The First Date

<--Previous Log | Back to Main | Next Log-->

Samuel pauses outside the door and cocks his head to one side as if listening for something. His lips twist suddenly in an expression of distaste, then he steps towards the door and opens it slowly, peering into the interior of the shop, right hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword.

Sereina shivers and punches her sack, trying to make the stiff fabric give a little more. She sighs dejectedly and rests on her back, staring out into the night, then stiffens as the busted door creaked.

Samuel pushes his way fully into the room (downstairs) and peers around into the darkened corners. Then he straights up to his full height and speaks, his voice carrying just a bit too well for some reason,'Please come out in the open. You will not be harmed.'

Sereina squeaked and bit down on her lip hard, drawing blood. She threw her patched blanket inside of her sack and scrambled to the back of the room, hands searching for something, anything to protect her. She grabbed a piece of wood that had broken off of the cabinet and held it before her, body shivering in fear.

Samuel's head snaps back at the sound of the movement. He moves to the stairs and begins to walk slowly up them, right hand still across his body, gripping tightly at the hilt on his left hip. His voice booms out again, unnaturally loud,'Please come out into the open. There is no need to fear.'

Sereina's lip curls back in a silent growl, bottom lip red from the wound she had inflicted earlier. 'Leave me alone!' she yells, knuckles turning white around the wooden stake.

Samuel emerges from the stairs into the upstairs room, eyes immediately zeroing in on the girl even in the darkness. His eyes narrow slightly and his grip loosens on his hilt. In a normal volume voice he says,'Throw down the cudgel, lass. I won't hurt you as long as you don't try to hurt me. I just want to know what you are doing in this abandoned building.'

Sereina's breath comes faster and her eyes grow larger as they fall upon the black coat he was wearing. 'No! Leave me alone!' her other hand presses her sack tight against her side, the cudgel shaking violently.

Samuel lets out a frustrated sigh and turns loose of his hilt. He gestures sharply with his right hand now and says,'Put down the stick, girl. You are making me nervous. I might hurt you if I have to take it away from you.' The sharp gesture produces a soft jingle as the bells at the ends of his braids chime.

Sereina backed up into the corner until her back pressed against the wall, entire body shaking. Her eyes stare wildly at him, her eyes glued to the black coat he was wearing. 'Just go away! I didn't do anything!'

Samuel snorts softly and holds out his left hand in front of him, palm up. A bluish flame springs into existance over the palm, filling the room with a soft glow. He peers curiously at the young woman and says,'Drop the stick, lass, and we'll see about getting you some food and somewhere to stay for the night.' His nose wrinkles slightly and he adds,'And perhaps a bath and some clean clothes.'

Sereina jumps in surprise at the flame, the piece of wood falling from her grip. Instead of surrendering herself, however, she lets out an earpiercing shriek and dives to the side, trying to hop over the desk towards the stairs.

Samuel lets out a noise that is sort of a cross between a grunt and an exasperated sigh. He flings his right hand out towards the girl in a motion similar to making an underhand toss of a net. As he does so, he channels thick flows of Air into loops which he attempts to slip over her head and around her waist to catch and restrain her.

Sereina ducked down and without thought, and without knowing, channeled ...something.. that cut into the invisible hands that try to grab her. she scrambled headfirst down the stairs,, tripping at the top and tumbling forward, bruising her already wounded body.

Samuel blinks hard and takes a step back from the recoil of the cut weaves. He lowers his left hand and lets the flame in it wink out while his right hand closes into a tight, upraised fist. Drawing in more of the One Power, almost as much as he can hold, he spins out thick flows of Spirit shaped into a wedge and slams the weave towards Sereina's connection to the True Source.

Sereina grunts and lands on her rump at the foot of the stairs, clutching her head and rocking forward and back. She shakes her head and looks up at the top of the stairs, lower lip trembling. 'Just....leave me alone..'

Samuel holds tightly to the shield weave as he begins to walk slowly down the steps. In a tone full of frustration and irritation, he says,'Now please stop this senseless resistance before you force me to arrest you. If you'll cooperate I can just take you to the orphanage.'

Sereina whimpers and crawls back. 'Why can't you just go away? I didn't do anything wrong..' she rubbed her arm where a small bruise begins to form.

Samuel blinks as if surprised and moves about halfway down the stairs. Shaking his head sadly he says,'I can't just go away because I seriously doubt you own this building and I have to enforce the laws here. Not to mention the fact that you channeled at me which is against the Lord Dragon's decree. Now come along and we'll see to getting you mended and a hot meal in you.'

Sereina scrambled to her feet, dropping her sack. 'I....I didn't channel!' she bends down and picks up her sack, holding it against her like a shield. 'I don't want to go to the shelters, they don't like young people.'

Samuel just stands there on the steps shaking his head. 'Yes, you did. I had to shield you and am still holding the shield. Now, I can't make you stay at the orphanage, but I can make you go. Besides, we need to get you to a wisdom or such. I would probably just make it worse if I tried to heal you.' Then he takes a couple of steps closer.

Sereina steps away from him, eyes darting around to look for a weapon of any sort. 'Don't come near me, I'm staying here. You can't make me do anything I don't want to.'

Samuel snorts again, loudly,'I indeed can, little girl. The only question is whether I will. I do not want to drag you kicking and screaming through the streets of Caemlyn, but if you do not walk on your own two feet I surely will.' His tone is one of strong impatience.

Sereina snorts herself, forcing herself to calm down. 'If you try to make me leave I will surely scream and kick like you said.' her voice trembles at the last but she straightens her shoulders, fingers tugging at the fabric of the sack.

Samuel mutters an oath under his breath and takes a step towards the girl, reaching out with his right hand in an attempt to grab her.

Sereina slaps his hand away and jumps back, tripping over a broken chair. She yelps in surprise before kicking the chair towards him, running for the door.

Samuel jerks back his slapped hand, muttering another curse. He holds to the shield while spinning out flows of Air, attempting to grapple the girl around the waist with them.

Sereina grunts in surprise and lowers her hands to her waist, trying to push away the invisible hands that held on to her. 'Stop that! Let me go! Burn you, leave me alone!'

Samuel growls in frustration and strides towards the girl, boots clicking loudly and stirring up dust on the old wooden floor. He walks around in front of her, still holding the weave of Air and the shield. Staring down at her with his hands on his hips, he says,'Do you see now that I can?'

Sereina curls her lip back in a silent growl and grabs his leg, yanking violently.

Samuel glares down at the girl, unmoved by her jerking on his leg. Then he reaches out in a gruff attempt to grasp her head in his hands.

Sereina slaps at his hands, screaming wordlessly, twisting and turning against her invisible confines.

Samuel grips Sereina's head in both of his hands, apparently only vaguely aware of her slaps. His eyes flash angrily as his eyes lock with hers, then a sudden warmth floods through her body along with a wave of dizziness. As the world comes back into focus she feels a strange sensation inside her head, sort of an echo.. an echo of someone who seems just as surprised as she.

Sereina lets her hands drop down, her face drained of all blood. Trembling hands raise to touch her head, as if in confusion. She takes one look at him and whimpers, trying to crawl away but not moving anywhere. 'What....what did you do to me??'

Samuel shakes off the question releases her head. He steps back and lowers his arms. Shaking himself as if to regain compusure, he says,'I am going to release you now. You will not try to hit me and you will not channel at me. I have bonded you.. it is difficult to explain..' His voice trails off and he frowns at you as if in deep thought.

Sereina mutters to herself. 'You can't..' her voice trails off when she no longer tries to hit him, and she sees she can stand. She gets to her feet slowly, feeling around her legs and back, feeling the bumps that were rising. Funnily enough, it felt as though she could feel his arms aching slightly from her hits.

Samuel does not respond for a long moment then his eyes seem to focus again. He arches an eyebrow and says,'Can't? I already have, girl.' He frowns then and adds hesitantly,'I suppose I can't just call you girl. I am Samuel. What is your name?'

Sereina crosses her arms and mutters beneath her breath. 'Sereina,' she says, voice bitter and angry sounding.

Samuel nods slowly and says,'Well, it won't be the shelter for you at least. And you need a Healer.' Suddenly the color drains from his face and he adds,'Oh no.. '

Sereina cursed beneath her own breath. "And you probably won't be letting me stay here, either?' she bends over to get her sack, brushing back her hair from her face.

Samuel shakes his head slowly from side to side and says softly,'No.. You cannot stay here.. I need to think for a moment. I have no idea how to let you go.' His mouth snaps shut suddenly and he frowns hard at you as if he had not meant to let the last part slip.

Sereina shakes her head in puzzlement, confused about the sudden spike in fear that felt like it was coming from this...Samuel character. 'Let me go? It's easy. Say "Girl, you can go," and I'll go my way.'

Samuel shakes his head slowly again, face still pale,'No.. well, yes, I could say that, and you'd be free to go. But I don't know how to undo the bond. You'd still be able to feel me, and me you.' He lets out a soft sigh and turns introspective again.

Sereina reaches out and grabs his arm, tugging on the sleeve of his coat insistantly. 'Then say it! What's stopping you! I don't care whether I feel you, I just want to be on my way!'

Samuel blinks at the girl and jerks his sleeve back out of the way. He shakes his head sharply and says,'No. I do not think I would want to feel you with you living this way. Bruised and more likely than not hungry most of the time. Doing no telling what kinds of silly things that could get you.. and ME hurt. No, you are my responsibility now whether I like it or not.'

Sereina threw her head up and let out a despairing wail. 'The Light burn you, why didn't you just leave me alone in the first place?!?' she looked at Samuel straight in the eye, glaring at him hard. 'I don't want to be stuck with the likes of you. All of those....Asha...whatever are cruel to anyone who aren't like you.'

Samuel says,'You do not understand. I could get into huge trouble for this, possibly killed. That would be very unpleasant for you. I doubt you'd survive it. We are only allowed to bond wives...' He stops suddenly and looks at you hard, chewing his bottom lip as if in thought.

Sereina backs up, a look of shock crossing over her face. 'Oooooh no.....I don't want to know what you are thinking....No one will find out if you let me go...I'll do whatever you want, just don't keep me with you.'

Samuel shakes his head roughly, causing the bells on the ends of his braids to chime discordantly. He speaks as if not even listening to her protests,'What we will have to do is convince people you are my wife. Hush your chattering and let me think.' From the tone of his voice and his expression, it is likely that he did not even realize the last was a command.

Sereina gapes her mouth in protest yet no words come. She tries to raise her hand to hit him but instead punches her thigh hard. She shook her head in disbelief.

Without looking up Samuel says in a distracted voice,'Yes, this is what we do...' Then he looks up at the woman and nods sharply, saying,'We will pretend to be married. If anyone asks you say we just got married. We met in the plaza and for some unknown reason immediately wanted to get married so we ran off to the magistrate and had it done.' He nods again, a smile spreading across his face,'Odd things like that often happen when the Lord Dragon is in town. We should not have any problem with it.'

Sereina shakes her head violently, waving her arms frantically.

Samuel looks confused for a moment, then blushes bright scarlet. 'I'm sorry. You may speak now, miss. I am a bit distracted with all of this.'

Sereina sighs and lowers her head, tears trailing down her cheeks. 'I don't want to be a wife, much less your wife. Let me go..I'll never tell, I swear upon the light of my hope of rebirth and salvation...'

Samuel sighs, looking on the verge of tears himself and says,'It is not just worry of you telling. If I find out how to undo it and you are gone... or if you get hurt because I am not near you to stop it.' He shakes his head violently again, bells jingling loudly,'No. For now I must keep you with me.. Please.. I don't wish to see you cry, but I cannot let you go.'

Sereina sighed dejectedly, thrusting a strand of hair almost violently out of her face. 'Fine, very well. I'll do what you want but I will leave at whatever chance I get.' Sereina nodded and crossed her arms.

Samuel frowns at you for a moment, then very suddenly blushes furiously. He stammers out,'N-no.. nothing like that. You won't really be my wife..' His face grows redder as he speaks,'To keep up the pretense we will have to share a cabin.. but sleep will be the extent of it. I would not touch you or.. order you to do anything like that..'

Sereina sneered at him. 'I doubt you'd be able to stomach anything like that. Be that as it may, I still will try to leave. You're holding me captive and your precious Lord Dragon would have you killed if he knew, I'm sure.'

Samuel sighs and shakes his head,'I could just order you not to, but.. I really do not want to stifle your mind or your hope any more than necessary.' His voice takes on a more stern tone and he says,'Play the masquerade always in public, though, until such time as I am able to release you. If we are in private, and you do not raise your voice so that people outside could hear, then you may say anything to me that you like. Now, are you ready to see your new home?'

Sereina mutters beneath her breath and sighs. 'Fine. Lead the way, captor, I mean, husband.'

Samuel mutters something under his breath and then snaps irritably,'Call me Sam.' Then he turns to face the open part of the room. He concentrates for a moment and a slash of light appears, rapidly widening into a hole in the air through which can be seen a bustling farm. He turns and flourishes a bow, motioning for Sereina to step through.

Sereina smirks as she bows in return. 'Yes, Sam. But don't you want me to be a little more...presentable? I don't want the other...men to think less of you for having the stinky woman.'

Samuel lets out a sigh and the gateway suddenly dwindles back to nothing. He turns and says,'Fine. I have a little money on me. I can buy you a hot bath and a change of clothes before we return to the farm. I apologize for not thinking of that. I would not embarrass you on purpose, Sereina.'

Sereina still smirks but she shrugs. 'It doesn't matter either way. It doesn't change my situation and it doesn't change our predicament.'

Samuel shakes his head slightly and walks towards the door. He mutters under his breath, but when he raises his voice, it is polite,'Yes, milady. Our predicament is unpleasant, but we will endure.'

Sereina purses her lips and drops her sack. 'Somehow, at least...' she takes one last look around the room before following Sam.

<--Previous Log | Back to Main | Next Log-->