(no subject)

[socrowdedinhere]

 Tia: *will peek back once she thinks enough time has passed for him to dress... and she's right, he's dressed.  She turns to him.* ....Those slavers probably still have your things, hm? *she looks like she's considering if they can sneak in tonight to get his stuff back...*

Darnell: ................. *nods, grim* My horse, my satchel . . . my badge.

Tia: ...Worth the risk of trying to steal back from them tonight?

Darnell: *startles . . . eyes her* What are you thinking?

Tia: *shugs* That I have little to nothing but the cloths on my back and a small knife, and that's /all/ you have right now, and we could really use the supplies...

Darnell: ............. *grins* Yup, I had full travel supplies. Plus money to buy whatever else I might need. *pulls a breath* Tonight's hours away yet. I'm a decent cook. Maybe the local inn will let me help out in the kitchen in trade for a meal for two? And then we get to know each other a little until tonight?

Tia: .....*nods* All right, let's go then...

Darnell: *nods and will follow her*

Tia: *it will soon become...very clear she knows nothing about what she's doing.  She doesn't seem to know for sure how to identify an inn, and when she does (or Darnell points one out), she seems completely lost once they step in...really, Darnell maybe should just take the lead to get what they need...*

Darnell: *quickly will, quietly inserting himself to speak for his mistress and just getting things done*

*They'll have to go to three different inns before they'll find one willing to put Darnell to some work in exchange for a couple of meals.  Darnell will be put to work cleaning the kitchen actually, and then he can fetch food for himself and his mistress once he's done the job to the innkeeper's satisfaction.*

Tia: *sitting at a table when he's done and sent out with food.  She's looking all around, looking kind of... lost and out of place, and yet rather fascinated and taken with her surroundings.  She'll blush softly when she notices Darnell approaching.*

Darnell: *will give her a small bow as he sets down her plate* Milady. *will settle with his own*

Tia: ...Thank you. *gives him a smile and...omg it’s so obvious she’s /starving/ and /trying/ to be polite and not just scarf the food down*

Comments

[immortal_kitten]

Darnell: *hadn’t actually intended the pun, only realizing what he’d said after the fact…but he’s glad it made her laugh* I can imagine so. *huffs a soft laugh of his own* Though the irony of being found and rescued by the very young woman I was sent /to/ find and rescue myself is not lost on me.

[socrowdedinhere]

Khela: *clinging to him, trembling softly. She’s finally able to let go and just.../deal/ with everything now that she’s found someone she knows she can trust without question...* Yeah, what are the odds of that, huh?

[immortal_kitten]

Darnell: *will hold her as long as she needs, glad to be a rock for her while she /does/ finally get to deal . . . after a long moment, quietly* Will you tell me what happened?

[socrowdedinhere]

Khela: *another huff at his question and she clings a lilttle tighter.* Four men came into my room at night. I’d never seen them before. I woke when one pressed something over my face. I-I couldn’t do anything. Th-they k-killed Tia, m-my attendant. *chokesob* Wh-whatever that man drugged me with kept me from moving or screaming. They stabbed Tia and left her to bleed to death on the floor as they carried me out the window. *gaspsob.* Life Light... *shaking hard now. They put me over the back of a horse and rode away. We rode all night, and all the next day, and into the night again before they stopped at a cabbin in the woods. They killed whoever lived there before, the bodies had been dumped outside and animals had been at them, and the from room smelled of death and blood. *regaining some control* I think they meant to deug me again, but forgot, exhausted themselves by then. They fell asleep, leaving me dumped on the floor by the bed one of them slept in. When the drug wore off and I could move again I found some shoes that fit well enough, dressy, the lady who lived there probably had them for special occasions. I also found a knife, and they’d left their money near the bed, so I took that too and left. I was going to take a hirse tol, but they started making noise when I tried to approach and I was afraid they’d wake the men if I pressed it, so I just ran. I know they’re hunting me, they have to be.

[immortal_kitten]

Darnell: *rubs her back, loving on her as she talks and cries* I’m sorry . . . I’m sorry you had to suffer all that. *again, will just…hold her as long as she needs*

[socrowdedinhere]

Khela: *takes the comfort, relishes the chance to let go and grieve. She’s had to keep it together, keep her head on straight and be smart so she could get away and find a way home, and now she’s with the very person sent to save her. Finally she’ll pull herself back together, the determination and fire back in her brown eyes.* Thank you, Darnell.

[immortal_kitten]

Darnell: *glad to see that, she’s a very sweet and sheltered girl, but she’s also surprisingly strong of character - nods* You’re /very/ welcome, Lady Khela. *will gently pull back from her* Stay here. I’m going to go take a peek at the caravan again.

[socrowdedinhere]

Khela: *nods and will shift to kind of tuck herself into some bushes.*
*It seems... the caravan may be settling in for the night to sell here again tomorrow before moving out. This may be an advantage for Darnell and Khela.*

[immortal_kitten]

Darnell: *surprised but /glad/ - heads back* Lady Khela, the slavers seem to be setting up camp, so they'll be staying /here/ for the night and we won't have to keep up with them on the road. We should get some sleep now while we can. We may well have a long night ahead of us. *no doubt she had as long a night as he did last night...and every night before that since her kidnapping*

[socrowdedinhere]

Khela: *relief.* Sleep sounds good. *just showbher where. She does have a small knife if Darnell wants to try to make a small shelter with pine bows.*

[immortal_kitten]

Darnell: *will do his best to make a small shelter, will have her climb in first, and then will follow, putting himself at the opening - will encourage her to sleep a few hours, then as it gets into afternoon, he'll wake her if she's not already awake, they'll eat, then he'll sleep a while . . . by then it should be dark*

[socrowdedinhere]

Khela: *she is /out/, feeling safe with him. And she’ll dutifully sit guard for him as he did for her. As dark settles in she’s clearly nervous, but determined. She’ll help him get his stuff and horse back.* So what’s the plan?