RP:Sophie confides her fears to Hume.

From HollowWiki

Setting

The Abandoned Store in Kelay (This shop was later refurbished and became the Kelay Merchant's Guild Store.) Hume then helps Sophie to the Dragon's Head Inn in Craughmoyle.

This rp took place in Jul 2008

The dragon Hume is shocked at his friend's conditon.

Hume creaks open the weatherbeaten door of the shop, searching within for a fox he saw scurrying along from the street. He is taken aback by Sophie's presence in the darkened room and looks about before saying, "What brings you to this dusty abode?


Sophie is sat on the floor leaning against a wall. She has a blanket pulled over her knees and there is a half empty bottle of whiskey and a small leather pouch next to her. She looks up at Hume, she is pale, has obviously been crying and is more than a little drunk. She hesistates, undecided as to whether to confide in Hume.


Hume looks aghast at Sophie's condition and pauses in the doorway, one clawed hand on the broken and ruined frame. He takes a cautious step forward, one, then another, careful not to startle the shaken woman. His voice sounds stricken, "Gods, woman, what ever can be the matter?" He approaches her huddled form and crouches low, bending his knees as his weight shifts forward to his taloned toes.


Sophie risks telling Hume her terrible secret

Sophie decides to risk telling Hume her tale, he has always been a true friend to her, after all. "It all started about three days ago when I was hunting in the forest. I was attacked and bitten, by what seemed to be a wild wolf...

Hume leans in close to Sophie to whisper in her ear.

Hume whispered to her, "You are shaken, likely to the core, let us retire somewhere warmer... and more private."

Sophie whispered to Hume, "Very well, my friend. There is a store room in the back or would you like to go elsewhere. One of the rooms at the Dragon's Head perhaps, but I will need help to get there."

Hume loops a strong, scaled arm under Sophie's shaking shoulders, and nods to her slightly, whispering softly. Hume whispered to her, "Indeed. Let us away to a room above the Dragon's head. You need rest and time to tell your tale." Sophie allows Hume to help her, she seems to find moving painful. Hume helps Sophie to her feet and sets off into the night, half-carrying the limping woman.

Hume steps into the room with Sophie, ready to catch her should she fall faint from the journey. You sinks in to one of the room's luxiouious armchairs. "Thank you, my friend ." It is indeed warmer and more comfortable here. I just wanted to keep away from people." She resumes her story. "The bite wouldn't heal it just got more and more painful, I feared that I might even lose my arm. I showed it to Thea and, and she said....." Sophie breaks off.

Hume lowers Sophie gently to the cushions, then stands nearby, tail swishing across the carpet and listens to the grim description. He murmurs, "You did well to seek a healer. Show me the wound."

Sophie continues "Thank you Hume, but I don't think you can do anything for this wound! Thea told me that the wound was not inflicted by a normal wolf, but by a werewolf, and that I myself had contracted lycanthropy. Since then I have been feeling really ill. Every muscle in my body aches. Thea gave me some pixie dust, I am really glad of it. That and the whiskey are all that make the pain bearable, but worse, than the pain, my friend is the fear."

Hume shakes his head, "I did not expect to be able to cure it. My skills are only the poor battlefield remedies I learned long ago. I meant only to look upon what it is that caused you such pain." He moves closer and crouches again at Sophie's side, holding to one of the chair's arms by one rough hand. He pauses in thought, then says, "Lycanthropy. So then... you will know the change. Has it happened for you yet?"

Sophie shakes her head "No thankfully I have not transformed as yet I am so afraid of what I may become, that I may turn into some awful beast and hurt or even kill someone. I am immensely glad that you are so strong and powerful, Hume, else I would fear that I might change and hurt you. I am so glad you are here, I really need a friend to talk to."

Hume shifts to rest on the floor next to the weakened Sophie, but looks at her warilly. He says in a careful, low tone, "Yes... I have seen lycans take the change. I will not deceive you, Sophie, from what I have seen they lose their senses at times. It is very reasonable to expect you may not be yourself, but rather a maddened beast in a wolf's body." His head moves from side to side, half in wonder, half in cautious deliberation, "In truth I know not what to expect."

Sophie continues "In some ways, what is even worse is the reaction of others to my condition." at this point tears begin to roll down Sophie's cheeks once more. " Poor dear Sanmichel the giant, has tried to be supportive, and offered to do all he can to help, but the poor guy can hardly bring himself to look at me." San thinks he may be able to find me some sort of safe house, where I can stay during the full moon, to keep me from harming anybody, but what was even worse, was the reaction of the Naga, Saiyah...."

Hume watches the tears roll down Sophie's cheeks, his dark eyes observing the pain in silence. He looks away a moment, his gaze settling in some unfocused middle distance towards the windows of the room. Towards the night sky outside. His neck swivels his head back to view the new lycan, and after a long moment of contemplation, he reaches out his arm and wipes away the shining tracks from below Sophie's left eye with the rough backs of two fingers. He says in a near whisper, "I have no such fear. I have wrestled with lions and dragons. Demons and angels. You will not harm me." He smiles faintly, "Much."

Sophie is glad to feel Hume's reassuring touch on her face, not to mention relieved that she still has at least one friend who does not fear her. She continues her story "I was in considerable pain and had run out of whiskey, so I headed for the Hanging Corpse Tavern. The room downstairs was crowded and noisy, so I went to the small bar upstairs.Do you know it? Apart from the bar maid, the only person there was Saiyah. I told her of my wound, and in an instant, she had a crossbow loaded with a silver bolt, and aimed directly at me. I was so scared, Hume, I pleaded with her not to shoot me and explained that I had never changed and never hurt anyone". Sophie pauses and then asks quietly "Would you pour me some more whisky, please, the bottle is in my bag and there are glasses in that cupboard."

Hume raises an eyebrow at the mention of 'glasses' but straightens, and moves fluidly to the cupboard. He opens the doors paned with stained glass and selects two faceted bits of crystal, which vanish like delicate flowers into his large hands. Picking up the bottle of liquor from where it lies, he thumbs out the cork, and pours three fingers -- three /dragon/ fingers -- of the amber liquid into each vessel. Returning to his crouch next to the chair, he presses one cup into Sophie's shaking hands, hoping this will steady her nerves.

Sophie takes the offered drink gratefully and sprinkles in a little more of the Pixie dust before beginning to sip it. After a minute or two, she begins to speak once more. "The thing is, Hume, that even while I was pleading with the Naga, to spare my life, there was a part of me that was hoping she would kill me. Then at least I would be spared the transformation into some hideous beast, and even more importantly, spared the possibility of becoming a killer" Saiyah wrote me a, not unsympathetic note, while keeping the crossbow trained on me throughout. She said it was nothing personal, but she just didn't want to get bitten. She finally allowed me to leave..... I have a favour to ask of you, Hume"

Hume nods slightly, "I do not believe she would have shot you. Besides, I do not know my lore as best I should, but I do not think you are... contagious? ... untill you have first had the change yourself." He looks upon Sophie solemnly, "What is the favor?"

Sophie.. "I have hardly slept these past three days. Partly because of the pain, but also from fear. I am feeling completely exhausted and must sleep soon. I worry that I may wake, not as myself, but as some vicious, bloodthirsty creature. Would you please stay and guard me while I sleep, so I cannot harm anyone. It would be such a weight off my mind. "

Hume flicks his gaze from one of Sophie's eyes to the other, he lets a breath hiss out from between his teeth, "Three days?" He is silent a moment, but then nods his assent, not taking his eyes from Sophie's face.

Sophie thanks Hume and climbs onto the bed, she does not bother to get beneath the sheets, she merely kicks off her shoes. In less that 5 minutes she is fast asleep.

Hume stands and watches her for a moment, lying atop the sheets, then moves to the window, crossing his arms, looking out in contemplation of the dark.