Midnight Rendezvous (Eryss)

[Carina]

Time Stamp: 5th of Summer, 511AV Not much time had passed since the forming of the Crimson Edge and it seemed her 'talents' were already required. Whether it was a feeling of self-importance, or being needed, she was glad to be called upon. Eryss, the head of the new gang, had told her to return to the Pig's Foot Tavern in several days to discuss something that seemed of great importance. And to add to the mystery, he specified that they would meet after the sun had set, leaving the rest of the details little more then vague. Carina enjoyed secrecy like this, and she planned on trying to give him a little mystery in return. Most likely one in the form of a letter or note that would leave him wander just what she thought the meeting was about. Just like he left her curious and wander about their meeting and just what he wanted from her. Until that time came though, she would spend some time getting more accustomed to Sunberth's culture. Spending the nights that led up to the designated meeting time around the city, she ventured from tavern to tavern; watching and observing the patrons in their 'natural habitat'. They provided more then enough entertainment to keep her occupied, especially the drunk ones. The men getting in brawls or trying their darnedest to swoon all types of woman. The woman too drunk to fend off their pitiful passes, or taking the opportunity to earn a few more coins. The more she observed, the more a cesspool Sunberth seemed to appear. And when she grew weary of observing, she turned to eavesdrop on conversations of whispered content or heated arguing. They all held information into the peoples personal lives, and sometimes left trails one could fallow to darker and more important matters -- if you knew how to pick up on them. These were the reasons Carin stuck to taverns mostly. People flocked to them to share stories and gossip with friends, or in some cases, anybody who had an ear to listen. Spend enough time visiting a cities taverns, and you could eventually put all the pieces together and understand how it worked. And while she did spend several late nights sitting at tavern bars, she didn't pick up on very much. Except for the fact that there didn't seem to be any ruling form of government in Sunberth. Figuring that was nothing that Eryss didn't already know, she wouldn't even bother mentioning it. The night had finally come and Carina was already in place, waiting for Eryss to make his appearance. Outside the Pig's Foot tavern, the moon and stars were hidden from sight by the dark rain clouds that blew in from the coast. The wind was strong that evening, pushing at the taverns old walls and making them creak like the joints of the old man that ran the establishment. It howled and shook the windows as if it were a crazed beast, fighting to break into the warm building. And if that weren't enough to put a damper on the normally cheerful place, the raindrops pelted the side of the buildings and formed small streams that ran down the streets and gathered in puddles. The sound it made when hitting the windows was almost deafening. Loud and chaotic, yet peaceful, it brought a forceful quiet to the city. The Pig's Foot tavern was no exception to this. Downstairs had grown very calm, almost sullen; most of that nights patrons were ether passed out cold on the floor, or sound asleep in the inn's rooms. And this all happened a bit earlier then one could have normally expected. Carina's only guess was that the weather was to blame for everybody's early retirements. And although the night had slowed considerably, the bartender still stood behind the counter, polishing the mugs, and waiting for any late night customers. Every now and again, the mans face would become flushed, making him seemed distracted or lost in thought. The source? A letter that had been placed on the counter behind him. And it wasn't the contents of the letter that was to blame for his continence, it was the person that gave it to him. Earlier that day, Carina gave the barkeep the letter and the description of the man he was to give it to, Eryss. Its contents? Where to find Carina once he entered the tavern. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Invited guest, Come and find me in room three. It's where your darkest desires, and your pleasures, will be met. Yours truly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carina had purposefully made the letter sound suggestive in an effort to distract from whatever was really going to be disguised that evening. And she believed that the lack of names or any information of the like would be appreciated. With her looks alone, it was easy to make the scene look convincing through simply playing the role of a prostitute. Carina arrived at the tavern shortly after noon, before the bad weather had rolled in, to rent a room for that evening. She made it a point to get one of the noisier rooms above the tavern to keep potential eves droppers from hearing anything discussed in the room. But before the barkeep handed over the key, he reminded her to keep things quit up there so that nobody downstairs would be disturbed. Suggesting with his tone of voice that he figured she was renting the room to preform some 'business' transactions. Then ending the conversation on a flirtatious note, saying that he would stop by later when his shift was finished. Upstairs in room three, Carina was lounging about in a set of comfortable clothes; finding no need to wear any armor at the moment. The outfit consisted of her white, long sleeved, linen button up blouse, but she kept the top few buttons unbuttoned. Her long, black, slitted skirt that fell down to just above her ankles. Its slit rising up to just above her right knee. And dark stockings that rose up to mid-thigh under the skirt. She did have her tall boots on earlier that day, but after she made herself at home, she removed and tossed them into a corner of the room. But unlike her haphazardly tossed shoes, her cloak was draped over the back of the only chair in the relatively small room. A half eaten meal sat on the table next to the chair. Bits and pieces had been eaten, but little more then half the plate was gone. Next to the plate sat a partially drank gallon of common wine. One cup sat unused, while she held the other in bed. Carina made herself comfortable under the warm blankets while she listened to the falling rain. Her hair was a tad messy from lazing in bed for more then half the day in wait for Eryss arrival that evening. Taking another small sip from the goblet, she wandered what he would think about her letter of invitation. But what interested her more, was what his purpose for calling upon her was. The thought brought a smile and a quiet chuckle to her lips as she sloshed the half empty cup of wine around in a slow circle, taking in its aroma.

[Eryss Waldu]

[Now that the group had been formed they needed a direction, Eryss entrusted much of this to Cade but there were certain matters he had decided to take a personal interest in, and he had a vision if nothing else that was stacked high with ambition. In the days that followed the meeting at the Pigs Foot Tavern where Eryss had left at the conclusion he remained aloof and difficult to locate; enjoying his solitude and more than that discovering he was most often pleased when no one who was uninvited could locate him. It would seem as though he had merely faded into memory until his return. This time he came back with a purpose though or, more specifically, purposefully returned with something in mind.] [Outside of the Pigs Foot Tavern he waited in darkness as the wind howled through the streets of Sunberth and the rain started to fall. Droplets at first and then larger and harder, how long he had been waiting out with the tavern in view was a mystery not to be explained, and then when Eryss believed he had kept Carina waiting long enough he moved into the open and headed towards the door of the tavern. Inside the door would fly open with little effort thanks to the assistance of the shrieking winds and as he stepped inside, expecting eyes to be on him, he instead was met with only the gaze of the Bartender and the few patrons still awake or looking up from the floor before slinking back into a stupor and passing out again. Nowhere Eryss looked would reveal the svelte frame of Carina or her seductive features causing a thin smile to wind over the corners of his mouth; he knew this game or told himself that he did.] [Approaching the bartender he’d inquire about his patrons tonight but he would only inform Eryss that he must have paid good coin for the company of the woman he sought, clearly expecting their arrangement to be somewhat different, before handing over the letter that had been left behind for the Mage. Opening the letter once the bartender had left it in his hand eyes would scan its brief but suggestive contents before Eryss thanked him idly without looking back at him, his eyes travelling back and forth as he read the contents of the brief message. Once he finished the letter disappeared inside of the cloak he wore and he turned back to the bar.] [With his thin smile having grown somewhat larger Eryss would ask the bartender for a water instead of rushing to meet Carina. He stood at the bar and drank, swallowing down a mouthful of the refreshing liquid, before moving away towards the stairs that lead towards the second level of the Pigs Foot Tavern where rented room could be found. As he climbed the stairs Eryss envisioned how their meeting would progress, recalling how Carina moved and the way her voice sounded the last time he had heard it, and by the time he had made it to the room she had indicated he was thoroughly looking forward to the brief back and forth that was assured.] [Outside her room Eryss waited, his hand outstretching but never touching the door handle, he was waiting for something but what it could have been remained as much a mystery as how long he had been outside the tavern. When a sudden flash of lightning occurred, brought in by storm blowing over Sunberth, he waited for the crashing sound of thunder to boom overhead and the his hand had balled into a fist and was heard knocking at her door. Almost ominously. Eryss might later say that this had all went according to plan when in reality the weather had been a convenient occurrence to help him fabricate an air of foreboding around himself, something he took any opportunity to further enhance when practical.] [Carina wouldn’t have to get out of bed after she heard the knocking at her door. Testing the handle afterwards she’d see it turning slowly before the door turned and I stepped inside once it had opened wide enough. Closing the door behind myself afterwards. Upon entering the room I’d have scanned the interior before looking directly at Carina, in bed where she had been laying, and approaching her. He was dressed in the cloak that often accompanied him, it was a nondescript fabric and looked comfortable, but otherwise what he wore was very much unrevealed. Boots could be heard on the floor of the room as he moved closer to her. His hands raised as he neared and Eryss drew back the hood of his cloak to reveal youthful but experienced features, his own hair kept short and easily maintained his mouth thin and eyes observant and alive, he was not without his own attractive qualities though a redness around his eyes seemed to state he slept infrequently.] [Laying his hands on the end of the bed after he had come to a stop there Eryss would loom ahead of Carina, quietly, and assess her further almost as though no words were necessary between the both of them before finally breaking the stillness of the moment...”You’ve been waiting a long time. Now that I’m here for you though what can you tell me about my deepest, darkest, desires? Do they involve the flesh of a woman? A warm body next to or beneath mine perhaps? Will they be sated in lust or do they involve something more sinister? Why have I brought you here, to me, Carina?”...when he spoke it was almost as though his voice were an echo, not literally but figuratively in the mind, he wanted her to tell him what she thought made him tick.] [Were this the only reason Eryss had brought Carina to him it would be reason enough but tonight she had another mission as well. In time. Before Eryss was willing to let her go they would speak with one another a short time which lead into the next comment he made...”Once you know what I want you should ask yourself what I intend to do to you as well.”...as though he were suggesting that his designs might involve the woman in some way or another. Leaving the comment open for interpretation though Eryss would straighten himself at the end of her bed, maybe he expected her to do something.]

[Carina]

The chaotic weather was unrelenting that evening, never letting up and only getting worse. A flash of lightning illuminated her room, which was quickly fallowed by the loud rumble of thunder that seemed to resonate through her very being. And in perfect timing with the thunder, Carina heard a loud knock at the door, a one second delay between each rap. The delay brought a slight smile to Carina's features before whispering, "My special guest has arrived.." All of these elements combined, created a chilling atmosphere, one that she thought to be pleasant. In some cases she even preferred it; it reflecting the person she had become over the past years. And while under normal circumstances she would have risen to answer the door, she believed it to be unnecessary for this particular meeting. Instead she decided to wait and see if it would open, just as she had been doing since she rented the room. Somebody would knock on the door, and then walk away when nobody answered. Watching from the bed in the dimly lit room, the nob turned and the door opened at a slow pace. The old unoiled door hinges sounding off with a loud creaking sound. And then a shadowed figure slipped in through the partially opened door, closing it behind him. Watching him as he looked over the room Carina took a sip of wine. The entire time, her eyes were locked on his figure, while his only met hers after looking over the room. Drawing closer to her, he stopping at the end of her bed, removing the hood that hid him so well. And Carina was pleased when he did; she had been curious about his appearance since the first day they met, and now she was given the opportunity to indulge in that curiosity. To her surprise, he was not an old withered man that couldn't stomach strong drink anymore, quite the contrary rather. Life, experience, and lack of sleep had definitely taken its tole.. but he still held an appeal. And while Carina found no shame in staring at the man that stood before her, her features would not betray the enjoyment she felt. With a relaxed smile, and their eyes locked, Eryss began to speak, breaking the silence. Eryss acknowledged that she had been waiting a while, and then continued on to ask several questions. Asking her to tell him what he desired, it seemed he expected her to know exactly what he wanted. Apparently the note had indeed caused him to wander what Carina though their meeting would consist of, fornication... or something more sinister, greater. Ending his words with two more questions before he seated himself at the end of the bed, he waited for her to answer the questions. The first response she gave was nothing more then a quiet chuckle under her breath. Pushing herself forward onto her knees with the wine in hand, she slowly crawled toward him. Once she was close enough, she slid the skirt up her legs a bit and sat down behind him with one leg on his right and the other on his left. One arm came to rest over his left shoulder where she let her arm hang idly against his chest. Resting her chin on his right shoulder, letting her other hand rest on his leg while she still held the goblet of wine. Pressing into his back, she began whispering into his ear the words she thought he wanted to hear. It made her feel like the beautiful black widow, drawing her prey in to poison and devour it. "Eryss... You've come hear with a desire for power, and the pleasure of personal gain. The creation of the Crimson Edge is proof enough of that. And if the two could so easily be acquired through woman's flesh alone, you would have no doubt exploited that already... No, you long for something of a more sinister kind this evening. You have called upon me as a pawn to be commanded; to test how useful I may be to you. I am simply a means to the end that is your will... your passion." Pausing a moment, she smiled once more. "And what will you do with me?" Laughing quietly, she brought the goblet to her lips and took another sip, her chin remaining perched on his shoulder. Resting her arm, with cup in hand, on his leg once more, she began to speak. "You will use me, of course, to accomplish your aspirations of power. Just as I am using you to accomplish my want for preservation. You need my sweet tongue and deadly poison, and I need the Crimson Edge... Give me your command and I will execute it to the best of my ability, Eryss." Normally when she spoke in her sweet hushed voice, her words of flattery would tickle a persons ear, even if what she said wasn't always true. Although this time, it wasn't words of flattery, it was more like words that were meant to reaffirm that she saw Eryss as the leader of the Crimson Edge. She wandered if they would have the same effect on him, as her words had on other men.

[Eryss Waldu]

[He was sitting comfortably on the edge of her bed when Carina rose to her knees and stalked towards him like a predator and even though he couldn’t see her nor make out her features it was Eryss who had started to let a brief triumphant look overtake his features. When he felt her beginning to settle behind him with a leg on either side of him his smile broadened but with his back to her she would have never seen it happen, perhaps down in her stomach Carina felt something though, and then as she melted into him with her chin falling to rest over his shoulder. Eryss wasn’t looking at her this time but he gave the appearance that he was taking in everything that she had to say to him as though her answer were something that he hung on while drinking in the warmth of her body against his.] [As Carina paused, the goblet she held moving to her lips so that she could drink from it, he would reach out quite unexpectedly and lay his hand across her right leg. While Carina would no doubt not be startled by the gesture itself she would find his touch to be somewhat alien to her as though he skin were a different texture and were she to look she’d discover that this was because of the burns rising across his arms. He flesh had been badly burned from the tips of his fingers to his elbows. When he was less competent with the magic he used it’s easy to envision that Eryss had burnt himself on more than one occasion as a price for his ignorance.] [Now that his hand had fallen across her right leg though Eryss would drink in the touch of smooth skin with his palm, his head tilting to the side as she spoke to him likely the same as many others though it was not unappealing, and as Carina began to conclude she’d feel his hand moving over her leg. Brushing his fingers across it in small circular patterns that rose over her inner thigh and began to move higher, towards the skirt she’d raised, Eryss would speak quite pointedly saying...”Yes. I will use you. Often. Carina.”...the ambiguousness of what he told her had been blatant and he allowed his words to hang with a certain amount of innuendo surrounding them. Perhaps Carina would begin asking herself what she was doing her. At the time she heard her name uttered his hand closed tighter down against the inside of her thigh where it hugged against his side before his thumb began to massage her carefully.] [On the bed, Eryss continued to relax, he appeared comfortable though whether or not this was because Carina’s words had any effect on him or because he liked the warm feel of her body behind his own debatable. Maybe a bit of both. Pulling away from her though Eryss would climb back onto her feet and turn around so that he could face Carina, his eyes momentarily seeming to redden as he looked down at her before telling her...”Come with me. It’s late and everyone in Sunberth is either inside out of the rain or passed out. We are visiting some people tonight.”...just then the sound of lightning crashing could be heard in the distance over Sunberth and the flash of its light flickered across his features.] [Motioning for her to stand then he’d expect that Carina would need to dress herself for the weather. When he’d surveyed the room upon entering he saw her discarded boots and the cloak that she had draped across the back of her chair; Carina would definitely need to wear them in this weather. Revealing a tad more of the venomous soul that hid inside himself when he left Carina on the bed ad turned to face her Eryss, admiring the blouse she wore, would tell her unhesitantly...”You’re dressed for the occasion too. Though maybe one small improvement.”...and then he had begun moving back towards her where his hands would reach out. Outstretching his arms towards her Eryss, reaching for her blouse, would take undo the top most button so that it fell wider and displayed more of the vivacious curves that he imagined her body to have before nodding satisfactory. Whether that would be helpful to her or not or if Eryss merely wanted to see more of her was never elaborated on.] [Earlier when Carina had told him what he desired, power and personal gain, Eryss had not answered her nor confirmed that she was correct though Carina would likely have the sense that she was regardless of whether she had been told as much. He waited for her to dress herself, the hood of his cloak still piled behind his head revealing him to her, his eyes never leaving her svelte frame as though they were expecting to see something more. Eryss liked to watch.]

[Carina]

Carina was positioned comfortably behind Eryss and well aware of where the mans hand was wondering. However, she was curious to know exactly what he was trying to accomplish when he started massaging her inner thigh. Was he trying to arouse her? Certainly not; this was a meeting of another kind, even if she might have been interested in such a thing. That would need to wait for a more appropriate situation and environment. Remaining unaffected by his provocative words or gentle touch, her eyes remained fixated on her new 'boss'. And while she appeared to remain unaffected, she was curious about the feel and texture of his hand against her supple skin. At first contact if felt smooth, but quickly became rutted and leathery. His was unlike the rough, calloused, hands of a man spending much of his life training in the way of wielding a blade. His body was not one that bulged with muscle in places that seemed almost unnatural, it felt so fragile in her arms. From this observation it was obvious to her that he was a worrier of another kind, even if he seemed to enjoy her touch as much as the others. Before she had a chance to conclude her thoughts and analyses of his hand, he pulled away from her and rose to his feet. And while his movement was fluid and relatively quick, Carina was careful to move her hand and the goblet of wine from his path, removing any chance that it would spill or be dropped. By the time he had stood and turned to look back at her, her eyes had already met his, her gaze unwavering even as she witnessed the subtle color change in his eyes. Listening to his words and the thunder that seemed to accompany them, she only waited for them to fade before she spoke in response. "Visiting some people tonight, hmm? Am I to accompany you as your date to this evening festivities, or do you have something else in mind?" With her teasing words came a sly smile that remained even as he approached her with outstretched arms. When she was in reach, she continued to watch as he worked on the third and fourth button of her already partially unbuttoned blouse. Once he seemed satisfied with his improvement and took several steps back, Carina set her drink down on the floor at the foot of the bed. "I was wandering if you could--" At the same time she was speaking, she had turned around and started crawling, on all fours, to the side of the bed. Once in place, she leaned forward, over the edge, and reached her arm under the bed. Her hair came cascading forward and hung in a curtain that hid her face. And the odd position of leaning over the edge of the bed had forced her backside up into the air as her body was supported by mainly her knees. Her blouse hung down, away from her body, but the skirt she wore would prove to be an effective cover for the view the he might have otherwise had. But while it prevented him from catching a glimpse of anything under her shirt, the skirt was pulled tightly over her rump and legs. Was this all part of her fun and games? Most likely. She could feel his eyes burning into her, his gaze, like hers, unwavering. "Gotcha.." She mumbled to herself as she grabbed onto her traveling bag. Returning to a sitting position on her knees with her back turned to Eryss, she opened her bag and started rummaging through it. The searching continued for several long moments before coming to a complete halt. When she found what she was looking for, the smile returned to her features. Casting a sideways glance back over her shoulder, she held a small brown bad between her thumb and index fingers. "--do you think you could use anything special on this venture?" Tossing him the small, tightly bound, bag, she wandered if he would know what it was. While he would take the time to try and figure it out, she slide off the bed and walked over to the corner of the room where her boots set. As she walked her hips would sway a bit, out of an unconscious force of habit formed from several years of practiced seduction. Bending forward from her waist, she picked up one of the boots and pulled it up and on. While once again, intentionally, her skirt was wrapped tightly around her features. "So who are we planning on visiting tonight?" She asked as she pulled the last boot on, then stood strait and walked over to her cloak. Before putting the cloak on though, she straitened her blouse to be ride of the wrinkles and folds. Tugging on the bottom hem, the fabric would flatten against her body, but would also reveal that leaving four buttons undone brought her neckline down to just past her breasts and revealing some of the undergarments she wore. Leaving it as it was, she picked up her cloak and shook it out. And once it too was free of unsightly bunches and wrinkles, she brought it back around and over her shoulders, fastening it around her neck. Pulling her hair free from under the cloak, she let it fall over her shoulders a moment before gathering it up into a pony tail of sorts and tucking it into the hood that she brought up over her head. Walking towards Eryss now, and past the bed, she snatched up her bag and came to a stop at his side. Wrapping one arm around his, and holding his forearm in her other hand, she was ready to go and wandered how he would react to her closeness. "I'm ready to leave. Take me where you will, I'm yours for the night." Externally she kept a cool head and a calm voice, but she was actually very excited to see just what Eryss had planned for that evening. With hopes of entertainment, the two made their way out of the room and down the stairs. But before heading strait for the door, they stopped by the bar to drop off the rooms keys. The young man seemed a bit surprised with her sudden appearance, and even a little disappointed when he saw Eryss. "Oh... I'm sorry hun. I know we had plans after your shift, but somethings come up. I promise I'll be back later though, don't you worry." She didn't really plan on going through with those plans, she just wanted to leave without causing trouble for herself. So blowing the bartender a kiss, the two of them made for the exit with a lie to return later. Hopefully that wouldn't cause her any trouble further down the road.

[Eryss Waldu]

[At the inquiry she made a thin smile began to form over Eryss features, he had been anticipating it, and when Carina had finished she would see him shake his head several times as though telling her, wordlessly, that she not be his date tonight. In fact her role in his plan was much more prominent than that which he had yet to reveal completely to her, Eryss himself taking on a secondary role for this encounter unless it was otherwise necessary, Carina was to prove her worth to him this night and thus would either flourish or flounder after these events.] [When Carina began to lean over the bed, her hair partially concealing her face, and began reaching for something the feeling that he had let his eyes begin to bore into her was correct. Eryss found that the woman was attractive obviously but beyond that he watched her so that he could decipher her, he watched how she moved down to the most subtle of nuances, as though she were a complex equation that he desired to solve. Before she could look back up from retrieving her travel bag she’d hear his answer to her though when he said...”Tonight I thought you might take the lead Carina. You’ll know more but all in good time.”...purposely vague when it came to telling her what she would be doing tonight his hands outstretched when she tossed him the small, tightly bound bag.] [Weighing it in his hands it would soon become clear that Eryss did not know what the contents of the bag were though he had several ideas. Poison being one of the first things that came to mind. Whatever it was he was sure that Carina was proficient in how it was used or she wouldn’t be handling it at all. “No idea.”...he would eventually reply before tossing the bag back to her after she had tugged on her boots, the unconscious sway of her hips not having escaped him, and then listening as she quizzed him on who they would be visiting tonight. Her answer was another thin, blatant, smile so that she would know that this game was his and she would need to wait a little longer. At least until they were outside on the streets of Sunberth in the rain and wind.] [As Carina drew the cloak over herself she’d feel Eryss eyes boring across her again as though she were the center of attention this evening before he drew his hands higher and pulled the hood of his cloak over his head once more, hiding his features from sight again, just before Carina had walked by and taken his arm in hers. His reaction to her being close to him was indifferent. He understood that this was an act Carina was skilled at performing so that the men around her let their guard down, Eryss too let his guard down somewhat just by letting her come so near to him, and he appreciated it for the talent that she had. Then Carina had announced she was ready and the both of them moved to exit the bar.] [Walking down the stairs to the main level of the Pigs Foot Tavern Eryss would remain mostly quiet, except for a subtle chuckle when he saw the disappointment on the bartenders features, while leading Carina outside onto the streets of Sunberth once again. It was still raining hard and the wind was blowing strong. Both of them likely getting a strong gust of wind in the face. Eryss would lead Carina aside until they were walking closer to buildings and using the outcrop of their roofs as a shield against the rain and wind. Hopefully Carina didn’t mind as the both of them still had a long ways to walk, all the way to the Slums, before they reached their destination.] [Watching her from the corner of his eye as they moved down the streets Eryss would finally turn them into an alley between buildings, a short cut to the next street they needed to travel towards, where they were better protected against the elements before beginning to reveal more to Carina...”The people we’re going to see run a small shop out of the slums. A shanty really. None of them overly important. They’re toughs you see, up and comers, not affiliated with any one gang in Sunberth.”...from what he was telling her Carina might get the idea that these men might be a rival of theirs or could potentially become one in the near future. He waited for her to take everything he had said in as they walked through the alley. Eryss eyes scanning the pathway ahead to make sure it was clear while intentionally leading them closer to the shadows, making them harder to spot especially in this weather which he used to their advantage, and concealing them from whoever might be watching.] [Raising his hand as they came to the end of the alley so that Carina would know to stop Eryss peered out, turning his head in either direction, before leading her ahead once again satisfied that everything was well. “There should be three of them. No name wretches. You will be as you are, Carina of the Crimson Edge, there to negotiate that they come into our service. Introduce me as your servant. None of them know my name or identity.”...his statement would leave it open as to what would be done if the men decided to get rough with Carina which might be the case if they declined her proposal but Eryss had come for a reason. It could be assumed that if these men would not be his then they would be dead.] [Leading Carina down another street as the rain pounded down over their bodies, soaking through even their cloak s likely, they would both come closer and closer to their destination...]

[Carina]

Without another word, Carina left the barkeep to his disappointment and followed Eryss towards the taverns exit, ready to begin her first official task. Pushing the doors open, the cold wet air quickly greeted them, nipping at their exposed skin and leaving a subtle stinging feeling. One gust of wind caught under her hood and tried pushing it back. But with fairly quick reflexes, Carina caught its hem and held it in place until the wind subsided a bit. Walking along the side of the building, she tilted her head back and gazed up at the clouded sky. The cool rain stung when it landed, speckling her face like small gem's against what few lamps lite the streets that night. The splashing rain and roaring wind made for a fairly noisy evening, so when she spoke, she tilted her head towards Eryss ear, hoping he would understand her without needing to raise her voice. "Its such a lovely night. And this rain, its so revitalizing." She commented, trying to create some light conversation to continuously work at putting Eryss at ease with her presence. "Do you enjoy weather like this?" She asked. If anybody had been listening, they wouldn't think much of the two of them, quickly dismissing them as nobody important. Turning down a dark alley that protected them from the blustering wind, and some of the rain, Carina observed its occupants. The bad weather had sent even the strays into hiding, obvious by the number of animals that crowded the slim alley. Both cats and dogs huddled against the walls, with an occasional drunk taking cover as well. While the main streets looked as if they had been abandoned, the small byways were teaming with various forms of life. None of which posed a threat to Eryss or herself in their passing. When they were out of earshot, Eryss revealed a little bit more about her objective. He spoke of some important details and what to expect, but not what she was to do. But she was able to piece together parts of the picture and make some assessments. Until she had more information, she would keep silent; expecting him to divulge more into his plan. When they neared the end of the alley, Eryss lifted his hand in a silent command to stop, and Carina complied without hesitation or second guessing. While they both stood still in the shadows of the alley, she glanced at Eryss from the corner of her eye, watching and waiting for him to give a sign that things were clear. Once he was sure that things were safe, and before stepping out into the street, he spoke again about the matter at hand, and just what she was to do. And finally she replied, sharing her thoughts on what he shared with her. "So there are three of them? Our first business negotiation.. and if all ends well, potential partners." Pausing for a moment, she thought about his plan and what repercussions might result from it. "If I introduce myself as Carina of the Crimson Edge, and you as a mere servant... then they may very well see me as the face of our syndicate. Maybe even its leader, unless it is establish that I am not. But do you suppose it would upset them if, I, your lap dog, came in place of the leader? " Her voice falling silence once more, she pondered the pros and cons of that outcome. "Perhaps this was your plan from the beginning? To have others represent the face of the Crimson Edge, while you remain the unseen directing force behind us and our decisions?" Leaving it at that, the two walked out into the street and the poring rain. They weren't out in the rain for very long before their cloaks were soaked through. And now that it had made its way through her cloak, it was slowly dampening her clothes and making her a bit chilly. Like her clothes, her hair was also dampening. Before much longer she would be soaked to the bone, leaving her body moistened with rain water and the potential for a cold or fever. "Whatever your plan, Eryss, I will do what you ask. As long as it furthers our purpose." As she spoke, two figures stumbled out from another dark alley. Judging from their apparent lack of motor skills or direction as they shuffled about, Carina guessed they were drunk. Sunberth had a plethora of drunks after all. Drunks... and troublemakers. And these two seemed to be looking to cause trouble for something or somebody. Calling out for an unseen and unknown target to show themselves. From their aggressive words, she was able to assume at least that much. Frowning a bit at the nuisance that they represented, she scanned the area for a rout of escape to avoid them. She and Eryss had more important matters to worry about without two lummoxes getting in their way and delaying the business meeting. Carina didn't know, yet, how quickly Eryss would rush into a pointless battle; she hoped he was different then Cade in that matter. The Myrian was always looking for an excuse to get into a good fight. Releasing Eryss right arm, she moved back behind him, with quiet steps, over to his left side. Grabbing onto his left arm, she tried pulled him towards another dark alley, away from the drunkards. If he didn't resist her, she would pull him into the shadows and push him up against the wall using the weight of her own body against his. With her fists clutching at his cloak and her face very near to his, she wanted to make certain that he would keep quiet, looking for any signs of resistance or annoyance at her sudden actions. When she was certain he would remain still until the two men had wandered off, she took a spot against the wall next to him. Not saying a word, she wandered if he would want an explanation, and hoped that he would be wise enough to understand without needing to ask.

[Eryss Waldu]

[Walking the street of Sunberth in this damp weather Eryss wouldn’t have turned his head upwards to catch much of the rain, it was bad enough the wind was able to wind itself underneath the hood of his cloak, he appeared content to keep his mind on the matter at hand. In fact the small talk that Carina made would receive a minor grunt from him to signify that he was not an enormous fan of this kind of weather as they moved onwards, eventually turning down into an alley that would shorten their journey.] [Once they had crossed the alley and moved out onto another street that was closer to their destination he would listen as she spoke to him of her understanding of the mission. She weighed the pros and cons aloud for Eryss to hear and he neither confirmed nor denied any of them at first, beneath the hood he wore he was smiling however as Carina was beginning to piece together the inner workings of his plan, though as she finished he would finally answer her. “Very astute Carina. Others will represent the face of the Crimson Edge and carry out my will. You are one such face when brawn is less likely to succeed.”...the answer was collectively spoken, Eryss had this idea all along but very few were privy to it and Carina only because she had the foresight to put it all together on her own, he preferred to think of the Crimson Edge as a multi headed mechanism with him behind every facet of its being. At the moment that meant considerably less then it would in the future though.] [As their cloaks began to soak through on the open streets of Sunberth, wetting their bodies underneath, Eryss would nod once as he heard Carina affirm her loyalty to him. She had done well thus far and he was confident she would continue to perform her duties equally well in the future. In a sense Carina was one piece of the puzzle that Eryss could use to further his own ends. Ahead of them Eryss became alerted to the two men, drunks, stumbling out of an alleyway that was ahead of them and he tensed briefly, his sense of caution on high alert, but had enough of a mind about himself that he had no desire to confront the two of them. He was a thinker after all and not much for a physical confrontation though he would fight if it was necessary. In all reality Eryss preferred to avoid a situation that could potentially sidetrack him from his goals though.] [He had little time to consider his own actions however as Carina had already released his right arm, moving back around behind him, before taking his left arm and drawing him into a nearby alleyway where they were both out of the way. Without warning Carina was pushing him against a wall, in the cover of darkness, while press her body closer to her with hands wrapped in his cloak and her face hovering closer to his beneath the hood he wore. He looked largely impassive to her actions, he hadn’t become irritated by them or tried to fight them nor did he appear completely shocked, but soon he wore a hairline smile that seemed to tell her of his satisfaction and that she had done well before she moved to stand next to him against the wall. Watching as the drunks wandered past the both of them Eryss would wait, turning his head so that he could look at Carina before saying...”You’ve done this before I see.”...a small chuckle leaving it ambiguous as to whether he meant hiding from men or drawing one into an alley for other purposes.] [Venturing back out onto the street once the drunks had passed still shouting for their invisible opponent to show himself Eryss would make sure they had gone well ahead before proceeding forward towards the Slum section of Sunberth. The largest section he assumed without really knowing. Walking ahead the rain continued to fall hard and the streets had begun to soften with mud causing Eryss to steady his footing as he moved, he turned his elbow out to Carina again so that she could take his arm, it wouldn’t be much longer now. “It’s not far now. When we meet these men try to make them understand it would be better for them to work with us instead of the other groups in the city. You are the face of the Crimson Edge tonight, remember that.”...he said, seeming to offer assurances to Carina, though Eryss neglected to tell her that he would step in if things started to go awry; he wanted to do business but if that was impossible then these men were useless.] [Navigating the slums took some time but they weren’t on any set schedule. The Shacks that lined the rows of housing that was in disrepair were almost indistinguishable from one another to the naked eye but Eryss knew the one he was looking for in particular. Up ahead he would see the small shack, its window shutters closed but the amber haze of firelight easily seen escaping the cracks and the sounds of laughter coming from within, maybe they were gambling, along with the leaky roof that only barely kept out the rain when it was storming like this. It couldn’t have had more than two rooms, a main one and smaller one for private meetings and sleeping.] [Approaching the hovel that served as a makeshift headquarters for the trio of young toughs Eryss would then usher Carina ahead of him so that he could walk behind her and appear as a secondary player for the moment, this was his tertiary role, though she would hear him whispering behind her...”One will likely want to speak with you in private. If he does not fall into line you know what to do. I will handle the others.” Without saying it Eryss was insinuating that Carina was to kill the man who went into the back with her by whatever means necessary if things went sideways. He waited behind her as she approached the door to the shack and waited for this meeting to commence.]

[Carina]

In response to his teasing words, Carina's only reply was a subtle smirk as the two of them made their way back out onto the main street towards the slums. By now the streets that weren't paved had been softened by the continues rain, and the streets that were paved had a coating of mud that moved with the sheets of water. While this made walking, soundly, a bit of a challenge, Carina was careful to avoid puddles. Where the water gathered, the ground was sure to be muck. Graciously taking the arm Eryss offered her, he would provide some extra support if she were to lose her footing on the unstable ground. And in taking his arm, it also allowed her to listen more carefully to the words he spoke. But as before, she would only reply with silence; finding it best to speak little when it came to matters such as the one at hand. While he spoke, she observed, looking over the rows of rundown shacks. In her eyes, each of them looked the same in such bad weather, no doubt most of the residents were sound asleep by now. As they neared the destination, Carina heard the familiar sound of boisterous laughter coming from one, of many, rundown shacks. Upon closer inspection, she saw the light that shown out through the windows in slivers upon the wet ground. She knew it was her cue to put the plan into action when Eryss fell behind, leaving her to take up the lead while giving her some quiet information on what could possibly happen. When he finished, she nodded and pushed back the hood of her cloak, letting the rain completely drench her hair. Surprisingly, even with it dripping wet, it still held some of its natural curl. And while under normal circumstances, she would have preferred to keep it dry, she hoped her appearing in such a manor would bring out what sympathy they might have had. Tousling it a bit and giving it freedom move as the wind wished it, she approached the shacks door. Standing at the door, she knocked loudly several times; wanting to make sure she was heard over the thunder and laughter. When the noise disturbed them, their voices fell silent for a moment. Listening intently, Carina heard one of them mumble something too quietly for her to understand. Time felt like it had slowed while she was waiting in anticipation of what their next move would be. Once one of them yelled out, asking who it was, she breathed a sigh of relief. With a smile, she knocked on the door a second time; she would remain quiet until the door was opened, or she could look upon one of them. She knew her unwillingness to answer unless eye contact was made worked when she heard the shuffling of feet against the wooden floor. A few more incoherent words were passed between the men inside before the small wooden slate was pushed aside, and one of them stared out of the slim opening. He started with a rude greeting, asking her what she wanted, but his voice was cut short when his eyes looked upon her. While he wouldn't have been able to see much of her through the small opening, her eyes alone were beautiful enough to fluster the poor fool. With her blocking his vision of anything other then her, he wouldn't be able to see Eryss who stood behind her in the shadows. When the man inside finished speaking, Carina would reply with, not an answer, but a request. "Could I come in?... The weathers is rather dreadful out here." Waiting a moment for him to answer, she wanted to laugh when it seemed any words had been caught in his throat. "You wouldn't leave a lady out in the rain, would you?" Her last words held a bit of a chortle to them while she wandered when he would regain his wits. But before he had a chance, another voice called out from within the shack, one that told the greeter to let her in. And in reply, he only shut the slot and unlocked the door, opening it for the two of them to enter. When the door opened and the light shown out into the darkness, it revealed to them, a full view of Carina, her shadow hiding Eryss from view still. After giving a moment for the three men to look over her and see she carried no weapons, and therefore, wasn't a threat, she spoke. "Thank you, gracious sirs, for allowing me an audience." The men probably didn't deserve any degree of kind or well manured words; but such things had a wonderful affect over pitiful men. Walking in out of the rain, with Eryss following behind her, she let the men gaze at her figure and curves freely. "May I remove my cloak? The rain soaked it right through." The man that the other to seemed to listen to, presumably their leader, motioned for one of them to take the cloak from her once it was removed. With it gone, her white blouse, skirt, and boots were revealed and left the men staring again. It seemed her cloak did little to protect against the elements that evening; all her clothes were just as wet as the cloak. But her blouse was the most noticeable article of clothing. It being white in color, the rain water made it appear transparent against her skin; it provided little to hide her intimates. Thankfully, through forethought, she always wore dark colored skirts to hide the weapons she carried with her. Also, with her cloak removed, drops of water fell freely from the ends of her hair; making soft pattering noises against the wooden floor. With all their eyes focused on her, they almost didn't notice Eryss when he entered the building until the door was shut and he was well inside standing behind and to her side. When one of them finally noticed Eryss, the man burst out in an aggravated tone, asking her who he was and what she was trying to pull on them. When the attention of the other two was drawn to Eryss, they all reached for the hilts of their weapons. The feeling of sudden tension was almost palpable. While one of the men stood and took on a defensive stance, they seemed to be waiting for her to give an explanation. No doubt, if she were to give the wrong one, they would run here through then and there. But keeping a level head even in the surge of energy, she nonchalantly turned to look at Eryss. "Oh, him?" Raising a hand, she ran it down the side of his face that was furthest from her, pulling him a bit closer in the process. "He's nothing more then a mere servant. He couldn't hurt a fly, even if the wanted to. You need not worry your handsome selves about him." Then she turned to look back at the group of three men. "Because I'm not here looking for trouble. No no. I'm here to bring you fine gentlemen a business proposition. One that would benefit both you and I greatly." Following her words, the leader of the men smirked in amusement as he stroked his bare chin. Then he proceeded to ask her why he shouldn't just let his men have their way with her. Viewing her as an unarmed and helpless woman, he probably thought she would be easy prey after taking care of the said servant. Continuing on, he pointed out the obvious, that his two man had taken a fancy to her. But the lust in their eyes was obvious enough without him needing to speak about it. Seeming to pay no mind to the mans threatening words, Carina strolled over to the door that probably lead to the sleeping chamber. Leaning against its frame, she answered his question. "You wouldn't, because if you did, you would never know what offer I've come with. Men like you three would never me so absent minded that you would pass up an opportunity of wealth and power over one night immersed in a woman's flesh..." Focusing in on their leader now, she continued. Could you and I speak in private? Its apparent to me that you hold the position of leadership in this group. If you accept my offer, then no doubt they will listen to you as well." With her request to speak in private, she pushed the door open, waiting for him to comply. Perhaps at first she was presuming too much when she spoke of his position of leadership, but it seemed to work on the mans ego none the less. The man grinned wickedly as he rose to his feet and approached Carina. He motioned for her to step into the room first in a poor attempt at playing the role of gentleman that she had placed him in. Returning his grin with a smile, she stepped into the room at a slowed pace, making it a point to draw the mans attention down to her swaying hips and wet clothes. Once he entered the room he shut the door and locked it behind him with a few words of warning, saying he was not to be disturbed. OOCSorry if I said too much in this post, or dragged it on for too long. XD Hope you enjoyed reading it. Oh and sorry if some parts read a little rough x.x... I was tired and was feeling a bit sick when I wrote this >.< On a side note, 1,500+ word post ftw! XD (Longest post I've done in my history of writing.. ever. O_O)

[Eryss Waldu]

[When he fell behind Eryss would instinctively watch as Carina moved ahead of him, staying back in her shadow so that he could avoid the notice of anyone not able to see around her, before moving behind her. He was careful to remain just out of arms reach but close enough that he wouldn’t compromise the natural subterfuge her body blocking his would afford him. Coupled along with both the darkness and the heavy rain meant that anyone ahead of Carina would have a difficult time seeing him. Eryss had been anticipating how the meeting would commence but only time would tell if it all went according to plan; Carina would need to play her part well.] [As they approached the door, the voices of men heard behind it, Eryss, waiting, would watch as Carina pushed back the hood of her cloak to reveal her lengthy hair which was soon soaking wet but lost none of its natural appeal regardless of this. Only around then did he notice how wet he was as well, Eryss had felt the rain previous to this point but he had been focused on the task to the point of single-mindedness, this short reprieve seemed to snap him from a trance. He felt as droplets of rain sunk through the light, and aged, fabric of his cloak and ran down his face likely having been doing that for some time but going unnoticed until now. Hearing Carina begin to knock on the door of the small, rundown, Shack Eryss would wait; listening for a response as the voices inside became more subdued.] [Behind Carina he couldn’t see as the wooden slat of the door was opened nor could he make out the words that were said until Carina asked if they were going to make her wait out in the rain. When the door finally opened Eryss was relieved because it meant that Carina had met their expectations and had suitably enticed their senses. Walking behind her Eryss would follow her inside of the building, standing just off to the side of her as he came in out of the rain, until one of the men noticed him and angrily asked who he was and what his purpose was. No one noticed him at first with Carina finding all of their attention but when they finally did see Eryss none of them seemed especially accommodating. This is when the Mage felt the most tense, his natural response being that he wanted to burn these men, but he held himself in check for the time being.] [His eyes had flickered to the hand of the man closest to him when Carina finally made the introductions and did a commendable job of it. “Forgive me Masters. I am just a poor beggar taken in as the servant of the charitable Lady Carina.”...which would suffice for now as his acknowledgement that Carina was his mistress, something Eryss secretly deplored saying even though it was necessary for him to do so at this time. The three men seemed to accept that Eryss was no threat to them though so the Mage allowed himself to relax, at least outwardly, but he was still waiting for his moment to act. Eryss had some degree of faith in Carina’s talents or else he wouldn’t have tasked her with this but he fully expected her to fail when it came to convincing these men to join the Crimson Edge as associates.] [Indeed, if Carina succeeded then all the better but should she fail then it was no matter and Eryss would proceed accordingly.] [Left to his own devices as Carina moved towards the vacant backroom, leaning herself against its entrance, while talking persuasively to the obvious leader of the trio Eryss would wander closer to a hearth in one corner of the dwelling. As he moved he hesitated suddenly, his eyes moving upwards, after he felt a dampness over his brow again before seeing that many shoddy holes lined the roof and then continuing on. This place was barely any better than the outside with the amount of holes Eryss was just now noticing.] [At the same time Carina closed the door to the back room behind herself and the leader of the men Eryss settled beside the hearth. Crouching down and extending his hands towards the small fire and embers that burnt while the other two men sat at an old rickety table and began playing cards. They paid Eryss very little mind, in his attire he didn’t look like much of a threat and being young ruffians these men had a hard time looking beyond all of that, he warmed himself and enjoyed a few moments quietly while Carina did her work.] [Listening to the two men it was easy for him to surmise that the both of them planned to have a turn on Carina once their leader was finished, she had went willingly with him so they imagined she’d be just as willing with the both of them, causing Eryss to shake his head once. Neither of the two men had much of an idea as to what would happen to them very shortly. What Eryss hadn’t told Carina was the it was this unseemly Shack he wanted as a safe house, property for the Crimson Edge, the first of many in the slums where the group could coordinate its activities. Maybe he would even establish it as a legitimate business playing to the talents of Carina or one of the others to dissuade to much suspicion but it would serve its purpose. Looking back over one shoulder Eryss was quietly watching the men, neither of them were very old, and opening his hand as he waited Eryss would begin to resonate a very small amount of res from his palm that shaped itself into a tiny sphere slowly growing.] [Anticipating that Carina would need only a few chimes or less to either convince the man she was with or debilitate him Eryss began to prepare himself. A faint malevolence filling his eyes as he watched the men at the table from over his shoulder until one of them shouted threateningly at him prompting his response...”Forgive me young master. My eyes wander where they should not.”...before he looked back towards the small fire beneath the heart. When the time came he would incinerate the ruffian that had shout at him slowly, he wanted to see the pain come to life in the man’s eyes as he burnt him thoroughly like a piece of meat.]