you win or you die//ELRID

[Alowyn of Wessex]

--*I'm not the one who's so far away*--

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WHEN I FEEL THE SNAKE BITE ENTER MY VEINS[/color][/font]
(*Never did I wanna be here again*)[/font][/center]

Just coming here was stupid.

Ever since crossing the “border” between southern Britain and northern Britain, Alowyn had been on guard. She could feel every hair on the back of her neck stand up, and the tension in the air certainly hadn’t lifted. She knew the likelihood that anyone would recognize her was next to nothing, but it was better to be cautious when she was on enemy territory. The time for taking back what belonged to her would come, but right now wasn’t it, and making a big scene would undo all of the work she had done over the years.

She pressed her heels into her mare’s side, urging the white horse to go faster. The sooner she talked to Elrid and made her way back to Hadrian’s wall, the sooner she would feel at ease. As she rode through the small encampment, earning strange and not quite friendly looks from the people milling about, she raised her chin in a show of false confidence. She would not let them scent her fear and weakness. A weak leader did not command respect or honor in battle, and Alowyn could not go without either.

Sliding from her horse, she handed the reigns to a boy with a toss of a coin and a promise of more to come when he returned the beast. She headed down the rows of tents, taking note of everything- and everyone- around her in the dim light of the moon. She had a good idea of where the tribe’s leader would be located, but it wouldn’t do to alienate them by seeming too haughty to talk to the people themselves.

“I’m looking for Elrid,”she said respectfully to a man who was sharpening a broadsword. He stared at her for a long moment, taking her in, and finally nodded in the direction that she had originally been headed.

“Last one in the row.” He stated gruffly, and she nodded her thanks. She continued her short walk, pausing in front of the guards at the tent where the chieftain resided. “I need to speak to Elrid.”

“Who are you?” Alowyn didn’t allow the distaste to show on her face as she watched the man look her up and down, his eyes lingering on certain places.

“Tell him that Alowyn of Essex would like a moment of his time.”

--*And I don't remember why I came*--

Co-Star--* Elrid
Muse:*-- Monster- Paramore
Words:--* 392
Notes:*-- I suck at starting posts, sorry!
Credits:--* Kaylee <3 aka. abletodream08 at caution 2.0
Lyrics:*-- Voodoo by Godsmack

[Elrid]

Elrid lay in his tent thinking about the one who lite a flame in his heart and her son. Cynric didn't deserve them at all. He was a crud man even by Saxon standards actually. Bethan and Aldarion deserved one who was what the old Saxons were like. The tradition of tribe and family and taking care of each other at times. Yes they could be cruel to one another and not vaule life at times but it didn't always used to be like that. One cared for his tribes men and for those of other tribes you aligned with. There wasn't that blantant of a disregard for life. A low growl came out of his lips as he thought about losing his comrades and tribes men in the Battle at Badon hill and many others that Cynric and Cedric had started. Even Cedric assencion to the throne was through killing his own brother. It disgusted Eldrid who could be a man of tradition and well he was stubbon no doubt about that. Of course he was still a Cheiftan. That was all that he cared about. He wanted to make sure his tribe at least had someone there to take care of eachother.

He knew that his tribe did not take kindly to any one else in their little part of the Saxon encampment. Most of them hated winter in the Britian area and many wished they could be home. He didn't blame them. It wasn't their fight. Okay so as a Saxon any conquest that was going on was there thing but in this case they had been over with the British way before the Battle of Badon hill. That was not to say the his scouts and such did not like to pillage and plunder and burn a few villages to warn others off their trail but in this place it was stupid and sucide to be doing such things. He was positive that his tribe was his and his alone and that the would take orders from no one else. He let them be them unlike Cynric allowed for. He had to play his part through.

Noise was made outside of his tent and he let out a groan. He popped his head out. "Consider him told. Stand aside and let the Lady in." His guard looked at him with a but she could be a spy type of look and he just waved his hand. Not all of his guards knew that he had spies everywhere. However most knew that if someone requested him they were not to act so extremely rude that they left. Many could sense the tension in the Saxon ranks and only a few of his tribesmen knew of the royal family that had been dethroned and none knew that Alowyn was the Princess. He ushered her in and then told him to make sure no one disturbed them or the area in the first place while they talked. Most men knew that it meant one of two things. He was speaking with someone that he was going to have in his bed or he was doing something very important.

He walked inside and motioned to the cot or anything really in the room that she wanted to make herself comfortable on. "Hello Alowyn. What brings you out here?" He would ask how she was doing but it was obvious that she was tense because she was not under the protection at the moment of Arthur. However she was under his and he would allow no one to harm her in any way.

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[Alowyn of Wessex]

--*I'm not the one who's so far away*--

[/font]
WHEN I FEEL THE SNAKE BITE ENTER MY VEINS[/color][/font]
(*Never did I wanna be here again*)[/font][/center]

"Consider him told. Stand aside and let the Lady in."

Alowyn looked from the guard to Elrid, keeping her face perfectly neutral. If word got out that she was in the North before she had safely made it back to Hadrian, there was no doubt in her mind that she would be dead, and therefore any hope of deposing Cenric would be gone. Better to let these men suspect her of being a whore or sellsword than to suspect her of being royalty. “Thank you, my lord.” She said after a moment, the honorific sitting strangely on her tongue. She didn’t even refer to Arthur by title- they were equals. However, her disguise as it were called for it.

She followed Elrid inside, taking a moment to look around the tent at her surroundings. She had spent so much time inside stone walls in the last few years that she no longer felt like a Saxon- how long had it been since she had been inside a tent? Absently puzzling that thought over, she returned her attention to Elrid as he invited her to sit, but she shook her head. “No, thank you.” The truth was, she was too restless to relax. I’ve grown soft since joining Arthur. Too protected. I need to start standing on my own again. She fixed her level stare on Elrid, offering him a small, tired smile.

"Hello Alowyn. What brings you out here?"

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” She mused, her fingers absently running over the closing on her wolfskin cloak. When her father had been deposed, Alowyn had been less than smart in thinking that any Saxon territory would be safe. She had been nothing more than a child, tired and scared, and she had asked for hospitality. She had been fortunate that Elrid had no intentions in harming her- and it had forged a needed alliance. However, she had yet to return North since finding Arthur’s hospitality. “I thought it was time that I check in, see where you stand.” She paused. “To see if you still stand with me. We’ll be moving soon- there’s no better time to march on my cousin’s armies.” To get back my throne. That’s all it came back to, wasn’t it? The throne. The very throne that Alowyn wasn’t sure she really wanted, but that her people could not afford for her not to have. What was Alowyn’s personal happiness in light of the survival of hundreds, possibly thousands of people? If every person must do their part, this was Alowyn’s.

But how much would the Saxon princess have to give up? Running any kingdom, big or small, was a full time job. All manner of privacy and freedom would be taken from her when she returned North for good. All of her time would be spent making alliances and caring for her people. All of that was a burden that Alowyn was willing to take up, if it meant her people had a better life, but there was one thing that would remain south- her heart.

Almost longingly, her hand moved back under her cloak to absently touch the pommel of the sword Galahad had been painstakingly teaching her to use. Of all the things Alowyn missed most, it would be the hardest to replace.

“I need your help.” She stated pressingly, not breaking eye contact. “Please, Elrid, don’t fail me.”

--*And I don't remember why I came*--

Co-Star--* Elrid
Muse:*-- Monster- Paramore
Words:--* 569
Notes:*--
Credits:--* Kaylee <3 aka. abletodream08 at caution 2.0
Lyrics:*-- Voodoo by Godsmack

[Elrid]

Elrid could be a rather patient man. Most people thought him not at times though. Those that knew him well knew he liked to get to business and never missed as stride or pause. He read between everything and as luck would have it he had things to tell Alowyn. If there was a possibility that they could dispose of Cyrnic from within and then take down the others that did not side with them then he was all ready to jump at the first sign that he knew she needed him. He loved the way Alowyn played her part. He was rather glad that he had been mysterious to his own people just to make sure that everything went his way. However his tribes men knew he was a leader to look up too and one they could go to with concerns. That was what a Chieftan had to be. He'd taken the position from his father and not by the usual means. His father had been killed in battle. A needless one that the late Cedric had decided to take them all on. No he was tried of all this and nothing would change his mind about being on Alowyn's side. Germania was his home and he wanted to go back. Back to huts and some stone buildings that were left with the women that did not come with them.

He sat down and watched Alowyn look around. The honorific was a bit much in his thoughts once her realized that an honorific has been used in the first place. Still she shook her head about sitting down and then answered his question. "Yes far too I do believe my Lady." He was far too noble in a sense not to call her a lady. Her name he used only because he could but the title of lady befit her when he did not wish to say her name to much. They had forged a needed alliance way back when and he was not about to break any of that now. He waited for her to finishis speaking for be thought about speaking himself. He was not sure where to start with the news he had for her. He could tell that she was longing to be back among people that showed her aboundance of hospitality. It was odd to think of such things really. Hospitality had not died in his tribe just yet but it was dying out none the less thanks to the cretians that were running the show. Not even they could really get along. After all plotting against one another got you no where.

"I still stand with you. You know that I have bitterness towards the cretains that run this at the moment. Many of my men would be safe at home with their wives had it not been for Cedric to say the least. I will always side with you My Princess." Actually if her father was still alive he would have sided with him as well. Not that he didn't at the time. He had not gotten men to the castle fast enough to save the royal family save for probably Alowyn who had the might to run and the will to survive. She had his loyalty without even asking for it. "I have news however that the other two siblings are plotting against Cynric as we speak. Moving quickly may be a good idea but we may break from within first. Depending on how soon your march will be." He gazed off past her and put his hand to his mouth to silence for a second as he watched someone come around his tent and then up behind him. In seconds he had a guy on he floor. "I am busy!" He roared as he threw a corpse out at his guard. "Watch better or stand someone at guard behind this tent."

The man had been quick at the draw but Elrid was quicker. He was not usually quick to kill save when angered. He was not happy that someone was sneaking around his campsite. It was not one of his tribes men either. "What is it you need from me Alowyn. You speak command and I will follow." He bowed before her after all was said and taken care of.

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note: couldn't resist showing him upset.