A Delivery Disrupted

[TreeFolk]

A disgusted growl emerged from her throat when the "food" came out, and her hands gripped the edge of her chair in a death grip. She felt bile rising in the back of her throat, and the hot saliva which often signaled the imminent and oncoming arrival of her previous meals.

The man next to her tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear, grimy fingers smelling of urine and unwashed male flesh. Tugging at the woven tip of her ear, he attempted what she believed he thought was a whisper, but which was easily audible to the entire table. "Odd ears you got, perhaps you want some good 'uns. That'll win me get a chance t' see that hot little box o' yours, eh?" He looked pointedly down at her lap, before grabbing a ladle in the pot and fishing about. He plopped some of the stew into her bowl, and well enough, there was an ear floating about in the mix.

When she didn't move to eat it, his voice grew a touch louder. "What? You don't like the food? I worked so hard to pick out your favorite part." Kieta continued to ignore him, looking straight ahead, though the muscles in her jaw twitched in agitation. He speared the ear with a fork and pried her hand open, forcing the fork into her hand. "Eat it."

She gave no indication of her next move. Feeling a fresh breeze enter the room, she stood swiftly, kicked her chair back, and savagely plunged the fork deep into the man's trachea. Before he had a moment to react, because stabbing a man's trachea wouldn't kill him, she extended her hand to the source of fresh air. Manipulating the air, she used it to suck all of the breath out of the man's lungs. She stood, panting, hand gripping the knife set out for her, shoulders squared and ready to fight.

But none of the other men were moving. They all looked to The Bull, who sat at the head of the table, a small, curious smile on her lips. The room was silent, all for Kieta's panting and the gurgling of the dying man, dying with an ear-skewered fork in his neck. The Bull broke the silence, laughing, clapping her hands madly, and while Kieta remained stiff and alert, the Bull continued to laugh. This continued for what felt like forever, before the Bull wiped tears away from her eyes, and slammed her goblet raucously onto the table. "THIS! This is why I wanted this one, boys! A right little killer, she is! Those wild fae types!" She waved her finger wildly at Kieta. "Look! I think she'd tear any of your throats out with her teeth! The savage little bitch!" She chuckled again, "Now sit. You don't like the food, you don't have to eat." Kieta remained standing, frozen.

The Bull became suddenly serious, voice dropping. "You and I both know I can drop you like a fly with that collar, should I feel like it. Now." She gestured to Kieta's seat. "Sit."

Slowly, Kieta returned to her seat, sitting even more on edge than before, the knife still gripped tightly in her fist. That was right... The Bull could have killed her with the poison from the collar. Could have, but didn't. Which meant that, at least for the moment, they had moved beyond threat of death. It also meant that The Bull was even crazier than she had suspected. She had literally just killed one of her men, and it had merely amused the woman.

They were in even hotter water than she had imagined.

[visualspice]

Kieta wasn't the only one fighting the urge not to vomit, but Trest kept his smile, as difficult and fake looking as it was. Though when the man approached Kieta, it was becoming increasingly more difficult for him not to react. And he felt his muscles tense,t he cool of the moment nearly lost to him-

But then she reacted, leaving him momentarily stunned. Now a real smile curled across his lips and for some reason, it made him feel better. At least she wasn't some dainty woman in this situation. She could protect herself. That gave him some relief. Not that he knew her well enough to be relieved but... well, they were now bound together by the circumstances, so there was no denying that.

He was equally relieved when the Bull stopped laughing. Her laughter was something to chill one's bone. And also relieved when she relinquished any responsibility for the pair to eat. This made him sigh and cast a small smile to Kieta who seemed to keep being full of little surprises.

His attention returned to the food displayed before them- a steaming, but still alive octopus, a freshly bloodied pig, rife with squirming, little white maggots, a platter of cheese- or at least he hoped was cheese, but from closer inspection...
It looked like shaved pieces of human skin.

Yes.. thank you Kieta, they didn't have to eat any of this. So with all smiles he turned to the Bull.
"So.. what's for dessert?"
Maybe she couldn't completely turn chocolate cake into a nightmare?

"What's the rush?" The Bull asked, scooping up her drink and taking a hearty swig. "Perhaps you're not accustomed to our way of having dinner, but it works doubly as our meeting place, where we discuss what's new."

The look the Bull was giving Trest... he rather didn't like it. Not only was it coy, it was laced with something else... something more animalistic than her name sake,t hat was for sure.

"And since the pair of you are.... our new addition," she went on, gesturing with the goblet in her hand so that it nearly spilled its contents, "Why don't we speak about what we have gained?"
And his stomach sank even further, so that Trest was sure it was on the floor by now.
"Our little 'Hawk' here has quite the little business. And it seems, just moments ago, our.. businesses had a little bit of an overlap. But that's remedied now and it seems we've come out all the richer. Having a band of thieves at our disposal could prove fruitful to future endeavors."

He saw where this was going- the finder's keepers clause of stealing. So did she honestly kidnap him in order to kidnap ALL of him? His business included? Somehow... something still didn't smell right, and though he kept on grinning, his face was starting to hurt.

"Oh, I don't know. I'm not sure I want to bore you about birds."

But the next look The Bull wore made his stomach drop below the floor.

"But hey, if you must know, we're fast, we're versatile, and we can see the big picture to know where to get our mice from the field."
Ugh, he was sweating badly. Partly due to the room being so stifling hot (despite the wind, which he could have done with more of), but also due to the fact The Bull kept looking at him now like a piece of meat.

[TreeFolk]

She had truly never seen so vile a feast in all of her life. Not even when she had spent some time in the darkwood in the Otherworld. Even kelpies and trolls and goblins ate better fare than this. She imagined only the truly deep, disgusting, and evil creatures of the Otherworld ate similar feasts. And, she noted, that no one rose to remove the body of the man she had killed. At least they weren't keen on butchering him in front of them, to serve up.

A man moved to sit in the vacated seat next to her, but when she turned and bared her teeth at him, a snarl curling her lip, he retreated. At least she had asserted her dominance for the time being. The thrill of the kill remained lodged in her breast, proud and deadly.

Trying to come down from the high, she watched Trest, the only person in the room she didn't have motivation to kill. And he was smooth. He spoke with apparent ease, cool, charming, nonplussed. She had to admit, she hadn't done the best job at keeping her own cool. And while Kieta's violent outburst had comforted Trest, Trest's ability to navigate the situation with words was soothing to her. At least one of them needed to be able to negotiate terms while Kieta calmed down. 

The Bull had a mixed look similar to, well, to a bull who both was staring down a sow in heat, while also at the same time preparing to gore that same sow bloody. Kieta had once seen a similar look, but the beast had been sick. Very sick, and very mad. And that gaze was focused, doggedly so, on Trest. Looking to Trest, who was still smiling and looking The Bull in the eyes, she noticed how profusely he was sweating. So he was nervous! Once the ringing from her kill left her ears, she could hear his heart hammering.

She needed to do something to draw The Bull's attention away... Well, something other than killing. She doubted she could get away with killing another one of the woman's men. "So we're to kill and steal for you. Vague."

The Bull turned her gaze on Kieta now, and the same amused smile she had worn as the man died appeared on her features. "And you like to kill, don't you?"

Kieta narrowed her gaze, glaring. "I like to kill those who've earned it." It went without saying that this included The Bull and her goons.

The Bull snorted, laughing, before digging into the skull of the pig and sloppily eating some of the brain. Kieta struggled to keep her face from betraying her disgust, trying to maintain her glare. Licking her fingers, a "plop" sound following each finger, and a bit of brain stuck to her chin, the Bull smirked. "You might yet really become one of us." Kieta's upper lip curled, and the Bull continued. "But, no, we've got enough killers. Not that you won't be doing some of that, but both of your particular skills are more useful."

The Bull bit into a putrid looking piece of cheese, before looking back to Trest. "Right, you ought to know that you'll be doing the talking. She don't talk too pretty, and that accent is gods awful."

[visualspice]

It was with great relief to see the woman relinquish that stare. He was so thankful, he could have kissed Kieta. Come to think of it, out of everyone present, not a single one of the Bull's men looked anything like normal men...
And he had to wonder if some of these hires were part orc, or troll, even. Regardless, they definitely had the ugly end of the gene pool, and little did he know- that despite the Bull being proud of who she was and where she came from, Trest reminded her too much of another...

One she could have lived. One she wanted to kill. But it also didn't hurt that Trest was very easy on the eyes.

"Well, it sure seems you've put in alot of thought for us green horns," Trest went on. "But now my interest in piqued. I can't say that either the lady here and I have much in common if anything..."
The obvious good looks aside!

The Bull smiled wickedly as she turned her attention, once again, to the handsomely delicious, blue eyed man.

"Someone, somewhere, in your neck of the woods.." she went on, giving Trest a good once over, "Has something that belongs to me. A certain, small trinket, which should be easy to obtain, once found withint he premise."

"Oh? So you're... sending us to some place to steal something." Somehow, Trest imagined worse. But the look the Bull wore didn't keep his relief afloat for long.

"Yes... sounds trivial, I know, but the others under my employ... well.." she gestured tot he men around her. She didn't need to say anymore.

It was only at this time that Trest dared to pick up anything from the table. The goblet of wine was starting to look really good at this point, and he smiled and raised the goblet to the woman.

"You know, thievery is my expertise. You really are going too far out to hire the best thief.. though I can't blame you. Perhaps my reputation has grown exponentially, but whatever the reason, you'll get that trinket." And he took a swig of the wine as The Red Bull said,

"Good. Because the house resides on Airedale Drive."

And at that, Trest nearly spat out his wine- and he wished he had, because when he swallowed-
he realized he had just gulped down a swig of blood! But the shock of the street's precise location happening to be on his deceased grandfather's street... (a street that really only had a few known houses on it..) didn't sit well with him, as he cringed and saw that knowing look in the Bull's eyes and he had to wonder...
Just what sort of game was she playing?

[TreeFolk]

She could have warned him that there was blood in the goblets. Would have, too, if she would have known that the coppery scent of blood wasn't as pungent to others as it was to her. As she watched his throat constrict and loosen, the blood obviously dropping down his throat, she grimaced.

Kieta got the feeling that the location of their mission was familiar to him, in a distasteful way. But she was still not 100% sure why it still had to be her on the mission. "I still don't see why I'm necessary."

The Bull smirked, addressing her in a demeaning tone, "Of course not." She propped her boots up on the table, picking her teeth with a fish bone. "Yer pretty, small, and deadly. And since nobody will suspect our little noble of bringing a magical thing like you with him, 'specially not in times like these, you'll blend right in and be able to use your little tricks to free my property."

The Bull suddenly dropped her feet, standing up and charging over to them. She gripped the sleeve of Kieta's dress and pulled at it, as if trying to expose her. Kieta clutched the front of the dress as the Bull let out a snort of disdain. "Now that I'm looking at you, you ought to eat. Be more believable if you put some meat on you."  The Bull ran her tongue along the top of her teeth, leaning over to speak next to Trest's face, breath putrid. "You like 'em meatier, like me, right Hawk?"

Plopping down a pouch, the sound of coins clanking together, The Bull withdrew, stalking behind them while she spoke. "This'll do to see you dressed proper. There's some sort of thing going on at the house. Don't know, but something tells me that'd be your best bet at fetching my property back."

[visualspice]

Trest just stared at her. He was trying not to gag on her rancid breath.
"So... what are you... implying?" He wasn't sure he entirely got her meaning. But as things began to click..
She couldn't be serious. Was she going to have them play dress up?
The idea of dawning noble clothing....


What was The Bull's angle here anyway?

[TreeFolk]

The Bull continued to pick at her teeth, little bits flicking onto the backs of their shoulders. "Not very often one finds a good little noble playing the thief. Or a rare thing like our little beast girl, here. Seems to me you've both been wasting your blood." She pulled the backs of both of their chairs simultaneously, jerking them away from the table. "So, seeing as you aren't using your blood, I'll make use of it." The Bull flicked out two daggers from her sleeves, and pressed them to Kieta and Trest's necks. "Or I'll find other ways to make use of it. As you've tasted tonight for yourself."

Kieta swallowed against the dagger, but was finding herself being forcefully deposited from the chair. The Bull backed her into a column in the room, tapping her throat with the dagger, towering over her. "And you... I'm certain there's more to find out. Do this job right, and maybe I won't dig too hard. You're the one that's going to sniff out my property. You'll know what it is."

The Bull then pulled Trest up and pushed him towards the door, slapping him on the rump. "Now fly on, little herdlings. You'll be escorted out... Oh, and do leave my clothes."

It was an unpleasant surprise to find that the Bull wanted them out quite promptly. They were ushered to the doors of the place with blindfolds, and then forced to strip down to their undergarments at the doors. Still blindfolded, and now scantily clad, they were led for sometime through the night chill. When the blindfolds were removed, they were located in a small group of trees outside of the city, their belongings dumped out of a bag for them to gather.

Shivering, Kieta rushed to dress, hoping that he couldn't see as well in the dark as she could. She noticed the patchwork of tattoos and scars, and appreciated the structure of his musculature. He looked like no noble's son that she knew of. And so they stood in dark woods in the middle of the night, with uncertainty ahead for her. It had been rather sudden, and she still felt she needed more information. What in the world had she meant when she said that Kieta would somehow magically know what this item was and where it was in relation to whatever place they were supposedly going?

[visualspice]

Trest grit his teeth, finding it hard to keep the smile he had been dawning out of survival. Noble posing as a theif.... How could she possibly know? Though it wasn't an impossible feat, one had to really be looking to dig up that part of his heritage. And he had to wonder, just how much more did the Bull know about him?

Sure, he was meant to inherit the Arristaire line, as he was the only one undisinherited, since his grandfather could never forgive his son, but it was that grudge he carried on as an inheritance as well. And though he had no good ties with his family, his status was declared on paper, even if it were unclaimed.

Even his grandfather's estate remained empty, and was something he rarely visited. Could it be there was something within the home of value? Some mysterious artifact his family line kept tucked away? He couldnt say for certain, and let himself get distracted by studying the near nakedness of his companion.

It only stirred other problems he couldn't quell, and abandonned any instincts inappropriate of the moment. But damn if it wasn't a time he could use getting laid. But he wasn't so shallow to ask her that.

He took his time getting dressed, his mind elsewhere as a frown consumed his features and hardened them. And as herecalled back to their moment at The Bull's dining table... Trest was suddenly bent over and heaving out the contents from his gut.

[TreeFolk]

Every step she took resulted in plants bursting forth, her magic celebrating its release from the confines of the unnatural tunnels and city. It was quite obnoxious, to tell the truth, but she was beginning to feel whole again. She felt refreshed and ready for anything, though she still felt cold, and her skin crawled with the filth of the place. What she wouldn't do for a warm hot-spring, or even the cool waters of a river. Even the murky waters of a lake would be better than allowing the feel of that dress to linger on her skin.

Her head tilted curiously as she watched him bend over to retch, and she walked over to him. Kieta pulled his hair back from his face, as she would do for one of her brothers. She used her free hand to pull water from the plants around her, letting the water remain like a layer of cloth on the palm of her hand as she pressed it against his forehead to cool him.

When he had finished retching, she flicked her wrist and grew a small peppermint plant. Plucking a few of the leaves off, she handed it to him, instructing him, "Chew on these."

Acting as if he hadn't just been violently sick, and as if she had done nothing to help him, she looked around the woods. "We should find a place to sleep for the night, but farther from here. And I need to stay out of the city for a bit, if I'm to be of full use on this mission of hers." She slung her quiver over her shoulder with her arrows and still broken bow, rubbing her thumb and forefinger together to produce a small flame to light their way. Not that she needed it to see in the night, but it was a consideration for her traveling companion.

She tried to tell herself that it was simply because she didn't want his fumbling through the darkness to slow them down, but she knew part of her was beginning to feel some sort of affinity for him. It was natural, of course, after having experienced such a harrowing time together. He was her only ally at the moment, even if he was only her ally due to circumstances outside of their control. Any ally was an ally, and it was always best to try and learn how to trust them in some capacity.

[visualspice]

He appreciated the gesture, even if it was an embarrassing moment.
"Thanks," he said, giving her a weak smile. "Think.." And he held back a second wretched before swallowing hard and continuing, "I think I got most of the blood out... Oh wait... never mind.."
And he wretched some more.

He was thankful when it was over, and hated the sting left over in his mouth, but having the mint leaves to chew on helped immensely, and the burn from the vomit was soon replaced with the sweet burn from the mint.

It was only then he began to take notice of how the world just came alive around her. It even appeared as if insects were dancing around her. He was transfixed a moment, as it was quite picturesque, but after he realized he had been staring, he found himself asking, "Yeah... so you want to camp out?" he went on, slowly putting on his boots and working on the laces.

"You sure it would be wise? The way the earth is reacting to your feet, I'd be afraid any camp site we'd make would entangle us in weeds."

[TreeFolk]

A wry smile crossed her features as she gestured around herself. "Oh, this?" She watched as a vine tried to climb up Trest's pant leg. "This is what happens when I don't have a proper outlet for my magic. Well... This and much worse. Could have burnt that entire place down, if I wasn't afraid of burning with it."

She began walking after he finished tying his boot, heading towards what she sensed was a source of water. "Better to get it out now. From what I've heard from you, magic users are not appreciated here. So I doubt me walking through town spreading flowers in every small little crack in the roads would be wise."

They continued walking, and soon were in sight of a small pond. She released a small, disappointed sigh. It was something though. "It won't entangle me... You, maybe." The crescent moon shone above them, over the small pond. "I don't know about you, but I need to wash that place off. Turn your back." The small flame at her fingertips blinked out, and she stripped out of her clothes before walking into the pond, submerging herself so that he wouldn't be able to see her form beneath the water. Weary fingers took out the tangled, messy braid in her hair, before she dunked her head to wet it. "It's safe to look. Do you wish for me to turn my back so you can join?"

[visualspice]

Trest made a face and kicked off the vines.
"No, I meant the other bouquets springing up in Serendipity."
But when she went on to say it could be worse, he felt his throat constrict.

"Well, I suppose we're both lucky, eh?"

And he continued to follow her, not that he had a plan as to where they ought to go. It was just starting to sink in how much deep shit they were in, and he gave an idle, awkward scratch to his collar. But thinking tampering with it might be unwise, he lowered his hand and peered over at her with a blink when she said to look away. And as she began to undress, he realized why.

It was hard for him not to look, but turn away he did with rigid posture. And when it was 'safe'- he had to laugh at her idea.


And laugh..
and laugh.

Swim naked with a hot chick at night?
Was she begging for trouble?

"Would I?" he wasted no time in clumsily throwing off his clothing and stumbling with splashing foot steps into the water.

"Though I have to warn you, I don't swim very well."
And it was hard to tell if it was in jest or not as he gave her a big, happy grin and simply stared at her radiant form, wet and shining in the moonlight.

"So.. why dont you tell me a little bit about yourself? Seems we're stuck together for the long hall, unless these collars leak their poison earlier."

[TreeFolk]

The fae were not known for their fondness for modesty, and she was not known for her knowledge of men. Of course she knew of men from her many brothers, but they had for the most part ensured she had never needed to worry about men and their urges. When he began to unclothe without warning, though, she quickly turned her back to him.

Despite her distaste for their situation, there was no use fretting about it at the moment. At the moment she was finding herself coming back to normal. After feeling 'backed up' magically for two or more days, this was a relief. A brief respite. When he warned her that he could not swim well, she gave him a rather mischievous smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure I can swim well enough for the both of us."

And, she found, she could also see well enough for the both of them. Her eyes flitted across his form, all of it, before she quickly turned to look away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. Straining to keep her voice as nonchalant and serious as possible, she responded. "Not much to tell. I'm fae, obviously. I'm a woods guide and deliver things. That's all." Well, that would be all if she weren't being hunted by who knows how many Otherworlders. That at this very moment, there were several different factions of the fae after her, each with their own purpose for catching her. Some wished to kill her, some wished to wed and bed her, some wished to use her in other ways. Some just wanted her for her blood and its suspected magical qualities.

She knew her answer would be considered short, so she continued, reluctantly, adding "And possibly a bit more magic than I should have." She swam a bit closer, green eyes curious. "What of you? What is a nobleman doing as a thief?"

[visualspice]

"Quite frankly, I don't know what she was talking about. Maybe she thinks I'm someone else? Or.. maybe she gets off on the idea of me in fancy clothing. But you.. you speak of magic? Just how much extra magic are we talking?"

[TreeFolk]

She narrowed her eyes at him, "You might have a tongue like a weasel, but your face betrays you." She imitated his face when The Bull had first singled out his heritage. To add credence to her performance, she took up a mouthful of water and then pretended to choke on it like had done with the blood wine. Smirking, she spat the water out at him, like a little fountain. "But I suppose you have the right to your own secrets."

Finished scrubbing her hair and body, she began to swim further out, "Oh, I don't know. Quite a bit more I suppose."

[visualspice]

Trest set his jaw.
Touche!

"Of course I was choking when she said that. I just drank blood." Even though he knew his attempts to deny it were lame, that was one of the reasons!

"Besides, the Bull wants me as a thief, and we both know she's off her rocker." And he let his thoughts trail away as he watched Kieta swim.

[TreeFolk]

Even the water had been cool at first, her body had adjusted to it and it soothed her sore muscles. It felt best against the bruising from getting kicked around a bit, and from her fall into Trest's den earlier the previous day. That moment felt like ages ago at this point.

Once out further, she turned back to face him, treading water. "She wants you as her thief. Not just a thief." She looked up at the moon, drawing from it for energy, kicking her legs out in front of her lazily. "Again, not my secret to know." A yawn escaped her throat, and though she was hungry, she was more tired than anything.

[visualspice]

Trest frowned. He didn't like to be put on the spot, and only then finally moved to wipe at the water she spat at his face. He had gone silent, finding himself growing severely tired. And he felt old. Every bone felt stiff, every muscle, sore, and his pride was just a bit too deflated than he'd like.

"Well, as we've both witnessed, the Bull has poor taste. She was probably bored and selected us because we were the unfortunate victims of circumstance."

And he made a face as he swatted at a mosquito that buzzed at his ear.

[TreeFolk]

"Perhaps I'm just too accustomed to people liking to play mind games." She was all too familiar in playing the pawn in somebody else's game. Kieta ducked beneath the water and swam the length of the pond back to its edge, "Look away."

She waited this time, to see him avert his gaze. Slowly she walked out of the pond, her back to him and her hair trailing down her back. Using a spare breeze, she dried herself off before pulling her clothing back on, hair still damp. Even though she wanted a fire, wanted food, wanted comfort, she was too tired. Thankful for her pack, she dug around, looking for any spare food... But no, the last of it had been lost. Pulling out her blanket, she shivered and sat, her back against a tree as she debated offering to let him share her blanket, since he had come along without a pack. They'd both stay warmer because of it.

[visualspice]

Trest made another face, and swatted another bug. But he obliged.
"Just hurry up. I think the mosquitoes think I'm dinner."