((Author's note: This takes place directly after the battle between Malzyne and Soerl, found here http://rdi.dragonsmark.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=90878&highlight=#90878 The posts in this topic were edited and adapted from Live RP.))
Lydia had been tempted to try to follow after Soerl, but she knew that to be impossible with how fast he was. Even if she had left and searched, she had no leads or a clue as to where he was going. Not to mention Zug wouldn't allow it. She had made rather miserable company for the orc, crying and lamenting. She had felt weak for it, buckling under the pressure of the situation, and the pressure of the prior days. Attack after attack, threat after threat - it felt like too much. And it hurt her terribly to see Soerl suffer and feel guilt as he did. And now? Now she felt like a pawn, a toy being used simply to get to him. And it worked too. It was all just too much for her. Likely why she eventually gave in to sleep, and why she was curled up on the couch.
Zug really didn't know how to help her. He had tried to be comforting, but orcs weren't the best at that sort of thing. He was sitting in a chair, keeping an eye on the elf. It was not long afterward that he heard a soft clicking noise. The front door swung open and Soerl stumbled inside. Most of the bleeding had stopped, but he was still weak. The fact the lock was still in place didn't comfort him much. "Lydia?! Zug?!" He called for both of them.
Her sleep was light and fitful. Hardly restful at all. Visions of hunters and wolves clouded her dreams, but she was pulled away from it all when Soerl called out. She jolted up suddenly, eyes wide as she peered around desperately. "S.. Soerl?" Soerl thought he heard her voice. Had it been another trick? He moved rather slowly and weakly toward the sitting room. At least it wasn't far. He leaned on the frame of the entrance. There was Zug. The orc stood up and was walking over to the minstrel. And Lydia, on the couch. He let out a tremendous sigh. She was safe.
Lydia just about stumbled and faceplanted off the couch, in her hurry to stand. She was hurrying along with Zug towards the minstrel. "Gods... Soerl..." The relief at seeing him alive was on her face, in her voice, though she couldn't quite find the words for it at the moment. She reached out, to lightly touch his arm - rather unaware of the wetness of his clothing. At least until her fingers grazed a sticky substance...
"It is done. You're safe." He said that quietly. Not long after Lydia touched him, he started to buckle. He'd lost a lot of blood. Zug caught him before he went down. Despite all of his strength, Soerl was rather light. Light to an orc, anyway. "Zug put Music Man on couch." Which is exactly what he did. Soerl breathed heavily, even after he was sitting. "Thank you, my friend."
Soerl's words didn't quite register with the elf, as she noted the trace of blood on her fingertips. It was then she finally took note of what poor shape he was in. Pale blues filled with panic as Zug carried Soerl to the couch, setting him down. Tears were forced back, however, as she swallowed a lump back in her throat. It would do none of them any good if she fell apart again. He was alive. She concentrated on that. "Z-Zug? Is there a first aid kit around here? I should tend to his wounds." She nodded a bit to herself, before she ventured over to take a seat next to Soerl. She regarded him very, very carefully.
"Zug have one in Zug's bag." The orc left the sitting room and headed into the dining room. He'd left a rather large potato sack there. Various rummaging noises ensued. Soerl's chest heaved with effort. His body was still trying to regain stamina. Emerald eyes looked over Lydia for a moment. He smiled a little. She was safe, and he was alive. That's all he cared about.
Her gaze lingered on the blood and slashes on his face, briefly. His smile was quick to catch her attention. Sighing, Lydia reached out to stroke the unmarked side of his face. "I love you." It was babbled out, almost, since she didn't return his sentiments when he left. That had weighed heavily upon her, so it seemed prudent to express it now that she had the chance. "I never doubted that." He appeared to understand the timing of the sentiment. Her touch made him smile a little more. Zug came stomping back into the sitting room. "Here, Lyd-- Lydia." The orc offered the first aid kit over to the elf. He glanced over to Soerl in the process, looking the man over. He made a face at Soerl and shook his head. Now that he was back and Lydia was fine, Zug would express his opinion. "Stupid humie."
"Thank you, Zug." She took the first aid kit from him and set it down next to her. Nodding her agreement with the orc, she pursed her lips as she looked Soerl over. Reaching out, she carefully grabbed part of the breastplate he wore. "I need to get you out of these clothes." She glanced back to the orc. "Could you help me? Especially with this. We need to be careful of his arms."
Soerl sighed quietly, though to what was hard to say. He offered no resistance when Lydia grabbed hold of the breastplate. He just nodded. Zug came over to help Lydia. "Zug pull off. Elfie help Music Man's arms." He reached around Soerl's head and grasped both sides of the armor. Nodding, she reached for Soerl's arms, and gently as she could, started to lift them, apologetic expression in place. She knew it likely didn't feel good. "Sorry. You have to lift your arms so he can get that thing off you, love."
It didn't feel good at all, actually, but he didn't complain. He just nodded and winced a little bit as he brought his arms up with Lydia's help. Zug promptly lifted the breastplate up and over Soerl's arms. He tossed it aside. "Keep arms up." Zug instructed as he pulled Soerl's shirt off as well. The extent of the damage was very visible once it was off. When the shirt came off Lydia bit at her lower lip, refraining from saying a thing about his injuries. Even more carefully than before, she helped him lower his arms. Gaze lowered, she turned away from Soerl to grab for the first aid kit, and opened it up to rummage around. "Th-think I need a towel too, Zug. With warm water?" Her voice was rather quiet. "Zug get towel, elfie." The orc nodded and tossed Soerl's shirt over with the breastplate. Zug stomped his way up the stairs and headed for the bathroom. Soerl sucked in air through his teeth when his arms lowered, like something extremely cold had just touched him.
She didn't figure Soerl needed much tending to, at least, with his supernatural healing. Cleaning him up and bandaging seemed like it would be good enough, so gauze was pulled out and set in her lap before the kit was set back aside. Pale blues turned back to Soerl, lingering on the slashes that covered his arms. She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to turn away from them and settle her attention back on his face. "Let me get that off you too..." She reached out to carefully pull the mask around his neck off.
Pain or not, he lifted his hand to cover the injured portion of his face. He said nothing, though. He just nodded when Lydia pulled the mask away. He'd been unaware of how badly he'd been hurt and how he looked. Just by watching Lydia, he knew the extent. There was more stomping. Zug came back with the towel and a basin of warm water. The mask was tossed to where the shirt and breastplate had been discarded to, before Lydia turned to face Zug. A faint smile of thanks was offered before she took the items. Towel was dipped in the water, which was set down on the floor nearby. She reached with her free hand for one of Soerl's arms, thinking that warning him of the pain he'd feel would be pointless. Even as carefully and gently as she moved the dampened towel about. It was mostly to clean, so she tried not to rub his wounds directly.
It hurt and he had been expecting it, so there was little reaction on the minstrel's part. He watched as she moved the towel around. He finally spoke up. "I had to go, Lydia. He was threatening you." Essentially, it was what he said before he left. Zug just sat down. He didn't speak a word. He knew his opinion was welcome, he just didn't care to share it right then.
"We don't need to talk about this now." Quiet words, as she exchanged the towel for the gauze. She then proceeded to wrap up the slashes on his arms. Somewhat tightly to keep it in place, but hopefully not enough to cause discomfort. As many times as Lydia did this, she was getting better at it at least. One arm done, gauze was exchanged again as she leaned and reached for his other arm to clean. This one seemed in even worse shape, and she wasn't quite able to hide her frown. "Very well." Any discomfort caused by the movements of his arms wasn't voiced. The gauze didn't cause any continual pain, either, so he simply sat quietly and let Lydia tend to him. "Zug go to sleep. Um... only if elfie no need help." The orc spoke up and looked at Lydia. Seemed he was a little annoyed with Soerl.
In another circumstance she very likely would have been annoyed with Soerl as well, but she just couldn't bring herself to chastise him now. She was just glad he was alive. "I should be fine now, Zug. Thank you very much for all your help." Lydia offered him a small smile, his help not just limited to helping her tend to Soerl. His other arm mostly cleaned off, she started wrapping with the gauze. "Thank you, Zug." Soerl spoke that quietly. The orc nodded to both of them and patted Lydia on the shoulder gently (gently for an orc, anyway) and then he headed up the stairs. He used the spare room quite often, after all. Soerl looked at Lydia for a long moment. He wasn't sure what to say to her.
She wasn't doing much in the way of talking, herself. Lydia just concentrated on the task at hand. Cleaning and bandaging. The second arm was done, so she lowered that rather carefully. Towel was then grabbed and refolded some to access a clean side, which was dipped into the warm water. Turning back towards Soerl, she reached out to try to clean his face. He flinched a little when Lydia reached for his face. He hadn't quite meant to do that, so he quickly and quietly apologized. "Forgive me." He shut his eyes afterwards and held quite still.
"It's okay, love." Her tone with him was rather gentle and soft. She didn't seem mad at him. Carefully cleaning around the wound, she leaned back and went back to the first aid kit, to find an appropriate bandage to use on his face. She couldn't very well wrap gauze around his face and having him looking like a mummy. He was slightly surprised at the lack of any sort of irritation in her tone. He wasn't about to complain of that, however. It stung a bit as she cleaned out the wound. He opened his eyes again when the stinging had ceased. Emerald eyes watched the elf.
Lydia had been tempted to try to follow after Soerl, but she knew that to be impossible with how fast he was. Even if she had left and searched, she had no leads or a clue as to where he was going. Not to mention Zug wouldn't allow it. She had made rather miserable company for the orc, crying and lamenting. She had felt weak for it, buckling under the pressure of the situation, and the pressure of the prior days. Attack after attack, threat after threat - it felt like too much. And it hurt her terribly to see Soerl suffer and feel guilt as he did. And now? Now she felt like a pawn, a toy being used simply to get to him. And it worked too. It was all just too much for her. Likely why she eventually gave in to sleep, and why she was curled up on the couch.
Zug really didn't know how to help her. He had tried to be comforting, but orcs weren't the best at that sort of thing. He was sitting in a chair, keeping an eye on the elf. It was not long afterward that he heard a soft clicking noise. The front door swung open and Soerl stumbled inside. Most of the bleeding had stopped, but he was still weak. The fact the lock was still in place didn't comfort him much. "Lydia?! Zug?!" He called for both of them.
Her sleep was light and fitful. Hardly restful at all. Visions of hunters and wolves clouded her dreams, but she was pulled away from it all when Soerl called out. She jolted up suddenly, eyes wide as she peered around desperately. "S.. Soerl?" Soerl thought he heard her voice. Had it been another trick? He moved rather slowly and weakly toward the sitting room. At least it wasn't far. He leaned on the frame of the entrance. There was Zug. The orc stood up and was walking over to the minstrel. And Lydia, on the couch. He let out a tremendous sigh. She was safe.
Lydia just about stumbled and faceplanted off the couch, in her hurry to stand. She was hurrying along with Zug towards the minstrel. "Gods... Soerl..." The relief at seeing him alive was on her face, in her voice, though she couldn't quite find the words for it at the moment. She reached out, to lightly touch his arm - rather unaware of the wetness of his clothing. At least until her fingers grazed a sticky substance...
"It is done. You're safe." He said that quietly. Not long after Lydia touched him, he started to buckle. He'd lost a lot of blood. Zug caught him before he went down. Despite all of his strength, Soerl was rather light. Light to an orc, anyway. "Zug put Music Man on couch." Which is exactly what he did. Soerl breathed heavily, even after he was sitting. "Thank you, my friend."
Soerl's words didn't quite register with the elf, as she noted the trace of blood on her fingertips. It was then she finally took note of what poor shape he was in. Pale blues filled with panic as Zug carried Soerl to the couch, setting him down. Tears were forced back, however, as she swallowed a lump back in her throat. It would do none of them any good if she fell apart again. He was alive. She concentrated on that. "Z-Zug? Is there a first aid kit around here? I should tend to his wounds." She nodded a bit to herself, before she ventured over to take a seat next to Soerl. She regarded him very, very carefully.
"Zug have one in Zug's bag." The orc left the sitting room and headed into the dining room. He'd left a rather large potato sack there. Various rummaging noises ensued. Soerl's chest heaved with effort. His body was still trying to regain stamina. Emerald eyes looked over Lydia for a moment. He smiled a little. She was safe, and he was alive. That's all he cared about.
Her gaze lingered on the blood and slashes on his face, briefly. His smile was quick to catch her attention. Sighing, Lydia reached out to stroke the unmarked side of his face. "I love you." It was babbled out, almost, since she didn't return his sentiments when he left. That had weighed heavily upon her, so it seemed prudent to express it now that she had the chance. "I never doubted that." He appeared to understand the timing of the sentiment. Her touch made him smile a little more. Zug came stomping back into the sitting room. "Here, Lyd-- Lydia." The orc offered the first aid kit over to the elf. He glanced over to Soerl in the process, looking the man over. He made a face at Soerl and shook his head. Now that he was back and Lydia was fine, Zug would express his opinion. "Stupid humie."
"Thank you, Zug." She took the first aid kit from him and set it down next to her. Nodding her agreement with the orc, she pursed her lips as she looked Soerl over. Reaching out, she carefully grabbed part of the breastplate he wore. "I need to get you out of these clothes." She glanced back to the orc. "Could you help me? Especially with this. We need to be careful of his arms."
Soerl sighed quietly, though to what was hard to say. He offered no resistance when Lydia grabbed hold of the breastplate. He just nodded. Zug came over to help Lydia. "Zug pull off. Elfie help Music Man's arms." He reached around Soerl's head and grasped both sides of the armor. Nodding, she reached for Soerl's arms, and gently as she could, started to lift them, apologetic expression in place. She knew it likely didn't feel good. "Sorry. You have to lift your arms so he can get that thing off you, love."
It didn't feel good at all, actually, but he didn't complain. He just nodded and winced a little bit as he brought his arms up with Lydia's help. Zug promptly lifted the breastplate up and over Soerl's arms. He tossed it aside. "Keep arms up." Zug instructed as he pulled Soerl's shirt off as well. The extent of the damage was very visible once it was off. When the shirt came off Lydia bit at her lower lip, refraining from saying a thing about his injuries. Even more carefully than before, she helped him lower his arms. Gaze lowered, she turned away from Soerl to grab for the first aid kit, and opened it up to rummage around. "Th-think I need a towel too, Zug. With warm water?" Her voice was rather quiet. "Zug get towel, elfie." The orc nodded and tossed Soerl's shirt over with the breastplate. Zug stomped his way up the stairs and headed for the bathroom. Soerl sucked in air through his teeth when his arms lowered, like something extremely cold had just touched him.
She didn't figure Soerl needed much tending to, at least, with his supernatural healing. Cleaning him up and bandaging seemed like it would be good enough, so gauze was pulled out and set in her lap before the kit was set back aside. Pale blues turned back to Soerl, lingering on the slashes that covered his arms. She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to turn away from them and settle her attention back on his face. "Let me get that off you too..." She reached out to carefully pull the mask around his neck off.
Pain or not, he lifted his hand to cover the injured portion of his face. He said nothing, though. He just nodded when Lydia pulled the mask away. He'd been unaware of how badly he'd been hurt and how he looked. Just by watching Lydia, he knew the extent. There was more stomping. Zug came back with the towel and a basin of warm water. The mask was tossed to where the shirt and breastplate had been discarded to, before Lydia turned to face Zug. A faint smile of thanks was offered before she took the items. Towel was dipped in the water, which was set down on the floor nearby. She reached with her free hand for one of Soerl's arms, thinking that warning him of the pain he'd feel would be pointless. Even as carefully and gently as she moved the dampened towel about. It was mostly to clean, so she tried not to rub his wounds directly.
It hurt and he had been expecting it, so there was little reaction on the minstrel's part. He watched as she moved the towel around. He finally spoke up. "I had to go, Lydia. He was threatening you." Essentially, it was what he said before he left. Zug just sat down. He didn't speak a word. He knew his opinion was welcome, he just didn't care to share it right then.
"We don't need to talk about this now." Quiet words, as she exchanged the towel for the gauze. She then proceeded to wrap up the slashes on his arms. Somewhat tightly to keep it in place, but hopefully not enough to cause discomfort. As many times as Lydia did this, she was getting better at it at least. One arm done, gauze was exchanged again as she leaned and reached for his other arm to clean. This one seemed in even worse shape, and she wasn't quite able to hide her frown. "Very well." Any discomfort caused by the movements of his arms wasn't voiced. The gauze didn't cause any continual pain, either, so he simply sat quietly and let Lydia tend to him. "Zug go to sleep. Um... only if elfie no need help." The orc spoke up and looked at Lydia. Seemed he was a little annoyed with Soerl.
In another circumstance she very likely would have been annoyed with Soerl as well, but she just couldn't bring herself to chastise him now. She was just glad he was alive. "I should be fine now, Zug. Thank you very much for all your help." Lydia offered him a small smile, his help not just limited to helping her tend to Soerl. His other arm mostly cleaned off, she started wrapping with the gauze. "Thank you, Zug." Soerl spoke that quietly. The orc nodded to both of them and patted Lydia on the shoulder gently (gently for an orc, anyway) and then he headed up the stairs. He used the spare room quite often, after all. Soerl looked at Lydia for a long moment. He wasn't sure what to say to her.
She wasn't doing much in the way of talking, herself. Lydia just concentrated on the task at hand. Cleaning and bandaging. The second arm was done, so she lowered that rather carefully. Towel was then grabbed and refolded some to access a clean side, which was dipped into the warm water. Turning back towards Soerl, she reached out to try to clean his face. He flinched a little when Lydia reached for his face. He hadn't quite meant to do that, so he quickly and quietly apologized. "Forgive me." He shut his eyes afterwards and held quite still.
"It's okay, love." Her tone with him was rather gentle and soft. She didn't seem mad at him. Carefully cleaning around the wound, she leaned back and went back to the first aid kit, to find an appropriate bandage to use on his face. She couldn't very well wrap gauze around his face and having him looking like a mummy. He was slightly surprised at the lack of any sort of irritation in her tone. He wasn't about to complain of that, however. It stung a bit as she cleaned out the wound. He opened his eyes again when the stinging had ceased. Emerald eyes watched the elf.