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Into the Fire (Paladienne)

Started by quaggan, August 04, 2018, 04:43:44 PM

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quaggan

 Aisha looked the establishment over three times before entering. She wasn't paid for wasting time and she wanted to make sure she got the right place. Essyrn's darker corners were full of... enterprising souls who were eager to take advantage of those too unskilled or too careless. But then again, the Nightshades seemed professional enough not to let potential clients get stolen or murdered by charlatans.

She wasn't the potential client, of course. She definitely did not have enough money to hire mercenaries. She was just one of the many middlemen employed by those who wanted to keep their interests from being traced. She didn't even know how many men were before in this chain of assignments - and she didn't really care. It was a job, she wasn't going to complain if someone rich gave her coin to go and order some people around in their place.

Well, she wouldn't be getting anything if she didn't go in. Gathering her courage, she pushed the door open. No trap sprung on her, no sudden ambushers surrounding her - looked like this was the place. She cautiously closed the door behind her and headed to the desk. There were probably eyes on her, but unless she caused trouble, she shouldn't be worried.

She walked up to the bar and gave the passphrase.

Paladienne

For a long moment, she was met with nothing but silence by the bartender, and then the man burst out laughing. It was a deep, hearty, belly laugh, full of amusement and a hint of derision. Quickly, the man sobered, and he leaned his elbows on the wood of the bar, leaning in close to Aisha. His teeth flashed white as he smiled, but his black eyes were deadly and serious.

"First, little lady, there isn't a passphrase to talk to the likes of us. But since you went through all the effort," he gestured to a seat at the bar, "take a seat and make yourself comfortable. I'll get the boss."

That said, the bartender slipped out from the bar, ducking through an opening at the far end. He disappeared into another room and was gone for a heartbeat or two. When he returned, his lips were still quirked in an amused smile. Behind him followed a dark-skinned woman, dressed in flowing clothes that looked quite expensive. Her black hair fell over one side of her face, hiding it. What was visible was beautiful, her visible eye a dark chip of obsidian that studied Aisha from head to toe.

The woman slid into the seat beside the girl, one elbow propped on the bar to hold her head up on a closed fist.

"I'm told you wish to talk to one who leads the Nightshades." said the woman, her voice cultured and purring. "Am I correct in believing you aren't here on your own behalf? It matters not, but let's not have secrets between us, hm? Now. Tell me what your master wishes of us."

quaggan

 Well, fuck. Aisha stiffened, but making a fool out of herself was still better than getting killed, or failing. She would just have to steal her money back from that charlatan who sold her the passphrase in the first place.

"Yeah" she admitted. The bartender nodded and left. She took an indicated seat. She would have preferred something that gave her a view of the entrance, but all of those were taken. And there were windows and the other doors to consider as well. From what she's heard of the Nightshades, they weren't so lax with security that she would need to stay vigilant, but it was better not to relax yet.

The bartender soon returned, followed by a beautiful woman. Aisha held back the impulse to stand up as she slid into the next seat. She began wresting the scroll from where it was secured when the Nightshade spoke.

"That's true" she admitted. "I'm just one of the middlemen." She wasn't paid to pretend that the mission came from her, and no one would believe a runt like her could afford mercenaries anyway. This situation gave her employment, but also security. She didn't know who the job originally came from - and she did not want to. This knowledge could only make her a target.

She finally got it loose. She presented it to the woman, seal still unbroken. It was a bit unnecessary, as far as she was concerned - Aisha couldn't read at all, and she doubted any of the middlemen before her did. "The assignment's in here."

The woman broke the scroll and studied it. Inside was information on the target - name, location, description. A young boy from a faraway kingdom. Just at the end of the parchment was a few short sentences, all written in a different handwriting - shaky enough to obscure any attempt to trace it. -I need you to kidnap him and bring him to Essyrn. Do not harm the target.- An address for the drop-off point was scrawled beneath.

Paladienne

She studied the words written there, studying the shaky hand and the calligraphic writing with a scrutiny borne of years of experience. The attempt at concealing the identity of the note's author was cute. Ineffective, but cute.

She broke each sentence apart, weighed each word, looked for the message beneath the message, rolled over every possible double meaning in her mind until she was satisfied that what she was reading was legitimate and truthful and the sole request within the missive.

She looked up from the paper as if remembering that the girl was still sitting here, waiting for an answer. An elegant eyebrow rose.

"The terms are acceptable. I doubt you were sent with enough coin, but it will do for a negotiation fee." She smiled, showing teeth. She lifted a finger and crooked it, and the bartender brought her a scrap of parchment and a pen. She wrote a number on the paper in sharp, bold strokes, then folded it up and offered it to the girl. "Give this to your master. Half now, half upon completion. You will tell your master this, and should you return with the half that's required now, I will send this on to the those who will complete the mission. This missive will be followed to the letter, you have my word."

The woman leaned forward, her smile becoming a little kinder. "Now, I wouldn't ask you to do this for free. Bring back his answer and the payment, and some of it will be yours. Do we have a deal?"

She held out her hand toward the girl, her eyes cold even though her lips bore a warm smile.

quaggan

 That was starting to get uncomfortably long. Perhaps Aisha should have ordered something to drink, after all - looked like she would get paid the success fee after all. The mercenary was studying the contract with such attention - she wouldn't be so absorbed in something she was about to reject.

Her hunch was correct - and it looked like the mercenary had experience dealing with middlemen before, and didn't expect immediate payment. That was a relief, she never liked explaining this part. And the Nightshade was even willing to offer her extra money! This was her lucky day!

She took the note without even taking a look at it. The number was probably greater than the sum of all money she's ever held in her life - and it it wasn't meant for her anyway. "I will." She would have to make sure that the other middlemen came back to her in the end - not just because some extra was not something she could afford to pass up.

It was dark already by the time she returned, her step considerably heavier. "Sorry for being late - I had to be extra careful." If someone mugged her now, it would be the end. Whoever the orders came from would know if his money hasn't made it to the Nightshades, and the middlemen were always the first suspects. She would be lucky if the thief just slit her throat right there. Caution was paramount.

She set the payment down under the table. So far, she saw nothing that would hint at the Nightshades not being professional, but she couldn't assume all of their clients shared their work ethic. She put the piece of the parchment back on the table, new writing added to it. "It's an address of a stash warehouse and the password for the second part of the money, to be collected after the job" she explained. The stash warehouses have been quite useful for all sorts of dealings - all one had to do was to set a password, and anyone who knew it could withdraw whatever was deposited.

Paladienne

The woman was still sitting at the bar when the girl returned, and her eyebrow quirked at the girl's words. Her lips twitched into a smile as well, and she shifted to take the payment, weighing the bag in her hand.

"Well, we can't be having you hurt, now can we? But don't worry, child. There are always eyes upon you, even if you can't see them."

She pulled the parchment to her then, studying the writing. She nodded, as if to herself, then focused on the girl's face. Her head tilted, and as she made the gesture, a young boy hurried over to her. The woman dipped her head and whispered in the boy's ear, handing him the parchment and the pouch of money. Before she dismissed the boy, the woman reached into the bag of coin and pulled out a handful of coins. Not enough to be a detriment to her guild, but definitely more than Aisha could earn in a month.

The woman set each coin on the table before Aisha, gently and deliberately, her eyes never leaving the girl's face.

"For your trouble and for your assistance. For your continued discretion, and for your continued silence." She smiled and slid the coins toward her. "We reward those who show us loyalty and punish those who do not. I do hope that this will be enough for you, my dear."

quaggan

 That was not comforting. If she was being watched, how could she work and provide the anonymity her distant employers wanted? Well, she could always hope that the Nightshades were just keeping an eye on her in order to make sure that their payment was delivered. It would take too much time and effort to spy on just everyone.

Her worries were quickly erased from his mind when the woman began to place coins on the table. Aisha's eyes followed every little movement, as if the money would disappear if unwatched. Holy hell. Just half of it would be enough to buy all the Nightshade required from her - but if they wanted to show off their generosity, she would not be a hypocrite and refuse. Cautiously, she reached with a hand to collect it.

It wasn't her style to say those words, but there was no other way to describe it. "It was a pleasure to work with you."

Paladienne

The woman smiled. "And you. Now, my dear. It's best you be on your way."

The woman rose from the table, taking with her the money and the orders. She stepped into the back where she would be secluded, then called for a messenger. The young man was one of theirs, a Nightshade initiate, one who could be trusted with important and confidential correspondence. The boy was swift and quiet, and he didn't ask questions, which was why he had been chosen for such an assignment.

She held up her hand in a signal to wait. She went to her desk, pulled out a parchment, an ink well, and a quill, then began to write. When she was finished, she sealed the parchment and handed it and the bag of coins to the boy. She captured his chin in an iron grip, holding him tight so she could look into his eyes and impress upon him the importance of this assignment.

"This is to go to our base in Serendipity. Move quickly and without much delay. When you reach it, you know whom to deliver these to. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Releasing him and returning to her desk, she pulled out a thin wallet, which she then handed to the boy. "This is for your expenses. If there's any left, you may keep it. Now, go."

She watched the boy leave, and leaned against her desk, her arms crossed over her chest. It was out of her hands now.




The boy traveled from Essyrn to Serendipity as fast as he could. He barely stopped, knowing that what he was carrying was far too important to let fall into the hands of the enemies or anyone, really. When he reached the inn run by the guild, he was dirty and tired, but he wasn't about to stop until he had completed his mission. He walked in with more swagger than he felt and sat at the bar, where he slid the bag of coins and sealed parchment across the counter toward the barkeep, who quickly exchanged the objects for a plate of warm food and a stein of mulled cider. The switch was so quick, any onlookers would have barely seen anything take place.

The barkeep then headed away from the bar and the common room, through the back rooms until he reached one in particular and knocked once, twice, paused, and once more. After a minute, the door opened, admitting the pale face of a woman.

Wordlessly, the barkeep handed over the parchment and the bag of coins to her, then turned on his heel and walked away. Quietly, the door shut and the woman returned to the table where she had been sitting, a table laden with parchment and writing tools. She opened the newest parchment, and let her eyes travel over the script. Her lips twitched into a smile.

It didn't take her long to gather her partner and the supplies they would need for the journey. She and her partner had been chosen to accept this mission, and though they would be gone, many operatives worked and lived out of that inn when they were here, and so even though one set was gone, there would be another to take care of whatever job came in.

Ready, Masiel set her eyes toward the Wester Highlands and began walking.

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