[Support] Horses Suck (Paige X Ellie)

[Toogee]

(This thread takes place before the event RP)
 
It was the morning after the harrowing prison break in Santaruz. If it wasn’t official before, it was now: Paige was a fugitive. Any chance of returning to her old life in the library was gone. She was part of a movement to expose, possibly overthrow, Emperor Coran and return Lycia to its former glory. After the death of Friar Thomas last night, Paige was feeling the enormity of the task ahead of her.
 
On top of all that, she no longer had a horse.
 
Paige’s lack of horse riding experience resulted in being bucked off during her attempt to follow Yuri. By the time she picked herself up, Paige had lost the trail. Her outfit was smeared with dirt from her graceless landing. The saddle she was riding on was now hopelessly attached to her boot, along with the rest of her things. It was a very sad sight: the librarian shambling across the plains of Lycia, dragging the saddle with every step. She wasn’t even sure she was going in the right direction.
 
"How did Mankind manage to tame such a reckless beast? They're unruly and care nothing for their riders. I swear if I run into that animal again, I'm turning him to meat."
 
The only bright spot of Paige’s predicament was that she had managed to avoid soldiers, though given her current pace, her luck would run out at some point.

[Zanryu]

Ellie rode hard as the sun rose, her eyelids heavy and muscles aching from the night before. She hoped she'd stumble across Paige before she got herself into any trouble, but she had no way of knowing how far off her target she had gone; until she spotted a figure in the distance, shambling across the plains. Ellie pulled back lightly on the reins to slow her steed to a trot, focusing on the shambling stranger - who, in a few moments, she would realize wasn't much of a stranger after all.

"Hey! Are you alright, miss!?" Ellie cried, waving overhead as she picked out Paige's red locks from the otherwise muddled figure - though, perhaps it wasn't muddled so much as... dirty? Surely she hadn't taken a tumble, Ellie thought.

As Ellie came closer and closer, she smiled subtly and nodded. It seemed that she had taken more than a tumble after all, as she dragged the saddle from her horse across the plains in her apparent fatigue.

[Toogee]

Paige had caught sight of a figure on horseback in the distance. She feared the soldiers had finally caught up to her. The librarian immediately attempted to run, but with the saddle stuck on her boot, she only managed to trip. Paige fell face first into the ground. By the time she picked herself up, the figure was already upon her. Was this how things were going to end?

Oh wait, it's Eli.

"Eli?" Paige said, relieved that this was someone she knew. "I thought you were on of the soldiers. That would have just topped my day after that damn horse abandoned me. Have you seen Shad since last night?"

Paige made an attempt to brush herself off to look a bit more presentable.

[Zanryu]

As Ellie came ever closer, Paige's panic became apparent - mostly when she wound up face down on the ground, but the initial scramble was definitely a tell. Ellie giggled lightly before she was within earshot, but she was otherwise alone - she almost felt comfortable easing off the persona for once, for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"Eli? I thought you were one of the soldiers. That would have just topped my day after that damn horse abandoned me. Have you seen Shad since last night?"

Ellie tugged back on the reins and slowed her horse to a halt before she hopped down, stroking the horse's mane. The burgundy steed bowed its head and turned to brush against Ellie's hand, which she happily obliged. She turned to look back at Paige with a near disappointment.

"Not yet, no," Ellie said, looking down at Paige's heels. She knelt down and started unbuckling the stirrup that had laced itself around Paige's foot. "They're coming, I'm sure!"

She wasn't, but she was holding Cass to her word - a day behind at most.

[Toogee]

Paige watched as Eli undid the saddle stuck on her boot. Such a gentleman! She was grateful for the assist, but it was obvious that Paige was worn out from traveling on foot. She wasn't exactly built for such a journey.

"I don't suppose there's a town close by? Or just some place to hide? I could really use a break..."

[Zanryu]

"I don't suppose there's a town close by? Or just some place to hide? I could really use a break..."

Ellie, still kneeling next to Paige, squinted as she surveyed the area around them - grass, dirt, a couple of puddles... and grass! Wonderful!

"I have to say, I don't know the area," she sighed, standing with a lightly arched back. A faint breeze brushed Ellie's hair across her forehead. "I guess we could ride together, find somewhere?" Ellie motioned to her steed.

[Toogee]

Paige nodded, following Ellie to her horse. Despite her low opinion on horses, Paige didn't mind sitting as a passenger. Also, it meant she didn't have to walk anymore. That was more than enough reason to overcome her displeasure of riding.

"I'm surprised you would still follow us after the prison break," Paige commented. "Most probably wouldn't want the trouble after just attaining their freedom."

[Zanryu]

"I'm surprised you would still follow us after the prison break. Most probably wouldn't want the trouble after just attaining their freedom."

Ellie mounted her steed and offered Paige a hand up to sit in front of her, offering her spot in the saddle. She smirked slyly and chuckled.

"I'm not most, I suppose," she began calmly. She chose her words carefully, hoping not to give too much away. Could she trust Paig entirely? "I... aspire, I guess, to more than just hunting."

[Toogee]

"If I may ask, what aspirations involve getting a target painted on your back?"

The pair passed through endless plains, though the occasional spot of forest broke the green canvas. Paige considered asking to stop and rest in one of them, but it seemed like the first place their pursuers would look. Best to keep going until they found a more hidden area.

[Zanryu]

"If I may ask, what aspirations involve getting a target painted on your back?"

Ellie eyed the passing greenery intently as she pondered her response. In the distance, slightly to the east, she spotted a rocky cliff; surely they could veer off and rest there, even if only for a while? She turned the horse towards their new destination, and spurred it onward.

"Well... my home is gone. I mean, it's there but, not much of a home," she began, trying to find the right words before the wrong ones all slipped out. "I grew up in Bern, but I left when I heard about Etruria - I thought I could help. So, I hunt. I hunt, and I help!" she smirked as she gazed into the distance. She handled that pretty well, she thought; so long as Paige didn't harbor any ill-will towards Bern given their history.

[Toogee]

"So you cross the border and find a rebel group to join? Then you found us."

In Paige's opinion, Eli sounded idealistic. She wondered how many kids like him made up the rebel forces. Did they truly stand a chance against the Empire?

"Honestly, I would have been happy continuing my research in Castle Pherae," Paige commented, her eyes looking to the east as she reminisced about her old life. "I'm only out here because someone thought I was digging too deep in the Imperial lineage. I don't want to fight a war. I just want to show people what's happening with our country. Then they can decide where our future lies."

Paige took notice of the cover they were headed to. Finally, a place to rest! As soon as they arrived, the librarian dismounted. She nearly fell on her face, but she was glad that she remained on her feet at all. Paige stretched her arms and looked upon the scenery. They would be well hidden behind the rock facing or even on top if they could manage to get up there. For now, Paige simply leaned against the cliff and appreciated the rest stop.

[Zanryu]

"So you cross the border and find a rebel group to join? Then you found us."

"Honestly, I would have been happy continuing my research in Castle Pherae. I'm only out here because someone thought I was digging too deep in the Imperial lineage. I don't want to fight a war. I just want to show people what's happening with our country. Then they can decide where our future lies."

Ellie thought for a moment as they slowed and dismounted from their steed. Ellie stroked the horse's neck as it settled in under the shelter of the cliffside.

"That's brave of you, miss. I wouldn't trust others to make a decision like that," Ellie brushed off her slacks and took a seat with her back to the cliff a few feet away from Paige. "Not with my survival on the line. I'm finally doing what I want with my life, and I don't intend to lose that."

[Toogee]

Quote:"That's brave of you, miss. I wouldn't trust others to make a decision like that," Ellie brushed off her slacks and took a seat with her back to the cliff a few feet away from Paige. "Not with my survival on the line. I'm finally doing what I want with my life, and I don't intend to lose that."

"But you or I alone should not decide the fate of Lycia," Paige rebutted. "That would make us no better than the Emperor. If there is to be new leadership, it must be the decision made by all Lycians or that leader cannot stand. But they need information to make that decision. That's where I want to come in."

Paige walked over to Eli and sat down beside him.

"I hope you aspire to do more than fight a war. All wars end, even long wars. It's good to have goals beyond this fight; it'll give you a reason to keep going."

[Zanryu]

"But you or I alone should not decide the fate of Lycia," Paige rebutted. "That would make us no better than the Emperor. If there is to be new leadership, it must be the decision made by all Lycians or that leader cannot stand. But they need information to make that decision. That's where I want to come in."

"I hope you aspire to do more than fight a war. All wars end, even long wars. It's good to have goals beyond this fight; it'll give you a reason to keep going."

Ellie hung her head in thought before she looked over to Paige. She hadn't really given it much more thought than that, in all honesty. She needed a purpose, but what would she do when that was gone again?

"I never thought that part through... what are your plans? If we make it?"

[Toogee]

(06-12-2016, 06:32 PM)Zanryu Wrote: "I never thought that part through... what are your plans? If we make it?"

"When we make it," Paige corrected Eli. "I hope to return to the life I had. Hopefully, I can serve the library in Castle Pherae again. Catch up with some friends there. Just...get back to normal."

"I know you said you didn't have much of a home to go back to, but perhaps you'll find a place in Lycia. A place worth living for."

[Zanryu]

"When we make it, I hope to return to the life I had. Hopefully, I can serve the library in Castle Pherae again. Catch up with some friends there. Just...get back to normal."

"I know you said you didn't have much of a home to go back to, but perhaps you'll find a place in Lycia. A place worth living for."

"That sounds like a good plan; I'd like to see the library, when we get there. I've never seen so many books in one place!" Ellie perked up at the thought of so many stories filling shelves, waiting to be read.

"Also, I'd... like to thank you, Paige. I hadn't given life after this much thought until now; and I'm glad to have a friend. Feels like I don't need to hide - at least not all the time."

[Toogee]

"We're allies now," Paige responded with a smile. "You don't have to hide with me. But we do have to keep hidden from these soldiers. We should probably get moving again."

With that, Paige followed Eli's lead in mounting the horse. Much as she currently disliked horses, it would be a skill she would have to get used to. For now, she was perfectly content with letting Eli take the lead. In the back of her mind, Paige hoped Eli would think about life away from battle and abstain from reckless maneuvers (such as those performed by a certain Hyperion).

Support Level increased! Paige-Eli C Support attained!