A Sun With A Darkened Glow (Cass)

[Aello]

Fall 30, 511 AV Aello strode silently through the city streets. Weaving her way in and out of narrow passages lined with the canal. Her cloak billowed angrily around her heels, more with the speed of her step, then the gentle sweep of the breeze. The air was growing cooler now, although it still failed to truly chill the girl to the bone, for in this place, Rhysol seemed to protect everyone, even from the harshest of things, if he saw fit to do so. Her hood was pulled up over her head, casting her face in shadow, making it all the more difficult to discern just who she was. Although, several strands of dark brown hair curled around the side of her neck, and were still, highly visible. The same could be said of course, for the gently curved shortbow she held in her left hand, her pack and her quiver, which rested in the center of her back. Her daggers, on the other hand, were concealed in their usual places upon her thighs. Although, the girl couldn't so much as feel the new one's presence. The cursed one, however, seemed to sink into her skin. To chill her flesh. To leave its vile stain upon her; a mark which could not be rinsed away. Yune rested upon Aello's right shoulder, her chest rising and falling steadily as she held her eyes shut. As she dreamt of things that Aello could only begin to imagine. She was silent as the night, content as a lamb, or something of the like. Her wings held tightly to her sides, her feet curled beneath her form. Aello sighed, as she eyed the bird on her shoulder absently. Why are you never awake when one needs advice? An idea as to how best spend their time while trapped in this pitiful city? Aello wondered as she continued onwards, turning down a narrow side street, which led away from the canal, and then over a sturdy, arched stone bridge, which hung directly over it. Aello strode out towards the center of the bridge, and leaned out over the rise which served as a sort of railing. She rested her elbows upon the dark grey stones, and looked out upon the canal that was directly beneath where she now stood. The light of the sun shimmered against the waters, but even so, the rippling mass still proved to be far too dark for the girl to make out her own reflection. As she watched the waters slosh alongside the canal, she noticed that the area was no where near as quiet as the place in which she had once been. Still, it was quiet, but, there was also life. From time to time, a ravosala would make its way down the narrow strip of water. Carrying passengers, or sometimes, what appeared to be nothing at all. The girl watched them, their drivers as they dipped their oars into the darkness, and propelled their boats along. Aello watched the passengers next, now that she had grown tired of watching the monotonous and rhythmic movements of the ravosala masters. She noticed that some traveled alone, some with others. Usually, the number of passengers never exceeded the grand number of two, it seemed. The girl imagined what they must be saying. What they must be doing together, or even, all alone. She wondered where they were going. Admired their dress. The long sweeping fabrics. Jewels sewn into the lapels. The folded fabric on each portion of their sleeves. Into ruffles and headpieces. The color of their hair, their skin. But there was one woman in particular that Aello admired. A woman with wavy hair as dark as a raven's feathers. Eyes that were a soft hazel. Aello did not admire this woman because she was particularly well-dressed, or because she seemed even remotely more interesting than the others she had observed. Instead, she watched this woman because she was slight, because she appeared to be rather beautiful, despite her simplicity, in both manner and dress. Not only that, but Aello was certain she had seen this woman before, or someone with a remarkable likeness to her. Aello followed the woman closely, her dark eyes sinking into her facial flesh. Her grip tightened around her bow as she sank even more deeply into her arms, knowing that she was not going to move from her perch any time in the near future. She simply wondered what this woman's story was.

[Cassandra Coven]

Cassandra sat quietly on the ravosala, back straight, hands folded neatly on her lap and her buttocks only occupying half the space of the seat she sat on. Prim and proper, as she had been taught to do by her mother so long ago and in a place far away from where she was now. Her dark locks were blown by the gentle breeze that seemed be ever present along the canals, leaving her face clear of any stray strand even if she kept her head slightly bowed. She looked almost like a lifelike statue being transported by the boatman, so still was she seated on the boat's cushioned bench, her body only making minor adjustments to compensate for the barely noticable undulation of the ravosala as it crested through Lake Ravok. Despite the common style and quality of the clothes she wore, she would appear serene and almost regal to any observer watching her, her face peaceful and bereft of any form of expression. That, of course, as merely an illusion she maintained for anyone who may have their eyes on her - for the ravosalaman, in particular. But mostly, it was for herself, to keep a firm grip on her sanity. The young woman thought that if she put on a calm demeanor, the turmoil within her spirit would soon follow. Calm and collected she may seem, but the truth was that she wanted nothing more than to cry out at the horrors she had just seen...and helped perform. Cassandra had just come from the Vitrax, the headquarters of the Ebonstryfe, having completed one of the many torture sessions she was now being paid by Trevinus Nitrozian to do. A "public service in private", as the man liked to call it, for such sessions were usually followed by a more intimate activity in the acolyte's personal quarters, one she was expected to perform in much better than she did in the torture chamber if she expected to get paid. Trevinus was away on business for the day and Cassandra did not have to do any such thing for him, so she was out of the Vitrax early. If she was honest with herself, she would readily admit that she did not mind being the Acolyte's personal sex toy - yes, sex toy, for she had no illusions of what she truly was to the man - for Trevinus was a fine lover and paid attention to her own physical needs the same time he was satisfying his own. So unlike her real lover, who usually just took what he wanted from her and, more often than not, drunk while he was doing it. Besides, could she really turn someone of his position down? She was a mere commoner, and an immigrant at that, while he was a member of one of the most influential families in the city. He would not be used to someone like her saying 'no' to him, and she would probably find herself facing the wrong end of a blade if she tried. But what Cassandra did in Trevinus' bed was not what was mentally scarring her, but rather what he was really paying her to do for coming to the Vitrax, and that was to torture the many prisoners of the Ebonstryfe - a different one for each visit she made. The mark she had received from Krysus made her an exceptional tool for this. Oftentimes, she was presented with hardened criminals, ones who would no doubt kill her if they had met in a darkened alley (or so Trevinus had told her), and Cassandra had very little pangs of guilt for them (now, at least) when applying her special gift. But today had been different. Because Trevinus was away, Cassandra was accompanied down into the tourture chamber by one of his men. This was not strange in itself; the guard was there to make sure that she did what was asked of her. But unlike the previous times when Trevinus was not present, this time the man who went down with her actually gave her instructions on what she was supposed to do on the prisoner. If that had not given her the hint that the prisoner she would be 'servicing' that day was someone special, then surely the prisoner's gender did. It was a woman. The Ebonstryfe had tried to cover this up by dressing the poor woman in a loose, baggy sackcloth attire but it was easy enough to tell by the two modest bumps on the prisoner's chest. If that was still not enough, then the muffled cries coming from the black cloth covering the prisoner's head once Cassandra started on her completely gave it away. The voice was definitely feminine. Cassandra's escort made her start out with the standard stuff - thumbscrews, shallow cuts on the arms that had the prisoner only squirming in her seat. A real tough one, or perhaps a prideful woman not willing to give the Ebonstryfe the satisfaction of hearing her cry out. But the wails of agony started once Cassandra used her gnosis on the wounds. It only got worse when her escort motioned for her to the more brutal torture techniques: pulling out the prisoner's nails with a vicious-looking pair of pliers and then inserting red-hot nails into the bleeding wounds. Cassandra could only do so much not to lose her breakfast there and then. Half an hour of such ministrations had left the prisoner hoarse with all the screaming, and Cassandra pale and shaking from what she's been made to do. When the Ebonstryfe man told her to "cut up 'er breasts", the poor woman felt that she's had enough. She insisted that she had already done what was expected of her and asked permission to leave. The man did not stop her - he couldn't, not when she had Trevinus' favor with her. Just as she was quietly slipping out the door, Cassandra caught the man undoing the belt of his pants. She could only imagine what was in store next for the poor prisoner. Remembering all of these now, Cassandra had to keep her palms pressed firmly against her knees to stop them from shaking. She felt bad, really bad, for the prisoner, and she felt guilt-ridden for all the pain she had inflicted upon the poor soul. Even if it meant relieving the pain she would feel from her goddess-given mark for a day, the dark-haired barmaid did not think that anyone deserved that kind of cruelty done to them, no matter what they did. Cassandra blinked several times, willing away the tears that were threatening to leak from her eyes. Don't think about it any more, she told herself. Just don't think about it. Presently, the ravosala came to a stop, on a dock behind one of the buildings of the Nitrozian Plaza. Cassandra was still several blocks away from the Silver Sliver, her place of work, but she did not mind. She did not want the people in the Plaza to see from which direction she had just come from, and she made it a point to tell the ravosala driver to drop her off at this particular spot since the first time she had traveled by boat from the Vitrax. It was always the same driver who took her from the Ebonstryfe headquarters and, after the first few times she had told him of her destination, he just stopped asking. The ravosalaman assisted her in alighting, giving her a brief bow with the words, "G'day to ye, Madame Nitrozian," and then winking at her. Cassandra could only offer him an awkward smile before she fled up the stairs leading to the back alley, suddenly eager to put distance between herself and the man. The way he had said those words, and the seemingly lewd quality of his wink, told her that he had some sort of idea about the nature of her visits to the Vitrax. Goddess, am I being watched?

[Aello]

Aello remained silent, her eyes boring into Cassandra's flesh, even as she called her magic forth. The thin, misty veil which surrounded the raven-haired woman was nearly see through. Clear as the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. The tears Aello felt welling in the corners of her own. Their sticky nature causing the ends of her eyelashes to bunch, for her to blink repeatedly, much in the same fashion as Cassandra. She could feel her eyelids trembling, vibrating ever so slightly, that it was nearly impossible to notice. They felt heavy as well, as though it would be a struggle to keep them open. As though it would simply be best to allow them to remain shut. She is rather upset, Aello's mind whispered, as she gasped suddenly. It felt as though someone where sitting upon her chest now. Somehow managing to reach through her rib cage, past her ivory bone, without splitting the skin. She could feel their fingers spreading, before they curled around her heart, and squeezed, over and over again, making it feel as though she could no longer draw in breath. As though she were about to meet the goddess she loved above all else. As though she were about to move into the realm of the dead. She is ashamed, and disgusted by the many things she has been made to do. Paid to do. As swiftly as she could, Aello whisked her magic away, forcing the notion that she were about to burst into tears to fade. Forcing the hand upon her heart to retract itself, allowing her heart to speed up, and then return to a more normal pace. It no longer felt as though it were about to burst. Or perhaps, rather, to be forced to implode into oblivion. She drew in a single, deep breath, coughing a little as her lungs filled up completely. "Something is seriously wrong with that girl," Aello whispered, as she watched her short interaction with the boat man, before she scurried up a set of stairs, and down an alley all too familiar to Aello. "She's acting as though someone is out to get her or something," Aello whispered, before deciding she felt like figuring out why exactly, that was. Within a moment, she was charging back across the bridge and towards the stair way Cassandra had gone through as she fled. She pushed her feet angrily against the ground, wishing she had worn something more conducive to running than a pair of leather boots. As she stepped, she'd swing her arms, allowing her bow to whoosh through the air, in an attempt to propel herself after the woman a little faster. When she reached the stairs, she bounded up their expanse two at a time, her heart beating in rhythm to the time her feet clicked firmly against the stone. At the top of the stairs, Aello glanced from left to right, and then directly in front of her, allowing herself but a moment to catch her breath and spot the woman, before continuing after her. This time, she moved far more slowly, and favored walking upon the balls of her feet, or rather hopping upon them really, so as to make as little noise as possible. As the woman moved, Aello moved, whenever she stopped, Aello would stop. She'd stick to the shadows, hug the walls, and remain out of sight. There was no reason, after all, to alert the woman to her presence. Especially when she had no way to explain her actions in a way which would make her come off as even remotely normal. After all, she was essentially stalking the woman, for a reason she could not so much as begin to understand. Heck, if Cassandra ever caught on, she supposed she'd think Aello a thief, or perhaps a murderer. But then again, was that all that far from the truth? Aello sighed, you're just as strange as she is, she thought, as sunlight began to filter through the dark alley, causing her heart so speed up. Light, after all, could not be good for her cover. Although, it did make her think. It did allow her to truly see the portion of the city she now inhabited. If she didn't know any better, she'd say she was headed right towards the Silver Silver. But she couldn't be...

[Cassandra Coven]

Cassandra breathed easier and her pace slowed considerably as soon as she stepped into the shadows of the alley. The dark-haired woman thought it symbolic, the act of stepping out from the brightness of day and into the welcoming darkness. Light, to her, felt like she was being laid exposed and open to scrutiny, revealing all the evils that had been accumulating within her soul ever since the day she received the mark of Krysus. Murder, a crime so foul she had never even considered doing it in her previous life in Syliras, now seemed second nature to her. She had done it more than once, in fact. Manipulation, her bread and butter, came easily for her, with her soft words and softer features able to twist men's minds and hearts to do her bidding if she so chose. And worst of all, she was whoring both her body and her cursed gift to those that made her do all these things. Like the comforting arms of a lover, the darkness accepted her and hid all this. From the world. From herself. "Perhaps Ravok wants me to be one of its own..." the woman said softly to herself with just a hint of sadness and fear. She knew from firsthand experience what that was like. The Black Sun was a group of cruel and twisted individuals. They may pass themselves off as the protectors of the citizens of Ravok, but the truth was, they reveled in causing misery for those they're 'protecting'. All the while Cassandra was thinking all of these things, she was absentmindedly fingering the thin leather cord that held her gold locket, the one thing that remained of her previous life with her long-dead parents. She must not have realized the pressure the was applying on it, or perhaps the old strip of leather had finally grown brittle over the long years she's worn it around her neck, but the cord snapped beneath her touch. The locket slipped and fell from its severed bindings, hitting the ground with a soft clink before rolling somewhere behind and to the side of the dark-haired woman. With a gasp, Cassandra turned to catch it but her attention was suddenly stolen by a figure crouching in the darker portion of the alley. She could only stare at it in surprise and not a little bit of worry. There were the only ones in the alley at that moment, and from the posture of the stranger, Cassandra could tell that he or she had been trying to keep quiet while tailing her. She knew that the stranger must have entered the alley just after she did as well, to be standing so close to her now. A memory of another man cornering her in another darkened alley not far from where she was now surfaced in Cassandra's mind. That one had inflicted a wound on her that was so painful and on a part of the body that was so sensitive that she had grown to have a phobia of metal objects coming near her...thighs. Whoever this person was, his intention must not be good as well - and likely from Ebonstryfe, too. Just like that man! Without thinking, the dark-haired woman pulled out the long and thin dagger hidden in the folds of her skirt and held it before her, blade pointed at the stranger in an attempt to keep him from advancing any nearer. She had a bit of experience using the weapon, but right now it shook in her hand, just as her voice did when she spoke. "What...what do you want? I did everything required of me..." She was afraid. Was this some crony of the man she left in Vitrax, sent to teach her a lesson for disobeying him?

[Aello]

Aello's muscles tensed. They rippled angrily beneath her flesh. How could she have been so clumsy as to let herself be caught? How could she have made so much noise as to have been heard? How could she let herself be seen? The aurist's right hand inched over her thigh. Over the place where her cursed dagger lay. Maybe she is talking to someone else, Aello thought, as her dark brown eyes bore into Cassandra's forehead. Never leaving the small space between them, where the third eye was said to rest. But no one else is here. Quit kidding yourself. She found you. Show yourself, and prove your dominance should she prove hostile, her brain wore on. Reluctantly, Aello stepped away from the wall, and into the light. Letting it bathe her in its warm, yellow glow. Her eyes sparkled in its radiance, as she too, pulled her dagger from concealment. The cursed blade. The blood shining as though it had been spilt anew. The girl's fingers wound their way around the hilt, held the blade away from her. Pointed behind her. Her thumb ran absently over the black expanse, working its way into the material, to and fro. Away from the other fingers, and back again. A slender smile worked its way onto Aello's lips. "Well hello there barmaid," Aello called, as she came to a halt several feet away from the frightened girl. The woman who was so very familiar, she knew there was no way she could be wrong. She knew there was no reason to verify her knowledge with the use of her magic. "It has been awhile, hasn't it?" she asked. Aello tilted her head slightly to the side, causing her long brown hair to cascade over the length of her shoulder. "Care to tell me what you meant by that last comment of yours?" Aello asked. "Or do you wish me to dig it out of your mind? Quite literally, or figuratively even, whichever you'd prefer. Unless you like the occasional surprise?" Aello took a step closer to Cassandra, not at all afraid of what the woman could do. She seemed to be trembling far too much, after all, to pose any real threat. Not only that, but if the girl's memory served her correctly, this was the same woman who had stumbled upon a dead men, and fetched her and Scheza to get rid of it. After retching quite a few times, and well, running away to the supposed safety of the tavern. Aello shook her head lightly. Thinking that the woman was not at all dangerous, and if Cassandra had said anything, it wasn't the truth, and if she hadn't she'd have to convince her to share. "Now why would a maid slink through back alleys to get to work, unless she had something to hide?" Aello asked. "Surely the shadows are suitable only for the wicked." Aello snickered. "What sort of chaos have you committed to today, my dear? What have you done to make Rhysol smile upon you?" If nothing was said, surely Aello could make the woman sing. Just like Yune. Or, carve the words out of her lips. OOCSorry the wording gets a bit strange at the end. I just didn't want to say your pc did something she didn't wind up doing.

[Cassandra Coven]

Cassandra trembled as the human-shaped shadow separated itself from the walls that framed the dark alley. She knew she was in trouble - she shouldn't have been so curt at her Black Sun escort earlier! And now she had to pay for it, with no Trevinus for her to wheedle to get herself out of trouble. To her surprise, it was smallish woman that stepped out into the sunlight, instead of some brutish thug she had expected. I dawned upon Cassandra that sending someone as unassuming as this waif would make more sense: people could smell trouble coming a mile away if they caught sight of some muscle-bound hulk, but they would not even spare a glance on someone like this girl. That realization only made her more guarded and she tightened her grip on the dagger to keep the blade as steady as possible. Not that it worked, but the effort was there. "Did they...did they sent you? He asked for too much from me and-" The other woman's greeting cut her off short. Did the woman know her from the Silver Sliver? She could just be one of the many tavern patrons who frequent the small bar, but if so, why was she sneaking up on her? Cassandra peered more closely at the shorter woman. Yes, she did look familiar... Recognition came a moment later and Cassandra could not prevent the involuntary gasp that escaped her lips. Here before where was not just some mere stranger, it was the same woman who had helped her dispose the body of that poor, pitiful hobo who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her hair was longer now, and her clothes much cleaner, but it was definitely the same woman. Aello, her name was, if she recalled correctly. If this woman was with Black Sun and suspected her of the murder of that homeless man...was she here to use that knowledge to blackmail her? But if she were with Black Sun, then surely Trevinus would have briefed her of Cassandra's gifts. Wouldn't he? In the end, she decided to play it safe. "I-I...I'm sorry. You just caught me by surprise, that's all," Cassandra said, trying her best to inject a light note in her voice. She failed miserably. "Think nothing of the...w-what do you mean, 'dig it out of my mind'...?" There was no mistaking the threat in Aello's voice when she had said that, and Cassandra started backing away from her even as the woman approached. From personal experience, she knew that only members of Rhysol's cult could be so menacing. The bloodstained dagger in the woman's hand did not help matters. She held it so expertly, so unlike the way Cassandra held hers, unsteady and unsure. The casual way she toyed with the dagger - lacking the respect usually afforded by one who knew the danger of holding a blade - told the barmaid that she was very experienced in its use. There was no doubt in Cassandra's mind now that Aello belonged to the Black Sun. And so she panicked. "I-I'm not slinking! Please... I did what I was told! M-M'lord Trevinus promised I could decide how best to carry out the task! But I didn't want to make her go through all that pain anymore...I don't even know what crime she committed! Please! I'll...I'll forfeit my pay for today, if it would please you! It's yours!" The words came out in a rush, Cassandra unthinking as she divulged, at least parts of it, the events she had participated in that morning in an effort to buy into the mercy of the seemingly cold Aello. Anything to stave off that wicked-looking blade.

[Aello]

Aello's eyes sparkled as the scent of the scared woman filled her nostrils. As she realized just how panicked the barmaid was. Even though, Aello had yet to make her threats all the more real. Even though, Aello had not truly begun using the art of intimidation against Cassandra. "Sent?" Aello shook her head. "No, I came on my own," she commented, as she let her thumb glide over the hilt of her blade. "You seemed like someone worth shadowing, and it turned out that such an assumption was the correct one, was it not?" she asked, as she took a half a step closer to Cassandra. The aurist ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth, producing a low, clicking sound. She lifted a single finger off the hilt of her dagger, "are you sure you want to know?" she asked as she wagged her finger. She fell silent a moment, before moving on. "Put it away maid. It's not worth trying to save your pretty little finger tips." Aello took another menacing step closer. "We can make it clean if you do as you're told. Or we can make it all the more painful, for you, and for me. Surely you can see that there's more than enough blood lining these hands? This blade?" Aello's smile widened as she took another half step closer. As she curled her finger back around the blade's hilt. "It's your choice," Aello commented, as she fell silent again. Chuckling a little as Cassandra shouted whatever it is she thought would please her. "My, my, aren't you the songbird," Aello commented, as she forced her dark eyes to bore into the woman's head. "It seems we won't have to do much digging after all. Of the literal sort anyway..." Aello's voice trailed off for a long time. She seemed distant, yet strangely alert during this time. She failed to seem any less threatening, or perhaps crazed would have been a more suitable word to describe her current state. "Care to tell me about this Trevinus?" Aello finally inquired, her voice sounding strangely neutral, despite her numerous, previous threats. "And the service you rendered for him? His people? Other than perhaps, offering him your body and your soul. That much seems obvious, with such a delicate frame as yours..." OOCSinister Aello is sinister. Also, the last portion is a guess. Aello doesn't know for sure, and she doesn't yet, have a true picture of what Cass may have done, although, I am sure the gears in her brain are turning, and she has some vague sense that something violent occurred. Actually, I lied... she knows something violent happened. Just not the precise nature of said violent happening.

[Cassandra Coven]

When Aello denied being sent by anyone to shadow her, Cassandra realized her mistake. Perhaps this woman had been merely curious about her, of her choice to use the back alleys of the Merchant Ring rather than walk the more open spaces afforded by the Nitrozian Plaza. It still did not explain why she had to creep up to follow her, however. Surely other citizens did the same, just to avoid oft-used, and thus more congested, walkways of the city. Cassandra briefly considered using that excuse, but she knew she had said just a little bit too much for Aello to buy that. "L-look, there's nothing illegal about what...about what I do," she said. Cassandra couldn't bring herself to say there was nothing wrong with what she did, for she herself felt that it was wrong. For her, there was just nothing to justify hurting another human being, criminal or not. Despite Aello's offhand threats, the dark-haired barmaid did not sheath or lower her own dagger, keeping it between the two of them. She was growing more and more uncomfortable as the other woman drew closer and closer to her. It would have looked strange to an observer how the taller Cassandra would back away from the much smaller Aello, but Aello seemed the more capable between them. Cassandra could see it in the surety of the woman's steps. "Please, go away! If...if you're not with Black Sun then we have nothing to discuss! What I do for them...for-for Lord Trevinus...is really none of your concern." Cassandra was trying to put up a brave front now, using the city's governing faction to give her words some level of authority. "Go away!" She continued to back away, intent on putting some distance between her and this seemingly crazy woman Aello. She wished the Ebonstryfe would round up and lock people like her.

[Aello]

"Of course not. Nothing in this town is illegal per se, even the things that should be," Aello replied as her eyes sparkled. There was a playful edge to her voice. Something that may cause Cassandra to think that not only did she know the girl had been up to no good, but she knew that if they were anywhere else, the things she had done would never have been allowed, and she'd be a wanted woman. Someone with a noose already dangling about her neck. The aurist stopped moving towards the barmaid. She had caused the woman to tremble more than enough. That was something she could plainly see. There was no need to intimidate her further until a bit later, if the girl stopped spilling her secrets. At which point, Aello would find a way to make Cassandra do whatever it was she wanted, and she just may get a shiny new dagger out of the deal as well. After all, there were ways to be sure the barmaid couldn't keep her fingers wrapped around it, and then it would be ripe for the taking, now wouldn't it? Aello chuckled again as Cassandra continued to sing. It reminded her of Yune. Little chirps at a time which divulged small pieces of the puzzle. But if you listened, closely, and the bird kept on singing, you'd soon realize you could begin to put everything back together. Aello's lips curled into a satisfied smile as she watched Cassandra trying to back away. "Now why would someone like me associate with such a pathetic group of puppets like them?" she asked, as her muscles tightened a little, rippling beneath her flesh as she waited for an answer. As soon as Cassandra had offered one, or tried to instead, deflect the question Aello would go on. "We're not discussing anything maid, you're simply telling me about your life. What it is you do that makes you so uncomfortable." Aello smiled cruelly. "Now, since no one is here to save you from yourself, or perhaps, from me, it's only a matter of time before you share your secrets. Singing music into my ears." She paused. "For I'm the curious sort who always wants to know how many people have been drawn to either side of this never-ending war. A war between the corrupt, and those who see them for what this is. A war between the chaotic, and slightly less so. The wicked, and those who try to be just." Aello fell silent for a few moments after that, allowing her words to sink in. "So, are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" Aello inquired, as she raised her right brow into an arch. "We both know you couldn't handle yourself in a battle of blades..." Make it easy, Aello thought, as her eyes flashed menacingly. On yourself.

[Cassandra Coven]

"You're crazy," Cassandra whispered, her words accusatory but the tone she used made it sound as if she was stating fact. it was obvious to her that this woman was slightly unhinged and, if her thinly-veiled threats were any indication, likely prone to violence. Not very good company in a dark and deserted alleyway. Not good at all. This wasn't some half-drunk tavern patron she could easily charm into docility with a few sweet words and a flirtatious smile. From the way she handled her dagger to the way she carried herself, Cassandra knew instinctively that the woman could make good her threats. And the way she spoke of the Black Sun...she could not deny the truth of how Aello described them, but a war? Between the wicked and the just? Did this woman fancy herself to be some sort of vigilante? If so, then she really is crazy, the dark-haired woman thought. To Aello, she said, "I...I don't have to tell you anything, miss. My affairs are my own and...and you're violating my right to privacy! Yes, that's right! You have no right or authority to accost me like a...like a...like a thug! So...so if you don't mind, I'll be...I'll be going now. Good day!" With a huff, Cassandra turned about and marched off towards the end of the empty street. She hoped her righteous indignation would be enough to put off the other woman into leaving her alone. She prayed the woman would leave her alone. Please, please, please go away... It was only belatedly that Cassandra realized that she was on the wrong side of whatever conflict Aello was talking about and apparently fighting against, and that she would be in for a rough ride if Aello found out she was working for the Black Sun and decided to make an example out of her. The end of the alley seemed too distant from her now despite being only fifty or so steps away.