Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards

[Lady Ditto Armunn]

---

~

Juju had been gone more days than usual this month. Three to four days was the norm, but this time had been an entire week. She knew the staff would be beginning to worry, or planing a party. Her old,wrinkled arm outstretched to pull a small wooden cart behind her full of market wares. Her other arm craddled carefully a worn sack that sounded of bottles scraping together when she turned.
The path up to the backdoor of the large Armunn lodge was dusty and dry this afternoon and she spat out the dirt that kicked up into her face. She often spat, this old, bent woman. Her hair, now unusually uncovered due to a gust of wind, hung in tight red dreadlocks down past her waist. Not seeming to be in the best of moods, she shoved hard at the heavy backdoor until it gave way so she could step inside.

No one had come to greet her, no servant, and no guard. The lack of guard near the house was normal only if her dark lord was present. She had hoped he'd be off to the village or training or whatever it was that men like him did away from home. Her homecoming now would be a greeting from him for her to fetch him some food. It didn't matter what time of day it was whenever she got back from her monthly trips, he would be hungry and expecting to eat almost as soon as she could close the door behind her. The servant she put in charge in her absence could cook well enough, but she couldn't compare to Juju's skill in the kitchen. Maybe this ritual between lord and servant was his way of saying he missed her. Or at least her food. Cackling at the thought, she put down the sack of bottles carefully. Looking behind her at the main kitchen door, she began taking out the old green colored bottles. She was highly cautious handling them and placed them in a kettle on top of the large stove, one by one, each time, taking a peek back to make sure she was unobserved.

The sack was only half empty when she caught a whiff of human scent, a young human. Stopping what she was doing, Juju let her eyes follow her nose and bent down to look under the cutting table nearby. Bright, icy blue eyes looked back up at her, snickering behind tiny hands. Her platinum blonde hair bouncing to the snickering. The old woman reached out to pull Bree gently, but firmly out from under the table.

"Chiiild. Whats wrong wid you? C'm on," Juju held onto her arm, keeping the same grip and pulled her along, while she walked out the kitchen door and into the large great room that made up both the sitting and dinning area." Git on outta here. You goin to dat dere papa of yours riiiight now. I be needin to talk at him anyhow so he know I'm back."
Bree followed Juju, her little feet shuffling quickly to keep up with the fast moving old woman, laughing the entire way. Through the greatroom, and up the stairs. When they stood in front of Lord Armunn's private study, Bree laughed even harder and Juju looked at her curiously. "What you be goin on about child?"
Bree spoke through her giggles, "Pappa isn't in there, Juju. He's outside."
Juju sighed. The little one liked her practical jokes, but she had never lied as far as Juju knew. Her wrinkled hand let go of Bree and she spoke her surrender, "Go on den. Go play in your room til dinner. I still need ta be finding your papa to let him know I'm back." She turned to leave but then shouted over her shoulder, "And if I catch you in MY kitchen again, I'll be tanning that hide of yours!"
Hearing Bree giggle again, Juju shook her head and continued on her way to find her lord.

As soon as the front door closed downstairs, Bree peeked her head out and scanned the area. Seeing no one, she crept outside her room and made her way to the kitchen, ducking for cover if she thought anyone was coming. Inside the safety of the room, she closed the big door behind her. She would play a trick on her. She'd put the market items away. Juju would think goblins did it. Quietly walking over to the stove with the big kettle, she bent down and pulled out a wooden step from under the washing table. Sliding it against the stove, she climbed ontop it and reached into the kettle. Her hand felt the glass jar and she pulled out to look at. There looked to be a deep red substance inside it, and Bree, who loved strawberries, thought it might be strawberry jam. She unhooked the dagger her father had given her just a few days before from her belt and brought it to the lid of the jar. She tried to pry open the lid but it wouldn't budge. Deciding this was serious business, Bree hopped off the little footstep and climbed up on the cutting table so she could be more comfortable for her task. Sitting on the table, she went to work trying to pry the lid open with the dagger once more. Sometimes banging the lid to get it to loosen. Shifting her weight, it still wouldn't budge so she tried harder. Not paying full attention to what she was doing, the dagger slipped and nicked a finger. Surprised, the little Armunn dropped both the dagger and jar. The dagger falling to the table top, but the jar went straight toward the stone floor.
There was a loud boom sound with a bright red flash. The table shook so violently with the explosion it knocked the little girl off and onto the floor on the opposite side from where the jar had crashed. On her knees and still reeling from what had just happened, she looked up and around her. That part of the room was fast becoming enveloped in a strange red glowing fire. She'd never seen a fire so big! Only on torches and in the fireplace. She was frightened and the room was getting so hot. Filling with a strange reddish thick smoke. She got up quickly and turned to run but a sudden thought came to her. Her dagger! Looking at the table, now mostly engulfed in flames, she saw the glint of the blade.....

Juju stood in the entrance way, finishing her conversation with another servant. "If she comes home an' asks, tell her it done ran off wid a rooster." The servant man nodded and left. Juju carried herself quickly to the kitchen. She needed to get things put away and prepare the next meal. Right as she reached out a boney, wrinkled hand to touch the door. A deafening explosion came from the kitchen, coming with it a flash of light beaming from the edges of the door. Juju pushed quickly at the door and rushed inside just in time to see Bree balancing herself with her tummy against the edge of a table and reaching with two outstretched hands into the tall flame of the fire already swallowing most of the table. She heard and saw the little girl scream and pull back suddenly, falling from the table and to land on the hard stone floor on her back.

The fire was spreading quickly, it's toxic fumes embedded in the thick smoke, giving off a sickening sour smell of citrus and burning pus. The smell of swamp gas on fire. Juju rushed forward, ignoring the flames licking at her and the child. She reached down and picked Bree up, not noticing the dagger still tightly grasped in the little hand. Bree was coughing heavily as the smoke and gas started to fill her lungs and Juju, craddling the child, ran for the exit. She kicked open the door with difficulty, but enough so that she could set Bree down on her rump just inside the dinning area. Her charge now safe enough, she turned and quickly hurried back inside the kitchen, slamming the door shut behind her.

Bree was trying to scream but it sounded funny, muffled between violent fits of coughing. Gurgling screams from the fumes still stuck in her lungs, but with each deep breath her screams became clearer and louder. Intense pain flowed over both her hands but her right hand, the one that still held on to the dagger hurt worse of all. She was too terrified to even try to move a finger. The burning was unlike any pain she'd felt in her young life. Suddenly Juju was there to kneel down but, no, it wasn't Juju. It was a young dark skinned woman in Juju's clothes.... and her eyes were glowing like green fireflies. Not comprehending, the littlest Armunn gave into a dark encompassing cloud of unconsciousness.

Juju bent scooped Bree up off the floor and walked straight, and quickly to the stairway, glancing at every doorway. Her foot touched the bottom step and after every step she took, Juju became more bent, more wrinkled, until at last having reached the top step, her again ancient face turned toward the door to Bree's room. Carrying the child now was more of a chore and she walked into room, kicking the door shut behind her.
She laid the child down gently on her bed, she studied Bree's hands, primarily the one with the dagger, accessing what should be done and what would be needed. She rumaged her old hands around in the pockets of her age faded, long, brown skirt and began pulling out various small potion bottles. Grabbing the bottom corner of Bree's bed linens, she tore a few strips of cloth for bandages. Giving one last concentrated look at her hands, Juju began chanting as she began a pre-healing ritual. A plea to the long dead of her kind. No one ever knew what language she mutterd during these rituals. Not even Ditto understood. The witch, as she was sometimes none too lovingly called by the Lord Armunn went around the room, lighting tiny candles she'd pulled from her pockets. Once done, she turned at last to face the sleeping child and started for her bed to begin the torturesome healing process. She could only hope that Bree would stay unconcious for most of it.

But, she hadn't. Very shortly after Juju had started slowly and carefully peeling off the dagger that had burned itself into Bree's skin, the child had awakened, screaming with pain. Juju seemed oblivious except in knowing that now she needed help in holding her steady so that she could work. She had sent for a servant to fetch the master of the house. Though she had used salve to help loosen the dagger, nothing was certain. He'd be able to steady her easily and wouldn't be prone to a fit of emotion that might cost Bree the use of her hand.

It was later that evening, the sun had just gone down, the house eerily quiet, when Imryrr, the eldest daughter of Lord and Lady Armunn walked inside the lodge. The quiet had not gone unnoticed by her, nor did the absence of food on the table...the scurrrying of before or after a meal. Her father's mount was in the stable. Something was wrong here. Seeing no one to ask, she took the steps cautiously but quickly, her stride easily taking two at a time. She'd found them in Bree's room and Imryrr studied the situation, after having given her father a respectful, stoic nod of greeting. There was nothing she could do here, and so she exited the room. It wasn't until later, when her father was done, that she explained to him why she'd returned after just having been here a few weeks before. She'd found one of his chess pieces in her gear, and she also had not wanted to leave things...unpleasant between them. Her response to the incident with Bree was unemotional, even cold, but an edge in her voice betrayed the fact that she found weakness somewhere. But that was her way. This time, however, she didn't voice her opinion. A bit unlike her when father and daughter were in conversation alone. She was free to speak her mind at these times with him, though, in front of others she had to hold her sometimes biting tongue respectfully. Normally she would suggest doing away with Juju, or even, if in a foul mood, would demand it. And Imryrr would quickly be reminded her place. No, this time was different. This time, she was almost agreeable.

Late in the evening, when most everyone was asleep, Imryrr stepped inside her sister's room. Bree was wimpering softly into her pillow, with her little hands bandaged completely. The smell of the potions and incense permeated the air. Imryrr towered over the bed and stated the obvious. "Your not asleep."
Bree spoke in her small, quiet voice, "I hurt".
Imryrr sat down on the foot corner of the bed in a gesture that she was being careful not to move her sister around unnecessarily. "If you sleep, it will not hurt as much."
"It hurts too much to sleep, Imy".
The eldest was visibly annoyed but spoke in an uncaring tone, "Then be weak."
Tears began to drop from her already wet from crying face, but Imryrr remained unmoved by them and just stared at her, waiting.
Eventually Bree managed to stop her tears to ask, "Do you love me?"
Imryrr stood up sharply, and without looking at her sister said simply, "You are an Armunn. I will protect you with my life." She began long strides toward the door, but Bree asked another question just then that would stop her cold.
"Do you hate me because papa loves me more than you?"
Imryrr turned to face her sister, but her white on white eyes hinted at amusement, and her lips almost took the shape of a delighted smile, "Maybe you should heal before choosing a fight with me, little sister. And next time....choose a better weapon." Imryrr left the room, laughing softly.
In the bed, Bree was grinning from ear to ear.

Just days later, Bree was running around the house getting on everyone's nerves, though her hands remained bandaged. Juju was still uncertain if the little girl would ever gain use of her right hand, but she was sure about one thing; that the mark from the dagger, as well as the burn scars on both hands would be with her for a lifetime. It seemed almost an act of fate that the fire had happened. The dagger's hilt had held the Armunn coat-of-arms. And that symbol was now imbedded in Bree's hand. There would never be doubt who's daughter she was, and she seemed to take delight in that one thing, however for the scars, Bree was becoming highly self concious. There really was no need for the bandages. In fact just the day before Juju had suggested the skin needed to breath fresh air. But Bree had been stubborn. Since there was still alot of pain about her hands, and Juju could not keep her under the influence of potions to dull the pain all day, she was allowed her bandages for a couple of more days. Imryrr had told her father in a by-the-way fashion of her short conversation with her sister. She would be leaving the house again in a week, but told him that she may not return unless called for, for a few months at least.

Bree had questioned Juju about the young woman that she'd seen the day of the fire, but Juju just said "Bah, you be dreamin tings." Bree had shrugged as if leaving it alone. But, she knew she hadn't been dreaming. Her mind went to the dagger though. Despite all the pain it had caused her, she wanted that dagger. Before the fire, it had been a cherished gift, but now she felt she deserved it. She had won it some how. And she wanted it back. She hadn't seen it since that night when Juju had peeled it from her hand. She would find it though.
And she would keep it always.

~Fin~
_________________
Dark Lady Ditto Armunn
~ D|O ~

=Left Hand Suzuki Method=
ICQ: 617689603 Twitter: @Ody0
Quote: "Oh Great! First I get stabbed and now I'm bleeding!" - Ditto
Tarothin Armunn Quote: "I know and I have mood swings like a pregnant woman at times. :/ I'm very random."