Fleeing the Isle (Lady Thorn & Caspian)

[PrinceCaspian]

It had been a miserable winter on Bardsey Island for Tywyn the Fisher. The man of only 18 had lost both of his parents in the winter due to plague and the fishing season came late, due to a torrent of icebergs. Something so rare in the Irish sea that Tywyn nor his father had ever seen on in their lifetimes until this spring. Tywyn had nothing and he was living off of salted cod and potatoes. Even those were running thin, but not as thin as his patience.

Tywyn's boat had been moored properly, the only saving grace to the year since many other fishermen had lost their boats in the unseasonably heavy stormy season or in crashing into icebergs. Once the season got underway for fishing and his nets were in the water, everything would be right again. Perhaps he might even find himself a wife soon and have sons of his own. Perhaps they would move on elsewhere. The Isle of Man or Ireland. There was not much to tie him to Bardsey Island anymore. Only his boat held him in place and the nice thing about owning your own boat is: you can take it anywhere you like.

He stood on the end of the dock, his eyes the colour of the sea and his hair was raven black. He was a tall man, like his father: broad shouldered and long legged. His face was that of a man who worked the seas, bright but slightly weathered. His skin tanned, something the well-to-do residents of the Isle used to tease him about. Tanned men were poor men, as it went. Which was fine since his clothes were every bit as weathered as he. Anything Tywyn wore to sea more than a handful of times was bleached into the same nondescript beige that all of his clothes were. Only his black boots save their colour.

Weeks earlier Tywyn began preparing his boat. He made sure that he had enough dried food for exactly twice as long as he expected to be away (a trick his father had taught him.) His nets, an extra sail and oars were all packed into the floor of his fishing boat alongside crab traps. He packed dry clothes and a blanket into a folding leather satchel that had been sealed with wax against the elements. Everything was ready: he was just waiting for something to happen.

 

[PrinceCaspian]

RE: Fleeing the Isle

Tywyn had been picking up provisions for his journey. Fiber for netting, cork, a barrel of rotten fish for baiting his nets and two dozen water skins. Tywyn had seen first hand the effects of drinking seawater, it would drive a man insane and then drown him with delusions. He also purchased a few buckets for bailing water and for a latrine if he could not find land before nightfall.

The market was full of laughter and mirth, people were beginning to prepare for the spring. The blacksmith was busiest, sharpening anything and everything that was metal within 20 miles. Tywyn was smart and had all of his hooks sharpened in the winter and stored in oil. They were sharp and waiting for pick-up. It was on the way back from the blacksmith that he saw the girl.

Tywyn walked through the outskirts of town, as there were street-bandits who would steal the clothes off your back and the shoes off your feet if you didn't watch them. He preferred the forest anyways, since trees were hard to come by on the open seas. When he saw her he noticed that she was skinny, malnourished and desperate. She looked as though she was looking for food.

Tywyn made his way over towards the grove the girl was peering out of when he heard the thundering sounds of hoof beats coming down the hill towards them. He didn't know if they were after him, the girl, or the street thieves - but Tywyn knew that any time there was a search being done, it was best to not be there. During a search, everywhere was the wrong place at the wrong time. He grabbed the girl by the hand and they ran into the village.

 

[PrinceCaspian]

RE: Fleeing the Isle

Tywyn pulled the girl down a back alley, around the back of a furriers house and into the straw piled behind a stable supply shop. They sat in the hay, Tywyn's index finger over his lips. He did not know why the guards were looking for such a small, slender girl. She was in trouble, but for what? She was obviously not a threat to anyone. As the hoof beats came down through the alley and into the yard, they stilled themselves. Tywyn's leather vest was scraped by the steel of a sword, but no blood came forth onto the blade. Another blade passed a fraction of an inch from his nose and another between he and the girl. The blade stopped and they could hear the shuffle of the guard moving onto the other piles, testing with his sword. The rattle of the guards armor became loud as he mounted his horse and they drove off in a rush towards the center of the town.

Tywyn took the girl to forest at the edge of the town. They avoided any main paths and crossed the roads carefully. They were only 2 miles from his house on the Eastern edge of the Isle. There he could keep her safe and get her some food. She was clearly exhausted and he didn't know if she would make it to his house or not, but they had to try. He needed answers about who he just risked his life for. He propped her up putting her arm over his wide shoulders and lifting her up from the armpit on the other side. They walked for what seemed like half a day before they made it to the house, collapsing onto the floor. Tywyn went to the barrel containing the dried fish, kept dry in flour. He also produced some hard bread he had baked for being on the boat. It didn't taste good, but it kept for several days, unlike softer breads.