you can't fence that in.

Grace Galaxy · 02-22-2012, 08:47 PM

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Word Count: 760

For Hadley. Dated 23 February; Ethereal Eclipse.

★ ★ ★

Freedom, as a concept, is somewhat flimsy. What makes someone free? Is the no rules, no restrictions, no commitments? Is it the right to choose which rules and restrictions to follow, which commitments you will make and keep? Or is it the right to decide that you will let someone else make those judgement calls for you, come hell or high water, because you don't want to make them yourself, or perhaps you simply have grown not to care any longer? Who ought to decide what freedoms one can have or take? If you choose to live, choose to make a livelihood, to be successful by the standards others set for you, is that as much freedom as is choosing to die, or choosing to lie, cheat, steal, maim, or kill? Should anyone truly have freedom, with acknowledgement of the fact that true freedom includes being free to take away the freedom of others at one's leisure? It seems that freedom cannot be had or kept, not the whole of it. But perhaps freedom of self could be found, if one consented to control only what was given them to control, whether self, offspring...

Perhaps, even servant?

Grace was free, as free as anyone could be. She lived in AniWaya, but it was her own will to follow their rules and codes. It was her own will not to lie, not to cheat, not to steal. It was certainly her own will not to maim or kill others - hell, she didn't even care much for hunting, except for food. And even that, she did out of necessity, rather than pleasure. She didn't feel wrong to kill in order to eat; someday, she would die, and feed the earth, and the animals she preyed on (not the exact same, but their kind) would eat her, as well. Fair was fair, in the circle of life. Where had she heard that before? Nonetheless, the point remained: the girl was not a violent one, not in the very least. She was gentle and kind, open-minded and sweet-tempered. She meant no harm to anyone, and she did her best to care for those who needed it. That mainly encompassed creatures - Taj, the black crow perched on her head as she sat with her thoughts, was one such animal who had needed help and found it with her - but had included others of her own species and similar, as well. She simply wanted peace and happiness. Was that too much to ask?

She thought vaguely of the slave kept by the girl who had sold her Faris and the mares. Leaning back against an old oak tree that boasted itself as a very comfortable chair, she cringed slightly at the memory. He had clearly not wanted to be in that situation. But she could not pass judgement, not truly - had he done something to deserve such treatment? The girl was a wretch, no doubt, wicked to the last - but perhaps, not without reason? Many could not help what they became, and nor should they be expected to. Not everyone had the positive outlook that she did, and many were not afforded the courtesies of her comfortable upbringing, or fairly peaceful life. The worst that she had encountered had been her brother's jealousy and rivalry, but he had not been malevolent or cruel. It wasn't his fault that their father expected such different things from him than he did from her, nor that their mother had encouraged him to be malignant due to her own insecurities. Grace had dismantled her mother's ideals, simply by not wanting to do "female work" and nothing more. There was so much to gain from life. Why should she chain herself down? Why should she limit herself to what she had already seen done, when there was so much more to experience, if only she could reach out and grab it?

And so, she had come full circle. Freedom. It meant that she had been able to leave home, with Briar as her traveling partner. It meant that she struck out on her own, made a life for herself. And now, even without Briar, even with little more than one more wooden bead to show for all that they had built together, she had a million memories, and all the love in the world. And without freedom, she would have none of that. Yes, being free was certainly the best thing that anyone could hope for... terrifying, perhaps, but still, the only way to truly live.

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Hadley · 02-22-2012, 09:01 PM

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OOC here. /+000

Wood for building things was the main thing that the pack needed. It appeared tools were needed as well, since they didn't have many. Somehow or other Hadley had ended up working to get tools for the pack to use. He wasn't too sure if it had been mentioned to him or his own idea, but he was outside the safety of the borders, and terrified out of his wits. At any moment someone could decide he wasn't where he belonged and punish him for wandering. Amy could find and reclaim him, or another monster just like her, except they might decide he wasn't good enough and just outright kill him like Amy almost had.

Clearly lost he wandered through the wooded area he found himself in. He could easily tell which sounds were prey and which were canines, the time spent traveling with Amy gifting him with at least that much, though his sense of smell had become incredibly dull from not being used properly. He was startled when the scent of another canine finally registered with him. Backing up he tripped over a log. Hitting the ground Hadley stared wide eyed at the female before him. He should have been moving, but like a deer trapped in headlights he was frozen where he was.

Grace Galaxy · 02-22-2012, 09:54 PM

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Word Count: 324

You made a pronoun error in your second paragraph, I think.

★ ★ ★

Grace was startled out of her daze by Taj cawing urgently and ruffling his feathers on her head, followed closely by the sound of a body crashing to the ground. It took her a moment to focus her thoughts and attention on either of these occurences; when she was thinking, she could be hard to bring back to earth. She initially thought that Taj was more important to pay attention to than anything else, but upon connecting the two startling occurrences and realizing that he meant to bring her attention to the great chaos and noise that wasn't himself, she looked toward the source of the crash. Before her was a terrified-looking male, nearly cowering away from her. The reason for this, she couldn't begin to imagine. Grace was barely 5-foot-8 and weighed about 155 pounds, soaking wet. She was slight, a petite girl with a gentle, relaxed demeanor, and a pretty face. Polished turquoise shone from her throat and wrist, with eyes to match, and her clothing was fairly nice, faded jeans and a mint-green blouse. What was so terrifying in any of that?

After a long moment, she decided that he must just be startled, and reached a hand toward him. "Hey there. What's wrong, sugar? Did I startle you?" Her voice was kind, quiet and gentle, like she used on injured creatures - the same voice that she had used with Taj. He seemed to recognize it, because he calmed down. He cawed, then managed a single word: "Hurt?" Grace looked up, temporarily distracted by the surprise. Taj had communicated with her fairly clearly for some time now, but never had he spoken to her with true words, not ones that she could understand. Remembering the scared boy, she regained her composure and answered the expectant crow. "I don't know if he's hurt, Taj. He's scared, I think." She looked at the shell-shocked boy again, tilting her head. "Are you lost, honey?"

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Hadley · 02-22-2012, 10:30 PM

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OOC can't find it. what's a pronoun?

The female's gaze registered on Hadley. His breath hitched slightly before he remembered that breathing was necessary if he wanted to stay alive. She was finely dressed, most likely well off like Amy was. That didn't cause him fear as it might have, having met those with wealth that weren't violent before. His main source of fear remained however. She was someone who had spotted him, and had the power to do whatever she liked to him, whether that was beating him for wandering too far from the pack or capturing him and returning him to Amy's grasp.

A hand reached towards him, and Hadley flinched, expecting to be struck. Nothing happened though, the female just stood above him, looking concerned. Her voice was rather soft, asking if anything was wrong. Numbly he shook his head, still unable to move. His eyes drifted to the bird, eyes widening as it spoke. It seemed like a fairly good distraction so he could slip away and not draw too much attention to himself, but she returned her focus to him soon enough. Being asked if he was lost Hadley shook his head, hesitated, then nodded. He was lost, just not wanting to admit it. He was afraid he wouldn't find his way back and end up punished.

Grace Galaxy · 02-23-2012, 09:49 PM

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Word Count: 367

A pronoun is a part of speech that replaces a noun. Google it. The pronoun is question is in this sentence: "Hitting the ground Hadley stared wide eyed at the female before her."

Slight power-play; let me know if you want it changed.

★ ★ ★

Violence had never occurred to Grace as an option. She had been spoilt by her daddy, and while her mother had looked at her through disappoving eyes, the blonde girl was nearly immune to it. Her father's fond encouragement and good-natured indulgence of her whims had combined with her cheery attitude to leave her believing the best of the world and the people within it. Things like slavery or cruelty did not fit into her values system particularly well, and she certainly would never dream of partaking in such behaviour. Why should she want to? It seemed like there was enough negative karma in the plenum, and she'd not even seen the half of it. She was left relatively unaware of her naivety, though, given the nature of her upbringing

Grace smiled faintly as the boy tried to make up his mind. She took his hand gently, pulling him upright. She couldn't quite tell how old he was, but he was much bigger than she was. Yet somehow, he felt very small and fragile, and she couldn't place why. "What's your name, brother?" she asked gently, trying not to startle him, given that he seemed to be in a state of shock already. "Are you hurt? I'm really better at medicine for horses than for my own kind, but I know a bit." She figured that he must be injured, else he would not have been reacting so strangely to her, but there was no visible sign of injury on him. He just seemed mentally wounded. What would cause that?

Grace wondered where this boy had come from. He must be from somewhere nearby; surely, one couldn't go far with as limited self-sufficiency as this. "Where are you from, sweetheart?" she asked, still keeping her voice quiet and gentle. "Do you live nearby? Will someone be looking for you?" Her thoughts were on loving family or friends, not a master who might strike him or punish him for straying. She could only hope that he was not seriously injured, or she might not be able to get him home to care for him, and this was not the best possible environment for an injury, she was sure.

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Hadley · 02-23-2012, 10:10 PM

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OOC woops can't believe i missed that XD take him back to aniwaya with you?

The female gripped Hadley gently, pulling him up. His name was asked, and his eyes darted to the ground. Hadley. He'd never been called a brother before, not since he left his family in what felt like ages ago. It hadn't been used as a term of endearment either, just something used to remind him of his responsibilities. Discreetly he sniffed the air, seeing if they were related. That didn't seem to be the case. He shook his head at her question. There were no new wounds on his body, just the scars that would never fade, and one or two bruises from doing exactly what he just did.

Her questions were all very pointed. His ears flattened as she asked where he came from. Surely if he was returned by a stranger they would think he'd been trying to run away. There was no escaping answering the questions, despite how nervous they made him. Casa di Cavalieri. Nearby I think. Yes. They wouldn't want to lose their slave, would they? After all, Amy had never let him escape, despite all the attempts he made. It hurt too much for him to try and take another attempt.

Grace Galaxy · 02-24-2012, 12:48 AM

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Word Count: 317

All righty. Wink This'll get her in trouble with his master, no doubt. But she might could give him work in the stable, if it was okay with Ulilohi. We'll finish this thread, and start a new one in AniWaya?

★ ★ ★

She smiled as he confirmed that he was uninjured, and gave her his name. She was sure that it was more appropriate to shake hands or some such, but she put her arm around his shoulders reassuringly instead. "Hiya there, Hadley. My name is Grace. I live over in AniWaya." She spoke slowly, not condescendingly, but sweetly, as if he were a scared pup too far from home. After all, that was what he seemed like. She was a relaxed sort anyway, and it wasn't difficult to find it in her to be relaxed and calm toward him, even if she felt oddly discomforted by the entire situation.

If one were to be familiar with the sneaking sense that something is very wrong with a situation, they might have caught on a little faster. As it were, Grace had no such familiarity with these situations, and so it was only now that she began to realize what was going on. She fought the urge to demand answers, successfully at that. Her face was a kind, reassuring smile, with a gentle and relaxed gaze. She kept her voice calm as she asked, "You do not want to go back there, do you, Hadley?"

She looked at him, and for a brief moment, she thought of the blonde girl who had sold her the horses, and the boy she kept. She wondered, vaguely, if this boy was a similarly kept boy. If so, she wouldn't ask - he would tell her, when he was ready. Nonetheless, she found herself saying to him, "Do you want to come home with me for a while?" It couldn't hurt to be able to check him out at home, make sure that he wasn't ill, and give him some food and a safe place to rest, until she figured out what she should do, and he figured out what he wanted to do.

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Hadley · 02-24-2012, 01:37 AM

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OOC here. /+000

An arm swung gently around Hadley's shoulder. It was like the hugs that Selene was always giving him, but this was of a much more gentle nature, trying to relax him. He met the female's eyes briefly before he looked at the ground again. Grace, from Aniwaya. He'd been there before. The slave that used to be with them had been sold to someone there. If he went there maybe he'd see her again. He wondered if she'd been as lucky as he'd been, being punished much less. Her punishments had been a different style than his, depriving her of sleep and food while he was physically damaged.

Grace's question was a confusing one. He looked at her, puzzled. It didn't matter what he wanted. What mattered was what his master wanted, and really, the pack was much safer than being out in the open where Amy could find him again. The thought of the knife wielding dog sent a shudder through his body. He met her eyes as she asked if he wanted to go home with her. The idea was rather confusing. I have to return. There really was no choice in the matter. He couldn't leave his master.

Grace Galaxy · 02-24-2012, 02:54 AM

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Word Count: 361

★ ★ ★

Often, what is expected is much different than what is right. Grace understood now that her insight had been correct, and she sighed quietly. It would have been so much easier if he hadn't resisted. Now, it might look like she was trying to capture or kidnap someone's servant. Although, she still had plausible deniability, not that she would throw him to the wolves, so to speak. "It's okay, Hadley. If anyone needs to know, you can say that I told you that you should come with me, in case you were injured in that fall." It was a good excuse. A great excuse, even. No one would question her about it, if she put on her bright, cheerful face, and made sure that they understood that no harm was being done. That would work.. of course it would. Wouldn't it? If she couldn't charm his master, she'd bet that there was not another who could - not that she was arrogant, not to speak of, just very aware of her gifts.

She still wasn't too sure of what she would do with him. He could stay with her, for now, but if he wanted to be free, then he would eventually have to learn to do for himself. She could ask him to work in the stables, perhaps, in exchange for her help building himself a little home. That would teach him some self-sufficiency. He would need to gain some confidence first, of course. Maybe she could convince him to smoke with her. A little bit of relaxation would do him a world of good. Taj seemed to be observing the boy and, using his fancy new power of speech - Grace still wasn't sure how that was happenening - he asked her, "Layla?" Grace grinned, turquoise eyes turning up toward her friend. "An excellent plan, Taj. Why don't you go get her, and we'll wait here for a ride." Taj's knowledge of how to operate the modified latch on Layla's stall was now coming in handy. They would have a ride home, and they could go from there.

Turning her gaze back to Hadley, she asked, "Can you ride?"

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Hadley · 02-24-2012, 11:11 AM

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OOC here. /+000

She was pretty insistent about Hadley going with her. He wondered if he really could. His whole life revolved around his pack and staying out of trouble, making sure that he was being good. Grace was offering the chance for him to leave the pack, to perhaps be free for a little while. The real question was if he'd have the courage to take it. Hadley thought of Selene, injured in his arms. Maybe if he was free he could protect her, make sure that she didn't get hurt. It would be frightening when they came to collect him, but just for a moment, Hadley could see what that would be like.

He nodded his head a little, the only sign that he'd agreed to come. His body remained submissive, nervousness running through him. He hadn't dared to do anything defiant in a long time, and now he was doing exactly that. Memories of the punishments he'd suffered for doing such a thing ran through his mind, causing him to shiver a little. It would be alright though. He was sure of it. Asked if he knew how to ride Hadley shrugged. He'd ridden a horse with Selene, but not by himself. He was getting the hang of the steering, and he could mount the horse. It was still strange to him though.

Grace Galaxy · 02-24-2012, 04:34 PM

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Word Count: 308

Powerplaying them to AniWaya, then this thread can be closed.

Part II in AniWaya will be added shortly.

★ ★ ★

The long minutes waiting for Taj and Layla to arrive were a test of Grace's will. She watched Hadley, hoping that he would not change his mind and go back to his master. Her mind wandered. What must he be going through right now? How conflicting was it for him? She thought about leaving home, though it was hardly the same thing at all, really. She had left on good terms, with her parents' blessing, and the blessing of Briar's parents, as well. They had equipped the girls for their journey, traded trinkets and tokens of bond and family, nuzzled them goodbye. There was no one coming for Grace, to punish her, to harm her, or to recapture her. She was free, and she always had been. But right now, Hadley was not. He was only now shrugging the shackles off; time would tell if he would be strong enough to break free of all of the ropes that still bound him.

Taj came streaking toward her, about as fast as he could, and landed on her head. "Hey, Taj! Talons to yourself, please!" He regained his composure and settled, and soon after his arrival, Layla came galloping. She was unsaddled, which Grace had known that she would be, and looked a little sleepy, as if Taj had woken her up for this. Her horse-mistress stroked her nose gently and gave her a sugar clump. "Thanks, Lay. I owe you one, promise." It occurred to her that they would not both be able to ride Layla, when she noticed a second form: Faris. Grace smiled. Now, here was a horse that could carry Hadley, and she could lead him on Layla. She directed Hadley on how to mount the stallion bare-back and where to hold on, then mounted her mare and took off toward AniWaya, Faris not far behind.

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Hadley · 02-24-2012, 04:55 PM

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OOC here. /+000

The wait was agonizing. It went against everything he had been conditioned to do. To not fight commands, to always remain close enough that he could be called back easily. True, that had basically gone out the door when he'd managed to get lost, but Hadley really should have been working on finding a way back before they noticed, not planning to escape and declare himself free. Often he glanced through the trees, thinking about trying to trace his way back. If only his sense of smell was better, then he wouldn't have gotten so lost.

The bird returned to the clearing, sending Hadley crouching slightly at the sight. Everything was a terror for him, though he took a deep breath as a pair of horses joined them in the clearing. He stared at them dubiously. Hadley had never ridden alone before. He supposed it was just another step towards making himself free, so that he could take care of Selene without constant worry. He mounted the stallion, gripping tightly, and Grace kicked her horse into a gallop. Squeezing his eyes shut he held on for dear life, concentrating on the reason why he was doing this.

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