#i burned brighter than the flames around me || hildegard ic

[bulwark-of-hope]

@accusedofsin

It was just another dreary day in the hamlet, Hildegard was preparing a few more torches, they nearly ran out during the last campaign because someone couldn't plan ahead and took not enough torches to light the way, so they relied on Hildegard to do thst for them. She grunted annoyed what did those people think she was? a walking torch dispenser?

She just dipped another torch head into a mug full of fat, when she noticed a familiar gait between the people slinking around the plaza. It couldn't be, could it? She did a double take. The face might have been partly hidden, but the size was right, the hair, the nose, there was no doubt. "Papa Rat?" she called out to him and let the torch and mug where they were before she started running towards him.

"Holy shit, nail me to a cross and call me Jesus, if that ain't Dismas!" she could barely believe it! Just a foot before him she stopped and looked him up and down. It was him! "Fuck, I thought you were a goner! Last time I saw you you were ..." she couldn't bring herself to say it. The firemouth looked like she just met a ghost and for her it felt like she did. Disbelief writte all over her face.

How many years were gone since she last saw him? She didn't know, didn't care. He looked worse than she remembered him. But still as fisty as the first time they met, no doubt.

[bulwark-of-hope]

[My girl manning the pounder, fuck yea!]

[accusedofsin]

Any more stories about wearing dresses?

"Ya really love yer dresses, eh, pal?" Dismas chuckled, swiveling booze in his glass, and hummed, digging through the crypts of his mind. He then huffed a peal of laughter. "Aye, there was one! We needed t' infiltrate one o' them nobleman's villas. n' we had one fiery lass on our team, who e'eryone assumed would go in as a lady with me as her bodyguard, n' we'd get floor plans n' guard rotations."

The highwayman chuckled, remembering Firebird's face when he dragged the bag of all the lady shit and dumped it all over her tent's floor. The sourness, the resentment, the rage.

The hurt.

However, just as vividly he remembered how quickly those were washed away when she had heard his plan - and his questions.

The rogue took a swing and shrugged.

"I mean they weren't wrong, technically. Lady Dimass and her guard Hilde indeed infiltrated the villa n' did what needed t' be done." The scoundrel grinned, remembering Firebird's surprise when she saw him rocking the heels like it was nothing. "Wigs don't care if ye have a dick n' those fans are incredibly convenient t' hide stubble, just sayin'."

[@bulwark-of-hope]

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Hildegard: I dare you-

Reynauld: Lucy is not allowed to accept dares anymore.

Hildegard: Why not?

Lucy: "I have no regard for my own or others' personal safety," as some Crusaders would say.

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Lucy: Can you be quiet? I'm trying to think.

Hildegard: Don't worry. Doing anything for the first time is difficult.

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Lucy: How stupid do you think I am?!

Hildegard: You really want an honest answer to that?

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@darkestscalpel​ said:  Quesnel steals Hildegard's battered flower crown while she's distracted

The firemouth just caught glimpse of the plague doctor after she scurried away “Eh... you’re welcome?” she muttered and wondered what that was about. Maybe there were some rare flowers in there that she could use for tinctures? Ah, damn, Hildegard could have thought about that before, she could have asked Quesnel if she needed those. But her hatred for everything feminine got the better of her.

[bulwark-of-hope]

@darkestscalpel​ said:  Orla looked offended. "I ain't got that 'ind of flexibility. I'm the one holding the sword. If you know what I mean." *mun hides*

The crusader looked very confused. He opened his mouth to say something several times but decided against it every single time, making him look like a fish on land in the process.

Until he finally said “No, I don’t know what you mean and I refuse to ask, have a nice day!” 

He could figure out what she meant, but he did not WANT to know. 

The firemouth instead laughed and clapped her back “That’s a girl after my own taste! Stick it to the men!” quite literally. 

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Do you believe in vampires? @ all

“I’m .. not sure. It sounds unlikely, but with the things I have seen in this Hamlet, it sounds more and more likely.” the knight didn’t sound very thrilled about this. But he fought skeletons and liches before, so, Vampires really didn’t sound that far off.

Tardif really wanted to say no, but with the things happening around them? Who their right mind would doubt the existence of blood suckers? “Yeah.”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous! Vampires only exist in books and campfire stories! There is no way a gorgeous noble, who only lived on the blood of virgins could live a secluded life for long! He would be swarmed with women and men of questionable morale!” so what he was saying is, that he would absolutely date a vampire if they were real.

“I don’t know, I don’t care. But they make for good stories.” Hildegard said and smirked, thinking about a book she liked to read when she still had time for reading. 

[bulwark-of-hope]

Do you dance, if not would you like to learn? @ all

Reynauld squirmed “I ... DO know how to dance...” that didn’t mean he did it well or that he liked doing it. He had a few dancing lessons from his mother before his marriage and his wedding had been the only time he ever danced. 

“No.” the bounty hunter grunted and deemed it a sufficient answer, no need to elaborate. It was not a skill that was helpful in his line of work and he never liked being in the middle of a crowd. 

“Of course!” Lucy chirped “I love dancing! I used to dance a lot during the festivities my parents held back in the day! It was glorious! Big feasts with lots of wine, women and songs!” the highwayman reminiscent of easier days.

Hildegard didn’t look nearly as enthusiastic when she said “Yes, I know how to dance, it was required of me. So i could entertain the men of the house.” she growled. That was nothing she liked to remember. 

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Have you ever worked with the hound master? @ all

“Yes, just recently! We were looking for a lost abomination and he helped us find him... poor bugger lost an arm during that expedition.” Reynauld sighed, feeling guilty that he couldn’t prevent it.

“Once or twice. Good fella.” Tardif was tight-lipped as always.

Lucy shook his head “He seems like a capable man though, I will look forward to the day our paths will cross!” the highwayman proclaimed boldly.

The firemouth shook her head too “Nah, retired lawmen and brigands don’t mix well together. I’m more of a cat person anyway.” she shrugged indifferently.