Dreamed Into Life

[GamesMaster]

"No, no," he says, slowly. "Just, I had hoped to sign as a present for her, before she returns."

[Illianna]

I mull it over slightly. We've gotten everything we've wanted and I was given permission to singe on her behalf. "Very well. It would give us more time to enjoy the gentle pleasures of two rivers during your stay with us." I smile sweetly

[GamesMaster]

"Excellent." He claps his hands twice, and a young serving woman comes forward with a wooden box full of pens. She stumbles over a root, however, and the pens and paper fall to the ground. "Ignorant, lazy girl, this is your last straw," he says, with a scowl. "Clean them up."

[Illianna]

I look down on her and smile "it's all right accidents happen and my garden is rather wild still." I smile dropping to my knees to help the girl collect her masters things allowing the men at the table a chance to look at what they'll never see again as this position is reserved only for my mistress.

[GamesMaster]

Tears in her eyes, she leans forward, whispering bravely, "it's a trap, miss. He's planned an ambush for tomorrow to kill your wife. Don't sign anything." Then she pulls back, finishing picking up the supplies in a hurry. 

[Illianna]

My blood runs cold. And I think quickly.... Ipikack I call and it springs to my fingers from the ground. A quick movement of my had and it's in my mouth and down my throught. I rais gracefully to stand feeling the plant take effect. One sip of tea and my color changes before concern can be raised I turn swiftly vomiting into a bush. "Forgive me the joys of pregnancy allow me to change before singing" I say gesturing fir Trevor and leaning hard on Iekbrounder fainting a faint countenance

[GamesMaster]

He looks... honestly affronted. "Please, by all means, compose yourself," Damitri says, seemign a bit green himself. 

[Illianna]

We make a quick exit and once we're inside I turn to eik "ready your men new. He's playing both sides there's an ambushed planned for dawn. If we go now we can meet them their and save the day and turn the tide of this. Trevor stall him tell him I'm far worse than expected. He'll call a midwife or seven if it convinces him! We leave on the tide!" I turn quickly heading to my rooms to change and be ready to save my bride

[GamesMaster]

Ikebrandur growls a little to himself as he watches her leave. So dedicated to her role as the dutiful wife. Well, no matter. In the end, no-one will be able to say she did not do her best, not unless they were there. It's probably for the best.

"Ready the Fourth Regiment," he tells his aide.

"Not the Fifth?"

"No, the Fourth will be enough for a few ignorant Rus."

[Illianna]

15 minutes later I'm dressed and heading to the armory when I see red and his men lazing about "get dressed we're leaving with the tide there's an ambush planed hurry up!" I snap it's instantaneous as they snap to attention and join me in arming. We meet Iekbrounder and the fourth division on the ship. I nod curtly to him and call us to sea. We pass through the Chanel and into the open sea as the sun sets. The wind seeps us along and I smile at the thought of fighting with my love.  We sail through the night and land mid morning creating the hill to al already raging battle I launch the first arrow and we rush in

[Ravna]

Battle is a straightforward plcae. There's no long-term strategy in the melee, no thinking about the costs or the opportunities, no thinking about your fellows beside you except in terms of obstacles, of bodies and swinging blades. There is only the next swing, and the next one. Ravna's rage fuels her, carries her forward as she cleaves through body after body, carving a swath through their ranks and giving as little of herself as she can while doing it. 

But Ravna is an old hand at battle. Her full strategic brain isn't engaged, of course, but there's instincts, a sort of Old Warrior Sense that lets her know something is Wrong. 

She makes a series of split-second decisions, going left instead of right, ducking instead of rolling, choosing to carve this meat before her instead of the other, and her arc curves, making her way for a small pocket of stillness outside the mix. She scrambles up a tree, sitting in the higher branches, panting as she oversees as much of the battle as she can from her vantage. 

A sinking feeling. Horror sets in. There's too many of them. There aren't enough of her men to stem the onslaught. Rule number one of Two Rivers warfare is that you never engage when you are not certain you can either emerge victorious or beat a hasty retreat. She's over-extended; they've circled around her, and can certainly cut off the retreat if it begins. She can't quite see the sea over the hills, but she can smell it from here, and yet, without sight lines, her boats may as well be gone. 

So this is where I die. So be it. At least my offspring is safe at home, ready to take over and show the world what my bloodline can do. 

Ravna steels herself, stoking the inferno inside her. If she's going down, it's understood she's taking as many of the fuckers with her as possible. That's just common sense. She draws in a breath, ready to bellow the command: the battle is hopeless, fight to the death. 

Just then, an arrow whizzes past her head. Due to the rage in her, it seems to slow as it approaches, giving her time to dodge, but there's no need. Instead, it gives her a clear view of the fletching as it whizzes past. 

"....my wife?" she asks, softly. That's when reinforcements crest the ridge, led by Illiana and Ikebrunder. "My wife!" she bellows, then, "Reinforcements!" 

The men give up a cheer, redoubling their efforts. Live! We get to live! Ravna's heart soars, and she leaps from the trree, landing on and then easily beheading an enemy as she does. She fights on, carving her way into the heart of their ranks, searching for their leader to destroy him and cement their victory. 

The men she fights are fearsome. Some of them are her equal; they push her back, until she's back to back with Ikebrunder, surrounded by enemies. She gives a roar, lunging forward into the frey once more. 

And that's when disaster strikes. Something tears in the back of her leg -- cut, she'll later piece together -- and her leg buckles, no longer able to carry her weight or move correctly. She screams, a bloodcurdling scream, and then falls silent as a strongman lifts his mace and dents in her helmet. She blacks out. 

It seems today was her day to die after all... or is it?

[Illianna]

I stay back as I can choosing loose my arrows from a distance, then I see it. Trator! Iekbrounder cuts my wife's leg his fellow bashes at her skull.

The forest erupts cutting through the battle field as I run to her side. I sapling springs befor me to catch the tractors a temp to kill my bride. A branch shoots through his fellows chest and my vines and brambles bring Iekbrounder to his knees.

He's held fast for now but ravna needs me. I poor my power into her healing her leg and head it's not perfect but she'll walk off the fuel,d today and I can heal her more

"Trator!" I scream at Ikebrounder raising a tree beaneath ravna to lift her out of the way. I snatch her sword into my hand. I've never held a blade before but I mean to kill this man and I don't want to lay hands on him

[GamesMaster]

"What the hell?!" he screams, not for the first time. Seeing her attention on him, he growls, "We had an understanding!"

[Illianna]

"Yes! You kill my father and marry a lady from the court of castle! Not for you to kill my wife!"

[GamesMaster]

"Your father?! Who cares about your father!? The agreement was, we kill Ravna and you become my wife!"