Subj: [ffml] [MW] Traveling to North Figaro
Date: 00-01-03 07:17:49 EST
From: skyhall@hotmail.com (Sky Hall)
Reply-to: ffml@onelist.com
To: ffml@onelist.com
From: "Sky Hall"
(Warning: The author has had a few beers and is trying to write something
serious. Please bare with any mistakes, inconsistencies, and problems that
may arise. ALso, remember that this post is intended for fun and propagation
of the general storyline. So keep it cool, ya'all. PEACE!)
Out of the mountains, a small party traveled.
From outward appearances, it appeared to be a carriage being escorted by
nine riders. It was a covered carriage, with fabric flaps hiding the
passenger within. Also, it was small, a few trunks of baggage on the outside
and the space within large enough to barely fit four people. Four men rode
before, four men after, with one rider casually circling.
Upon closer expection, it looked like a mercenary company escorting a
merchant or nobleman. The men wore regular clothes, with some hints at
armor, mostly leather vests and bracers. All were armed with swords. Two men
having bows and arrows.
Tim rode before the wagon, but behind his men, lost in thought. His
chocobo plodded along, it's head drooping slightly as it walked along. He
was trying to come to terms with events that had happened and was not sure
if he could.
Most pressing was the fact that Ladice had forced herself on him. He had
been with barmaids and serving girls, farmers daughters, and the occasional
widow and prostitute, but never with a noblewoman, let alone a princess. But
Tim was reassured that this was not the first time she had done something
like this. In a way, she had orchestrated this, he figured. That's why he
was picked. Maybe she had chosen him, not the general or someone else. And
the way she handled herself in bed made him sure that she had been with
other men before.
With this in mind, Tim was sure the repurcussions would not be severe. If
anything, once back in Doma, he and his men would immediately go to the
Veldt to join Hisel and the rest of the brigade. Again, this might have been
orchestrated by Ladice to keep Tim and his men quiet, or subdue the
possibility of rumors.
But what got to Tim was when she said that she wanted Tim to be her
"knight." He was kind of unsure what she meant by that. According to the old
stories, a knight was the servant of the king, and really a military rank.
At least that was how Tim saw it. But he thought about those stories again
and realized that Ladice must have been raised on tales of romance and
courtly love. A knight, then, was a sort of bodyguard or lover of a
noblewoman. If this is the case, then he could understand what she was doing
when she wanted Tim as her knight.
The threat of attack was very real to Ladice and she was afraid and
excited. So she came to Tim and thought that the best way to save her life
was to seduce him, then tell him to be her knight.
Now the pieces were falling into place in Tim's mind. Ladice wanted a
protector because she was very afraid. She was used to sleeping with men who
served her, and so was unconcerned with her conduct. Instead, she did it to
both help her release some tension in herself, and to calm her nerves.
Tim shook his head. Women were difficult to understand at times, but it
just took thought to figure them out, he realized. He would have to stay
away from Ladice. Though he was flattered by the attention, he did not want
to cause a scene by being caught in bed with her. But that thought was
difficult to handle. Tim had a huge erection at the moment, thinking about
Ladice.
Ladice, unlike the other women, was people. Her skin was soft, her breasts
large and round. Her hair smelled of flowers, her skin smelled perfume and
tasted like milk. She was so lovely. Tim never realized that a woman could
hold his attention as well as Ladice did.
What Tim did not realize, however, was that he was being watched.
A shout was given, and several men sprang from the rocks and bushes that
clung to the foothills. Having left the mountains that separated South
Figaro from North Figaro, the land was more sparse, as it became a desert to
the south.
Tim was shocked and looked about in amazement. He could not believe he had
been taken unawares by bandits.
Sizing up the situation, Tim figured there were close to twenty men
surrounding them. Behind, five men had positioned themselves: two on horses,
one with spear, one with an axe, and one with a sword. Two each side, two
men each were present. One man on each side having a bow at the ready. The
rest were gathered at the front, another five men with horses and the rest
of the men on foot and armed with various weapons. They came forward,
preparing to take the reigns of the soldiers.
As the bandits neared, Tim's men grabbed their hilts. A voice shouted,
"Easy!" and everyone halted.
The archers readied their bows and trained them on the lead. The soldiers
held position, but kept the bandits from nearing them.
"What the devil is this?!" shouted Tim, moving his chocobo forward. He
whispered to the men on the wagon as he passed, "Eyes on the archers." The
men did nothing but turned to their respective targets.
"We demand whatever gold and jewels you possess," said one man on a
chocobo. He was dressed a bit nicer then the rest. "And who does that
carriage carry?"
"A woman of very dear importance to her husband," said Tim. "You can take
her jewels, we have no gold. We have no desire to die."
"A woman, eh? Let's have a look." sneered the leader.
"I don't think so," said Tim defiantly. "Our employer values her ladyship
very much, and we were instructed to die before her hair on her was touched,
and I don't think you want to die today." He gave the man a hard look.
The leader conceded. "Alright. The jewels then. Hand them over."
Again, the bandits tried to move forward to take the reigns, but the men
drew their swords slightly.
"Keep your men back," ordered Tim. "I'll hand you the jewels." Tim turned
his chocobo and rode back. The two men handed Tim a small strong box that
was on the top of the carriage. Tim took it in both hands, a finger flicking
a switch on hte underside.
Riding forward, pass his men, Tim extended the box with one hand. The
leader came forward and took the box. He backed up a little as his comrades
came forward. Tim moved off to the side of the road and nonchalantly placed
his hand near his sword. His eyes surveyed the scene. Tim's men saw the
signal and prepared themselves.
The leader had trouble opening the box. He handed to a man on the ground,
he began fiddling with it, four other men coming over to help him.
"Now that our business is concluded," said Tim. "May we pass?"
The leader looked at Tim and smiled. Tim detected evilness in the look.
"But of course, my lord," said the man. "May you be right on your-"
The man was cut off when the small box exploded in the hands of his men.
All the men were knocked back as the magical energy flared out. The fireball
singed the faces and hands of the men, causing them to fall to the ground,
stunned, their clothes on fire, and thrashing about, screaming in pain.
As the trap went off, the two men on the wagon threw daggers at the
archers on the small rises to each side of the wagon. More of Tim's men
threw daggers at targets, then drawing their swords and charging the stunned
bandits.
Tim drew his sword, and being to the side, urged his mount forward and
proceded to cut down the men on the ground and on chocoboes, while his men
went to work on the front of the group.
As soon as initial confusion died down, the situation had resolved itself.
The explosion and daggers stunned and disarmed several of the men, while the
rest were killed. As soon as the able men were dispatched, the injured were
followed suit on. Nothing bad dead bodies lay where once some enterprising
thieves had been.
Tim, after cleaning off his sword and seeing that the bodies were taken
care of, strode over to the wagon and asked, "Your highness. Are you
alright?"
The fabric flap was pulled aside and the princess looked at Tim.
"Yes," she replied. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, your highness. Everything is fine. These brigands tried to waylay
us, but have been dealt with. We will be on our way shortly."
Ladice nodded slightly, and let the flap fall.
Tim took a deep breath, relieved she was alright, and not upset. He then
readied his men to move.
After reaching Figaro Castle, Ladice attended her business and was too
busy to have a private moment for Tim, which relieved him greatly.
Afterwards, the party traveled back to Doma and encountered not much
trouble. Tim and his squad then joined their comrades in the Veldt Corp.
--Sky
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From: "Sky Hall"
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Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2000 04:17:33 PST
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Subject: [ffml] [MW] Traveling to North Figaro
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