Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 29, 2008 19:03:22 GMT -5
*Dressed in his nearly-dry clothes, Robbie left the kitchens, seeking his bed as it grew late.*
"No...please..." *though the voice was soft, and spoke in French, Robbie caught the tone and pace of the girlish voice. She was afraid. He turned his head, seeing a dark shape down a side passage, hulking. Weak moonlight and his eyes adjusting to the darkness revealed two shapes within the one--a scullery maid cowering before a towering, rough-handed gardener as he handled her. Her terrified eyes slid towards the side, seeking an escape, and seeing Robbie.*
"Monsieur! Monsieur, please--help me! Help--" *she was silenced by the ruffian before her, her strangled moans muffled by his great filthy hands.*
"This is none of your business, you English rat," *spat the man in heavily-accented English. Robbie hesitated, moving to move on, but the girl gave a despairing sob that caught his ear and made his skin burn with rage.*
"It would seem she wants to part of this business as well," *he said quietly.* "What can it hurt to let her go?"
"You--! I warned you!" *The girl wrenched herself free and fled, though he tried to catch her back and failed. He rounded furiously upon Robbie--the babyfaced rat who had cost him taking that teasing slut of a scullery maid as she had deserved. Robbie had already stepped away, but a long arm and strong fist found his jaw with a crack that sent him flying.
Dizzily, blindly, Robbie tried to fight back against the man who was twice his size and strength, even as he tasted blood in his mouth. He was no fighter, but he was quick--he dodged to the best of his abilities, but the blow to his head had sent him spinning, and he found it difficult to keep his feet, much less be light upon them. Several aching blows later, Robbie was crumpled on the floor, half-leaning against the wall, wheezing for breath as the dirty-fisted gardener prepared to deal him a final and stunning blow to crack his skull against the flagstones.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 29, 2008 19:10:32 GMT -5
*Some sort of hybrid between a gasp and a cry rang out in the darkness, a sound that sounded distinctly feminine. There stood Johanna, who had intended to return Maurice's cards (which he had lent her a deck of, as her own were lost and she'd had no time to send for more before a gaggle of society girls her own age showed up for tea) but who had, obviously, walked in on something nobody was supposed to see. Least of all the young miss of the house.*
*It was only a moment before horrified shock turned into inexplicable anger and before she knew it she was rushing forward to cry*
"Stop! Stop it this instant!" *In French. At the gardener.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 29, 2008 19:13:48 GMT -5
*The drunk man leered at her briefly before realizing in the darkness of the passage who it was who stood before him. He choked lightly, then turned and fled, stumbling into the darkness, disappearing, hoping to conceal his identity.
Robbie saw only a dim shape through the blood that ran into his eyes, felt a cool whisper of skirts brushing his bruised and bloodied hand, before he lost all consciousness.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 29, 2008 19:21:53 GMT -5
*But of course she'd seen his face; the man would be fired before morning if Johanna had anything to say. She bent to take a closer look at Robbie, and again came the little gasping noise. She rushed off, but only for an instant to get Maurice to help her carry him to his room. Maurice left, to go God only knew where, leaving Johanna to tend to Robbie. She cleaned the blood up as best she could, laying a cold cloth on his head where it had been hit and then proceeding to fret, as she could do no more and a doctor wouldn't come this time of night for mere injuries gained in a fight.*
*Of course he looked horrible, but now that he couldn't see her doing so she couldn't help but gaze at him unimpeded. She pushed the hair out of his face and wished very much that he'd wake up so she could stop worrying.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 29, 2008 19:27:43 GMT -5
*Pain was what brought him back, searing, white-hot pain. He felt as if his teeth had been jarred loose, and strands of fire cut along his skin where it had split under blows, and bruised with blunter forces. He groaned briefly, his eyelids flickering, but his body not allowing any movement of his head or limbs.
At long last, he was able to open his eyes, seeing he was in his own bed, though one eye had nearly swollen shut. A cool cloth brushed his bruised head, and he saw a dark figure standing over him.*
"...Maurice? Who is there?"
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 29, 2008 19:30:14 GMT -5
"Oh thank God you're awake." *She breathed, holding a hand to her collarbone out of habit--it was a tic she had when she was relieved about something.*
"Where does it hurt? Is there anything else I can do?" *She asked, not even bothering to listen to what he'd said, only registering that he hopefully wasn't braindamaged, seeing as he'd awoken.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 29, 2008 19:32:32 GMT -5
"...hurts...everywhere..." *he breathed, before something clicked in his fevered, dizzy mind. That voice--he knew that voice.*
"...miss?" *he whispered.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 29, 2008 19:35:37 GMT -5
*It was only then, of course, that she once more became acutely aware of her position. She shouldn't be here, of course... and she couldn't bring herself to care all that much. At the moment, it was more convenient for her to be taking care of him than flitting off to find someone else.*
"You're a mess, you know." *She said quietly.* "And I'm going to need something more specific than 'everywhere,' if you're to be made comfortable until it's a decent hour to rouse the doctor."
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 29, 2008 19:40:23 GMT -5
"...I...you...you should not...miss. Please, miss," *he said, his voice hoarse.* "I'll lose me place, miss..." *he broke off, stifling a cry of pain as the cloth brushed against his split lip.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 29, 2008 19:42:10 GMT -5
"Oh for heaven's sake what in God's name would give you that idea? If anyone should be losing their place tonight it's..." *But she stayed her tongue.* "I'm not one to leave someone in need, whatever my station or theirs, so you can throw that argument out the window." *This quieter than her previous words. Gentle, calming.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 29, 2008 19:57:43 GMT -5
"...it...it's not...it's not yer place...t'be...layin yer hands on me," *under his bruises, he flushed deeply.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 29, 2008 19:59:12 GMT -5
*She stepped back a little.*
"Would you rather I leave?" *She asked quietly.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 29, 2008 20:01:53 GMT -5
"...ye should probably wash yer hands...I'm right covered i'filth, fer all I took a bath in th'pond," *he rasped, trying to laugh nervously, only to have it turn into a wretched cough, blood trickling from one corner of his mouth.* "...d'not...d'not worry, miss...I must have bit me tongue...or had a tooth knocked..."
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 29, 2008 20:06:44 GMT -5
*She smiled a little, somewhat hurt that he obviously wanted her out of there. She'd in all honesty never met someone who tried to avoid her as much as he did--and she was only trying to help.*
*Then she bit her lip and had to keep herself from doing something stupid when he spoke again.* "Oh God, you can't really have lost a..." *She wrung her hands, no longer their usual immaculate pale but a cream spattered with dried blood and dirt.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 29, 2008 21:18:42 GMT -5
*He half-smiled in a fond but puzzled way.*
"...teeth aren't forever, miss..." *he explained gently.* "I'd've lost 'em one way or 'nother by the time I was eighty."
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