The Slave Trade (Open Thread)

[Cyrith]

Next time, keep your arm loose. It allows you to have more control, but not too loose otherwise you'll drop it again.
Next time? Cyrith thought. You cannot make me do that again. No, that was not happening. Once was more than enough for her to deal with. No matter how encouraging he sounded, she was not going for it, not at all. She couldn't care less on how to handle a whip.

Would you mind sparing some? I would like the practice and perhaps we both could learn a new trick or two.
Cyrith grinned wickedly. Some sparring time. It was not often Cyrith was able to find someone to train with. Most men are embarrassed to clash blades with a woman. She was itching for some training time. "Sounds good to me," Cyrith replied and removed her extra weapons and other items from her belt, to make it easier to fight. "But do not go easy on me just because I am a woman."

Sn...Snake.... Get it out of here..!
Cyrith rolled her eyes. This man, who looked no more than a hot shot in her eyes but yet, still the Grand Warmaster, was afraid of snakes. She wanted to laugh, truly did, but she would save it for later.
Cyrith almost lived out in the wild and she feared no beast. She was very use to being around the creatures of the wild. Cyrith picked up her bow and slowly approached the sleeping reptile. Most of the snakes in Rhûn were venomous and it was very likely that this one was too. A surprise attack would probably prove deadly. "Stand back," she said, gesturing for Rawhide to move away. She took her bow and poked at the snake, waking it from it's sleep. Unhappy that it was awakened, the snake uncoiled itself and hissed at Cyrith, baring it's fangs. Ready to attack, it lunged towards her, but she quickly moved out of it's path, swinging at it with her bow, hitting it right in the head.
Unfortunately, it recovered from it's attack faster that Cyrith thought it would. It lunged right at her again and nearly unprepared for it's second attack, Cyrith shoved her weapon into the snake's open mouth, causing it bite down on the handle of the bow. Despite the abuse, the snake was not ready to give up and Cyrith regreted her last move, but it was all she could think of at the moment. She had to reach for her bow and she head no other weapon in her. Cyrith slowly circled around keeping her eyes on her opponent across from her, watching as it circled with her. When she had circled enough to reach her bow, Cyrith made a split second decision to turn and grab it, but as if though the snake was waiting for her to turn her back, it took lunged at her again from behind and bit her right in the shoulder.

(btw, I added and edited Cyrith's profile and history)

[Morhin]

(I like the picture. What's it from?)

Morhin remained in place untill Cyrith poked the snake with her bow, then regained control of himself and moved away, cursing under his breath. He was angry at the fact that he had frozen up like that in frount of Cyrith, and angrier because he didn't know why he cared. One thing that Morhin was very causous of was becoming close to anyone, especial a woman. As Grand Warmaster, he couldn't affort to become close for fear of someone using that person against him. When Morhin was first made a captain, he had had feeling for a woman. But that woman was a traitor and had nearly killed him. So why did he care that he had frozen up in frount of Cyrith.

Morhin pushed these thoughts far from his mind, they were just pointless distractions, and focused on Cyrith and the snake. Morhin suddenly realized that Cyrith was in trouble. The snake had proven to me much larger and faster than she origionaly thought and had almost bitten her. As Cyrith turned to grab her bow, the serpent sprang again and this time struck her shoulder. Without thinking, Morhin grabed his whip and lashed out at the snake. The whip wraped around the snakes head and held. With a quick tug, he yanked the snake away from Cyrith. Morhin yelled something in a strange toung and the whip released the snake. Now that the snake was away from Cyrith and his weapons, Morhin grabed his sword and, fast as a snake strike, cut off its head.

Turing back to Cyrith, Morhin knelt next to her and said, "Let me see the bite. We need to suck out the poisen and clean the wound before it get's infected."

[Cyrith]

(She's a character from a LotR fan based film that's in the works. I was looking for a better character pic and I saw this one it was what I thought Cyrith would look like)

Cyrith only winced as the snake sank it's fangs through several layers of clothing and deep into her skin. To her, it only left like sharp pinches. She reached over her shoulder and tried to pry open it's mouth but it would not release it's hold on her. "Cursed beast!" she muttered bitterly. She now regretted not wearing any chain mail.
Still a natural reaction, hearing the sound of the whip, Cyrith threw herself flat on the ground as the whip came in contact with the snake, wrapping itself around the animal, yanking it from her shoulder, it's fangs cutting her skin. When Rawhide finished his battle with the snake, she sat up and pressed a hand against her shoulder as it started to be bleed, trying to stop it.

Cyrith was a little confused. Rawhide had appeared to be afraid of the snake, but jumped in to aid her. Either he was acting, or he must have thought she was some maiden in distress and tried to be a hero. Nonsense she thought it was.
Cyrith glared at Rawhide as he knelt down next to her. "I did not need your help, I could have handled that beast on my own."

Let me see the bite. We need to suck out the poison and clean the wound before it gets infected.
"No," Cyrith said stubbornly and moved away from him then stood up. "You will not touch me."

[Morhin]

Morhin was not surprised at her offince at his steping it, especialy since he had frozen up before. Though he had been entered a crule and harsh world when he first came to Rhun, Morhin had always been one to help others in trouble. It wasn't becuase he wanted to be a hero or recive reconision, it was just something in him. When Cyrith had been bitten, he was able to put aside his fear long enough to act.

"No. You will not touch me."
Morhin eyed Cyrith for a moment then said, "It's not an option. That..." He pointed towards the snakes body, "was a wrath-snake. They're extreamly poisenous. Their venum is said to have been used to make Nasgul blades." Morhin turned and glared at the snakes body a moment. "One of my solders was biten by a wrath-snake. The poisen makes you very weak and sickly. You grow pale and start halusenating. But it won't kill you right off. The solder suffered for almost a month before he finaly died."

Morhin looked back at Cyrith and shook his head. "I won't touch you. But I have the skill to heal that wound. I spent two years learning studying every posible antidote to combat the venum, and." He paused. "I am of elvish blood. I know many many things about healing. But if you don't want my help, I woun't." Morhin gathered his gear and headed towards the door. "If you still want to sparre, I'll be outside."

[Cyrith]

"I know what kind of snake it was!" Cyrith hissed. "I live out in the wild, I also what it's poison can do, I am not an idiot." She removed her now bloodied hand from her shoulder. The bleeding appeared to have slowed down, but had not completely stopped.
Cyrith looked over at the dead snake and then back at Rawhide. "It is your help I do not want because you are a man and I do not like men. They cannot be trusted. I will not allow them to touch me either." She had been bitten by a snake before, but the healer that tended to her was a kindly elderly woman that reminded her a lot of her Grandmama. That was the only time she had ever let anyone tend to her. She had always taken care of herself.

I am of elvish blood. I know many, many things about healing.
Cyrith placed a hand on her hip and stared down at the ground. She had forgotten that he was half-elven. Her Grandmama told her tales of the elves and that they were a noble people. Her attitude softened.
"Wait," Cyrith said before Rawhide stepped outside. "Come back here," she gestured for him to come towards her. "I'll take my Grandmama's word on what she said about the elven kin. You may tend to the wound, however, since you are still half man, I cannot fully put my faith in you." She picked up her dagger that laid on the ground to next to her belongings. "Try anything stupid, you will face the wrath of me."

[Morhin]

Morhin stood in the door way and eyed Cyrith. A moment ago she wouldn't let him touch her, now she was asking for his help. He wasn't sure now if he even wanted to help her. Every time he had tried to help she became defencive and would back away. It was really starting to anoiy him. He did not trust people, but he always tried to give people a chance first. Cyrith didn't seem to want to give anyone a chance. Morhin raised his hand and brushed his hair behind one of his ears so that it could be clearly seen. He turned his head slightly so Cyrith could clearly see his pointed ears. "By my mother who gave me these, I'll not harm you."

Quickly, Morhin set his gear down and began to search through it. "I'll need to get at the shoulder." He said without looking up. "If you think you can trust me." He glanced at her dagger laying on the ground.
"Try anything stupid, you will face the wrath of me."
Morhin smiled to himself. A woman's wrath. I'd rather be thrown into a pit of snakes than face a woman's wrath. He finally found what he had been searching for. A small bag that contained several tiny viles. He held one then another up against the light and finaly found the right one. Standing he said, "Wait here." And then left.

After a short wile, Morhin returned with a bowl of steaming water. "I need to first clean the wound, then a few drops of this should netralize the poisen." He looked at her a moment then turned around. "Expose your shoulder, please. And tell me when your ready."

[Cyrith]

Cyrith looked at Rawhide's ears. She said nothing in return but nodded instead. She then kept a close watch on him and as he searched through his bag, pulling out the contents he needed.

I'll need to get at the shoulder. If you think you can trust me.
Cyrith laughed to herself. "Hardly." She thought. She only half trusted him, if not a little bit less. He told her to wait and left. Cyrith slowly walked around as she waited for him to return. She did not know why he wanted to help her. She could manage to walk around with the poison running through her body for a time, she thought. It did not really concern her, nor was she afraid. She would have dealt with it at some point. She turned around as Rawhide returned, carrying a bowl.

Expose your shoulder, please. And tell me when your ready.
Cyrith sighed and sat down on the ground. She removed her cloak and her leather vest, then she loosened the strings at the front of her shirt and adjusted it enough so that just her wounded shoulder was exposed. She was going to have to get rid of them, now being blood stained, but she had extras. "You can turn around now," said Cyrith.

[Morhin]

Morhin cautiously turned around, then knelt beside her to inspect the wound. He paused, swearing under his breath. Though she had exposed her shoulder only enough to see the bite, he could see nomourous scares across her shoulder where she had been whiped before. He now understood why Cyrith hated whips so much.

Morhin examined the wound. The gash wasn't as deep as he had feared. Cyrith's armor had prevented it from going too deep. The snake's fangs must have draged across he shoulder a short ways, that would acound for the amount of blood. Taking a rag, Morhin diped it in the hot water and wiped away the blood. Me paused a moment, remembering when his uncle had cleaned a gash on his leg when he was very young. That was a long time ago, back when he had lived with the elves. Morhin could see his uncle, sing softly as he cleaned and dressed the wound. He had asked his uncle why he sang as he cleaned it. "It helps to put the wounded person's mind at ease. And it helps to keep my head clear so I don't hurry and make a mistake."

After he had wiped away the blood, Morhin handed Cyrith a bottle. "If you would like a drink before I start go ahead. This will sting some." Taking another bottle, Morhin took a drink himself then poured it on Cyrith's shoulder. That would disinfect the wound from anything infection. He then pulled out his boot knife and a large ring. Taking the small vile of antodote, Morhin carefully poured several drops on the ring. "This is an assassign's ring." He explained. "It's used to put poisen directly into the blood. Very effective. And just what I need." Morhin felt for a vein near the wound and poked the ring's neadle into it. He repeated this several times so to make sure that there was enough antodote to counter the venom.

Morhin dug in his pack and pulled out a lenght of cloth and began to cut it into strips. Again, the memory of his uncle came to mind and Morhin found himslef humming in elven as he held the strips agianst Cyrith's shoulder to make sure that they were long enough. "Unless you've grown to trust me in the last ten minits, you'll need to bandage yourself." Morhin said. There was no sarcasim or anoience in his tone. The memory of his uncle seemed to have put him in an easy mood. Morhin countinued to hum as he put away his viles and bottles, giving Cyrith room to bandige herself.

[Cyrith]

If you would like a drink before I start go ahead.
Cyrith shook her head when he offered her the bottle. "No thank you," she said. She looked over her shoulder as Rawhide explained the items he had and what their uses were, glancing at them for a moment then turned back around. Cyrith sat still nearly the entire time as Rawhide tended to her wounded. Over and over again she kept asking herself why she had allowed him to tend to her. She wanted to kick herself for allowing herself to agree to it as well. But his touch was gentle and she became more relaxed and at ease.

Cyrith raised an eyebrow when she heard Rawhide hum. She never known of anyone who ever sang or hummed as the tended to the wounded. Unless it was something that the elven race did. Although it seemed unusual to her, she did not mind it.
Unless you've grown to trust me in the last ten minutes, you'll need to bandage yourself.
Again, Cyrith looked over her shoulder. Although she could see the wound, but it was not really enough to tend to it properly. She tried that once, but her attempt to tend her injury and bandage it came out a little sloppy when she could not see it properly. Cyrith may have not trusted him much better, she replied, "You have a view of it then I do, it would be best if you did it, at least then I will know that it was done properly."

[Morhin]

Morhin raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Perhaps she had grown to trust him in the last five minets. A little bit anyway. Taking the bandages he began to lay them over the wound. He continued to hum as he worked, pausing now and again to ask Cyrith to raise her arm so he could tie the bandage. As he tied off the bandage and cut the extra strip away, Morhin said, "That will hold. By tonight, the wound should be healed. Thought it wasn't much, I'm still a little concerned about the poison. If you begin to feel weak, let me know." Morhin stood and washed his hands with the rest of the hot water. Seeing his sword still lying on the ground, Morhin picked it up and wiped it clean of the snake's blood. Remembering how this whole thing started, he asked, "Do you wish to still spare? That bandage should hold." A smirk game across his face, "I want to see just what wrath I would have faced had I done anything stupid."

[Cyrith]

After Rawhide had bandaged the wound, Cyrith moved her arm around to get use to the feeling of the bandage then covered her shoulder and readjusted her shirt. She then torn off a small piece of her cloak and dipped it into the water and scrubbed the now dry blood from her hand, before Rawhide used the rest of it to wash his hands.
Though it wasn't much, I'm still a little concerned about the poison. If you begin to feel weak, let me know.
Cyrith nodded. "Thanks," she muttered almost under her breath.

Do you wish to still spare? I want to see just what wrath I would have faced had I done anything stupid.
Cyrith laughed. She turned around and suddenly took up her dagger and rested the blade against the skin of Rawhide's neck. "You may not have been still breathing if you had met my wrath." She smirked wickedly but it disappeared after only a mere moment, then turning into a bitter glare. Cyrith held that expression and the dagger to Rawhide's neck, still as stone for a few moments, just staring at him, then that glare also had disappeared and she slowly removed her weapon from his neck and put it back into it's sheath. "I would not recommend that you test my wrath, because I could kill you."

[Morhin]

Morhin did not move as Cyrith held the dagger to his neck. But he showed no sign of surprise or fear. He did not belive that she would kill him. Oh, he had no doubt that she could and would if he approched her wrong. But she wouldn't kill him after he had just helped her. Morhin belived that she had done that to hide the fact that she had to ask for his help.

"Maybe you could." Said Morhin after Cyrith had sheived her dagger. He drew his sword and saluted Cyrith. "I would like to find out." Morhin held his sword infrount of him in a lose guard and smiled, "When ever your ready."

[Cyrith]

Cyrith rolled her eyes. This man was either just pushing his luck, or was just stubborn. Although she had agreed to have a causal spar with him, she however was not happy over the fact that he would rather test her wrath more than her fighting skill. It made her mad and Cyrith angered easily.
Cyrith stood up. "Alright then," she said and reached for her sword. "If you want a test," she then pointed the blade at Rawhide. "You will get one. But I am warning you, I do not take things like this lightly and second of all, do not even think of going easy on me just because I am a woman." She nodded towards the door. "Let us take this outside."

[Morhin]

Morhin raised an eye and gave Cyrith a strang look. "Go easy on you because you are a woman?" repeated Morhin. He shook his head. "I don't take fights against a woman lightly. Women are the most deadly of fighters. Most men underestimate them becuase they are weaker in physicaly. But brute strenght does not mean win a fight." Morhin glanced down at his left leg and flexed it. It had been almost 7 years since he had been wounded durning his fight with... her. Occasionaly the wound would act up and nearly criple Morhin with pain. He looked back at Cyrith. "No. I won't hold back."

Morhin walked outside and took a look around. There was no one around. A dog barked down the street and the ryhmic ding, ding, ding of the Blacksmith's hammar against the anvil was the only indication that there was anyone. Morhin prefered it that way. Less chance of being interupted. He thought. He faced Cyrith and held his sword again in a lose guard. "I'm ready."

[Cyrith]

I don't take fights against a woman lightly. Women are the most deadly of fighters.
Cyrith laughed. "Your views toward women are different than most men," she said. "They are either usually embarrassed to battle against one, or they feel threatened when they realize that they are up against one that has skill with a weapon." Cyrith raised her sword and slashed through the air a few times, getting her arm loose.
"There must be some strong women here in Rhûn," Cyrith said. "In Near Harad the women were weak, the men were just as weak. Of course, they were all slaves and only knew the strength of physical labor and nothing of defense skills, but I also have seen many of the poor villages around, and those folk fair no better when it comes to self defense."
Most men underestimate them because they are weaker in physicaly. But brute strength does not mean win a fight.
"While brute strength alone can test the power of each opponent, it is the intelligence that over powers strength, but sometimes even that, does not always guarantee a win."

Cyrith followed Rawhide outside and raised her sword before her eyes and studied it. A trip to the smiths would be soon. The blade could use a little sharpening. She had her back turned and did not notice Rawhide looking at his leg, but only heard him speak.
No. I won't hold back.
"You best not," Cyrith said and turned around and faced him. "I would have to spread the word that you are a wimp." She held up her sword and smirked. "Take your best shot, Warmaster."