The pandemonium continues for some time, people rushing around every which way, a body count racking up from the battle in the square. It's after about twenty minutes that a thin, hooded form straggles into the otherwise unoccupied alley and drops to their knees, rasping hideously as they clutch at their throat. The only visible skin is on their hand, dirty and skeletal, but nonetheless one Pippa has seen before.
The cloaked shape that goes to their knees in the alleyway nearly ends up trod under Rooster's hooves, but Pippa spots them at the last moment and pulls him up sharp. Agitated and afraid, she snaps, "Hey! Get out of the--" but stops short of finishing that sentence.
Some things are too familiar to be forgotten; maybe it's the way the body moves, or the sound of the breathing, even rasping and agonized.
"Agata!" Without thinking, Pippa rushes forward and tries to pull the woman who had been her surrogate mother up to her feet. "Come with me, I'll get you out of the city..!"
Agata stands, but only with Pippa's assistance. She's incredibly weak and clearly having difficulty supporting her own head, which bows forward uncomfortably as she grips the girl's cloak. "Can't-- be seen with-- me," she chokes, and seems to be feebly trying to push her away.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Pippa hisses and won't be pushed away. She's gotten quite strong, not that she was ever much of a weakling even as a child; she had three brothers and an older sister to keep up with, if one counts Colin and Camilla.
She grabs hold of Rooster's halter again and coaxes him closer with a few clicks of her tongue, then looks quickly back to Agata. "I'll boost you up onto his back, just grab hold of his withers so you don't fall off."
Not in any position to argue, Agata nods defeatedly and allows herself to be boosted. She's light, too light perhaps, but manages enough strength to grip at the base of Rooster's mane while she tries to hold herself steady.
Pippa takes the opportunity to swiftly look around herself to see if they are drawing any attention to themselves and decides that even if there are curious eyes on them, they belong to people who probably won't go running to the duke's men anyway. She hoists herself up onto Rooster's back behind Agata, nimble as can be, snatches up the lead rope that will now have to serve as reins, and coaxes the mule into a gambolling trot.
"If anyone asks," she hisses, "you're my infirm mother, you have the pox, and I'm taking you home to die peacefully in your bed."
Agata nods mutely, and looks like she's about ready to do just that. Knowing that she would likely not survive a fall off this mule, she rationalizes that it's too late to jump ship now, and lets Pippa spirit her away.
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It's after about twenty minutes that a thin, hooded form straggles into the otherwise unoccupied alley and drops to their knees, rasping hideously as they clutch at their throat.
The only visible skin is on their hand, dirty and skeletal, but nonetheless one Pippa has seen before.
no subject
Some things are too familiar to be forgotten; maybe it's the way the body moves, or the sound of the breathing, even rasping and agonized.
"Agata!" Without thinking, Pippa rushes forward and tries to pull the woman who had been her surrogate mother up to her feet. "Come with me, I'll get you out of the city..!"
no subject
"Can't-- be seen with-- me," she chokes, and seems to be feebly trying to push her away.
no subject
She grabs hold of Rooster's halter again and coaxes him closer with a few clicks of her tongue, then looks quickly back to Agata. "I'll boost you up onto his back, just grab hold of his withers so you don't fall off."
no subject
no subject
"If anyone asks," she hisses, "you're my infirm mother, you have the pox, and I'm taking you home to die peacefully in your bed."
no subject