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Post by theory on Dec 29, 2011 14:40:54 GMT -8
It was another freezing day, one of the lowest on record for this time of year. January was just starting and already the temperatures were heading towards a nice big zero. Snow could be scented overhead as it drifted on the darkening clouds. Steel glanced up as a shiver ran down his spine. The kid had been outside all night...and more or less all week so he wasn't too affected by the actually weather but today was particularly frigid.
He was a slave and had been for as far back as he could remember. An icy steel collar rattled around his throat, worn from the years of harsh weather and work he'd been through. It clinked every time he breathed, the cold metal ticking lightly against the frozen icicles that had formed on his jacket collar. He'd drunk a bit of snow earlier and a few pieces of the handful had fallen onto his clothing, wetting it right before the temperature dropped. Thus, the water froze into ice.
It was almost four in the afternoon which meant it was also time for Steel to get to work. The young man stretched his semi-frozen legs and took a few steps. Geh...almost numb. His faded red eyes glanced around the backyard that he'd called home for over fifteen years, nineteen if you counted his unknown memories. His birthday was actually today but he didn't care much for it since he never got anything. Not even a word of congratulations.
Steel set a slight but fake smile on his face as he headed towards the front yard. He had a big job to do today and while normally he just sold what he got so he could stay alive. His master had demanded he bring something back in return for his freedom. Yeah, right. But the kid couldn't resist trying to get something so amazing that he might just get his chance to leave this hell on earth. So, with determination he set out down the street, making sure to keep his head down and not draw attention. That was the last thing the thief wanted.
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Post by Flame on Dec 29, 2011 16:45:22 GMT -8
The rider moved among the people easily. A look of distaste at the collars around the young men and women, as well as old, was set on her face. Walking behind her was a small dragon. Well small in that he was about the size of a blue. His color was anything but. Urielth was a silver bronze, looking more like a lightning cloud than anything else. The silver head danced above the people, intentionally scaring anyone who looked at him. Uriel! Stop it! snapped the brunnet rider. You wanted to be here, not me! she told the dragon sharply.
He didn't answer but focused on a young boy. An albino with a collar on. She turned her gaze on the boy as well. The dragon moved towards the young boy, his steps light, making sure to not hurt anyone Young one. Stop. he called, the comand in his voice nearly stopping his rider. Temperance continued forward, eyeing the boy. He was malnurished, unkept, and in general, a slave. Why him? He is half. Half of something. Something better than he is.
"That's not criptic." she muttered before looking him over again. "What's your name boy?" she asked carefully.
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Post by theory on Dec 29, 2011 17:04:24 GMT -8
Faded blue eyes blinked in surprise as the body that wore them stopped mid-step. His name hadn't been spoken but it was obvious who the person behind him was talking too...and when you were a slave you didn't ignore those who addressed you, name or not. Steel chewed on his lower lip slightly and turned slowly towards who had made the sound. Well, surprise was evident in his faded light blue eyes as they widened at the dragon standing before him. His mouth hung open part way as they took in the large creature. Steel had never seen a dragon up close and he couldn't seem to get his mouth shut. That was until he heard another voice addressing him, this time a female.
Steel's head turned slightly to see who else had spoken. She had to be the rider he thought to himself as he glanced her over very slightly before raising his eyes back to hers.
The boy gave a small bow, as was custom, before answering. "Steel..." His voice was harsh from being outside most of his life and also from disuse. He wasn't really interested in talking to a rider. Of course he envied her but he had business to take care of...
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Post by Flame on Dec 29, 2011 17:12:27 GMT -8
The dragon was the one who replied, as he snoved his nose into the boy's hair, lifted his head and sneezed. You will be a rider. Where is your... master. There was distasted in his voice as he said the last word. His eyes flickered to gray for half a second before returning to a yellowy green.
The woman sighed, looking at the boy still. "Steel. Come on. Your about to get your freedom, if freedom is being attached to a large lizard that can talk." she said giving the silvery dragon a wry look. The chuffing from the dragon was obviously laughter. "Well? Where is your master? I'd rather get this over with before S'eley finds out." the last part was muttered to herself, but she did seem a little impatient. Not much, but she wanted out of here.
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Post by theory on Dec 29, 2011 17:33:15 GMT -8
Steel was honestly surprised by what the dragon offered. He had to hold himself still when the thing had nuzzled into his hair, in fear of losing his head. However, when they he was to be a rider it was almost laughable. The kid had no memory from when he was very young and the pathetic years he did remember were when he'd lived outside his master's home in the shed behind the house...
"I...I don't know what you mean...but I have a job to do." Oh yes, he knew this was some type of lie. Riders didn't just come here to free slaves, especially not one that looked as useless as him. When both the dragon and its rider asked for his master he fidgeted. His master HATED riders and any type of peacekeeper. He kept his slaves the way he wanted and no one was ever able to take one or change the way he did things.
"Just don't follow me." Steel growled quietly before turning on his heals and diving into the crowd. He didn't want to get in trouble for bringing a rider to his masters' door. That usually ended up with him getting whipped and wounded. Hopefully it had just been a joke this time...
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Post by Flame on Dec 29, 2011 17:46:13 GMT -8
The dragon sighed. Mine it seems he doesn't believe us. he seemed almost sad about this as the boy ran off. "We'll follow him, at a distance. Or I will. Come when I call, I have no doubt his master is the kind who hates us, and probably hates women as well." her voice was full of discust as she ran her hand through her hair before she turned towards where the boy had gone. She took a deep breath as she found him again. Shadowing someone was easy for her. She was trained to do it, and she'd been a slave girl once. Before she'd been searched.
She hung way back, and made sure he didn't notice her following, but the question was... where was he going?
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Post by theory on Dec 29, 2011 17:56:40 GMT -8
Steel didn't detect her in the crowd and quickly made his way to his target. He'd only been keeping an eye out for the dragon anyways since it was so easy to spot. He found himself at the location he needed only five minutes later. It was a large stage coach that was parked outside a pub. The building itself had been there as long as Steel could remember and he'd been inside only a few times. Once the owner figured out he was a thief for his master he'd been barred from the establishment.
As it were, the coach was of the wealthier types and obviously belonged to some well-off people. A cocky grin found its way onto his face as he slipped into the large wagon. There had to be something nice in here!
Blithe quickly got to work sifting through rubbish and useless items. After only a few moments he managed to find something nice. A large diamond. The excited look was hard to hide on his face as he quickly dropped out of the carriage and started to run towards home. He ducked into the crowd, hoping that he'd get away scotch free and possibly have his real freedom from his master. That is, if he liked the gem...
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Post by Flame on Dec 29, 2011 18:06:04 GMT -8
She watched him carefully. He slipped into the carrage, and then came out, looking a great deal happier. A theif. Hm. Now that was interesting, at least for the woman. Temperance, decided to let him bring it to his new master. Let the man think he had the boy. Already the quick witted woman was thinking of how to easily get the boy out of the situation he was in. Don't get to cocky mine. She ignored the wise voice in her head as she continued to follow.
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Post by theory on Dec 29, 2011 18:14:53 GMT -8
Steel made his way back home without so much as a few glares for bumping into several people. He ignored the attention and quickly vanished into the backyard of his masters home. The rules were never to do business in the front area so he went back to where he normally slept and knocked on the back door. It took a few moments for his owner to come out and Steel was instantly on his hands and knees, bowing his forehead to the frozen ground.
The man was rather large, as in, we know where all the food Steel hadn't been getting had been going. "What did you get, boy?" His voice was rough but not for the same reasons that Steel's was. He had been drinking and, in fact, still had one of the bottles in his hand.
The young man quickly got to his feet and put out both of his hands, showing the man the large gem he'd managed to snatch. That actually had his master's eyes widening, just for a split second. He grabbed it from the kid and eyed it speculatively. "Hmmmmm......" Of course the drunk guy was going to be a master on gems...tch.
"Not real...rat."
Steel's face feel, his eyes widening at that realization. It....wasn't real....??
Just to prove his lying point the man tossed the diamond into his house...it landed on a pillow for safety but Steel couldn't see. Then the man shoved him backwards into the snowdrift, turned, and slammed the door shut tight.
Steel lay in the frigid snow for several moments before he pulled himself up and crawled over to his make-shift home. He couldn't imagine that that jewel had been fake...it had been so heavy. The perfect weight for a diamond that size...
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Post by Flame on Dec 29, 2011 18:23:38 GMT -8
Temperance watched the house that he went to, and turned around, heading back to the silver dragon, who'd been playing with children. His lightning marking's were being traced by the little ones. "He has slaves, and as a Shadowrider it's our job to deal with that. Come on." she said ignoring the children as she climbed up on the dragon's back, and started to strap on her armor. He won't like this "He shouldn't have a slave, and a child at that." she snapped, blue eyes angry.
Once she was settled in the dragon took off with a quite roar, his wings flapping hard to get up. With easy he pinpointed the house that she'd seen, and he made way towards it. It had taken a bit to get back, but here it took a few moments. The dragon landed heavily in the front yard, roaring his arrival. She slipped off the dragon, grabbing her bow, slipping her knives into place, and made sure her pistol was prominent. S'eley hadn't been able to stop her from getting one.
She moved to the front door and knocked, then took a step back. Make him come outside. She was no dummy. The silver dragon crouched, and growled, rumbling the ground under her feet. Some would call Temperence fair, with her delicate eyes, sweet nose and lips, and honey colored locks, but once you met her she was entirely different. She was well trained in hand to hand fighting, and wasn't afraid to use it. She stayed silent, knocking one more time, before crossing her arms and waiting.
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Post by theory on Dec 29, 2011 18:45:32 GMT -8
Steel jumped as he heard the dragon's roar in the front yard. She'd followed him?!?! He scrambled to his feet and tried to intercept her, to stop her from bothering his master but she'd already knocked by the time he'd skidded to a halt in the snow besides the house.
The man had finally gotten to the door after the second knock. He had a pistol on his round waist but when he stepped out onto the porch his eyes widened a bit. Sure he saw the dragon, he'd seen several...but the girl. A perverted whistle dripped from the man's disgusting mouth and he licked his lips before hiccuping several times. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Steel standing in his side yard and just about wanted to shoot the rat. He'd been caught...or at least that's what the man figured.
"I apologize for my little rats misbehavior..." He unlatched the pistol at his waist and aimed it at Steel nonchalantly. "I can fix him if ya want...the diamond is right here..." He held out his hand to show the gem. It was already dirty from god-knows-what. Steel had frozen in the snow as soon as the gun pointed his way. He definitely didn't want to be shot so he kept his mouth shut.
The owner figured she just wanted to return the diamond to whoever the kid had stolen it from. Since every other rider who'd come through here trying to get anything corrected in his ways never got far.
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Post by Flame on Dec 29, 2011 18:57:19 GMT -8
The woman ignored the gun, as well as the whistle. As if she'd care. She kept her gaze calm, and streight at him. It was Urielth who reacted to the whistle with a dangerous growl, and a half shuffle forward. Shut it Uriel she snapped, her eyes not flinching from the man's ugly face.
He should be hurt for doing that. The dragon growled at her, his eyes locked on the mans. The woman reached out and snagged the diamond.
"Lower the weapon. I've come to tell you that you have lost the use of your Slave. He's been Searched for the Dragon Riders." she said carefully, Reaching out to snatch the gun. Urielth was ready to move between the boy and the bullet if the triger was pulled, Actually he was already moving between the two.
"Before you argue, You can't keep him if he wants to leave. That has stayed the same. That dragon has deemed him worth of a dragon, and nothing you say can change that." her eyes were cold, freezing, as she put her other hand on her pistol. Just let the man try.
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Post by theory on Dec 29, 2011 19:10:07 GMT -8
The man didn't mind that she stepped forwards and took the gem from his hand but when she threatened to take Steel away his gaze hardened. He'd of shot the brat as soon as she claimed that he could go...because he knew he could if what she was saying was true. But the dragon had moved in front of his line of sight to the kid.
The ugly guy ground gross teeth together and leered at the girl, then her dragon. His gaze finally ended on Steel and he smirked, sending the kid a silent and threatening message.
Steel definitely caught said message and flinched. "U-um..." He hadn't noticed what he was doing until his frost-bitten hands pressed against the large dragon's scales. His eyes widened in wonder at the feel of the creature beneath his fingers. "I...."
His master snarled at the doorstep, stepping back as the woman grabbed his gun. "Brat! You better not even be thinking about it!! You belong to me! You always have and will!"
Steel glanced up, surprised and somewhat shaken out of his daze. He quickly moved his hands from the dragon and stepped back, an uncertain look on his features. If what the girl was saying was true...then he could really walk away from this...from the ice cold collar around his neck...the lack of food...lack of shelter and warmth... "I..." There was a sharp leer from the man but Steel quickly ducked behind the dragon onto his knees, huddling against it to try and hide. "I wanna go!" He shouted to his master. Hopefully the girl wasn't joking with him like so many others had previously...
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Post by Flame on Dec 29, 2011 19:20:13 GMT -8
Temperance eyed the man as she pulled the gun away. He'd get it back once she was up in the air, with the boy. Urielth wrapped his tail around the boy's leg, the two tips comforting. He growled when the man yelled at the boy, moving so the boy was out of sight.
"Stop yelling. He has said what he wanted. As a Shadowrider I will take him back to the weyr. He doesn't belong to you. No human belongs to another. He belongs to the Weyr now" She dropped the large gem in her pocket and took a step back towards Uriel. The dragon whipped his head around, and growled at the man, teeth showing, green gums visable. He was a very angry dragon. The armor on his head clinked as he moved forward. Try it. the dragon growled to the man. You are swine. the dragon growled as he watched his rider turn and walk back to the boy. The silver dragon wasn't letting his rider get hurt, nor the boy.
Temperance knelt beside the boy. "Come on, young one. Let's get you up on him. Once we are air born, i'll remove the collar." she said as Uriel shifted, his foot slipping out. He was more curled so that the man coudln't see the pair, but his head was wavering back and forth, daring the man to try. He had no problem with attacking the man. "Urielth won't hurt you boy. Climb up, I'm right behind you." she told him calmly. With normal human's she had trouble, but hurt children? They were easy. She was up quickly, hoping the boy would climb up before her, and settle himself.
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Post by theory on Dec 29, 2011 19:31:37 GMT -8
As the dragon curled around him Steel slowly started to believe he might actually be leaving. It was almost frightening. Sure living with this man was horrendous and was nothing to call a 'life' but it was all he had ever known... As the rider spoke to his master Steel couldn't help but press his hands back up against the giant creature. He'd never seen a dragon so close nor been able to feel such power beneath his fingertips. "Beautiful..." The word was mostly silent but he'd honestly meant it. Not even as a 'girly' thing but as an 'amazing' creature type of thing.
As the woman came over to him he glanced up, wide eyes eager to know what was going to be happening. When she told him to get onto the dragon he nearly chocked on his breathing. "F...flying...??" That definitely scared him... He'd been on the ground his whole life, now she wanted him to get onto a huge dragon and just be okay with taking off? He actually backed up a few steps when the girl climbed up onto the dragon. You couldn't really blame the kid for being hesitant. His life was basically being flipped right on his head.
"I.....m...maybe......."
The boy's master hadn't gone inside yet so of course he saw the opportunity to make things difficult and quickly took it. "Come here, Steel...you don't belong on that beast."
Steel looked up with slightly scared eyes. "I'll even let you sleep inside tonight..." Well, wasn't he nice?
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