simplestgift | One Bell: [Written/Accidental Video] No Gallows Can Touch Me

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One Bell: [Written/Accidental Video] No Gallows Can Touch Me

[Written in a shaky hand]

I don't know if anyone is really out there. I seem to be caught up in a tree. In my defence, the tree looks worse than I do. I think I am winning. However, it is very cold and windy up here, and I can't seem to make it down on my own. I've heard about safe falling, but the only guideline we have about falling in the navy is "don't do it." If anyone can see this, then, I need your help. In the meantime, I'll keep writing, if you don't mind. It's just about the only way to keep moving up here.

I am Lieutenant Kennedy aboard His Majesty's Ship the Renown. If you'll believe it, that used to mean something. You may call me Kennedy (with or without the "mister"), or, since I suppose it makes no difference here, just Archie. I've answered to both. While I am sure you are dying to hear the endlessly dull story of my life and death, my literary skills are limited by my half-frozen fingers and my ability to manipulate this infernal book. Maybe later.

I can only hope this place has a decent glass of whiskey somewhere. I have a headache. Probably a permanent one. Not to mention I'm aching in body parts I actually did not have before. I suppose I should be glad to be alive again. Maybe that will come later.

Damned wings. I've no idea what to do with mys

[Accidental video: a flying shot of, well, mostly a grey-and-white blur as the book falls from the tree. A man's fingertips, nearly blue with cold, pass just in front. There's a dismayed shout and the sound of tearing cloth as the journal thumps to the ground, lying open. Barely visible in one corner is a very cold new feather, barely hanging on to a tree branch far above the ground. His pants seem to be caught and tearing. For a moment, he freezes with his arms around the branch, breathing heavily. Seconds later, he chuckles as if he just got a joke. He can barely be heard when he speaks.]

Looks like I d-didn't escape a hanging after all, H-Horatio.

[After a few more wheezing, half-hysterical chuckles, he goes very quiet.

The rest of the shot is of a location just outside the west side of town, north of the river.]

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[most of this entry... does not look or sound good. Estelle is concerned.]

Sir, are you all right? Have you found someone to help you down?

[Archie hears the lady's voice coming from the book and nearly loses his grip.]

I...wh...no, I'm afraid not, ma'am. Do you know someone who can help?

We have a ladder at our house - I could bring it. Can you see any buildings from where you are?

Thank you very, very kindly, ma'am. [Boy, does he sound relieved.] There is...a river to the south. I don't see any buildings. Wait. To the east. I can barely see them. I'm sorry, I'm not being very useful.

That's all right. I have a general idea now.

[the forest animals should be able to direct her once she got closer. A man in a tree tends to stick out. There's rustling as she stands up, to find her cloak and the ladder.] I'll be there as soon as I can. Are you hurt at all?

Not...[He checks. Again. No bloody hole in his stomach, no.] Not hurt, no. Very, very cold. You're not coming alone, are you?

[It's a woman, after all. He doesn't want to be beaten into a bloody mess by an angry father. Not that that's ever happened before.]

I think I can carry this myself... Unless you think you'll need more help getting down? [Estelle has no thoughts of possible impropriety. He's a man in need of help after all. Though she could ask Yuri to assist, or Flynn if she can find him, but she's not sure they're in the house right now.]

Edited 2011-01-06 04:10 (UTC)

No no, that's not it at all. As long as I won't be in trouble with any of your relatives of a male persuasion. Wh-where I come from, women don't normally go chasing after strange men.

[He winces, realizing he probably just scared her away.] I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I really am grateful, and I wouldn't do anything, but I don't want to get you in trouble. Really. [STOP TALKING!]

[what... oh. If he wasn't freezing and stuck in a tree right now she might have laughed at that.] Don't worry... My 'relatives' wouldn't mind. [...except maybe Flynn, who would complain about Lady Estellise rescuing people by herself in the cold and the wind.] But if it would make you feel better, I'll ask Yuri to come and help as well.

Edited 2011-01-06 06:09 (UTC)

[Well, he knows for sure he's not in English territory anymore. Not with a name like Yuri.]

Wh-whatever you think is best, ma'am. [Really, he's not going to be that picky if she's not worried about it, since it really is cold up here and he's not so chivalrous that he'll freeze to death waiting for a man to join the party if the woman could get to him faster on her own. It's not like she's actually going to be in danger.]

I'll see if he's home, and then leave right away. [as much as she said she could carry the ladder, it would be faster with help.] It shouldn't be long.

Thank you. Please hurry.

[Eventually, (with the help of the local wildlife when it came to directions) Kennedy may see two people heading in his direction -- the girl he was just speaking with, and a long haired male right behind her, carrying a ladder. Unlike the girl, he doesn't look pleased, but ... well, he never does in these situations -- not that poor Kennedy would know that, but hey.]

[Don't mind Yuri's face, it's stuck like that. When Estelle gets close enough she calls up at the poor man.]

Mr. Kennedy?

[Oh no. The girl brought an angry brother. Archie peers over his shoulder, his poor arms just about frozen around the tree.]

Yes? I certainly hope I'm the only man stuck in a tree at the moment.

[And he winces just a bit. Not the greatest time to be cheeky, Archie.]

[How right you are, Archie. But yes, Yuri's just going to set the ladder against the tree, near where the poor guy's stuck.

And once it's set in place and isn't likely to jumble around--]

There. You can come down now. [Says the guy with the "I am either mad, suspicious of you, or both" look on his face.]

[Estelle's finally noticed that look now though.] Yuri, be nice, please?

[And the girl is pleading on his behalf. Archie's pretty sure he can take this guy (at first glance, anyway), but he doesn't want screw up his reputation when he's barely arrived. With one hand on the ladder, he wrestles to untangle his pants leg from the branch. Damn waste of cotton. He eventually manages to get it free and scramble quickly down the ladder. It's amazing what you can do when you can't feel your feet.

Once on the ground, he scoops up his journal and huddles into himself, shivering hard against the cold.]

Thank you both. Ah. Would you mind telling me where I could find some...[He looks a little embarrassed, in an unhappy way]...clothes?

[Yuri just looks away for now. He'll let Estelle handle this, until he feels like being less suspicious. ... Whenever that'll be.]

[sigh. Yuri you could do with being more social. But she reaches into the satchel she's been carrying and pulls out a cloak and a pair of old boots. Walking barefoot through snow is not too much fun.] I brought these to get you back to town. Hopefully they fit well enough for that.

[but before they move somewhere else] Are you hurt anywhere?

[Archie quickly pulls on the boots and throws the cloak on.]

My pride.

Well if that's all, then you've come out fairly well.

[she smiles] We can lead you back to town; you'll be able to find proper clothing there. ....And my name is Estelle, by the way. This is Yuri.

[she looks pointedly over at Yuri. Take the hint and be polite. B|]

[Oh he can take a hint all right.

Turning away and shrugging.]

Yeah, nice to meet you. Now, if we're done here, can we go? I doubt I'm the only one who wants to stand around any longer than necessary.

[Archie isn't the most naturally patient person, necessarily. and he did do several things today that try that patience. 1) Die painfully. 2) Get swept into an alternate world. 3) Sit in a cold tree for a long time. 4) Dangle from a cold tree for a long time. So he heaves a bit of a sigh and speaks quietly through his teeth. It can be mistaken for just being cold, though.]

No, you're not. Thank you, Miss Estelle. I owe you a debt of gratitude.

[He says this last with a slight glance at Yuri, and it may sound just a teeny bit like he's deliberately leaving him out of the thank-you. Which he is. Yes, he knows it's not an appropriate way to treat someone who went out of his way to help, but helping doesn't automatically make Yuri trustworthy, and his attitude is getting on Kennedy's already-frayed nerves.]

[Sensing the tension between the men (it's a lot like how Flynn can get when he's a few steps away from snapping and biting Yuri's head off...) Estelle nods and takes a few steps back in the direction of buildings.] Yes, quicker is better. It could snow more today.

One Bell: [Written/Accidental Video] No Gallows Can Touch Me

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