Branding a Bond

Topaz‘s Trade Horn shouts: A calm horn signal is blown!

Topaz lowers the horn back to her belt. She had wandered far through the Northern forests with the slave girl, had blindfolded her in the beginning, later only let her see again, never had allowed her clothing. She arrives at a Laurius river side tradepost, not knowing who it belongs to – but a village is close. “Kneel, Parsit!” She barks, planting the blunt end of her spear onto the planks of the small canoe dock there.

Parsit dropped down onto her knees as the Huntress barked out loud at her, putting the spear down to the wooden planks, Parsits kneeled just besides it, somewhat releaved with at least a brief moment of rest to her feet after the travels

Treb Constantine would step out fom the village, the horn having drawn his attention.His eyes to fall upon them as he would wonder indeed what The huntress was seeking. His eyes showing recognition but yet his face to remain set, would reply after a moment,”A bit far from your lands, What are you seeking Huntress?”

Topaz looks up, seeing a man emerge from the village, a tall one, blackhaired like herself, a titan of surely Torvaldslander blood. She keeps her spear impaled with the blunt end against the planks of the tradedock, peacefully. As she recognizes the voice of far old times, her eyes grow big for a moment before she can catch herself again. “Tal, Treborlee of the Black Ridge,” she calls, raising her left hand in greeting, “indeed I am far from my domain, yet what I seek is a strong smith with stable, not shacking hand, or else one who knows to use the gleaming iron.” Her voice is selfassured, yet she looks around a bit to not fall into a trap in unknown lands.

Treb Constantine‘s eyes remain affixed upon her not to sway or be distracted. He would listen to her words, not a smile onhis face as he listened. He took in the Bond beside her, and considered the options. Finally he would note the arrival of hawk as he would answer,” Im sure something could be arranged considering a smith, however none are lurking this far north as yet, So leaves me to do what I can. Tell me though, What is it you offer for trade of such services?”

Parsit turned her attention for over, spotting at first one, then a second, seemingly familiar to the Huntress as they recognized one and other from somewhere. Parsit would draw a tiny smile across her lips tho not too convincing in her facial expression, overhearing the mensioning of gleaming iron, she had very an idea this could end up painful to herself, she lowered her head, looking into the wooden planks quietly

Hawk Seeing his brother head towards the sound of the trading horn he decided it best wise to follow and keep abreast of thing’s. Reaching the trading docks from a short walk he chuckled slightly hearing the forest womens words to his brother. He was tempted to respond straight away to the women but indeed decided it best for his brother to deal with such situations for he new and respected his brother as he was high jarl of the lands. As for himself his attire that, the colour of scarlet he assumed was suffice enough to show of what caste or such he be. Nodding slowly unto his brother his eyes ever watchful of his surroundings like his name sake , he semi focused on the forest women with what he could only assume be that of her slave.

Topaz remains standing tall herself, the man standing above her in height due to the shore raising – and else is also much more massive than herself – and worse, another had arrived, dressed in the garments of the warriors. She takes a deep breath, making her breasts press against the tunic made of hides of the tawny forest panther, then exhales again. She nods to the warrior as a greeting, then reaches into her cleavage, between her breasts, and produces a silver tarsk coin – one of the two the warrior Hakan near Tarnwald had given her years back for some reason. “I offer such this here – to have the cattle here branded with the kef on her thigh, right here at these docks.” She speaks out, “and free passage past the docks back to my domain afterwards.” She lifts the spear slowly as to not appear hostile and pokes the thigh of the slave girl with the blunt end – hard, but not hard enough to leave a bruise. “Such brands makes her worthy more for sale should I one day decide so. Will you help me with that? My offer is not bad I know well.”

Parsit ran a fingertip just across the wooden planks below herself, in tiny circular motions, she dared not tug the leash tho that grass just a feet from her seemed not only more comfortable for her exausted legs, also a better change of finding something to eat. She had not heard the words spoken of the Huntress meanwhile, but her attention quickly moved up from the planks to the Huntress with the blunt end of the spear tapping her thigh somewhat firmly and she’d visibly show a hint of emotion as she surely became nervous

Treb Constantine his face to take on the look of quiet thought. Indeed he thought over her odd request of him, especially knowing well they were enemies. He would think of another time and place and under the same old banner, a time when she was not such as eenemy but part of family. But then came the days of treachery where not even bloodkin could be trusted, many lessons to have suffered to have him where he was this day. He would gruffly step forward casting his eyes down upon the beast at her feet, then coldly return her gaze straight forward as he would say, “You take much risk Woman of the forest in approaching me for this matter. Whats to stop me from siezing hold of you except the honor of trade. If the smell of your bond flesh is indeed something to stir your desires, Then by all means I will happily abige by casting the iron to her. I far warn you though, I have no healer here this day so once that mark is on her, Simply do with her as you will. Pass the coin to Hawk here, And bring the bond on the hill behind me to the Smith, It is there that I will do this deed and there you will take her away once done”

Topaz closes her eyes briefly, some sweat appearing on her forehead and not due to the heat of summer at these brinks of the forests. She knows the man had lived through much honorless times, but, too, that he had been honorable even as outlaw the times before. “Honor had always been much a value for you, Treborlee of the Black Ridge.” She states, her eyes fixed on his to see any twitch of reaction as disapproval to her words in them. She encloses the silver coin with her fingers formed to a fist. “But to the brinks of the village I shall come, no further, and the coin be paid when the branded animal is returned to my hand.” She looks briefly over to the warrior, this all being a kind of bartering and negotiating for her, then back to Treb. “I know well that I cannot escape you should you consider the honor of the trade broken by me – and you know me as not stupid as to attempt such foolish try.” With the end of her spear, again, she tips the girl at the leg, this time at the lower outside of the thigh to indicate her to stand up.

Hawk Hearing the forest women’s words he growls slightly seeing her words sort of a demand of what she wanted. He was one a true gorean male that new well that of a womens place and how they should speak even indeed if they were to be forest women . Disgruntled by her answer he turned to his brother and spoke a tone monotonic in sound “I head back to the village brother something air’s me not well that feeling of unseurity and unrest maybe I see that you shall be able to deal with this forest women more so then I , for you know I would easily end her life without a thought” he grinned slowly with an evil grin knowing his brother knew well over the ages his ways with forest women. He turned and headed towards the bakerey feeling a slight taste for a muffin to quench his hunger so slight that it was.

Parsit had only the pain in mind, the permanent mark of a slave about to cover the skin on her thigh for good, her dirty hair just blowing across her face in the wind as she did not care fore it, just iron, burning into her flesh, and an escape from this surely would not be a possibility either, with an empty look in her eyes she’d keep her head low, but her thoughts soon interrupted as the blunt end of the spear yet again landed on her skin, and she quickly found her way back up onto her feet as indicated by the nudge

Treb Constantine you I will do things my own way. ” And then with that said he would turn on heel, his back to her as he would start to step toward the smith sataion, dismissing her to ether follow him or to be lost. Perhaps showing to her that indeed time had word on him well, That along with the treachery of bloodkin to make him who he now was, one not to linger or step back from his own rightful place.

Theaia cursed low…no where had she been able to find a way to cross the river and now…the path was blocked…the voice of a man travelled through the woods. She stopped and hesitated. She had tried to keep quiet circling around the village but this was a tight spot to get caught. She felt the hairs on her back stand when she knew someone was heading away from the group gathered…and she had no clue to where. She frooze in the spot

Topaz does not give much about the warrior leaving, yet feels highly uncomfortable about his mentioning of just felling her on the spot likewise – at a tradepost even. Something must have disgruntled the man, and she does not know what – yet what she does know is that he’d be of honor – the only word giving her hold at tradeposts, even if it is not fully clear to her how honor amongst men works. She had seen a flicker in the eyes of Treb, and narrows her eyes about it. “I will take you by the word, Treb, for the sake of the past. This time,” she snorts, proud in voice, selfassured still. “Move, animal!” She barks then to Parsit, “your days of forest girl are over for good now!”

Treb Constantine Would walk briskly, his step assured upon the ground, his shoulders squared and head held high. He was a man that took much pride in what he had carved out of th forest here, would stop at nothing to see it last long past his time and day. He stepped over to the fire pit, taking the tool of the smith to stir the coals, He would then look back to her knowing she had followed and thinking over her words. Indeed he did think over her quiet a bit as he then looked upon the bond. He would say to her finally,” Im sure you brought your own iron for this mark, Pass it to me now and then tie that beast down. “

Parsit could barely breathe as their debate seemed ever lasting to her, not becuz of the words shared between them, but to her this was indeed silence before the storm. The words seemed to pierce her visibly, landing straight into her heart as they were barked out loud by the Huntress, a little tear about to take shape in the corner of her eyes, tho she struggled, trying to keep it from running down over her cheek, tho her fear, her sadness so obvious, her eyes upgiving. She looked back and forth between the Man and the Huntress, but kept in the leash still all she could do were giving it a few tugs in desperation, trying to slow the Huntress a bit as they followed the Man

Topaz follows the man, not allowing the girl much resistance – if she tries to give such, she just janks hard on the leash. She remains rather close at the brinks of the village that is really close to the tradepost anyways, watching and listening. She winds the leash around the girl’s neck and shoves her forwards to make her follow the man. The silver coin she then stores back between her breasts and remains watching, both the hopefully upcoming branding process as well as her surroundings so that no one would sneak up on her. “I just need a kef on her, Treb,” she calls over her reply carefully, “and an own iron I had lost when I had to move on lately – the beasts cannot carry all if hurry is needed. Oh… and do not mind about a healer, I never put cooling cream on the branded cattle, I see just no sense in it….”

Treb Constantine Her words to come, to flow thru reminding him of even more, he stepped over taking that one iron down and placing to the coals. he would then turn upoon the bond, his manner cold and harsh as he approached. Taking hold of her roughly and guiding to the lower branding cross. Pushing her back upon it as though she were little more than a discarded rag, he would securely fasten her down not to make note of the tears in her eyes or any sound she made. He would look to the huntress then and note her placing that coin back between her breast, yet a nother memory to jar him as he would think to himself, she is badly mistaken if she think he will not take that coing from there and more. He would then walk back to the pit, cast his eyes on the iron to see it was nearly ready. He would say coldly, “Your propery woman, I could care less of infection on such or misery, they all do come rather easily and replaced often quickly.” After then he lifted that iron from the coals took a idle to water to drip over to test and then turned back to the Bond. Perhaps in that moment he seemed much like a beast himself as he drew near.

Parsit gasped a few times on their way as the leash were constantly yanked in respond to her tugging and slowing down attempts. Trembling with every step she took along the way as her eyes would land onto the flames, the irons resting there besides it, she stood just passively, as if paraziled when the leash were wrapped around her neck several times, and a moment after she were pushed towards the Man, stumbling and nearly landing in his arms. She looked back over her shoulders, just to see the Huntress, right there surely observing, then looking back at the Man, already about to have a heated branding iron ready for her thigh, to land the burning pain and the permanent mark on her skin. Like a passive she landed onto the wooden cross, and with ease the strong Man locked her in place, it was not without struggles, but she could use all her strenght within to shake herself loose and no difference would it make as she could not match his strength, she’d breathe a little faster, her mind and body starting to feel that panic coming over her as she could just lay there, locked into place, looking at that iron out the corner of an eye as the Man lifted it and aproached her then

Topaz considers his words for a moment. “Well, you are smart yes, and right. If you could wash the spot over with some water and wipe it dry, perhaps such is included?” She asks, “else, if it inflames and she goes limb on a leg, I will leave her back for the sleens, a loss, but as you say: They are easily replaced in the forest by so many feminine ones that think they have the guts to make a life there.” She begins to laugh, merrily actually with the image of all those weak women entering the forests, a good part of her own living, by busting their dreams of living as panther women, of showing them that they are just too weak for that, too feminine.

Treb Constantine he would draw right up to her, looking down on her as the smoke wafted from the iron. It had been much time since he last did as such to one of his own. He simply chose to let others concern themselves with such brands, he had his own way of marking his property, a way no one to dare question. For the briefest of a moment perhaps could be seen a glimmer of concern or compassion. However that to quickly be cast aside as he looked more closely to her thigh. With a sudden move he would take the iron to her thigh with not so much as a warning. The smoke to rise from her burning flesh, the smell to asail the nostrils, watering the eyes. He would hold ther but briefly despite her screams, then to take from her flesh just as quickly and cast to the bucket of warter. The mark so requested clearly upon her, he would take a ladle of water and pour over that burnt flesh. His eyes and manner were cold, a simple detatchment to him from the event, He would simply hit the lever releasing her then and call out to the Huntress: “Take your beast now for this matter is not done. See your mark upon her and that it is well done.”

Parsit would try in her desperation to yank the shackles, locks in place in the iron rings in each corner of the cross, streched out flat over the wood she could barely move an inch, her stomach clenching in little visible motions as she begun to hyperventilate a moment, her eyes in a frightened state locked up onto the glowing branding iron, just before her, and with no sign of warning or further hesitation it landed onto her thigh, burning into her flesh she squeels and screams out loud, as the tear took shape and and running over her skin, coating her cheeks, continuesly she kept yanking in the metal rings as the pain were all the had in mind at the moment that seemed ever lasting, the smell of her own burning flesh sorounded herself and the Man. Only when the iron were finally lifted from her thigh she’d go silent, very silent, her struggles seemed gone just, like the last little hope of freedom, the life as a Huntress, gone, her facial revealing just defeat, and a little gasper escaped her lips then with the cold water, cooling her skin with an instant

Topaz turns away her head actually as the branding is done – it makes a difference for her if she does it herself or if it is done on another – much as when it happened to herself back in the forests by the panther woman who enslaved her many years ago. She, too, hears the scream, as well even the sizzling of the flesh of the left thigh of the slave girl. As this last ends only she looks back. She takes a deep breath, then grins at the girl. She looks around, trying to see other villagers that might consider her presence here despite the close trade post as not preferred, yet sees none. She steps closer at his words, quickly, while he unchains the girl. Thoroughly she inspects the yet gleaming red molten flesh in the form of a kef on the girl’s thigh. Only for that she takes her time. “It is well done, I expected none other – it stands well to her feminine frame…” She verbally values his words. Then, again, her fingers fish between her breasts, getting out the coin and flips it over to him in high arch, easy to catch.

Treb Constantine His hand to snatch out in an instant, his fingers to grasp that Silver Tarsk bit. His eyes to shine as he looked over it seeing that indeed she had remained true to her end. But then that cold lankness to once more appear, he cast his eyes back to the Huntress whom much had been shared. “I take pride in my work and my life, I leave things not unfinished. So note woman there is still unfinished matters between us and the Way you departed family, Everything comes in its due time and place, Do well remember that the next time out paths cross. And do remember as I have shown this day I do not break my honor or let it ever be tarnished again.”

Parsit slowed her breathing down to normal again, the pain was gone, tho permanently marked a slave, within that moment she had no will left, nothing more within her to put up a struggle or resistance, with an empty facial expression she looked at the Man briefly, then the Huntress as she inspected the brand, and released her from the chains again. In an upgiving fashion she’d drop to her knees before them, lowering her head and her eyes just landed in a brief moment on the red freshly made brand, and with the back of her hand wiping a tear off her cheek that was about to fall

Topaz‘s gaze turns dark at his words. “I remember such times, yet they are long ago, Treborlee of Black Ridge.” She means in pressed voice, “yet there are many ransoms on my neck, so you will have to get in a line – but two managed to get hold of me since then, but none managed to hold me and if it was due to betrayal by their comrades. My life is the forest, not the walls of stone. But I shall head your warning serious, and announce that an arrow finds often the spine of those entering my domain, hostile. Such shall not happen to you, not the spine.” She talks serious, yet not with aggression in her voice, rather with respect even. She walks around the cross, crouches down aside of her and lays her hand over the slave’s left hip to look again at the brand. “It suits you well, feminine animal,” she mocks her, then unwinds the leash around her neck and stands up again. “I will not put threat out to you, Treborlee, not under the condition of trade, nor in your homestone.” She adds then towards him, “I shall leave now again, in peace, yet do not forget: My domain is not a save place to traverse…”

Treb Constantine would simply smile for the first time then, aliet coldly, then would turn and walk off as in dismissal once more. His manner to tell her he would have to be reckoned with in a date not to far off.

((Treb had to leave for a moderator case))

Parsit would tilt her head to one side then the other as the leash were unwrapped from her neck again, she were just about to cover the kef with her own hand, in denial of it resting there deep in the surface of her skin, but the Huntress hand beat her to it, running over her sore skin, only having it cooled down with a bucket of cold water she would still feel the burning pain in her thigh. “yes my Mistress” she replied with very quietly spoken words in respond to the mocking

Topaz takes the leash again, and begins to walk off with the slave. She walks though, for some strange reason of pitty in the situation of the slave, slow, and mostly in the shadows, so that the girl would not sweat, grant her even a chance to wash her body by a side river of the Laurius a few pasangs into the wilderness, and seek hidden shelter with her after like twenty pasangs into the woods. She would, by that, give the girl chance to have the brand heal a bit, while she herself hunts for food, and only after a hand nearly she moves on with the girl, back towards her home, on the way picking up also Vena whom she had bound in hidden securely, with just enough food aside of her to survive for several days alone.

Parsit followed just, back in between the trees where they had came from, on the way cleaning herself up as she got the chance, it was not often she were allowed such luxury of cleaning herself up good, the branding, the pain, seemed gone for a brief moment of joy as the water coated her body, she’d dip her head all the way in even, and finally cleaning her brand too, carefully with a soft touch as it was still hurting, meanwhile filling her hungry stomach with the river water as the Huntress hunted some quick food before returning, collecting herself, and the other girl too who had been left alone in the bindings meanwhile, it was a sad, exausted and seemingly defeated soul left within Parsit as they finally headed back towards home

Topaz moves slow and careful through the forests, deeper and deeper, for several hands actually, until they arrive in her domain, in her hut. She had moved further into the forests than panther women usually live, because she is alone currently…