There was the Miss again, and Saruna felt her cheeks warm, just a little bit. The 'serious bishani' was concerning. How was it serious money? She made double that when she put her all into it. Mayhaps a life of crime didn't pay after all.
"You see. . ." she started, and paused. How much could she tell him? How far could one trust a ruffian? She would watch her words, then. "I want to learn more about the secrets the Government and its agents hold."
There, that was sufficiently shorn of the deeper goals she wanted to accomplish. She shifted a little, easing the knee that was always acting up when she stood for too long.
Tanstaafl
Re: Tanstaafl
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Re: Tanstaafl
Hm. Cal returned to his neutral non-expression, considering what she'd said. To learn about the secrets of the Government and its agents. That was a fairly easy task in Eyropa, where such things would require nothing more than knowing who to bribe and who to threaten. But in this damnable city, with an honest and efficient guard, it could prove to be problematic. But from her reaction, she didn't realize how hard it would be--she hadn't really understood how much 200 bishani a month was to a criminal who lives in the poorest parts of the city. Back to that naivete. But whether she knew it or not, 200 was a more than fair offer for the job.
He nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do. What kind of secrets are you looking for? I can tell you that in this town, they've got all kinds."
He nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do. What kind of secrets are you looking for? I can tell you that in this town, they've got all kinds."
Re: Tanstaafl
"I want to know what they do to people. What they do, and where they take them. I want to know their weaknesses. I want -- " It took effort to stop, and she almost hadn't. The shyness melted away under the familiar anger, but in that place with the ugly man in front of her it came out of her with more viciousness than she'd ever experienced. She hadn't expected that, and she was startled into lowering her eyes to the floor. She wished she had a cool rag to lessen the searing heat in her face.
She wanted to crush Marn, with all of its nastiness, under her boot heel. She wanted to grind it into the ground. She wanted it with such ferocity that she almost thought she would be better to forget all of it. Almost. But she had a line of ghosts in her head, silently waiting for justice. Saruna was the only one there for them. She had no choice.
She wanted to crush Marn, with all of its nastiness, under her boot heel. She wanted to grind it into the ground. She wanted it with such ferocity that she almost thought she would be better to forget all of it. Almost. But she had a line of ghosts in her head, silently waiting for justice. Saruna was the only one there for them. She had no choice.
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Re: Tanstaafl
Again, he paused, absorbing what she'd said. "What they do to people, where they take them." Now that was interesting. In his time in Marn he'd quickly figured out that its citizens knew better than to ask such questions. Everyone knew something wasn't quite right with this place, but it was wiser to keep their heads down and try to live their lives in the shadows. There were rumors of something dark holding the reigns of power here, but never spoken above a whisper and never outside of a locked room.
But this lady was asking. 200 bishani a month, and she wants to know the one thing everybody else shies away from. Interesting. But she'd said more...their weaknesses. She'd asked about "their" weaknesses. That meant this wasn't some little job she'd overpriced solely out of ignorance. Still overpriced, of course, but because she was serious in addition to naive. This lady, Saruna, she meant business. What kind of business, though, he still wasn't sure...
He made up his mind after a moment or two of silent reflection, his gaze never wavering from her face. "Ok, Saruna. I'll see what I can do." He held out his hand.
But this lady was asking. 200 bishani a month, and she wants to know the one thing everybody else shies away from. Interesting. But she'd said more...their weaknesses. She'd asked about "their" weaknesses. That meant this wasn't some little job she'd overpriced solely out of ignorance. Still overpriced, of course, but because she was serious in addition to naive. This lady, Saruna, she meant business. What kind of business, though, he still wasn't sure...
He made up his mind after a moment or two of silent reflection, his gaze never wavering from her face. "Ok, Saruna. I'll see what I can do." He held out his hand.
Re: Tanstaafl
It was over, just like that? That was it?
Saruna stared at the hand offered, absentmindedly noting the dirt that stained his skin. She took it, because politeness dictated she not scorn him for what was no doubt a hard life. A criminal life. She was a criminal.
Her grip was weak in light of what she was doing, and she tried her hardest to keep the uncertainty off her face. She didn't know what she was supposed to do after they made their agreement. Well. He would want to be paid. She withdrew her hand before completing the second shake, and fumbled to get the money she'd prepared for a pre-payment. The wrinkles in her face became more obvious in her stress: proof of the events in her life that had brought her to this point.
Something dripped in the corner. The stink of Cal and the room itself became oppressive.
"Here are coins in the amount of one-hundred. I will pay you the second half at the end of this month, after more work has been done. Is that --" She bit back the remainder with some difficulty, and hurried on. "Should we meet tomorrow? When shall I meet you, and where?"
She proffered the bishani with a trembling hand.
Saruna stared at the hand offered, absentmindedly noting the dirt that stained his skin. She took it, because politeness dictated she not scorn him for what was no doubt a hard life. A criminal life. She was a criminal.
Her grip was weak in light of what she was doing, and she tried her hardest to keep the uncertainty off her face. She didn't know what she was supposed to do after they made their agreement. Well. He would want to be paid. She withdrew her hand before completing the second shake, and fumbled to get the money she'd prepared for a pre-payment. The wrinkles in her face became more obvious in her stress: proof of the events in her life that had brought her to this point.
Something dripped in the corner. The stink of Cal and the room itself became oppressive.
"Here are coins in the amount of one-hundred. I will pay you the second half at the end of this month, after more work has been done. Is that --" She bit back the remainder with some difficulty, and hurried on. "Should we meet tomorrow? When shall I meet you, and where?"
She proffered the bishani with a trembling hand.
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Re: Tanstaafl
Her grip was weak. While not unexpected, this annoyed him. It implied she was afraid. Of course she was afraid. She'd demonstrated that enough the entire time she'd been near him. But he hated obvious signs of cowardice, much as he enjoyed the fear of those around him. Was it a contradiction? Of course it was--he was human, after all. Rationality was optional. He preferred instinct. And, whether or not he enjoyed everyone to be afraid in his presence, it annoyed him if they couldn't at least make an honest attempt to hide it.
He took the money, felt the heft.
"Tomorrow? No. I won't have anything for you tomorrow. It'll be a week at least. Maybe more. I'll find you, don't worry about that. If you haven't heard from me in a fortnight, assume I'm dead and find someone else."
He stepped over to the door, knocked twice. It swung open, revealing a bald giant of man outside. "We're done, Marty." He tossed the innkeeper a coin, who quickly inspected it, nodded, grunted, and stepped out of the way. Trace then walked out, up the stairs, and outside, not bothering to see whether his new employer followed.
He took the money, felt the heft.
"Tomorrow? No. I won't have anything for you tomorrow. It'll be a week at least. Maybe more. I'll find you, don't worry about that. If you haven't heard from me in a fortnight, assume I'm dead and find someone else."
He stepped over to the door, knocked twice. It swung open, revealing a bald giant of man outside. "We're done, Marty." He tossed the innkeeper a coin, who quickly inspected it, nodded, grunted, and stepped out of the way. Trace then walked out, up the stairs, and outside, not bothering to see whether his new employer followed.
Re: Tanstaafl
His dismissiveness somehow made her feel as if she were the young and inexperienced one. She was inexperienced, was she not? She didn't like it. She felt small, guilty; a child caught with a hand in the cookie jar by a lenient but disapproving adult. Her throat ached with the desire, the need to call after him for reassurance. She followed him up, slower with her sore joints. She was caught between the wish to see him in her home, to put them on even footing and the urgent protectiveness that he must not find where she live, see how she kept her tidy home that seemed so much opulence in. . .such a place. The one he'd taken her.
Against Saruna's will her steps slowed, and she watched helplessly as Cal disappeared out the door. Her throat ached with an odd soreness, tight as though she'd been yelling for a long time, or crying. She'd experience with both. Practicality settled in place of her yearning for direction. She should make money while she was idle. She should prepare. . .
The thought of Rosemary, and Derin, and the confusion surrounding both odd women clung suddenly to her thoughts. Yes, she thought, she should see Rosemary. It had been some days since the two women had talked and, if she were to be honest, Saruna was lonely. She straightened her shoulders and walked briskly out, trying not to look as though she was hurrying home to hide under her covers.
Against Saruna's will her steps slowed, and she watched helplessly as Cal disappeared out the door. Her throat ached with an odd soreness, tight as though she'd been yelling for a long time, or crying. She'd experience with both. Practicality settled in place of her yearning for direction. She should make money while she was idle. She should prepare. . .
The thought of Rosemary, and Derin, and the confusion surrounding both odd women clung suddenly to her thoughts. Yes, she thought, she should see Rosemary. It had been some days since the two women had talked and, if she were to be honest, Saruna was lonely. She straightened her shoulders and walked briskly out, trying not to look as though she was hurrying home to hide under her covers.
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