The Wild Pirate Named Jimmy

[Ric]

James Ladimor Summerlin, a crazy son of a bitch ... Or so he was told by dozens.

On that hot summer day, all but one had the great laugh, and that 'one' was James.

They dashed out of the tavern in Luskan, City of Sails, with blades raised and women screaming.  "Jimmeh!"  Shouted a fellow with long, blonde hair, "Stoop fookin' a'roond wif tha' bird an' git in th' ship befoor it beh tae late, aye!"

James was busy making out with a middle-aged waitress from the tavern and did not hear the man.  "Yer a cuteh girrr-rrl, sweetums, whot'cher name, eh?"  Asked the flaming-haired elf.

Before she could answer, the same blonde fellow yanked James out of her arms and muttered coldly while the elf's boots clicked against the wooden planks inside.  "Yeh dinnae fookin' listen tae meh, Jimmeh!  Oi shed joos' leave yeh 'ere tae git sloo'terd boi th' Shell Gang!"

Poor James moaned and did not say a word, reaching out with both hands for the waitress that purred for him.  "CAP'N Ass-hat!  Lemmeh bloomin' take're wif oos, puleeeeeeease!?"  He begged finally.

"Tha's 'ASET', YEH FOOK!  Nut 'Ass-hat'!"  Shouted the blonde as he smashed his other fist to the back of James' head, "Yer a bloomin' pain in th' arse, Jimmeh, oi swear it!"

The evening passed, and the crew composed of two dozen were sailing on their ship:  The Silver Rose.  A fine vessel, it was ... Grey-painted wood with a clean deck, and loads of interesting characters.  Most of these characters, including Jimmy, were composed of con-artists, drug-dealers, theives, and even ... mad chefs.  Captain Giand Aset kicked open the doors to the crew dorms one evening.  "Jimmeh!"  He shouted, "Git'cher arse oop 'ere!  Oi need a werd wif ya!"

What Captain Aset didn't realize was that James was busy cuddling with his daughter, Lila Aset!  James hit his head against her head and growled, "Shet, luv, hoid soom'whar!  Yer poop's coomin' an' if'fin e' saes ye, oi'm fooked!"

Lila grabbed her clothes, dove into the closet near his bed, and slammed the door.  James, on the other hand, slid into his one pair of pantaloons and laid there with hands behind his head.  Giand opened the door to James' room and gave him an icy stare.  "Jimmeh ... Oi've bin 'earin soom shet 'boot yeh flirtin' wif meh dough'ter ... THIS BEH TROO!?"  He unsheathed his sabre and pointed it to James while he relaxed.

"Nay Cap'n!  Oi'm fookin' clean!"  Said James with confidence, "Whot gave ye' tha' oidea!  Oi'm yer bes' man, remembah?"

Giand lowered his sword and rolled his eyes, "Oil'roight, Jimmeh.  Oi believe yeh, yer' nay tha' bad, yi'knoo."  He then laughed and sheathed his sabre.  "Doon worreh 'boot it, mate.  Yer clean, oil'roight."

Suddenly, a rather large wave hit the sailing ship, and it swirved heavily, tilting and knocking over everything in the room ... And then the Captain's naked daughter crashed against the closet door and ended up on the ground between both of the men.  Giand stared at Lila long and hard, and then he looked to James and his eyes began twitching.

"Har-har-har ... Uh ..."  James hesistated and turned pale, "Oi jest?"

The next day, James found himself standing at the beginning of ... The Plank, blindfolded, and scratched up in several places.  The Captain stood next to his crying daughter, along with all the other crew-members, and shouted loudly while pointing his sabre at James' back.  "STOORT WOKIN', TRAITOOR!"

While James was slowly walking, he started humming a light tune and sang "Oooooo Loilahhh ... Moi foine sweet deareh!"

The Captain's daughter sniffed and looked up "Jimmeh?  Coom back!"

"Har-har-har!  Dinnae worreh, Loilah, oi'm nut gunnae doie,"  Said James with confidence as he reached the very end of the plank, "Coos oi'm frum fooken Looskan!  An oi'm nut joos aneh see-doog!  Oi'm Jimmeh Soomerlin!  Tha' best poirate in tha'- ... WOOOOOORRRRRLLLDDD!"  He screamed as the Captain stomped over the plank, causing James to plunge to his imminent doom.  What he did not know was ... The water was strangely 'misty' that day ...

As James screamed while tumbling down, he could tell that he was going to hit the water any second ... But a minute passed, and he just hung there, his body feeling like it was floating.  When he felt moist, wet grass below his body, he quickly reached for his blindfold and removed it to see nothing but trees and mist!

"Whot tha' fook 'appened!?"  Shouted James as he stood up and brushed the mud off his sleeves, "If this is tha' bloomin' abyss, oi'm readeh fer' sum bloomin' foon!  YEH!"

... And so James Ladimor Summerlin began his adventures in Barovia.  Would he become just as much of a failure as he was in Luskan?  Or would he emerge as something greater?  ... Probably worse!

[Ric]

Speaking to one's self while standing at the docks of Vallaki.

"Oi need t' git tha' fook oot'a 'ere!"  James shouted  while throwing his hansd toward the cloudy night sky.  His high-heeled boots rattled over the wooden planks above the waters of Lake Zarovich.  He paced back and forth and began recalling his memories.  "Har-har, oi wondah whot ass-hat's doo'in wifoot meh!"

James was always a loud bastard, so his friends from Luskan remarked all the time.  They never understood how such a screw-up could manage to win the hearts of women, and they couldn't figure out why they trusted him so easily, despite his dirty greed for wealth and power always alerting them at each scheme prepared.  James recalled those memories while picking his nose, and he laughed for hours on that dock.

He then sat over the edge of the docks and allowed his boots to dangle above the waters.  Streteching his arms behind his head, he thought about his dear friend, the caliban named Grimshackle.  "Boi, oi shoor loov' Grimmeh!"  He said whie snickering to himself, "Loik' a bloomin' broo t' meh.  Hoop'fooleh oi kin keep 'im oota trooble wif 'em damned guards."

James was well aware of the dangers of making friends with calibans, and he excepted it.  The idea that he was able to last as long as he did with Charlotte (Cherry he called her) with all the 'bans comforted him.  "Maybeh oi'm purdeh good wif makin' troost'wortheh friens' aftar'oll!"  He admitted finally, grinding his sharp, white teeth together in glee.  "Whar tha' fook's Cherreh aneh'hoo!?"

Charlotte is a rose, James felt.  He doesn't say that to be romantic in the least, although it could be assumed as such whenever he says it around locals.  Every rose has its thorns, and Charlotte is COVERED with thorns!  In order to gain a simple kiss, James would have to endure scratching, biting, slapping, bickering, AND nose-tweaking ... He hated the nose-tweaking, because he knew that SHE knew that he hated it.

"'Un o' em dayehs, oi'm gunnae smack Cherreh sae 'ard sheh'll bloomin' croi fer oo'wers!"  James declared while raising his chin, "Boot 'en oi'd prolleh git tha' fook beat oot'a meh!"

James then thought about the broo, the chubby, white-haired fellow who introduced the opportunity to make a living in Vallaki.  He was tempted to say "Fook'it" 'till he thought about the outcome.  Risky, challenging job ... Greater rewards.  Plus, there was also the most important aspect of it, of which James stood up and crashed his right boot harshly against the wooden planks.  "Oi'm frum fooken Loosken fer fook sakes!  FOOKEN LOOSKEN!!!"  As he crashed his boot again over that wooden plank, it fell apart, and James tumbled into the shallow waters of the lake.

"Jimmeh!  Was that you!?"  Shouted a familiar, muffled voice from afar.  The jolly, yet gruesome calliban Grimshackle emerged and kneeled over the edge of the remaining planks, where he saw bubbles raising from the lake.  "Jimmeh!  It's the middle of the night, and you're taking a bath?  Didn't your mother ever tell you to shower indoors!?"

James emerged from the water and spit out a fish while groaning and shivering.  "Gud dammit!"  He shouted as he held his hands up to Grimshackle, "Git meh oot'a 'ere, Grimmeh!  Bloimeh!"

Grimshackle did just that and spoke to James while the wild pirate shook himself dry like a dog, "What are you we going to do tonight, Jimmeh?"

James grumbled and squeezed the water off his sleeves, and then he looked up to Grimshackle with determination.  "Th' same bloomin' shet weh olwayehs dae, Grimmeh!  Troi an' take oo'er Ooncle Rheemoosus' ancestoors!"

... Uncle Rheemus was a rather disturbing character that James and Grimshackle encountered one evening:  A lonely gold coin in a treasure chest.  The daring pair declared from that day forward that they would do everything in their power to unite Uncle Rheemus with the rest of his coin-brethren ... Under any means necessary.

[Kaspar]

I really enjoy reading your stuff, keep up the outstanding writing! 

[Ric]

Business



James couldn't sleep this night, and he sat in the chair of the bedroom he paid for.  Leaning back and stretching his feet forward, the Luskan elf began recalling events from the past.

It was a cold, stormy night on the main docks of Luskan from years back.  The blonde captain of James' ship, Giand Aset, stood next to a relaxed James while smoking a pipe.  "Jimmeh, whot're yeh finkin' aboot roit noo?"  He asked  as he puffed a circle of smoke from its end.

James, whose legs were dangling over the edge of the dock, shrugged his shoulders and looks up to Giand while picking his nose idly, "Nut mooch realleh, Cap'n.  Whot're weh gunnae dae, noo tha' weh've gut a REE'OOL ship?"

The Captain lowered his pipe and laughed horridly before emptying its contents and sliding it in his vest, "Yeh shed knoo th' an'sar t' tha' 'un, Jimmeh.  Weh're gunnae becoom mer'chunts!"

James extracted a small sample of waste from his nose and flicked it into the sea, "Mer'chunts, huh!  Loike ree'ool bloomin' mer'chunts tha' trade n' shet?"

Aset shrugged his shoulders and looked around before smacking the somewhat daft James over the back of his head, "Nay, yeh fooken id'jet!  Oi'm tookin' boot poiracy ... Tha's joos oor bloomin' pooblic name n' shet!"

"Oh," James blinked, rubbing the back of his head, "Well oi dinnae fink name'un oot th' "Black Flag"'s a roi oidea, coon'siderin' oi 'eard o' anoothar lot tha' grabb'd tha' name n' got fook'd oop on sum bloomin' oi'lan."

"Fine 'en, fookah!"  Aset declared while crossing his arms and staring out to sea, "Yer a bloomin' foine hench'an, ye pick th' name fer it!"

James hopped up to his feet and threw his arms up in surprise while eying his Captain with glee, "Oi, yer shetten meh, Cap'n!?  Reelleh!?  Fooken roi!"

Aset shook his head, "Hurreh oop 'n pick'un, or weh're gunnae name oot th' "Roosteh knoife", ye."

"Fook tha', Cap'n!"  James shouted and snickered, "Weh're gunnae coll it ... uh .... AHA!  Tha' "Silvar Roos", aye-aye!"

"Hmm ... Interestin'," Aset stroked his chin and shrugged, "Whot th' fook, tha's foine.  Oi loik th' ring tae oot.  Weh'll beh th' Silvar Roos, a bloomin' MER'CHUNT ship!"

...

James laughed to himself in his bedroom.  "Ah, th' good ol' dayehs ..."  He looked down at his new garb, provided by his new mates, the Red Vardos.  Grinning to himself, he began pondering.  "Oi wondah if'fin 'ese gois're loik th' koindah "mer'chunts" th' cap'n aim'd fer ..."

Suddenly, he heard a knock at the door, where Charlotte's voice alerted him, "Jimmy!  Come out, come out!" 

Leaning back and crashing his head against the wall in shock, James dove forward and quickly changed attires while screaming, "Innuh minoot!"

[Ric]

Of Dice & Men



Winning that amazing round against the loud-mouthed Mila was a keen victory to James.  What made him laugh more was that he made more of a profit selling it back to her than he did beating her, alone.

Dirty One Eye ... James' dirty little secret ...

It all started back in good ol' Luskan.  James spent the entire day carving an eight-sided die out of a small wooden block.  After polishing the wood, he painted it blue.  Why blue?  To James, red was his good color, and blue was his opposition.  In gambling, one must have an arch-rival, and what better rival than his own creation, James snickered to himself as he pained the eight, white numbers.

"Un ... Twae ... Tree ... Foor ... Foive ... Sex ... Sevoon ... 'Ate!  'Ate soids!"  James shouted cheerfully as he finished counting his creation.  "Noo if'fin oi kin fink oov a gud name fer 'is ..."

James made the rules of Dirty One Eye at that time, but he did not have a name for it.  He thought of it previous nights before spending a full day carving his eight-sided die.  It was a sparkle of hope for the Luskan, for he would either become the richest son of a bitch in the world ... Or he would become a bankrupt scallywag.  "Gud dammut!"  James growled while walking down the busy streets of his home town, "Whot th' fook'moi gunnae coll 'is game!?"

"Hey you loud-mouthed sod, stop shouting!"  Called a voice from behind.

"Whot!"  James' eyes bulged out and he turned slowly to face this man who dared calling him a sod.  He appeared to be a tall thug dressed in a black garb ... Long, greasy, black hair, even longer than James, and an eye-patch over his left eye.  The flaming-haired elf lifted his chin, "Hoo th' fook're ye, mate, an' whot d'ye wont wif meh?"

The one-eyed scoundrel shrugged his shoulders and approached James.  "What's that you've got there, bub?"  He asked firmly while pointing to the blue die in James' hand.

"Joos' a bloomin' doi ... Oi've gut a kickarse game tha' goos wif ut, boot oi kinnae fink oov a name!"  James sighed, hanging his head down.

"Well get your arse inside this tavern and let's play it!"  The one-eyed scoundrel gave the flaming-haired elf a toothy grin.  "What's your name?"

The two started for the pub when James answered, "Oi'm Jimmeh, whot's yer name, mate?"

The tall thug shrugged as he opened the door for James, "Name's Gareb!  I'm the leader of the Black Fl- ... Never mind.  Just call me Gareb, all right?"  He twitched and shrugged his shoulders.

James gave him a suspicious glance before entering the pub, "All right, Gare'oob."

While they sat at a small table together, James could not help but avoid the sight of dirt all over Gareb's clothing.  "Yer purdeh dirteh, Gareb.  Whard'ja coom frum?"

"Oh ... Err ... I'm on vacation, Jimmy!"  Gareb laughed, "I'm actually early to catch my ride to a crappy little island called Amia, ever heard of it?"

"Nope."  James shrugged, setting the blue, eight-sided die on the table.

"Well never mind, then!  Don't ask!"  The one-eyed scoundrel winked back, "Uh ... What are the rules to this game, Jimmy?"

James briefly described the basics of the game:  Taking turns rolling, trying to get to sixteen without passing.  "Un moor fing, Gare'oob," James mentioned while holding up his right index finger, "Yeh kinnae roll a 'un."

"What happens when you roll a one, Jimmy?"  Gareb quirked his left brow while sniffing his nose.

"Well ... Yeh loos, it's a bad noombar, tha's oll."  James explained in a boring tone.

"What a stupid rule!  There should be a penalty or something!  That would make it fun, I think!"  Gareb smashed his right fist over the table.  "How about you get to make the person feel like the biggest loser in the world!  Even throw some punches or something, you know?!"

James laughed hard while leaning back, "Oi loik tha' rool, meh'finks!  Le's gae fer 'ut!"

On the first game, James rolled a one, and Gareb smashes his right fist over the table and reached out to slap him across the face, "HAW HAW!  YOU LOSE!  Hand over your coins, Jimmy!"

On the next game, Gareb rolled a one, and when that happened, James flicked the die directly into Gareb's eye-patch.  "HAW HAW!"  James cackled, "Yeh loos, yeh dirteh 'un oi!"

"THAT'S IT, JIMMY!"  Gareb rose from his chair while extracting the eight-sided die from his missing eye, "That's what we'll call this game!  And that's what we'll call the penalty!  DIRTY ONE EYE!"

"Tha's bloomin' keen!"  James stood up with him, and the two men laughed merrily before the door of the pub burst open.

In charged a one-eyed dwarf, a blue-skinned halfling, and a tall, pale lady with very revealing clothes.  The dwarf screamed at the top of his lungs, "GAREB, it beh time t' git th' 'ell oota 'ere!  The ship's headed back!"

Gareb winked to James, "Pleasure meeting ya, Jimmy, I've gotta catch up with my friends.  I'll take your game to the island with me, don't worry!  Happy winning!"  And with that, the strange party of four left James alone.

He stared down at the die and smirked, "Dirteh 'Un Oi ... Noice."

[Ric]

Lost at Sea

With each little adventure that James participates in, he recalls his own little silly adventures from the past.  Sitting over the docks of Lake Zarovich, one morning, the crazed Luskan elf imagined seeing the Silver Rose floating by, and with that, he got lost in a flashback of one of his old adventures.



"Cap'n!"  Called a young first mate James, who stood at the very front of the drifting Silver Rose, "Oi fink oi see n' oi'lan'!"

"Doon'cha mean 'LAND-HO!', Jimmeh?"  Called Captain Aset from the far back as he steered his ship.  The other crew-mates shook their heads and grunted.

A handsome dwarf with a long, red beard called out, "Lemmeh look, Cap'n, Jimmeh's gunnae git oos' lost agin!"  The captain nodded in reply, and the dwarf grasped the railing at the front of the ship and hoisted himself up, squinting his eyes.  "Oi dinnut see n' oi'lan, Jimmeh ..."  He muttered in a low tone.

"Yer nut troi'yin 'ard enoof, Aaro!"  Shouted James, slapping the dwarf on the back of the head.  He then extended his index fingers directly in front of him, "Waaaaaay oot thar, see 'ut?  S'ae bloomin' smoll lookin' frum 'ere, boot oi fink tha's oor nex destoonay'shoon!"

"Tha' dinnae look loik n' oi'lan, Jimmeh!"  Aaro shook his head and turned to the Captain, "Shed weh foloo 'is, Cap'n?"

The crew-members growled and Aset shrugged his shoulders, keeping the destination straight ahead to that point, "Weh'll give'ut a shot.  Oll th' men're gittin' hoongreh.  If'fin weh foind an' oi'lan, weh'll git sum stoof t' fill oor bellehs!"

After a short while, James and Aaro stared at the spot they were closing toward.  Aaro swallowed once they seemed close enough, "Jimmeh ... Oi thot 'is wos an' oi'lan ..."  Sweat began forming over his face.  The spot turned out to be a rather large shadow.

"Oih moi lor'!"  James' eyes widened and he quickly turned around.  "CAP'N!  TOORN TH' SHIP A'ROON, QUI-"  Before he could finish his words, a gigantic black whale emerged it's magnificent body, creating a wave that rocked the ship quite far!

Aset, with eyes forming a mixture of rage and horror, stared at James, "JIMMEEEEEEEHHHHHHH!!!"

To be continued ... ((As my time just got chopped up!  ))

[Ric]

Lost at Sea (Part II)



"Joos look at tha'!"  James cheered with excitement while dancing at the front deck, the other crew-members desperately trying to hold ongo osmething as the absurdly harsh waves ravaged the Silver Rose.  Even while the waves tore through the ails and caused all the cargo within to crash back and forth, James continued to hop out and down.  "Weeeeee hawwww!  BOIS!  Ain't 'is great!?"

"Jimmeh, shoot oop, oil'readeh!"  Aaro said as he tumbled face first next to James and continued rolling toward the other side of the ship.  "Oi'm gunna fooken toss yeh off th' boot if'fin yeh keep 'is oop!"

The Captain kept his legs parted and held tightly onto the wooden steering wheel.  He looked to his disorganized crew of groaning men, and then he focused his eyes on James.  "Make yerself yoos'fool n' fooken feed yerself t' th' whale sae e' shoots oop!"  Aset pointed his finger toward the whale, "Yeh gut us intae 'is mess, yer gunnae git 'oos oot, Jimmeh!"

Suddenly the gigantic sea creature rose up and crashed its body near the ship, causing it to rise and tilt so much that a few of the crew-mates were literally thrown into the sea!  All the men shouted and ran around the ship, searching for any means of weaponry available on board.

Aset was screaming at the top of his lungs "Tha' fooken bastird's doo'un 'is oon per'poos, bois!  Oi fink it beh hoongreh're piss'd!"

From the deck below, a large, fat, peg-legged oaf was projected upward by the sudden drop after the wave ended.  The crash was devastating enough that he went through the wood and found himself back on the main deck.  In his arms, he held a large barrel, and looking up to the worried captain, he made a stunning report, "HERE!  FOOD FOR BIG FISH, CAPTAIN!"

Aset shook his head, "NAY!  Tha' beh th' las' scrabs o' ra'shoons weh've gut left, Morgan!  Toss 'ut back doon 'n grab a spear!  An' whoile yer a'tut-" He paused, and his eyes widened as an over-excited James snatched the barrel from the fat oaf, moving toward the direction the whale swam.  "JIMMEH!  Whot th' fook d'ye fink yer doo'in!?"

"Save'un th' dayeh, Cap'n!"  James cheered as he heaved the barrel off the ship, ignoring all the 'NAAAAAY's that echoed from the entire crew.

Strangely enough, the whale made one more exciteful crash into the sea, and with that ... It vanished ...

The last crash did leave quite a mark on the Silver Rose, however.  Many of the sails were torn, most of the cargo on the main deck was thrown overboard with about four crew-mates (they were recovered, fortunately), and just about all the cargo and furniture was either ruined or tossed into distortion below the main deck.

After Aset commanded a dozen of the crew-mates to go below the decks and dig for replacement sails, he lined up the others, including Jimmy.  Everyone stood silently as the enraged Captain Aset paced his loud, rubber boots against the wooden planks of the deck.  The squeaking with the water over the wood made many of the men twitch uncomfortably.  James shifted his eyes left and right and made an innocent smile as Aset passed him a third time.

When Aset saw this smile, he paused, turned to James, and backhanded him abruptly.  "Dae yeh wonnae knoo whot th' fook yeh joos did, Jimmeh?"

Rubbing his cheek, James lifted his chin, "Oi, Cap'n!  Yeh shed fank meh fer save'un th' ship frum doom!"

"Yeh BASTIRD!"  Aset backhanded him on the other cheek with his other hand, "Tha' wos th' onleh food weh 'ad left!  'It'ool take 'oos dayehs t' git back t' fooken Loosken!"

James' jaw dropped, and his eyes bulged out, "Oih ... Oi did'nae fink o' tha', Cap'n!"

The other crew-mates stared down at James with a gaze of death.  They wanted to castrate him, bash him, stab him, KILL HIM!  Aaro even spat over the soaked deck and stomped his boot over it, "Yer fooken gittin' cook'd fer dinnoor if'fin yeh dinnae fink o' a plan, Jimmeh!  YEH gut 'oos intae 'is!"

Oh did James hear THAT one before ... 'Yeh gut 'oos intae 'is, git oos oot!'  It was a phrase that became an analogy to his name.  If there's trouble on the ship, it's probably Jimmy's fault, they'd always say.

"Roit, 'ere's th' plan, bois, colm doon!"  James held his hands up and cleared his throat, "Weh're gunnae ... Make yoos o' th' spears oot n' catch'oos an easeh mee'ool!  'En 'en weh're 'eadood sooth!"

Aset narrowed his eyes in suspicion, "An ... Whot's sooth?  Looskan's fooken Noorth, ye git!"

"Aye, Cap'n, boot thar's an oi'lan, oi'm shoor oov 'ut!"  James was lying, of course, becuase he knew that if he didn't come up with something, he was going to get it.  As an 'unofficial' gambler, he had to take risks, and one of them was hoping there 'would' be land to the south.

"If'fin yer fooken wif oos, Jimmeh, weh're toos'in ye oovar'boord!"  Aset declared, going down below to fetch some spears.

"Oi sayeh weh eat'im," Aaro said with a horrid laugh as he took a spear and moved to the edge.

The day followed quite slow and fatigue-rendering.  The sails were replaced, the decks were swiped, the fair meal was caught, and the ship was set to the course James made up.  Distrubingly enough, when the crew-members were moments away from declaring the tossing of James, an island DID appear ...

"LAND-HO, CAP'N!"  James cheered happily and stomps his boots over the main deck.

"Oi dinnae beleev 'ut ..."  Aset and several others said.

To be continued ...

[Ric]

Lost at Sea (Part III)



The Silver Rose reached the island during the afternoon, after hours of crew-mates growled at a very fortunate James.  The Captain never took his eyes off the flaming-haired elf, and the bearded dwarf, Aaro, simply stayed below the main deck.  "Oi fooken told'ja tha' weh'd foind a bloomi'n oi'lan!"  James broke the long silence.

"SHOOT OOP, JIMMEH!"  The crew-mates all called at once.

"Whot, oi did, didn't oi?"  Poor James looked between each of them.

Captain Aset directed the nearest man to turn the ship close to the beach, and then he pointed hid index finger to James as he approached the crew-mates.  "Jimmeh, weh'll wait 'ere, ye take Morgan n' Aaro wif ya on tha' oi'lan!"

James scratched his forehead and protested, "Boot whoi oos, Cap'n?"

"Coos' yeh fooken gut 'us stook 'ere, sae yer gunnae git oos sum food n' shet!"  Aset explained, "If'fin yeh dinnae coom boi soon'set, weh're leav'un ye 'ere, gut tha!?"  James was about to move his lips before Aset spoke again, "GUD!  Noo gae git Morgan n' Aaro n' shoov oof!"

The three didn't have much say in the matter.  Morgan was in trouble for the suggestion of tossing out their food, James was in trouble for being himself, and Aaro ... Well, he didn't have good reason for being punished.  "WHOI MEH!?"  The dward screamed as two men dragged him by the legs last, after having tossed Morgan and James off the ship.  "Oi did'nae dae aneh'fin!"

As he was heaved in, Aset stood over them and rose his fist up high.  "Git moov'in, gits!  Th' soon'll beh goo'in doon if'fin yeh waste yer toime!"

While the three swam the shallow waters of the island's beach, Morgan paddled his arms while grunting.  "WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO, JIMMY?"

"Fook if'fin oi knoo, Morgan!"  James scowled as he stopped swimming and stood to his feet.  The waters soaked his leggings, and he bickered like an old woman.  "Fer th' loov o' th' guds, kin oi joos' stayeh droi fer a dayeh?"

"NOPE!"  Aaro laughed as he, too, stood from his swimming position.  "Sae whot, whar th' fook're weh gunnae git food?"

The three stood in front of what appeared to be an endless forest.  Plants, ranging from shrubs to magnificently sized trees.  James folded his arms and looked between the two, pondering.  "Sae bois, uh ... Gut aneh tools t' yoos?"  James asked them.

Morgan drew a large, wooden club at his side, "THIS!"

Aaro spat over the sands of the beach and reached for a rather large, one-sided axe.  "Oi've gut meh troosteh darlin'!"

"Roi 'un," James nodded and started into the forest, his companions trailing behind.  It was not long before James paused and wondered out loud, "Fink th' trees 'ave aneh yoos?"

The two behind him looked to each other with sly grins.  Aaro tapped James on the shoulder and pushed the axe into his arms, "Jimmeh, ye take 'is an' werk 'un choopin' doon a big'un.  Morgan n' oi'll coontin'ye lookin' aroon!"

"Aye-aye!"  James smiled and looked to the largest tree surrounding him.  Without any hesitation, he drew it back and swung, again and again.

As Morgan and Aaro were out of ear-shot from James, the two snickered and patted each other.  "Noice oideah, Morgan!  Le's foind summin' t' appeas th' cap'n n' git oota 'ere wifoot fooken Jimmeh!"

It was not long before the two located an abandoned hut, of which contained several crates of fruits, barrels of fish, and various containers of seemingly clean water.  The two cheered in joy as they looked through everything, and then a loud growl alerted them from outside.

With deep brown fur, sharpened claws, and a head of a mad wolf, a gnoll fropped a bucket of fish and snorted, eyeing the two with utter hatred for their obvoius intrusion.  As it began charging for the two, Morgan grabbed an over-filled fruit crate and heaved it directly into the beast's face, knocking him on his back.

"ROON!"  Aaro shouted as he hoped over the gnoll and started for the way they came.  Morgan was not too far behind at alll, and it was only moments before the two could hear the loud, crude steps of the gnoll's bare feet tearing up the ground.

James made one more swipe against the tree, and he watched the entire damned thing slowly descend!  He saw his two companions charging for him, and before he could even greet them, Morgan heaved the left over his right shoulder and continued charging.  James eyes widened at the sight of the gnoll, "OIH SHET, WHOT TH' FOOK'S THA'!?"

Unfortunately for the gnoll, the tree was still descending, and with quicker velocity as well.  The gnoll noticed the large shadow following him, but it was too late to move, for the heavy wrath of nature brought itself downward, ending the vicious hermit.

"BOIS, BOIS, BOIS!"  James cheered, "E's fook'd!  Poot meh doon!"

Morgan and Aaro turned, and the dwarf leaped up and cackled madly, "Well whot d'ye fooken knoo?  LOOT TOIME!"

"LOOT!"  Morgan threw James down and ran back toward the hut.

"Loot?"  Jamed blinked and started after him, "OI'M IN!"

The retrieval of the supplies was a success, and with a satisfied crew, they returned to Luskan, and the entire trip, James boasted about his amazing skill in defeating the gnoll that made Aaro and Morgan wet themselves ...

[Ric]

The Slide Show



James managed that first night on stage with Charlotte and Ginger quite well, as they had done in their other performance within the Von Zeklos Keep.  Working with the two was quite simple, he discovered, for a simple explanation on what was needed was child’s play for Charlotte and Ginger to ponder.  It was as if this ‘trio’ was destined to be, and more … Perhaps grow further with new talent found.

The night that James laid in bed with Charlotte, he looked toward the window of their bedroom in the Broken Bell Inn, where his eyes fixated on the stars and moon highlighting Vallaki.  As he stared, his eyelids became heavy, and off to his dreams he drifted.

Far … Into the past, yet again …



James recalled an amusing challenge brought to him and his crew-members after the incident on the gnoll-infested island.  It was significant because it would lead to the rather disturbing self-esteem within James in the present.  That thin layer of drive that grants the will to push him to do anything feasible.

It all started with a little bearded man cheering in the streets of Luskan.  “Hear ye!  Hear ye!  Auditions to be the amazing hero that battles the dragon!  Come on, men!  Show us your stuff!”

“Did’ja ‘ear tha!?”  James asked the bearded Aaro while the dwarf was occupied with a raw fish in his mouth.  “Peeps’re oofferin’ he’roo businoos!  Oi bit thar’s loot’sae coin t’ make wif ‘at!"

Aaro shook his head and spit out an eyeball, "Jimmeh, moi hearin's shet, kin yeh repeat tha' bool'shet yeh joos' sed?"

James nudged him again.

"STOOP THA', FOOKAR!"  Aaro growled back and spit out the second eyeball.

"Oi sed ... SUMMUN'S PAY'YIN MOONEH T' KILL A FOOKEN DRAGOON!"  James shouted, nearly spitting on his friend.  The poor sod surely did not listen, for the idea of an 'audition' didn't strike his mind.

Aaro, who was chewing, paused.  Turning his head very slowly, his eyes bulged out and he swallowed the fish head chunks,  "Yer shetten meh, roit, Jimmeh?  Whar th' fook did 'ey git a DRAGOON!?"

"Fook if'fin oi knoo!  C'moon, Aaro!  Groo sum bolls!"  James ran down the path of the little bearded man.  "SHOORTEH!  WAIT OOP!"

The bearded man led them to a large tent with a stage in the center of it.  As James, Aaro, and the bearded man closed in on it, several Luskans stepped out while grumbling incoherently.  "Ain't 'ey lookin' satisfoi'd?"  Aaro wondered.

"Oi knoo, oi knoo!"  James declared, holding up his right index finger, "Oi bit 'ey wuss'd oot!  Th' dragoon'd kill'em if'fin 'ey gut near 'ut!"

Aaro nodded, and then the bearded man stepped through the entry of the tent and pointed to the stage.  The two feasted their eyes on what appeared to be a blonde woman fanning herself while tapping her foot impatiently with a figure wearing a badly designed (and torn) lizard costume.

"LASSEH!"  James declared as he leaped forward and pointed at the concealed figure, "WOTCH OOT, TH' DRAGOON!"

"Huh?"  The woman blinked and ceased her fanning, "Excuse me, but are you the next loser to audition?"

"JOOS' A SECOON, LASSEH!"  James' eyes bulged out and he looked around desperately.  Aaro was watching in disbelief as his flamboyant companion ran toward a rack of wooden swords, snatching one.  "Alas!  Oi 'ave a soord!"  James cried out as he ran to the stage.

"Please, please!"  The woman said in a dramatically expressed tone, "Someone must save me from this fiend- ... What are you doing!?"  She was stunned, along with everyone else in the tent, for James had leapt unto the stage, where he shoved the figure to the floor and raised the sword to smash it against head several times.  The woman cried out in her first tone, "STOP!   That's too much!  You're going to hurt him!" 

"Shoot oop, Lasseh!"  James said as he broke the sword over the figure's head, "Oops!  Well .... Oi fink e's ded, aneh'hoo."  The figure was laying on the ground without moving.

Aaro and the lady remained silent, and the beardless man finally applauded while whistling.  "Congratulations!  You are hired!"

[Really_Evil_Pigeon]

pale lady with very revealing clothes. 

Always love your writing  a pleasure to read I am biased though, *Coughs* you mentioned my baby girl *coughs*

[Ric]

Lila



James could not rest that previous evening.  His back was turned to Charlotte while clutching his side of the bed covers, trembling.  He could hear the echos of past conversations clash against his thoughts.

"Jimmy ... Jimmy ... Are you there?  Help us, Jimmy!"

"Jimmy, there's something I need to tell you!"

"... Nay nay ... Get back to work, aye aye ..."

"Do you value your lust for treasure or your heart, James?"

"It's Yoshinaka."

"Jimmeh!"

"Pleasure to meet you, Jimmy, I'm ..."

"Do not become a liability."

"... Jimmy ..."

...

...

...

"Are you jealous?"

James froze for one moment, and then as he drew in a slow breath, he felt his body being pressed down by something he could not control:  His fatigue.  Dream Land would once again consume a portion of his time.

And so the story goes ...

"JIMMEH, WAKE OOP, YEH SOD!"  Aaro's voice echoed in the young elf's head.  "Th' Cap'n 'as gut summin' impoortan' t' tell 'oos!"

James didn't respond.

"JIMMEEEEEE-EEEH!!!"  Aaro screamed louder.

Still no response, and then Aaro jumped onto his bed and slammed his stout body over the thin James, causing him to jolt up and cry out, "WHOT TH' FOOK D'YE WONT, AARO!?"

"Th' Cap'ns baybeh girr-rrrl kin wok noo, d'ye knoo whot 'is means?"  Aaro said as he jumped off the bed while James crawled out, reaching for his wrinkled clothing.

"It means oon'leh ten moor years 'till sheh's oold e'noof t' sleep wif?"  James snickered terribly.

"Nay, yeh sick bastird, it means 'un oov 'oos 'as t' take care oov 'er!  Tha' means NAY MOOR ADVEN'CHOORS fer th' oon'lookeh sod!"  Aaro growled loudly.

"Shet!  Oi hoop it isn't meh!"  James answered with a firm nod.

The sun was bright and lonely within the spectacular blue skies on that day.  After James and Aaro spent several minutes waking up ol' Morgan, they made their way to the docked Silver Rose, where Captain Aset preached next to his lover.  The puny little brunette named Lila was hiding behind Aset's legs, eyeing all of his men with a rather eccentric smile.

James and his two friends pushed their way to the front of the large gathering while Aset was concluding his speech.  "Roit, roit, men.  Ye oll oondarstan' th' sit'yoo'ay'shoon, aye?  'UN o' ye's gunnae wotch oovar meh doughtoor wif Jooliah."  He thumbed to his lover.

Julia stepped forward and smiled to all of them, "Aye, boys.  Ye oll oondarstan' th' drill, aye?  Doon' worreh, oi'll keep coompaneh oovar ye."

James muttered two his companions, "Jooliah's a noice lasseh n' oll, boot whoi th' fook d'weh guttae dee'ool wif baybeh sittin'?"

Mongar laughed and picked James up as if he was nothing more than a child's toy, "WHY NOT FIND OUT, JIMMY!"  He then hurled the elf out of the crowd, where he crashed his head into the deck of the ship, right in front of Lila and Captain Aset.

The crew burst out laughing, and Lila giggled, pointing at James.  Aset's teeth flashed, and he gave the elf a deathly gaze.  "Jimmeh ... Whot ... D'ye wont?"  He exhaled, attempting to relieve his already irritated expression.

Aftar standing up and brushing his sleeves, James protested, "Cap'n!  Whoi kint yer lasseh take care oov yer girr-rrl?  Weh're sea-doogs, nut baybeh sittoors!"

"Jimmeh ..."  Aset glared, stomping his left foot down next to his daughter.

"Cap'n ..."  James returned the glare.

"Jimmeh ..."

"Cap'n ..."

"Oh!"  Julia cheered delightfully and hopped up.  "Giand, coom 'ere, sweeteh!  Oi fink Loilah sed 'er fers werds!"

"WHOT!?"  Aset immediately looked down and kneeled next to his daughter.  The entire crew, including James, was silent.  "Speak, darlin'!"  Aset said, patting his little girl on the head.

"Juh ..."  She muttered in a high-pitched voice.

"Huh?"  Aset blinked, and Aaro began cackling in the back.

"Juh ... Juh ... Jee ..."  She kept trying to say what she was trying to say.

"Nay ... Nay nay nay!"  Aset shook his head several times and patted his hand over his chest.  He attempted to correct her, "Papah ... Pah-pah ..."

"Juh ... Jee ... Jeemeh!  J-J-J-JIMMEH!"  She cheered happily, hopping up and down while pointing to James.

"NAY!"  Aset turned and slammed his right fist into the deck, growling uncontrollably.

James' jaw dropped, and he began scratching his forehead shyly, "Har-har ... Uh ... Sorreh, Cap'n?"

Julia covered her mouth with both hands and giggled quietly, "Oi fink weh 'ave oor baybeh sittoor."

"Awh shet ..."  James hung his head down, and an echo of cheers from the crew followed.

"HAR-HAR, SOOKS T' BEH YE, JIMMEH!"  Aaro shouted as he ran forward to pat James harshly on the back.

James stared at the little girl, who now seemed quite shy at that moment.  Her blue eyes were opened widely, and her smile pushed James' distressed complexion to a relaxed one.  "Oil'roit, oi'll take care o' Loilah ... Sheesh."

This was the start of an interesting challenge in James' life.  Giving up his obsession for adventure was only an illusion, however.  As the story goes, the adventure was only beginning.

[Ric]

The Bloody Rose



The elf was under plenty of stress over the past nights.  James could not help but feel faint memories building up after he realized the truth.  Charlotte had become the dirty secret he once forgot of as he vanished from his first life in Luskan.  The truth that while he appeared to be a hard-headed hero-figure with plenty of 'equipment' to win the hearts of his friends, James was fascinated with being 'below' a woman.  The habbit built on him from the days of caring for Captain Aset's daughter, Lila.  The secret stuck with him, and as he entered Barovia, he thought it was over.  James truly believed that he escaped love and misery, and that he would never experience those two elements together again ... Or so he thought until he met her ...  The red-haired girl who took pleasure in bending the elf's will.

He craved it.  Charlotte was such a tiny creature next to James, and it would be almost too easy to turn on her.  Why can't he turn on her?  James stared into his reflection, and he saw the Captain's daughter, staring at him with a crude smile.

A compelling force in his mind pushed him to the ground, and as his eyes closed, he saw the rose, bathed in blood ...

Over a dozen years passed since James was ordered to tend to Lila with her mother, Julia.  They were a happy gathering over those years, one would assume simply from observing.  Julia would ask James to help around the house and gather food, and he would do more than that.  Ask him for a fish, and he would bring a shark home.  Ask him to clean one bedroom, and he would clean them all.  But asking him to tend Lila was James' favorite request.

"Jimmeh, oi need t' tend t' soom werk in toon,"  Julia would say as she stepped toward the entrance of Captain Aset's home, "Pulease wotch oovar th' girr-rrl, aye?"

Until her seventeenth year, Miss Lila, as James called her, was just the cutest little girl he ever could work with.  The girl could be entertained by the simplest of pleasures, from cartwheeling to playing music to reading bed-time stories.  She giggled and clapped her hands together throughout her life, always asking for more from James.

Lila saw James as many things throughout her life.  In her childhood years, James was her uncle, for he nurtured her and did everything a llittle girl could of from a parent or guardian.  As she reached her teenage years, Jimmy became her older brother, since his elven aging deemed him as never-changing to her.  She joked at times that James was shrinking while she was growing, and the elf would agree, just so she would feel right.  But at age seventeen, James was no longer a brother, nor was he even a person at all to Lila ... He became an object.

She called to him one evening while Julia was sound asleep, and James looked to her as he finished dusting the table she sat at.  Lila patted her lap and asked him to sit in front of her so she could have a closer look at the elf.  James knew humans pretty well, and he also knew that girls at her age were at the point to 'explore' males for more than friendships.  He didn't respond, but he simply stared at her until Lila's face formed a deep frown and her request became serious.

Swallowing hard, he did as he was told.  As James looked to Lila, she rested her right hand on his cheek, squeezing it gently at first.  The next gesture would cause the elf to nearly reach a shocked state.  Her frown flipped, and within a second, her light squeeze became painful as she dug her fingernails into his cheek, piercing his face enough to make it bleed.  His eyes widened, and he gasped loudly.  Before he could speak further, Lila put her index finger to his lips to silence him, and he whispered in his ear, "Doon let mum foind 'oot, Jimmeh ... 'Is beh oor secrut ..."

He was afraid, but he was not sure what he was more afraid of.  The fact that the girl he cared for so much took enjoyment in hurting him, or the fact that he felt nearly manipulated by her.  He nodded slowly and she continued scratching as his cheek in the same part, causing him to squirm quietly.

The rest of that week showed no further signs of this abnormality Lila possessed.  James shrugged it off and thought it was just a phase ... But it happened again eventually, and it was much worse.  While he was sleeping in his room, he saw Lila move inside, shutting the door and locking it, and in her hand, she held a knife.  James asked her what she was doing, and as she approached him in his bed, she climbed over the covers and placed her index finger at his lips to silence him again.  "Jimmeh ... Stayeh quoi'yut, okay?"  She asked of him.

She drove the knife into his left shoulder at that moment, and he remained paralyzed in fear and disbelief, twitching and groaning quietly.  Was Aset's daughter mad?  Did she take pleasure in this?  As she removed the knife, her fingers dipped into his wound, and she giggled quietly, saying "Yer a cuteh playeh fing, Jimmeh ... Doon tell mum, okay?"

He swallowed and nodded, and from that, she continued to drive the dagger into several specifc areas in his body, of which had no vital locations to endanger his life.  The pain was terrible to James, but he did not want to anger Aset.  He counted on James to make sure his daughter was nurtured and happy.  When the night was over, she discarded the blood-soaked sheets of the bed, and she said she would bring more for him later.

The next blood-filled encounter came at shorter durations each time.  Eventually, Lila visited James with intend to draw pain from him every night, and the punishments were twisted in every way imaginable.  At one point, she secured a rope around James' neck and tugged on it enough to nearly suffocate him.  He remained still and allowed this to happen, and when he turned purple and began coughing violently, the torment brought itself to an end.

One full year of this nightly torture occurred, and disturbingly enough, James found himself enjoying the attention he was giving the Captain's daughter.  During the day, Julia, Lila, and James lived like a happy family, and at night, Lila would break James' will, and he would not hesitate to allow this behavior.  Eventually, the behavior expanded further, for their nightly visits, James referred to Lila as "Mistress Loilah" instead of "Miss Loilah".  After a full year, she gave James a rose and told him that she loved him with all her heart ... She said this, of course, while carving his hand with the thorns of this rose, allowing his blood to soak in the petals.

The path to make the perfect image in front of everyone was a goal to James, but throwing away all of his pride to the mercy of a woman who hungered for his suffering was worth it, he believed.

It was this old habbit that has led the elf to his current position with Charlotte.  He protects her and does what she asks, and at the same time ... He bleeds for her.

[Ric]

Bastard's Retreat

That damned, stupid, egotistical moron wandered for weeks, months, years, who knows!  He was unsure where the mistress had gone, for all the trouble was stirring like a mouse ... A vicious mouse, yes.  He dug several holes in empty fields, and he slayed many animals and checked their innards to see if she had been eaten.  But when all came to a failure, one cold, stormy evening ... He got knocked out by his own will, and dream-world swallowed him once more.



"JIMMMMM-MMEHHHH!!!!!"  Shouted Captain Aset into a sleeping James' ear one morning after the years of 'caring' for Lila.

His body jerked up forward and his eyes were wild,  "CAP'N!?"

"Aye, lad.  Gud werk wif care'in fer m'doughtoor."  The Captain nodded and slapped James on the back of the head.  "I need you back on my ship for a while, Jimmeh, thar's a perfoormunce t' dae, aye."

"A perfoormunce?"  James' eyes widened and he hopped to his feet and immediately started dressing excitedly.  "YAY!  Whot koinda' perfoormunce, Cap'n?"

Aset chuckled, "Still th' bloomin' hoipoor bastird, ain'cha?  Yer gunnae sing a luv sung 'boot moi retoorn t' Jooliah n' m'doughtoor, savy?"

James held up his right index finger, "Boot Cap----AHHHH!"  His words were cut short as Aset gripped James' ear and pulled him away.

The Captain shoved James into a cabin on the Silver Rose that afternoon, and the order was that he had three hours to compose a wonderful love song.  If he pulls it off, he gets to live and work on the ship.  If not ... Well ... James would be making love to a big showing of shark teeth.  He paced back and forth the entire time, rubbing his chin and pulling on the spikes of his hair, when suddenly ... It came to him like a breeze of wind!

"OI'VE GUT 'UT!!!"  He shouted.

Aset kicked his door open.  "Gud, git oot 'ere n' sing, yeh bastird!"

Once on the deck, standing over his entire crew, Aset, his wife Julia, and the blood-hungry Lila walked behind James, and the floor was on him.  He sucked in a big, deep breath, and he began.

"Juliah, o Juliah!
Will yeh coom wif meh t' th' land o' dreams?
Th' land tha' revoolv's a'roon oos, it seems!

Juliah, o Juliah!
Oi've travel'd seas t' look fer sweet loov,
An' noo oi foond summun' t' take care oov!

Juliah, o Juliah!
Th''appiest toimes oov' moi loife oi kin beleev,
Singin' sungs n' bee'yin wif yeh each passin' eve!"

He spun once and continued his song, but in James' dream, something happened to him that hit him in the face.  As he leaned back and prepared the next verse, his eyes looked to the stars, and he could see the pattern a face.  Charlotte's face.  And then it came to him that the song he was singing sounded so sweet and smooth to him becuase it was 'their' song.  James grinned widely, and then he sung the song to his liking, ignoring all the people in his dream.

"Cherreh, o Cherreh!
If'fin aneh'fin evar 'appens t' moi Cherreh poi,
Oi'll shoor'leh crack, an' oi'll shoorleh doi!

Cherreh, O Cherreh!
Oi wish t' beh yer eturnool loovar 'n soord,
Beh moi sheath, fer moi loov's th' roit rewoord!

Cherreh, o Cherreh!
An noo oi end th' greet sung triboot'ud t' ye,
Pulease stay wif Jimmeh, coom hoom wif me ..."

His eyes closed as he finished singing it, and as all the voices of the crew seemed to close in on him in rage, James felt a light sensation, as if he was floating, no longer standing over the deck of the Silver Rose.  Then suddenly, he heard a voice.

"Jimmy!  Don't start singing our song in the open!  That's OUR song!"  Called Charlotte, and James opened his eyes to see her looking down at him over the cold grass he laid over.

"Cherreh!"  James hopped to his feet and swiped her off her feet.  "Oi foond ya!  WOO--AHHH!!"

"Of course I am, Jimmy," Charlotte said to him and gripped him by the ear, yanking him away.  "But the show MUST go on!"  And off she dragged him, back home, back to the plots of their lives.

[Ric]

Shackled



He hung upside down from the ceiling like a bag, only there were no webbed feed to cling.  The chains that hung from that celler kept James tightly gripped by the anckles, enough for the metal to nearly cut through the skin and press against bone.  It was the end of another night with his lady.  Cuts and holes filled his naked, battered body, and lines of crimson appeared swirling with his own sweat.

Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ...

Were the sounds of those chain links as his body swung back and forth slowly.  His fingers dragged over the puddle of gore beneath him, and his eyes were narrow and still.  Would he live or die, they wondered ... The women that worked this old agile puppet.  But is lips formed a crooked smile.  It was a good thing ... It was a good night to be alive and a good night to bleed.

Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ...

The chains sung more, and the twisting, writhing pain continued.  The women giggled, pointed, and mocked James.  But they came to an agreement that it was a good thing, and James was a good, sweet thing, despite his errors.  He would be forgiven, wouldn't he?  Sure, why not.  In the end, James was a very good asset for them.  He gives them everything they need.  Entertainment, love, hope, power, fame, pain ...

Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ...

The chains were slowing down now, and his body twitched.  It was the beginning and the end.  James narrowed his gaze on Charlotte ... Or was it Cherry?  Or was it dear Clarissa ... Which one despised, and which one loved?  Perhaps he would learn and strike the one he ever so hated.  They confused him, but he gave in for the attention.  To gain what one desires, one must submit, so the red-haired thrall learned.

Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ...

Finally, his fingers gripped the floor, and his body was still.  The girl glared at her man and approached him with hands completely dabbed in blood.  Her bare feet soaked up the gore beneath the hanging James, and she booted him in the stomach with great force.  "DiD I SaY yOu WeRe DoNe SiNgInG!?!?!?!?"

Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ... Click ... Clack ...

It was over.  His eyes open, and the dream was over.  He was laying in bed next to her , and his body was not scarred at all, except for the "C" shaped one below his neck.  And then James thought to himself ... "Tha' wos foon."

[Nefensis]

//James has dirty dreams, dear Clarissa does all she can to keep Charlotte chained up against James but now im not sure if its worth keeping her away

[Ric]

The Gentleman



It was a good night ...

His tuxedo was perectly clean, unwrinkled, untouched.  The cowl that concealed that exotic, crimson hair of his went just above his eyes, and a dark mask would conceal his face, leaving his eyes to study the 'art' he manifested.  She was absolutely magnificent, and her features were ... Satisfying.  He dropped the blood-soaked strings and adjusted his tie immediately.  Her flesh had many slice marks, and even in death, the blood would pour, more and more.  He drew in a breath and exhaled a sigh of relief as he turned around.  Poor Adrianna ... She was only 'just' a prostitute ... Looking to please for fangs.  He turned the knob of that door and took his leave, shutting the door quietly, and exiting the Broken Bell Inn.  Her eyes were filled with tears, and her lips were parted ... How sad, she couldn't even enjoy affection during that work of art ... But at least her customer left one fang as a tip ... Even if she would not spend it ever again.

Charlotte trained the red-haired gentleman well ...

As he slipped away, it would only be a matter of time before someone would notice the corpse.  Who really cared, however ... It was just a whore, right?  We'll move on, we'll all move on!  As James bumped into a man while in his disguise, he nodded once, "Pardon me, I did not mean to bump into you."  He said in that completely different accent that came to him after much time spent watching the public.

Where was that personal identity?

Who is this mysterious figure?

When did he take his place in the world?

How does he commit to such brutality?

Is he insane?

Or is he consciously real?

... Where

... ... Did

... ... ... He

... ... ... ... Come

... ... ... ... ... From ... ?

"You're late," Said another masked woman in a particular alley.  "Did you have a good night, dear?"

"Indeed," Replied James in that same voice, "It was a nice night."

The woman released a short giggling laugh, "Lovely, dear ... I was hoping you would not stain your suit."

He shook his head and lowered his mask, approaching her.  As she lowered her own mask, James offered a kiss to the deceptively innocent Cherry, and as his teeth poked agianst her cheeks, she drew back and immediately slapped him.

"What was that for?"  Smirked James.

Cherry waved her finger to him and turned, walking toward the shadows before vanishing.  "You did not ask for my permission, dear."

"Figures."  He said, discarding his jacket and throwing a different one over quickly.

As he stepped into the broad street, a familiar voice shot toward his direction.  "Looking sharp, there, Jimmy!"

He ran his left hand through his hair and smiled widely as his normal tone took its display, "Fank ye, oi joos fix'd 'is 'un oop ree'soont'leh!"

[Ric]

Freefall



... Bump Bump ...

The hour of sunset had approached on that evening.  James was alone and wandering the woods near Vallaki.  His curiosity came to a halt as he noticed a very significant tree in the distance.  He smiled at the tree, and he felt that there was something special from it.  The tree had a circular shape, which was different from the trees that surrounded it.  The wind was blowing against James' back, urging him to approach that tree.  It was separated from the other trees becuase it was different, and then James felt that it was this that they were bound together.  James wasn't like others, clearly, so he was a completely separate 'kind' in the majority.

... Bump Bump ...

As James leaned against the tree, he lowered himself over the mud-covered grass and hugged his knees.  His head brushed against the rough surface of the bark, and his eyes were fixated straight ahead.  The wind gusts were loud and cool against his cheeks, and his eyes moved around, surveying the beauty before it would soon be casted into darkness from the sunset's end.  It was a perfect sensation ... To be sharing a place with something that could be related to him in abstract thoughts.

... Bump Bump ...

A dry leaf fell from that tree and landed in his lap, and he stared at it for a long moment before lifting it up.  His thumb and index finger pressed against it until the material shattered and crumbled below.  In a sudden urge, he glared at the leaf and tore it to pieces until there was nothing left of it.  As he finished, he leaned back and stared up at the tree, watching as more leaves fell.

... Bump Bump ...

And then it happened.  He closed his eyes and leaned back to the point that there was nothing behind him.  He was laying, and the wind was rushing upward from beneath him.  As he opened his eyes, he realized that he was falling through the sky.  He screamed in shock, but no sound came from his lips, and his eyes twitched left to right, up and down, trying to figure out what was happening.

... Bump Bump ...

The leaves were soaring around his body as he fell through infinite.  As he looked to them, he heard the echoes of laughter ringing in his mind.  They were all laughing at him, mocking his presence.  The voices seemed to actually relate to those that he knew in life.  Everyone was taunting him, and he felt the pain and desires to want to crush all these leaves.  And so he droves his hands out and tore them between his fingers, one by one, and with each leaf he tore, the voice of his enraged scream was slowly beginning to show display.  It was faint at first, but soon it became loud and clear.

... Bump Bump ...

And then he heard a voice and his eyes closed ...

... Bump Bump ...

"You ..." ... Bump Bump ... " Are not unworthy ..." ... Bump Bump ... "You ..." ... Bump Bump ... "Are more worthy ..." ... Bump Bump ... "Than they ..." ... Bump Bump ... "Never forget ..." ... Bump Bump ... "I love you ..." ... Bump Bump ... "... Jimmy." ... Bump Bump ...

His eyes opened and his body rose up while the feeling of freefall continued.  As he looked around, the surroundings of wher ehe was returned to his vision.  The tree he sat at was now without any leaves to hold its beauty ... It was a tree that lacked content, just as he was ultimately starting to feel about himself.  He closed his eyes and formed a cruel grin over his lips, and everything felt revealed before him.

... Bump Bump ...



... Bump Bump ...

[Ric]

Love At First Sight



Winter had returned to Barovia once more.  The grey skies becoming a lighter tone, and the drops of white snow were falling in a harmony that brought pleasure to the young, and misfortune to the old.  Winter is but a time to rest indoors and enjoy warm water and pastries.  It is time to remember the loved ones that passed away as time progressed.  The cold was troublesome, but everyone was enjoying themselves ... Except James Ladimor Summerlin.

"Whoi th' bloomin' FOOK d'weh have t' have snoo!  Oi mean, realleh!  It's loike Cherreh tellin' meh tha' thar's nay moor luv fer tree moonths!  RUBBISH!!!"  Cried James as he saw the snow fall from a window within Tigan's Rest.  Then he went upstairs to his room and hopped into the bed, where he bickered and grunted for hours.  He struggled over the fact that winter was his most hated season in Barovia ... Luskan would never have snow, heavens no!

And then James paused for a moment and made a realization ... This was the time when Cherry came into his life.  The memory warmed his heart, despite all the hours of his bickering.  It compelled him enough that he immediately rummaged into the drawers of that room for a blank parchment.  After that, he gripped a feather quill and pulled out a small jar of ink from his pack that he always kept for those damnable 'tasks' he had.

Sitting over the edge of his bed, he started to write ...

***

"I'm only doing this because I'm bored, but at least I can enjoy myself thinking about it.  I remember it just like it was yesterday.  The Red Vardo Traders were still considering my worth at the time, and I didn't have any friends but Grimshackle, who eventually changed his name to Bercilak.  I had just finished taking a shit upstairs in the Lady's Rest, since that chili Bianca made always made my stomach groan later.  As I stepped down, I noticed that there were only a few locals in the Lady's Rest ... I can't even remember who was there.  I think ol' Finn and some friends of his were throwing a fuss at the table .... Stupid wankers ... Although I do miss Finn and hope he returns from his drunkard adventures ... Maybe I'll kick his ass at arm wrestling finally for good.

Anyway, the door kicked open and in jumped 'that girl'.  I remember I had a mug of ale in my hand, and the minute I saw her, I dropped the mug.  Bianca threw a fit and bitched at me for being a clumbsy fey, so I told her to bugger off and walked over to 'that girl'.  She was covered in dark rags, with snow alla round her, and she shivered like a crazed person would in the asylum.  Her crimson hair went up, which I thought was just plain adorable, since I thought I was the only bastard silly enough to have my hair 'spike up' a bit.

I approached her and told her to sit in front of the fireplace, and so she did without saying much.  Her arms wrapped around her body, and she continued to shake, so then I removed my cloak and knelt behind her, wrapping it around her body.  She turned and looked me in the eyes and smiled widely for the first time ... A beautiful face for a beautiful girl ... Elven too, not bad.  Being the clumbsy dunce I was, the only thing I could do was smile back.  Finn and his friends started to laugh while pounding their fists on the table.

Then Finn pointed to me and called me a sissy boy and a boy-toy.  I frowned and started my own bickering assaults, and then the girl hugged me while whispering into my left ear.  'You go around the right, I'll go around the left, and then we'll bite his ass to show him what's what.  Got me?'  I blinked in surprise that this girl actually suggested such a thing ... Sounded like something I would suggest, disturbingly enough.  We went according to plan, and Finn was screaming like a baby when he felt his ass sting from both cheeks.

He got up and shouted for help, and then they reached for us and dragged us outside the Lady's Rest.  Snow was pouring everywhere, and the moon was quite high.  Finn's buddies were asking him what sort of suggestions he had in mind, all of which involved hurting the girl more than me, it seemed ... Naturally, men wanted to feel women up; they're men after all, and men have perverted dark sides.  Finn agreed to have the girl naked and spanked, but I protested until he finally released her and sent her on her way.

They looped my arms with a rope and threw it over a dead tree.  They were going to hang me and leave me for the entire night.  It was easy to do this to a guy when he was up against a bunch of brutes ... So I hung there for a while, and they even threw blows at my body and legs.  The things I did for girls, I thought to myself at that time.  The girl then walked up, kicked Finn in the balls, and climbed up the tree to remove the ropes.  Everyone threw a fit, but I didn't give them time to help Finn to his feet.  I grabbed the girl's hand and ran away with her.

She told me her name ... Charlotte Clarissa Dem'terelle.  When we were alone eventually, she thanked me for taking care of her at the fire, and she also kissed me on the cheek for saving her from Finn and his gang.  I returned the favor by kissing her for getting me down.  She told me I was a good kisser, so I told her she was too, so we kissed more ... And more ... And more ... And suddenly, I woke up the next morning without my clothes on ... How predictable.

That was the day I met Cherry, and that was the day I fell in love in Barovia, since I had lost the meaning of 'life' back home.  I thought I was dead when Aset threw me off that damned boat.  I was prepared to believe that I was dead, and that this was the afterlife.  I had no complaints, though.  If I could become a 'Captain' here, where I could not back home in Luskan, and if I could find someone to call my lover here, where I was stuck with a crazed daughter of a Captain back home ... Well, I guess there's only one thought to say:  Fuck home."

***

James put down the feather and smiled before there was a knock at his door.  He opened the door to see Cherry in a dress.  "Jimmy, go get dressed ... You said you would take me out to dinner after that job we did."

"Vereh 'ell, sweet'art."  James smiled before running to the wardrobe.  Once he was in a more fitting suit, he took her hand and left for the city.  The night was pleasing, and the snow was pouring over their red hair.  They went in front of the Lake after dinner at the Blue Water Inn, and then he gave her a rose and kissed her for a long, long moment.  As he pullsed away, she smiled to him and said.  "You're a good kisser, Jimmy.  Kiss me more, please."

"Roit awayeh, m'dear-rrrr."  James replied.  The night continued, and then it ended ...

[Ric]

Ballad of the Young Angels

He would not let the girls go ... First he gave his lessons to Little Red Riding Whore ... What a fun pull she was to James as he wore the mask of the Caller.  They danced all over the Wanderer's body in the nights before, but something was not right about innocent Red Riding Whore, so James thought to himself.  She was cute and obsessed ... A bad combination to mix with her teacher, the Muse.  She would need more guidance in order to carry yout what needed to be done.

When the Muse left James alone with Red Riding Whore, he forced himself upon her and kissed her for what seemed to be forever.  Her returns were filled with desires, so James felt from her gestures.  He did not hurt her, although the temptation crossed his mind.  She would be prettier ... If she bled all over during the kisses.  She would be even more beautiful if she was in tears and pain while they kissed, but he let the kisses remain as such.  He commanded her, like a puppet, and commanded her to make love to him, only to turn around and laugh ... Was she hurt?  She laughed with him, but was she hurt, he felt in his heart.

The nights dragged on, and soon the Caller of the night would meet with Tiger Lily.

Tiger Lily was much more different than Little Red Riding Whore.  Tiger Lily was reserved ... She did not wish to share a loving kiss, but she did wish to share embraces and facial carress.  He moved her heart and changed the opinion that resisted him.  What was once 'discomfort' between Tiger Lily and Caller became loving kisses, to the point that he dragged her to the room and set her on the bed.  The Caller, James, prepared to love the Tiger Lily, and she was waiting ... But he refused her and turned away, just as he did to the Little Red Riding Whore ... Poor Tiger Lily, rejected just like the others.

"The lessons will continue soon."  He said, and then he returned to Muse.

Muse was sad, for her Wanderer had failed her ... He was no longer broken, but fixed.  James could not help the Muse, Cherry ... She was in a state of hatred over the loss of her Wanderer.  She would not love James back, because she felt that she was at loss, until James wrapped his arms around her body and held her close to him.



He pointed to his "C" shaped scar on his chest, and he traced the "J" shaped scar that went down the center of her body and looped under her right breast.  She smiled to him and calmed herself, knowing that her true subject was now holding her, as he should have been.  They kissed, and after the shares of love, they discussed the plans for their Little Red Riding Whore and Tiger Lily ...

[Ric]

Black Shroud



The scene on the stage was marvelous!  Everything was just as James wanted his play to be.  The Protagonist stood in the grassy fields, where clouds filled the night skies.  He stood before the Antagonists as they held Little Red Riding Whore in captivity.  Their knives pressed over her dress, forcing blood to push just above her breasts.  The antagonists wanted nothing more than to build rage in the protagonist ... They taunted him with her Red Riding Whore's heartbeat.

... Bump ... Bump ... Bump ... Bump ... Bump ... Bump ... Bump ...

Red Riding Whore called for her hero, she moaned and wheeped, but the hero ... Became the villain.  Worse, even ... He had no desires, no goals or hope.  The protagonist wished to depart from his damsel in distress, and the antagonists were left with no choice ... With one quick draw, the antagonist forced his knife between Red Riding Whore's breasts, where blood rushed out her lips and body, soaking her dress from top to bottom.

She collapsed onto her back, and the skies wept for her as rain began to wash the crimson over the grass.  Her breathing was slow, and she coughed weakly, for her time was running out.  The knife remained within her body, and Red Riding Whore looked to the protagonist with lost hope and tears as he exited the stage. 
Her cries for him became fatal chokes, and her chest continued to rise without falling ... And then ... Her body relaxed as she gave out her final breath ... And that was the end of the play ...

That Night ...

James could not rest, for it was not the hope-filled ending he was expecting.  The tragic display shown before him was enough to ruin his evening, despite all the love his Cherry and he shared that night in their room.  There was an atmosphere of discomfort for James ... Her body was wrapped over his, head on his shoulder.  This was enough affection to force any man to sleep pleasurably ... Yet there was no pleasure.

Her breathing was quiet against him; James knew very well that his lover as in a state of reverie, and that he would be wise not to disturb that treasured moment.  His eyes wandered around their bedroom in worry ... Something was not right about the room.  And then he noticed the candle stick that was still releasing smoke from its top, long after Cherry blew out the candle before deciding to rest for that evening.

The smoke filled the room, and James shivered once in discomfort ... He had to stand up, that would comfort him, yes ... Perfect.  He carefully turned and flipped his position, so that Cherry was lying under him, over the bed.  As he released her tight grasp and stood from the bed, she turned on her own, facing away from him while squeezing their pillow with both of her hands.

James' eyes wandered the room, and then his body turned several times to comfirm all the corners ... Four corners ... Check again, and again ... The darkness in the room was overwhelming, James could not help but feel that he would never stop counting those corners.  Finally, he grabbed the candle stick and lit it with a match.

Doing so provided a small source of light, but in that same instant, James could hear the incoherent muttering of his loving Cherry ... It would be wise not to disturb her ... Yes ... We wouldn't want that would we?  No ... No ... Cherry would not be disturbed in her moment of rest, or discomfort would come to James.

He moved toward the opposite corner where the bed was, and he sat with the candle stick placed before him.  This was perfect ... The light was enough to keep him safe, and Cherry would not be disturbed.  The only thing James had before him was light, and two walls creating a corner ... Such comfort had returned to the Captain of the Red Vardo.



In that moment of joy, he could forget it all ... The play, the career, the love ... He forgot about the tragic loss that Little Red Riding Whore displayed to him, and he even forgot of the wonderful moment Cherry and he shared moments earlier.  The lust was gone, and the depression ended ... This light brought him comfort for that night ...

He woke up, lying in front of the corner with the candle stick now remaining as a puddle of wax.  Cherry stood over him with her arms folded over her chest.  "Jimmy ... I felt that you weren't there last night ... Tell me what's wrong, sweetheart."

James shook his head, "Oi'm foine ... Wos joos' nut feelin' well ..."  He smiled to her, for the sunlight entering from the window displayed his beautiful Cherry in ways that made him rise quickly.  He faced her, and they kissed ... Everything would be all right ... For now ...

[Nefensis]

  Thats it, you write my bio posts from now on.

[Ric]

Blood Lust

Pain ... ... ... GIVE ME ... ... ... PAIN ! ! !

The start of a bad night would soon become a moment of enjoyment for James.  He could not help it ... Poor, naive sod.  Little Red Riding Whore was comforting him that evening.  She whispered words of wisdom, for James was twitchy an irritable.  His nights were filled with desires to hurt the weak, but there was nothing weak other than rats and minks.

Where would he find a weak morsal?  He wondered.

Red Riding Whore patted his shoulders and spoke of things he enjoyed hearing.  Discussing the fascinating of eviscerating chunks of flesh, knitting them into various shapes and patterns.  Words of future victims that would soon feel their wrath.  But then James recalled a previous discussion they had, out in the fields while no one was around to hear them.

It was discussing the beautiful play they presented with the Muse.  He admired the scene to the point that he dreamed of it.  The skies were crying for her as she bled before her hero!

Obsession!
Anger!
Lust!
Tragedy!
Pain!
Suffering!
But most importantly to James' observation ... Beauty!

The way she squirmed and cried out when her life was running short.  The way her eyes twitched while lips trembled as her hero turned away.  The way she released that long, drawn out sigh before passing away.  Such grace, such extravagent, specatular beauty!

He could not resist it any longer.  He was in search of something to make a puppet out for so long, and no one would hear them ... She would do fine, yes ... Yes ...

Yes ...

Yes ... ...

Yes ... ... ...

He tempted her by asking to taste his arm, and she did so without much question.  She wanted it, becuase she was trained and tortured to want it!  If she did not want it, she would be outcasted from the circle of art.  When it was over, he told her to tilt her neck for him.

Her eyes showed determination, and it was as if he could read her mind!  His arms wrapped around her body, and his sharpened, white teeth drove against the corner separating her neck and shoulder.

... Whimper ... Whimper ...  Whimper all you wish ... ... ... It's not over until I say it is ...



And when it was over ... She could barely stand.  She clung to him like a baby would cling to a mother's breast, and she waited.

The rush had pass through James in an instant he could not even conceive.  He licked the remnants of the blood and closed her wound, and then he placed her into bed.  He assured her that it would be their little game, that she was the pet, and he was the master.  She agreed to this, and her eyes closed while her body recovered.

He left that room with courage that he had made an accomplishment ...

~~~

... But it would not last, for his hunger only came back to haunt him when his Mistress made trickery of him.  He was compelled to tell her what he had done, for it was an act of innocent guilt, returning from the shadows of pleasure.  She broke his spirit and made him worthless in that moment to the point that he cried and pressed his lips against the ground before her.

Such a pitiful, pitiful sight, indeed.

And when he thought all was over, she laughed and said it was simply ... A game.  A game that he had indeed taken far too seriously ...

"Grow up, James ... Play the game ... If you can't take the heat, get the fuck off the street."

[Ric]

On the Brink of Insanity

"W-w-w-what ... i-i-i-is ... t-t-t-this?"

Cherry ... No ... Clarissa hurt James that night.  She was disgusted by his weakness, after all the devotion he gave to supporting her.  He nurtured her recently, and she loved it very much, so James believed.  He gave her everything, but when she watched him cower, trembling weak before her ... She grew a rage that could not be deciphered.

They were alone in their classroom; the walls murky, and the sound of rats and sewage drippings echoing around them.  Clarissa pulled the darkness like a blanket and covered her lover in it, only to watch him shiver and squirm painfully.  He struggled in the darkness and saw his fears from the past returning.

He saw Clarissa's beauty become a shrod of black mist ... Her arms and legs became dozens upon dozens of tenticles that wrapped around his body, and her thighs, arms, breasts, stomach, and face became a display of hungry mouths ... Razor-sharp teeth chomping, for they desired to consume James.  They moaned at once, and he cried out painfully ... It was real, all the pain and suffering was real.  The squeeze was so tight, and the blood was flowing, even!  James was about to die!

And then it was over in an instant.

His eyes widened and he gasped in surprise, only to see sweet Clarissa kissing him and patting him.  There was comfort for that moment ... He felt relief.  After the sweet kiss, Clarissa smiled innocently and spoke to him.

"Weakness, James."

He fell to his knees and felt her feet, and then even kissed them.  "Please, Clarissa ... Please don't hurt me ... I ... I b-b-b-eg you ... P-p-p-please!"  He pleaded, crying for her.

"Time out for you, Mister!"  She said to him while backhanding him.  "You're so pitiful, James ... So ... So ... Pitiful."  Said the lovely and beautiful Clarissa as she kissed James and sunk into the darkness before him.  He was terrified ... Undeniably trapped in horror.

The door to the classroom was locked, and he immediately ran to the corner and pulled out a knife.  He trembled and moaned bitterly as he dug that knife into the ground in front of him ... He drew symbols, he spelled out words without caring for the lack of art in them!  Symbols of shattered hearts, "X" shapes, and zig-zags.

He wanted to be safe ... And he was ...



"Fear"
"Save me"
"It's safer here than there"
"Nothing here"
"If I go, will I be independant?"
"Where did the door come from?"
"Where did the eyes come from?"
"Where did the sky come from?"
"Where did the light come from?"
"Why is there darkness?"
"The eyes ... The eyes!"
"They're eating me, don't let them!"
"Why am I here?"
"Who is there?"
"Who am I?"
"Am I really safe?"
"If I leave, will I be independant?"
"Get me out of here!"
"Please help me!"
"Don't let me die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The phrases continue on and on ... The explination marks cover them.  It was a mess, and it truly showed the pain James felt that night when he was left in confinement by his lover.  He felt neglected, lost, and most of all:  Afraid

He wanted to save her, but he would first need to save himself ... COuld he?  Was it a futile effort, perhaps?  He was surrounded by all the carvings he made, and the dagger lost its edge, totally ruined by all the words and symbols.  He whimpered for hours, moaning for her to return ... And then, the door burst open, and in came his guest ...

"Wake up ... It's time to conduct business, Brother."  Said a shadow before him ... And when he saw that shadow, he cried out to it, screaming to get away.

The shadow approached him, only to reveal as Blood Hound, the lost one.  Yes ... Blood Hound was here to protect James, he figured.  Blound Hound took him away from the darkness and made him realize that everything was safe now.

And then ... Business commensed ... And the horrible task was left behind ...

[Ric]

Reflection

James found himself in the luxury of a room within the Broken Bell Inn.

It was the night after he spoke with Clarissa in their privacy.  It was a very moving night, for it was the moment that James proved to his loving Mistress that he was improving his fear of her.  She wrapped the 'quilt' James feared ever so much, and he held a firm gaze.

Clarissa rewarded him with love ... Enough love that it softened James.  "I love a strong man, James.  She said to him with a smile.

And in that instant, he recalled when Red Riding Whore spoke of similar words ... "I like strong men, Jimmy ... You're much better when you are strong."  When James heard this, he immediately slapped her with enough force to knock her off her feet.  She blinked and seemed as if she was about to cry for him, until James gripped her golden hair, tugging her back harshly.

"If you call me weak ever again ... I will do far worse than hurt you.  Are we clear?"  James had said to Red Riding Whore, and she nodded in full understanding.

Clarissa was so fragile in that moment ... She had taken the medication that James fed her routinely.  She asked him if she was being a bad girl, and James replied by squeezing her in an embrace that shortened the blood flow in her body.  It was a squeeze that made his Mistress weak, forcing her to rely on his guidance to help her breathe.

She did not resist it, but she responded to it by kissing him with lips soaked in his own crimson blood, as she had previously finished drinking from him.  When he released her, Clarissa adjusted the sleeves of her gown and asked, "Am I ... Pretty, James?

Trembling from guilty intentions, James stepped and pushed Clarissa against the wall, his hands keeping her arms immoble.  She looked him in the eyes with innocense ... Almost as if she were a naive, fragile, little girl.  James forced a deep kiss into her lips, and she sighed happily, her breathing raising.  "I am all yours, James ... I belong to you."

He could not believe her words.  Was she ... Asking for him to lead?  James gazed deep into her eyes, breathing as she exhaled, and exhaled as she breathed.  His hands were shaking against her arms, and he seemed unsure whether this was her ... Command ... To make love by his lead.

As some of the pressure lightened from her arms, she immediately slid a knife from her skirt and pointed it directly against his left rib.  He paused, tilting his head in suspicion.  Was this a deception?  Clarissa smiled to him, "Release me, James ... You must never pass your limits ... Or your Mistress will be very unhappy."

Without even a moment of thought, he released her sleeves and lowered his head in shame.  She sheathed the dagger and kissed him on the cheek before passing by.

That was the end of it.

So there James was, finishing his wine while relaxing on a couch in one of the Broken Bell's suites.  He could not help but see a mirror before him.  He was slightly intoxicated in the alcohol, but he felt compelled to look at himself.  At the end of the day, James was truly narcissistic ... He was in love with the way he looked, and how he always managed to show a pleasant charm when he wished to be.

In his mind, if someone did not express any care for James, the elf simply believed that the person was a liar, and that he or she was truly in love with him.  Why wouldn't anyone love him?  He was perfection in every sense of the word, in his beliefs.  He believed that he could easily please any man or woman in the world, simply becuase of who he was.  Yes ... James was ... Perfect.  There was not a being alive that could out-perfect him!

Except for himself ... And so he wondered if talking to himself would solve anything.  The results were quite ... Amusing.



"Somewhere, someone is going to kill me for doing this, but I suppose I can get it all out of me.  It's not that I'm insane ... It's that I have no on else in the world to express my feelings to but you.  You're always there, becuase you're a part of me, you know?  You're the best person in the world, and there's no one better than you.  Why is it that a person as perfect as you can't be more of a man with 'her'?  Yes, 'her' ... The woman that has conquered you in the darkness for so long ... The woman that will always diminish you no matter what.

You are the most amazing person in the world, yet you allow this ... woman ... to spin your life through her threads!  You have been told that you were a strong man, that you were destined to rule all!  Blood Hound said that you had the power to dominate people!  Why are you hiding your potential?  Come on ... You could easily make any girl sleep with you, and you could probably convince a man to become a homosexual with all that charm and beauty!

Those way with words, you have ... You're so smooth and eloquent.  When you study those people, you note all the features that the public doesn't.  You know how to exploit those hidden aspects of people ... You're so amazing that I shudder in my words for you now.  Take what is rightfully yours ... Take it all ... Why can't you?  Why aren't you trying!?

She relies on you now ... Yet you submit to her words and commands.  You're afraid that she's going to leave you if you disobey her, becuase she is such a perfect woman that she could have any man she wanted.  She even has men bowing before her ... If they physically do not submit to your Mistress, they mentally want to serve her, and she pleasures herself to that.  If you are not satisfying, she can just find other saps!

But it's the truth ... She is the perfect woman.  You're nothing compared to her.  You have no right to ever surpass your Mistress.  Even if every woman bowed before you, if you could not satisfy her, it would mean the end of it all for you.  You can never be satisfied with another ... You could not even enjoy making Red Riding Whore your little blood doll without feeling the guilt that you had failed.

You are pathetic ... I don't even want to be you anymore ... GET OUT ... GO AND END YOUR LIFE, BECUASE YOU ARE WORTH NOTHING!"

James' screaming escalated, and he drove his fist into the mirror, shattering it into hundreds of shards.  He was panting heavily as he looked to the shards, and then he saw his fist, still clenched.  It was soaked in his own blood, and as he opened it, tears filled his eyes.  "I'm ... not beautiful."

It was a very saddening moment for James ... He wanted to be perfection, but he could not in that moment.  He ripped his shirt off and stripped himself nude.  He closed the curtains of his bedroom window, and then he paced around, ignoring the shards tearing into his bare feet.  When he looked down to see that his beautiful feet were scarred, he cried out and fell to his knees.

He shook his head and rubbed his face, covering it in blood from his hand.  He whimpered, becuase his beautiful body was being torn by his own anger and sadness.  He looked down at his muscular physique ... It was so perfect ... Yet he felt it was not.  The muscles were curved so perfect, and his body was so shiny.  The "C" shaped scar resting below his neck went so well with the rest of his body.  He traced his arms over his body, feeling himself, and it actually pleasured him.

He sighed happily and stood back on his feet.  Still nude, the elf climbed into bed and turned around, facing the ceiling.  His left hand was resting over the "C" shaped scar while his right hand was over his stomach.  Tears were filling his eyes, for he knew that it was all right ... Everything was safe and happy!

He imagined Clarissa over him in that moment ... It felt so real to him, for his mind allowed it to seem real for him.  He could feel the warmth, sense her scent, and see her body.  Her voice brushed against his cheeks, "James ... Love me ..."

And so he reached out to the image that formed in his mind, and he made love to it.  He was able to do what he wanted, for it was his reality and no one else's.  He conquered the image of Clarissa, and James was smiling the entire time.  When everything was over, he closed his eyes and formed a crooked smile ... Because everything that seemed real was not, but he made it his reality.

And that ... Was his happy place ...

((Rawr, I loved making that picture ))

[Ric]

In the Ashes of Scattered Memories

Clarissa … Cherry left James in disillusionment, because he could not keep up with her brilliance.  She had so much planned for the future, and as James tried to take in all of her words, he found himself lost … Only to be shouted at for not listening.  It was not that James could not pay attention to his partner, but that he was fixated so far in desiring to please her, that he found himself unable to multitask.  Perfection would not be granted if he could not be perfect.

When she was gone, the elf pondered a meeting from previous days … He spoke with Lila, the woman that loved him; the woman that James viewed as his own daughter by his own standards.  It was to his realization that he was attracted to Lila, not because of her beauty, since he believes Cherry to hold much more of this … And surely not her talents, since Cherry showed much more potential and talent.

It was her name.

The name Lila corresponds with the past entity, of which shaped his very life before him.  Lila Aset, daughter of Captain Giand Aset, introduced James to this desire to serve a woman and obey every word and command.  It was her that showed him how pain and lust can mix, and it was her who illustrated the concept of blood and shuddering body parts being a work of art.  She was also the one that took away James’ virginity before he was taken away from her loving grasp by fate …



… O misty fate …

O Misty Fate,
Grant this mate.
My Child,
He hungers dearly,
Feed him merely.
My Child,
Give him strength,
Hold body length.
My Child,
Whisper him hope,
He shall cope.
My Child,
Dare not perish,
Love her cherish.
My Child.
She loves thee,
Can you see?
My Child,
Wait for her,
She will purr.
My Child,
Do not despair,
Life isn’t fair.
My Child,
Sing for we,
That’s the key.
O misty fate,
He is great.
Love him so …

When the music was over, James collapsed where he was, and off to the dream world, he drifted, for the first time in so long … His one chance to return home.  But it was not a dream in which he could watch.  He was … Part of the dream, as a body.

He appeared outside of Lila’s bedroom, where he could hear the screams and painful moans from under the door’s crack.  As he pushed the door open, his eyes widened at the disbelief, for he saw what was real as something unreal.  He saw himself, much younger and pure of scars from the body.  He was nude and red, while Lila Aset mounted him with her scissors in both hands.

She smiled to him as her blades drove into James’ young flesh, leaving him crying out to her.  James, in his older, realistic self, watched this phenomenon with silence, for he could not belief that fate would grant him the vision of watching himself subjected to such treatment.  His reflection seemed to be enjoying it, for each painful moan was supplies with the desire to kiss Lila, and she would grant it to him each time she saw fit—such perfection.

The experienced James watched how naïve and immature his ‘past’ appeared.

”You will scream for me when I order you to … Screaming for anything else will result in you licking the inside of my boots, Jimmy.”  She told him after subjecting him to that treatment before the eyes of the older James.

”Aye, Mistress … Oi’m gunnae obey yer evereh werd.”  Said the young James in that voice that spoke of all that was naïve.

It was painful for the older James to view this any longer, for he came to the realization that Lila was the start of the monstrosity he had become … He was in a perfect position to interfere in this moment, now.  This would be the only time that James could return the favor to his first Mistress, through his own fantasy.

He sat over the bed while Lila continued digging her knife in his younger self’s side.  Speaking in a clear voice, the older James kept his eyes away from the pair.  ”You are better than this … She can never break your true potential, if you don’t allow her that privilege.”

Lila did not move, but the younger James looked away from her gaze to his future self.  ”Whot … d’ye mean?”

The older James turned while running his hands through his hair.  His gaze narrowed over the victimized James, ”Push her and make her yours … I am the poor sod that lives your future, and you will have no peace.”

The young elf stared back at him without saying any word, but then Lila screamed in his ear while driving the knife in him, ”You’re not looking in my eyes!  Suffer for me, Jimmy!”

The older elf stood up and screamed at the top of his lungs while the younger one, in a compelling surprise, rose against Lila.  He shoved her with his hands over her shoulders, where she fell off the bed and crashed her head against the wall just near it.  She was bleeding somewhat and crying, and the younger James sighed in guilt.

”You’re far from finished, mate … Save yourself the despair and take control of your situation.”  Said the older voice.

”I’m going to tell Mother and Father what you did, Jimmy!  And then you’ll be in real trouble!”  She shouted at him while her right hand rubbed at the back of her head.

In confusion, the young elf leaped over her, where he tore her clothes off her body and savagely took forced sexual desires unto her.  He beat her in the process and went so far as to threaten to prevent her from bearing children if she even considered telling her parents about that night, or any of her ‘fun’ nights, for that matter.  The old James watched with amusement as Lila felt so pressured and scared, unsure of what to do, and so she cried and promised that she would not.

”Good … We’re doing things MY way from now on.”  And with that, he forced himself onto her again, and she screamed in utter pain.  The older James watched everything, and he smiled as he felt reassurance that the right thing was done.  It was ‘justice’ being served … The one deprived of freedom was given what he deserved … All was well …

And then ... everything .... scrambled ...



~~~

When he closed his eyes and opened them, he was back in his office, head resting over his desk.  He realized that it was all a dream … Not a reality.  What it seemed to do was show that he could be just like that younger form of himself.  In fact, he even admitted to himself in a clear voice that he would commit to returning the favor to Cherry … Yes, that would be a grand  gift, after all the degrading and patience.

Cherry ironically entered his office, where she slammed the door, blocked the exit with one of the guest chairs, and dove over the table to grab his collar.  ”Shall we, Jimmy …?”

Could he?
Should he?
Would he?

… No, he didn’t … He submitted, because that was his ‘script’, and to break the script would be going out of character … Life was an act, in the book of James, and that meant staying true to the character.  Perhaps in the future, his reasoning would change, but in the heat of the moment, he was and would continue to serve his one woman … Dreams are not a reality, but a subtle form of propaganda from the brain … That is how he saw it.