Flying Without Wings

[ShadowZero00]

{OOC: If it makes you feel better, future posts, if any, will be much shorter! ^_^ Sorryz!}

|IC|

Two days prior…somewhere in Selkia Forest…[/b]

There was no way she could tell which she acknowledged first: the pain throughout her body or the horrid cackles of dreadful singing. Heaviness dug deep into the space where her heart was, her physical body ached, and the awful nasally singing continued, screeching about a house that needed fixing. Her wings she felt pinned firmly against her back. She couldn’t understand why that would be. She never lied on her back. Her breathing quickened and she flinched. There was a pungent stench in the air. This rotten odor somehow matched the devastatingly piercing note that came next.

Nyi’s eyes snapped open and once her vision cleared a bit, she saw a ceiling. Shaken from all this unfamiliarity, she scrambled to her feet as the thick blanket which had covered her naked form flew across the room and pottery crashed to the floor. Her large wings continued clumsily knocking over various items: night tables and silverware from a long table swept to the floor by her beating wings. Feathers got loose and swirled chaotically through the air.

“Stop fusing about!” The awful singer barked. Her natural voice was no better to listen to with its screechy echo bouncing against the walls. This singer was a hag of a woman dressed with clippings of ragged clothing that fell with each half-stretched swat of her arm. Her old age brought her contractions. She swatted at the silver feathers repeatedly, directing them away from her boiling pot that hung over a pitted fireplace. “I told you to quit fussing! You’ll ruin supper!” Her shouts were ignored.

With disoriented vision, Nyi’s could not retain her balance. She bent over with her hands sprawled out; trying to catch herself on anything but there was nothing. She fell hard against a wall; a large metallic clash followed her thud. She jumped and tried to crawl away, however, as she looked over at the opposite end of the room, with her back against a wall, she stiffened. Her already large eyes widened. Her dry lips cracked and her breathing increased. She was indoors… In her blurred vision, she hardly marked the old hag that slowly advanced with the thick blanket, positioned to capture. That was until the woman approached too closely.

Nyi quickly pushed to her feet. Her wings did not fully thrash when they suddenly folded in hurting. Nyi cried out and the old hag threw the blanket over her head. She covered Nyi’s madness and indecency as Nyi twitched and clawed but could not break free from the suffocating blanket’s grip. Her body trembled uncontrollably as the old hag bent over and a few cracks escaped her back as she dragged Nyi out of the house, muttering about birds and elves. When she got Nyi outdoors, she uncovered the disheveled winged elf.

Rolling over the frozen grass blades, Nyi stopped once she lay on her stomach. The old woman watched the eagle-like wings, neatly folded but twitching and shivering. The old hag shivered herself before throwing the blanket and retreating into her house, away from the diminishing sun. The bitter weather was too much for her old bones as was the crazed Avariel when indoors. Once calmed, perhaps the Avariel would act differently. For now, the old hag had cleaning to begin and a supper to finish preparing.

From outside, Nyi heard the old hag’s song start again as her naked form stiffened. The only part in motion was her racing heart. It pounded against her chest, vibrating the nerves throughout her body. She did not understand why her wings hurt. She could not even remember when or how. Though she tried, she could not, nor could she extend them to warm herself as she shivered. She did not know why it was cold either. She had never experienced such weather. She knew that she was not home. Her home was temperate, in all the seasons the land below experienced. The land below…she did not know how she…since when…

It pained her to think, so reluctantly but mostly with fatigue, she pushed herself to sit on her knees. She folded her arms over her bare chest and scanned the perimeter. As the sun disappeared under the thick trees that encircled the small shack, a dirt road that twisted and turned towards the front door grew darker. Ugly weeds sprouting from the ground appeared to be demons stretching for her.

Disgusted and scared, Nyi pushed to her feet and slowly wobbled over to the discarded blanket. She weaved away from the weeds and made sure to avoid the dark dirt road, which resembled a sea of death. No grass; only a bareness as her own unclothed flesh. She picked up the blanket and quickly wrapped it around her body, leaving it low on her back to ensure it did not disturb her injured wings.

As she steadily came to her senses, Nyi wandered around the old hag’s shack. She would never go back inside that place. It was far too small and smelled of rotting corpses. Perhaps the old woman herself rotted.

Nyi shivered at the thought of the old woman’s appearance: spidery hair that flaccidly hung over her deep yellow eyes, near her sagging cheeks which might fall off, and under her pointed chin; clothes that looked like parts of flesh from differing creatures. The woman’s stature was lopsided and her gait sluggish with a limped right leg.

“What’s happened?” Nyi cried out. She held tightly to a tree and sunk to her knees as the blanket fell into semi-circle around her. No matter how much her heart was oddly pained, and her own body unknown to her, tears did not escape her. She clenched her teeth and swayed, trying to give herself comfort. It was to no avail.

Fixing the blanket that had loosened around her, Nyi climbed back to her feet. It was shortly after, before walking off, that Nyi heard the old woman bellowing. She shuddered. The screechy voice was horrid.

“Elf bird, come!” Nyi was frightened but found she obeyed. She did not know this land and she knew, or assumed, she was still alive. Though frightened of the old hag, she was the only being nearby. Nyi could not see anything else beside trees. She felt forced to linger near this old hag if she was to get anywhere else.

“Ah, there you are!” Nyi stood about twenty paces from the old hag. “Ha-ha…And you finally covered those curves. He-he.” The old hag had a crude laughter that shook through to Nyi’s hollow bones. “I was getting jealous you see...” She smiled exposing the dark spaces of missing teeth and teeth darkened gray and green from decay. Nyi felt . “But come closer, I’ve finished the supper.” The old hag began to turn.

“No please—” Nyi started.

“What!” The old woman sharply stared at the winged elf. Like a helpless child the dark haired elf trembled. “Ah-ha, I mean, what was that my precious gem? After wrecking my home, an old woman’s home, who has shown you nothing but kindness and after bringing you here from the base of a mountain, many miles away, you cannot even keep her company and partake of the supper she has made…for you?”

The old hag turned her head and looked at Nyi with a deep one yellow eye. She saw the elf contemplating the offer. She rubbed her bony hands together. At the sight, Nyi feared for the old hag, thinking her rubbing might rip off the skin.

“So?”

“Please,” Nyi began hesitantly. “May this one remain outdoors?” This question displeased the old woman but she complied without question and disappeared. Nyi sighed, thinking that would be the last of the old hag for a while but a few moments later she came back with a small wooden bowl filled with bubbling stew.

“Here,” the woman was too excited over it. Nyi hesitantly reached for the wooden bowl, retracted her hand, but then reached forth again and took it. She held it away from her body, the odor strong and repulsive. “What is the matter?” Again, there was displeasure to the old hag’s tone. Nyi looked over at her, shook her head, and stared back at the bowl. “Drink up. That’s Gram’s infamous stew. It will make you feel better, much…better…”

Nyi didn’t have to bring the bowl close to her face to see that it sizzled and bubbled. With each pop, a different scent leaked out into the atmosphere. Her stomach turned and she closed her eyes to keep her sights from spinning. With her eyes still closed, the old hag spoke.

“Come now. You must fill your belly with something.” Anything but this, Nyi thought. “Quickly before it gets cold. You must drink it so that you will be well enough to hear of how I found you. You do want to know, right?”

She did want to know. The memories still had not come to her. So, without further thought, she touched the rim of the bowl to her lips, parted them and took in the bubbling liquid. Her throat burned and she held back the urge to vomit as she dropped the wooden bowl with a soft thud to the grass as it rolled a few inches. Covering her mouth, Nyi bent over.

“There, there. What a naughty girl.” The old hag stepped away from the door frame and picked up the fallen bowl. “Enjoy your sleep.” She turned and walked back to her shack, nearly leaving a confused Nyi.

“Sleep? I do not—” She gasped and gripped her stomach.

“What’s that my precious gem?”

It felt like daggers thrusting through her stomach, scrambling her guts. The same with her brains; there was a piercing pressure as her vision spun. Her head lolled from side to side. Her arms fell heavily to her sides and the blanket to the floor.

“Oh my, again?” The old hag laughed. Her screeching laughter was the last sound Nyi heard before sliding into an unknown darkness that seemed strangely familiar.

Two days later…the present…somewhere on a road to Tamasha Village…

She was bouncing rhythmically with the sound of trotting and neighing. Deep voices shouted profanities, sung about ale and schemed of a moneymaking precious gem. The air smelled strongly of ale and barley. There was an eastern wind that swept by which carried with it the fragrance of wheat and honey. It was the most refreshing scent since…

Nyi awakened, sitting up and looking about. She saw the clear, wide opened fields of farmers. The cows as they grazed on the hills, the sheep tearing into the dirt for food and the birds that soared clear blue skies.

Suddenly her heart longed to be with them. The birds screeched, but this screech was the most pleasant sound. Her eyes watched as the birds dipped into the wind and turned with its changing course. She stood up but stumbled. She fell against the cage’s bars, which held her captive.

Noticing this, she began to panic. She looked all about. There was hay under her, men sitting in a wagon in front and horses trotting down a dirt road. The men were grubby appearing. Their matted manes and wild beards sprouted from their faces like infestations while their mannerisms held no class. They reached into their shirts and pants to scratch, bellowed belches and passed gases frequently.

“Haha, look men, our moneymaking, precious gem had woken up!” Suddenly, black beady eyes were upon her. Thankfully, she found herself in her own dress. No more blanket. Thinking of the blanket, she thought of the old hag. What did happen to that old woman?

Nyi didn’t want to think of it now though. There was something more important at hand. The men stared at her, indescribable feeling in their eyes as one moved a blade against a leather belt. There was one steering the horses that often looked back. But frequent swats to his head and yells made him fix his attention to his task of steering.

“What’s wrong with her?” One asked when Nyi suddenly began flailing her wings vigorously. There wasn’t much room to move them, but she tried with all her might as if she might break free. She was grunting and shaking the bars that contained her too, moving so hard and so much that the wagon holding her nearly toppled. The men quickly moved taking rope and long sticks to stab her and restrain her. The one that steered asked if he should stop the horses, the reply he got Nyi had no concern for.

“Nyah!” She cried out. “Let me loose!” The men jabbed her with the sticks, bruising her legs, arms, hips and shoulders. The pain did not yet register in her frantic state. With each stab, jab and yank of her wings, which happened when the men reached into the cage, she grew more rambunctious.

Until of course, they overpowered her panic and fright. She lied on the hay, quivering and beaten, thinking of the birds of the skies. How lucky they were. They were free while she lay in misery, blood coming from her lip and various cuts along her body.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi threw down his pack and sat down, disgusted with himself and his error of the last few days. He had been asked to help an old friend and he had failed. For three days he had been following a trail only to have it dead end...literally.

"That poor misguided woman," Kerodi muttered, fishing out some bread from his pack and washing it down with water from a pouch he carried. He had come to the old woman's cabin too late to save her or the avariel. Since then, he had been tracking the wagon that had obviously left the cabin behind, thinking itself and its companions safe. "Not when I catch them," Kerodi muttered to himself.

He had spent the last two days running endlessly to catch the transport. He had gotten lucky that they were not recklessly riding, but horses will always go faster than a man, even when loaded down with a wagon to bear. Kerodi had not brought his horse and he had not bothered to ask about using a friend's transport, so he was hoofing it himself through the confines of the Selkia. He rested now only because he needed time to recover. It galled him to do so, especially since the tracks were recent...within the hour.

It had helped that Kerodi knew paths through the Selkia. He had correctly guessed Tamasha as the location and run blindingly ahead. He had managed to shorten the gap, but not to win the race. They were only a few hours ride from the city limits now, but Kerodi must stop to rest if he were to be able to save the avariel when he got to her. It would do him no good to catch them and then be struck down. Kerodi leaned his head back against the tree and rested, swallowing some more water every few minutes.

*****************************

Kerodi was running again, his pack tight against his back and making no noise. He was using a side trail that came down from the Ularian Ridge. Kerodi knew the trail well for he lived in the mountains and had need to use the trails often. This trail had been made years ago by who knows what tribe of clansmen and then fallen into disuse when they had died out or moved on. Only Kerodi knew of it now it seemed, unless other animals happened to traverse upon it.

He ran hard, using the ground to his advantage and darting between the shadows of the tall trees. He was rising a little, going above the main path, but still cutting off extra miles at the end, because the Selkia caused another delay in a valley of the Ularian just outside of Tamasha. The path Kerodi was on ran straight for quite some time before depositing a person at the end of the valley. Kerodi hoped he could get there first. Struggling, he ran on.

***************************

Kerodi watched from the roadside as the wagon began the ascent of the valley. He had made it to the valley's edge ten minutes earlier and had caught his breath. He had laid his pack down and arranged a nice pitfall for one of the men following the wagon, a walker who was acting as rearguard. Kerodi smiled. Naturally the horses would sense the soft earth and step over, but the man would not.

The horses passed over the hole, leaving the man to follow. Kerodi grinned as the walker, stepped into the hole and broke his leg on the rock lever at the bottom, pinning him in place. It had been a shabby job, but it had worked wonders it seemed. The two men on the wagon turned as the third man screamed in agony.

"Better stop it a minute," the first one grumbled, climbing down and walking towards his companion. He flicked a cage as he walked by, rattling something inside. Kerodi's anger rose as he could guess who was in the cage. The other man on the seat slowed the horses and climbed down too.

"What's the matter?" he asked, coming to the back of the wagon and leaning on it.

"Ruddy fool broke his leg in a hole," the first man from the wagon had said. The thrid man was breathing heavily and the first man was working to get him unstuck from the hole. "I don't know how he's stuck in this hole. Blimey." He was tugging hard and waved the other over. No one saw Kerodi steal to the wagon.

Kerodi gave a great "YAH!" and the horses took off, running full out for the city of Tamasha, fresh from the easy walk they had been getting for the last few days. The men yelled, the two from the wagon leaving their comrade stuck in the ground. Kerodi yelled and whipped the horses with the reigns and they thundered away down the road. Within minutes, the men were left miles behind and Tamasha was nearing on the horizon.

Less than a mile from the city, Kerodi stopped the horses and hitched his pack back onto his back, having picked it up when he had gone to the wagon. He unhitched the horses and allowed them to go at will. Then he took the avariel's cage from the back of the wagon and sent the wagon hurtling down a hill into a stand of brush below. It toppled over and spilled the contents everywhere.

Kerodi managed to open the cage and gently lifted the bruised avariel out. "Are you okay, Nyi?" Kerodi asked, holding her as gently as he could.

[ShadowZero00]

This new voice was unlike any she had heard before. There was no deathly screech to it, no mortifying laughter waiting, no disgruntled offensiveness or crude and confusing undertones. In her broken heart, she felt truthfulness spoke to her; the familiar had finally come.

Nyi slowly fluttered her eyes open, adjusting to the light that pained them. When the adjustment finished, her extremely pale purple eyes took in the new scenery. There were no men and no wagon. Only the opened cage she had been captive in. At the sight of it, she panicked; her wings flailed wildly as she tried backing away.

The sky; it was her only escape. She spread her wings but they retracted tightly in agony against her back. What had these individuals done to them? She remembered at that old hag’s shack, they were not as they should. After all, she had been lying on her back. She never slept; therefore, to be in such a position on her own was farfetched.

Her thoughts then adverted to the cage, the men that had jabbed her with sticks in various places. The memory burned on her face where her high cheekbones were coloring with bruises. Her left shoulder even, which was uncovered because of the sort of dresses she wore, bruised and bled. Her legs as well she saw their damage as she collected her dress and lifted it to her thigh. Circles and patches of discoloration adorned them.

Coming to what was left of her senses Nyi looked up at Kerodi. It was then that she realized he still had a firm yet gentle hold on her. Then his words finally registered in her pained head. She didn’t know how to reply though. Out of that cage and hopefully all of danger, she was ‘okay’ but feeling as she did, confused on how and why she was in this situation, she was not.

In the very least, she didn’t try to fly or flail again but instead put her hand on Kerodi’s chest and pushed herself away. Her hollow bones ached and her muscles quivered. Her body felt completely different. She felt as if she’d been using her body for a long while without rest but in reality she had done nothing; nothing of which she could remember.

Perhaps it was something to do with the old hag finding her at the base of a mountain and then that horrid stew. Nyi dropped her hold on her dress hem. It fell to where it was suppose to, down to her ankles. A thought suddenly came to her.

The base of a mountain?

That would explain…she was…had fallen from her homeland to the north? How could that have happened? She had no recollection yet of anything. Her panic attacks shrouded her mind, hiding her memories in madness. She flinched in pain and leaned over her left side as she then curved her right arm around it. She then looked up, directly into Kerodi’s eyes asking him silent questions she knew that could not be answered today.

“…” She had opened her mouth but she had no voice. Her lips trembled and her brows scrunched as if she would cry. She didn’t though.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi watched closely as Nyi worked herself around and looked her body over to see all of her injuries. Most of them were superficial and should heal easily for an avariel, especially if treated soon. Kerodi had some of the medicines and could get more in Tamasha if absolutely necessary, which he didn't think would be the case.

He noticed the odd fluttering of her wings and how Nyi couldn't go anywhere. As she turned and adjusted herself, Kerodi tried to remain still and looked at her wings. They seemed to be fine from his viewpoint, but there might have been some internal injury done to her system that he did not understand.

Kerodi looked down at her as she stopped moving and looked up at him with questioning eyes. He could guess at some of her questions, but he didn't know for sure all of them or how she would react. For now, he needed to get her safely away and help her recover. He could do it, but he was not sure she would accept the help.

Kerodi set her down on the ground and picked up the cage. With a mighty heave, he sent it flying up into the trees that were at the base of the Ularian where they now stood. It caught and hung there, a beacon to the men following, but hopefully confusing them as well.

"Nyi," Kerodi said softly. "We don't have much time. Those men will catch up soon. I know you are hurt and scared and you don't know me, but I am asking you to trust me. Let me take you to Tamasha and we can try to figure out what all has happened to you." He kneeled in soft grass and held out his hand for her stand in.

Still distant, but getting louder, loud footfalls and curses were heard as the men who had held her captive got closer to them.

[ShadowZero00]

His heaving the cage towards the sky only for it to catch in the trees like some decoration had startled her. Nevertheless, she felt faint delight over his actions. The cage, out of sight, therefore out of mind and no longer physically constrained relieved some of her worries. However, what startled and worried her now was this man’s partial knowledge of her name.

It might not have been an appropriate time for her musing, but his loose tongue with her name was impolite, regardless of what he might be doing for her. He spoke only part of it, which was most uncommon. Why did he not use her complete first chosen name: ianna’Nyi. Among common folk, it wasn’t that hard to pronounce.

Despite his shorthanded calls to her, Nyi found she listened as he spoke. It was true there wasn’t much time. Far before he could probably hear, the men were drawing near. Their vulgar language fueled by rage spoke of their plans: an extravaganza to display the rare find, the Avariel woman.

Myths and legends were filled with such tales of these creatures and somehow in the span of two days, they would be ready to tell at supper. The men now were embarrassed and livid that an opportunity like this slipped away. They would do all they could to get it back.

She looked at him after her spoke of her being scared and his asking for her to trust him. She could not trust him, how could she? Yet hadn’t she trusted the old hag? Enough to have partaken of the stew? No. She physically shook her head and closed her eyes. She had not trusted the old woman.

It was a spell! She was not her own. Frantic and scared, she could not appropriately judge the situation and therefore acted without thought. The old woman must have known this for her pushiness was simple, simple enough for Nyi to comply even in her state of mind.

Nyi looked up at his outstretched hand as he kneeled before her. She blinked once in the span of eight seconds before pushing to her feet. She had not taken his hand and her stubbornness cost her ten seconds as she wobbled and fought to keep her balance.

How truly shameful. If only she had been trained in the ways of the warriors. Her brothers were trained, some of her sisters. Instead, her mother chose for her to lead a different life. One that would give her no benefits right here and now.

With her nearly colorless eyes, she looked at Kerodi, trying to read in his face where the direction of their destination laid. Still she had not spoken to him, her voice absent from her body. Perhaps that old woman took it, having burned it away with that gut-wrenching stew. She shivered at the thought of it.

“There!” Came the shout from one of her violators. A miserable battle cry escaped that one as he advanced with a stick in hand. Even Nyi understood that it was a poor excuse for a weapon, but could still cause damage to the unarmed and untrained fool, as she was.

Fear came over her once more as she looked to Kerodi and pleaded. “Take me!” Though a stranger, he was the only one she had who had not caused her physically harm. Besides this, what other choice did she have?

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi could tell that the avariel was confused and not wanting to trust anyone, far from home and not seeming to know or remember anything. The noise through the underbrush was getting louder. They were going to be there soon.

Kerodi's eyes focused as she stood. He could tell that she was uncertain which road to take. Unfortunately, Kerodi couldn't leave her to her own devices. She had fallen on hard times twice...no doubt the third time would take all and he might not be there to help her.

Suddenly, one of the men crashed into sight, a stick in hand. Kerodi heard the avariel scream in her small voice to take her. It was too late at the moment. They could easily follow. Kerodi slipped the pack from his back and picked up his staff...his only physical weapon.

"Get into the pack, Nyi." Kerodi's voice was low, but it was also hurried. "You will be safe, but you might get jostled a bit when we run." Without looking to see if she complied, Kerodi stepped forward to meet the man.

"Can I help you?" Kerodi asked, smiling politely. The man was huffing and grunted something noncommital. "I'm afraid I didn't understand that." Kerodi waited patiently, smiling.

"That's ours." The man breathed hard. "I'm takin' it back." He hefted the stick and started towards Kerodi. Within a foot of Kerodi, he whipped it up and around hard to Kerodi's head...which was not there anymore. Kerodi came up behind him and thwacked him hard on the head with his staff, rendering him unconscious.

Kerodi reached down to remove the stick from his hand and got hit hard from behind, sending him into blackness, sprawled out on the earth...

[ShadowZero00]

Her fear of how close the men had come made her freeze until Kerodi’s body fell to the earth with a hard thud. Startled she took a few steps back. She did not run, knowing she couldn’t and if she tried, a greater punishment would be waiting. So instead, she looked up at the two men who had knocked Kerodi out with her pale eyes wide and frantic. She took another step back. They advanced this time, wary of her. Their black beady eyes fixed on her, never leaving since she had moved. As she moved to the side, their eyes followed. She jumped as one of them suddenly spoke.

“She’s ain’t goin’ nowhere. Get ‘im up an’ hurry. We takin’ the girl now. Make sure you tie that thief up. I don’t want him following.” He said, before thinking over something quickly. He began again, saying, “Better yet, maybe we should kill him.” Laughter erupted at the man’s seemingly brilliant plan but Nyi did not think so. It was a horrid idea. The Avariel never practiced this sort of cowardliness. As she thought of cowardliness, she thought of the warriors. What would they do?

As the men lost themselves in their laughter, Nyi quickly grabbed Kerodi’s staff and held it defensively in front. The men slowly ceased their laughter at her sight, until side looks at each other called out a challenger. “I guess we have some time to play.” One of the men spoke. A short man, stocky nonetheless with a balding head and lost black eyes in his swollen head stepped forward. He had a stick in hand and twirled it in his fingers before settling into a weak fighting stance.

Nyi quickly recalled the training the Avariel men and women had, trying to remember what they’d do. Fly. But she could not. Her wings were not in any condition to fly. She was to stay grounded until there was time enough to heal. She lowered herself into a fighting stance as well; of course, she did mirror the bald one’s, which created laughter from the others as they saw as she lowered the staff.

“She can’t do a thing with that staff. It’s too heavy.” Laughter again erupted and Nyi’s face scrunched in growing angry. But she only displayed this emotion for six seconds before gaining control over herself. As the bald man came to her and horizontally slashed at her, Nyi diagonally swatted the slash and then turned the staff butt, which successfully crashed into the man’s nose. He began cursing as blood leaked out. Nyi was surprised but didn’t have time to bask in it as they all approached. She horizontally slashed the staff but a man grabbed it, pulled and knocked her in the stomach with it.

Breathless, she rolled on the grass some few feet away. As she scrambled to stand and run, a man grabbed her roughly by the hair, yanked her to her knees and punched her hard on the face. This beating continued until she escaped into her own darkness. The last she heard were their footsteps running off as a voice in the distance called to them.

Sometime later…in an outdoor arena in Tamasha Village…[/i]

“Tell me…one more time…” The man who spoke was angry. He tried hard not to burst. He swallowed frequently, moved his hands over the table and bounced his leg quickly. The five men who had captured Nyi were standing in a semi-circle around him as he spoke, shaking. They were nervous of what he would say and do. “Why does she look like that?” He looked over at Nyi who was kneeling on the floor, chained the wall. Only a foot had a chain on it. She could walk about four feet away from the wall but that was all.

“She’s a flying elf, me thinks.” One of the men answered. Their apparent boss slammed his fist on the table. The men jumped as did Nyi. She curled into ball.

“That’s the obvious! How are we going to show her off with all those injuires!” The men were silent. “Get out!” The boss finally shouted. Nyi peeked as the men scrambled to leave. The door slammed with a loud crash. “I’m truly sorry my dear.” The boss stood and walked over to her. He knelt and tried touching her cheek. She moved away from his hand. He chuckled then violently seized her chin and forced her to look at his face. He was clean-cut with long chestnut brown hair and dark brown eyes. “That’s better.” He said once the fear showed in her eyes. He stood and walked away.

For the entire night, Nyi stayed away. She did not fall into her trance out of fear of being violated. She had to remain away. When the morning came, two elderly woman and a young woman came into the wide opened arena. They were quiet and carried large buckets of water. They walked with their heads down. They kneeled before her, bowed their heads and then helped her to stand. She looked at them with caution and even tried backing away but somehow they were stronger and it wasn’t in Nyi to fight.

They undressed her. As they did, the man from last night entered. He stood close, watching as the women washed Nyi. Nyi lowered her head with closed eyes as the women washed her hair, her face, her neck, her chest and shoulders, her back and legs. Her wings they did last and as they searched the feathers, Nyi was completely exposed to the man who had sickening light to his eye. His brow arched. Nyi turned her head and slowly tried to inch a wing over her body. But to no avail. It still pained her and one of the old women were brushing through it as best they could.

It wasn’t until these women began drying Nyi that he left. Then the women spoke. “We’re terribly sorry Miss!” The youngest pleaded. She was on her knees already. Nyi could not look at her but bent over to pick up the towel in her hands. She patted herself dry and covered her chest. The ladies gave her some clothes and Nyi dressed herself in this new attire. A dress that differed greatly from her own. It was tan and short, just covering six inches of her thighs. It also had sleeves. Short ones, but still sleeves.

Tired, Nyi went back to her knees on the rough hay. She heard the bustle of people outside doing their morning chores and errands. She looked up. Though in a large arena, she was still caged. She could not see the sky though saw the sun as it came through above her. She reached her hand up and tried to touch the sunlight. But she could not reach. She lowered her hand and her head as she rocked herself for comfort.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi awoke with a massive headache. His eyes were blurry as he opened them and tried to focus. He found himself face down on the soft grass, a breeze blowing. He shook his head and realized that the darkness in front of his face was the coming of night.

He pushed himself to his knees and his head swam as he tried to maintain his balance. He touched the back of his head and it was crusty with dried blood. Suddenly, he remembered Nyi. He looked around frantically and saw his pack a few feet away. He crawled to it and looked inside. She wasn't there...and he had lost hours in pursuit of her.

Kerodi rummaged through his pack and got out his water bottle, gingerly washing the dried blood on the back of his head away. He managed to get some food down and drink a little water while he decided his next move. He could wait or he could try and go to Tamasha now and guess where they might have gone.

"I've got to find her," he muttered to himself. Sluggishly, he stood and put his pack on. Slowly, he started hiking towards Tamasha.

***********************

Kerodi sat down at a table in one of the taverns and ate a light meal, listening carefully to people around him. This was his third tavern in the last three hours. He had found nothing at the other two and was hoping to see the goons again or at least here something of someone who was a little too loose with the lips. So far, neither had happened.

He was just getting ready to leave when the door opened and two men came in, one with a bandage on his head from what looked like a head wound. Kerodi sat back down and strained to hear them.

"Can't believe the boss was that mad. She'll be fine by the time he's ready to use her," the one with the bandage said.

"He'll get over it. He's just mad that he has to wait a coupla days and that Friesen got hurt. That damn fool could have gotten away with her." The second one ordered two drinks and the men sat down at a table near Kerodi, not seeing him at all.

"Clubbed me pretty hard." The first one winced as he touched his bandages.

"Shoulda been prepared," the other one laughed. "We'll drink a bit and then head back. You won't have to stumble the few blocks back after we drink some." The two men laughed, saluted each other, and drank. They didn't see Kerodi stand up and slip out the door.

**********************

Kerodi found a small shack with a tent in the back a few blocks east of the tavern. He had seen a man leave it moments before and enter the shack. He had not looked very pleasant, but none of the adventures in the last few days had been pleasant to Kerodi's way of thinking. Kerodi marked the location and headed back towards the business district.

His head was spinning again and morning would be soon enough. He needed the rest and he needed to think clearly about how to get inside. He needed a plan. He thought it might come to him with sleep.

*******************

One of the women remained behind after Nyi had been dressed and attired. She watched as Nyi started rocking herself after she had tried to reach the son. Softly, she walked over and kneeled in front of Nyi, pulling off the wig and smiling.

"Need some help?" Kerodi asked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an odd instrument. He inserted it into the lock and wriggled it around. Within moments, a snick was heard and the chain opened. "Shall we go?"

[ShadowZero00]

{OOC: Oh, snap son, mad slick!}

|IC|

Her heart twisted and knotted within her chest; her eyes widened with questions. How did this man do it? How did he manage to find her? Why was he trying to help her? Was there something he wanted just as the old woman and the black-eyed men did? There was no way she could know of these answers but would not let these mysteries hinder the opportunity she had yet again of escaping. In her heart she hoped it would work. The last time this man tried helping, he had endangered himself. She wasn’t complaining. But the false hope was unpleasant.

Nyi nodded quickly and loosed her foot from the tight chains. She stood and then spoke. “How?” She asked either about the unlocking of her chains or how they were to leave, either was a mystery to her that she would like to know. Nonetheless, the latter was most important. She truly desired to leave. The land below was a horrid place. She wanted to return home. But knew that that in itself would be very complicated without the ability to fly.

She changed her thoughts, wondering if they could even escape. Nyi knew that her wings would impede their travel, as they would catch much unwanted attention. Exposed, she would be obvious to follow or mark in a crowd. Perhaps there were smaller roads to take, to escape. She did not know this area, not in the least.

Shaking her head suddenly, she looked to the side. “I must know, now.” She insisted. She turned her chin and looked at Kerodi. “Why are you doing this?” It was the most she had spoken to this man. The most honest she had been to these people of the land below hers. “If you’re anything like these males…” She trailed off. “Then leave me here!” Her voice shook. She tried fooling herself. She didn’t truly want to be left behind. She bit the insides of her mouth, trembling.

She feared her words and of their chance of becoming reality. She quickly grabbed his hand, clenched it between her trembling ones and brought it to her chest, just under her chin. She shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak but her fear silenced her. Her lips quivered as her head titled to the side and she held tightly to his hands. She could sense the goodness in him but her utter confusion and fear of narrow places made her mind disoriented. She could not bring herself to take back her words, though she tried.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi smiled sadly as the winged elf put his hand under chin and started to tremble. She was badly hurt and disoriented, yet she was still smart enough to know not to go with strangers. Had it been another time with another danger, Kerodi might have given in to her need to know and agreed with her quick thinking. However, this was not the time for it.

"Nyi, I know you have questions, but we don't have time for this. The leader of the men doesn't seem to have plans to move you today, but he might change his mind. We can't give him the time to do so. We have to get moving and moving quickly. Once we are safely away, I will answer all of your questions."

Kerodi pulled some bundles out of his clothing, which had worked as his sagging cleavage of an older woman. He unballed them and they were clothes and they were not very well kept. He handed them to her. "Put these on over the outfit you have on. I cut some holes in the back for your wings. Those we will have to hide another way I'm afraid." Kerodi looked out the slit of the tent and didn't see anyone coming, waiting until Nyi gave the sign that she was dressed and ready for the next step.Thanks. I do what I can. :P -

[ShadowZero00]

The need to hurry, the passing of time and the fear humans had of time was hard to understand by elves, including the Avariel. These creatures lived far longer than any man did. The Avariel however, lived a bit over half a normal elf’s life while humans were lucky if they reached one-fifth. Because of this difference in time that these races possessed, hurriedness was not familiar to Nyi.

Nonetheless, she moved as swiftly as able. She took the unkempt clothing and followed Kerodi’s directions: she put them over her makeshift outfit. With ease, her wings fit through the premade holes. She sighed; a bit at ease now that she wasn’t so exposed. Despite her usually attire in which she had a bare shoulder, she wasn’t fond of showing her legs. It made walking awkward but more importantly, flying. The Avariel were a free-spirited people and it reflected in their clothing though they had different standards of modesty.

Nyi collected her hair and put it over the new attire she was given. After her adventures, she might have to cut it for it hung by her thighs. It was a hindrance in this…world. She looked back at Kerodi once she was finished with the new layer of clothing. She pulled at the neck, and swallowed hard. She shifted her shoulders and gritted her teeth. She was feeling a bit warm but it was nothing to fret over. The climate below was unlike the climate she was use to was all.

She nodded. She knew the wings would be a problem. She would accept, to the best she could, any sort of way she might have to hide them. She hoped though, that she would be able to accept it without losing control. It would be awful to be such a hindrance, which she knew she was already. But, it was both a foolish and brave thing this man was doing. Nyi felt a tug at her heart. If only she could recall the events of the past few days. Perhaps then, she could piece together this mystery. She was so useless. Perhaps there was no difference between this world and the one she knew…

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi turned when he heard Nyi stop rustling clothing. "Very nice," he said, admiring her handiwork with getting her hair up. "We are going to have to improve upon this disguise even if you didn't have wings."

Kerodi reached to the floor of the tent and grabbed a handful of dirt. He walked over to Nyi and let it trickle through his hands and fall in her hair. He smudged her face in random places, making her skin seem dirty rather than tan and appealing. Done with that, he pulled strands of her hair loose and let them fall in her face.

"I'm going to try and hide your wings," he said, looking Nyi full in the eyes. "It might hurt a bit, but hopefully it will only be for a little while." He went behind her and looked at the wings poking through the shirt. He could see that they were frayed and where they emerged from the skin there was swelling. He frowned to himself. He hadn't counted on it being that bad.

"Okay. I'm going to work on them. Don't scream out or anything if it hurts." Kerodi reached out and took one of the wings. From a pouch at his side, he took a small jar. He opened it and it was filled with a blueish salve. He took some in his hand and began smearing her wings with it, causing them to become oily and slick. He worked fast, knowing there wasn't much time. Within minutes he was done.

He put the salve away and washed his hands in the bucket that he had not taken when he had entered as a wash woman. He peaked out of the tent again and saw no one. He picked his wig up off the floor and put it back on his head, hunching over again to sell the old lady disguise. Kerodi turned back to Nyi.

"Follow me and go slowly. Don't look around. Look down at my feet and follow me. Don't talk to anyone. I will get us out of this." Kerodi led the way out of the tent and passed by the shack. They were about to pass the plane of the house when the door slammed open and the leader of the men was there.

"What're you doin'? Isn't that girl clean yet?" he asked, clearly frustrated about something.

"Yessir, she is," wheezed Kerodi, adopting the voice of a lady who has passed her prime. "Right pretty she looks now too." Kerodi coughed hard here, making it seem like talking was rough on her. "Her clothes didn't fit so I'm going to sew them up so they show her better as you wanted, sir." Kerodi bowed and coughed some more.

"Good. I want her ready within the hour." Kerodi nodded vaguely and the man went back in the house. Kerodi turned and looked at Nyi who seemed to be quivering with fear.

"Follow me. A few more minutes and we will be able to move more quickly. Trust me." Kerodi flashed her a grin and turned back, assuming his hunched form and leading the way. Within minutes, they were several streets away.

[ShadowZero00]

She made a face as he approached her with the dirt. She had just finished washing not too long ago. Kerodi was strange but she didn’t fight him or further object. She shut her eyes as the dirt fell into her hair and as even more pressed against her skin. It was both gritty and smelly. Would this really help in a disguise? Was everyone this dirty that if she were, no one would notice her? Didn’t anyone know of keeping personal hygiene? She didn’t even mean it to the extreme but in the least, to show a form of respect. Culture in this world was different; she would just have to acknowledge that.

Nyi watched as Kerodi rounded her, facing her back as he studied her wings. She nodded once he warned her. She took in a deep breath and looked forward. She fidgeted here and there, and as he applied a liquid to them, she grunted once before he was done. She didn’t try moving her wings after he finished, in case her moving them would ruin what he had done. However, she did peek a glance and made a face. Once silver, her plumage now held blue to it. Her eyebrow arched. Blue wasn’t her color but that was a minuscule objection.

It was surprising to see how well he fit into his guise. Did she look that different? Her thoughts dismissed once her gave her instructions. She repeated them to herself. Follow, slow. Don’t look. Only feet. Follow. Don’t talk. She nodded once she got the pattern of it and then followed Kerodi as they passed by a shack. She followed her instructions: follow him, slowly, don’t look— She jumped. The slamming door threw off. Where was she up to? Feet.

She saw the man from last night, namely his boots. His voice boomed with frustration. Nyi withheld from taking a glance at his face, to know who it was who had done and planned evil things. However, perhaps it was best not to know. Not to know the face of this monster. She waited as patiently and calmly as she could while Kerodi spoke. His voice was very believing. The man then left. Nyi did not know that Kerodi looked back at her, her pale lavender eyes fixated on his feet.

She began walking again once he instructed her too and glanced at the grin he flashed. She didn’t understand the gesture but continued forth anyway. It amazed her how far they had traveled without further disturbance. She could feel herself relaxing as she furthered from her capturers. Nyi could even feel the innate longing for the sky. She painfully withheld the gaze she wanted of it, keeping her eyes on Kerodi’s shuffled steps.

Where would they go? What would happen after she was safe? Would she ever truly be safe? After all the men had come after her after Kerodi’s first attempt. She tossed these thoughts from mind and continued following. Children kicked rocks down the streets as horses hoofed down them. She had never seen a horse before, only in books. She couldn’t help but turn her head in awe of the majestic animal.

{OOC: Haha, she don't know how to listen! What the freak she looking at?!}

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi walked quickly now, being away from the men, the disguise less necessary. He took a zig-zag turn across a crowded street and turned back to motion to Nyi. She wasn't there.

"What the..." Kerodi trailed off. He stood at the branch of the alley he was entering and spied back down the path he had taken. Nyi was standing in the street looking at a horse with wonder. Kerodi shook his head, unable to keep the smile from his lips. He forgot how few things she had seen, but this was not the time for it.

Kerodi walked back out to her and gently turned her from the horse. "You can sight see later. We are still too close to them. We need to move." He turned and headed a different way now, taking a few more side streets.

In one alley, he removed his pack from discarded boxes and ditched the old lady clothing, throwing it away. He helped Nyi out of hers and helped her wash her face. He let down her hair and handed her a comb. "Comb it out some. It will look as though you have two tones of hair color."

He rummaged in his pack and brought out some bread. "It's a bit stale and you will have to eat it as we go, but it will probably be better than what you have been fed recently." He stashed things back in his pack and headed out again, zig zagging more across the streets and into alleys. He didn't stop until they were in a residential neighborhood. He went to a small house that was there and entered. He closed the door behind them and breathed a sigh of relief.

"We should be safe now. We will get washed and food and then we can talk." Kerodi smiled at her.

[ShadowZero00]

It startled her when Kerodi turned her. She hadn’t realized he’d move so quickly. However, she was less than embarrassed as she nodded and followed him as he instructed her. She looked again at his feet and made sure not to look at anything besides. They soon came to an alley where their disguises were discarded. Nyi watched as Kerodi undressed his guise and looked about herself, wary if they should be doing this but her thoughts dismissed once he aided her. He washed her face…strange…and let down her hair…

She looked down at the comb with an arching brow. She took it and observed it quickly. Once she figured how to use it, she began combing her long hair. Already her hair was bi-colored but the dirt hindered the lesser of the two colors and the dirt made parts of her hair rough. As she combed, some of the dirt trickled over her eyes. She squinted but continued combing and watched as Kerodi revealed a strange substance from his pack. There were many things in that pack. He relied on it greatly.

Nyi grasped what he offered her in her fingers, stared at it strangely but did not eat it. Despite the pains in her stomach, she would not eat it. She had never seen anything like this and would not take food from people again. Not until…much later. The old woman’s stew still caused her stomach to knot. She placed the food product away and resumed following Kerodi. She had not done any sightseeing until the scenery changed and the bustling lessened. The housing and warehouses were smaller and older appearing with wide-open spaces all around.

“…” She kept silent and slowly walked under the doorframe. She inhaled deeply before stepping in. Her eyes looked all about, measuring the length and width of the house. It looked quiet small from outside, but inside wasn’t too bad… She repeated this to herself, trying to fool herself so that she wouldn’t cause a scene. However, an outside holding would suffice as long as no one would see her.

But before she knew it, she was inside. The door closed behind her and she jumped. After Kerodi spoke, she acknowledged his smile but nothing more. The way his lips curved was unfamiliar. She swallowed as things slowly settled but nodded towards him as she tugged on the bottom of her dress, trying to pull it down. She had after all, discarded the longer one in the alley as Kerodi had discarded his old woman’s guise.

“Talk.” She trailed. She was looking towards the floor. “Because you know of the things I do not.” She looked at him.