Eleven (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bearshermark) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
westwhere2021-07-03 05:16 pm
bearshermark) wrote in westwhere2021-07-03 05:16 pm
[OPEN] words engraved in the sand
WHO: Eleven and every OPEN
WHEN: Travel month
WHERE: On the road to Taravast~
WHAT: All the things
WARNINGS: blood rain, and mention of sickness (thanks Xie Lian)
1. Riding Tips?
Eleven doesn't consider himself an expert on many things, but having won a few notable horse races, he feels somewhat obligated to approach anyone looking out of their depth when it comes to their mounts.
"Hey." He does his best to temper the amusement in his eyes and tone. "I might be able to help you, if you'd like."
2. Sick
Whatever enjoyment he'd gleaned from that first day of travel was swiftly lost that evening over dinner, and through the course of the day immediately following. Face pale and his expression tight with discomfort, Eleven fought down bouts of queasiness with the singular focus of not getting sick all over his horse.
Later, as the sun began to set, he brought his horse up to the nearest person he recognized and pitched his voice to a low almost-whisper lacking all usual vigor.
"..Have you heard when we're stopping?"
3. Camp
Once he's more or less recovered from his bout of illness, Eleven sets about camp with a familiar smile and eagerness to help. Setting up tents, supply distribution, relaying messages and with the self-appointed task of helping look after their collection of elk, horses, and donkeys.
Then with his non-toxic dinner in hand, he seeks out a familiar face to settle next to.
"Mind if I join you?"
4. Watch
He'd been forced to opt out of shifts for the nights he spent recovering from his illness, but determined to make up for it, Eleven signed himself up for every night thereafter.
Between the mists and the harpies, accompanied by the occasional voice on the wind, there is plenty to be watchful of.
"The horses are getting nervous," he observes with a frown and a will to go to them. Their ears twitch, hooves pawing at the ground on occasion.
"Do you think we should check...?"
5. Tar Collection
It isn't pleasant work, shoveling tar into barrels. Stepping in it, getting it all over his gloves and boots; black, stuck ink that enjoys staining everything it touches. He takes to wearing his cloak to cover his travel wear while he works, at peace at least with the idea that every ounce of muck they pried out of the waters would help the nearby plants and wildlife.
And well, after turning all his leftover coin to Wei Wuxian for supplies again, Eleven is looking forward to possibly having coin enough to treat himself to a good meal once they finally reach the city.
Sometimes, he thinks he sees something in the murk; an odd latticework of shadow reflecting back at him. After a few occasions of this over the days, he finally dredges up the nerve to ask:
"Is there... something in there, you think?"
6. First blood rain
The rain came unexpected, late into the night. He'd been certain there weren't clouds enough for rain. The wetness was expected, but then after, the smell and odd warmth, the thickness of it-
Eleven lifted a hand and smeared it like ink between his fingers, then called up a brief flame to examine it by.
"This can't really be-"
Heart in his throat, he snuffed the flicker of fire and let a new chill soak through him as he glanced wildly about for a source while it soaked into his hair and slid down his scalp. He couldn't suppress a grimace, or the shudder that accompanied it as the nausea from his previous illness threatened to resurface. His voice, taking a turn for distress as nothing seems to stand out.
"What is happening?"
7. Wildcard!
[ooc: hmu with anything adjacent to these prompts, or anything else that suits this travel time! feel free to pm/plurk if you'd like to work out anything in particular]
WHEN: Travel month
WHERE: On the road to Taravast~
WHAT: All the things
WARNINGS: blood rain, and mention of sickness (thanks Xie Lian)
1. Riding Tips?
Eleven doesn't consider himself an expert on many things, but having won a few notable horse races, he feels somewhat obligated to approach anyone looking out of their depth when it comes to their mounts.
"Hey." He does his best to temper the amusement in his eyes and tone. "I might be able to help you, if you'd like."
2. Sick
Whatever enjoyment he'd gleaned from that first day of travel was swiftly lost that evening over dinner, and through the course of the day immediately following. Face pale and his expression tight with discomfort, Eleven fought down bouts of queasiness with the singular focus of not getting sick all over his horse.
Later, as the sun began to set, he brought his horse up to the nearest person he recognized and pitched his voice to a low almost-whisper lacking all usual vigor.
"..Have you heard when we're stopping?"
3. Camp
Once he's more or less recovered from his bout of illness, Eleven sets about camp with a familiar smile and eagerness to help. Setting up tents, supply distribution, relaying messages and with the self-appointed task of helping look after their collection of elk, horses, and donkeys.
Then with his non-toxic dinner in hand, he seeks out a familiar face to settle next to.
"Mind if I join you?"
4. Watch
He'd been forced to opt out of shifts for the nights he spent recovering from his illness, but determined to make up for it, Eleven signed himself up for every night thereafter.
Between the mists and the harpies, accompanied by the occasional voice on the wind, there is plenty to be watchful of.
"The horses are getting nervous," he observes with a frown and a will to go to them. Their ears twitch, hooves pawing at the ground on occasion.
"Do you think we should check...?"
5. Tar Collection
It isn't pleasant work, shoveling tar into barrels. Stepping in it, getting it all over his gloves and boots; black, stuck ink that enjoys staining everything it touches. He takes to wearing his cloak to cover his travel wear while he works, at peace at least with the idea that every ounce of muck they pried out of the waters would help the nearby plants and wildlife.
And well, after turning all his leftover coin to Wei Wuxian for supplies again, Eleven is looking forward to possibly having coin enough to treat himself to a good meal once they finally reach the city.
Sometimes, he thinks he sees something in the murk; an odd latticework of shadow reflecting back at him. After a few occasions of this over the days, he finally dredges up the nerve to ask:
"Is there... something in there, you think?"
6. First blood rain
The rain came unexpected, late into the night. He'd been certain there weren't clouds enough for rain. The wetness was expected, but then after, the smell and odd warmth, the thickness of it-
Eleven lifted a hand and smeared it like ink between his fingers, then called up a brief flame to examine it by.
"This can't really be-"
Heart in his throat, he snuffed the flicker of fire and let a new chill soak through him as he glanced wildly about for a source while it soaked into his hair and slid down his scalp. He couldn't suppress a grimace, or the shudder that accompanied it as the nausea from his previous illness threatened to resurface. His voice, taking a turn for distress as nothing seems to stand out.
"What is happening?"
7. Wildcard!
[ooc: hmu with anything adjacent to these prompts, or anything else that suits this travel time! feel free to pm/plurk if you'd like to work out anything in particular]
no subject
He offered quiet shushing as he drew near in an effort to soothe while his eyes sought out anything off about their vicinity. He spread his senses, though knowing it wouldn't do him a great deal more than tell him that the horses, elk, and donkeys were a lot of living creatures. Death and darkness didn't seem to be nearby- not from unfamiliar sources, anyway.
"..Do you see anything?"
no subject
Silently he shook his head and kept searching. If anything he would rather know if there were any foes out there and of course how many. But those sorts of things would be found out soon enough if they were attacked. So far nothing seemed intent on infiltrating the camp.
Sighing, the tall knight moved his head from side to side, but it was amounting to nothing more than some rustling in the woods that seemed would come to naught. Still, he had to keep up his guard.
"It almost seems to be too quiet."
no subject
"It could just be the presence of that terrible army. I know I don't appreciate being around them much myself. But.. it doesn't hurt to be sure."
no subject
His eyes went right over the horses as if they weren't even there and looked over at the army. Their habits and quirks were strange which was to completely be expected. But there were other very odd things that he couldn't quite put his finger on as of yet.
no subject
"Again?? Goddess tell me this isn't to become a nightly occurrence. You should find some cover. I'll take care of the animals."
no subject
"So I will accompany you."
Again his blue eyes cast an uneasy glance at the army and he moved away slowly. As long as they weren't coming over to them, he was fine. And now he wished he had a hood, so maybe he could purchase one at some point.
Still, he wasn't leaving his charge as his teeth gritted together to try and ignore the rain.
no subject
At the end of it all, Eleven's hands were covered in blood, but Hendrik looked like a grim nightmare of a man. He surveyed the knight with a long grimace.
"Come on. Let's find cover and at least get it out of your hair before it starts to dry. The rest should wash out by morning if it's anything like before."
no subject
And he didn't really notice or think to be even the slightest bit self conscious about his appearance or his hair until the other pointed it out. And almost automatically a gloved hand went to the top of his purple hair now mostly covered in red of course.
"I somehow look that terrible in your eyes?" Somehow this was important.
no subject
Turning back toward the camp, they seemed to be among the last to seek such cover, with the most convenient spots already well-crowded. He breathed a quiet sigh and led them away until he spotted a promising-looking outcropping.
He rushed for it, then gratefully peeled off his saturated hood and gloves with a shudder.
"Goddess, I don't know how much more of this I can stand."
no subject
Still he clanked along behind the boy and followed to the outcrop. And at hearing the other speak, the knight shook his head.
"It is a most unnatural occurrence."
And with that he pulled off his blood caked gloves, trying to hide his disgusted face for the other's sake.
no subject
"At least you're wearing armor," he sighed, a touch envious. "So all your clothes are safe. ..Maybe I should start wearing mine more often."
no subject
no subject
He cast the skies a baleful glare, though it wasn't truly the fault of the heavens, and finally threw off his coat.
"It's unpleasant on your skin and hair once it dries, though, and it looks like we're going to be here until dawn." He glanced over at his companion. "May as well get as comfortable as we can be."
no subject
That was said as his blue eyes glared down at his stained armor.
no subject
"Not that isn't riddled with blood right now. But.. the blood disappears with the morning. You may well just take it off until then and rinse the blood from your hair and face with what we have. I can help, if you want."
no subject
no subject
"I'm not much of anything, right now," he said finally, words quiet. "I've just been trying to help people, where I can."
no subject
This was his own guilt speaking of course and it wasn't meant to rebuff the boy or his offers. He just really wished deep down that he could be more of a help than he had already been.