NaNo update again
Nov. 2nd, 2008 10:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sagesariaKarrah Chapter 3
Word count: 878
Chapter 3
An unfamiliar scent permeated the air. It washed over Karrah’s senses as she awakened slowly. She moved slightly, shifting her body in subconscious reassurance that she was alive, and struggled to open her eyes, succeeding only slightly.
“Master, she’s waking up.” said a low voice, garbled in her awakening ears as though she were underwater. She blinked, slowly opening her eyes more. She focused gradually on the ceiling, and out of the corner of her eye she could make out a figure beside her. From the other side of the room another voice spoke, more clearly.
“Ah, thank Quelious. Leave us please. I would like to speak with her alone.”
He bowed, standing and padding to the door, exiting and closing the papered door with a soft tap. Movement from the distance, and slowly Master Dareth appeared, even more clearly as Karrah turned her head slightly to look at him.
“How are you feeling, Karrah?” he asked, his eyes calm. She didn’t answer, staring at the ceiling again.
“What is that?” she asked instead, referring to the scent that she had now traced out of her line of sight.
“Antidotes from Shahr Vahl. You were badly poisoned from that attack. You are lucky we came out when we did.”
Slowly she found strength to move one hand, sliding it out from the covers and resting it on her cheek where she remembered the rogue slashing her. A thin strip of cloth was adhered there. Curiously she pressed it, feeling around the spot, but suddenly winced as her touch caused the cut to sting.
Dareth disappeared from her sight again for a moment. The faint, distinct sound of something pouring came from the edge of her line of sight, then he returned. An arm snaked under her neck, supporting her and easing her to sit upright.
“Here, drink this.” a steaming mug was placed in her hands. She stared at the clear brown liquid in the mug that was already painful on her fingers, and realized that this was the source of the herbal smell. Slowly she brought the drink to her lips, wincing as it nearly scalded her tongue. Slowly she swallowed the small sip she took, and only after it went down her throat did she choke, coughing at the bitter taste. Dareth rubbed her back slowly, holding her hands to keep from spilling her mug.
“It is hard to swallow, but it will recover your strength.”
Supporting and fatherly, he helped her to drink. She finished half of it before she spoke slowly.
“Did she get away?”
Dareth nodded slowly, a slightly apologetic look in his eyes..
“There was no one in the city walls who was not supposed to be. She was gone long before we started searching. Did you get a good look at her?”
“No. She was wearing a mask.”
“I see. That could prove troublesome trying to find out who was behind this. However…” he reached behind him, “We did find this in the street.”
Dareth was holding a dagger in his hand by the blade. It must have been the same dagger the rogue dropped. Karrah set the now empty mug aside, taking the knife and looking it over, careful around the blade as its edges were still sharp and quite possibly poisoned.
“Look here.” Dareth pointed to the base of the blade on one side. A faint marking was engraved there. Three cat’s faces attached to contorted bodies, all spiraling around in a circular shape, three paws joining in the center, all creating a shape that could only be described as a three-way yin-yang.
“What is it?”
“I cannot say for certain, but it is likely a clan symbol. Every large rogue guild has their own mark. It acts as their password, and as their signature. I do not know what clan this would belong to, and it may not even be one, but if it is indeed a clan emblem, then you may be in grave danger.”
Karrah stared at the mark a long time, running her fingers over it carefully.
“Why would anyone want to kill me…?” she thought out loud.
“Perhaps there was something you did in your past life that caught their attention.” Dareth said grimly, referring of course to the life Karrah lived before she lost her memory.
“Karrah.” he added, putting his hand on her shoulder and encouraging her to look at him, “I want you to know that you are always welcome in my dojo. It will be a dangerous journey to Freeport, especially if you are wanted dead. Are you certain that you are ready?”
“I’m certain.” Karrah replied, little hesitation in her answer, “I’ve been waiting for four years. I’m ready to find the answers, even if I have to fight for them.”
Dareth would have answered, but the door slid open again.
“Master, the captain of the guard is here to see you.”
“I’ll be right there.” he answered, looking to Karrah again, “Get some rest.”
He stood and left with the student who called on him, closing the door. Karrah slumped back down on the futon, rolling to her side and interesting herself with the pristine floor as she thought.
Word count: 878
Chapter 3
An unfamiliar scent permeated the air. It washed over Karrah’s senses as she awakened slowly. She moved slightly, shifting her body in subconscious reassurance that she was alive, and struggled to open her eyes, succeeding only slightly.
“Master, she’s waking up.” said a low voice, garbled in her awakening ears as though she were underwater. She blinked, slowly opening her eyes more. She focused gradually on the ceiling, and out of the corner of her eye she could make out a figure beside her. From the other side of the room another voice spoke, more clearly.
“Ah, thank Quelious. Leave us please. I would like to speak with her alone.”
He bowed, standing and padding to the door, exiting and closing the papered door with a soft tap. Movement from the distance, and slowly Master Dareth appeared, even more clearly as Karrah turned her head slightly to look at him.
“How are you feeling, Karrah?” he asked, his eyes calm. She didn’t answer, staring at the ceiling again.
“What is that?” she asked instead, referring to the scent that she had now traced out of her line of sight.
“Antidotes from Shahr Vahl. You were badly poisoned from that attack. You are lucky we came out when we did.”
Slowly she found strength to move one hand, sliding it out from the covers and resting it on her cheek where she remembered the rogue slashing her. A thin strip of cloth was adhered there. Curiously she pressed it, feeling around the spot, but suddenly winced as her touch caused the cut to sting.
Dareth disappeared from her sight again for a moment. The faint, distinct sound of something pouring came from the edge of her line of sight, then he returned. An arm snaked under her neck, supporting her and easing her to sit upright.
“Here, drink this.” a steaming mug was placed in her hands. She stared at the clear brown liquid in the mug that was already painful on her fingers, and realized that this was the source of the herbal smell. Slowly she brought the drink to her lips, wincing as it nearly scalded her tongue. Slowly she swallowed the small sip she took, and only after it went down her throat did she choke, coughing at the bitter taste. Dareth rubbed her back slowly, holding her hands to keep from spilling her mug.
“It is hard to swallow, but it will recover your strength.”
Supporting and fatherly, he helped her to drink. She finished half of it before she spoke slowly.
“Did she get away?”
Dareth nodded slowly, a slightly apologetic look in his eyes..
“There was no one in the city walls who was not supposed to be. She was gone long before we started searching. Did you get a good look at her?”
“No. She was wearing a mask.”
“I see. That could prove troublesome trying to find out who was behind this. However…” he reached behind him, “We did find this in the street.”
Dareth was holding a dagger in his hand by the blade. It must have been the same dagger the rogue dropped. Karrah set the now empty mug aside, taking the knife and looking it over, careful around the blade as its edges were still sharp and quite possibly poisoned.
“Look here.” Dareth pointed to the base of the blade on one side. A faint marking was engraved there. Three cat’s faces attached to contorted bodies, all spiraling around in a circular shape, three paws joining in the center, all creating a shape that could only be described as a three-way yin-yang.
“What is it?”
“I cannot say for certain, but it is likely a clan symbol. Every large rogue guild has their own mark. It acts as their password, and as their signature. I do not know what clan this would belong to, and it may not even be one, but if it is indeed a clan emblem, then you may be in grave danger.”
Karrah stared at the mark a long time, running her fingers over it carefully.
“Why would anyone want to kill me…?” she thought out loud.
“Perhaps there was something you did in your past life that caught their attention.” Dareth said grimly, referring of course to the life Karrah lived before she lost her memory.
“Karrah.” he added, putting his hand on her shoulder and encouraging her to look at him, “I want you to know that you are always welcome in my dojo. It will be a dangerous journey to Freeport, especially if you are wanted dead. Are you certain that you are ready?”
“I’m certain.” Karrah replied, little hesitation in her answer, “I’ve been waiting for four years. I’m ready to find the answers, even if I have to fight for them.”
Dareth would have answered, but the door slid open again.
“Master, the captain of the guard is here to see you.”
“I’ll be right there.” he answered, looking to Karrah again, “Get some rest.”
He stood and left with the student who called on him, closing the door. Karrah slumped back down on the futon, rolling to her side and interesting herself with the pristine floor as she thought.
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