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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Mar 28, 2010 22:42:02 GMT
Gill jogged lightly up one of the Castle's many spiral staircases; her arms were laden with heavy books from the library, piled in a stack that finished just underneath her nose. The top few wobbled precariously with each step she took, and she leaned slightly away from the tower less one should slide backwards and hit her square in the face. She was running a few quick errands before the kitchens needed her again to prepare supper, and as both ladies she usually waited on were vacant from the castle, Gill had been sent with an assortment of very dull books to deliver to one of the old decrepit knights who refused to move from his bed chamber.
As she reached the top of the stairs, she strode around into the corridor, not able to see where she was going and collided with something or someone hard. She gave a sharp yell and jumped back as the thick volumes fell to the ground. She was left slightly dazed clutching the smallest one, and staring at the woman before her.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Mar 24, 2010 1:46:57 GMT
When Dante left, Gill remained sitting on the ground, her confused mind turning the actual time of a few minutes into a seeming forever. She pulled her trembling legs up to her chest, hugging them tightly. She was only dimly aware of the sounds of fighting ceasing and a distant scream of her name. She began to focus purely on the red welts the rough ropes had chafed around her wrists, it was like looking at a picture, Gill couldn't feel anything. They must hurt she thought to herself, and concentrated on nothing else until she was aware of the pain pulsing through her, everywhere. She could feel all her bruises, aches and cuts now with a painful clarity, but it also drew her out of this temporary reverie and back into reality. Gill stood, gasping at a pain in her chest when she breathed in, if she'd had been better at biology or medicine she would have recognised it as a broken rib immediately.
All thoughts of bodily pain disappeared as she turned to face Henry. He was wounded and looked about as rough as Gill felt. She stared at him, unmoving, a confused tumult of thoughts racing through her mind: Henry saving her life in the tavern. The palace kitchens. The orchard. The prison. The stocks. Since she had known Henry, Gill had swung between feeling inexplicably drawn to him, being rejected by him and hating him.
All of these thoughts were condensed in the tiny fraction of time that lapsed before Henry threw his arms around her. After a few moments with her face buried in Henry's shoulder, feeling his wet face against her neck, she pulled sharply away holding him at arms length, "You saved me again." she acknowledged in a quiet voice and then suddenly slapped him hard. Before he would have had a chance to react, she threw her arms around him and fervently kissed him, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. She was forced to pull away after only a few moments (she couldn't breathe properly), but kept her arms wrapped tightly around his waist,
"Don't leave me again, don't ever leave" she mumbled, speaking these words into his clothes, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand and wincing when it stung. When she finally let go of Henry, she still kept her hand firmly gripping his as if afraid she would lose him. "There's so many questions." she half-whispered, trying to explain her bewildered state of mind, "How, how did you find me? Who are you?"
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Mar 14, 2010 23:56:49 GMT
Gill squeezed her eyes closed, sure that she was going to die at the hands of this man. She clenched her fists tight, waiting for the inevitable...
And then suddenly his weight was gone from her, and Gill breathed out sharply, wondering if this was what dying felt like, and if it was... it wasn't as painful as she'd anticipated. "Leave her!" She opened her eyes as these words were shouted to see her captor on the ground a little way off, and another man crouching close to her. Her eyes widened in recognition... and she opened her mouth to form the words 'Henry?' but nothing came out. Just about managing to pull herself into a sitting position, she watched the fight before her in mute awe feeling like she was watching a theatre show. Was Henry really here? Why? How was he fighting so adeptly? Had he come for her on purpose, or was in just a coincid--
"Henry!" this time the words flew from her mouth in a scream as the man Henry was fighting drew, what looked to Gill, a small sword and slashed at him. Blood fell heavily from the wound, splattering on Gill who was close by his feet. She made an odd choking noise, somewhere between a scream and a gasp when she felt his warm blood on her own hands. It wrenched her heart to see Henry injured. Someone grabbed her arm, and she turned around clawing like a wildcat, expecting it to be another one of the kidnappers.
"Wh..what?" Gill stammered, freezing as she looked up into the eyes of Dante, the man she had met in the pub a few days ago after Henry had been thrown in prison. What was he doing here? This was all too much for her to comprehend, and she allowed herself to be have led, half carried away from Henry and into the scrub. As soon as Dante's arms loosened their grip she slumped to the ground in a daze, her head swimming as if with drink.
"Is Henry? Why are you here, do you know? The men, Casalynn... Henry, he's hurt..." she babbled incoherently staring at Dante's legs, and ending by thrusting her palms covered in Henry's blood towards him.
"You have to help him."
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Feb 19, 2010 15:35:06 GMT
Gill writhed on the ground, hoping to squirm free of her captor's vice like grip around her wrists. Her legs felt numb under the weight of his body pressing down on them. She tried to roll on her side, but her body was firmly pinioned and only her head free to move. As she glanced to the side she could have sworn she could see a figure standing in the trees. Everything seemed the wrong way up, and her dark hair masked the view. She had barely screamed "Help, please!" and the figure was gone.
The man was distracted, if just for a moment, looking in the direction of Gill's scream and she managed to loosen one of her legs, bringing it up with all the force she could muster the hit him in the fork of his legs.
The man made an oddly subdued cry of pain, and toppled off of her with an "Oof," his eyes watering but still tightening his grip on her wrists to keep her on the ground. In this new sitting position, Gill twisted round to where the figure had been standing. Trees, and nothing more. The man, red-faced now, had partially recovered and turned back to her with a murderous glint in his eye.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Feb 9, 2010 1:24:00 GMT
The edge of the forest.
The men came to a standstill where the line of trees thinned to scrub, and stared out at the distant fields of another land. Gill shuffled forward in order to hear what they were saying; the man in charge seemed angry, and was exchanging heated words with the others. "We were supposed to meet them here... the edge of the forest." he shouted, kicking at the ground angrily as he spoke. "Maybe they had trouble with the other girl?" the man holding Gill's rope piped up. "I doubt it." "Or maybe they took 'er to sell for themselves, keep the money that way..." This came from a man who Gill had not heard speak one word the entire journey. His face was gaunt and he reminded her of some kind of serpent, he amused himself by cleaning some dirt from under his nails with a dagger.
The group fell silent, and everyone including Gill turned to look a little way back into the forest where crows wheeled out above the treetops, shrieking in some disturbance.
"You reckon that's them?" one inquired. The man in charge looked back over his shoulder, thinking, then made his decision. "We've got time 'til the cart arranged gets here. We'll double back, see if it's the others with the lady." "The lady?" Gill piped up, suddenly interested, "You mean Casalynn? What have you done to her? Is she al--" here she was cut off by a swift backhand from the man in charge, which split her lip and silenced her immediately. "Raff, you stay here with the wench. Keep yourself amused, and if the cart comes early hold it 'til we get back with the other girl..." At this, the leader and two men turned on their heels and headed in the direction of the disturbance at a swift pace. Gill looked over to Raff, the snake-like man, who her rope had been handed over too. He regarded her with piercing eyes, and a menacing look that sent a shudder through her body.
"So my pretty..." he began to coil the rope around his arm, reeling Gill slowly towards him, "What can we do to kill some time?" He laughed to see her struggling and glancing around the forest as if someone or something might help her. "We're quite alone, no need to be so nervous..." Raff crooned, grabbing her forcibly by the arm when she came within reach. "Don't you dare touch me!" Gill cried, pulling away and elbowing him sharply in the face at the same time. She ran full pelt in the opposite direction into the forest, but no sooner had she gone a few metres did the rope suddenly snap taut and she fell forward onto her face. She rolled over onto her back with a groan, her nose and mouth bloody, to see the man's tall, dark figure towering over her. He knelt down, keeping her pinned to the ground.
"Now that was a big mistake..." he snarled. Gill screamed.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Feb 3, 2010 23:33:01 GMT
Gill was unsure how long she had been walking, or rather pulled along, for. She had put up resistance at first; pulling back on the rope and digging her heels into the ground, but her wrists were sore, her bare feet cut and she was no match for the strong, rested man who gripped the other end of the rope. They talked in quiet voices between themselves, a few occasionally laughed loudly. The man who Gill supposed was in charge looked thunderous and kept quiet, she assumed he was upset that whatever this was hadn't gone exactly to plan.
The trees began to thin overhead, Gill noticed there was definitely more visible sky than there had been before. Perhaps they were nearing the edge of the forest? This thought filled her with dread. It was a different land the other side of the forest, she had no idea which, and she had no idea what awaited her after these men were done with her. "Water please?" she asked the man with the rope, trying to make her voice as scratchy as possible. He looked to the leader for an answer, but before he could form a word either way, Gill dramatically swayed forwards, then backwards, crumpling like a piece of parchment to the ground. She had never been one for amateur dramatics, but her failing body aided her in creating a faint that was a little too realistic. Although she appeared to land with a soft thump, the cold hard impact of the ground shook her to the bone. Her eyes fluttered open then closed as she heard voices swirling above her.
"Give her some water," came the command, "You've got a minute to get her back on her feet.' Gill felt rough hands pulling her upright, and another hand tilt her chin backwards. She automatically opened her mouth, grateful for the water. Her body throbbed all over from the fall, and she found herself irritated that she'd bruise like a peach the next day. If there was a next day, she mused darkly.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Jan 28, 2010 16:31:29 GMT
I'm Gill as well as Evie
The others I know off the top of my head are: Lilith/Diana Casalynn/Tristan Asketel/Gwen Richard/Maura Grace/Riga Evangeline/Sophie Lexi/Rowen
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Jan 28, 2010 1:04:07 GMT
PICTIONARY- although I have been known to get violent...
Favourite meal?
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Jan 28, 2010 0:57:18 GMT
[OOC: Hey guys, I'm not sure where Cass is, she hasn't been on in ages. So I'm just carrying on Rping pretending that Gill doesn't know whats happened to her...]
Morning. The early hours of the morning, a few beams of wintry light just began to filter down through the tree tops, tinting all the bare trees and plants with a layer of frost. There was a mist that hung just above ground level giving the place an eerie dank feel. Gill woke up with a stab of hunger, and as soon as she moved wished she hadn't. Her neck and back were stiff from both the cold and the uncomfortable position she was in- luckily the cold had also numbed the pain from the ropes that were chafing the white skin around her wrists red raw.
Gill's emotions were as numb as her body. Instead of focusing on the current danger she was in, she couldn't help but think back to her family, and all the events that had happened in Camelot leading to this moment. Raised voices bought her back to here and now. She had neither seen nor heard anything from Casalynn the whole night, and hoped her new friend was ok, or at least still alive.
The rope binding her to the tree was unbound, and one of the men pulled her along, using the rope that was still attached to her wrists like a leash. The drawing that she had sketched of Camelot the previous evening fell from her pocket, and lay, unnoticed in the mist swathed foliage.
"We're goin' for a little walk maid." The man who was holding her spoke, tugging sharply on the rope. Gill winced, but remained silent, following helplessly as they moved away from the campsite of the previous night. "Seems like Uther doesn't care much about you or the Lady, we've given him enough time... looks like it's the slave traders instead. I reckon we can get a pretty penny for a young'un like yous..." His words barely registered, as Gill stumbled through the undergrowth behind him. Screaming for help wouldn't achieve anything, not in the middle of nowhere... she could leave a trail, but for who to follow? No-one knew she was here. And if she struggled, who knew what they would do to Casalynn to subdue her?
"You son of a b*tch."
Her breath misted before her as she shouted the words. Not really effective, but she felt better. A stinging slap followed, but it was worth it, and the pain was instantly numbed by the icy air.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Jan 25, 2010 0:49:32 GMT
Gill spent a wretched night tied to a tree somewhere in the middle of the forest. It was dark as pitch, and the men had set up a small camp complete with a fire several paces away so Gill couldn't feel any of the heat from its rosy glow. Her head hung forward, long brown locks covering her face, it was too cold to even cry- she was sure if she had done little icicles would have hung from her eyelashes.
She squeezed her eyes closed, consciously trying to force her body from shaking so much with the cold. She could no longer feel her extremities, her fingers that hung limply from the ropes were numb. She caught snippets of the distant conversation, and although she didn't understand the men's words, she could hear from their tone that they were getting more irritable and angrier the longer they waited- but waited for what?
Gill couldn't see or hear Casalynn at all now, and wondered if she was still even there or if the men had moved her... or worse. Somehow, freezing cold, and with terrible thoughts whirring through her mind, Gill managed to fall into a fitful uncomfortable sleep.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Jan 22, 2010 12:47:33 GMT
Gill stepped lightly up the spiral stairs taking two at a time; she was in a good mood having finished all of her chores that would take her into the chilly castle grounds, where the thin maid's uniform did nothing to keep her warm, and had now spent the last hour and a half warming herself by the kitchen fire under the pretence of sweeping up. Lady Anna, who Gill had initially waited upon, unlike most nobles, did not require the presence of a serving girl for most hours of the day, and recognising this, Gill had been assigned to Lady Evangeline as well. The first time she had seen the lady she was taken aback by her beauty, glossy hair and fine features. Normally, with the upper classes, it was the finery and jewels that made them appear beautiful- but Gill thought this girl could have worn anything and she’d still look every inch the lady she was. Not paying attention to the bowl of soup she was carrying, it swilled over the side with her exuberant footsteps, burning the fingers that held it. Gill paused at the top of the stairs, shaking her hand and swearing under her breath. She shifted the weight of the bowl to one hand, cleaning the soup-covered hand on her apron with a frown and wondering why there wasn’t a lid for the platter. Within minutes she had reached Evangeline’s chamber, and once again holding the bowl with one hand, knocked gently before opening the door. "My lady?" she enquired, creaking the heavy door open with a foot and peering around into the room. "The kitchen has sent up some soup, they thought you might like something warm to eat on such a cold day!" Gill fell silent, it was an effort to remember not to chatter away to the nobles like she did with her friends in the serving quarters.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Jan 13, 2010 17:38:37 GMT
(Cass- Sorry I've taken about a hundred years to reply, I really thought I already had!!)
Gill watched with wide eyes as the men advanced toward Casalynn. She was glad when the horses bolted, riding back the way they had come to the edge of the forest with loud whinnies; good thinking on Casalynn's part. But whilst Cass had a sword to protect herself, she realised that the girl was refusing to fight because the men were threatening her. It took only moments for them to grab her, then one man took a girl each, and marched them deeper into the undergrowth where Gill presumed their horses were waiting or they had made camp.
It was getting really dark now, and as she part stumbled and was part pulled along, Gill wasn't even sure she would be able to find her way back to the main path if she managed to escape. She could make out Cass and the large man holding her. She mouthed back, "It's not your fault!" to Cass's mouthed "Sorry," but was unsure if she'd get the message. The man that was holding her gave more instructions, twisting her arm painfully behind her back with one hand as he reached out to grab something with the other.
It was rope. The rough thick cord used to tie horses in a stable. Gill could see that the man holding Cass was also holding an identical coil, but then she was forced to a sitting position on ground and her hands pulled behind her. She felt rough bark against the back of her head, and could see from what was happening to Casalynn that they were being tied to parallel trees. Gill looked across to the girl she had only just met, and couldn't help but feel responsible for the situation they were in. She tried to convey how sorry she was through expression alone, and not how terrified she felt.
After making sure she was securely tied, the men moved away deep in conversation. Gill picked up the words "Lady","Maid" and "Ransom" which confused her. She strained her ears to listen for more, but one of the men squatted beside her and pinched her cheeks together in between one of his big hands, forcing her lips into a squished pout. "Bad day for you isn't it little maid..." he drawled, but before he could continue he was called away by another man, a voice of authority.
"The King'll want them in one piece. You're not to touch them. Yet." Gill resisted the urge to heabutt the man as he pulled his hand and face away, instead attempting to twist her wrists out of the tight knots and looking across to Cass whose face she could barely make out in the dying light.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Dec 22, 2009 22:32:43 GMT
Gill fell silent as soon as Casalynn put her finger to her lips. She froze mid-stride, arms unmoving infront of her, extended as if she was walking in the dark. She strained her ears, keeping eye contact with Cass. Silence. Well not quite silence, she could hear the wind rustling leaves, the horse's heavy breathing...
Whoosh An arrow flew from behind her toward Casalynn. She screamed, although panic caused her to stay still rather than throw herself to the ground for cover. As soon as she saw Casalynn was unharmed, Gill spun around in the direction the arrow had come from. There was no-one in sight. Somewhere she heard the grating of metal upon metal as a sword was unsheathed and hoped it was Casaylnn- she couldn't recall whether she had a sword on her or not.
"Gill!?" Casaylnn's distant voice broke through the silence, and Gill turned back to the horses. She could see the bottom of the girl's dress framed by her horse's legs and stomach.
"I'm here, I'm OK." Gill called back shakily, beginning to make her way back to the horses, "Lets just lea--" her words were cut off as a broad hand smothered her mouth, pulling her head back into the crook of his shoulder. She felt cool metal at her throat. Her eyes flew from side to side like a trapped animal. A deep voice sounded from the man that held her, "Get the other one, the Lady." Two men advanced into Gill's sight, walking toward the horses and Casalynn; she could only watch helplessly and silently.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Dec 21, 2009 22:15:41 GMT
"Yes, I'm from Camelot. I've lived there for a few years now with my uncle. Sadly he's been... taken care of and I live alone in his manor."
Gill didn't completely understand Casalynn's words, she wondered what she meant when she said 'taken care of', but decided not to pry into this girl's business. They had only just met after all. Cass's horse pressed forwards and she spoke again, level with Gill.
"How about you, do you live in Camelot? I'm guessing from your attire that your a maid?" "I've recently moved to Camelot." Gill replied, "I used to live in a town several miles outside of the city- and you guess correctly, I work up at the palace, my father got me a job there..." she paused for a moment, squinting into the overgrown plants that crept onto the path, then jumped down from her horse. She thought she had seen the herb she was looking for, and continued chatting as she walked around by Casalynn's horse, stepping into the greenery.
"...it's hard work, but I enjoy it. City life is exciting too." she bent down and picked up a few leaves, inspecting them closely, then looked up toward Cass. "Oh these aren't the right ones at all. I must have the eyesight of a bat!" she smiled apologetically, tossing them over her shoulder. Gill began to walk back toward Cass and her own horse, then froze in her tracks as she heard a rustling sound behind her.
"Did you hear that?" she asked, eyes wide and looking up Casalynn who had a better view from atop her horse.
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Post by Lady Gillianne Auvray on Dec 19, 2009 17:28:21 GMT
Gill scrambled to her feet as Cass did, shaking the grass from her skirt whilst looking down at her feet. She fleetingly felt self-conscious of the dirty maid's uniform she was wearing in comparison to Casalynn's lovely dress. She did miss the lovely clothes she used to wear, and often envied how lovely the noble ladies looked when she glimpsed them in the castle corridors. Shaking these thoughts from her mind, she moved from the patch of flattened grass toward the horses.
"Wow, sure! That's if you don't mind of course? If you'd be willing to help I'd be most grateful." Casalynn spoke as they walked towards their respective horses. Gill liked Casalynn and was glad for the company outside of work, she hadn't really met that many people since arriving in Camelot, and this girl seemed friendly, polite and confident. "Of course not!" Gill replied warmly, fiddling about with her horse's tack to ensure everything was tightened properly. "I'm glad I can be of help, I'm glad we met actually, I was beginning to get a bit bored of my own company!" she smiled back at Casalynn, then pulled herself up onto her horse, swinging her legs over in an incredibly unladylike way. Gill was learning to ride properly and not side-saddle, she wasn't a lady any more. She clicked her tongue, and the horse turned around, heading towards the forest. She stopped alongside Casalynn, waiting for her to mount.
The path leading into the forest was wide enough for the two girls to ride side by side. Gill switched from looking and talking to Casalynn, to scanning the plants alongside the path for the one she was looking for. Although it was not yet dark, the forest was quite shadowy but she had enough light to see by.
"So, are you from Camelot?" Gill asked, both hoping to find out more about Cass and glad to have someone to chat to.
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