Thieves and Pirates (Spice) [M]

[Ivory]

Eliana grinned broadly at his misunderstanding.  "You might be afraid of this one.  He leads the Southroad Bandits."  It gave her pause, then, and she added, "I somehow doubt he would make it his personal mission to come after you, especially with my protection, but..."

As much as it pained her to admit this...

"Our group has grown over the past year or so.  We don't always know where everyone is anymore...and thieves will be thieves, after all.  They're emboldened by Jackal's protection."  She paused, then laughed a little.  "Or so they think.  But he's a thief, the same as any of us, and he won't stick his neck out for anyone."

Stupid kids...  It gave the Bandits as a whole a bad name!

[visualspice]

"Ah, what's in a name?" Gherrick said with a smirk. "So you've joined a pack of thieves named after dogs?" He shrugged at the idea. "I suppose it isn't entirely uncommon. Gangs tend to live for their names. But I er, suppose the work is good?"

[Ivory]

Eliana chuckled.  "No.  The leader is named after a dog."  She assumed it wasn't his real name, but who could say?  "The gang is named for our territory -- the Southroad Bandits.  See?"  Easy!

There was a more serious undercurrent to her words and expression, however, as she lifted up her beer to her lips.

"I think we may be coming to the end very soon.  We've gotten too big.  People know about us and how to guard against us.  And we're fast becoming a military target.  The thugs might be able to survive that, but for those of us with skills that require delicacy..."  She shrugged slightly.  "I don't intend to stick around to find out."

[visualspice]

"Ah," Gherrick nodded sagely at her words, digesting them. "So it seems you might be on the road again, seeking purpose and a home." Though he then added promptly, with a soft laugh. "I hope my saying that does not bring offense. I didn't want to assume you lived in that sort of life, but I've seen enough organized thieves to know they try to make their entire life of it. And call it
home', if you will...."
He turned away from her just then, blue eyes going distant before they returned to her after a while.

"So if the Jackals fall through, or, 'The Southbroad Bandits', what would you do then, Eliana? It seems you might have to make another choice." He smiled at that, wondering if she'd give up her ways, though the hope was evidently snuffed out the more he thought into it. She would have given that up ages ago if she had intended to.

"Are you planning to see more of the world? I heard there are a lot of exotic lands to the South."

[Ivory]

"You saw what happened the last time I tried to see the world," the thief answered with a smile.  "If not for you, I would have died in Connlaoth.  I'm rather attached to my life, such as it is."  No, she wouldn't be risking her life again on such a whim...

"And there's no offense taken.  I don't mind people -- you, least of all -- knowing."  She didn't answer the rest of his inquiry for a moment, instead looking down at her painted nails and studying their curves.  It was hard for her to admit this; at 17, she had assumed she would be settled somewhere comfortable, prepared to live out the rest of her life in luxury.  What she had managed to save wouldn't last five years -- and that was only for a simple room, not the lifestyle she had always imagined retiring to.

Finally, she allowed, "In a few years, I'll be too old for this."  She was still smiling, but it was sad now.  "Beauty doesn't last forever.  Neither does luck.  I haven't decided what I want to do yet, but I have a few options in mind."

[visualspice]

He hadn't meant to upset her, and although she was smiling, he easily saw through it, especially at the gesture of her looking down to her nails. He grew quiet a moment before clearing his throat.

"You might make a lovely baker," he said, smirking boyishly, hoping his jest might lighten the mood.

[Ivory]

"Oh, I'd make a lovely anything," she agreed readily, perking up with a genuine laugh and, as usual, falling back into her routine.  "Can you imagine me, Gherrick?  A pink apron on that goes down to here...and nothing else?"

Yes, that probably wasn't the "lovely" he had meant...

Eliana flashed him a grin and, with gusto, finished off the first of her beers.

"What do pirates do when they retire, anyway?"

[visualspice]

His face was about as pink as her imaginary apron.
So when the question was posed, his lips fell open a moment before he could respond. And when he did, he made a noise at first when air returned to his lungs, a bit of a wheezing sound... when he gave a soft laugh.

"I don't think pirates retire," he admitted, his smile growing. "I'm pretty sure most get killed or die."

[Ivory]

"That's sobering," she complained, shooting a pout in his direction.  Really!  Of all the things to say!

Instead of lingering on that thought, though, she grinned.  "You can come find me when you're ready for a change.  You aren't allowed to be killed, understood?"  Because that was sure to keep it from happening!  "I could give you a job," she said, giving him a coy look.  "You can work as a bouncer in my cathouse."

She grinned at him broadly, picturing Gherrick trying to work around professional whores...  He couldn't even handle her -- what would he do if he were surrounded by them?

[visualspice]

Gherrick's mouth fell open as he smiled, then he let out a full bellied laugh, a beautiful sound that rang like a bell, echoing around them. SHaking his head, he calmed himself and looked over at her.
"I doubt I'm the type of man you're looking for for such a job!"

[Ivory]

"Why not?" she pursued, giving him a friendly little caress on the calf with her toes...just to remind him who he was dealing with!

Eliana grinned broadly as she began to tick items off on her fingers.  "You can take care of the bad guys.  You wouldn't be asking for private sessions on the side.  And you honestly care about the girls.  Or boys.  I haven't made up my mind which I'd like yet."

That made her giggle.  "You'd fit in very well with the boys, I'd wager.  You'd be very popular, Gherrick.  If you ever decide to change your career!"

[visualspice]

Gherrick only stared at Eliana with a blush before giving a boyish laugh.
"You're still not used to a man being prude, are you?" he said, placing a hand on her foot to stop her stroking.But the gesture was gentle,a nd not meant to be rude, considering, he didn't NOT like it. He just... well,t hey were having a conversation. Such things were best reserved for elsewhere.

[Ivory]

"They're not popular in my line of work," Eliana quipped, not fighting his interruption at all.  She didn't mind; she just liked to get under his skin a little bit!

Or a lot bit!

"What's the deal with you being prudish anyway?"  It was his word -- she could use it if she wanted to!  "And don't give me that bull about women and how you're supposed to treat them.  You can treat a woman well and still have sex!"

[visualspice]

Blushing more, Gherrick gave another laugh.
"Let's just say I haven't found the right woman yet. Nor, I suppose, the time to find her."

And considering his luck with women... the last one was now ten feet under the ground...

[Ivory]

"Ah!" Eliana exclaimed brightly, sitting up and pulling her foot away from him in the process.  "So that's it!"

The exclamation drew a few odd looks from some of the folks around them, but she paid them no mind.

"You aren't a prude at all.  You're a romantic!"  It sounded a bit like an accusation, even if it was announced with a smile.  "And that's so much worse!  Poetry, flowers, proclamations of love..."  She gave him a look of distaste.  "There's nothing good about it!"

[visualspice]

"And here I thought women liked flowers," Gherrick said with a playful shake of his head. "I'm sure you'd like flowers. All women deserve to be treated in a way that's special by the man who adores them." And he paused to consider, then moved forward, taking the clothe napkin on the table and proceded to fuss over it before handing it over to her in a squishy looking, pillowy flower.

"Here, for you. Since every woman deserves a bouquet..." though after he said it, he blushed and corrected, "Er, but in this case, it's just one flower." And then he added, "And.. folded from a clothe napkin."

But it was the thought that counted.

[Ivory]

Eliana giggled softly as her fingers ran over the petals in a caress.  She'd almost forgotten that bouquet of straw flowers he had bestowed upon her once upon a time!

"Maybe I would, and maybe I wouldn't," she answered smugly.  "But what I do like is for a man to spend his money on me.  Jewels, expensive clothing, gold or silver..."  With a laugh, she added, "I'd even take straight coin."

Money was money, after all!

"So, perhaps an expensive bouquet...  Or petals scattered all over my room..."

[visualspice]

"So you're saying you don't like it?" he inquired with a playful pout. It was a difficult feat to fold paper, or straw, let alone a soft clothe to keep it in any sort of shape,a nd by now, it was already starting to pull apart.

[Ivory]

A smirk touched her painted lips, and she scooted forward in her chair to murmur, "I'm saying, Gherrick, that if you were to buy me a pretty necklace, I'd take you upstairs."  Although her eyes never left his, her hands rose to his shirt.  Lightly, they began to fiddle with his collar, crumpling and soothing it back out again. 

"I would take off all of my other jewels.  I would let down my hair.  And I would slowly take off my dress, letting you see my shoulders...my breasts...my stomach...my hips...and, then..."  She trailed off with a knowing and naughty smile.  "...And I would sit on your lap -- just like this."  Somehow, and some point, she had left her chair and settled in his lap, sitting astride his legs in order to face him.  It bared all of one leg, going quite beyond indecent.  "So you could see me...and feel me...wearing only your necklace..."  It was powerful imagery, even if she hadn't seated herself in his lap... 

The hands that had been playing with his collar moved downwards, beginning to undo the buttons they found there.  "And as I took off your shirt..."  Her voice dropped, and she leaned forward to nuzzle his ear with her nose.  Naturally, the posture pressed her breasts against his chest, giving him full frontal contact with the woman.

Role-playing was fun!

Unfortunately, this time, there was an ulterior motive...

"There's a group of men.  Mean-looking.  Connlaothian armor."  Her voice was soft and sweet, no doubt delivered with a pretty smile as she spoke directly into his ear.  "At the door.  Don't make a fuss.  I know the bartender.  He won't sell us out.  The stairs are to the left."  She chuckled softly, adding a playful nip to his earlobe that was, entirely, unnecessary.  "Guess where the key to my room is."

Looking towards the bartender, she caught his eye and gestured to the group.  Understanding, the man at once went into Distraction Mode...which would, hopefully, give the pair time enough to slip upstairs.

(OOC: Sometimes, I just can't help myself.)

[visualspice]

Distraction, yes, her words, and that intonation, was quite the distraction, and by the time she settled herself within his lap, his face was red, his mind- a puddle of goo, and the tent in his pants had flared up again. Yes, if Eliana hadn't made it clear before, she was really very good at what she did, and had he been any other man, he'd probably take advantage. The Gods knew his body could use the release, and the moment of pleasure and fun....

Though the lips and teeth to his ear was enough to make him naturally buck up, just once into her- but quickly his heat died down momentarily for him to readjust himself, playing it off that he wasn't trying to do anything ungentlymanly through his clothing, just you know....
readjusting the way he sat with her on the chair!

And oh how her words brought shivers to his skin, and the warmth of her breasts against his chest..
Yes, if he were any other man....

With a husky breath, he nodded to her rigidly and let his blue eyes slide over towards the stairs. A hand smoothed up her back as he leaned forward, lips to her ears, "So where's your room?" he said, hesitating. "And shall I just, erm, carry you up there just like this?"
Which migh tbe helpful, if a bit difficult, if only because he was not accustomed to such things- but it would help to hide that certain thing that was erm.. tenting.

Ah, lovely Eliana, such a horrible influence on him! But even still, he smirked playfully at the interaction, his ears red as his cheeks and he, only beginning to get used to such things,( but still timid and awkward as before); though this time he had to play this out if they didn't want to get caught...
and something about that drove him crazy, and his mind was in a whirl of all the sorts of things Eliana could do to him....

Yeah, they should probably get to her room and quick. After all, they didn't want the 'evil' Connlaothians to find them! And with his blue silken shirt... he'd be a direct target for those who knew who he was....
and where ever Seven of the Sea was, a heft bounty of possibilities was to follow.

So scooting awkwardly off the chair, he kept Eliana pressed against him as he rose to his feet with a grunt. "Just direct me towards it," then after he shifted a bit to ensure he could carry her weight stably, he inquired in a lower voice, "And erm, just where is the key?" he asked, still a bit to shy to just dive in for it, though his eyes suddenly went down to peek at her cleavage that was so tantalizingly pressed against his own, now half exposed, chest.