[PRP] Weakling (Cetra/Hunthyex)

[demon_pachabel]

This was the fourth time Cetra had to set down the box - who had known parchment could have been so heavy? When W'tarl had asked her to run it up to one of the Goldrider's chambers - at their request - she'd more than jumped at the chance, though she'd admittedly sulked a bit when he told her he'd be sending another candidate up after her with another one of the boxes. "I don't need any help," she'd insisted. She was still insistent of it with it rested on a step, leaning her weight into it miserably.

Four rest breaks wasn't bad, right? She took another deep breath, willed her body to be ready for another stretch of walking, hoisted the box back up and continued her way up to the top of the stairs. It was a more difficult stretch than she would have liked and again, she had to set it down with a rather pathetic wheeze.

She was close...right?

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Becoming a Candidate wasn't so different from being an apprentice in the Hall, and Hunthyex thought he'd adapted rather well to the sudden change. Admittedly, anything was better than being touched and cossetted by people he didn't know, and he accepted W'tarl's task without question. Physical training had increased his strength and stamina measurably, so hefting boxes upstairs didn't do much to wind him.

He was already nearing the top of the stairs when he spotted the small woman who looked miserably out of breath, pausing to make certain she wasn't about to pass out or anything dramatic like that. Typical. He nearly sighed to himself, but repressed the urge. "Do you need help?" He asked, more interested in getting the task completed than her personal welfare, but the question should play in his favor. "We have quite a few more boxes to go..."

And if she was already struggling with the first one....

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

And here was that help W'tarl had said would be on their way, already outpacing her. Typical, but it didn't damper Cetra's spirits at all. Instead, she perked up, already hoisting the box back up (and in poor form, at that).

"Oh, no no. I have it. I just...haha, I just needed a minute," she said, offering up the best smile she could muster while also wanting to just wheeze. She didn't actually have it as well as uh... well, she didn't know everybody's names all that well. "Thank you for asking!" it had been awfully nice of him to ask! She'd just get this box down the hall and then it'd be back downstairs for the next one, right?

Oof, the hall looked awfully long, though, and Cetra was already mentally planning where her next break would be. That much was obvious and written on her face.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

A minute? More like a Turn. Hunthyex had to stop himself from staring, taking an unnoticeable breath before plastering a smile on his face. "Of course. It's no problem." And off he went, mentally shaking his head. One box delivered, several more to go...

He'd hauled several boxes by the time he stopped by her again, much more openly exasperated than he'd been. "How many is this now?" He asked, apparently unimpressed with her pace. It was making things take much longer, and patience never had been his strong suit.

Kill him now.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

First box down, back for another.

She'd not exactly been counting as Hunthyex outpaced her - though she did move notably faster unencumbered than she did when she was trying to carry a box with her. So at least she didn't take twice as long as he did. But she still took longer - and it seemed he'd noticed it based on the change in his tone.

Cetra stuck her lower lip out as she furrowed her brow in thought at his accusatory question. "Well, obviously less than you. I have short legs," she answered, perhaps a little sharply, "I can do the rest if you think I'm holding you up." if there was a bit of bite in her tone, it was entirely on purpose, though not aggressive.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Hunthyex let out a small huff of unamused laughter. "More like I'll finish this." As if he had time for her snotty comments. Hunthyex leaned down and plucked the box deftly from her awkward grip, rolling his eyes slightly as he did so.

"Holding people back won't earn you any friends." The man offered like a choice bit of advice. "You can struggle on your own time."

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Except she wasn't exactly eager to let go of the box, holding onto it with the edges of her fingers and digging her heels in - mostly ineffectively. Cetra felt half his size, even if she was more like 2/3rds of it, really. Maybe 3/4ths. She just felt very small - and she wasn't going to let him snap at her worth like that. Though it had stung in a way she wasn't about to admit to.

"I said I have it." she hissed through her teeth, "It can be my own time, I told you that you can stop!"

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Undaunted by her sudden tenacity, Hunthyex continued to lift, intending to keep it fully above his head and out of her reach. Of course, if she threw herself at him like a maddened wherry, his plan might have an unexpected wrench in it. "Right, so W'tarl can wonder where I've left you when I come back? Don't be ridiculous."

With a grunt, he saw if he couldn't finally wrench it free from her grasp. "Then we can go back and you can slog through whatever task you're given next by yourself."

Nothing irritated him more than someone who couldn't suck it up and just let him get things done.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

There was a clear difference in strength between them - Cetra wouldn't have been able to hold herself up off the ground even if she'd had a better grip and her fingers slipped off the box - and she went stumbling back from her lack of balance. She caught herself and took another determined step forward.

"Just because I'm not as big and strong as you doesn't give you the right to undermine me doing my best!" she hissed, though she restrained herself from any physical swats or thumps. Barely. "Now give it back!"

And if he just tried to walk off with it...she'd be right on his heels.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Oh, here we go. Hunthyex listened with half an ear as he carried the box up the stairs, because she certainly wasn't letting him get out of her sight. "And your lack of strength doesn't give you the right to waste my time when we both could be done much more quickly." He retorted, not fazed in the slightest. "Either swallow your pride and take the help, or do better."

She could be proud of her best somewhere else. Hunthyex really didn't care.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"I have given you an out and it is your pride that is wasting time," she hissed back, unwilling to bend on the matter. Though she knew it was unlikely that he'd just give it back to her.

Still, she had too much pride to lash out, even if the back of his knees would have made a tempting target. She'd not do her best elsewhere. She would do it here and she would take the box back. Once they'd cleared the stairs she made a grab for it again.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

The man saw her coming and quickly lifted the box once more, slightly amused that his height made it so easy to do so. "Yes, yes, scorch my pride." His tone practically oozed indifference. As far as Hunthyex was concerned, the battle was one. She could continue to n** and yap at his heels like a scruffy canine for all the attention he'd give her. Really, some people. Was it truly worth getting this worked up?

Unless the girl had any surprises for him, Hunthyex would set the box down in the Goldrider's chambers with an air of satisfaction. Done.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

It was frustrating. That this...a*****e was bigger than she was made getting HER box back - one he'd stolen right out of her hands - made a well of anger bubble in her chest and it threatened to be too much. Cetra didn't like the feeling of impending tears, and she didn't like that he was going to be the one to push her to that point. She wasn't a helpless animal.

But he made her feel like one.

She wanted to curse him, though she had a distinct feeling he wouldn't care about anything she could have set upon him no matter how dire it was. "Well enjoy the rest of your day, because you may have freed yourself but I'm not done," she hissed, knowing he wouldn't care. But she couldn't change his mind.

And all she could do was storm off, as though the very stomp of her feet could set a hurricane about her as she headed back down towards the barracks. She'd hunt down W'tarl, or F'dral, or whoever would have her and find another task to prove herself with - and one that he would hopefully not be bid to help her in. She'd work herself raw that day out of spite.

She'd work herself sick if she had to.

Tsunake

A wrap!