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I’m not unlucky, you are [ Lion ]

Started by SanctifiedSavage, October 10, 2018, 03:29:51 AM

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SanctifiedSavage

Katiuscia would never say she was unlucky, but some days and nights were more profitable than others. Some nights rang with the chorus of laughter and the siren song of deals being made under hushed voices. Other nights, she'd wander the streets of mortals and peer through windows, wondering she would do for entertainments.

Her boots seemed especially loud in the tepid evening, clouds hanging overhead. Not the sort of day for merriment or drinking, mirth and gambling. Rather, it was the sort of muggy evening where men lingered in their cups but shied away from cards and women turned in early and had no gossip to share.

It was the weather doing it, Katiuscia decided. Playing against her in some cosmic game. It had made its move for the evening, which left her to make her own.

Hat tipped off center, she let whim lead her. Where to go? Who would she pester? Dark blue eyes scanned different establishments lit within, windows open to let in whatever sluggish breeze would play through the streets. Open to any relief that might be found against the warmth. Open to whomever would want to be out and about.

Shops hadn't closed up yet and taverns wouldn't for a long while now. The she-devil had already skipped out on one such drinking place though. The ale had been flat and boring – much like the people within. Instead, her heeled boots led her to the quieter part of town where the slumbering buildings were weary and worn. Inns and service shops were still open, but they had an older, sagging quality to them. Not as nice as the places closer to where new travelers might first arrive and spend coin. Quieter places for those who wanted to stop for the night, put up their feet, and eventually go to sleep.

Not the part of any town that Katiuscia frequented, but she had a good feeling. Luck led the way. Into a dimly lit inn, where the common room was quiet and ponderous, with a low, ember smoldering fire warming a communal stew sat in the center. A nice display, behind which the innkeeper sat at a small check in desk.

The common room was peppered with couches, chairs, and small tables so patrons might relax before retiring for the night. Katiuscia didn't care to rent a room. Rather, there was only one person partaking of the common room, which meant that was who she was here for.

Delightful.

Lion

No trouble was worth getting into. Just mind your own business, he told himself, and everything would be all right. Nothing would happen and he could leave this awful town in the middle of the night like he always did, with nothing more than the clothes on his back, the blade on his wrist, and the herbs on his belt. The sooner Abraim forgot about him the better, because chances were, nothing good would come of it. Someone would have to die. And the debts he incurred would never be repaid.

They always found him. They watched him, and he couldn't just disappear as much as he wanted to. Suicide was always an option, but before he could plunge the knife something happened, stayed his hand and kept him in this painful world. He was paying for mistakes of the past and there was no path to redemption no matter where the road or non road led him.

Serendipity was no different. The old kingdom, land of the fae, of magic and mystical arts that no one would open a blind eye to his shenanigans. Of all places to wander into, this strangely felt the most like home. And the coastal breeze could rival that of the bluffs of Folkvar. It was nice. Like for a brief moment he could finally be at peace. Reneth, took in a deep breath, holding it as he let the breeze pass over him, brushing his hair back. Night was drawing in and the ache in his bones from all that walking he'd been doing earlier.

A place to rest was all he could ask for.

Reneth's tired eyes couldn't mistake the familiar face in front of him. And when he felt those eyes lock with his, that breath he'd been holding left him with a cold gut. "Fuck," he hissed and immediately darted out from the main street and into an alley just right of him. Reneth didn't know this city but any set of zig zagged directions would be better than nothing. His feet kicked up small stones and dirt as he shoved himself into the first side-door that came loose, slamming it shut behind him.

He panted softly, swallowing hard on a raw throat. The quiet of the building set him at ease, and he pulled his cloak higher of his shoulders, avoiding a woman walking down the corridor and into a doorway to the left of him. Must have been a service entrance he'd barged into, and thus far had gone unheard. No one would be the wiser if he just quietly made his way to the front. He was a traveler like anyone else.

Reneth did just that, slipping into the common room and when eyes were averted into a chair by the fire, tucked away in the corner. He eased out a sigh of relief, shoving his hair back and burying his fingers into the thick of it. "That was close," he murmured to himself, resting his head on his hands, elbows digging into his knees. Footsteps made his stomach drop but he remained calm, tilting his head up enough to see a woman looking his way.

"Fucking hell, can't I get through five minutes without someone staring at me," he murmured under his breath.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

SanctifiedSavage

In Katiuscia's world, everyone wanted something. People fell into two categories. Those that she could sway, people that wanted things she could provide, people that would fall into her hands and invariably she'd walk away with them. Then, there were people that wanted abstract concepts. Love. Long life. To be better at something.

Katiuscia could lie and she could make gilded promises, but those people were generally not worth the time she might put into them. They required more work and she could not produce dramatic results in front of their eyes, distracting them from the small warning bells that might be going off in their skull.

Generally, lady luck did not lead her to the latter. That wasn't always the case, of course. Not every devil had their day.

It was with that sort of weighted scale in mind that she approached her new target. Steps measured and relaxed, she slid into the seat near him. Her hand moved to the table near him and a stout glass appeared. Her dark eyes took him in, right quick, and her very red lips quirked in an easy, charming smile. A politician would've been envious. "You look like you could use a drink, darlin'. What'll it be?"

If she felt out of place given her loud dressings and vibrant make up, given the quiet establishment, that didn't reflect on Katiuscia. Rather, she liked being noticed. Liked it when people paid her attention. It was those sorts that she wanted to engage with. People who didn't mind the physical were not the sort she wanted to do business with.

Her gloved fingers hovered over the glass she'd produced, waiting for whatever it was his heart desired. The first drink was always a freebie.

Lion

If there was one word that could sum up Reneth's entire evening it would be exhausted. He hadn't realized it until he sat down but every muscle in his body burned and ached and he wanted nothing more than to collapse on a warm bed and have a long deep sleep. The kind of sleep he hopefully didn't have to wake up from again because this world had nothing worth waking up for, but he'd take a soft bed in case the sleep wasn't very long. Some beggars couldn't be choosers.

His tired eyes, no doubt the bags underneath them sagging along the harsh lines of his face, raised when the woman started to move over to him. Sauntering as if she were some kind of Essyrni belly dancer, or paid for a private venue. Reneth's heart sank into his gut in the most unpleasant fashion and he felt sick. Not because she was repulsive to look at - quite the opposite.

But for all he knew she was a pretty face attached no a soul with nefarious intent. That was the usual tune to how that went. Still, however, he made no protest when she took her seat and produced a cup with her hand hovering over it. 

Reneth's gut twisted further. Yeah, serious bad juju here.  "My mother told me not to talk to strangers," he lied, and rubbed his face although his eyes couldn't peel himself away from the fascination he had with that cup. Some water would be nice. He couldn't remember the last time he had a proper drink and his own flask was pretty light. "And you don't even know me, lady of the night," he snorted.

"How did you do that? Are you a witch?"  The question came out before he could decide if he wanted to ask it. His tired brain felt fuzzy and his eyelids were heavy when he met her face. His haggard expression only further accented his annoyance. Even if he was the one doing most of the talking.

Eh, well, it'd be more trouble to move from his chair than it was worth.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

SanctifiedSavage

Katiuscia smiled sweetly when he said he shouldn't talk to strangers. "How will you ever make any friends then?" she asked, voice honey and silk. As if by cue, the cup was filled with chilled water and she offered it. "A drink, for a tired looking soul."

Being called a lady of the night might be an insult to some, but it wasn't to Katiuscia. She'd been called far worse.

She remained seated and relaxed, legs crossed  and leaning faintly in his direction. The sole focus of her entire world, for all it seemed. No one else really mattered to the she-devil, so he might as well be. "A witch? Mm. Magician? There are a lot of different names of people who can do a little bit of magic to make their, and other people's, lives easier. Whichever you like." She was agreeable and easy, in a lot of different ways.

Then, with the same air of casual interest, she asked, "Was there something else you wanted? A room, perhaps? You're looking a little tired, dear heart." It was hardly ever that easy, but offering such simple creature comforts was generally the way to start. A room, peace of body and mind they'd maybe not had in a long while. Basic, but generally the most sought after, wants. People liked the feeling of comfort and safety, no matter the illusion of it.

Walls and blankets seemed to go far in providing that.

@Lion

Lion

The suspicion and curiosity still coiled in his gut and he couldn't put his finger on it but her presence both intrigued and alarmed him. Maybe he was just too tired to resist, or rely on his brain to do any proper thinking, or maybe he was just staring at her cleavage to avoid any real responsibility for himself. Eugh, his eyes dropped down to the cup instead and he relaxed into the chair.

The water appeared quite literally by magic and he grunted, sitting closer to the side and reaching forward as if to examine it. His roughened hands, bandages wrapped around his fingers and palms in some sections, hesitated, long thin fingers almost tempted to grasp that cup and then his thirst was too overwhelming to resist and he gently braced it. The coldness of the glass shocked him, and he gasped.

It was as real as he could have imagined it. He couldn't think of any reason why he wouldn't and pulling it closer allowed him to inspect the water's clarity. It practically sparkled and the dry itch in his throat ached to be quenched. Reneth gave in and downed the water quickly, the savage thirst that only a desert could commiserate with.

The water came down his throat, cold and crisp, and it spilled and splashed all over his face and neck, wetting the scarf around his shoulders.  He coughed and set the cup down, slamming it almost on the table before slinking his eyes back up to her.

What he wanted? He wasn't going to say it, she seemed to know what he wanted before he even had to open his mouth anyway. "I want to know one thing," he began instead. "Who are you and why are you bothering with me at all? You don't know who I am."




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

SanctifiedSavage

Katiuscia remained relaxed and in much the same position she had when she sat. Leaning slightly forward. Interested. Engaged. For all the world like he was the only thing she had eyes for. In that moment, he was. No other soul interested her when she was on a mission.

True to her word, the water was clear and cold. The first one was always free. That was her deal. A lure. Sweet and simple.

She had an easy smile, one that might seem familiar and comforting. Not the hungry grin of a she-devil.

When he put the cup down, she picked it up and in vanished in her palm. No longer needed, no longer existing. There was no reason for her to leave her garbage littering the mortal realms, now was there? Then came one of the most common questions she heard. Who was she, why was she there, where'd she come from. All of them were guarded, careful questions of people who were used to bad things happening to them.

Her calm, serene smile remained. "That's all you want? To know who I am and why I'm talking to you? I did mention that you'll never make any friends if you don't start talking to strangers," Katiuscia teased, her tone honeyed and silk. "Is it so difficult for you to believe that someone would see someone in need and want to help?"

Most would say yes. The world could be mean, cruel, and break anyone who wasn't mindful. Like now. Katiuscia, however, didn't look the monstrous part. Painted up and oddly dressed, the most threat she appeared to pose was to someone's virtue. Or whatever remained of it. "My name is Katiuscia and I don't think I'm really bothering you. Not after offering you a glass of water, hm?" Her chin came to rest on her palm, her smile never faltering, her gaze never wavering.

"Does that make you feel better, dear heart? I've only offered you a room. Is there something dangerous in such a thing?"

@Lion

Lion

Did she really have to ask that question or was she as daft as she looked? Reneth blinked owlishly at her, as if he couldn't actually believe that she said that. But nope, it was true. His brow only furrowed after and he actually smiled at her, clearly amused at this entirely nonsensical situation. It was too strange to not think it was funny.

"Because only fools believe such things can be given without a price. You have to either be incredibly naive and idealistic, or the one trying to lure and pull the strings to gain the trust of someone equally desperate. And you're incredibly tempting, I'll give you that."  The amusement never left his lips and he shifted so that he could move closer to her, to make sure she was truly real or he wasn't just hallucinating from the lack of sleep and food.  His hand reached out to touch her face, feel her cheek, just in case it might pass through.

And when it didn't his expression sobered just a bit.

"We'll I'll be a pair of robin's tits," he chuckled. "I'll humor you then. Seeing as how I've got nothing better to do and stepping outside this building might very well end badly for someone else. Reneth, if you need something to call me."  He sighed and pulled his hand back after stroking her cheek and tiredly laid back in his chair.

"If you can make a nice warm bed appear like you did that water, then that'll be all I'll need. A warm bed I can just sleep forever in. I guess I'll just have to see the price you ask in return for it."




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

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