: to press out oils for scent, powder for teas, and even in some cases for some small tokens of luck or incantation. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:31 PM Post #2 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. The fashionable hats for ladies were generally not the particularly useful ones -- very pretty, certainly, with little silk ribbons and flowers and the like, but utterly useless for keeping the sun off one's face. Therefore, the wide-brimmed straw hat tied onto Katherine's head with a wide blue sash was entirely unfashionable but kept her face from browning, burning, or freckling. There was even a veil that could be pulled over the face, a silk webbing to discourage insects and lessen heat yet more. Rather than the overly-restrictive and overly-decorated dresses she tended to wear, Katherine now wore a gown of simple pale green and a white underdress, leaving behind most of the extra skirts and petticoats and the like. Her shoes were hard-wearing with barely any heel at all, the leather soft as butter from years of use. She'd done a lot for this -- there was another of those interminable parties tomorrow and a piano recital besides, and she'd perfected the little piece she was expected to play. She had finished her needlepoint sampler to even her mother's exacting satisfaction. She had even gone on a walk in the garden with a fellow (whose name she could not quite recall) her father had invited... some businessman or other who had spoken almost no word to her but had gone on for hours about trading with China. She'd tried a few times to put her own tuppence into this conversation, but when it became clear he had no interest in a woman's opinions, she did as her mother had instructed -- sat still, looked pretty, poured tea. This whatsisname apparently liked that in a woman and had indicated he would call again. So for all this she was given the reward of wearing rough clothing and walking out in the sunshine, as long as she avoided the actual light of said sun. It was all very well with her -- dwarfed somewhat by the folded-down easel slung over her back and her little satchel of supplies, she went ambling cheerily down a path into the tangled woods behind the city. Not even an hour into her walk, however, she espied what was either the largest hibiscus in all the Caribbean, or... "Kisha? Is that you in there?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:31 PM Post #3 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. Kisha had been largely minding her own business, humming an old tune she'd picked up from somewhere but couldn't quite remember. Had it been her mother? Or one of her sea fairing friends? She didn't even think about it honestly, but it was damndably irritating that she couln't get it out of mind. Ah well, it made for good work music. "Kisha? Is that you in there?" She turned to see where the voice was coming from. It was familiar, and easy to guess giving that Katherine was the most refined person she had associated with... at least on a female level anyway. Most of the girls Kisha knew had much harsher, 'lower class' sort of voices with poor pronunciation. She smiled as her eyes spotted Katherine. "Well, look who's wandering the woods. And in daylight no less. How're you?" She had to assume not too bad if she wasn't sweating it out in a lush ballgown and serving tea to people more stiff than the dead. Her voice showed that she was genuinely happy to see her, as did her smile. In the light of day, even in speckled shade, it was easy to see why she hid from the sun. Her skin was a colour of mid tan, slightly moca-esqu in hue but in an odd way. Little did most know that it could potentially get much darker- to a shade of brownish black akin to lands of Inida merged with a random selection of numerous more european blood. It was a distinctive and deadly colour to have. She could pass this off as nothing but results of the sun, but more would be harder to explain. Her hair was still so brown that even in daylight it looked black as in the dark, save a few strands lightened to brown. Her eyes also shared this colour, to a point beyond seeing any chocolate hues at all, but nonetheless they smiled as much as her mouth. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:32 PM Post #4 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. For her own part, Katherine's skin was fair -- and nearly every inch of it was covered, to the point of gloves on her hands and a silken scarf about her throat, even in this heat. At least the material was lighter than wool -- fine linen, it seemed, or cotton. Her own hair was nigh-black in color, but in this light both her hair and eyes gained color -- the former with richness of brown inclining to gold here and there, the latter glinting topaz. Both against her pale skin were striking, which made the reasoning for her own hat and veil very clear. "Well, look who's wandering the woods. And in daylight no less. How're you?" "All the better for those facts," Katherine replied, laughing cheerily, "and thank you. I hope you are well yourself? Now that we are no longer under moonlight, we can get a clearer idea of the other's features..." Her own smile was just as bright as it would be on seeing any other favored friend. Picking her way through the underbrush, her eyes light on Kisha's gatherings: "I see you are making..." The delicate brow wrinkled as Katherine gazed at the scarf of plants, and she quirked the edge of her eyebrow. Surely she knew the uses of those plants. "Something, at least," she continues a touch lamely. "What exactly are you looking for today? I might be able to direct you." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:33 PM Post #5 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "I see you are making...Something, at least," Kisha laughed, "Something yes. Teas mostly, and old recepies far from anything you'd find at any parties you're used to. I'll admit though some of the flowers are honestly in the lot just because they smell nice." "What exactly are you looking for today? I might be able to direct you." It was a nice offer, and she wished she could take her up on it. However, Kisha had learned these thigns from her family and so while she knew what plants she needed she only knew their Rom names. They were, after all, Roma recepies. Of course she had changed them a little, given the more tropical climate here, and replaced some plants with others simply because she coudn't always find what she really needed. "Well, I'm more of looking by sight. Its how I learned, I'm afraid, so I don't always know what things are called." There, that was a feasable reason now wasn't it? Thinking on it Katherine didn't need to know what the plants were either. She seemed to know a good deal on nature and some of Kisha's mixtures were more... questionable we'll call them. She didn't need her guessing. But most of it would be used in a tea like manner anyway so was it really such a lie? |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:33 PM Post #6 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. "Something yes. Teas mostly, and old recepies far from anything you'd find at any parties you're used to. I'll admit though some of the flowers are honestly in the lot just because they smell nice." The explanation made Katherine smile. "Fair enough," she admits. "You'll want to be careful, though; there are some plants that look fair enough, even like useful medicinal herbs, but they haven't anywhere near the same properties." Fishing through her satchel, the young woman brought forth a small, slightly stained leatherbound book stamped all about the border with intricate little leaf patterns. She flipped through this a few moments before her eyes lifted to Kisha again: "If you can describe to me what you're looking for, I can take you to where we're most likely to find it. And I could even tell you more about it -- what it does, who found it, all of that. It would be like a sort of game! A scavenger hunt." She said it all with such childish innocence, as though all that cleverness was still overlaid on a teenaged girl's sensibilities. Which, to be fair, it more or less was. Bright though she was, young Katherine was profoundly innocent, almost to the point of being wilfully so, though perhaps it was just her love of the outdoors that made herbgathering seem like a grand adventure. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:34 PM Post #7 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. She chuckled a bit, tying the folds of fabric in a manner to keep its contents safe. "Well to be honest I think I have plenty for the time being. But next I need to scavange I'll find you first." she did have enough, but it was also a tactic to hide what she was doing. Katherine didn't need to know that she was mixing things strong enough to knock a sailor out or to ease the pain of home abortions. Partially was that she didn't want to startle her, and the rest was honestly that to corrupt her innocence too much would make Kisha feel guilty. Girls of Katherine's sort didn't need to know what happened with girls of Kisha's kind. Kisha also didn't want to ruine her fun. She didn't want to head back yet either. The breeze had picked up a little more and the thought of going inside seemed silly. Besides, it was too early to get read for later in the evening. "But I am kind of hungry. Do you want to find some fruits, berries, or otherwise eatable things? I imagine theres a lot here I haven't found yet that you might know about. We could have a picnic of sorts. Its not high class banquet but I'll be damned if they have as nice a setting as this one." Hungry? Well only slightly but one hardly got heavy snacking on fruit. It would be nice to get off her feet and kick back for a while, especially now that she had company to converse with. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:35 PM Post #8 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. It was as well that Katherine didn't know. The latter she might understand, though she would become dreadfully embarrassed, and the former she would never understand at all. That sort of behavior might put her off Kisha entirely... of course, the sort of sailors Katherine had met were all officers, not the sort to let their less printable foibles be heard by a lady of her sort. Officers were noble, sailors were salty-tongued but good at heart, and Kisha... well, she seemed to fall outside all this. Not a whore, just a goodhearted woman. How simple her life could be. "Do you want to find some fruits, berries, or otherwise eatable things? I imagine theres a lot here I haven't found yet that you might know about. We could have a picnic of sorts. Its not high class banquet but I'll be damned if they have as nice a setting as this one." Blushing at the 'damned', Katherine nevertheless gave Kisha a delighted nod. "Oh, certainly! You might want to keep them separated from your herbs, else we shall have all manner of unseemly things with our luncheon. But I know a few places we might go and gather all the berries we should want, and not a few fruit trees and nut trees as well. Wild fruit usually is not quite as tasty as what you might get from cultivated trees, but everything grows so well here one might call it a second Eden. And we might get fresh water from a brook that I... think... is up this way?" She gestures toward a winding path through the trees, taking a few more steps down it and gesturing for Kisha to come along. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:36 PM Post #9 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. Kisha listened and was amused. Katherine really was a piece of work. Naturally Kisha had gotten to know the area, just in case she needed to lie low for a while. And she got to collecting things fairlly quickly. But, she would let Katherine show her what she wanted. She had perhaps more time for these things than Kisha, and for Katherine it looked more like interest and hobby than ruitine. It was especially entertaining how offical Katherine made everything sound. There was no need to impress Kisha, and surely Katherine knew that, but she spoke as though she were on the same level. Maybe in some places they were, but socially speaking it was far from the case. Hopefully though the girls could remain friends in this odd way- given of course that Katherine didn't get into any form of trouble by it. "Alright well lead the way then." and she followed at a sauntering step. The scarf holding her hair was untied, and she shook out the thick hair which seemed happy for release. The scarf could find better (and more sucessful) work holding their lunch. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:36 PM Post #10 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. She'd not likely ever know the amusement Kisha was feeling. Katherine had a New Friend and she was going to show her a good time; that was all. Little things like social standing weren't troubling her, at least as long as they were far from society and civilization. Swimming under the stars or traipsing through the woods, they were just two women, and though in an academic sense Katherine probably did know very well how different they were, how childish she must seem, it appeared that she didn't care. And this was not unusual -- after all, society girls were supposed to seem a little infantilized. Sweet girls didn't think too hard or philosophise, they were quiet and cheerful and laughed when they were supposed to. Yes, well. Katherine gave a cheerful nod and began leading the way up the path. It was wide enough for feet to go down, though the occasional branch or thorn might snag the hem of a dress. One of Katherine's hands was planted firmly atop her head, keeping her hat in place, while the other held up the hems of her skirt enough to let her walk a bit more freely. "Do you come out here often?" she inquired, sidestepping a larger-than-usual stone in the path. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:37 PM Post #11 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "Do you come out here often?" "Oh often enough I suppose." she said a little vaguely. She didn't like to be pegged down anywhere unless it attributed to work. "I like the shade here, and the plants are useful. I don't usually get to come out for just fun." It was true enough. Life had to be lived, even if she had to remind her of that sometimes to tend to it. She could forge a life out here if she really wanted to, but it would be considerably harder. Anytime she went into town she would feel outcast and suspitions would rise against her. Besides, it would be too lonely. As the occasional entertainer at pubs and as a whore she was never lacking in company unless she wanted to be. And while lawmen looked down on whores for the most part, they also partook of their services and were less likely to slap Kisha down with charges. Gypsies travelled in groups, a single one blended into a house of whores could go easily overlooked. "But from the sound of it you're out here quite a bit. Any part of it in particular your favorite?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:38 PM Post #12 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. "But from the sound of it you're out here quite a bit. Any part of it in particular your favorite?" As Katherine picked her way across the overgrown trail -- likely made by one too many rabbits or something of the sort rather than human feet -- she paused, squinting up into one of the trees. She stood there for nearly a minute, craning her neck back and forth before giving her head a little shake. "Mmm? Oh. There are a few places -- there's one really lovely spot I'm quite fond of. I think someone had a house out here or something of the sort, maybe a little estate far away from town, but there's little left save some crumbled walls and a well. It's where I'm going now, actually... er, assuming this is northwest. It is, isn't it?" She stared down the path for a moment before looking up into the sky, at the tree once more, and then all around. "...Yes, I think it is," she murmured, tromping now down a slight fork going alongside a rather steep rocky slope to the left. "There's old fruit trees there, berry bushes, a little stream..." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:39 PM Post #13 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "It sounds lovely." Kisha listened and followed, not saying much simply because she didn't see a need for it. Besides, the sounds of the area were welcoming. Kisha had in fact not found the place that Katherine spoke of, and was interested to see it. After all who would put a home all way out here? It was curious, but also displeasing to think that part of this lovely natural scape had to be cleared to build it. Still, it sounded like nature had taken back over and that any owners were long gone. An interesting twist on the cycle of life and death personified in a property. Kisha's steps were irregular, some an easy walk and other leaps onto stones or hops over thorns. Being barefoot here was not as pleasant as on the beach, however she also did not mind it. It was better than shoes, and her feet had built up their own protection in time which was enough for the time being. Even the thought of the terrible grasp of shoes made her feet itch for freedom. She'd rather have to pull splinters than suffer that. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:41 PM Post #14 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. Katherine? Definitely shod, though the slight heels on her boots were causing some problems. Occasionally the smooth sole would slip on the path or an inconvenient stone, and she would flail and grasp at a nearby branch or tree. In general, however, she was graceful and nimble enough as they hiked along the curling path. She seemed to thrive in the warmth, even if after ten minutes of the hiking she was looking a trifle worn about the edges. Yet as the trees parted before them, the young lady seemed to lose her tiredness. Stepping aside, she gestured into the clearing before them. "Do you see?" It had started as a natural clearing, needing only a little tree-cutting and trimming to become large enough for the house. It must have been here once, but there was little left, even as Katherine had said -- a Spanish-style villa, its white stones mostly crumbled or taken away as building material for someone else's home. The courtyard, or what might have been the courtyard, had the crumbling stone well at one side and a tiled fountain in the center; the latter had long since dried up, and none could tell with ease the condition of the former. A small stream trickled along the periphery, quite enough for a refreshing drink and a barefoot splash. But the real beauty was in the trees all around. Some were hung with Spanish moss, but a good few were bursting with color -- morning glories hung from some, and they were not the only flowering vines in sight. Bougainvillea crept up the walls of the old house, turning white walls to brilliant pink and purple. Someone had planted climbing roses in the courtyard, and these had overcome their trellises and begun to drag in pillars and trees. Hydrangea bushes were spotted here and there, and lilacs had joined them. Jasmine and honeysuckle crept along a few fruit trees in what must have been the back of the house. All this together made a riot of color and the brilliance of nature, not to mention the sweet fragrances of this natural garden. "A secret," Katherine murmured. "And one I don't often share." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:45 PM Post #15 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. As Katherine pointed Kisha squinted her eyes a little as she looked past the trees to the clearing. "Well I'll be..." she smiled, eager to see it closer. "A secret," Katherine murmured. "And one I don't often share." "Then one I'll keep well." she replied with a wink and a heartfelt smile. As they got closer the scent filled Kisha with a sudden burst of energy. She felt the overflowing urge to just be there and to take it all in. Her feet took to a faster pace, getting a few steps ahead of Katherine before looking to her and calling "Come on! Step up!" and then she was off like a shot with a full run. It was a good thing she tied her bundle of plant bits so tightly because she barely gave it a thought. Reaching the clearing her heart was pounding and the her toes pread on the softness of grass and moss. Something like a squeak of excitement escaped her, as though there were too much joy to contain at the sight of it. Her run turned into a skip and then Kisha spun, her skirt fanning out around her and her arms upreached as though to dance with the sky. "Katherine its gorgeous!" she said it loudly, as though to testiment how much she meant it. Then she stopped spinning and fell back to lay on the ground. "I can't believe this was back here!" Her hands fell behind her head with a sigh, her eyes catching the sky and a hint of clouds against the endless blue. She looked as though she couldn't be any more content if she tried. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:46 PM Post #16 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. Kisha's sudden joy made Katherine laugh again, bright and sweet, and as she watched the barefoot woman dash across the grass she could hardly help herself -- grabbing the hems of her skirts, she chased after her up the ruined stone stairs and across the green, breathless and joyful, staggering to a stop only a few feet away from where Kisha had collapsed. Still, she was not as giddy as the other woman; despite the beauty of their surroundings and the heady aroma of roses and jasmine in the air, she had a bit more reserve. Whether it was natural English priggishness or trained (or whether it was just the fact that she still was wearing restrictive foundation garments and they were just not as tightly wound as usual), she seemed disinclined to flop on the grass alongside her friend. Instead, she began to unsling her belongings -- the cumbersome easel first, then the leather bag of books and paints and suchlike. She seemed not entirely inclined to set the easel up just yet, wandering about the grassy expanse instead and letting her eyes fall closed. Beautiful as the sights were, she wanted to experience the sounds and the smells more keenly. "If I should ever fall in love," she murmured, "I will bring him here. And it shall be our special place, his and mine." There was more than a hint of longing there. Perhaps she had grown a sense of romance after all? |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:47 PM Post #17 |
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. Kisha sat up, leaning on one arm and the other resting- elbow on knee. Her toes wiggled in the grass, a few strands getting stuck between them. Her eyes could not remain still, and instead gazed slowly over the whole of it in clear amazement. "If I should ever fall in love," she murmured, "I will bring him here. And it shall be our special place, his and mine." It was sad honestly. Kisha wanted to feel hope for it, but it was difficult. She could never be married, as at this point her own kind would never really take her back. She also had to see what became of marriages. How often had she been compared or contrasted to a customer's wife? All her thoughts of love had fallen away a long time ago. Love was something she couldn't afford. Despite the girls being close in age, the whole bit made Kisha feel older. But her job did that to most everyone it seemed. She was one of the younger girls (although far from inexperienced) at the house, and yet she was on the same level as many of her older peers. You didn't hope because it was pointless. You enjoyed because you had to do something to replace it. Love was something you exploited if you could, but never allowed yourself to feel. But for Katherine, Kisha thought to herself, she would hope anyway. Even if only a little. She smiled a sweet smile, looking back to Katherine. "Well I hope you get to share it soon. And that he appreciates it." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:48 PM Post #18 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. "...I don't know why I said it, really." Katherine's smile faltered a bit as she looked down at her hands. Who was she fooling? Like as not she'd marry some fabulously rich man or some snotty nobleman who only wanted a pretty ornament. Would she have the courage to defy him? To do as her sister had almost certainly done and take a lover to relieve the boredom? Or would she become... Become like Jane, the poor girl, and think of nothing but parties and fashion and sewing, forgetting all she'd ever known, and become that which she was expected to be. This line of thinking would only depress her. She tried to shut it out, tried to clear it from her mind, and the best way of doing that was in fact to merely look around. Rising from her stone seat, she dusted off her hands. "If you would give me a scarf or something of the sort," she offered, "I could gather us up a few berries and fruits for lunch. Some nuts, too. I recall there's a few pecan trees about..." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:48 PM Post #19 |
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "...I don't know why I said it, really." "Because you were thinking about it. And thers nothing wrong with that in the slightest." she smiled, hoping to cheer her up a little. No, Kisha didn't think such things could ever work out 100%, but sometimes even some is better than nothing. Hopefully Katherine saw that as well. "If you would give me a scarf or something of the sort," she offered, "I could gather us up a few berries and fruits for lunch. Some nuts, too. I recall there's a few pecan trees about..." She took the scarf that had been in her hair and handed it to Katherine, and then she got back on her feet. She dusted herself off a little, shaking bits of grass from the skirt and her hair then followed along to help out. "Hmm..." she looked around. "lets find something challenging." Her eyes were looking around, but not quite at ground level. She hoped their'd be some higher trees that she could get into. She felt like a good climb anyway, and if there was fruit to be had for it that would be a splendid reward. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:49 PM Post #20 |
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Originally posted by kataubrey. "Yes... and I often say whatever I'm thinking. It is a failing, no matter how you look at it. Certainly it's been embarrassing more than once." Katherine shook her head then: "But there's no point in dwelling on that now! We have luncheon to gather. I know where there's a peach tree; doesn't that sound good?" Presuming it did, she strode in the direction of most of the fruit trees in the clearing. There were several sorts -- one or two pear trees, two peach trees, one each of lemon and lime trees, a fig tree... more or less at least one of everything that would grow in this tropical climate. And of course, the island would not be complete without a few coconut palms. "Challenging?" Katherine quirked her brow at her friend, shaking out the scarf she'd been given and gazing around. "I suppose the walnut tree would be challenging. It's one of the biggest ones -- it's that tree that looks like it has a lot of lemons hanging from it. The walnuts are inside. It surprised me when I learned that was where walnuts came from; I'd never seen them actually growing until I came here." Which made her sound appallingly like a city girl, truth be told, but then again Katherine always seemed to tell the truth. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:49 PM Post #21 |
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "It all sounds perfect. So if you can catch I say we're all set." She smiled and made for the walnut tree, a bit of bounce in her step. Between her skirt and Kisha's scarf, Katherine had plenty to use to catch and hold onto fruits and nuts. Kisha figured that Katherine wasn't much of a climber, or that at least she wouldn't want to risk tattering her dress. Personally Kisha loved to climb trees. It gave a sense of security sometimes, and at others a feeling of freedom. Granted the process could be tiresome, especially on hot days like today, but it was worth it. Kisha rubbed her hands together, eyes acessing the tree for low branches and foot holds. The lower branches were utilized first, grabbed for support as her feet found their place against the trunk of the tree. The climbing didn't exactly look graceful, but it was effective. Within a few moments Kisha was securly in the tree, and the back of her arm moved to wipe droplets of sweat that had beaded across her forehead. She sat somewhat comfortably within the branches, looking down to Katherine with a grin as she plucked some of the walnuts from nearby. "You ready down there?" Once given the okay she would toss them as gently and accurately as possible- which on occasion would be neither of the things she attempted, and at other times dead on. Mostly, however, the walnuts would fall at a pleasant inbetween. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:50 PM Post #22 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. A climber? Yes, but the dress didn't want to be tattered, and Katherine did not want to risk her mother's often-considerable wrath. Standing underneath the tree with an open shawl was enough for her. Life certainly was becoming adventurous. She certainly appreciated it -- she might not be sailing on grand voyages or exploring forgotten Incan temples, but she also wasn't doing needlepoint, and that was grand enough in her estimation. And she and Kisha, as far as she was concerned, were in for a marvelous time of it today. She watched with some amusement and envy mixed as Kisha clambered up the tree, shaking out one of the scarves and holding it as open and wide as she could. "Ready when you are!" Katherine called when Kisha seemed to be settling herself. And indeed, most of the walnuts hit the shawl dead on. Some of them were short or long, and apart from one that bonked off Katie's forehead (which made her laugh rather than making her angry) and a few that soared too high and too fast, Katherine managed to catch them with only a few little jogs left and right. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 07:59 PM Post #23 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. ((I'm moving this one a little farther along, hope you don't mind. I just didn't want them picking fruit forever lol)) Once a sufficient amount of nuts had been plucked and tossed Kisha climbed down. She was no squirell or leaping lizard so each tree would have to be tackled individually. A few trees later and before long the girls gathered more than they were likely to eat, with a wide sampling of fruits, nuts, and whatever else they managed to find. The whole time Kisha displayed her fierce energy- eager to climb the next tree and seemingly always in motion. How the woman stayed in one place at any time was quite the puzzle. She managed to work up a bit of a sweat and when they were finished she was glad to recline once more on the soft ground, her toes in the small brook Katherine had spoken of and led them to. She looked to the sky, rolling a piece of fruit on her tongue. More clouds had moved in and it was slightly cooler for sake of a strong breeze. It was a good thing she wasn't climbing anymore. Still, if it stormed she assumed it would be mild. After all today was too perfect to really spoil. Instead of guessing rain she sought shapes in the clouds. "You know, crazy as it sounds, sometimes I really love this little island." Maybe Katherine wouldn't see it that way, but Kisha had to. After all there was only so far for a Rom to travel on an island. Still, it was beautiful and the environment was much to her liking. She had never liked the cold areas they moved through. Snow was overrated and hell on bare feet. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:00 PM Post #24 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. ((No fear here; I think that would have gotten dull :D)) Kisha was more than fine at clambering through the trees and gathering fruits and nuts and such, and Katherine knew well what trees held the sweetest treats. She even found a few berry bushes and a few now-wild edibles to supplement them. Before long they had a tidy little feast, and Katherine's lips and fingertips were lightly stained with berry juice. She took off her own shoes when they sat by the brook, perching on a rock and dangling her toes in the water. It was cool and rushing and quite pleasant, likely coming from some underground spring and bubbling through a natural rift. As she finished her final peach, tossing the pit back in the direction of its parent tree, Katherine leaned back to settle herself on the stone. "Why should that be so strange? It is a beautiful place, rich in life -- both human and untamed. The weather is pleasant, the sea and beaches are beautiful. There is a great deal to love." The wind freshened then, blowing in cool and salty from the sea and rattling the leaves and their branches. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:00 PM Post #25 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "Why should that be so strange? It is a beautiful place, rich in life -- both human and untamed. The weather is pleasant, the sea and beaches are beautiful. There is a great deal to love." "Strange because its not home maybe. I've always had a case of wanderlust I guess." She wanted to tell her what home was. It was hard not to share her true place in this world. She was more an outsider than anyone really knew- not simply in what she was but in how that made her see the world. Rom survived on its own because of that one fact, and it was important to Kisha to never let it go. Her father had told her when they settled in Spain to try to adapt to be more like the gaje, and it had outraged her. They did simply because they had to but it did not make Kisha feel any less like a traitor. Her father had not been born Roma, and he told Kisha to use that to her advantage. She sighed, realizing that her mind was wandering down the path she wasn't going to speak of. "I am not accustomed to being in one place, and never thought I would like it for more than a little while. Port Royal is nice, but it isn't as rich as you might think it. Its different than it used to be I'd imagine, thanks to the British. But what's saying thats a good thing? It might well be much richer without that- purely the old culture. You know?" The English amused Kisha. They were 'dominant culture' as she thought of them. They were the sort of host culture you had to work extra hard to blend into, and no matter how well you did it they would never think it good enough. The natives surely realized that by now. The English thought themselves above everyone else, and unless you were bred that way you were only narrowly surviving within its ranks. In Kisha's case it would be a slave or servant. Being a whore wasn't exactly much better, but at least she was free to do as she wished. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:01 PM Post #26 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. "Wanderlust... I don't know. I've never lived anywhere but here and Wales, and the sea in between. But I've always wanted to see more places... still, I think I shall probably live here forever, if I am to be realistic." It was a cage. A beautiful cage, a gilded cage, hung with finery and laden with riches and all a person could desire. A Heaven, an Eden, and why should anyone want to leave? Only because it was a cage? Something in Katherine's heart -- perhaps a fit of childish pique -- made her want to gather herself up in that very moment and run away, free of family and duty and obligations, to make her life what she wanted it to be. To discover what that might be, and to be reborn. But she smiled. No. That would not happen, and better that it did not. "The old culture?" The idea seemed strange to Katherine. "Do you mean the Spaniards? I suppose there were a few remnants of the people who were here before even them, but nobody knows anything about them. I don't think they even exist anymore." Pausing a moment, her voice took on a tinge of envy: "So you have traveled to other places? What were they like? Spain and all the rest?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:01 PM Post #27 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "So you have traveled to other places? What were they like? Spain and all the rest?" She instantly wished she had kept her mouth shut. It was hard to explain away a full life of movement without looking suspicious, so she would have to downsize it for her audience. If Katherine caught on to what Kisha really was she expected never to hear a whisper of it. It was possible she did not even know what gypsies were, which would be to Kisha's advantage. "Well every place is different and the same all at once. Local law and language are things to be delt with, of course, but I enjoy the latter. I have an ear for it I guess you could say. But Spain for example, the buildings are very different compared to those from England. And the food of course. I prefer things with a lot of spices to it, if only because we didn't always have them. But largely? The world looks just as vast from that point as any other. Beautiful, but empty. The people there can't appreciate it and after seeing just a little more you can't always enjoy so much as compare and work to fit in." Part of the nation without an actual nation, Kisha had a bleak outlook on travel. It was just part of survival, and made life on a whole simpler. You could only settle for so long before people started to want you gone. Without any place opening its arms to the Rom liking any of them was hard. You liked the ones you could work around, or that only imprisoned you rather than shooting on sight. What it looked like and the wonders of its culture were secondary concerns. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:02 PM Post #28 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. It certainly wasn't the answer Katherine had hoped for. She had imagined wonderful and peculiar places with strange customs; places far, far different from anything she had seen. There was a vast world out there, after all, but to hear it all summed up as 'beautiful and empty' was terribly disappointing. "Why do you have that wanderlust, then?" she said, sitting up straight and clasping her hands in her lap. "If everything you have already seen is like that -- if there is no place where people are truly happy, nothing better than this, then why would you leave at all? Or is it that you search for the place that could really be your home?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:02 PM Post #29 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "I imagine there is something better than this somewhere." There was, and it was her family, but that would not be said. "Its just a matter of finding it. I might be looking, or maybe I'm just used to moving around so much. I'm not really sure. But either way I'm not leaving here anytime soon. I make a decent living here that I wouldn't if I did keep moving. Scraping by isn't exactly pleasant, especially when you're alone. I'm happy enough here for now, and when I'm not I should have enough stored away to set myself up somewhere else." The gyspy woman in her said to save and rarely spend, and she did. Usually anything of real vaule would be worn in her culture- cash traded out for gems and gold which were worth something no matter where you were. But since she so often had to be nude she did not trust the old methods. No, she had her place to keep things and it was kept by lock and key. She put a little away whenever she could, and did not dip into it even in her poorest weeks. Better to go on an empty belly for a day or two rather than be trapped later. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:03 PM Post #30 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. This made some sense to Katherine -- her little analytical mind rolled the information over within itself and found it good. "So that's why you keep looking, then? Port Royal is, I have to admit, lovely enough. If you were hunting for a place of natural beauty in the world, I think most people could stop here and be content." She paused for a moment before rising to her feet once again, glancing over her belongings. "I should be able to find the way back here, and it is getting a bit bothersome to lug that easel around. I think I'll leave it here..." Her face turned up to the sky again. "But maybe sheltered. I think it might begin to drizzle before long. Would you like to keep going, exploring the woods a bit more?" Laughing merrily, she turns to look at the gypsy again. "Perhaps we'll find some pirate treasure, or some lost treasure of the Spaniards, or something of the like!" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:03 PM Post #31 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "But maybe sheltered. I think it might begin to drizzle before long. Would you like to keep going, exploring the woods a bit more?" Laughing merrily, she turns to look at the gypsy again. "Perhaps we'll find some pirate treasure, or some lost treasure of the Spaniards, or something of the like!" She laughed "Well I don't know how much treasure we'll find but I think some more exploration would be fun. Is there any area out here you haven't really walked yet?" Kisha had seen a fair amount of the places out here, but likely Katherine had seen more. Something new to both of them would be best. She spoke to Katherine as she helped her find a place to stash her things, leaving her own pickings with them so as not to have to worry about them. They'd be back later, she figured, and if it did rain the two girls would likely be worse for ware than their belongings. Ah well. A little rain never hurt anyone. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:04 PM Post #32 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. A few leafy branches, a little careful packing, and their heavier articles were tidily stowed in a well-drained spot. If it should rain, at least the easel and the like would not be sitting in brackish water. She laughed "Well I don't know how much treasure we'll find but I think some more exploration would be fun. Is there any area out here you haven't really walked yet?" "You never know," Katherine replied, her tones light and amused. "We might find the ruins of an ancient temple of the natives!" Though even she knew that this was a childish fancy and no more -- if ever there had been such a thing, the Spaniards would have found it and probably burned or dismantled it years ago. Looking about their surroundings for a moment, Katherine finally points in a northerly direction. "The island's quite large, and I've not explored all of it. I don't think I ever really could, not without months and months. It's something like a hundred miles long and I can't remember how many wide. But I don't know much that's that way, so why don't we give it a try?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:04 PM Post #33 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. "The island's quite large, and I've not explored all of it. I don't think I ever really could, not without months and months. It's something like a hundred miles long and I can't remember how many wide." Kisha chuckled "Well, you do love it so you might surprise youself and how much you find the time to explore." "But I don't know much that's that way, so why don't we give it a try?" Kisha nodded, a whisp of dark hair falling into her eyes which her hand instinctually reached over to brush aside. "Sounds like a plan if ever I've heard one. Off we go!" Her lips spread into a wide grin, her eagerness to wander and find new things and places more than obvious. Her feet led her in energetic fashion- toes spread from grass to rock with bouncing steps, leaps, and skips. If there was something to be found Kisha would have them find it. At her rate of movement and eagerness perhaps seeing the whole of the island was not so impossible at all. Yet for all her head first movement her eyes wandered with the curiosity and observance of a child. There was always something miraculous, but more importantly there was always something to lead them back. At least if she could remember them anyway. But they were only moving in a straight line more or less weren't they? So getting back should not be -too- difficult. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:05 PM Post #34 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by kataubrey. A straight line indeed, or at least the path does not fork, though it winds a great deal around thickets and occasionally quite steep rocky defiles and the like. Katherine did not move quite so swiftly as Kisha -- she had kept her shoes on, for one, and the smooth hard leather soles were far more suited to dancing or walking on well-trimmed grass than hiking through the woods. She would have a few scuffs on the leather when she returned, though the thought did not trouble her overmuch. The trees above blew softly in the freshening wind, casting down the occasional leaf and setting skirts to rustling. The young tailor's daughter continued, though, pausing once in a while to offer help to Kisha in descending a particularly difficult slope (though by and large it would be Katherine having more trouble getting down). The trail grew thinner, even quite difficult to see in places, until a small clearing no more than eight feet on a side emerged ahead. Much of it was surrounded by trees, though the slight hill on one side was curving about the other side. "I think there's... I think I see something in there," Katherine murmured, pausing and resting her hand on a branch. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:05 PM Post #35 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Kisha Boswell. Making their way through the forest, Kisha was clearly enjoyng the walk. There was never an 'ouch' about the ground, even if in some spots she walked more slowly or on the ball of her feet. On the steeper stones she accepted and offered help. She'd have a few knicks and bruises from the excersion, but that was commonplace for Kisha. Hopefully any that Katherine earned would go unnoticed by her more socially upstanding friends and realtives. The less defined the path became, the more excited Kisha looked. She felt as though they were reaching the very heart of the forest. Like some secret alcove it would be there: waiting. And it was. The clearing further up begged for discovery. There were a few trees that looked as though they had been cut, but largely it appeared as though they were like that naturally. Some were crooked from storms, but the most curious thing was perhaps that many looked singed. An odd combination. There were stones there, jutting from the ground like a small mountain. It was not as high as the trees, so small indeed for a mountain by any rites, but one nonetheless. A stone hill, smooth in some places and jagged in others. Around it other stones were strewn- large boulders resting on the scattered grass, and piles of earth and rock that looked as though it had been dug out. The dark opening in the rock and dirt path leading into it only confirmed that theory. Someone was or had been digging or mining here. Why was a good question, but when was a better one. |
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4:08 AM Jul 30
