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Red Right Hand [Closed]

Magnus

aka Caethan Farkas Thornecroft
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
8
#1
[OCC: 7 Justinian, 9:29 - Redcliffe Docks - Late Afternoon - tag @Mara Kerr and Rabbit!]​

Standing along the edge of the wharf, a bare-faced young man looked out upon the lake in quiet contemplation. Today, Caethan decided, was to be a lucky day—for it was the seventh day, and seven was his lucky number. Though his gaze remained fixed ahead, and his posture straight, his hands remained in constant motion—flipping a pair of unremarkable daggers in either hand, sometimes in unison though, occasionally, with either blade turning in a unique fashion. His grandmother often quipped that he was a young man of two minds, but Caethan never actually put much thought into the source of his ambidexterity. He'd been deft with both hands since his youth, something that felt for him more akin to an unconscious tick than a deliberate choice. It never occurred to him that he would one-day find a mentor in a duelist, or that he would become a duelist in his own right in turn. Nevertheless, despite his ability to use both hands artfully, Caethan was still trying to make a name for himself as something other than some baseborn pugilist. He seized the opportunity, when it presented itself, to challenge others to duels albeit only when he truly believed that someone could go toe-to-toe with him.

Recently, one such man seemed a promising opponent. Someone Caethan was not merely excited to test his mettle against, but was also eager to lay out like bearskin rug. Reason being that the man in question had insulted not only his honour, but the honour of Caethan's family—and had even had the audacity to whistle at his sister once upon a time, something Caeth never forgot. So, as calm as the lake before him Caethan may have seemed, at least upon the surface, in that moment? He was itching to duel the rascal. To his surprise, the man accepted his challenge.

Challenges amongst fellow duelists were not uncommon, however. It was only a surprise in that the few local duelists that did dwell in or around Redcliffe had made it a point not to accept such challenges from Caethan Thornecroft in particular—not after Victor's death. How was Caethan to know that Oscar, his own mentor, would stoop so low as to poison Caeth's blades before the match in question? Caethan had wanted an honourable match. Victor's death was not by any design of his own making. Oscar Redstone was responsible, not he. All the same, it made advancing in his skillset at that time quite difficult for few would actually agree to even practice with Caethan let alone duel him outright. He was tired with having his reputation tarnished so, and had little patience for those who sought to tarnish it further—even if the slight was, well, slight.

He remained at the edge of the docks, as before. Turning his daggers idly, this way and then that, while he waited for his opponent. The sun was shining, and the weather was warm—certainly, he mused once more, today was to be a lucky day. Eventually, it occurred to him that he'd been waiting for some time. Briefly, he worried that his opponent would not show up for the challenge after all. He even went so far as to turn, ready to leave, when he saw figures approaching.

"I was starting to believe you weren't going to show," Caethan said, in lieu of greeting. He quirked a brow, however, noting that his opponent had not come alone as he had done. "What's this? We were supposed to fight one-on-one."
 
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Mara Kerr

Prominent member
Grey Warden
DAO/DA2 Timeline
Posts
49
#2
They’d lost him over an hour ago. Rabbit had reassured her of that multiple times. Still, Mara couldn’t help but look over her shoulder anxiously every time she heard footsteps that sounded a little too light.

“Your father needs to learn to let you have a little fun, eh?” Rabbit laughed as he draped an arm around Mara’s shoulders and pulled her in. She could feel her face flushing and pulled the hood of her cloak over her brows.

“Ah-ah-ah none of that.” Rabbit lifted the hood from her face. “Don’t want you hiding in that cloak of yours. You’ll miss all the excitement.” There was that smile of his. Mara couldn’t help but smile back, however diffident it was. She felt him reach back and pull some of the pins holding her braid back in a bun. Her cheeks suddenly started to burn, but luck was on her side.

“Rabbit! You ready for a fight?” A barrel-chested man with beard and hair red as Mara had ever seen clapped Rabbit solidly on the shoulder.

“Nolan! Kept me waiting ‘til the last minute, eh?”

“Someone’s gotta keep you on your toes. Who’s th’ lass?”

“Oh, her?” Rabbit lifted Mara’s loosened braid and let it fall over her shoulder. Maker, she felt like her whole head would melt every time he played with her hair. “This is our new number one fan, Mara Kerr. Go on, say hello.”

“Hi.” That didn’t sound like a squeak, did it? Oh, she hoped it didn’t sound like a squeak.

“She’s a little shy, but we’ll have her shouting in no time.”

“Not if she runs off first, you daft lunk.” Nolan’s brows were raised and his lips pulled and broad grin as he looked down at Mara’s ever reddening face. Mara sidestepped behind Rabbit just as the pair broke out into a fit of laughter. Maker, this was off to a terrible start.

The laughter faded as Nolan gripped Rabbit’s shoulder with one of his large hands. “In all seriousness, though, Rabbit, you know what we’re up against today, don’t’cha?”

“That rat bastard Caethan? We’ve talking about this for weeks. You’ve got this, Nolan.”

“No, you’ve got this.”

“I - what?” Rabbit jerked back out of Nolan’s grip.

“You’re my second. It’s time you took th' blade yourself, and there’s no better opponent for you than Caethan.”

“No better opponent? Oh, Nolan. Nolan. Nolan.” Mara could see Rabbit puffing out his chest. How could he be proud in a moment like this? “Don’t tell me you’re scared of the man. He may have more balls than his master, but he’s a dirty rat who isn’t worth the blades he carries. You’ll have him down in no time.”

“He’s no more a rat than you are,” Nolan snickered.

“Well,” Rabbit let out a breath. The air hung tense for a moment, and Mara was certain one of them was going to get a fist to the face. “You got me.”

Men. Mara stepped back with a big roll of her eyes as the pair broke into laughter once more. Maker, they could be utter nonsense, and these two were no exception. Her attention drifted to the waters beyond as the two discussed strategy. Boring, as far as she was concerned. The sooner one of them knocked this Caethan man’s lights out, the sooner she’d be back in the comfort of the woods and the center of Rabbit’s attention. Maybe he would get hurt and she’d have to help him back to the forest and there’d be a cut to tend to and he’d play with her hair as she bandaged him up and -

“Mara!” Her heart leapt into her throat. “Mara, it’s time to go. We’re running late.”

“Right!” She followed along a few paces behind the pair, once more lost in her reverie until they reached the end of the docks. Standing before them was a man that looked to match Nolan in height, although he lacked the rugged appearance to keep up with the man. Beardless with a smug bounce to his step, Mara could see why Nolan was so quick to compare him to Rabbit. They both seemed to share an air of arrogance, one that, while Mara could find it charming in her dear Rabbit, she could hardly see as anything more than an egotistical front for this man. In a word, she already knew she’d describe him as an asshole.

“Caethan Thornecroft!” Nolan bellowed his greeting.

"I was starting to believe you weren't going to show.” Caethan’s response already had Mara crossing her arms over her chest. Wherever this man had come from, it was apparent he’d never learned any manners. “What's this? We were supposed to fight one-on-one."

“Oh no, I’ve decided you’re not actually worth my time, so I’m letting my second have at you.” Rabbit snickered at that one, and Mara couldn’t help but let a little smile light her up, too. “He could use the exercise.”

“Now then! Let’s not keep the lady waiting!” Rabbit stepped forward, pulling out two daggers Mara had never seen before. “We’ve better things to do than knock a rat’s lights out.” He swung the daggers deftly around his hands once, letting them gleam in the afternoon sunlight. Where did he find those? Something smelled off, just the tiniest of things. Whatever it was, it made her want to recoil. She felt Nolan’s hand on her shoulder, though, and his light squeeze was enough to make her hold her composure steady. Whatever they were planning, she’d just have to trust them. This man was, after all, an asshole. Probably.
 
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