[Flashback] Shedding skin

[Iskessah]

Iskessah frowned darkly at Shannon's ominous questions. Escaping had always been such an unrealistic dream that she had never bothered to make specific plans for afterward. From the sound of it, things were about to get more difficult than she could imagine. Shannon obviously wanted her to admit that she didn't know, or that she needed help. While both were true, saying them aloud was an unthinkable weakness. She was in no mood to be toyed with, and yet, that seemed to be exactly the man's intention. In an acid tone, she snapped, "You ssound like you have more ideas than I do. Let uss sstop wasssting time and get to the point." Iskessah found that she enjoyed pushing the boundaries of what Shannon would allow. Mattieu'd had far too much control to risk challenging him directly. He'd had the option of leaving her in a cage to starve, and so Iskessah could only suffer in silence. But this new man... from the way he was dancing around relevant topics, trying to fish information out of her, he was almost as wary of her as she was of him. Certainly he had the power to make her life miserable, but since he had so far failed to execute such power, there was probably something he wanted from her. And as long as she made him work to get it, as long as she held her own against him, she would have leverage.

[Lazybones]

The delight fell from Shannon's face as if it had been made of wax. Iskessah's new, severe tone was not remotely amusing. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, the woman was a fish hooked on the end of his line. She could struggle all she liked until the hook cut into her and made her bleed, but she couldn't stop him reeling her in. Shannon controlled her. All the pride and insolence in the world couldn't change her fate.

Shannon pushed himself off the counter and began to approach her. "What a laugh," he hissed without a drop of geniality. He was cold, now, a predator in mid-leap. His claws were out and ached to pierce flesh, "to think that you can make demands of me."

It seemed unlikely that she was a slave, if she was this brazen. A proper servant was obedient and broken. The smashed wood caught the corner of Shannon's eye again. It looked like it had been a box… or an enclosure "I didn't come to offer you my help on a silver platter. You are not the recipient of my good charity. You are the object of my passing curiosity and nothing more, and you'll remember that if you know what's good for you."

He stopped in front of her, his cane planting loudly next to his right foot. If Iskessah possessed any combat skill, then he was dangerously close. The Dhani, he recalled, were more capable than humans. Although the noble was a proud and skilled fencer, not even he was certain he could draw his rapier in time to defend himself if she struck.

The point was that he knew she wouldn't.

"My point, you cheeky thing, is that you need help, and I'm the only one willing to strike a deal with you." She was tall, for a woman, but fortunately Shannon had her beat by at least a few inches. It was almost difficult to bore into her eyes with his silver, unfeeling gaze. Her stare was nearly as sharp as his. "You can kill me, or I can walk out that door again, and your life will be over. Ravok will do away with you, just as it does for all strays. Your race is a proud one, but here you are just a snake, and snakes are vermin. Pride won't help you. Face it, Iskessah. I am your only friend."

His tone became almost fatherly. "I suggest you lose the attitude. I have no use for an adjutant that talks back."

[Iskessah]

Iskessah smirked slightly when Shannon's demeanor suddenly changed. Finally he was getting to the point. It was good to know he was capable of such a thing. She stood immobile, refusing to be intimidated or in any way affected by his sudden approach. In all her years of captivity, she had never lost her pride, though now it seemed her pride was causing trouble. Direct words had a way of communicating more efficiently than other types of conversation; she had lost her temper, and now she was being told in no uncertain terms exactly what the score was. He was speaking now as a predator, and that was a language she understood. A predator needed no deception; he was too powerful to need any. Despite Shannon's assertion, she did not and would not consider him a friend, but was more inclined to trust him, now that, as far as she could tell, his true face had been revealed. When his tone changed again, taking on a warmer note, Iskessah visibly cringed, though she tried to suppress it. She would not be able to explain in words exactly what was wrong, just that his tone felt...slimy. He had stopped being the predator, and started lying with his voice again. It made her want to grab his stick and bash his head in with it until he stopped moving. She struggled to find a compromise between her pride and the fact that annoying this man further could cause her some real trouble. Perhaps if she simply pretended not to hear everything he said that ignited her temper, or offended her pride? That did not leave much left to word with... but maybe it would be enough. "Adjutant?" she said in a curious tone. A vein in her temple was twitching, but she managed to keep any antagonizing tones out of her voice. She had a sinking feeling that putting herself at Shannon's mercy would be no more bearable than Mattieu had been... but she had to find out for sure before she risked losing this chance. "What sort of adjutant would you have use for? What would such a person do?"

[Lazybones]

Shannon's brief storm of fury was gone as soon as it arrived. Again, he was calm, collected, but whatever churned beneath the surface had briefly been bared. It could still be seen to the trained eye, betrayed by the twitch of a ready smile and a subtle shine within his sharp, intelligent eyes. Iskessah knew, now, that Shannon Valdinox could be a creature of wrath if provoked.

Close enough to smell her, he lingered within the woman's personal space, his eyes locked tightly with hers. Shannon allowed her inquiry to hang in the air briefly, as it was not his priority to answer her questions. His gray eyes flicked slightly back and forth as he attempted to plunge into the light brown gaze of the Dhani, searching for traces of her story. How did she get into Ravok? What did she do with Mattieu? What does she want? Freedom? Escape? Or is she here for a reason?

Finally he turned away, beginning to casually saunter toward the pile of wooden debris on the other side of the room. His cane tapped beside his right foot. "People, Iskessah, my work involves people. Knowing what they do, why they do it, and where. Ravok is a puzzle, you see, a twisted device full of secrets. Knowing all of its inner workings allows me to stay ahead of my rivals and keeps me wealthy, successful, and fat."

A gross overstatement, but Shannon's grand clothing was plump and well filled, giving away the stocky form beneath them. He was by no means a small man, but nor was he fat by any definition of the word. Either the man was fishing for compliments, or he was making a subtle joke.

Shannon nudged a lean fragment of splintered wood with his foot, which crunched lightly against the floorboards. The question was clear on his face as he studied the remains of Iskessah's enclosure, but he did not ask her what it was. "What you would do, as my adjutant, is exceedingly unimportant. And that's just the point. As hard as I try, I simply can't be everywhere at once. That's why I keep contacts, assistants, slaves, and allies planted all over the city, who feed me relevant whispers of goings on. No one cares what you do, why you do it, or where you go. You're no one. Unlike me, you won't turn any heads. You can get into places I can't."

He kicked the shard of wood across the floor, turning back to Iskessah. "I can offer you a meager salary to do it, but all I really want is your undying loyalty."

[Iskessah]

So many words, most of which were meaningless. Iskessah could barely stay focused, but when he mentioned fat, she couldn't stop her mouth from watering (she hadn't eaten in days, and her last meal was mostly digested). She had to stop herself somehow before she made a suicidal attempt to make Shannon her next meal. She struggled to listen to his painfully slow explanation, all the while her eyes flashing with barely restrained hunger. Even with her mind distracted by thoughts of food and self-control, she realized there was something strange about Shannon's offer. Perhaps it was his strange way of saying everything except what he meant? He wanted her undying loyalty... and was going to offer her a "meager" salary. he also wanted her to do all that running around and paying attention to things, which by itself might have been worth a "meager" salary, but if he wanted undying loyalty thrown into the mix, he'd have to have something more to offer. She took a deep breath in order to prepare her reply. This may have been a mistake, since the air brought to her the smell of delicious foodstuffs from the basket she still held. Unable to restrain herself any longer, she plunged her hand into the basket Shannon had brought, until she found a strip of dried meat. She was stuck for a moment as she tried to unhinge her jaw, but realized she couldn't do it. Fortunately, the tiny string of meat looked small enough to fit in her mouth regardless, so she shoved it into her mouth, attempting to swallow it the same way she would swallow any other prey... She choked violently, dropping the meat to the floor. Gasping for air, she glared at the offending thing which was supposed to be food. Was the thing that smelled like meat not meant to be eaten? Or was it just that she hadn't figured out yet how to eat in this form? She shifted her gaze to Shannon suspiciously, trying to judge whether he was trying to kill her subtly, or whether it was her own ignorance at fault.

[Lazybones]

A tremor of surprise rippled through Shannon's well-groomed face as Iskessah choked on her food, followed by a note of restrained disgust as she coughed it onto the floor. When their eyes met again, the aristocrat softened, tilting his head in what could have been understanding. His entire, elegantly dressed form shifted, relaxing into a posture meant for socializing, not business. Sympathy drew his lips into a gentle half smile.

"Goodness, are you alright?" Even concerned, Shannon could manage to sound condescending. He picked his cane up off the floor and tucked it under his arm, approaching the Dhani with caution. Observing the accusation boiling in the woman's eyes, he held up both his hands at the wrists to signify his intent to do no harm. Once he was sure she wouldn't reach for his throat the moment he took his eyes off of her, he carefully leaned down to observe the discarded food on the floor.

What was wrong with it? The meat wasn't poisoned—Iskessah would be dead by now if that was Shannon's intention—so it baffled him that she would have any trouble eating it. There didn't seem to be any bones, but he certainly wasn't going to touch it to conduct a closer inspection. What he did notice is that she had tried to gobble the entire thing, like a toddler. Or, as his feeble mind finally put it together, a snake. The realization was visible in Shannon's features. In her human form, she didn't know how to eat. Poor thing.

Shannon looked back up at her. Standing this close, there was more transparency in the human that Iskessah might have noticed before. Though he held himself with an air of authority and spoke like the privileged asshole he was, there was a true person swimming in his gaze, the color of an overcast sky. There was warmth in him, and intelligence. Even if she assumed his concern for her was feigned, he did look capable of real emotion and empathy. It might have been the picture of a true ally, standing in front of her. Or it might have been a hint at his vulnerability.

"The Dhani are a very long lived race," he observed, his eyes tracing down the features of Iskessah's body. "Though you look my age, I'm certain you're much older. It strikes me as odd, then, that you'd have any trouble eating in your human form. Have you never tried it, before?"

The noble straightened, swiveling his head to look down at the gift basket she had taken from him. With his cane still held under one arm, he plucked up another piece of dried meat. He had to prove it wasn't poisoned, at least. Though he had never poisoned food before, Shannon was somehow relieved to know that he hadn't tampered with her food so that he could perform the demonstration. It was always an amusing change of pace when he could actually be honest.

"You can't swallow the thing whole." Making a clear example of using his teeth, Shannon bit down on the jerky and tore away a small piece. As he chewed on the tough, salty strip of beef, he handed the rest to her. He waited to swallow before speaking again. "If you want to pass yourself off as human, you ought to be able to act like one."

[Iskessah]

Iskessah at first couldn't tell whether Shannon's concern was feigned or genuine. She could tell that this was a man well-accustomed to hiding his true face, but it had been so long since anyone had expressed interest in her well-being that she has trouble detecting any irony in his tone. What she could detect from the condescension in his voice was a grossly misplaced sense of superiority. She had suffered that sort of attitude often enough from Mattieu that she knew to ignore it, but Shannon's seemed different somehow, less gloating. She watched him warily as he approached, but she sensed no hostility from him, and she was getting used to his presence. If things went on much longer without a false move from him, she might even consider letting her guard down a notch. She waited patiently as he started talking about something seemingly unrelated, realizing by now that he would get to his point eventually. He did, of course, but bringing up the idea of practicing her human form only served to remind her exactly why she'd not had that chance. Rage welled up within her, contorting her features into a grimace and releasing and angry hiss. She wanted to lash out, but the only thing close enough was Shannon, and he was not the cause of her anger. No, the offending party had been brought thoroughly to justice, and there was nothing more she could do to him now. After a few moments, she brought herself under control enough to watch Shannon's demonstration. When he handed her the meat, she did her best to imitate him. Apparently to two large teeth in the front were for ripping? She used them to tear away a depressingly small strand of meat-flesh. If she had to eat an entire meal in pieces, it could take forever! Nevertheless, Shannon was right, and she had to learn. She noticed that Shannon had somehow pulled the entire strand bit of meat into his mouth before swallowing, which seemed ridiculous, but Iskessah supposed that with small enough pieces of food, it was not too big a hindrance (she found her wider tongue to be surprisingly helpful in that endeavor). What had he done next? Mashed his jaw up and down. Iskessah tried it, feeling extremely foolish, but she noticed that the pieces of meat that got caught between her relatively flat back teeth were crushed between them. Once she figured that out, she used her newly versatile tongue to push more of the meat into a position to be crushed. She began to wonder how to tell when she had crushed the food enough that it could be swallowed, but Shannon had only taken a few moments, so it was probably about time. The tiny bit of what had once been meat slid down her throat smoothly. Upon sensing it's first taste of food in days, her now-human stomach immediately demanded more. She tore another piece savagely from the beef-strip she held, chewing and swallowing more quickly than before. After she polished off what she held in her hands, she reached for the piece she had dropped on the floor, too hungry to let any scrap of food go to waste. She backed up a few steps to sit on the bed, continuing to devour every last bit of meat she could find in the basket. Finally, there was nothing left in the basket except stuff-that-food-eats. She relaxed, feeling strangely full despite the small-ness of the meal. Upon reflection, she did seem to remember that eating was something humans did frequently, often several times a day. She felt content, for the second time in decades, and it was tempting to just lay down and digest. But there was still Shannon to consider. he was here for a reason... which was what again? All Iskessah could remember from before her binge was a stream of largely meaningless words. Something about wanting her to do something... in return for money... but also... "You mentioned before, you sseek my loyalty? It would be foolish of you to imagine I would put your needs above my own, or those of the gods, regardlesss of what I promise you. However, as long as they do not conflict, I...would be willing to conssider your offer." She was getting better with the human speech. She still extended a few of the sibilant syllables, but usually only when she wasn't paying attention. With practice, shortening those sounds could easily become habit.

[Lazybones]

As Shannon watched the poor creature eat, a nauseating display of desperation and her monstrous, animal-like nature, he receded a few steps backward and pulled a chair from under the nearby table. Planting his cane between his feet, he waited politely for her to finish. The poor thing must have been on the edge of starvation to feed herself with such fervor. It was a vile thing to witness.

The voracity of her efforts reminded the Ravokian of the gap between humans and the other races. A Dhani could look and act human, but at her core, she was still a beast. Even the occasional differences between humans and the Isur were felt, despite most of his family having descended from the Petrius Clan of Sultros.

"No. That isn't how we operate here, Iskessah." The ambiguity of Shannon's tone had returned. Although his words were polite and elegantly formed, a sign of his Ravokian nobility, they were tinged with condescension and implied his lack of patience. "I am not offering to be your ally or accomplice. We are not helping each other because our needs coincidentally intersect. I am stooping to the level of a beast like you to bequeath my charity, because I have something to gain."

Shannon rested both hands atop his cane. He would not allow this woman a crumb of pride. It had no place in this negotiation. He understood what she was doing, because both he and his father once did it himself. She saw an opportunity to help herself by taking advantage of some pathetic fool. While that opportunity still existed for her, Shannon was no fool. She would have to bend to his rules, not vice versa.

Such a process might help eradicate Iskessah's own naivety about the operation of Ravok, and make her a more useful subordinate. Shannon had no use for idiots without willingness to accept defeat and learn. This bargain may not happen at all.

"The cold truth is that, if I don't help you, no one will. You do, of course, have every right to face your inevitable fate on your own. Better to die in glory than serve in shame, right?"

[Iskessah]

Iskessah watched Shannon carefully, slowly coming to a realization. His pride would not allow him to help her, unless she allowed him to believe he controlled her. Only a fool would believe that she would allow anything to threaten her devotion to Siku, but for some reason, that seemed to be what Shannon wanted to believe. It was sad, in a way, but Iskessah was not about to concern herself with the emotional well-being of a human, and a male one at that. It was surprisingly difficult to swallow her pride, even knowing it was just an act. But if Siku has intended her to die, she would have been killed long before now, and not set free. She had to live. "It...it would not be better to die." Ugh, the words tasted like poison in her mouth. Was she really going to do this? Put herself willingly into the power of another man, after the decades she had spent swearing vengeance on the last one? But no, she was not putting herself under his power, she was only pretending. Watching, waiting, learning the ways of the city and biding her time until the disadvantages of following Shannon outweighed the benefits. Now that she thought about it... what were the benefits? So far, all he'd offered were vague threats about how she would end up dead without his help, while demanding vague promises of undying loyalty. It did not seem like much to base a deal on... "Wait a moment," she said, blinking as her mind finally swam through Shannon's rhetoric to take stock of basic facts, "why should I die? Is that a particular danger, and if sso, why, how? And if this city is truly so dangerouss, how can you help me? Taking advantage of my ignorance iss a weak attempt at trying to manipulate me. Ssspeak plainly: why should I cater to your whims, and what, precisssely, would you have me do? I do not ssee how I can aid you if I cannot even undersstand what you want." Iskessah was beginning to feel frustrated. She wasn't sure whether she was annoyed with Shannon for being so vague, or at herself for being unable to interpret his confusing and largely pointless dialogue. Perhaps if she were more skilled, or just more informed, she would be able to detect layers of hidden meaning, but it seemed ridiculous to her that anyone who wanted something from her would risk her not understanding.

[Lazybones]

Shannon loosed a light, fluttering laugh as Iskessah was speaking, as if she were telling the cleverest joke. Her frustration only made this funnier, and it took the better part of a private moment to compose himself. Looking to his right, he saw that the Dhani had eaten around the fruits and breads in the gift basket he'd delivered to her. Resting his cane against is inner thigh, Shannon reached over and plucked up a misshapen yellow fruit with knobby, porous skin. A sharp, sweet citrus aroma filled the air as he began to break its peel and reveal the pith and flesh beneath it.

"I'm sorry, darling, I know you were serious, but are you lissstening to yourssself?" Gray eyes flicked upward at the woman, then returned to the citron in his hand. "If you can't pass yourself off as human, I have absolutely no use for you. I'd hate to think that I'm wasssting my time speaking with you." He enjoyed another quiet laugh as he discarded a torn piece of rind onto the floor. There may have been a rubbish bin around here somewhere, but with all the debris in the room, it seemed pointless to ask.

The Dhani was not a fool, which was perhaps the only reason Shannon hadn't left yet. Usually, securing a contact in Ravok meant a few miza exchanged and slipping an odd whisper into his ear. Shannon almost feared that he was actually taking pity on the poor serpent, an absurd notion. Her defiance, however, was also promising. If she had merely accepted her defeat like a broken slave, shaping her intentions to serve him would be like building a castle out of sand, crumbling with the barest effort.

"Allow me to make your predicament clear to you, Iskessah. If I walk through that door and leave you to your life in this sad little room, I'm certain that someone—possibly a concerned neighbor—will notice that Mattieu Kosun has not been seen for some time. Or, the NHC will come to collect its rent and find you, squatting in a dead man's home.

"You'll claim that Mattieu was your dear uncle, but the Black Sun records will show no proof of it. Assuming you somehow fool everyone into thinking you're human, in a best case scenario you'd be tossed out on the street, where you'll have no understanding of Ravok's laws, layout, or culture. A native Ravokian can spot an outsider in an instant. Thieves and slave trade thrive on outsiders.

"An outsider in this city can get robbed, murdered, raped, enslaved, or all of it, no matter how swollen her pride is. And that's assuming you can make the Black Sun and Ebonstryfe believe you're not a Dhani, in a best case scenario. Most likely you'll end up dead. Your race is a proud one and makes for pitiful slaves. They're usually killed."

There was a spray of sweet citrus juice as Shannon finally broke off a piece of the citron's flesh, then fed it into his mouth. "If I help you, I can show you how to walk among humans. You can be registered as a Ravokian citizen, immune to slavery. I have family in the Black Sun and I can alter the records to show that Mattieu Kosun does, in fact, have a niece. Your life would not be ideal, by Dhani standards, but it would ensure your survival.

"In exchange, you'll be asked to deliver messages and packages for various purposes around the city. You will listen to and observe everything around you, make notes of what you see, and deliver them to a trusted friend of mine. I will pay you for your efforts. With that money, you might eventually be able to secure passage back to whatever hole you call your home. Or you could stay and take up your uncle's practice. Buy some sword lessons. Mercenaries are in high demand, around these parts. You could make your name mean fear.

"If that interests you, anyway. You could be and do anything you wanted, with my help."

Shannon chewed on another slice of fruit. "Is that 'plain' enough for you?"