Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Jul 29, 2007 10:14:16 GMT
The sun was just rising, and a pinkish-gold glow was covering the land out before the school. The enemy camp was visible from the window that Madeleine was looking out from. This early in the morning, it was asleep.
She sighed, looking out and raring to go. Kira had sent her shadow, Lisle and Seamus to find where Macy was, and how to get in there. Now, armed with this information, a gun, a sword, and an army, she just had to go and get her.
If only it were that simple.
No one was ready to go out and kill. All week she'd been organizing and attending training lessons, but it was one thing shooting fire or a bullet at a dummy and actually killing someone. She knew that once she was out there she could do it if needed, but the other Warriors weren't too sure about it. She'd had to give a pep talk.
Look, these people... yes, they are people. You'll have to injure them, you might even have to kill them. But these people, they took Macy. God only knows what they've done to her. And they'll be willing to do the same to you. And your family, and your friends. Given half a chance, they will. Don't let them have that chance. I'm not saying shoot everyone that's there, but if you're attacked, fight back. You have to... Yes, there's always a chance that you might be killed. Of course there is. But there's a chance of us getting killed even by setting foot outside the school. All of us, right now, are in No Man's Land. It's dangerous. You might get killed. We're warriors, we don't play safe. We take risks. But you have to be careful. And don't go into battle believing that you're going to die; you'll never get anywhere thinking like that. Some of you... some of you have had family... killed. Don't let that happen to you. This could be one of your only chances to avenge them...
She turned away from the window and looked around the room. The chessboard by the fire caught her eye. This is for you, Shaun, she thought fiercely.
She'd emailed her parents to let them know what she was going to do, the day after Macy was kidnapped - but carefully, just in case the email was being tracked. They'd written back, saying:
Madeleine,
Well, I can't say your mum and I are happy about this all, but congratulations! It's a great honour to be made Head, especially seeing how young you are, and we're very, very proud of you. And yes, it's dangerous, but you're a fighter. You always were. Shaun would be so proud. He'd tease you, but he would be.
Reading between the lines, we can guess what you're going to be doing. Your mum's freaking out, but it's something you'll have to do, and let's face it, you won't be happy until you do it. Good luck, and keep yourself safe, please.
And don't set yourself on vengeance, either. You know what I mean.
Oh, your mum said to write that she's sorry that your first real date didn't go so well (make-out sessions behind the trailer don't count. Yes, we know about those). Hopefully the next one will be better.
Nana sends her love. We haven't told her what you've been getting up to; she'll want to pull you out of the school. More because of the Lee thing than the kidnapping thing, I'll bet.
Good luck, and God go with you.
We love you,
Mum and Dad.
Would Shaun be proud? She hoped so. Shaun had been a Warrior, that was partly why they'd decided to kill him off. An ex-Orchid Hill Warrior and bare-knuckle fighter who refused to co-operate... he'd basically had a death sentence on him from the minute they approached him. He never really had a chance.
Maybe now, no matter what her parents said, she might be able to avenge his death. Just maybe.
The fire crackled in the grate and sent out a spark, startling Madeleine out of her reverie. She picked up her dagger and studied it.
The school had given them armour and weapons, but Madeleine preferred to use her own dagger - something that no-one knew that she had. Not even Shaun had known about it.
On his deathbed three years ago, her Grandad James (her mum's dad) had called Madeleine into his room and given it to her, telling her to keep it secret, as her parents wouldn't approve. It was an heirloom, made from silver with a sapphire stone set in the hilt, and he had "figured you might need it one day". So for three years, Madeleine had kept it secret from her parents and brother.
Now, looking at it, she remembered her grandad, and the moment that he'd given it to her.
"I figured you might need it one day..."
Did he know? Her grandfather had had the gift of seeing into the future, and Madeleine thought eerily, that he might have known what she was about to do.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, and Madeleine started. She tried hiding her dagger in her belt, but she wasn't quick enough.
Lee walked through the doors, saw her, and whistled. "No wonder I was nervous asking you out; you could have run me through!"
Madeleine laughed. "Wouldn't have done that. Good morning."
"Nervous?" he asked, flopping down on a couch.
"Not really," she lied.
He frowned at her. "You're either crazy or lying."
She grinned. "A bit of both, I think."
Lee smiled across at her. "Craziness is a nice feeling."
She laughed, then had a more practical thought. "Any news from Lisle and Seamus?"
"If there is, I haven't heard it," he yawned. "I'm only just up. It's too early."
Madeleine glanced at the clock. 6.37. "Oh, I didn't realise."
"The school's buzzing, don't worry about it," Lee said. "Everyone's preparing, whether they're Warrior or not."
"Except you; it seems that you're just up - lazy," she grinned, eyeing his sleep-tousled hair and slightly bleary-eyed look.
He smiled back. "That's me, Lazy Lee."
Madeleine laughed. "Ever the poet."
He chuckled, and a comfortable silence enveloped the both of them.
Madeleine glanced out of the window again, itching to go. She'd thought it was later - they weren't meeting up until nine. She'd woken up early, before everyone from her dorm was up, had gotten changed and had her armour and weapons ready to go. She just needed to meet with Seamus and Lisle to find out where Macy was, and gather together all the other Warriors and go over the battle plan once more.
"You might die today," Lee piped up.
Madeleine stared at him in astonishment. "Thanks for that!"
He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, but you might."
"I know," she said breezily.
Now it was his turn to stare at her. "You really aren't nervous?"
She sat down beside him on the couch. "No. I could die if I set foot outside the school. I've nearly died at least twice. Trust me, I'm used to the risk."
Okay, not true. You never get used to the risk. And sometimes, taking more risks felt like taking the escapes before for granted. But Madeleine was born to risk things. Such was life in her family, really. And while she didn't want to die - if she died, she'd see Shaun again. Simple as.
Lee shook his head. "Now I'm sure that you're crazy."
She had to smile.
"Don't die," he added.
"I'm not intending to," she replied, toying with the little sapphire point around her neck. Hopefully this would shield her from too much harm. If it got taken off her, however... she'd be screwed.
"Yeah, but you might, and that would suck."
She looked at him and smiled. "It'd be okay, you would all be fine. And you'd find another sarcasm and punch partner."
It was only as the words left her mouth that she realised how awful they sounded. She blushed and added. "That sounded better in my head."
He chuckled. "I figured."
"I'll try not to die, promise," she smiled gently.
He looked at her for a moment, as if thinking hard - or not thinking at all. She felt strangely hot under his gaze. "Yeah, please don't."
"Would it mean that much to you?" she asked, surprised. After all, they hadn't known each other that long, and she was just his sarcasm-and-punch partner.
Suddenly, surprisingly, he grinned. "Yeah, cause I wouldn't get to do this."
Before Madeleine could ask "Do what?", he'd leaned towards her and was kissing her.
Yes, she was clearly just a sarcasm-and-punch partner.
With the vague thought 'Kira is going to kill me', she moved her arms up around his neck, and kissed him back. Happiness and energy was surging through her, better than coffee. She was with Lee, she was kissing Lee...
Then, eager footsteps ran up the hall, and he pulled away just as Seamus burst through the door.
"Madeleine, we know where Macy is!"
Even in her annoyance at being interrupted, the excitement rose up quickly in her. "Seriously?"
"Aye!" he beamed, talking in his heavy Irish accent, bouncing up and down in excitement.
Madeleine jumped up, picking up her bag and then smiled at Lee. "I'm not going to die," she said, breaking into a smile.
"No?" he grinned up at her.
"No, cause you're going to do that again," she replied, grinning. "I'll see you later."
God willing...
She sighed, looking out and raring to go. Kira had sent her shadow, Lisle and Seamus to find where Macy was, and how to get in there. Now, armed with this information, a gun, a sword, and an army, she just had to go and get her.
If only it were that simple.
No one was ready to go out and kill. All week she'd been organizing and attending training lessons, but it was one thing shooting fire or a bullet at a dummy and actually killing someone. She knew that once she was out there she could do it if needed, but the other Warriors weren't too sure about it. She'd had to give a pep talk.
Look, these people... yes, they are people. You'll have to injure them, you might even have to kill them. But these people, they took Macy. God only knows what they've done to her. And they'll be willing to do the same to you. And your family, and your friends. Given half a chance, they will. Don't let them have that chance. I'm not saying shoot everyone that's there, but if you're attacked, fight back. You have to... Yes, there's always a chance that you might be killed. Of course there is. But there's a chance of us getting killed even by setting foot outside the school. All of us, right now, are in No Man's Land. It's dangerous. You might get killed. We're warriors, we don't play safe. We take risks. But you have to be careful. And don't go into battle believing that you're going to die; you'll never get anywhere thinking like that. Some of you... some of you have had family... killed. Don't let that happen to you. This could be one of your only chances to avenge them...
She turned away from the window and looked around the room. The chessboard by the fire caught her eye. This is for you, Shaun, she thought fiercely.
She'd emailed her parents to let them know what she was going to do, the day after Macy was kidnapped - but carefully, just in case the email was being tracked. They'd written back, saying:
Madeleine,
Well, I can't say your mum and I are happy about this all, but congratulations! It's a great honour to be made Head, especially seeing how young you are, and we're very, very proud of you. And yes, it's dangerous, but you're a fighter. You always were. Shaun would be so proud. He'd tease you, but he would be.
Reading between the lines, we can guess what you're going to be doing. Your mum's freaking out, but it's something you'll have to do, and let's face it, you won't be happy until you do it. Good luck, and keep yourself safe, please.
And don't set yourself on vengeance, either. You know what I mean.
Oh, your mum said to write that she's sorry that your first real date didn't go so well (make-out sessions behind the trailer don't count. Yes, we know about those). Hopefully the next one will be better.
Nana sends her love. We haven't told her what you've been getting up to; she'll want to pull you out of the school. More because of the Lee thing than the kidnapping thing, I'll bet.
Good luck, and God go with you.
We love you,
Mum and Dad.
Would Shaun be proud? She hoped so. Shaun had been a Warrior, that was partly why they'd decided to kill him off. An ex-Orchid Hill Warrior and bare-knuckle fighter who refused to co-operate... he'd basically had a death sentence on him from the minute they approached him. He never really had a chance.
Maybe now, no matter what her parents said, she might be able to avenge his death. Just maybe.
The fire crackled in the grate and sent out a spark, startling Madeleine out of her reverie. She picked up her dagger and studied it.
The school had given them armour and weapons, but Madeleine preferred to use her own dagger - something that no-one knew that she had. Not even Shaun had known about it.
On his deathbed three years ago, her Grandad James (her mum's dad) had called Madeleine into his room and given it to her, telling her to keep it secret, as her parents wouldn't approve. It was an heirloom, made from silver with a sapphire stone set in the hilt, and he had "figured you might need it one day". So for three years, Madeleine had kept it secret from her parents and brother.
Now, looking at it, she remembered her grandad, and the moment that he'd given it to her.
"I figured you might need it one day..."
Did he know? Her grandfather had had the gift of seeing into the future, and Madeleine thought eerily, that he might have known what she was about to do.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, and Madeleine started. She tried hiding her dagger in her belt, but she wasn't quick enough.
Lee walked through the doors, saw her, and whistled. "No wonder I was nervous asking you out; you could have run me through!"
Madeleine laughed. "Wouldn't have done that. Good morning."
"Nervous?" he asked, flopping down on a couch.
"Not really," she lied.
He frowned at her. "You're either crazy or lying."
She grinned. "A bit of both, I think."
Lee smiled across at her. "Craziness is a nice feeling."
She laughed, then had a more practical thought. "Any news from Lisle and Seamus?"
"If there is, I haven't heard it," he yawned. "I'm only just up. It's too early."
Madeleine glanced at the clock. 6.37. "Oh, I didn't realise."
"The school's buzzing, don't worry about it," Lee said. "Everyone's preparing, whether they're Warrior or not."
"Except you; it seems that you're just up - lazy," she grinned, eyeing his sleep-tousled hair and slightly bleary-eyed look.
He smiled back. "That's me, Lazy Lee."
Madeleine laughed. "Ever the poet."
He chuckled, and a comfortable silence enveloped the both of them.
Madeleine glanced out of the window again, itching to go. She'd thought it was later - they weren't meeting up until nine. She'd woken up early, before everyone from her dorm was up, had gotten changed and had her armour and weapons ready to go. She just needed to meet with Seamus and Lisle to find out where Macy was, and gather together all the other Warriors and go over the battle plan once more.
"You might die today," Lee piped up.
Madeleine stared at him in astonishment. "Thanks for that!"
He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, but you might."
"I know," she said breezily.
Now it was his turn to stare at her. "You really aren't nervous?"
She sat down beside him on the couch. "No. I could die if I set foot outside the school. I've nearly died at least twice. Trust me, I'm used to the risk."
Okay, not true. You never get used to the risk. And sometimes, taking more risks felt like taking the escapes before for granted. But Madeleine was born to risk things. Such was life in her family, really. And while she didn't want to die - if she died, she'd see Shaun again. Simple as.
Lee shook his head. "Now I'm sure that you're crazy."
She had to smile.
"Don't die," he added.
"I'm not intending to," she replied, toying with the little sapphire point around her neck. Hopefully this would shield her from too much harm. If it got taken off her, however... she'd be screwed.
"Yeah, but you might, and that would suck."
She looked at him and smiled. "It'd be okay, you would all be fine. And you'd find another sarcasm and punch partner."
It was only as the words left her mouth that she realised how awful they sounded. She blushed and added. "That sounded better in my head."
He chuckled. "I figured."
"I'll try not to die, promise," she smiled gently.
He looked at her for a moment, as if thinking hard - or not thinking at all. She felt strangely hot under his gaze. "Yeah, please don't."
"Would it mean that much to you?" she asked, surprised. After all, they hadn't known each other that long, and she was just his sarcasm-and-punch partner.
Suddenly, surprisingly, he grinned. "Yeah, cause I wouldn't get to do this."
Before Madeleine could ask "Do what?", he'd leaned towards her and was kissing her.
Yes, she was clearly just a sarcasm-and-punch partner.
With the vague thought 'Kira is going to kill me', she moved her arms up around his neck, and kissed him back. Happiness and energy was surging through her, better than coffee. She was with Lee, she was kissing Lee...
Then, eager footsteps ran up the hall, and he pulled away just as Seamus burst through the door.
"Madeleine, we know where Macy is!"
Even in her annoyance at being interrupted, the excitement rose up quickly in her. "Seriously?"
"Aye!" he beamed, talking in his heavy Irish accent, bouncing up and down in excitement.
Madeleine jumped up, picking up her bag and then smiled at Lee. "I'm not going to die," she said, breaking into a smile.
"No?" he grinned up at her.
"No, cause you're going to do that again," she replied, grinning. "I'll see you later."
God willing...