Slight of Hand

[Winters-Feather]

Jazbel took another swing of ale, laughing as loud as the rest of the men  at the table. He shoved his cards over towards one who was shuffling a deck. The man proudly collected his winnings, a small pile of copper coins and even a silver, and loudly ordered another  drink from the serving girl the moment his mug ran dry.
Lose the next game, he told himself as he placed his next bet, leaning back easy into his chair.
The man crossed his arms as he chuckled at a rowdy joke the thug next to him was making. What the joke was about, Jazbel had no idea. To laugh at the right moment was a habit, a matter of instinct for him. What interested him more than the story of the merchant's wife was the pouch that the only woman across the table wore by her side.

Her name was Asven Rednet, who was keenly watching the cards being distributed. She was a large woman, broad of structure with ample curves and  skin tanned and burned from the sun. Her face was gruff, with deep set keen blue eyes and scars most men would envy.  Her clean hair was divided in braids.
The infamous mercenary and treasure hunter/i], he thought.
A smug smirk rose to his face.
A letter had been sent to him by a noblewoman from the Valley by the name of Noki. He had worked for the woman before, so contacting him was within her means. According to her letter, which was n code, Asven had in her pouch a bronze sphere puzzle. To contact knights or any other sort of authority would have been to hasty for Ms. Noki's means. Jazbel didn't know all the details, but the sphere itself wasn't strictly legal, especially not in Connloath. The man was also vague on the story on how the mercenaries requited the trinket.

The puzzle, it seemed, belonged to Noki's family. It was hidden in a tomb of her ancestors, along with several other invaluable pieces. However, this was the one that she cared for, the most valuable piece, thought Noki wouldn't tell Jazbel why. All he knew was that he was being paid generously for tracking Asven down and figuring out to whom she was harboring the puzzle for. It was all rather troubling information, but the man didn't try to wrap his head around such thoughts. All he was focused on was completing his job and retrieving the coin he was promised. And his job, it seemed, was practically complete.  After tracking the woman and her band of men for the past two weeks, his efforts had paid off. It wasn't hard, he had found, to track such a queer pack of wolves.
And alcohol can be a fine truthsayer.
Judging by the vague babbles that they told each other, their destination was the Hallow. Asven, though, she was silent as a rock, seemingly weary of the game at hand. She was suspicious of Jazbel, too, he could feel it from the hard glares she sent at him. However, there was nothing unusual about a stranger joining in on a game of cards. Half the men and wrenches at the table were all paying to stay at the inn for the night, to keep out of the cold, night rain.

The rain pelted against the window as Jazbel examined the cards he had received. He sighed at the lousy hand before turning his head to observe the musicians. Sunset was only a few hours ago, it seemed, but their spirit was already dying, their songs running dry.
Might as well turn in soon, too, Jazbel mused.
These men and Asven didn't seem to look like they were going much anywhere, and there was nothing much to do in these parts of Connloath.

[visualspice]

"Ah, bloody hell, does it have to be raining so hard?" Ellarrah moaned as her boots hastened along the road, splashing mud.  "Ugh, after all of this I'll be needing a good washing to get this mud all offa me."
She wrinkled her nose, but kept moving, knowing the town was nearby, and inside the town, the warm welcoming glow of a tavern would be.  Pausing beneath a tree, she took a moment to shuffle her black jacket, which barely clothed her.  The rain was far too cold, and was seeping in through all of the gaps of her leather get up.

She wore a jacket with a gaping front, broadcasting her gifted assets to all of the men in the world as the jacket squeezed her breasts together, creating snug, ample cleavage.  But the rain did not care, and was easily pelting her chest with it's cold ignorance as she gave a sneeze.

"Blasted jacket," she said, huffing as she gave up in her attempts to stay warm and shook her red hair out like a dog. "Ugh," running her fingers through it, she frowned. "I can't even begin to imagine how horrendous my hair probably looks right now." She wrinkled her nose about it then worked at loosening the pouch fastened to the side of her belt.  It was then her soured expression softened.

"Just as I left it," she said with a sigh. "The money pouch is empty."
Sighing, she latched the pouch back to her waste and ran a hand anxiously through her hair, when she suddenly spotted the warm glow of a tavern- Just as she had hoped.

"Great bowls of ale!" she exclaimed. "I was closer than I thought!"
Adjusting her breasts, and brushing off the water that had collected across her chest, she made for the tavern and threw the door open.

Stepping inside, she had hoped to be discrete, but it seems a lot of the tavern folk turned her way.  She stared back at them, but after a moment, brushed her wet hair aside as she dusted off her hands and walked across the room towards the front desk.

"A room and a warm bath," she told the merchant.

"I"m sorry, but there is no vacancy, and there is a waiting list for a bath."

Ellarrah made a face.
"Ansgar's sake, you gotta be shittin' me," she said, shaking her head.  "Well, you've at least got some ale?" she said, almost expecting the man to tell her they were out of that, too.

Smiling, he replied, "Yes, would you like a mug?"

"Two mugs," she corrected him. "But better make sure I at least get three. It's been a rough night." She said as she began to ring out her hair. Spotting the fire, she smirked.  "Be a love and have 'em bring me the ale over by the fire."s he said, and went and made herself cozy at the last vacant seat.

Once seated, she began to towel off the best she could, but her wet clothes and body glistened, the warm, dancing flames of the fire only amplifying her condition.  Not that she cared, especially when the ale was brought to her.

"Thanks, love!" She said, saluting him. "Just add it to my tab. I'll pay once the rain let's up."

THe man nodded and returned to his books to set her up an account.
"Sure thing Miss-" and here he paused for her to reply.

Smirking, she raised her ale to him, which was already half gone.
"You write it in as Lady Ellarrah," she said, swishing her drink towards him before guzzling it down and wiping at her mouth. "So where's that second one? Remember I asked for two!" she said with a smirk.

The tavern owner only stared. "I thought, well, you asked for three," he replied in good humora nd she gave a loud laugh in reply, slapping his back hwen he brought the second beer.

"You're a clever one!" she giggled. "I'll be sure to add a good tip for ya," she replied with a wink, then tossed her head back and enjoyed the brew, and the lovely, bubbly affect it did to her mind.
"Ah, there ain't nothing like a warm fire, a cold ale and some peace and quiet." she said to herself.
Taking a moment, she observed her surroundings. She was poor, but knew she'd find a clever way to pay her bills, and that's when her eyes fell upon Asven Rednet, as her eyes began to nonchalantly examine her belongings.

"She'll do," Ellarrah informed herself beneath her breath, so that no other patron could here as she finished her drink and hollered.
"Hey, where's my third drink!?"

[Winters-Feather]

Jazbel knew trouble when he saw it, and it had gorgeous red hair and a fiery spirit to match it. Loud shouts turned to murmurs as the men watched the new stranger strut into the bar and order her drinks. Some were in awe, due to their lonely and inebriated status, but all were suspicious.They had to be; that was how their crew stayed alive for so long. Jazbel couldn't help but to admire the woman, himself. She looked like she pasted the usual marriageable age. She dressed wildly, a bit too wildly and masculine for Jazbel's tastes, but she was eye catching. However,  a quick call to attention rouse the band of mercenaries attention back towards the game.

"Your turn," the man next to him pointed out. He was short and squat of structure, with a head of thinning black hair and a bush black beard.
"Yes," Jazbel replied  as he pushed forward one of his betting sticks, aloof as you please. He tried to listen in on that woman's conversation. She was ordering a drink, that was as clear as day, though it was hard to pick up a name from here, where it was so loud.
No doubt the tavern keep knows, he thought.
Jazbel didn't know why he was so drawn in. He supposed it was because he welcomed the distraction. Besides, it wasn't often lone travelers entered taverns at this hour, especially not decent women. As a man who made it his business to know others secrets, Jazbel was interested in learning a little about hers.

As the game's pace began to pick up, Jazbel noticed that the strange woman was watching them. That wasn't really unusual. Theirs was the largest group, and the queerest set of gamblers Jazbel reckoned that were in these parts. He only threw her glances out of the corner of his eye now and then, but to the man, it seemed that she was staring intensely at them. It made him feel... uncomfortable. Like she was waiting for something. It took him four turns to realize why. She was staring right at his target.
Damnit.

Jazbel rose to his feet as the fifth person did their turn. The others glanced at him, suspiciously.
"Are you dropping out?" the dark headed man asked.
There was a tone of threat in his voice; if Jazbel was dropping out, he had better show them the coin.
Jazbel only smiled in return.
"The game's not over, gentlemen," he said. "I'm merely getting a drink."
The man leaned against the bar.
"Wine. Red," he ordered as he slapped three coppers down. The tavern keeper, who was wiping down mugs, nodded. As he left to get the bottle, Jazbel took the liberty to look around the bar. Just as he thought, the woman was looking right at  Asven.

The man frowned.
Was she after the puzzle, too?
He couldn't be too certain how many people knew that piece of information.
Jazbel had to be careful- he could not afford that piece falling into the wrong hands. The tavern keep handed him the bottle before filling a mug with beer.
That must be for the woman, he thought.
"I'll take care of that, thanks," Jazbel said with a grin as he grasped his bottle in his other hand.
He casually walked over towards Ellarrah.
"Here you go, Miss," he cheerfully said before returning to his game.
I've my eyes on you. Don't interfere.

OOC: Feel free to control the men/Asven :3

[visualspice]

And just as easily as that, Ellarrah changed targets.  It would be far easier to rob the man who got her that drink- after all, she would only need enough money for room and board, a bath and maybe a few more rounds of beer...

After all, if getting her her beer wasn't the sign he was flirting or interested in a little playful tumble, she didn't know what was.  She had been (somewhat) aware of the other men staring at her, but then again, Ellarrah had grown used to it over the years, because of her choice of attire (and because of how much she er, matured).

"Thanks for the beer, love," She told Jazbel as she raised her mug in his honor, then began to celebratory drinking of it.  THough after he had settled back to his game, she figured she might as well join him and check the crowd out.

When she approached, a few of the men, who had been distracted back towards their game, nudged one another and gestured to her with a wicked smirk when she approached.  They all had pretty uninnocent thoughts for what they were thinking towards a girl like that.

"So," she began, draping a hand upon Jazbel's chair.  "What sort of game are you blokes all playin'?" She eyebaled the table, even Jazbel's hand with a smirk before looking, somewhat intoxicatingly towards the others at the table.

"Why don't you have a seat with us?" one of the men offered as he pulled out one of the vacant chairs besides him and Jazbel.  Grinning, Ellarrah nodded to that.

"I think I might just take you up on that offer, friend." she said and took her seat, getting rather comfortable at the table and appearing as happy as a clam, as if they were all old chums (not a hard face to pull off considering how complacent she was after her drink- not that she believed it was impairing her judgement or anything...)

"So," she began, leaning forward in her chair as her chest rested ontop of her elbows upon the table. "What's going on in this game? Who's winning anyhow?"

And who would be the best person to steal from?
Her eyes went flirtatiously to Jazbel as she gave him a grin.
"Would any of you men care to explain all of this?" She wasn't stupid, but men loved to impress a lady, and that's what she was, a lady.

Perhaps if the Jazbel person had too shallow of pockets, at least she could flirt, get the man drunk, then steal the money from whomever got his winnings.

If not, she still had her back up plan, still believing that Asven probably held the most. She didn't know why she thought this, but consider it thief's intuition....  either way, she'd be quite content flirting a bit with that handsome fellow who was kind enough to get her her drink; then she could be well on her way to feeling up his...

pockets.

[Winters-Feather]

"Oh ho," Jazbel chuckled as Ellarrah approached.
So she took  my offering as an invitation, he thought, amused.
Fine by him. Easier to keep track of her, that way.
As long as she was distracted from his target, that was the important bit, though it was hard to say if Ms. Asven was distracted from the lass. Rednet deeply scowled at the girl, clearly disapproving of her presence.
Careful, sweetheart, Jazbel thought as he turned his attention towards Ellarrah, who was suddenlly being seated right next to him.
That one's got a fiery temper. What are you up to?

Instead of asking, Jazbel offered the younger lady as kind as a smile as he could muster. He was a man of refined tastes. He knew how to properly conduct himself around ladies better than most common folk, he'd like to think. Ah, but she was a charmer. Jazbel chuckled as she made herself as cozy as she pleased, leaning forward and asking questions. She tickled at the men's pride, he could see it.
"My dear, the game's just started," he replied smoothly.
She acted coy and dumb, but Jazbel knew she had a clever mind.
"You're a forward one," he said, giving a little bow.
"M'lady, allow me to present myself.  I am Jazbel Oraca, perhaps you've heard of me."
He waved towards Rednet, about to introduce her.
The woman only glared.

Jazbel flinched.
Now was clearly not the best time. The man sighed as the bushy beard man took upon the offers to loudly explain the  rules to the lady. Jazbel could have rolled his eyes. The man was talking politely, to be sure, but so simple and slow, as if the woman was a mere child.
Not so much a child, he thought.
The thugs eyes were wandering from places past the lady's eyes.

Jazbel politely coughed to interrupt the explanation.
"MIss, might I ask whom you are?" he asked.
"Yes," Rednet's voice boomed from the opposite side of the table.
"Who are you? And for that matter-"
Her eyes turned towards Jazbel.
"Mr. Orarca, what business do you have here?"
Jazbel raised his bottle of wine towards the woman.
"Easy, madam," he said, making a 'sit down' gesture.
"I'm simply a wandering musician with a passion for cards and fine company."

Rednet's men clapped at that, but Rednet didn't buy it, muttering such as "harlots," "brothels," and "scum alike." Jazbel waved a hand at that.
"Don't listen to her. Too much to drink," he whispered, cheerfully with a little wink as he slapped another card down once his turn came around.
Still, Jazbel was cautious. Rednet was turning to a foul mood, and he didn't want to lose her quite yet.

[visualspice]

Ellarrah was not a woman to take lightly to comments of that nature, but clamped her mouth shut when Jabel whispered for her, suggestion she remained ignorant.

"I'll show her too much drink..." she muttered under her breath, no doubt only Jazbel might be the only one to hear it.  She put away her visions of bashing the woman's face in her with drink and took another swig of her beer.

She wasn't about to answer the question on who she was, that was, until the man seated beside her asked it again.
"So Missy, I think we were asking for a name." he grinned with rotting teeth.
Ellarrah offered a weaker smile in return.

"You can call me Ellarrah," she said, loudly and most jovially.

"Ellarrah?" the man tried it, and grinned. "Well, pretty lady, why don't we buy you a drink?" he said, and he was no fool, as Ellarrah looked down at her nearly empty glass of beer. She was already drunk, but the man hoped to get her as intoxicated as he could- after all, who knew what such company might bring later when all of the beds were already 'taken'.

"You can buy me two if you'd like," she offered, almost a purr. She rather liked being catered to. Perhaps she should have waited for this man to offer her these drinks earlier, but her confidence needed a boost. After all, she felt rather wretched when wet, even as the other men stared at her and admired it.

Despite procuring herself a fourth drink, she turned to the other man sitting next to her and grinned like a cat towards Jazbel.  It looked as if she was about to say something, but she did not. She figured if she was going to get drunk, she might as well look at the more handsome fellow.

[Winters-Feather]

Jazbel tried not to chuckle at the comment, least Rednet decided it was time for them to die. He  grimaced as the other man sitting besides the lady so tactlessly asked her for her name, though he was pleased to see that the young woman acted as if it didn't bother her.
So her name's Ellarrah, he thought, smiling at the name.
It meant nothing to him, though it sounded as if it should have been vaguely familiar. Jazbel just couldn't reason out why, so he didn't bother with it.
"That's a beautiful name, Ellarrah," he complimented, clicking his bottle against her mug before draining a sip.

Jazbel grinned back at the younger woman, though he had other things he needed to figure out before the game was up. He already knew that the mercenaries were travelling to the Hallow. Still, the city was a large one. He wanted to know where they were going, specifically. Rednet had to be working for somebody, but who?
Maybe I could use this girl, he mused as he turned to Ellarrah.
"I see you carry a sword," Jazbel observed as he watched the others place their bets, one by one.
"Not too many do. Well, except these men. They're mercaneries.They're strong and efficent, aye?" Jazbel said as he nudged the black beared man. The man only grunted in return, though his chest swelled in pride at the compliment.
"Aye," Jazbel repeated with a nod.
"Wouldn't want to be on the other ends of their swords," he said as a word of caution.
Rednet scoffed at Jazbel's flattery.
"You continue that jabber, and I'll see to it that you will," she snapped.

Jazbel chuckled.
"Now, now, madam, no need to get so testy," he retorted.
Jazbel returned his attention towards Ellarrah.
"You strike me as the sort that travels," he said. "Am I wrong? We all are, you see."
Jazbel patted the blonde drawf of a man that sat next to him.
"They're heading towards the Hallow, right?"
The blonde man nodded, which Jazbel mimiced.
"Yes, I fancy heading in that direction myself," he told Ellarrah.
"I pick up most of the new songs there,. Then I can bring them to Serendipity and play them in courts. They're quite beautiful. Have you ever been to Arca?"

OOC: feel free to start the fight. if not, i'll do it next post . XD Was gonna do it this one, but I need to go to bed ><

[visualspice]

"Mercernaries, eh?" she said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.  It was when Rednet kept her sass Ellarrah smiled. She liked that woman already. Maybe she'd be off the hook of stealing from her? THough, it would be awfully fun!

Turning to Jazbel, she listened to his stories of distant lands.
"Can't say that I've had the pleasure, but perhaps some day,"she replied.  "I do most of my adventurin' in Connlaoth, the open road, my home." Then patting her sword, then she added," ANd yeah, I keep my brother's sword with me as a memento. It also has helped me out in a prickly pinch.  Most wild animals and men would hardly mess with a lass wielding something so sharp."
She then thought about their destination.

"The Hallow? Is that nearby?" she inquired, wondering if this place was of any interest, or if she had ever been. It was hard to tell, some towns looked like others and this was one she just so happened to wander into in the middle of the night during the rain.

It was about that time the inn keep approached the lady.
"Miss?"

Ellarrah turned a casual glance over her shoulder.
"Yeah? Whadya want?"

"It seems a, um, change on the list has occurred and the gentlemen in the corner has offered you  his position on the list for the bathing room."

Ellarrah only stared.

So the inn keep cleared his throat. "That means there is a bath ready for you."

"Ohhh..." Ellarrah smirked at the thought and eyed the man in the corner. He was a tall fellow, gristly beard, long dark hair and an air of mystery about him.  Never her mind, a bath was a bath, and she wouldn't pass it up.  She nodded to the fellow and smirked as she rose from the table.
"Thanks!" she accepted the clean towel for the inn keep as he bowed and rushed away.  Throwing the towel over her shoulder, she stood and grinned at all the men at the table. "Well, I must apologize, but I have a bath waiting for me." she announced with a fluff of her red hair, then strolled right on past them and headed for the back room.


After the woman was gone, things seemed to go back to normal,- except the dark man had vanished, but not without gesturing to Rednet about who Ellarrah was. He was aware of her profession, and was not about to let her get close. He wasn't sure if she was after any of their bounty, or treasure, but he wasn't about to find out.


The inn keeper was growing nervous, the bathing room was located on the main floor, and he had an inkling there could only be two deeds going on in the bathing room where that man and woman were-
Either someone was about to get lucky, or...
not so lucky.


A moment later, there was a scream, and suddenly the door to the bathing room collapsed, the dark bearded man stumbling backwards over it as Ellarrah stood there, wearing naught but a towel and pissed as ever with fists ready, and an evident slash across her cheek with a fresh trail of blood.

"YOU PERVERTED BASTARD!" she screamed, lunging after him.  "As if I were after your gold, you ignorant bastard!" and she took another swing, sendign the man crashing onto the card table.  Clenching her hands into fists, Ellarrah stood in the center of the room, fuming mad.

"Does anyone else want a taste of my fists!?" she taunted.  "Because if you got a problem with me, then I'll put a problem in your face!"

[Winters-Feather]

"That's a shame. Serendipity is a beautiful place," Jazbel replied when the woman mentioned that she had never been outside the kingdom. He arched a brow when she mentioned she kept her brother's sword as a memento.
So he's dead, he thought, sympathetically.
That's a pity.

Jazbel shook his head when she asked where the Hallow was. Wasn't she  a native of this kingdom, or not?
"Hardly," he said.
"I meant the Matron's Hallow, the city across the kingdom."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"As one as well traveled as you, m'lady, you've never been there?"
It was one of the most tolerable places in Connloath, or, at least, to Jazbel it was. He certainly liked it more than Reajh. The capitol was beautiful, to be sure, but it was so... stiff. The man could never quite shake off the feeling that if he sneezed in the area, he'd be arrested. Beheaded if he belched. Jazbel wasn't so keep on the guards in the city, either. It didn't help that years ago he had been arrested and accused of magecraft because of an unfortunate incident with a costume that was much too well done for Jazbel's own good. It took him hours to explain what he had done and why it was not magic.

To his disappointment, the woman was summoned to take a bath. Several men around the table chuckled, most smiling wickedly. Jazbel kept a straight face during the whole thing, though he noticed that the dark haired man made a gesture towards Rednet. Jazbel frowned at that. This was there doing, though what they had in mind for the girl and why, he had no idea.
None of my business, he thought, his expression hardening.
He was here for information only. Not to be bothered with the affairs of the charismatic redhead. Besides, she looked like she could handle herself.
Hopefully.

Jazbel casually continued his game, trying to ask more questions, slyly. What bars were they attending? What part of town did they prefer? What shops? Some questions the men were fine with asking. They were seemingly harmless, though Rednet was growing more and more wary of the stranger's curiosity and his loose tongue. However, Jazbel was slowly getting the answer he wanted- they were heading towards the southwestern region of the city, where a couple of known rebellious nobles lived. Just as the man was about to ask another question, Rednet abruptly stood up.
"I've had enough!" she barked.

Just then, the blonde, short man reached up to grab Jazbel's neck. It all happened so quickly that Jazbel did not have time to react. With one hand still clutching his wine bottle, Jazbel tried to prevent the man from chocking him.
"E-asy," he gasped out.
"Who are you?" the woman spat.
Before Jazbel could reply,  a scream rang out before Ellarrah stormed out into the room. The mercenaries' attention were off Jazbel to gawk at the indignant woman.
Jazbel smiled.
Bless you, lass, he thought.
Using their shock as his moment to escape, the man brought down the wine bottle as hard as he could on the blonde man's head. It knocked the man clean out.

"Help, please!" the man cried out as he grabbed a chair  and unsheathed to defend himself as the men closing in on him started to draw their swords.

[visualspice]

OOC: It's funny he called her on her ignorance! It's always fun when she gets drunk and says the wrong thing~


IC:

It was definitely an extraordinary scene when Ellarrah found herself braced against Jazbel, both of them back to back and surrounded by angry men with swords.

"Now we see your true colors!" Ellarrah spat as she glared at the men with weapons, while she was only guarded by a slim, towel wrapped around her body.  Was it really too much to ask for her to get a bath?
"I shoulda known it was too good to be true that any cut-throat looking men like you would 'ave offered a lady any sort of respect. And now you've all got your blades drawn to put us up to slaughter."

Then she turned at the noise Jazbel was making behind her.
"Help me?" she repeated, scoffing at his remark. "Some man you are! Aren't you supposed to be protecting the lady?" though she didn't have another second to add to her smart remarks when a man came at them, swinging as she jumped away, bumping her back against Jazbel as she let out a frustrated hell.
"Bugger off ye god damn, schemin' bastards! I already told ya I ain't after none of yer stinkin' treasure," but the men hardly paid her any attention as they continued to swing angry swords in their direction.

Ellarrah was dancing precariously about, both unarmed and scrambling to keep her towel on.
"Hey- watch where you're swinging those things!" she commented, gripping onto her towel, but when a man made a lewd comment about it-

"Perhaps we ought to all have fun with her first, BEFORE we cut them to ribbons!"

That's what REALLY pissed Ellarrah off.

"Ok, that's enough. No more Miss Nice Ellarrah!" she seethed, tossing back her hair and tightening her towel. SHe only hoped it would stay put as she angrily picked up a near by chair, and swung. It connected with a sword aiming for her head, and got trapped within the rungs beneath as seh twisted the chair and de-armed the man, and procured herself a sword.

Now holding the chair as her shield and sword at the ready, she warded off a few men before finding herself bumping up against Jazbel once more.

"ANd what are *you* gonna do about all of this? Stay there and whimper and do nothin' while the woman does all the work?" she spat.  "Come on and pick up a chair and start swinging! Any weapon is better than no weapon!"


OOC: That's right, Ellarrah fights with chairs! She's one tough chica! :3
.. while wearing nothing but a bath towel, lol.

[Winters-Feather]

Jazbel tsked at Ellarrah's comment. It hurt his pride, it did.
"I'm a  musician, not a knight!" he bellowed before getting punched straight in the jaw and then in the gut. Jazbel dropped his chair as he fell to the floor, rubbing his sore jaw.
An old one at that, he thought with a groan, a matellic taste filling his mouth. Was that blood? He hand't been in a brawl for years. Before the man could stab him, however, Jazbel managed to grab his hand and kick him hard in the shins. This gave the musician spy enough time to grab the broken chair and whack him outside the head with it.

Jazbel panted as he got to his feet, adrenaline rushing through his body. His ears perked up at the mention of treasure.
"Ah-h, so you're a thief," he exclaimed as he stood back to back with the lady. Jazbel grinned smugly at that. He figured there was something refreshingly dishonest about that woman.
Other than prancing around in a towel, he thought.
With a woman like that by his side, it honestly wasn't the worst way to.
Still, Jazbel didn't want to 'go' just yet.

His eyes quickly darted across the room.
Where was Rednet?
He was distracted when, out of the corner of his eye, Jazbel saw something flash in the light. He had the good sense to duck out of the way; the dagger tore at his sleeve, cutting across his rght biicept. The man hissed as he held his knives and chair, defensively.
"I'm trying," he growled as she scowled him.

The man had been in many a fight over the years, but the truth was that he never killed anybody. That wasn't his thing. But there were still some moves he did know... As the man came
Jazbel kicked him in the                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           privates before smashing his makeshift shield into his  face. Jazbel nodded smartly as he quickly grabbed the man's shealthed sword, handing it over towards the young woman.
"Here, you look like you know how to handle 'em," he said as he shoved it into her arms, for once the innuendo unintentional.

Just then another sword was held at his neck.
"Don't move," Rednet said, acidly.

[visualspice]

"Whadya mean don't move!?" Ellarrah fumed, her sword pointed towards Asven, her chair still held like a shield. "How about you drop your sword, love, and I won't bash you over the pretty head with my chair." Ellarrah was really trying her luck (and poor Jazbel;s...) 
"And I think you all owe me an apology! Aiming to maim me in the bathing house. You've got some fuckin' balls!"

But then again.. so did Ellarrah, and she wasn't exactly in a position to be giving out demands as she felt a prick at the back of her neck.
"Oh, now what?" she said, hearing the lame snickering of one of Rednet's henchmen's and didn't waste another second before kicking back her leg suddenly, managing a strike to the man's balls.
A grunt was heard..

The man went down, and when he hit the ground, his crossbow went off and shot intot he air.
Ellarrah gave a cry as it flung over her head, cutting into the chandelier above as it began to crash towards the ground over Asven and Jazbel.

"Oh my god, watch out!"s he cried, diving into Jazbel and tackling him out of the way as the chandelier crashed behind them.
A curse could be heard as her towel slipped downwards, but a quick motion remedied that as she looked over at Jazbel.

"Hey, you alright?" she asked more gently than her usual tongue, her hand gripping tight to the towel that threatened to fall off again.

[Winters-Feather]

Jazbel flinched at Ellarrah's bravado.
There's a time and place for everything, m'dear, he dryly thought as he observed Asven's pouch.
"Miss Ellarrah," Jazbel muttered through gritted teeth as he held his neck as far back as he could from the cold kiss of the iron.
"Allow me to suggest to not do anything rash."

But since when did the youth listen to the advice of the old?
Or so Jazbel felt it was so. The next few moments happened in a blur. One of Asven's lackley's bow went out of  control and somehow managed to break the chandelier. The man gasped as Ellarrah tackled  him out of the way. The man let out an audiable gasp of pain as he landed on his back. There were going to be bruises there in the morning.
"I'll live," he replied gruffly, taking a half second to admire her body pressed against his.

The man took in a breath as he gently patted her shoulder, cuing her to get off of him as he glanced over towards Asven. She was in a sore mood; the woman had managed to get out of the way, too, but not without taking a few hits. Her left leg had multiple scratches on it, bleeding profusely. The sack had been torn from her side, though Asven was in too much pain and too enraged to notice. She picked up one of the sharp crystals and threw it towards the two.
"Move, love," Jazbel grunted as he roughly pushed Ellarrah aside.
He curled up and howled as it dug into his shoulder.
The musician whimpered as he yanked it out, though he forced himself to get to his feet. The other lackeys seemed dazed by the confusion.
Jazbel gestured for Ellarrah to get up, his eyes on the puzzle.

"Come on," he urged.
Let's get out of here while we still can.

[visualspice]

Ellarrah made a noise as she was unceremoniously tossed aside, her towel unraveling on the way over as she cursed a few times and scrambled back into it.  SHe'd have to be sure to get her clothes, or at least some pair of clothes if she lived through this!

She too, also noticed the baggage being discarded, and being poor (well, down right broke) and also a bit vengeful, she plotted a way to snag it.

And she thought of something alright, as she suddenly got to her feet and dashed behind Asven while the woman was distracted with Jazbel.
She whistled to one of the men, as he rushed her.
"Yoo hoo!" she said with a wriggling hello of her fingers, then as the man was nearly upon her, she opened her towel and the man dropped dead in his tracks.  She used his own sudden halted momentum to dive forward (well, after closing her towel in the process) and tackled him low, so that he catapulted over her shoulder and crashed right into Rednet.

Glancing over her shoulder, she gave a rather smug grin as she snatched up the abandoned 'loot' (the very thing Jazbel happened to be eyeing) and dashed out the door.

"Come on, love," she told Jazbel as she headed towards the door.  "You and I need to make good use of that door!"

[Winters-Feather]

Jazbel highly disliked the possibility of fighting a woman. Despite Asven's structure, her ability, and her clear intent to  murder him,  he  refused to do it. It wouldn't be fair. The man ignored the fact that he was currently being aided by the fairer sex. That was a different matter entirely and on Asven's conscious, not his. However, as Asven slowly began to straggle to her feet, Jazbel's fingers tightened around his dagger. He gritted his teeth, uncertain. Like it or not, it didn't look like he had a choice. Just then, Ellarrah cooed.
"Huh?" Jazbel  muttered as he turned his head around to see what was going on.
Ellarrah was in the process of just folding her towel back around her body. Jazbel's eyes widened in shock, but it quickly gave way to a smirk.

I like this girl, he decided as he watched her tackle a man to the ground.
Another thug grabbed at Jazbel's collar, but the man was ready this time. He turned around to slash at the man, giving the thug a clear and long cut on his arm. The man stumbled a little bit backwards in pain before revealing himself, but Jazbel just calmly held his daggers ready.
"Attack me, and I'll kill you," he calmly said, meaning every word of it.

This surprised his opponent; he hadn't expected such a carefree older man to say something like this. Furthermore, his companions and boss were wounded.  Out of the corner of his eye, Jazbel saw Ellarrah dash for the door.
Time to leave, he thought, walking backwards so that the man wouldn't try to attack him from behind. He started to chuckle at Ellarrah's use of the pet name, but that smile was wiped off his face when he couldn't locate the puzzle on the ground. Where'd it go?
His face blanched when he looked up at Ellarrah.
Shit, he thought, but he had no time to worry about that now.
He nodded and dashed for the door, grabbing her hand.

"Come!" he ordered as he lead her down a narrow path that cut through buildings. They couldn't very well run in the main roads, not with her dressed like this!

[visualspice]

"What?" Ellarrah said, nearly tripping over her own two feet.  She watched as Jazbel dashed down an alley way.  "An here I thought I'd be leading," she said, dashing right behind him in hot pursuit.  "And don't run too fast!" she called after him. "I know we're running for our life but my, uh!" she gasped and clung to her towel that had almost dropped away from her boobs and scrambled to pull it back up.  "But at least let me keep my modesty as we run!" she yammered.  It was then she heard the men behind them and cursed.

"Bloody hell." and ti was then she realized they had also come to a dead end. "Aw, Ansgar's beard, what the hell is this!?" She approached it, and hit her fists off of it. "A dead end!? No way!" she said, growling as her heart was pounding inside her chest as she looked around, then noticed a nearby building and looked down at the pouch she was carrying. The building looked old enough-

"Time to make ourselves disappear,"she said, and threw the puzzle at the window.  The window shattered,a nd she shielded herself, from any repercussions straying from the glass before giving a smirk.

"And there we have our exit," though she paused after taking a step adn gasped.
"Oh, for Ansgar's sake," she said, seething in pain as she held her bloody foot. "I didn't think this through clearly enough. Ugh, I can't walk through all that broken glass!" she whined.

[Winters-Feather]

"Do you know where to go?" Jazbel asked as they entered the allyway.
"I'm open to ideas..."
He slowed his pace when she asked him to, but only a little. He didn't know when those men would be on their tails. Jazbel began to pant. He hadn't had a good run like this in a while, and though he was used to walking many miles, he wasn't a sprinter. The fright from the bar had taken the breath from him. His heart fell at the sight of a dead end. His eyes turned towards Ellarrah, who  hit the wall in frustration. However, not everything was lost; the man watched out of the corner of her eye as she examined the building. His attention was mainly concerned with the men that were just entering the allyway. Jazbel clutched to his daggers.
"Lass," he said through gritted teeth, "Whatever you have planned-"

He jumped in alarm as she broke a window.  Jazbel was momentarily confused- there weren't any rocks around, not as he could see. He quickly scrambled inside the building  after her, when he noticed the puzzle on the ground. Shocked, he quickly bent over to pick it up.
"You threw this?!" he asked Ellarrah. "Do you have any idea...?!"
The shouts were growing louder. Jazbel scowled as he shoved the puzzle into his pocket. Ellarrah wasn't going to get very far in her condition.
"Allow me," he said with a grunt as he bent over and grabbed her by the arm and leg. He hoisted her up over his shoulder. The man was growing older, but due to his constant travelling and having to carry his own baggage across the kingdoms, he was used to carrying a load.
She's light, he thought, content as he ran through a long hall way.

Just as he was about to run through, he noticed an old opened door on the floor. Jazbel quickly glanced over his shoulder. It sounded like the men were dealing with the glass window. Quickly, the man approached the door, observing the cellar. It wasn''t deeper than three feet, a small place to keep food chilled.
It would be cramped, Jazbel thought, but it was better than nothing.
The man quickly lowered the woman into it before quickly following suit, shutting the door as silently as possible.

In the dark he listened as the loud and angry men  past them.

[visualspice]

"Hey- what are you-" Ellarrah was cut off on her sentence the moment she was thrown over Jazbel's shoulders. "Hey!" she lightly beat on him. "You're gonna make me lose my only towel, you know!" she said frustratedly, as she clung to him, her towel, becoming, not to clingy as she used her other hand to attempt to hold it, and before she knew what was going on- she was placed inside a cellar.

"hey- do you honestly think is gonna-" but before her louds words were finished coming out of her mouth, Jazbel climbed into the cramped area beside her.  Ellarrah tried to move out of the way to give him space, but they were bumping shoulders from where they were crouched.

She gritted her teeth, not liking this.

"Jazbel," she said through her teeth, unable to make them unclenched. "How long do we have to stay in here?" she hissed softly, though paused to hold her breath as she heard the men walking above them. "Shit." she then slapped a hand over her mouth, hoping the men didn't hear her as they simply walked away.
Her eyes then went over towards Jazbel,a nd that's when she realzied her towel was no longer on her.

She made a short noise and scrambled in the darkness, her elbow accidently connecting with Jazbel's face as she tried to secure her towel.

"For Ansgar's sake," she hissed, after the men above them had gone. "Did you hafta choose such a confining hiding spot?" she made another face."I hate confined spaces." She admitted. "We need to get out of here quickly before I go mad!" and.. before she would lose her towel, which was now positively filthy, as was she, after struggling inside the shallow cellar.
And that's hwen she noticed a spider dangling beside her and made a noise, ramming her entire back side against Jazebl as she tried to escape.

"Ew, ohmygod, a spider!" she said, pawing at her shoulder and hair. "Ah! and it's sticky web is all over me!" and that's when she noticed. "Gods, the filth in this place!" she turned to Jazbel, who's lap she was now sitting in and begged. "Can we get outta this cellar now? I'm freaking out in here! I think the men are gone!"

[Winters-Feather]

Jazbel quickly placed a hand over the girl's mouth as she began to speak. Though he couldn't see her, it was that dark, he could feel her skin brushed against his, her breath hot.
Not now! He thought in a panic, as his ears listened to the noise.  This wasn't the time to be picky about location. The man sat rigidly in place, not moving an inch or even breathing until the noise finally disappeared. Once he was certain they were gone, he removed his hand with a sigh.
The man tugged at his collar. With the two of them combined in the cellar, it was blazing. Ellarrah's whining didn't help matters, either.

Lovely, he thought as he fumbled with the door.
"Relax, m'dear. Stay put," he replied in a strained voice in an attempt to keep them both calm as Ellarrah began to figit and panic. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. (At least, what he thought was her shoulder, it was hard to tell.) This night had been stressful for the both of them, and the mention of spiders weren't making it any better. The man dug his knife into what he hoped was a crack in the wood as he pushed the door up with all of his strength. The man grunted as it hinged open,  stray beams of moonlight pouring in, once again.
With a sigh of relief, Jazbel quickly scrambled out of the cellar.

He smiled as he turned to face the woman.
"That wasn't so- oh."
He smirked as he turned around to allow Ellarrah some privacy. Ellarrah was a mess, with her towel and hair disarranged and her utterly indignant expression. In an odd way, it was quite fetching, but he of course didn't dare to point this out to her. Quietly, the man undid his cloak.
"How are your feet?" he asked as he bent over to drape his cloak over her shoulders.

[visualspice]

"They'd be better if they weren't all cut up and full of glass that's prolly infected with spider grime," she griped.  She gave a huff, unable to stand properly as the soles of her beat were still being bitten and bleeding from glass.  She was dancing over her feet, wincing slightly at all the pain when his cloak came over her shoulders.
She eyed him warily, but did her best to manage balance the cloak and her towel as she took a seat on a nearby barrel.

"God damn glass," she seethed, working at picking out the glass shards from her feet, giving a cry, grunt and swear eat time she did.  "Gods almighty, I'm going to need some decent ale after this is done." then she paused and gave a smile through a grunt. "And perhaps some sort of shoe and clothes for that matter." But then another soggy expression phased over her as she realized the condition of her body and hair. Shivering, she shook her head.
"And another bath."

That's when a tiny, crawling spider began to nimbly climb down upon a slim thread before her eyes. Although the creature was small, Ellarrah loathedspiders and gave a cry as she leapt from her feet, crashing into Jazbel as she swatted at her hair.
"Ew, ohmygod, another spider!" and flailed her arms more rapidly, then began to scratched her hands furiously through her hair, tossing her wild red locks about. "I hope there ain't any more in my hair!" she fussed, when her towel fell to the floor, crumpling at her feet.

With a gasp, she hugged the cloak shut and grabbed onto Jazbel's arm, nearly pinching it.

"Gods, I'm going to need ten buckets of ale to get through this day!"