She watched the two men depart from the corner of her eye. Shaking her head at fools everywhere, she continued to call out to passers by, then stopped with a flourish. Flinging an arm up at the inability of Marnians to spot a bargain, she placed a pot of armour polish on the flagstones at her feet and hefted her cart. Sniffing dismissively at those too stupid to know quality merchandise when it was waved in their faces, she departed quietly, leaving Anavel Cottrel's Finest Armour Wax where she had been.
As much as shows of masculinity amused her, she did have to make a living at the end of the day. She couldn't hang around all day hitting people over the head with answers. She met many people as she went, some of whom bought useful and remarkably priced items they didn't know they needed before she spoke to them. Others just wanted a quiet word with an acquaintance and stayed for a mug of hot cider and a chicken skewer. Casting a wary eye to the heavens for the feathered scourge, she ducked down main street and unfurled her banner once more, smiling and eager to meet the day.
Business was steady if unexciting and a welcome distraction from other thoughts. Marn was a city alive with countless plots and foreigners were seldom left unmolested on the streets, regardless of how long they had been there. Keeping her eyes moving and her ears open, she swapped goods for coin and the odd piece of information and sighed, wondering whether poor Desorte was as dull as she thought or if he'd had a sudden burst of imagination. He wasn't at home and no-one seemed to know where his workshop was, but you couldn't give everything away after all, heavens no. Some things were for others and some were just for her.
Sun, Streets, and Suspicious Sausages
Re: Sun, Streets, and Suspicious Sausages
For a brief moment, everything was dark. Julius lost himself to the aggression and went limp as he was drug round a corner. It wasn't until his throat was clasped my several metal sheets that he returned to complete awareness. The choking was hardly a hindrance, certainly nothing new. He had undergone far worse "punishment" and just then his head was swarming with those memories. He heard the words coming from the man's mouth, but he did not perceive them as he should have. He was simply lost in both ecstasy and boredom.
A few words slipped through the fissure: a threat against his only love. He tried to feel rage but found himself incapable. The guardsman had triggered something in Julius, something that changed him for the time being at least. He thought of a traveller from another life, a mage. He remembered a deal they had. He lost himself in those memories until the choking had stopped.
Julius stood there with a blank expression, his eyes empty and his breathing slow. He met the man's gaze after a few seconds. Julius saw the man differently than before. The man seemed more significant, more important in the grand scheme of things. Who was this man? What could be gained from him? Julius contemplated just how he could ensnare the man in his web of deceit and pleasure. He remembered why he was here, what the man had wanted.
Julius finally spoke. "Who do you want?" He stood silent for a moment allowing the question to register. "Do you want me? Desorte? His supplier of oddities?" Julius walked away from the wall until his back was almost against the man's arm. "And who are you willing to pursue to the end? Sometimes we have to choose who's more important to us. I've had to make that choice, but something tells me that you've almost gotten your man." He turned his head to stare back over his left shoulder and meet the man's gaze with a single eye. His eyes no longer that of a corpse. "Haven't you?"
Julius faced forward and pushed his back ever-so-slightly so that he was lightly touching the man's arm. He closed his eyes briefly to savor the moment as he was sure it wouldn't last. He pondered how the man would answer, how he could claim the man for himself, how he could be with his love again. His mind was no longer a storm, but still he schemed.
A few words slipped through the fissure: a threat against his only love. He tried to feel rage but found himself incapable. The guardsman had triggered something in Julius, something that changed him for the time being at least. He thought of a traveller from another life, a mage. He remembered a deal they had. He lost himself in those memories until the choking had stopped.
Julius stood there with a blank expression, his eyes empty and his breathing slow. He met the man's gaze after a few seconds. Julius saw the man differently than before. The man seemed more significant, more important in the grand scheme of things. Who was this man? What could be gained from him? Julius contemplated just how he could ensnare the man in his web of deceit and pleasure. He remembered why he was here, what the man had wanted.
Julius finally spoke. "Who do you want?" He stood silent for a moment allowing the question to register. "Do you want me? Desorte? His supplier of oddities?" Julius walked away from the wall until his back was almost against the man's arm. "And who are you willing to pursue to the end? Sometimes we have to choose who's more important to us. I've had to make that choice, but something tells me that you've almost gotten your man." He turned his head to stare back over his left shoulder and meet the man's gaze with a single eye. His eyes no longer that of a corpse. "Haven't you?"
Julius faced forward and pushed his back ever-so-slightly so that he was lightly touching the man's arm. He closed his eyes briefly to savor the moment as he was sure it wouldn't last. He pondered how the man would answer, how he could claim the man for himself, how he could be with his love again. His mind was no longer a storm, but still he schemed.
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Ferric Vintas
- Citizen
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 11:17 pm
- Name: Ferric Vintas
- Race: Human
Re: Sun, Streets, and Suspicious Sausages
Ferric grabbed Julius and pulled him back to the wall. It wouldn’t do to have him thinking he had any sort of free will in this situation, and that included the choice of where he stood. “Quit flapping your lips about philosophy, kid. I have seen hundreds of you. Twenty year old pieces of trash who think they’re invulnerable because they have the miraculous power to stick their dicks in idiots.” His voice radiated with the special kind of disapproval only an abusive father could give. “No. I don’t want you.”
Ferric grabbed Julius by the shoulder and roughly spun the thief around, before catching the back Julius’ head in his palm and ramming that beautiful face into the wall. “All I want is what you stole. If you can’t accept that, you’re going to have to accept prison time instead.” Ferric leaned in closer. “And how long do you think that pretty face of yours will last in there, hmm?”
Ferric pulled rope out of his knapsack and tied Julius’ hands together. “You’re under arrest. I’m not even going to bother reading you your charges, you’re probably too ecstatic at the thought of getting tied up and whimpering like a bitch to hear them.”
Ferric shoved Julius around the corner, not bothering to make it gentle. He looked over at Ren. He contemplated getting one of the other guards to help him arrest her as well. Like it or not, he wasn’t about to overlook the extremely suspicious actions which led to her being here. He sighed and shook he head, pushing Julius to the gates. He expected her to be gone by the time he got back.
The beginnings of a plan were forming in his mind. He’d just have to run it by his superiors first. Of course, that assumed that Julius didn’t crack the closer they got to his probable extended stay in a dirty torture cell.
Ferric grabbed Julius by the shoulder and roughly spun the thief around, before catching the back Julius’ head in his palm and ramming that beautiful face into the wall. “All I want is what you stole. If you can’t accept that, you’re going to have to accept prison time instead.” Ferric leaned in closer. “And how long do you think that pretty face of yours will last in there, hmm?”
Ferric pulled rope out of his knapsack and tied Julius’ hands together. “You’re under arrest. I’m not even going to bother reading you your charges, you’re probably too ecstatic at the thought of getting tied up and whimpering like a bitch to hear them.”
Ferric shoved Julius around the corner, not bothering to make it gentle. He looked over at Ren. He contemplated getting one of the other guards to help him arrest her as well. Like it or not, he wasn’t about to overlook the extremely suspicious actions which led to her being here. He sighed and shook he head, pushing Julius to the gates. He expected her to be gone by the time he got back.
The beginnings of a plan were forming in his mind. He’d just have to run it by his superiors first. Of course, that assumed that Julius didn’t crack the closer they got to his probable extended stay in a dirty torture cell.
Re: Sun, Streets, and Suspicious Sausages
The building was quiet, and had been for some time. Ren knew this because she'd been watching. The residential districts were so very helpful to street traders. All you had to do was be there. Sooner or later someone would surface who wanted to buy something. It helped that whatever architect had built the city had helpfully laid it out like a grid. There wasn't a corner of the building she couldn't see or have watched if the need arose. No. Poor Cottrel wasn't there any more. Or if he was, he was being very quiet. She handed a mug of cider and a chicken skewer to a passerby, wheedling him into buying a patriotic tunic too while he was there. You had to show your city that you supported the hard working men and women who defended it after all. If you didn't what were you but foreign scum? Not that she said that of course, but enough society aspirants were here that even the whispered implication of dissent could get the rumour mill moving. She hardly had to try, but she still gave them a show.
No, she couldn't go inside. It wouldn't look right. Plus...well, inside the walls would just close in and it just did not bear thinking about. It. Just. Did. Not. So she didn't think about it. She didn't. She didn't even think about the flying rat cooing horribly on an ornamental statue across the street, its evil, beady little eyes plotting murder. She didn't think about it. So when she began to pack up her cart to try another corner it was simply because her observations were done. That was all. No other reason whatsoever. No sir. Besides, she couldn't go around doing that nice guardsman's work for him, could she? No, no, it wouldn't look right. The guard had an image to uphold. Thinking for a moment, she headed back downtown to the Tiger. It was always interesting there.
No, she couldn't go inside. It wouldn't look right. Plus...well, inside the walls would just close in and it just did not bear thinking about. It. Just. Did. Not. So she didn't think about it. She didn't. She didn't even think about the flying rat cooing horribly on an ornamental statue across the street, its evil, beady little eyes plotting murder. She didn't think about it. So when she began to pack up her cart to try another corner it was simply because her observations were done. That was all. No other reason whatsoever. No sir. Besides, she couldn't go around doing that nice guardsman's work for him, could she? No, no, it wouldn't look right. The guard had an image to uphold. Thinking for a moment, she headed back downtown to the Tiger. It was always interesting there.
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Ferric Vintas
- Citizen
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 11:17 pm
- Name: Ferric Vintas
- Race: Human
Re: Sun, Streets, and Suspicious Sausages
Ferric walked out of the office. His superiors had disagreed with his plan. He looked down at Julius, who had been placed under watch by another guardsman while Ferric had made his case.
“Well. Let it never be said I didn’t try to spare you.” He nodded to the other guardsman, “Take him to cell block C.”
The guard’s eyes went wide, but though his face grew troubled he moved to comply. He grabbed Julius by the wrist and started dragging him off. It was unfortunately apparent that Julius was enjoying the rough grip a little too much, only adding to the poor guardsman’s discomfort.
Ferric chuckled before shrugging and turning off to the entrance. The boy wasn’t his problem anymore. With nothing better to do, he decided to walk to the entrance to see if he couldn’t find Brokk in a more forthcoming mood, or at least surmise if she had left or not. Teodinus knew he would, in her shoes.
Once he crossed the great gates that lead out of the headquarters, he was unsurprised to find the roadside vacant. A glint of light caught his eye before he dismissed the notion. Curious, Ferric wandered over and picked a jar up out of the dirt. He brushed some stray strands of grass and dust from the label.
Anavel Cottrel’s Finest Armour Wax? Well if that wasn’t the most obvious clue. Seems he had caught her in a forthcoming mood after all. His superiors probably wouldn’t accept evidence left behind on the street by a foreign woman, but they wouldn’t object if he followed up on it.
The next morning, Ferric set out to the home of Anavel Cottrel. It seemed to Ferric time for an additional round of tailing; the uptight Cottrels were not likely to be as observant or suspicious as the street savvy Desorte. He expected this to be significantly easier.
Upon arrival, he smiled at the sight of a familiar face. She seemed to be about to leave, so he called out “Hello, Brokk.” Walking with his usual confidence, he swaggered up to her. He kept his voice significantly quieter for the rest. There was no point in taking chances. “Kind of you to scout the place for me. Is Anavel home?”
“Well. Let it never be said I didn’t try to spare you.” He nodded to the other guardsman, “Take him to cell block C.”
The guard’s eyes went wide, but though his face grew troubled he moved to comply. He grabbed Julius by the wrist and started dragging him off. It was unfortunately apparent that Julius was enjoying the rough grip a little too much, only adding to the poor guardsman’s discomfort.
Ferric chuckled before shrugging and turning off to the entrance. The boy wasn’t his problem anymore. With nothing better to do, he decided to walk to the entrance to see if he couldn’t find Brokk in a more forthcoming mood, or at least surmise if she had left or not. Teodinus knew he would, in her shoes.
Once he crossed the great gates that lead out of the headquarters, he was unsurprised to find the roadside vacant. A glint of light caught his eye before he dismissed the notion. Curious, Ferric wandered over and picked a jar up out of the dirt. He brushed some stray strands of grass and dust from the label.
Anavel Cottrel’s Finest Armour Wax? Well if that wasn’t the most obvious clue. Seems he had caught her in a forthcoming mood after all. His superiors probably wouldn’t accept evidence left behind on the street by a foreign woman, but they wouldn’t object if he followed up on it.
The next morning, Ferric set out to the home of Anavel Cottrel. It seemed to Ferric time for an additional round of tailing; the uptight Cottrels were not likely to be as observant or suspicious as the street savvy Desorte. He expected this to be significantly easier.
Upon arrival, he smiled at the sight of a familiar face. She seemed to be about to leave, so he called out “Hello, Brokk.” Walking with his usual confidence, he swaggered up to her. He kept his voice significantly quieter for the rest. There was no point in taking chances. “Kind of you to scout the place for me. Is Anavel home?”
Re: Sun, Streets, and Suspicious Sausages
"Oh! Special Guardsman!" she said in exaggerated surprise, "you startled me! Fancy seeing you walking this beat, eh?"
He'd arrived quickly all things considered, which didn't bode well for the young bard he'd arrested. Not that she was worried for the lad; after all, people like him tended to land on their feet. He wasn't a very nice chap either, always looking down his nose at you, which was impressive given where his mouth tended to be. No, you had to know how to play the game for the nice guardsmen. The poor boys of Marn's finest had such a hard time of it after all, you just had to give them a leg up when you could, it was only proper. She looked around nervously and pulled a patriotic tunic from her cart, stepping closer to show it to Vintas. The streets were quiet but it was part of the game.
"You got that sampler then, eh? Changed your mind about it? Wonderful stuff, that, oh yes, tarnish just melts right off at your fingertips. Still got hot cider too if'n you need a little pick me up!"
He swaggered over in the manner she had come to expect. It spoke of confidence, forethought and overarching power. She assumed, as a matter of course, that it was lying but you never knew. After all, when you could imprison and torture people on a whim you didn't need much advertising. Word tended to get around. She looked around conspiritorially and leaned in jerking her head at the building. A few eyes noticed but continued about their business.
"Well," she said in a tone of voice that had all the characteristics of a whisper but seemed to carry all the same, "I tried interesting these folks in a tunic, you know? Show our lads in armour that we support them and all but they don't want any part of it, sir. Imagine! Wouldn't even come to the door when I called! Makes you cry sir, it really does, to think they think they're too good for you! Not a soul's come to a window all day!"
She shook her head in weariness at the upper classes in general and returned to packing up her cart, carefully putting things away and tying them down.
"Course, what do I know? He could be up there sick as a dog. Laid out and in misery and me bad mouthing 'im, can you imagine?!"
She smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Can't have that on my conscience, sir."
He'd arrived quickly all things considered, which didn't bode well for the young bard he'd arrested. Not that she was worried for the lad; after all, people like him tended to land on their feet. He wasn't a very nice chap either, always looking down his nose at you, which was impressive given where his mouth tended to be. No, you had to know how to play the game for the nice guardsmen. The poor boys of Marn's finest had such a hard time of it after all, you just had to give them a leg up when you could, it was only proper. She looked around nervously and pulled a patriotic tunic from her cart, stepping closer to show it to Vintas. The streets were quiet but it was part of the game.
"You got that sampler then, eh? Changed your mind about it? Wonderful stuff, that, oh yes, tarnish just melts right off at your fingertips. Still got hot cider too if'n you need a little pick me up!"
He swaggered over in the manner she had come to expect. It spoke of confidence, forethought and overarching power. She assumed, as a matter of course, that it was lying but you never knew. After all, when you could imprison and torture people on a whim you didn't need much advertising. Word tended to get around. She looked around conspiritorially and leaned in jerking her head at the building. A few eyes noticed but continued about their business.
"Well," she said in a tone of voice that had all the characteristics of a whisper but seemed to carry all the same, "I tried interesting these folks in a tunic, you know? Show our lads in armour that we support them and all but they don't want any part of it, sir. Imagine! Wouldn't even come to the door when I called! Makes you cry sir, it really does, to think they think they're too good for you! Not a soul's come to a window all day!"
She shook her head in weariness at the upper classes in general and returned to packing up her cart, carefully putting things away and tying them down.
"Course, what do I know? He could be up there sick as a dog. Laid out and in misery and me bad mouthing 'im, can you imagine?!"
She smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Can't have that on my conscience, sir."
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Ferric Vintas
- Citizen
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 11:17 pm
- Name: Ferric Vintas
- Race: Human
Re: Sun, Streets, and Suspicious Sausages
Ferric wasn’t certain if she was aiming for plausible deniability if somebody confronted her about helping a guardsman, but she seemed to need sales pitches like other people needed to breath. He grinned and scoffed at her latest offer. He grew bored of the game, and was about to respond with blunt dismissal when she mentioned her actions of the day.
Through the veil of a merchant discussing her actions with a guard she hardly knew, she had just kindly informed him that there was not a soul home within the building ahead. She had even gone on to imply that he might want to scope the place while absent.
His judgment on her trustworthiness remained in question; he wouldn’t put it past a clever Cottrell to bribe somebody and catch a damnable foreign loyalist rooting around a proper, upstanding synevive house.
With that said, his sense of people was telling him to simply go with it. She was a liar and a cheat, but his instincts told him she was on his side. They had been wrong before, but Ferric was firm in his belief that to ignore one’s gut was a fool’s errand.
“I suppose I, as a guardsman, can’t leave the people wondering if they’ve done another wrong. I trust you’ll holler about a bargain should you happen to notice the poor man returning home after all. Wouldn’t do to arrive at a misunderstanding.”
Through the veil of a merchant discussing her actions with a guard she hardly knew, she had just kindly informed him that there was not a soul home within the building ahead. She had even gone on to imply that he might want to scope the place while absent.
His judgment on her trustworthiness remained in question; he wouldn’t put it past a clever Cottrell to bribe somebody and catch a damnable foreign loyalist rooting around a proper, upstanding synevive house.
With that said, his sense of people was telling him to simply go with it. She was a liar and a cheat, but his instincts told him she was on his side. They had been wrong before, but Ferric was firm in his belief that to ignore one’s gut was a fool’s errand.
“I suppose I, as a guardsman, can’t leave the people wondering if they’ve done another wrong. I trust you’ll holler about a bargain should you happen to notice the poor man returning home after all. Wouldn’t do to arrive at a misunderstanding.”
Re: Sun, Streets, and Suspicious Sausages
"Call out sir? Changers bless you, sir!" said Ren, laughing, "anyone here wants to help an honest merchant stay in business, sir, I'll not so much call as scream and leap for joy, sir, so I will! Call out! Bless you!"
She laughed into her hand for a moment, reaching into the depths of her cart for a leather-wrapped flask and offered it to Vintas. He was suspicious, which was smart, and commendably quick on the uptake for a guard. She's only had to hit him over the head with it once, after all, a definite improvement over some of her acquaintance. Around them the buildings remained stolidly quiet. She didn't doubt that they were watched, but nobody came to the windows. Nobody would have come to the windows in this neighbourhood even if someone was being murdered loudly. It was sickening really. At least in the poorer districts people would have come out to look, or even join in. She shook her head at the world.
"Best rum, sir, good to keep yer warm of a long day so tis. Have a nip, sir, always one to help out our boys in armour, I am, let nobody tell you different," she said, smiling her sunniest smile, "pillar of the community."
She half turned away, rocking on her heels, and looked over her shoulder at Vintas. Perhaps it was worth throwing him another bone.
"Of course I wouldn't be surprised if somebody was in there, laid out senseless, sir," she said, in the tone of one who had seen too much evil, "people who mess with funny powders meet funny ends, as my ma used say, sir, mark my words. Could be worth going in before somebody else decides to check on him, sir."
She looked around, quickly.
"Lot of charitable souls lurking."
She laughed into her hand for a moment, reaching into the depths of her cart for a leather-wrapped flask and offered it to Vintas. He was suspicious, which was smart, and commendably quick on the uptake for a guard. She's only had to hit him over the head with it once, after all, a definite improvement over some of her acquaintance. Around them the buildings remained stolidly quiet. She didn't doubt that they were watched, but nobody came to the windows. Nobody would have come to the windows in this neighbourhood even if someone was being murdered loudly. It was sickening really. At least in the poorer districts people would have come out to look, or even join in. She shook her head at the world.
"Best rum, sir, good to keep yer warm of a long day so tis. Have a nip, sir, always one to help out our boys in armour, I am, let nobody tell you different," she said, smiling her sunniest smile, "pillar of the community."
She half turned away, rocking on her heels, and looked over her shoulder at Vintas. Perhaps it was worth throwing him another bone.
"Of course I wouldn't be surprised if somebody was in there, laid out senseless, sir," she said, in the tone of one who had seen too much evil, "people who mess with funny powders meet funny ends, as my ma used say, sir, mark my words. Could be worth going in before somebody else decides to check on him, sir."
She looked around, quickly.
"Lot of charitable souls lurking."