The Price of Greed [ Open SL ]

[Nemeris Arundel]

. H e r. head was spinning. And Terra's frantic words of assisting her, seemed at a distance to her. The world had stopped and she was frozen in this moment that spun around her like a whirlwinded mess. Nemesis could hardly remember being moved from her spot on the ground to the room within her manor. Had Terra carried her? Or was she able to get up and walk herself? Her memory of everything was blurred now, and she just laid on her back, on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

There was a warm and sticky mess beneath where she laid. Her fingers were stained red and the ceiling was swirling above her. And for a moment, Nemesis felt as if she'd fall into insanity. She could hear Brennus' scottish accent above her.

'How could ye bloody hell let this happen, ye wench?'

Her hands balled into fists and she gritted her teeth, letting out a loud moaning scream. She felt so angry. One of her fists pouned against the floor and she broke loose into an audible cry.

Her mind went to Terra, remembering that she had found her and left her here, assuring her that she would go and get help. She hadn't even been able to protest against her going. What could a bloody healer do now? What did it matter anyway?

Green eyes continued to stare at the ceiling. Somewhere in her life, things had gone horribly wrong. She didn't know why, but she was tired of it. She needed to face her brother, get her son back and get her life back on track. Something had to change. But for now, all she could do was lay there. . F r o z e n .

[tiernan]

Tiernan came up short, not expecting the other woman to so calmly and cooly dismiss him to silence like that. Dark brows furrowed a bit and he seemed ready to say something colorful and none too pleasant when he heard Terra speaking, obviously giving answers to something the woman had said. Given the nature of them, he decided it best if he swallowed those words and listened.

Don't say miracles don't happen.

He relaxed noticeably when Terra stated that she was alright. She was apparently done talking to the woman for the moment. Despite her assurances, his eyes looked her over critically. Her words seemed less than fully sincere and he knew her penchant for understating her own weaknesses or pain. As she neared, he reached out, a hand cupping her side as she wrapped that free arm around her. He stepped closer, brushing his other hand lightly along her jaw. He dropped his forehead to hers for a moment, resting it there, lowering his voice so that only she could hear.

"I ran into a man...spoke of an accident an' a woman. Came from this direction. I...was worried..." He gave her a sheepish smile before answering her second question. "I'm fine, love...but...what happened?"

[Deleted]

She couldn't help the tension that lingered around her, the tugging of her nerves as she continued to think about what had happened. Had she...snapped? What exactly came over her minutes ago? The guilt was settling in heavily, weighing her down as she stood there in her confusion and concern, not knowing where to let her mind wander or dwell upon. She tried to remain still and calm, to wait for the healer...but each passing second that they weren't riding back towards the manor, the more tense Terra would become.

Momentarily lost in thought, she broke free from her thoughts when she felt his presence closer; forehead resting against her own in a gentle gesture she found somewhat surprising...and then perhaps not. It was the words he spoke, hushed in tone, that finally brought those eyes up to look at him, briefly breaking her away from whatever worry stood on her shoulders, even if for but a second.
He was worried, and it actually garnered the fainest of amused grins from Terra at the thought of it. That is, until he questioned again what had happened...something she wasn't so willing to explain, if only because she didn't quite understand all that had occurred. At least this time, she was willing to try.

Drawing away from him a little, she couldn't help the almost frantic wandering of her eyes, looking around as though expecting the wrong set of ears to listen in on what she had to say. Maybe what she had done wasn't so horrible as she felt it was...but then again, that dark drive that took over her was something very foreign to her. And that was what worried her.
Lowering her head, the back of her hand resting against her forehead in thought, those hazel eyes focused on nothing in particular as she remembered what had happened. "I heard a scream..." she started, voice still hushed. "I rode to find this woman...bleeding on the ground, the bandits running from her home...with all her things...and I stopped them. I just..." Her hand moved in gesture to finish her sentence as though that would explain the rest of it. Attention would then focus upon her fingers, the pain she was beginning to feel within the thin digits, as well as her jaw...remembering the hit she had taken and how she had struck back. She would be bruised, but it seemed like nothing compared to the fact that she acted foolishly. That was not what she was trained to do...those men didn't purposely stab the ambassador, as far as she had been able to see. And it had been clear that they were running from their fear of what had happened.

[tiernan]

He listened to her intently...it certainly correlatd with what the man had told him. He wasn't so attentive of her words that he missed the look she gave to her hand. He quickly realized that t was the hand of her injured arm, her sword hand. The finality with which she'd ended her talk about confronting the brigands made it highly likely tha there had been an altercation. After all, the man had basically said as much.

Her arm was stronger, but it wasn't ready for something such as this...not full combat strength. He could only guess as to the strain put upon it. Much as he might wish to chide her...that Gaelic anger rising up, he choked it off. It would not be aimed at her. Indeed, as he gazed upon her, he could see the discoloration beginning to form at her jaw where she had been struck. That changed the intended recipient of his anger and he no longer cared whether or not she had reacted violently. They had struck his Terra. If he found the man again, he'd gut him.

Pity though...he knew better than to bring this up...to mention her vulnerability and weakness. In private, perhaps...when he could coerce her gently. To confront her now would spark a bad reaction...something they didn't have time for. So he set it aside, twining his fingers with those of her uninjured hand.

"Come on, Terra. Show mae where she is. Maehap I can dae something tae care fer the lass. Time is critical..."

[Deleted]

Terra hadn't much of a choice in the matter. She saw what had been done to the ambassador and wasn't going to so willingly allow the men to simply run away. But as the pain in her arm and hand started to increase when she became more aware of it, it only made her stomach twist into tighter knots, remembering the nature of her attack, what she should have done instead.
How could she have been so blinded, so foolish? What had come over her in those few minutes?

Those frightened, wandering eyes found him again as he spoke, feeling his fingers gently take hold of her own and momentarily drag her from her worry, if only a little bit. Swallowing hard, she'd nod slowly in response to him, and as she turned it was then that she realized the healer was gone. Before she could panic and slip away from his side, she noticed the other woman arriving back on her own horse, with a satchel across her shoulder. With a single nod to show that she was ready, Terra returned it before quickly drawing herself up into Altair's saddle without having to use her sore arm. Her other hand was held down to Tiernan, to offer a seat behind her. They would have to hurry if they were to help Nemesis. Honestly, Terra feared the worst.

Once the thief was seated behind her, a soft kick of her heel sent the horse off into a steady gallop, enough for her to handle with only one hand on the reigns, using her legs to steer Altair if he veered slightly off course. Terra tried to rush the animal but made sure it wasn't too fast and that the healer was able to keep up with one of the cavalry's steeds.
It wasn't long before the manor came into view, the scene the way she had left it. Despite the cringe to her features, she did not bring the animal to a stop until they were in front of the manor. "She's inside," she spoke in a rush to the other two.