Post by Augidget on Dec 9, 2012 19:52:07 GMT -5
Augidget yelped, grabbing her hand. a hammer had fallen off a shelf above and landed on her hand. She was sitting in a small workshop, a number of engineering gizmos some complete but many others incomplete piled on the floor and workbenches around her.
Shaking her hand Augidget grumbled curses in Gnomish and continued to work on a wire coupling on the workbench in front of her, adjusting how she sat in the swivel stool.
18 years to the day had passed since her mother tried to kill her for disobeying an order to murder her father, and she would have succeeded if not for the timely intervention of a certain Dwarf.
His name was Burnon Flintfist, he moved to Gnomeregan a couple of decades ago to learn more about the craft of engineering, he had always found himself more at home in the metal streets of Gnomeregan then in the stone halls of Ironforge. He was a burly and muscular, with a well trimmed and full brown beard. Oddly enough he had always shaved his head bald and wore a black hat or hood to cover it.
"Better te shave yer 'ead when workin' on somethin', less chance o' gettin' oil in yer hair"
A philosophy which Augidget soon came to understand when she herself picked up engineering, though she herself did not practice it. Brunon had taught Augidget the basics of the craft but believed she should advance in her studies on her own. Which she had done so to great effect, within the short time since she picked it up to now, she was already creating devices and parts that nearly rivaled Brunon's. (At times to his dismay)
Augidget has always been grateful for Brunon for not only saving her life, but showing her immense kindness in letting her stay with him. Augidget was determined to not be burdon however and quickly tried to find ways to earn her keep, though not many people felt comfortable hiring an under-aged Gnome, Augidget instead decided to become Brunons assistant in his workshop.
During the first few years of Augidget staying with Brunon she always frightened to death of walking outside, still convinced that her mother was out there somewhere, waiting to get her and kill her. Eventually Brunon made a promise to Augidget.
"Listen lass, yer safe wit' me, an ye' always will be. I promise te' protect ye', and never let ye' come ta harm."
Brunon had always kept his word, even during the rare occasion of a thug trying to bully Augidget for any money she had. Brunon would quickly step in and scare him off, or beat him down. And soon enough, Augidget began to feel safe again in Brunons company, and eventually she found the courage to walk around Gnomeregan on her own.
Augidget cursed quietly, rubbing the back of her palm as a bruise had began to form there, hopping off the stool she stretched her arms. At that moment the door opened, and someone walked through. Augidget tensed, reaching for a knife she always kept at her side, only to relax instantly as she saw Brunon walk around the corner.
"Oy, mornin' thar lass. 'Ow's yer work goin'?"
Augidget smiled, she was always happy to see Brunon, to her it meant that she was completely safe again.
"Hey Brunon! This stupid wire coupling just keeps breaking and falling apart, no matter what I try."
Brunon took his wide brimmed black hat off, setting it on the table and arching an eyebrow at Augidget. Before smirking and crossing his large arms in front of his chest.
"Did ye' try usin' a duel influx port?"
Augidget facepalmed with a groan, turning back to the device she was working on.
"No.. I didn't.."
Brunon chuckled, clapping Augidget on the shoulder as he walked past to sit on the stool.
"Ye been at this all mornin'. Why don't ye go 'ave a break eh?"
Augidget nodded, shaking her head and walking out of the workshop, using a dirty rag to clean her hands
Augidget spent the whole day either cleaning up around the house or practicing her swordplay out the back on the training dummy. By the dusk hours Augidget was already worn out, though not enough to stop her from working on a device in the workshop again. Brunon entered the doorway and leaned on the side, a smile on his face.
"Ye' really do like workin' on devices, don't ye?"
Augidget smiled, turning her head for a moment to see Brunon before returning her attention to the spherical device on the table. It was a simple item, a ball designed to sit in one spot while a rat or other small furry creature runs inside it. Though the purpose was to catch live rats rather use it for one someone already owned.
"....'Ow long 'as it been lass?"
Augidget shifted her attention for a moment before looking back to her device. shrugging.
"Since when?"
Brunon pushed himself off the side of the doorway, slowly walking forward towards Augidget.
"Since ye' know. We first met."
Augidget instinctively tensed up, the images of that night flooding her mind. The pain as her eye was cut out, the fear of death, the pain her mother had inflicted, physically and emotionally. Brunon picked up on Augidgets tension, frowning with a sorrowful look on his face.
"Sorry lass... Didnae meant te remind ye' o' that night"
Augidget took a deep breath, relaxing once again.
"No, Brunon.. It's ok. It's been 18 years."
Brunon stood against the table, leaning back and staring out the doorway.
"18 years eh? Heh, I still remember when ye' first came 'ere, ye' were much younger, afraid, but look at ye' now. Ye' grown up, ye' a damned good engineer. And yer no longer afraid te' go outside, ye' really 'ave become a fine woman."
Augidget stopped what she was doing, turning to her left to look at Brunon. A slightly confused smile comes to her.
"Uhh.. Thanks Brunon."
Brunon nodded, before turning to Augidget. He looked at the Gnome in a very peculiar fashion, one that made Augidget a tad uneasy for some reason.
"I.. 'ave a confession lass. Ye've been an adult fer a few year's now an'.. Well, I've sort of. began te' "Like" ye'."
Augidget froze, Brunon taking a gentle hold of her hands. Where did all this come from? She has known Brunon for years, he's a like a brother to her.
"An'.. I was 'opin' ye' may like me tee'.."
Brunon continued to stare, and was slowly getting closer. Augidget panicked and forced her hands out of his, stumbling off the chair and towards the doorway before stopping and turning to face him, her heart was again racing.
"I.. I'm sorry Brunon.. But.. I don't.. I'm so sorry.."
With that Augidget ran out of the workshop, Brunon stood there, a dumbfounded look on his face. Which quickly turned to a look of hurt.
Augidget spent the next few days avoiding Brunon, she could not bare to look him in the eyes. He cared for her, but she did not share the infatuation, and she knew this had hurt Brunon. Feeling ashamed that she had hurt her dearest friend that way she tried to rationalize. What was she supposed to do? Pretend she liked him? That could lead to worse hurt then anything else.
Augidget was sitting quietly in the lounge room when Brunon barged in through the door, the stench of alcohol was heavy on his breath and clothing. Upon seeing Augidget he staggered closer to her. Augidget quickly got out of the chair she was in. Watching Brunon with a worried look.
"Look, Brunon, I-"
Brunon waved his hand dismissively in front of her, shouting before she could say another word.
"Quiet lass! I wan' te' know why ye' won' 'ave me!"
Augidget blinked, stepping back a bit, she stuttered as she tried to find the right words to answer him.
"I-I, I guess it's.. I.. Umm.."
Brunon threw his hands up in the air, a slur coming to his speech.
"Is it me 'at? Me bald 'ead? Me beard? Wot is it?!"
Augidget stepped back again, Brunon was clearly very angry and not entirely himself at this point. Augidget was starting to become frightened.
"Ye' love me! I know ye' do! The way ye' smile at me, talk te' me, even if ye' dunnae know it, I do!"
Brunon start to close the gap, Augidget quickly moving away, trying to keep a small distance between them at least.
"Brunon please! G-go to bed.. Take some time to calm down, just, don't come any closer."
Brunon seemed hurt again by that request. This time he leaped foward, grabbing Augidget by the shirt and holding her in place. Augidget yelled, Brunon was babbling many things, amongst them was demands that she love him, not knowing what else to do she took out her knife and stabbed Brunon in the arm. Brunon wailed in pain for a moment, only to drive a massive fist into Augidgets face.
Darkness followed.
It was dark, cold, the sound of a greeting gear rotating at the start of a hallway can be heard nearby. Augidget sat, huddled up behind a stack of metal boxes. Crying into her knees, she looked up, severe pain hits her throat as she sobs, she had put a rag on over her eye to replace the torn eye patch, her other deep blue and black. She also had a broken lip.
Her entire body was covered in bruises and scuff marks, she had fought someone much stronger then her, but who? And why? What happened to her? Why can't she remember? She thought hard, but she stopped, suddenly not wanting to remember, why didn't she want to remember? Who hurt her? Where was Brunon? He promised he'd never let her be hurt. No. He can't protect her, whatever happened, she knew that.
Pushing herself in the darkest corner Augidget continued to sob and cry, hugging her knees close and rocking back and forth. She then realized something. She was alone. Completely.
When she was a child, she had her mother, even if she used her, she guided, helped her.
Then she had Brunon, who protected her up until now. Now he can't help her.
All of a sudden the pain became unbearable again and she cried into her knees.
She was alone, in the dark.
Alone.
Shaking her hand Augidget grumbled curses in Gnomish and continued to work on a wire coupling on the workbench in front of her, adjusting how she sat in the swivel stool.
18 years to the day had passed since her mother tried to kill her for disobeying an order to murder her father, and she would have succeeded if not for the timely intervention of a certain Dwarf.
His name was Burnon Flintfist, he moved to Gnomeregan a couple of decades ago to learn more about the craft of engineering, he had always found himself more at home in the metal streets of Gnomeregan then in the stone halls of Ironforge. He was a burly and muscular, with a well trimmed and full brown beard. Oddly enough he had always shaved his head bald and wore a black hat or hood to cover it.
"Better te shave yer 'ead when workin' on somethin', less chance o' gettin' oil in yer hair"
A philosophy which Augidget soon came to understand when she herself picked up engineering, though she herself did not practice it. Brunon had taught Augidget the basics of the craft but believed she should advance in her studies on her own. Which she had done so to great effect, within the short time since she picked it up to now, she was already creating devices and parts that nearly rivaled Brunon's. (At times to his dismay)
Augidget has always been grateful for Brunon for not only saving her life, but showing her immense kindness in letting her stay with him. Augidget was determined to not be burdon however and quickly tried to find ways to earn her keep, though not many people felt comfortable hiring an under-aged Gnome, Augidget instead decided to become Brunons assistant in his workshop.
During the first few years of Augidget staying with Brunon she always frightened to death of walking outside, still convinced that her mother was out there somewhere, waiting to get her and kill her. Eventually Brunon made a promise to Augidget.
"Listen lass, yer safe wit' me, an ye' always will be. I promise te' protect ye', and never let ye' come ta harm."
Brunon had always kept his word, even during the rare occasion of a thug trying to bully Augidget for any money she had. Brunon would quickly step in and scare him off, or beat him down. And soon enough, Augidget began to feel safe again in Brunons company, and eventually she found the courage to walk around Gnomeregan on her own.
Augidget cursed quietly, rubbing the back of her palm as a bruise had began to form there, hopping off the stool she stretched her arms. At that moment the door opened, and someone walked through. Augidget tensed, reaching for a knife she always kept at her side, only to relax instantly as she saw Brunon walk around the corner.
"Oy, mornin' thar lass. 'Ow's yer work goin'?"
Augidget smiled, she was always happy to see Brunon, to her it meant that she was completely safe again.
"Hey Brunon! This stupid wire coupling just keeps breaking and falling apart, no matter what I try."
Brunon took his wide brimmed black hat off, setting it on the table and arching an eyebrow at Augidget. Before smirking and crossing his large arms in front of his chest.
"Did ye' try usin' a duel influx port?"
Augidget facepalmed with a groan, turning back to the device she was working on.
"No.. I didn't.."
Brunon chuckled, clapping Augidget on the shoulder as he walked past to sit on the stool.
"Ye been at this all mornin'. Why don't ye go 'ave a break eh?"
Augidget nodded, shaking her head and walking out of the workshop, using a dirty rag to clean her hands
Augidget spent the whole day either cleaning up around the house or practicing her swordplay out the back on the training dummy. By the dusk hours Augidget was already worn out, though not enough to stop her from working on a device in the workshop again. Brunon entered the doorway and leaned on the side, a smile on his face.
"Ye' really do like workin' on devices, don't ye?"
Augidget smiled, turning her head for a moment to see Brunon before returning her attention to the spherical device on the table. It was a simple item, a ball designed to sit in one spot while a rat or other small furry creature runs inside it. Though the purpose was to catch live rats rather use it for one someone already owned.
"....'Ow long 'as it been lass?"
Augidget shifted her attention for a moment before looking back to her device. shrugging.
"Since when?"
Brunon pushed himself off the side of the doorway, slowly walking forward towards Augidget.
"Since ye' know. We first met."
Augidget instinctively tensed up, the images of that night flooding her mind. The pain as her eye was cut out, the fear of death, the pain her mother had inflicted, physically and emotionally. Brunon picked up on Augidgets tension, frowning with a sorrowful look on his face.
"Sorry lass... Didnae meant te remind ye' o' that night"
Augidget took a deep breath, relaxing once again.
"No, Brunon.. It's ok. It's been 18 years."
Brunon stood against the table, leaning back and staring out the doorway.
"18 years eh? Heh, I still remember when ye' first came 'ere, ye' were much younger, afraid, but look at ye' now. Ye' grown up, ye' a damned good engineer. And yer no longer afraid te' go outside, ye' really 'ave become a fine woman."
Augidget stopped what she was doing, turning to her left to look at Brunon. A slightly confused smile comes to her.
"Uhh.. Thanks Brunon."
Brunon nodded, before turning to Augidget. He looked at the Gnome in a very peculiar fashion, one that made Augidget a tad uneasy for some reason.
"I.. 'ave a confession lass. Ye've been an adult fer a few year's now an'.. Well, I've sort of. began te' "Like" ye'."
Augidget froze, Brunon taking a gentle hold of her hands. Where did all this come from? She has known Brunon for years, he's a like a brother to her.
"An'.. I was 'opin' ye' may like me tee'.."
Brunon continued to stare, and was slowly getting closer. Augidget panicked and forced her hands out of his, stumbling off the chair and towards the doorway before stopping and turning to face him, her heart was again racing.
"I.. I'm sorry Brunon.. But.. I don't.. I'm so sorry.."
With that Augidget ran out of the workshop, Brunon stood there, a dumbfounded look on his face. Which quickly turned to a look of hurt.
Augidget spent the next few days avoiding Brunon, she could not bare to look him in the eyes. He cared for her, but she did not share the infatuation, and she knew this had hurt Brunon. Feeling ashamed that she had hurt her dearest friend that way she tried to rationalize. What was she supposed to do? Pretend she liked him? That could lead to worse hurt then anything else.
Augidget was sitting quietly in the lounge room when Brunon barged in through the door, the stench of alcohol was heavy on his breath and clothing. Upon seeing Augidget he staggered closer to her. Augidget quickly got out of the chair she was in. Watching Brunon with a worried look.
"Look, Brunon, I-"
Brunon waved his hand dismissively in front of her, shouting before she could say another word.
"Quiet lass! I wan' te' know why ye' won' 'ave me!"
Augidget blinked, stepping back a bit, she stuttered as she tried to find the right words to answer him.
"I-I, I guess it's.. I.. Umm.."
Brunon threw his hands up in the air, a slur coming to his speech.
"Is it me 'at? Me bald 'ead? Me beard? Wot is it?!"
Augidget stepped back again, Brunon was clearly very angry and not entirely himself at this point. Augidget was starting to become frightened.
"Ye' love me! I know ye' do! The way ye' smile at me, talk te' me, even if ye' dunnae know it, I do!"
Brunon start to close the gap, Augidget quickly moving away, trying to keep a small distance between them at least.
"Brunon please! G-go to bed.. Take some time to calm down, just, don't come any closer."
Brunon seemed hurt again by that request. This time he leaped foward, grabbing Augidget by the shirt and holding her in place. Augidget yelled, Brunon was babbling many things, amongst them was demands that she love him, not knowing what else to do she took out her knife and stabbed Brunon in the arm. Brunon wailed in pain for a moment, only to drive a massive fist into Augidgets face.
Darkness followed.
It was dark, cold, the sound of a greeting gear rotating at the start of a hallway can be heard nearby. Augidget sat, huddled up behind a stack of metal boxes. Crying into her knees, she looked up, severe pain hits her throat as she sobs, she had put a rag on over her eye to replace the torn eye patch, her other deep blue and black. She also had a broken lip.
Her entire body was covered in bruises and scuff marks, she had fought someone much stronger then her, but who? And why? What happened to her? Why can't she remember? She thought hard, but she stopped, suddenly not wanting to remember, why didn't she want to remember? Who hurt her? Where was Brunon? He promised he'd never let her be hurt. No. He can't protect her, whatever happened, she knew that.
Pushing herself in the darkest corner Augidget continued to sob and cry, hugging her knees close and rocking back and forth. She then realized something. She was alone. Completely.
When she was a child, she had her mother, even if she used her, she guided, helped her.
Then she had Brunon, who protected her up until now. Now he can't help her.
All of a sudden the pain became unbearable again and she cried into her knees.
She was alone, in the dark.
Alone.