Risky Business (Marie)

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie crept through the village silently, keeping to the shadows and away from the sight of any fire as much as possible. Something drew her closer to the shack where Ulfur supposedly stayed. Perhaps it was merely curiosity to know what had happened to her, but somehow she knew there was a some sort of bond between them now.

The shack had no windows for Marie to peek through. In fact there was hardly a crack in the wooden walls where she might sneak a peek into Ulfur's lair. She had the feeling he was near or that something was near as she reached the door and knocked. She waited for what seemed an eternity listening for any sound over the bells of the church and the baying of the hounds. Finally overcome with curiosity she pushed the door open and slid into the dark room beyond.

Nothing, there was nothing in the room at all. Not even a bit of furniture on the dirt floor of the sturdily built shack. The dirt of the floor was extremely loose but there was no sign of habitation or Ulfur. Somehow she knew he was near though.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

"What?" Marie actually said it out loud, such was her surprise. This would definitely make sense in a dream... Alas, she did not have the luxury of keeping up with that assumption. She kicked at the dirt in frustration, hoping seeing a cloud of dust from her efforts, if low light permitted, would be at least a bit satisfying.

There were two possibilities that entered her head pretty quickly. Either Ulfur didn't live here and it was just a tale other people told, or he was fleeing too for some reason and took what he owned, which would have had to be meager. Though how could he then afford to drink so much? Marie threw her arms to her side and huffed in further frustration.

She had the urge to flee to the woods again, after this failure. She thought about leaving a message in the dirt for Ulfur somehow, though a villager could likely find the message just the same. The problem still remained that she had nowhere to go, too... This caused a delay, which caused her to calm down a bit, able to think more rationally again. Thinking about it again, the villagers might not check here... probably wouldn't check here! Why would they? Marie went back to the door and shut it, then sat down roughly against one wall, as if her mental exhaustion had just caught back up with her. This was a dismal place, but it might be safe. She could at least stop for awhile and come up with a plan. She had a momentary bit of panic again when she remembered the dogs might track her smell, but relaxed with an actual honest giggle a moment later. Everyone knew Ulfur's reputation. No doubt they'd think the dogs were just smelling his alleged filthy living conditions, or something like that...

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie shut the door of the meager hut after kicking a few plumes of dust around the small space. She had to think but her mind was simply so tired from everything that had happened during the evening that she simply slid down the wall as though her mind just gave up for a moment. It wasn't though her body felt better than it ever had, she felt stronger in every way possible. She noticed that the fangs she had felt earlier had receded making her teeth normal once more. By every sign she was the same person she had always been, except for the bloody clothing she now wore.

While her mind raced with these thoughts and the villagers searched the nearby woods she suddenly felt a small rumble in the earth. Then an arm burst forth from the dirt in front of her, then another. Before long Ulfur emerged in a cloud of dust and dirt and stared down at her where she sat. The look on his face was one of utter disdain making Marie feel incredibly unwelcome. A feeling that disturbed something inside of her. She could feel the other entity she had felt earlier starting to stir as though it were a threatened animal.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie shrieked, scrabbling up the wall a bit as her legs kicked to get her into a ready stance, or at least upright. "Ahh! ... so you are here!" Maybe it was the strange feeling inside, or lingering dream-logic, or just confidence from feeling strong, but Marie was actually kind of indigent. "How... how were you in the ground?" No doubt Ulfur was going to say this was a stupid question, which made her growl in anticipation. It was odd, so very very odd, but new instincts were coming up as she now felt cornered, fleeing no longer being the most attractive option.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Ulfur gave Marie a snarling grin as he brushed some of the dirt from his clothes. At least she now understood why he always seemed to be so dirty but she still couldn't wrap her head around all the other mysteries she had learned about this night. He circled back towards the wall away from the door without ever taking his eyes off of her as he growled.

"What you want another free lesson in survival. I would have thought I had already given you enough by now. Not that you ever heeded much of the advice I gave you before."

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

"Tch, how was I suppose to know?" That came off as more sarcastic and dismissive than she intended, by far, but no doubt he noticed her glance at the same time towards the door which he did not block, seemingly deliberately. "It was like a story told to young children to get them to behave, by someone who was drunk... or pretending to be so no less. So what if it was true, it still sounded crazy!" Marie didn't want to just bolt for it. It still wasn't safe outside. Ulfur was not helpful at all, not even kind, but she did have the feeling that if he really wanted her gone, she would be gone, so for the moment her fear was not too intense.

"Survival you say? Well I'm trying my best. That's why I'm here. It seemed like the SMART thing to do. You can't fault me for that." Marie threw up her arms again, but then folded them crossed with an almost pathetic sigh. She wanted to stand her ground, as best she could, but at the same time not provoke Ulfur too much if she could. Her body may feel more her own again, but it was still strange and her thoughts were spinning, making it a difficult task to control herself. "How about this for survival. Everyone out there is looking for me, then planning to do who knows what. If I stay here, they won't find me, and I'll be sure to survive then, at least until it is safe to leave and find someplace else. Am I enlightened, or no?" Still a bit pushy, Marie would admit, but with her expression she tried to make it clear she didn't like this any more than he did, and she'd be out of his way sooner, rather than later, if only he indulged for the moment. It probably looked pretty pathetic, and Ulfur now did not seem one to have a soft spot for such, but Marie had to work with what she was given and knew.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Ulfur leaned against the wall it was obvious he was leaving the lone exit open to her. Everything Marie thought she knew about the man was wrong, it was all a clever ruse. He was cautious and careful in everything he did, simply put he was the ultimate survivor. His face showed complete apathy to her plight and it was obvious he wasn't happy with her presence but he let her remain none the less.

"I had even less and I managed to survive, my sire left me in the middle of nowhere without even a lick of information on what I was. You were foolish in venturing into a place you didn't belong. Now you have to learn to survive or die trying. Whichever you choose though I can assure you it will happen somewhere far from here. This is my territory and I've already had enough of other vampires trying to encroach on it this evening."

Ulfur smiled though it was more cruel than reassuring as he added. "You have a couple hours till sunrise, should give you a decent start. If you try to stick around though I'll lead the villagers right to you and help them destroy the monster in their midst."

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

"I still think you're wrong. After all, if somethings there to use, why not use it?" Her point really sailed over Ulfur's head, but Marie didn't think he really cared enough anyway. He was going to say no even if she was right. There was another approach she could take, but she figured she better be ready to bolt if things went bad.

"You like it here then? If this is 'your territory' that would seem to follow, yes?" Marie tried not to be too sarcastic, as she was sure to piss him off enough with what was to follow. Besides, she actually was being more serious now. "Perhaps you can back up your bluster. You did come out of that fight in the woods on top, after all. So maybe you could take the whole village too, yes? That would still be rather inconvenient though I bet. Perhaps I couldn't survive against them... but I could make life very inconvenient for you... I'd be a shame if I, in my infinite inexperience, somehow managed to blow your cover..." Marie was starting to put two and two together, and maybe she had a bit more physical strength that usual, and thus could fare decent 'in the wild' if she was careful, but she was being sincere about inexperience. She didn't know how to use that. If she could worm something, ANYTHING out of Ulfur, it would be at least a little help. This was probably her last chance to use her usual charm, though, so Marie tensed her muscles with anticipation, ready to bolt out the door if that tipped this new Ulfur over the edge...

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

"The kine are far too dangerous for something like that. Sure I could take a few out and maybe even escape afterwards but then I would have to leave and find a new herd. I have spent far too long to build all of this to have it destroyed by a fledgling like yourself." Ulfur made the last sentence into an obvious threat though he made no move to attack her. Perhaps he even agreed with her reasoning deep down though he was obviously not swayed enough to help her just yet.

"Humans are so easily led that it would take little for me to have them destroy you. As convincing and charismatic as you may be Marie, I have far too much control for you to stir up any trouble. Though perhaps it is wiser to speed you on your way without any more trouble. I'll answer one question and then I will lead the villagers south in search of you. There are plenty of villages to the north and east that you can learn to survive in."

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie's mouth hung slightly open in anticipation. That was probably a better response than luck warranted her right now, and while her natural instinct was to protest, the part of her that was so stimulated by flight or fight jumped on it. She was still a bit over-active in her thinking though.

"Go North, and just blend in? That simple?" Her tone was still incredulous, but she quickly shook her head and dispelled it. "No, that's not my question, I am just thinking out loud!" She paused, shaking slightly as she reviewed the nights events, trying to find the question that would best help her as fast as she could. From Ulfur's previous 'conversation' she figured he'd probably try and worm his way through some loophole to be as unhelpful as possible, too. She would have to settle for something broad enough the answer couldn't be narrowed to the point of no use, yet still relevant for her coming struggle.

"The are more... whatever creatures... err... I think I can assume that myself... but I mean... " It was a struggle just to get it out, even, but Marie thought she had an idea of what to ask now. It was hard to put into words, though, when she didn't even know the right terms of what she'd seen. "Henri had to have come from somewhere. Where? Not like specifically if you don't know, but like, are there groupings of such... things?" She could sputter on a good while, but Ulfur probably had low tolerance for that. It was also somewhat clear there was some kind of territorial brawl going on, and it would be woefully easy for Ulfur to just parrot that line again. "I mean, not all are like this, are they?" If Ulfur had made her one of them, she certainly didn't feel like they did. Not that she could exactly tell, but Marie certainly did feel the age old 'safety in numbers' instinct still quite firm inside, even if Ulfur or Henri didn't. Maybe it would fade in time. She certainly hoped not...

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Ulfur watched Marie incredulously as she sputtered through her thoughts and finally laid the question before him. Despite the obvious flashes of cunning in the older vampires eyes, she could tell that he was still ultimately impatient. It might be her best means of getting further information out of him but it also made him that much more dangerous and unpredictable.

He pondered the question for a few seconds probably bewildered by the rambling question she had asked. "Yeah you can find plenty in the cities of all ilks. Most likely bowing to lick the boot heels of whichever high clan leech has made himself prince. A bit too difficult to survive in such places if you want my honest opinion but to each their own."

The sound of the dogs nearing the edge of the village made Marie suddenly realize she had perhaps spent too much time trying to gain information. Ulfur simply smirked as he walked over to the door and quipped.

"It seems your friends have arrived and just in time. I would wait a few minutes to make sure the dogs don't pick up the scent of that blood your covered in. If you do head towards one of the larger cities make sure you tell them your sire is Ulfur the Black, my reputation should make things a little safer for you. Now good riddance."

Ulfur ducked out of his door and Marie listened as a dog howled from just outside. Soon followed by the sounds of the villagers and their hounds giving chase back towards the south. As strange as it may have seemed she actually hoped Ulfur wouldn't get hurt helping her. For some reason she cared an awful lot for someone who she should despise at the moment.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

An odd answer, perhaps, though Marie belatedly realized it wasn't really a survival based question at all. It didn't give her much, except maybe hope that it wouldn't all be futile. Maybe that's just what she needed, though. Ulfur even admitted there was room for argument on it though, which was perhaps a good sign, though by this point Marie was willing to let it drop, especially as the hounds were now literally right on her heels.

Marie waited and pondered what Ulfur had said about dropping his name to those she encountered. If he was still here, she likely would have risked another jab, because it was simply too good to pass up. After all that effort to scare her off, he suddenly now wanted an association with her, eh? Not that Ulfur was dumb, but she wondered if he saw the irony that she did in it. Marie continued sulking in the corner for a good three or four minutes, thinking how snarking was probably her only advantage there, as it was abundantly clear now she couldn't hope to compete with Ulfur.

After a silent count to ten, Marie lightly opened the door and peeked out. Once it was assured no one was watching, she would quickly scamper to the North, though not so fast as to blunder into twisting her ankle in her haste or anything of the sort.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

The hounds and the men of the village were long gone by the time Marie had peeked out the door of the ramshackle hut. Ulfur was at least honest in his dealings it seemed though she still wasn't sure about why she should have such strong feelings for the man who had murdered her.

She wondered as she moved steadily towards the north, she knew there was a fairly large town to the northeast. Though she had never been there she had heard plenty from travelers at the inn. The thought occurred to her that Ulfur had mentioned she had a few hours before sunrise. Which made her try to remember all the tales she had ever heard about vampires. Stakes and sunlight killed them she knew and something told her that fire was bad as well. She wondered what kind of powers she had at her disposal and the powers she had seen demonstrated by Henri and Ulfur.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie had to move fast, she had to keep going. At least for now she was still alive, or still awake... She wasn't quite sure how to use her newfound strength, or feeling of strength. Maybe she just did, and that would be enough. Maybe she was faster too! Marie tensed and willed herself to go faster, though nothing noticeable came from it. For the moment she had no need of anything else, and not the time to test either. The sooner she got to the next town, the better, though on second thought, she hardly looked presentable. No doubt the townsfolk she encountered would be a bit suspicious. She had better start crafting a tale to tell as to why she was in such disarray. A wagon accident, bandits, or something of that nature? It would do, at least for a starting point. She was always good at thinking on her feet. For now, she at least had to get out of range of those damned dogs...

(I'm not sure if it was ever made *explicitly* clear to her that's a vampire, so you know )

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Perhaps she only seemed stronger Marie thought as she steadily jogged towards the northeast. Perhaps it was simply her mind trying to convince her she was stronger because Ulfur had told her she was a vampire. That couldn't be she tried to rationalize, this was all just a really vivid nightmare and she would soon wake up in her bed at the inn.

If it was a dream she was certainly making good time she may not be faster but she definitely had more stamina. She had been jogging for at least an hour on rough roads and fields and didn't even feel remotely tired. Maybe she could just play along with the dream she thought and try other things she had seen Ulfur and Henri do. She thought and recalled the strange urge she had to follow Henri into the forest, then there was Ulfur changing from a wolf, and his calling of the dogs to chase after him.

Perhaps she would try these when she felt like taking a break from her jog. After all she was bound to tire eventually or wake up from this crazy dream she was having.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie was hesitant to do anything differently. For the moment she seemed out of danger, and that was nice, but there was no telling what might prompt a change. The flow of time seemed strange, either from how tense the night's events made her, or perhaps something more strange. It only served to feedback and make her more tense, despite the seemingly lessened danger.

There did seem to be an overwhelming urge to get someplace safe before the sun arose. For some reason simply hiding under a tree didn't seem like it was going to cut it in that regard. If it did seem like dawn was upon her, though, Marie decided that, after all the other crazy things that had happened, trying to "merge" with the ground as Ulfur had might not be such a bad idea. It seemed to work at least once, and even if it was just an illusion, the worst that could happen was probably just a few seconds wasted looking like a cringing fool in a field somewhere.

Marie also had a strange urge to gather a "pack" around her, or something like that. She couldn't explain it, not even to herself. The mental image was somewhat similar to how the hounds operated back home, which might be what clued her in. Granted, Marie did not want to seek out danger, but a small creature or two would be no threat to her, and provide a distraction if she ran into something more troublesome. Or maybe they could scout. Spook them a bit and they would naturally run along the best forest paths, showing the best and quickest way. Or as food... though she wasn't sure if that was needed. Normally using an animal for food would be one of her first thoughts, but it was a little more distant now. Slowing down a bit Marie carefully scanned for any medium-sized plant eaters, and those animals would be gentle and afraid of her, perfect for her scouts.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie's eyes scanned the fields and forests for some sort of creatures that might serve to test her ideas on. Judging by the horizon she still had some time before she would have to worry about the sun if it even was an actual worry.

Running through one of the wooded areas she slowed as she spotted a viable beast. A faun and it's mother sat eating grass in a small clearing neither running at the mere intrusion of a human such as she. Perhaps there was something to this she thought as she drew nearer.

The creatures did seem to be a bit wary of Marie as she approached nearer but they didn't flee. She stopped a few feet away to decide what to do next, far closer than she had ever heard of someone approaching such skittish creatures.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie had to resist the urge to go right up and say hello. It was cute. That wasn't what she was here for, though, and she had to remind herself of it. Puffing up to seem as big as she could, she kind of made a half-hearted lunge at it, trying to spook the creature. This was probably a pretty lame attempt, and her body language would probably show it, at least to a watcher who could tell, like a human. The nuance would probably be lost on the deer.

If it ran, this would be her perfect attempt to follow it to shelter, or at least that's what her logic said. It sounded pretty hair-brained, even to her, but the rules of life had clearly changed. She gave herself about an equal chance of failure here, which was likely to bring just frustrated shouts at the animal, such was her frustration with this damned night.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

The faun jumped at Marie's sudden movement though it only moved behind it's mother which kept nibbling at some tender shoots of grass. She must not seem enough of a predator to the silly creatures Marie thought, then she recalled that Ulfur had made a noise like the dogs to draw them away.

Maybe if she tried to sound like a wolf or a lynx, something that would actually scare the creatures. Show them that she was a predator, the top of the food chain, something to fear. Though it might have been completely outside of her nature she actually kind of liked that idea for a few seconds as she stood there watching the lesser creatures eat.

 

[OAMP]

Re: Risky Business (Marie)

Marie frowned at being thwarted. It just confirmed that this was all a bit silly. Still, it wasn't like she had much else to do, unless she wanted to just wear herself out with nonstop travel. Bracing herself for her best roar, Marie half-lunged again, this time with a nice hearty "Rahahahahahrw!" thrown in, or at least as much as she could. It wasn't half bad, if she said so herself, at least compared to what she would expect to produce normally. Hopefully this time would cause a reaction, or else she might as well just make the deer a snack. She didn't particularly feel the need to do so, though the idea was more attractive than she was comfortable with, but if an animal was so dumb as to not run, it almost deserved to be eaten.