Advertise/Affiliate Other Forum Main Page The World Before You Play

Gun Runners (DragonSong)

Started by Kingfisher, January 21, 2018, 05:21:14 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Kingfisher

Neat trick, Joshua thought as he drummed his fingers.  He had managed to look bored while doing so, reinforcing the illusion that he was alone.  Still, while he understood his task, he was no botonist and did not know what a blood lily was.  Based on its name alone, he knew it was a red flower but there were many red flowers in the world.

Deciding to take a slight risk, he stood and walked towards the bar, leaning against as the barmaid was just in front of Tara.  "What is a blood lily?" he whispered sideways to her.  He made it seem as though he had addressed the barkeep and when she asked what he had said, Joshua flinched visibly.  "I said, 'Where can I find the Alchemist?'"  He spoke quite loudly, rubbing his temple in a way  that conveyed the gravity of his request.

The smith was, after all, hungover.

DragonSong

Tara stifled a snort behind her hand.

Of course.

"Oh, it's just down the road, love," the barkeep answered with a smile, pointing in the right direction as Tara held her hand out in front of her face and wiggled her fingers, eyelids droopy and bored.

She whistled softly and sparks danced from her fingertips, painting a picture in the air above her hand: An elegant flower with seven wide petals that curved up at the tips, blood red at the edges that deepened to almost maroon in the center in a pattern that seemed to give the collar the illusion of dripping down the flower's throat.

"Oh, a blood lily," the barmaid noted with a bright grin. Tara nearly rolled her eyes; as if she hadn't been obvious enough. "That's a pretty likeness too- not seen one of them since I was a girl. You a mage then, miss?"

"Bard," Tara corrected with a small smile. She curled her fingers into a fist and the image of the flower disappeared. "But I've picked up a few tricks here and there."

Kingfisher

"Thanks," Joshua said, stepping away.  He was facing the barmaid, but his gratitude was for the bard.

Truthfully, the young man had no need of aid; as much as his head ached, he knew it was unnecessary, and not worth throwing away money over his own foolishness.  Still, Joshua wanted to kick himself for his pride.

The town, in spite of its remoteness seemed quite large.  A number of cramped buildings squated together, most clearly two stories tall.  Many of the windows were filled in by glass instead of wood lattice, reminding the smith just how foreign he was to this nation.  As comfortable as he knew he should have been, Joshua was not a fan of the nation.  He had heard stories about how Serenians could not touch iron or steel and wondered if he could even survive in a nation that had no use for his skills.

Focusing, Joshua scanned the crowd, looking for the red lily that Tara had shown him...

DragonSong

A red lily was a rather striking bloom, and it was easy to spot tucked into the band of an otherwise rather innocuous little man's hat as he darted this way and that through the foot traffic of main street.




Tara decided to idle at the bar a while- she was hungry, and saw no reason to head out into town before she'd at least gotten the meal she'd paid for with the room.

Kingfisher

It did not take long for Joshua to spot the flower, but he was nervous about making contact too soon and without Tara.  He could go back to the tavern and risk losing the short figure as it darted about.  Or he could move forward and bring in the bard later.  Neither proved truly ideal...

Then there was the question of stopping the man without seeming suspicious.  He already seemed the shifty sort, darting about like a scared weasel.  If he was spooked, Joshua would lose his chance to reach Karian.

The smith decided to try something somewhat gutsy.  Looking for an opening in the crowd, he "accidentally" bumped into his target, knocking him to the dirt.  "I am so sorry, " Joshua said, reaching down to help the little man up.  "I hope you're okay.  You are yes?"  He paused, but not long enough for the man to respond.  Instead, he continued to yammer on, saying, "That is an interesting lily...sorry..."

So, Joshua had made his first move...how would the mark react?

DragonSong

The weaselly little man glanced up at Joshua and a glint passed through his eyes. "Y'think so? Thanks, lad." He got to his feet, dusting himself off, and gave the smith a meaningful nod as he moved to slip by him. His hand brushed against Joshua's pocket- not stealing, leaving a note.




"Oh my gods- Tara?"

The bard froze, then slowly turned on her stool. Her eyes widened. "Marie?!"

A tall, willowy woman with carefully braided cobalt blue hair and wide, dark eyes blinked at her, then beamed. "I can't believe it!"

"Marie!" Tara grinned and jumped off her stool to give the other woman a hug, then clasped her by the shoulders as she looked her over. "My gods, how long's it been- a year? You look good! How are you? Work going well? Are you married yet? Can I kill your husband?"

Marie laughed and flung her arms around Tara in another warm hug. Over her shoulder, the bard noted a small, twitchy sort of man dart into the bar, glancing around warily. The blood red bloom in his hat caught her attention. Hope you caught that, pyro.

Kingfisher

It was not easy to be sneaky around a man who could basically smell heat but Joshua remained still for a time, simply watching his target go.  He waited for the man to leave his sight before retrieving the message.  A small slip of folded parchment had a row of common.  It was a quick read, and he was not quite sure how to feel about what was written there.  Slipping the note away, the mage followed the path the little man had taken.

Following back to the inn...

DragonSong

Marie had insisted on buying Tara a drink, and despite the early hour she was never one to turn down free alcohol. The two women sat shoulder to shoulder at the bar, sipping identical glasses of whiskey and chatting amiably.

"So what brings you to town, anyway?"

"Mm?" Tara drew her attention from the door- she kept glancing around to see if Joshua had returned- and smiled at her old friend. "Oh, y'know. Just business."

Marie giggled and leaned into brush her fingers over her arm lightly. "Always business with you, Tara," she chuckled.

Kingfisher

Joshua scanned the room, eyes passing over Tara as he noticed her speaking with another woman cheerfully.  He quick moved on until he found 'Mr. Ferret' seated off to one side.  Deciding against another glass of Serendipity's famous paint thinner, the metalogist moved toward the small man's place.  He took a seat at an adjacent table, creating the illusion of the two being complete strangers.

"So," Joshua began, whispering sideways to the contact.  "I'm guessing you're here to set up the delivery?"

"Maybe.  Where's Farnow?"

The smith had no idea who that was but could surmise that it was the name to One-Eye.  And seeing the shifty figure passing subtle glances toward the bar, he wondered at the intent of the question.  "I believe you already know how I'll answer that," Joshua said.

"And you let her follow you."  It was not a question but it tipped his hand.  Tara had been clever to avoid looking friendly with the smith.  It seemed Mr. Ferret did recognize the bard and Joshua had been dug into a shallow hole.  Now, he needed to talk his way back out...

"Well, I did lose my go between.  Figured I might use her to buy some goodwill from your boss..."  The selfish always assumed others were as selfish as them so the man preyed upon the ferret's assumptions.

DragonSong

The Ferret shot another wary look in Tara's direction, then nodded slowly. "Aye, I'd say that'd earn you some good will with Karian." He shifted, looked around again, then stood abruptly. "Just be at the drop point tomorrow."

Another quick, jerky movement and he darted for the door.

Kingfisher

Meeting over, Joshua found he had the day to himself.  There was not much for him to do, though.  His trade was iron working, yet the blacksmith knew that many Serenians were adversely affected by such things.  Then there was how to meet with Tara to put together a plan without looking like he was doing just that....

The foreigner decided to head for his room and rest until lunch.  As he did, Joshua passed by Tara's room.  Glancing to ensure no one was watching, he scratched out a brief message on the back of the original note and slipped it under the door.  Best she have at least some of the information he did...

DragonSong

"Mm?" Marie shifted from where she was wrapped around Tara, nuzzling into her neck, and glanced at the door. "Did you hear something?"

The bard quickly smiled and rolled them over so she was blocking the other woman's view of the door. She'd caught a glimpse of the note and didn't need Marie seeing it too. "Apparently I'm not doing a very good job of this if you're so easily distracted," she teased, smirking.

Marie laughed and leaned up to kiss her. Tara glanced toward the door again, then allowed her to pull her down onto the bed. She'd deal with it in a minute.




A romp with Marie was just as...athletic as she'd remembered it, but thankfully it left the cobalt-haired woman completely exhausted, passed out on the bed. Tara managed to slip toward the door and scoop up the note Joshua had left, reading it quickly before she tore it to little pieces and dropped it behind the bureau in the room.

The drop point was a rock formation just outside of town, the entrance to a system of caverns, if she remembered correctly. She'd have to be there before dawn to beat Karian and his crew.

Lowering her voice, she sparked the spell to life and told Joshua, "I'll be at the drop point tomorrow. Don't do anything to show your hand until I give a signal."

Kingfisher

The smith heard the message loud and clear.  The trouble was, he had no way to reply.  Joshua had to trust that had a plan had finally wormed its way into the other mage's head.  He had had one himself, but if she was  going to the rendezvous without him...Joshua just hoped this Karian did not kill him on principal alone...He had, after all, already promised to deliver Tara.

The "pyromancer" took out his knife, ensuring it was properly, frighteningly sharp...


At the arranged time, an ox cart rolled into sight to a large cave.  Joshua was nervous.   His sense of heat could tell him how many people there were and where they were positioned so an ambush would be meaningless.  That did not make him immune to the weapons themselves; after all, the mage was no warrior and a group of bandits could likely out fight him.

So Tara.  What was your plan again?

DragonSong

Waiting just outside the cavern's entrance, concealed with magic and foliage, Tara felt herself growing tender by the minute as she waited for Karian to make an appearance. There was Joshua's cart...what was taking so long?

Finally, a figure strode out of the mouth of the cave. Golden blond hair was pulled back in a loose horsetail, and he planted his fists on his hips as he caught sight of the gunsmith. "Hear you're our new contact in Connlaoth," Karakn said, cool and friendly, but there was something in his tone then sent the hairs up on the back of the neck.

Tara had to force herself to keep still, rage bubbling in her breast. Finally. Finally, she was here. She was going to kill him.

Kingfisher

Karian looked like an ass.  However, Joshua kept his mockery to himself as he stood from his cart.  "Aye," he admitted.  Glancing toward the cave, the smith wondered if anyone else would be coming out soon.  "I'm guessing the man I met before told you about the gift I had lined up for you?"  He kept his sense openned, hunting for heat signatures.  Something was off; the wagon was loaded with too many guns for two people to carry.  Where were the other hands they'd need?

DragonSong

A slow smirk spread across Karian's face. "Oh, yeah, I heard about the bitch. From multiple sources, actually."

Tara froze, her mind starting to race. What...?

With a flash of a silver-embroidered skirt, A lithe figure crowned in cobalt blue sauntered up to wrap an arm around Karian's shoulders, leaning into his side with a pout. "See, love? Told ya they were working together."

Tara's brain shorted out for a moment. Marie? Sure, they weren't exactly loyal bedfellows, but this?! No. No, why- why would she-?

"So where is she?" Karian frowned at the other woman. Slowly, shadows moved in the cavern behind him, cloaking spells falling away as the members of his ambush began to reveal themselves.

Before she could so much as blink, Tara was suddenly jerked upright, her arm wrenched behind her back with enough force to draw a sharp, pained cry from her lips. She couldn't see her captor, but she recognized the voice as he shoved her out into the clearing ahead of him. The Ferret.

"Right 'ere, boss." He snickered and tightened his grip, bending her arm back at a more painful angle. Tara hissed, glaring daggers at the bandits that were slowly moving to surround her and Joshua.

"Ah, little Tara." Karian's smirk was suddenly back and he strode toward her, leaving a sour Marie behind. He reached up to cup her cheek and she writhed in Ferret's grip, trying to bite his hand. Her magic roiled below her breast, but she refused to release it. Not yet, I can still get out of this!

"You always were a viper," Karian laughed gratingly. He glanced toward Joshua. "You, friend, I have no quarrel with. Leave your goods and the girl, and you will be paid twice your original price."

Kingfisher

Joshua recognized the woman from earlier.  So, turns out it was Tara ended up blowing their cover.  That could not be helped now.  All that mattered was what came next.  He could rush in like a fool, getting both he and the bard kill and still leaving the guns to Karian qnd his crew.

The smith threw up his hands in surrender.  "Sure, sure.  Guns are in the back."  Turning away, Joshau went to the back of his wagon, ready to unlock it for the men Karian would doubtlessly send back.  "But seriously," he said, pausig in his tracks a moment.  "You gotta tell me your deal with her.  I asked but Tara was infuriatingly vague about everything."

DragonSong

"Jackass." Tara hissed at Joshua, ignoring the tiny pang of disappointment that he'd turned on her too. What could she have expected, though, really? Didn't she know better by now than to trust? look where it had gotten her.

Karian just laughed, reaching out to card his fingers through Tara's air. She lunged toward him, teeth bared, but the Ferret dug something sharp and metallic against her side and she cried out, going still. Magic burned beneath her skin, begging to be released. Not yet. Not yet...

"Bit of a long story," Karian replied to the smith with a shrug. "Let's just call it a case of "woman scorned" gone to the extreme- that about says it, don't you think, love?" he crooned to Tara, even as Marie came up beside him to pointedly drape her arms around his shoulders.

Tara's eyes flashed dangerously. She didn't dare move too much, but her lips twisted into a snarl and she spat in his face. "Murderer."

Kingfisher

Joshue gave Tara a slight smile.  "Finally," he joked.  "Some honesty."  The bard's earlier justification had rang weak and hollow; if the smith killed everyone that was out to get him, Connlaoth would be gone by now.  Justice, even vengeance was something he could recognise and get behind.  Of course, Karian's flippancy won him no respect.

Grabbing two arquebuses, the mage stepped out from behind the wagon.  "A little help?" he called, raising one of the weapons.  "I've got two dozen guns here and I can't carry 'em all."  What Joshua failed to mention was that those guns were all loaded, and all facing toward the back of the wagon.  One careless spark set that the worst moment would unleash a volley of lead that could prove decidedly inconvenient for Karian's gang.

And the mage had no need of slow matches.

DragonSong

Karian growled, but jerked his head at Tara's captor. "Go unload the merchandise. I'll take the girl."

Tara snarled as she was shoved into Karian's arms. Marie pouted, leaning against him more heavily, and Tara snorted, "Trust me, love, he'll get bored of you soon enough, but it won't be because of me."

Her magic was still building. She'd have one shot at this.

Marie smirked at her and leaned into kiss Karian's cheek. She didn't see the way his mouth twisted sourly and how he tightened his grip on Tara's arms. "Don't be that way cause you're jealous, Tara," she crooned.

The bard didn't bother responded. Her magic was filling her to bursting, and before anyone could react, the moment Ferret turned around the wagon, she threw her head back and screamed. It was a strangely musical sound, high and trembling in the air.

The earth around her in a six foot radius exploded upward, violently.

Tags: