Closed [Guest ST][Shiress] Without a Quicker Blood

[Philomena]

Spring 74, 513 AV
Quarters of Shiress, Traveller's Row, Syliras
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The dark was far more comfortable than Lona would have expected. She had expected to be frightened - her skullduggery of the past had been of the Sunberth type: quick, brutal, and not too concerned about privacy in the long term. This was different, more like hunting, for in Syliras, to be known as the winner of a match of this sort was not to earn respect - it was to earn a trip to the pits. And Lona was not interested in that sort of trip, no matter how much she needed the money.

The girl, luckily - this 'Shiress' - had been remarkably easy to follow. A nice enough creature, Lona figured. A petching Zeltivan with the queer twang of the coast, but sweet enough as a human. 'Twas a shame she was irretrievably petched. Lona'd worried she'd make an ass of herself skulking around a town full of cops breathing down your neck. In the end? It had been a matter of drinking in the girl's pub a few nights, wandering out at the right time of night, and watching her. The girl, as far as Lona was concerned, was a hopelessly simple thing. Work, market, home. No truly close friends, nothing that looked like a long term relationship. A few hangups near the tavern, a bit of roughhouse, nothing even that would have equalled a spat in Sunberth. Some shouting one night about being a slave. The girl was a snit of a thing, and if anything, Lona couldn't understand how she'd survived as long as she had with a petcher like Elijah Jordan.

And then, it was a matter of a simple snick of the lock on the girl's door, at a quiet moment, and slipping quietly inside. She had a dagger in her boot now, but this was for an emergency. The real weapon was the heavy lead blackjack she swung loosely from her right hand., and the rope she had over her shoulder. Then it was just a matter of getting her out without anyone noting her condition.

She sat then, just behind where the door would open, the least likely place for the woman to turn. And she waited. The bells struck. She would be here soon.

[Shiress]

With several good nights bidden, Shiress stepped through the doorway of the tavern and onto a dimly lit road. Her hair was pulled tightly and bound to the back of her head in a clumsy knot, fallen brown strands swayed gently as she moved beneath the torchlight. The night air was warm and the new moon did little to illuminate her path to Travelers row. Having worked all day, the barmaid steps were slow as tired legs carried her along the path. Her hands were tucked away in her apron pockets as she moved along the road. The shadowed route that lead to her tiny apartment was a well rehearsed journey for the girl. One she ventured nearly every night since taking her position at The Rearing Stallion. No more than five or six chimes and the barmaid would be home, slinging her clothes to the floor and climbing into crisp cool bed sheets to sleep the night away so as to repeat the same routine the next day. Which was completely OK with the green eyed loner. Finally arriving at the doorway, she pulled the door open and stepped through. She let out several healthy yawns as she stumbled her way down the narrow corridor, staying true to form and waiting until she walked up to the door to jumble around in her bag for the key. Clumsy fingers fumbled with the lock as a tired barmaid struggled to see in the dim torchlight. finally a soft click echoed through the corridor instantly followed by a call from a familiar voice. Leaving the door slightly ajar, the girl stepped away looking down the corridor. A broad smile spread quickly across rosy lips "Hadyn!"

[Hadyn Skellig]

Petch, it was late! The moon hung heavy in the dark sky, the shadows deep and a slight chill in the air. The woman half considered turning around and leaving this for the morrow. It was well past the bell for calling and she had to be up early the next day. But, she reasoned, the girl was likely still awake and Hadyn was in the neighborhood. Kind of. Besides, she wouldn't have time to deliver the item any time soon considering her work load. There. It was settled. There remained a vague recollection of the location she was headed, though it turned out Hadyn really wasn't sure where she was going. Shoving her hands into the recesses of the overcoat, the brunette kept up her pace to at least appear as though she had a known destination. Her dark hair was braided neatly and slung over one shoulder. Dressed for work her boots made the rhythmic steps almost monotonous against the stone. Brown eyes peered into the gloominess of the corridor trying to recall which door belonged to Shiress. Within the pocket of her slim trousers was the item in question. The ring so dear to the girl had broken several days prior under some tribulation, leaving the owner quite distraught. Hadyn assured her it would not be a problem to fix, a simple welding of the broken band. In truth it wasn't exactly the work she did but jewelry making wasn't particularly taxing or difficult. And Hadyn felt it only right to help the girl. Tucked into the inner pocket of the overcoat was another piece for Shiress. A small dagger - more like a knife really. It concerned Hadyn that the girl had no means of protection upon her person, especially with her past. Not that the blacksmith was armed to the teeth herself, but a sense of sisterly concern encouraged her to create a simple blade to present to Shiress. If she could find her. Up ahead a narrow figure stood at a door, fumbling for keys. Hadyn squinted in the poor light, tilting her head to observe the individual. Perhaps they knew where the girl lived. She continued toward the figure at a steady pace so as not to alarm the person. As she walked closer, Hadyn realized it was the lady in question. By the stars she was lucky. "Shiress," she called out with a grin. Picking up her pace so the girl wouldn't startle at a shadowy voice, Hadyn stepped into a thin shred of light, a grin on her face. "Glad I caught y'here."

[Philomena]

//Haydn? Who the petch is that?//

Lona panicked a little bit. Of all the petching nights, she hadn't had a guest in weeks, and now, she gets a midnight caller?

//Come on girl... say hello and walk off... say hello and walk away...//

Lona thought to back up, but then, thought she might make more noise that way. So she simply froze, closing her eyes, breathing slowly, calming herself.

She hiked the black jack up in her hand, and in the other hand, drew the dagger out, then stood, very, very slowly, silently.

//Alright... Alright, this is okay. She has a guest, ain't neither one of them expecting a third to their party. Just be patient. Just be patient//

She reached standing, and pulled taut the muscles of her legs, ready to spring should the door open. She would have to work fast.

[Shiress]

Seeing a face for the voice, her smile broadened further across her face "Hadyn." Shiress called stepping away from the door and into the torchlight against the corridor wall. She lifted her hand in a wave as Hayden came better into view. The brunette blacksmith meant a lot to Shiress thanks to a chance meeting early on in the season that kindled friendship for the two and has since then grown stronger, forming a bond between them. Shiress adored Hadyn and was happy to see her gracefully floating down the corridor toward her. The girl turned back to her apartment door as the brunette made her way down the passage. Pushing her door open she glanced over her shoulder in the smith's direction. "It's good to see you. Come in." She called as she stepped from the corridor, her frame casting a shadow across the wooden floor as she moved past the doorway and into her room, giving the door a nudge behind her for Hadyn to follow. "I hope you can stay a chime, maybe have a drink." She said stepping further into her room. oocIm terribly sorry for the injustice given and have quickly edited my lack of observation of the approaching brunette, but, if you will...can we keep the bong?

[Hadyn Skellig]

Hadyn caught up with the girl, a grin on her lips. Her fingers ran across the ring's contour in her pocket, eager to show it to her friend. But she'd wait till they were inside, considering the poor light. Besides, she'd just received an invitation out of the night and the potential of a drink - the girl knew her well. Hadyn nodded in response, looking forward to sitting for a chime. "That'd be lovely," she answered as she followed Shiress into the darkness of her apartment. "Good thing I caught y'too. I'd be wanderin' about on account of forgettin' where in the wall y'lived." She stepped into the shadows, a smile on her face, hand in one pocket, the other at her side.

OOCSorry for the pithy length. Also... lumbering? I do not lumber, I gracefully float. Also, apparently we've created a bong together, Shiress? Smoke a bowl about it shall we?

[Philomena]

The knob began to wobble, as the key clanked in the lock, the voices cheery and immobile.

//Wait for it, Lona... Wait for it... no rush, no rush...//

The door jangled open with the slight scrape of wood on wood, and the two entered. First Shiress, who Lona regarded with coolness. The sudden imminence of the situation had a sudden surreal quality. It was, for a moment, as if Lona did not exist, these two people's world so blisffully apart from her own. It made her falter for just an instant. The girl was content enough, even if she wasn't exactly living much of a life. Shiress smiled as she traded comments with the other girl.

//Petch it. I'm not here on Justice. I'm here to get money, so I can get m'mum back. The girl's unlucky, that ain't my business.//

Then the second woman, this 'Haydn'. She recognized her, vaguely, and remembered the wiry strentgth of the girl.

//Hmm. One shot before they know what's going on. Go for the burly one. This Shiress probably never put a fight up in her life.//

So she stepped forward, silently, waiting for the two women to be mid comment, and swung the heavy lead black jack, hard and fast, straight at the back of the base of Haydn's skull. This at least she knew. If the girl was human, anyway, and not pulling any strange tricks, she'd be laid out as soon as it hit. She drew her knife from her boot as she stood, and held it with the opposite hand, her eyes going to meet Shiress's, to warn her to stay quiet. This was the delicate part. It was unlikely the woman, unprepared and unexpectant, would avoid the blow, so the threat of attack, Lona was about to neutralize. Now it was just the threat of Shiress getting stupid and shouting. Because that would be bad for both of them - Lona would have to use the knife. And that would make this all much messier...

//Come on kid... come on... keep your mouth shut. I don't wanna kill nobody tonight...//

[Shiress]

Commotion behind Shiress caused her to spin around just as a shadowed weapon slammed against the back of Hadyn's head. With a gasp, Shiress rushed forward attempting to catch the plummeting body, but the blacksmiths falling weight brought both to the wooden floor of her apartment. She pulled the woman's limp body around, resting her head in her lap, as she looked in the woman's listless face. Running her hand along her cheek, she rested her fingers against Hadyn's slightly parted lips. Relief washed over her as she felt Hadyn's warm breath against her fingertips then slowly she lifted her eyes to the figure standing over them. Her face went taunt with fear as her eyes fell to the steel blade, reflecting the pale torchlight, held in the intruders fist. "What do you want." She asked, her voice trembling as her hand lowered and pulled her coin purse from her apron pocket and tossed it to the intruders feet. "That's all I have, please take it and leave us." She said, lowing her face again to the unconscious blacksmith she held in her arms.

[Philomena]

The rush of sudden adrenaline had, for a moment, deadened humanity in the mercenary. In the faint light from the ventilation shaft, the woman stood now over the prone women, and for just an instant wavered.

//Oh petch, what'd I just do? Petch this shyke. No... no... come on, Lona. This is what has to be. Just take a deep breath and do your job. Think o' your mum.//

Her eyes were gray and strangely warm in the dim light, brown almost to auburn , framed by a cropped head of poorly kept mouse-brown hair. The girl was no beauty, and never would be, with her hollow cheeks and and bony eyes and weak, smallish mouth. She spoke in a sharp, quiet little voice, gripping the shine of the dagger a little tighter.

"Your... money. Lock it up somewhere, and anything you... don't want stolen from you."

Her brow furrowed just for a twitch.

//What the hell is that? You want to keep her 5 bob from getting stolen? You don't have time for this shyke, and you remember the petcher that hired you. The girl ain't gonna be coming back for none of this.//

She felt this, and felt stupid for her words. It made her growl, almost animal under her breath.

"And hurry the petch up, girl. I ain't here to pay a social call. I ain't here to kill nobody either, but you're gonna do exactly what I say, or I'll have to change my plans. put away anything that matters, and... and anything of the girl there's that'll matter. Then hurry up and help me pick her up. She's seen me now, or might of. She'll have to be brought along with us. Either that or I kink her now, and ain't neither of us wants that. Now, get moving. We'll take her a 'tween us like she had tae much to drink."

With that, Loma reached into her pocket, knife still at the ready, and pulled out a flask of cheap spirits. She turned the unconscious woman's head, after pinning her back down with a knee (just in case) and poured a bit of the bottle sloppily into her mouth, across her hair, into her clothes. She'd smell drunk. And be out for probably a few hours. Long enough to get her out to the cart.

[Shiress]

A look of pure bewilderment covered Shiress' face as she began to stir. Gently she lowered Hadyn's head to the wooden floor and pushed herself up. Shiress now stood face to face with this intruder, this woman. Her hands lifted in obvious intimidation as she slowly backed away from the shining steel point of the blade. The intruder's calm voice and demeanor frightened the girl more so than if she was to scream her demands in a fit of rage, but the woman's cool manner gave Shiress a bad feeling in her gut. "Where do you want me to go? Where are you taking us?" She asked with desperation in her tone as the woman bent over and began to douse Hadyn. Shiress' eyes darted to the still open door of her apartment, seeing an opportunity to run for help. Her eyes moved slowly back to the woman as she pressed her knee against Hadyn's chest. She wasn't much bigger than Shiress if at all and with her knee against Hadyn's chest would make her unbalanced at best, but the thought of leaving her friend sent a pain through her chest. What will happen if we are taken. What if she means to kill us. I have to do something, I have to try try. Shiress lowered her arm to the table by her side, sliding her hand slowly across it's surface until her fingers felt the lantern near the middle and wrapped around it's base. She glared at the woman waiting for the right moment to strike and as she began to straighten over Hadyn's body, she felt the moment had come. With a deep breath, Shiress lunged for the intruder, hurling the lantern around landing it against what she hoped was the hand that held the dagger and with all her strength, she shoved the woman off of Hadyn and onto the floor. Without hesitation, Shiress twisted her body and bolted, hoping she could make it to the the door or, at the very least, make it close enough that her screams may be heard. Gods help me...