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An 'Angel's' Cry (Open)

Started by Smiley, August 26, 2017, 08:53:27 PM

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Smiley

It was cold out in Reajh, the sky was dark , the only light that was shone was from the windows of the homes or from the eternal moon and stars. All was quiet but for the sounds of bugs, the horses sleep in the stables while a figure leans underneath a tree. Her body trembles in anticipation and regret as she  scans the late nighters for a welcoming 'gift' with her silver falcon eyes. She spots a drunk stumbling out of the bar. Her nose could pick up the stench of liquor from where she stood.
'Perfect, he'll never know what's happening'  she thinks as she draws up her hood, casting a shadow over her face. Her long gorgeous dark blue hair waves in the wind. Rika takes a step towards the man seeing that the other folks have gone back into their houses. The drunk swayed back an forth as he hears Rika get closer to him. 'Uhh excuse me, sir?" The young women asks the man grabbing enchanting his mind with the softness of her voice.

Miriad_Vegetables

There was a flickering fire, and a comfortable chair directly in front of it, both suiting Morgand nicely in the tavern. He was also nursing a mug of brandy in one hand, thrust out towards the flames, whilst his other counts out the coins in his palm, an even nicer treat.
It was nearing the end of his last patrol of the neighbourhood and he was glad, almost looking forward to the walk down the last street, the house at the end always offering him a skin of ale to turn a blind eye to their daughters playing with magic. However, he mostly looked forward to going home to his family, and he thought perhaps he'd stop off tonight at a shop and get something for Marton & Jaspia, or maybe for Lorrita whilst he was at it.

The corner of his mouth smiled, clumsily dropping the coins he'd earned that day into a heavy pouch on his belt. He downed the last of his brandy, and headed off, out the tavern door, before the burning at the back of his throat had stopped.

It was cold out in Reajh that night, anyone would feel it, and as he walked and stumbled down the street, he saw a few people wearing thick cloaks like him, and huddling against walls, as was expected.
What he wasn't expecting was one of them to walk nearer him and politely call out "Uhh, excuse me, sir?" in a soothingly sweet voice.
Morgand stood up a little straighter, and... didn't bother to hide his money pouch from the person, nor put his hand on his mace's grip or take his shield from off his back, being at ease for some reason... he accounted it to the brandy.
He responded to her just as politely with a "Yes Ma'am, Watchman Pentecrast at your service, what can I do you for?"...which was odd, he didn't usually give his name or say more than "Ye? What is it?", but he felt he didn't have to be so short with her, nor try to look at her face, with a voice like that she was probably quite beautiful under that hood.
He instead swayed gently in the night air, and awaited her request of him.

(Either her Siren's song being racial, or her distance from him, prevents his minor mordecaism from interfering is what I'd say is happening, pm or respond as footnote what you think friend.)

Smiley

Rika smiled as the man reacted, she very quickly adverted her eyes to the pouch of money then back up at the man. "I-I was wondering if I could be escorted home good sir" she nervously glances at the remaining civilians. "You see I'm not really from around here and I dont really know this area" chuckling nervously making sure to glance into his eyes. Her eyes glow with a mystical tint to them, so mystical in fact they seem almost sparkling.

(Her song is based on her distance to her target :3)

Miriad_Vegetables

(Ah I see ;P In which case we'll watch out for Morg's minor ability.)

Morgand was, on the surface of his mind at least, not too fussed by the idea of going out of his way for the woman, nor having to go a little longer away from home, it seemed only right that he do this, and no jaded heart of his seemed capable of stopping him.

It was her eyes that did it, the light of nearby windows reflected in them, turned silver, and seeming to refract and sparkle before his, increasing his willingness to obey... but the light also caused something to register deep in Morgand's mind, some thought or fear, but as it tried to claw it's way to the surface, it was held back by her voice and gaze.

During their exchange, people on the street walked past the pair, some catching words of their conversation. A few recognised Morgand, the City-watch bully-dog , and chose not to get involved, whilst others hearing the woman's voice generally felt they needn't intrude.

Morgand smartly (and near happily) replied "Understandable ma'am... I lived out in the country myself once, with fields so flat I could spot my house from a mile away... Reajh is a large part denser, but we'll have you home, no problem, just tell me where you're headed."
He was in a rare good mood as he tried to figure where the woman could possibly be going, even before she answered, having a good lay of the land in his memory.

Smiley

Rika looked at a sheet of paper and told him the place. It was an old runned down house that was a little farther than the other houses around. The civilians thought that it was abandoned a long time ago. Until now, that is, it has appeared to have had a person living in it for a few days or so rumor says.
The closest neighbors thought they had seen an avian flying from that place and back singing in what seemed like a powerful enchanting voice.

"And that's the place" she says as she neatly folds up the paper and places back into her pocket.

Miriad_Vegetables

When she mentioned the abandoned house on the very boundary of Reajh, the Grave-keeper's Hovel, he was certainly surprised she would choose to live in such a place, nevertheless:

"That is the place, eh? It's... never mind, I know the way well enough. I've used it in past years to keep things... things..." Morgand began to ramble. He had turned down the street in the houses direction, breaking eye contact as he spoke, but caught himself when he realised his train of thought.
"... I can't well tell you exactly what for, Watch business, I only mean to say I know the way there." he ended off.

Morgand pointed down the street and started taking slow steps in that direction, wanting to stay level with the lady... for some reason. It was as he walked that memories began to float to the surface of his thoughts, of how he'd hid people and things in that house in the past, though not in recent years, and of the recent stories also.

Rumours had been stirring as of late, though they hadn't travelled far, but had reached his ears nonetheless. Stories of the enchanting song and the flying person, and Morgand thought of how with more evidence the Watch and Mordecai would be all over the place, but nothing had been done so far that he knew of.

As he thought this, the reflex for fight or flight took hold of his bones again, his mind screaming at him about danger close by.
But when he looked around frowning dumbly, all he saw was the woman with her shadowed face and her shining eyes, and all was calm in Morgand, hand limply slipping off his mace again.

He would happily lead the woman down the street, straight past the house with the ale on offer, and up to the doorstep of the Hovel if she was so inclined, he felt it was the least he could do.
It made Morgand smile, unashamedly and directly at her, as he realised helping her felt uncannily nice... it was so very strange he felt it was wrong somehow.
He let the feeling fade, saying as he stepped forward "Come along now, not so far as a half-mile down the road, though it is gloomy, so let me make us a light, eh?" He pulled a lantern from the inside of his cloak and lit it, and began on the way again beckoning the woman with his free hand.

Smiley

Holding her hands together she sways back and forth next to her escort.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence and the flickering of the lantern, Rika started to hum, swaying her head back and forth. Her boots click onto the ground matching her tome with each heel click.

The moonlight shone through the clouds and the stars shown as bright as ever. "Names Rika" she stated suddenly as they grew closer of the Grave-keeper's Hovel. Her hand brushing against his stack of coins. As her hand brushed the bag of coins she carefully, and with the speed of a snake, put her hands into the pouch in rhyme to his movements.

Her hums began once more as she grabbed a small handful of his pay. With that she stopped as her house came into view, putting her bounty in her back pocket. "Well, this is where we part way, you should go back home" She pauses and looks at the sky "It's getting late" Smiling kindly Rika starts to walk towards her house. The thief's movements where silent as she walked away from her victim.

Miriad_Vegetables

The humming was sickly sweet to Morgand, when it would usually irritate him. It washed over him like water lapping around his ears, drowning out the other sounds of the night, including the very silent movement of the woman closer.
He didn't feel the cord loosen on his belt-pouch or the coins dissapear, and even if he noticed it wouldn't register in his head right now that anything was amiss. He simply ambled forward down the track road to the Hovel, and slowly a thought exploded in his mind

'Her name is Rika, she must have said that, I think... I can't... think.'

His walk changed just beyond the house's porch, the humming having stopped, and for a split second, something screamed in him.

'Turn your eyes downward, look down, look at what's happening, see her, SEE!'

But as soon as he snapped his eyes to look at the woman he'd escorted, the commotion in his thoughts stopped, hearing her begin to hum again.
She stopped in front of him, something of hers going back into her pocket, and he was filled with the sound of her voice and entranced by her eyes as she simply and politely dismissed him, the words "...go back home." stuck in his mind.

"Yes, getting late...my family..." he tried to get out, but started struggling to speak. A pain had started in his forehead, an ache unlike any hangover he'd ever experienced. It was as the woman turned her silver irises to the moon and stars, that a trickle of blood started seeping from his nose, though neither noticed it.

'Now! Realize the danger! You're in danger! THINK!"

The woman turned back to him and smiled, but in that instant Morgand felt not the power her eyes had over him. He saw instead as she turned away from him, her pocket where her, no it was, his, something of hi-
And like that all the feelings and thoughts suppressed over the past few minutes flooded into his mind and body, with the woman still within his reach, his face creased into that of anger as thoughts jumbled in his head out of order;
Her eyes' spell. Her voice's affect.
His surroundings. The taste of his own blood.
The Grave-keeper's Hovel.
The rumours. Her name he heard; Rika.


The coins he knew he saw in the moonlight, his money, his family's money.

Morgand let out a low grown as he began to feel dizzy and hot-headed, but unperturbed clumsy fingers closed around a handle at his waist. He cocked his lantern back over his head and in the same movement stepped quickly forward, foot landing heavily on the house path.
He sneered and barked angrily in a ragged voice "You Bitch! Give it back, NOW!" as he grabbed at her arm and brought his lantern down, towards her cloaked shoulder from behind.

Smiley

Instinctively Rika drew her double sided staff from its sheath and block the lantern. She yanks her arms of his iron grasps groaning in pain as his grip almost fractured her arm. "Why dont men make it easy on me and just walk away" she mumbled as she jumped back. "Also, I'm not a bitch" she smirks as she gets into a defensive stance.

Rika's mind was racing, her eyes glows red as her frustration in herself grew. The siren was to over confident in her songs. She forgot she hasn't been using her abilities like this for long. The voice she used wasn't as strong as other sirens due to her being only part siren. "I will not hurt you if I do not have to" her gaze changed as she threatens the enraged man with her gaze.

Miriad_Vegetables

He replies "Witch then!" spitting out the words, his face a mask of irritation if nothing else. She had a strong bewitching nature to her that was true, so he couldn't let her talk much, couldn't let himself slip under again, not if he wanted to get out of this in a good way.
He saw her trained stance and her inhuman reflexes, each making him cautious to attack. Hearing her reluctance to fight however, he instead took a deep breath of the cold air to calm himself, best for fighting and talking both.

He says to her "...Rika, you'll return what you took and then some is whats going to happen, otherwise a mage like you will face far worse men than me." He warned with a grin "You fight me, you fight the whole City Watch and the Mordecai to boot, I wouldn't do that. Let's settle this quiet like between us, eh? " he finishes with a nod, as if agreeing with himself, eyes not leaving her staff, hoping she wouldn't call his bluff, he can't very well run for help.

So despite his words, he edges closer as he talks, and raises the lantern above his head. He holds his mace forward in front of his body, guarding as best he can, feeling naked without his shield.
She had the advantage of range with her weapon, but he was sure a hard crack of his heavy mace would do more damage than she could do with hers.

Smiley

"Stay where you are!" She shouted sternly as she backed up, getting more distance between the watchman. Her instincts are now kicking in, her heart beat echoed in her ears. "Let's say if i give you the coins back what would you do then?" Rika asked as she was weary of the man in front of her. 

"What if you tell your dear friends about my exsistence? They'll most likely tell the mordacai and bam! I'm on the run again" chuckling dryly her mind went off the edge her eyes glazed over.

She was quiet for sometime studying the face of her opponent. "What if we make a deal, a nice easy deal that benefits us both" she asked normally. Her voice was long enchanting she sounded just like a regular human being. In fact she almost sounded desperate to get these coins as if she went a long time with out any money to spend. As if she was sick of being broke and scavaging what she found from the streets.

Miriad_Vegetables

He simply ignored her telling him to stay back, instead choosing to keep her within his reach, but only through slow movements, deciding to lower the lantern at least. So far as he knew the house had one door, if she went too far inside he'd have her cornered, in which case she would either bolt before that point, or come straight at him.

He could see her starting to maybe crack under the pressure, her probably not having expected him to break her hold, which was in itself a surprise to himself also. It was now in this moment that her strongest weapon had backfired, leading a Watchman, The Bulldog Morgand no less (A nickname he both hated and took advantage of depending on his mood), to her very doorstep, and angering him in the process.
'Served her right, a nasty trick deserves a nasty surprise in return, this whole situation showing the fickle and dangerous nature of magic.' He thought, going back to his old church boy days.

"Let's say if I give you the coins back, what would you do then?" she said to him as she backed up.
He glared at her and mouthed "Not enough", slowly walking in time with her as she backpedalled, looking out for signs of her starting any kind of spell, as if he would have a chance to react if she did.

"What if you tell your dear friends about my existence? They'll most likely tell the mordecai and bam! I'm on the run again." She shouted at him.
'That's what I said, so...' he thought, yet again not say anything, letting her think it through herself. He didn't need to input anything more considering what he'd already said on the matter, and not wanting to interrupt her or confuse the situation, let alone repeat himself. 
Unless she looked like she was about to do something stupid or was about to agree, only then would he make a move.

When he heard her fear turn to chuckling, that was a sign the former may just be the case. He stopped in his tracks then and there and watched her face by the lamplight, looking anywhere but directly at the eyes, as she studied his as well.
Morgand had an intensely blank expression, a poker face of a kind, but his mouth was clenched and his lips bloodless under the pressure, that was obvious enough.

"What if we make a deal, a nice easy deal that benefits us both." she said in a calm voice it seemed like, as her expression became blanker than before.
He let her words flow over him, and despite their lacking magic he relaxed slightly, they meant that he could now do what he did best; negotiate a bribe.

Morgand put the lantern slowly on the ground, and allowed his mace to point downwards slightly yet still gripped it readily. He rolled his shoulder, slipping his shield off his back and dangling it from his arm instead. He licked his lips of dried blood and cleared his throat.
"There we are now girl, civilised like, no blood and no witchcraft, eh?" Morgand let his feet take a more relaxed stance, his mace arm still tensed however.
"After the grief you put me through, making me like a puppet, I could only become enraged, eh? And think to repay you with a smack, eh, Rika?" He steps closer now, pressing her up against the front of the house almost by this point.
"And you're right to have that fear you have in you, it should be very real in fact, you understand? Because you're right, you can't buy me off with my own money." He takes a deep breath after, to stay calm about that last part.

A forced smile comes upon his face as thoughts of how long it has been since he last dealt with a rogue mage's bullshit, and what a pain it was then, the smile being a sign of his choosing to persevere now like he had then.
"So go ahead and give me an offer you can't refuse, beggars can't be choosers after all, and by the way you're in, you can't afford to be picky... eh?" Morgand said in a voice almost without hostility, and awaited her response, be it to talk, take flight or to fight, he was about ready to get this done with, his initial anger having passed to be replaced with irritation.

Perhaps this was because she had started seeming less like an evil sorceress, and more like a person down on their luck after abandoning her powers... or maybe it was just the prospect of money and payback.

Smiley

She swallows nervously as she slowly puts her weapon back into it's sheath. Rika then keeps one hand up while the other one slowly goes into her back pocket and picks up her stolen goods. Her eyes flicker to the pouch in dismay.

"H-here" she holds up the pouch carefully and looks down at the ground. The siren knows that she could do nothing but give up the coins for she could face worse punishment if she resisted more. "I know when I'm beat and I apologize for stealing your coins" she looked up at the man "I actually have no offer to give" she smirked slightly "but I must say who ever you're looking after must be very special" The observations she had made had her some to the conclusion that he did in fact have a family.

She heard talk around the town as well. "And must I say watchman you are known around these parts as well some people hate you, others fear you in fact, mist be hard making sure your family is safe"

Miriad_Vegetables

"I know when I'm beat and I apologize for stealing your coins" she said surprisingly steady, compared to how he saw her now at least.
'When things turn out this way, it's the best possible really.' He sighed rubbing the back of his neck and looking at Rika, taking the pouch with a snatch. After surrendering so totally she seemed less an ab-human enchantress, and more a girl cowering somewhat before a large dog... He preferred this at least, to be treated with fear, and the apology couldn't hurt he suppos-
"I actually have no offer to give. Rika said to him with a nervous smile.
Morgand's brow furrowed and his face creased into a snarl hearing that, but before he could cuss her out, Rika said
"but I must say who ever you're looking after must be very special."

Hearing her say that Morgand stuttered and stopped, surprised, his face showing this. He couldn't very well bark at her after she had said something like that, those words hitting too close to home for him...
Was he that easy to read? Or perhaps she could see his thoughts? No, she was too scared to try that. He clenched his jaw and the pouch both, giving away how right she was.

She went on to say "And must I say watchman, you are known around these parts as well, some people hate you, others fear you in fact, must be hard making sure your family is safe."
His features darkened at those words.
He turned away from her, showing disregard for the danger or what she said, attaching the coin pouch to his belt once more and crouching to scoop his lantern up off the ground.

He then started walking away from her, back towards Reajh. He had only gone a few paces when he stopped, and barked over his shoulder "Yer right... I have me and mine to take care of... I'd like to say that's the reason I am how I am and why I do what I do, but I don't justify myself that way... I just do it because I can, and because its easy. Making people scared is quicker than respect, and taking coin is easier than earning it..."
Morgand slowly reached to his belt, tightening his grip on his shield and grinding his teeth as he turned and stepped towards the girl. In one fluid motion he swung out his arm and held a palmful of coin out for her to see, like a handful of seed offered to a bird.

He cleared his throat "Stay in the Hovel, it's secretive enough. Use this to keep your self well and disguised. Stick to this part of town, that way I can watch out for you... From now on I get half the cut, how's that for a deal, eh? Answer quick girl, I have a home to return to and family to see."

Smiley

The eyes that Rika bore lit up as she saw Morgand's expression change as she mentioned that special someone. However, she knew she touched a nerve when she mentioned the feelings of the civilians towards the watchman.

Rika watched as the man turned around to go back to where ever he stays at, he states "Yer right... I have me and mine to take care of... I'd like to say that's the reason I am how I am and why I do what I do, but I don't justify myself that way... I just do it because I can, and because its easy. Making people scared is quicker than respect, and taking coin is easier than earning it..." then he turned back around. 'Uuh oh' Rika watched his body language. He seemed calm and not threatening. Her eyes examined his movements, posture, and body language as he pulled out a handful of glorious coins, holding them towards her.

It took a second for Rika to take in what had just happened. She quickly took the coins from Morgand. Her eyes slightly teared up for it has been a while sense she actually met someone who willingly gave her some money. "T-thank you" she responds as she puts her share into her pocket. "You've got yourself a deal"

She walks over to her new 'partner' of sorts and gives him a friendly pat on his shoulder  "Go and see your family, they're most likely worried sick by now". With that she starts to walk towards the Hovel. "You know where I'll be" Rika says as she disappears from view.

Miriad_Vegetables

Morgnd saw the light gathering in Rika's near tearful eyes, shimmering a little as she clinks the coins together in her hand, accepting them from him.
'Ah shit, what are you crying for lady, it's chump change, no need to be emotional' Morgand bereted her in his head, but couldn't bring himself to say it, too much wasted effort at this point. He closed his eyes as she thanked him, letting the whole night's experience wash over him.

'She has nothing to be thankful for, I've bullied her and caused her grief, she must have been through much worse to mistake this for kindness... ah fuck it all.' He cracked open his eye as she put her hand to his shoulder and spoke to him, Morgand rolling his arm in an attempt to shirk her off.

"Go and see your family, they're most likely worried sick by now."

And with those final words she was off, into the house, where he did in fact know he would find her in future, he'd be sure to, to keep true to their deal. But despite his fixation on future opportunities to make money, her words stuck to him like honey, and he was shortly off himself, back towards Reajh proper.
'Lorrita, ah, Lorrita, I'mma comin.' He thought to himself, speeding up his walk. She may have thought to go out into the cold to find him, and being her husband, well that just wouldn't do... He also couldn't let Jaspia worry over her Pa whilst he was out on patrol anymore than he did already, he knew she did, considering how many enemies he had.

Despite himself, Morg smiled.
One more crooked deal between him and some tragic character wasn't much anymore, even if she had such powerful magic, she had been as fearful if not more so than any other magic-user he'd met, it meant the Mage round-ups had been very effective as of late, instilling fear in the magic-user's of the country if nothing else.
But all that thinking and theorising could be put on hold for now, indefinitely in fact, considering how he felt tonight, what made him smile.

All in all, he'd won big with this one, he could feel it. The girl had promise in the way of future enterprises, and he found himself almost hoping she wouldn't get caught at all.

The night felt like his again, so much so that a spring entered his step.

First order of business, the house with the promise of Ale, and then he'd go on to run, ah... 'jog' all the way to his family's door and then some, sweep Lorrita off her feet, why not, eh? With that scene in his head he was off, jogging sluggishly down the street.

And City Watchman Pentecrast grinned even more, as he charged on under the few street lights not put out by the wind. He went forward to his duty, when it suited him, the protection of the city, when it was profitable, and it's people, or at least a certain few, as it should be, in Morgand's opinion.


Smiley

Rika lays down in the very old bed. She planned to move to another area lately. The neighbors have been seeing her as of late. She can stay hidden in plain sight though. Her mind shifted back to the deal she made. 'Damn it' she groaned as she realized what she just did. Rika was not one for breaking promises or deals so she had to stay in this part of town until the deal was broken or forgotten of.

With all the thinking that she was doing she realized that it could also play in her favor if she plays the cards right. She could even make friends within the watchman and possibly gain their conplete trust though she wasn't asking for loyalty. She places a knife underneath her pillow and later her head on it. Rika closes her eyes and falls into a restless sleep.

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