RP:In the Meadow(1)

Meadow - The Woman with no Name

A path runs through this meadow from the merchant's corner, and then turns west. Your sure that it would save time for the path to just cut straight west, but the maker of this dirt road obviously wanted travelers to see this serene place. Long, soft grass, and wild flowers invite you to lie down here and enjoy the peace and quiet of this place. Bees hum from flower to flower, collecting the sweet nectar, and unknowingly the means to create the plants offspring. This meadow shows how dignified and simple life can be sometimes, and you feel the need to ponder your own existence in this world called Hollow. To your west you see a path leading into the hills, while to your north you can see a building.

Diamond sat, or more so layed, at the base of one of the trees. the woman was curled up and sometimes twitching, as if an unknown force had just touched her and she was on the verge of freaking out and lashing out at said imaginary object. Her raven colored locks covered her face, and her hands were clapsed together at the sides of her face. Perhaps it was better for one to just leave, to leave the elf alone rather then bug her. But, there would be no fun in that.

Aranhil pushed his cart, the large thing appeared to be heavy and yet he pushed it with such ease that one would almost be certain that it was empty on the inside. The half elf wore upon each hand and arm a symbol of power, something that gave him the strength to push, pull, or whack over the head whatever he wanted, more or less. Now he pushed it across the meadow, hesitating only slightly when the wooden tires would bump lazily against a rock and attempt to halt him. Aranhil was pushing his cart for the other side of the meadow, for he knew that once he was there it was only a short distance to gather what herbs was needed to complete his own hangover remedy. It didn’t take long however to notice the elf in along the edge of the clearing, her hands clamped tightly to her face. He stood there a moment and observed her, wondering if something may be wrong.

Diamond heard the cart with her keen elven ears and quickly placed her hands there. No, she wasn't used to them. She wasn't supposed to be a elf. Last memory she had she was human. Everything was different. But then he had woken up to find herself like this. Very slowly she raised from the ground-it looked like a undead sitting up slowly, without the rotting flesh of course. After she was seated properly to her taste her wrist moved her black locks to see whom was staring at her. Diamond's eyes widen as she sees the man, and in reflex, she backs up against the tree and presses back with all her might, which wasn't much at this point. Her black hair looked more tangled now as the half elf would get a better look at her. Emerald eyes were wide with fear, and pale skin was sooted. Chapped lips parted, as if she was to speak, but all words failed her.

Aranhil continued to observe her from afar for only a few moments before she stood and revealed to him that something was indeed wrong, even though she had said nothing the doctor of sorts could tell there was something wrong with the elven woman he now laid his eyes upon. Quickly he turns back around to face his cart and grabs a pack which sat lazily draped over a handle. Leaving his cart behind and throwing the pack over a shoulder he races towards the woman, once about twenty or so feet from her he stops and allows his knees to bend as he now crept towards her mouthing words and saying them only in a whisper, “I wont harm you, I’m a Herbalist ..a doctor. Let me take a look at you.” He continued to creep closer to her, should she show signs of bolting away he would stop to try and reassure her further.

Diamond saw the man coming and shook her head. Her face now broke the boundary of abosolutly horiffied, " S-stay away!" she croaked, but even that was as silent as the wind on a still day. Her eyes went from the ground, to the man, and then to the bag. Then slowly-and with buckled knees- she began to slide around the trees waistline in the slow attempt to show the man her discomfort of the situation, and her rather pityful attempt to escape.

Aranhil was now beyond worried, the only time a beast would flee medical help is when it feels in danger, the same could be said for most other beings, including those of elven lineage. Speaking louder now, making sure that he would be heard he would say, “Miss, it is okay, I am not here to harm you,” he had noticed her eyes jumping to the many things about him. The elven eyes taking in all the details they could, and her mind most likely filling in the blanks with the most horrible scenarios. “Take a look, there is nothing but supplies, herbs and other potions inside of this pack,” he would say hoping to have her look around the tree on her own. He had stopped his advance now, not wanting to truly frighten her away, his goal right now was simply to gain her trust.

Diamond had indeed peeked her head around. Though fear consumed her, curiosity overtook her blank mind with a force that began to push her slowly away from the tree. Of course Dia didn't meet up with him. She went back to the place that she was sitting prehand and plopped down. A hand moved to her scarf and pulled it over to cover from her neck to her nose. Suddenly her eyes grew stern and she stared at the man and refused to even glance away.

Aranhil tried to look at her features more so now than before, one of the few traits he received from his own elven ancestors was their eyes. He saw paled skin and tangled hair, a hint of fear and yet not showing it completely anymore. Perhaps she was testing him, or perhaps she thought he would hurt her, and wanted him to. All the same he allowed the flap on the pack to shut once more and he stood up and approached her slowly once more. Placing a hand to his chest he would say, “I am Aranhil, a member of the Merchants Guild,” In this way he had indicated himself as well as shown to her the guild ring on his finger. Allowing his arm to drop back downward still approaching her slowly and still several feet away he would say, “What is it that you are called?”

Diamond seemed to almost break into tears at the mention of his name, and even after so as he asked her. She had not even made a move before when the man was moving, but it seemed to upset her at this point, for she stood up and backed away to the tree. A hand was placed to her scarf and she pulled it up a bit more to wipe away a lone tear. It smeared a bit of the dirt that had formed on her face after days of being in solitude, " I-...I don't know." The elf whimpered in a soft voice, but it was louder then before.

Aranhil thought quickly, ‘she doesn’t know, .. a sign of amnesia perhaps?’ “Then perhaps you could tell me where we are right now, and where you are from?” He stepped towards her again, he felt that he may be gaining some semblance of trust, or perhaps she was at the point where she no longer cared. Either way, if he could reach her, he may better understand what it is that was troubling the woman.

Diamond held her hands out and the scarf drooped back down to her neck, " I don't know!: She practically screamed. But there was no courage in her voice, just fear and confusion laced inside the words of panic and sharp notes. If she could, she would step back, she even tried. but the elf couldn't get anywhere.

Aranhil finished his approach. Now only a couple feet from her he knelt down on her right, just out of arms reach. “Im sorry, forgive me, but these questions must be asked.” He would let only a moment pass before he continued. “Now do you remember when the last time you have eaten was?” it was a question to try and judge when she may have lost her memory. For that was indeed what he decided had happened. He was trying to create a timeline, and if she could not remember when she had last eaten, then surely an offer of food may calm her if only slightly. However, he waited before offering any such food, wanted to know if she could remember herself.

Diamond bit her lip, " I found something yesterday that smelt good, so I ate it.. Is. Is that food?" Her fingers tapped anxiouselly against her wrist," Listen. I know I lost my memory.....And...and well..." She didn't finish. Her eyes fell closed and her bottom lip trembled faintly. Yet again a tear rolled down her cheek. The man's questions were making her even more comfortable. It hurt to think, alot. A head splitting ache came to her brain, and, like before. Both palms were placed against her ears and pressed together.

Aranhil sat down his pack in front of him and pulled from it a few parcels of bread and drink. He offered it to her now, sitting them just in front of her upon the earth. “Please eat, it is only biscuit and milk, but it is all I have right now.” He looked back into his pack and pulled from it a small herb, a tea leaf in truth. It would help to calm her mind, slow it down and actually allow for her to perhaps string her memories together, at least those she could remember. He would wait for her to finish eating, if indeed she did eat, before offering it to her. He would tell her not to swallow it, but only to chew on it and allow the juices of such a leaf to flow down her throat. He wondered what had happened to her, for to him she seemed beyond a little amnesia, to him she appeared to have gone through a lot in the past few days, but what he didn’t think he would ever know.

Diamond stared blankly at the food on the ground and her face turned just a shade more pale.She didn't feel like eating it, but...The man seemed nice enough, he seemed concerned, he seemed curious. But, then again, who knows what could happen with that. A shaky hand went and grabbed a biscuit, and slowly she nibbled at it. As she ate the bread slowly her eyes stayed on the man.

Aranhil waited long enough before picking up the leaf and attempting to hand it directly to her. “This is a special kind of tea leaf. A rare one as well. Normally it is nothing but a tasty drink, but without brewing the mixture and only chewing on the leaf the dose is more potent. The tea leaves of this particular plant carry within them the ability to calm a persons mind. If one whose head aches horribly were to ingest the liquids, then the pain would fade for a time. The spinning sensation I am almost certain you are feeling would slow and who knows, maybe you could latch onto some of those memories you do remember that are simply moving to fast right now for you to even know they are there.” In truth he was not sure if the leaves would work, it was a mere legend and the half elf had never really been able to test it as of yet. The leaves may work much better than he had described, or they may not work at all. But surely there was some truth to every legend and he thought it was worth a try.

Diamond stared at the leaf and shaked her head, but without her lips moving from the biscuit, which she hadn't even placed a dent in. Finally she lifted her mouth so she could speak, " No....I don't want it...." The biscuit was placed atop the other biscuit and then she stood up, looking down at the man, " What was your name again?"

Aranhil sighed as she stood turning down the medicine he had hoped to use to help her. “I am called Aranhil,” he said before standing himself holding in hand the tea leaf. “Here, take this with you, when you believe you have found a place to sleep please drink it, it will help you sleep through the night.” He more or less forced it into her hands, he wanted her to at least be able to have a single peaceful night of sleep. And he wanted to make sure she would have it before she may try to flee him. “Do you think you can tell me where it is you will go to sleep?”

Diamond :: As soon as the drink was forced into her hands she dropped it. And within reflex, she raised her leg and turned to the side. Soon the limb may, or may not connect with the man. Though the woman was weak by this moment, if it hurt, it would surely bruise down to the bone. Then, she broke...again. Whether he grabbed the attack, or dodged, or got hit; she would whimper softly and kneel to the ground and speak in a shaky voice, " I! I am sorry...please...j-just stop....I don't want your pity!" Maybe she was insane, or maybe she just wanted to remember on her own...

Aranhil saw nothing coming, not until it was too late for he was not trained in any kind of fighting and so knew very little on his own. The impulsed kick would land square on his face and send the small elfling to the ground. Quickly he stood back up, wiping from his face a smidgen of dirt, and perhaps a small amount of blood from a cut. He shook his head as he looked at her, “I do not pity you miss. I am a doctor, it is my duty to care for people. It is my life to do what I can, and I shall.” He picked up the potion once more and held it out for her to grab if she could. “Would you mind letting me look at your leg, I carry the healing power of the elves within me as well, though it isn’t as strong.” She was as weak as she appeared. That kick was a small one, but she had fell to the ground just after, he would remain by her side for at least this night, whether with her knowing or without. It was something he felt he must do as a doctor, as a human, and as an elf.

Diamond frowns and pulled away, " No....no no no no no!" her fists pounded on the air, and ,in that instant. Little pieces of molded together dirt lifted from the ground, her eyes narrowed, and glowed faintly. The potion was then attacked by the mounds. Flying into the vial and planting it flatly to the ground, where it will lay idly until it is burried by the floating pieces of earth. Diamond stared at it with her eyes even wider then before and her mouth open and shaking " D-did you do that?" Now, she ignored his other words...she was scared. Again, and even more then before

Aranhil stepped back at the dirt moving on its own. Aranhil was a treasure-trove of knowledge. He knew nearly everything of the races, and now it seems they have discovered something she had forgotten. A small smile crossed his face as he nodded, “It seems to me that you carry a bit of terramancy inside of you. Perhaps that places you among the Wood Elves then, the elves of Sage Forest. What you did is a form of magic, elemental magic that the elves carry as a blood trait. It is rare to find one of earth origins anymore.” He stared at the vile that was now covered after its pounding, he was most certainly intrigued by this power, one he knew he would never own, and yet still one he wish he could learn more of.

Diamond sneered and crawled a bit away, " -I- didn't do that, " She hissed," I swear I didn't! And I am not an elf!" Though her ears said it all, and even the way her face was did. But she wouldn't come to terms with it, ever. Or perhaps one day she would...but she doubted that. Quickly she stood and stepped down on the vial until it cracked and the liquid came out," I don't want it! I am not going to sleep!' Diamond dropped 1 sleeping potion.

Aranhil sighed, more to himself than because of her. He was failing to help her, but then something she had said caught in his head. ‘I am not an elf!’ But of course she was, it was so obvious that to deny it one may have to be insane. ‘You are what you are, are you not?’ He decided to play along, “Okay, if you are not an elf, then tell me what you are? Tell me what you remember being.”

Diamond snapped her head to him and growled just faintly, " A human. I don't know what this 'elf' ' is but I am certainley not one." Once the vial broke and the contents spilled out underneath the mat of earth she turned and sat across from the man yet again. her legs crossed and her hands rested on her lower theigh.

Aranhil didn’t know what to think of this. She was an elf, she appeared as one and even had their powers. So then if she was a human, what had happened? He didn’t know. All he could do now was agree with her, “I see, well then lets find out what’s happened to you shall we?” He took a step forward as if inviting her to go wherever it was that he may go. “Come on now, lets find a good place for you to sleep tonight, and then tomorrow we start our search, what do you say?”

Diamond looked at the man wearily and scooted away slightly, " I sleep here, yes?...." Her voice faltered a bit, " I...I don't wanna go searching for anything...It hurts!"

Aranhil nodded back to her, “Here is fine. It is safe in this area. Just let me go and get my cart, Ill be but a few minutes.” He left her there then, and as promised in five minutes he returned with his cart pulling across the grassy plain. “Im back,” he would say to her as he opened a small hatch and pulled from it a single blanket. Then from another he pulled a rather large bow, one had never fired before. “Lay on down, Ill drape this over you and keep watch for the night.”

Diamond didn't move. nope, she stared at her feet and shaked her head. Then, after a minute she mused up," Why?...Why are you helping me? I hope you know that when I woke up I had nothing on me. I have nothing at -all- to offer you. Your 'good' deed, is just gonna turn out bad for you! Have you ever thought that maybe I was supposed to forget, maybe I did that on purpose?" She doubted it, but all the anger in her just slipped, " How do I know that you won't kill me in my sleep!?"

Aranhil stood where he was, he draped the bow over his back and held the blanket in his other hand. “I am helping you because it’s the right thing to do, because I am a good person and I believe that you are as well.” He hesitated a few moments, wondering how he could make her believe that he would not betray her only to find out that he couldn’t. “You don’t know I wont kill you in your sleep. You must have trust in me, let it comfort you to know that I am in the same boat. How do I know you wont regain your memories during the night and turn out to be some horrible person and kill me to keep your secret? Whatever it may be, I trust that you are good, but more importantly you need help, something these lands don’t often give, and I am here to give it. Now lay down,” he smiled at her now, a knowing and caring smile. Perhaps a little forced, but the intent behind it was pure.

Diamond hesitated again. The man did have a point, but her memorys seemed long gone anyway, so that statement layed false in her mind, But oh well, it didn't matter. She layed down on the ground and curled up a bit, " Fine...Fine...I don't care anymore." Obviously the man wouldn't leave her alone if she did anything. So her attempt was futile, and she gave up.

Aranhil allowed the smile on his face to fade, and then he covered her up with the blanket before taking a seat himself only a couple yards from where she laid. The bow now sat across his lap, a single arrow notched should he need it, although he knew that should something disturb them, it would not be with the bow that he would defeat them, but instead with the strength of his armlets and rings. The power only a Mage could give them, now if only he knew how to fight. He gave another sigh at the thought as the sun finished its descent and the stars shined through, giving the meadow a dim but pale light.

Diamond had not been able to sleep since the time she had lost her memory. I mean, before so Dia never had good luck with dreams and sleep, but now, nightmares plagued just behind her eye balls. She guessed they were terrifying memories, the bad ones, altered to the worst possible situation they could be. But she dared not go back to that. So, very slowly she wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and stood. The man would find her sitting next to him, " I can't sleep...I don't want to sleep...."

Aranhil thought little of it as he stared out across the grassy plain once more. “It is fine, stay up for a few more hours and then you can sleep.” His attention was at most right now on the area around them. He wanted to be certain that he would see something coming before it was too late, he wouldn’t allow himself to be helpless like before, like last he was attacked for his herbs. He pulled from his bag once more, the one he had retrieved shortly before sitting back down, a couple biscuits. He handed one to the woman unsure if she would eat it or not. He took a decent sized bite into his own, showing now his hunger.

Diamond looked down at the bread and shook her head, then, slowly, she rolled it over to his lap, " I am not hungry, and I am not going to sleep. I haven't slept for days because when I close my eyes it becomes scary." Dia didn't know what those were yet, but she knew they were not supposed to happen every time you drifted just slightly. Call it intuition, " So....are you an elf then?"

Aranhil may be mistaken for an elf, by any that didn’t really know. His ears were only half as long and not near as pointed as an elf. His face was small and not so stern, he did however appear rather young, around his teens though in fact he was nearly twenty six. “I am whats called a Half Elf. One of my parents was a Wood Elf, as you now appear to be, and the other a human. As for those scary things, I do believe you mean nightmares. Its when you drift off to sleep and instead of a happy dream, bad and horrible things happen. I have something that can help that right here.” He stood and walked to his cart, pulling from it a small bottle of blue liquid. He brought it back and handed it to her, “Drink it. It will most certainly rid you of such dreams.” He was bluffing of course. The drink was actually meant to help heal ones physical ailments. But nightmares were a thing of the mind and when someone thought something to be true, most often times it did. He hoped this would work here as well. He was seated beside her once more, perhaps a little closer than before but not intentional. He hoped that she would drink, that they could talk, perhaps he may learn just slightly more about her, and then she would drift off to sleep. That was his idea, what he wanted. A fearless dream filled world for her for at least one night.

Diamond stared at the vial and wanted to drink it. She really did. But her 'new' mind held no trust for anyone, even if sometimes she would show it. Her eyes flickered from the moon to the drink, " A half elf?..Oh I see....Where I came from people weren't allowed to cross breed. Love was conditional within that. " Yes, dia did remember that. Well, atleast it was more so 'Rose' that did. With a small shiver she tilted the vial to her lips and drank it in one gulp. With a wince she tossed it back to the man. Then said no more.

Aranhil didn’t comment on that conditional love. For the same was true where he was from, and it’s the reason he is here now. Both of his parent were shunned by either race. He was considered a devil, one of neither human or elven origins. A hateful way to grow up, his parent had brought him here to hollow before his good heart could become tainted with hate. They were only slightly to late, a small seed of hate had been planted, but since then nothing had fed it. His parents one day disappeared, never coming home and so he raised himself from a young age. When the vile was done and she tossed it back at him it would land carelessly on the ground after first hitting his leg. “Why don’t you try and sleep now, at least you don’t have to worry about the nightmares any longer.” He smiled once more, taking his attention back from the meadow and allowing his eyes to rest on her once again.

Diamond shook her head, " Silly half elf..." she paused, " My night mares are not gone. When I close my eyes to blink I can still see them....They aren't gone...They didn't leave..." her voice became faint at the last sentence and then she sighed, " Oh well. Sleep would do little good for me anyways. Its not like I have anything to live for. I don't even know if I had had something to. I don't know where my mother nor father are...and...well, if I had some in the beginning. I can't even remember my name. I suppose anywhere I could be considered a dead woman from this point on. Life goes on." With a sigh she lays down, but, she does not close her eyes. The emerald hues just travel across the sky watching the stars

Aranhil was at a lost for words, he did not know of anything else he could to help her. So instead of another trick he would simply say, “Im sorry for not being of more help.” He as well now had his eyes on the stars, his head tilted back to see the ones that the moon didn’t hide in its own light. ‘At some point she has to sleep, the mind will shut down and force it upon her in a couple days more if not before. That’s when the mind repairs itself. But when she does, will her night be that of pleasure, or of torture?’ he thought to himself.

Diamond let out a small poof of breath and just glanced at the man before she looked back at the night lit sky, " More help then I am to myself..." Now she herself was at loss with words. There was nothing else to say. Nothing else to do. Her arms crossed behind her head to be a pillow of some sort

Aranhil sat where he was, after a time of watching the night sky his attention would fall once more to the meadow. Every now and then he would find himself glancing back at the woman in hopes that she might have felt peace enough to sleep. Each time he was mistaken and so kept his eyes once more upon the meadow. Hours later he would find himself laying back, almost right beside her. And then, all at once, he would asleep.

Diamond knew the man would fall asleep at a point. Of course he would. He had no reason to stay up, unlike her. And she was use to staying up..four days and counting. But sadly, Aranhil's thought was right. She would need sleep. So, she slowly drifted to sleep. But only to fall into the everlasting nmightmares grasp that haunted her eye lids and danced in her sleep. Only ten minutes of this and she would find herself squirming, panting for breath and sweating. After half a hour, she would whimper. After that, it was full on screams.

Aranhil would wake all the squirms and so he sat up and watched over her. However when the screams started he could no longer sit and do nothing. He knelt down on his knees beside her and laid a single hand upon her forhead, the other on the crown of her head. She squirmed from his light grasp several times but then all at once he made the connection he was waiting for. The blue-ish green colored light would seep from his hands into her mind. It was one of the very few magics he knew that wasn’t meant for healing. This was actually used more for those that would not last the night, it took away pain by creating barriers around the part of the brain that felt it. This time however the barriers went up around that and several other places. The screaming stopped right away, the squirming about an hour after. Then all at once Aranhil would take his hands away from her head. The barriers would last around twelve hours. For that’s all he could ever muster. In those hours pain would be gone, a distant memory that seemed as though it could be easily forgotten. Aranhil laid back now, using his hands to hold him up as he breathed heavily, the magic he had just used would drain him for days if not for the herbs he carried in his cart and bag. He decided to take a Herbal Rush the next morning, and then that next night he would repeat this all again.