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<blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 4049876" data-attributes="member: 812"><p><strong>Frying Pan, Fire: 13</strong></p><p></p><p>"I guess those mercenaries are better at bribing officials than we are."</p><p></p><p>Arrafin shook her head at Saijadani corruption.</p><p></p><p>"Is everything in this country about money?"</p><p></p><p>"It's a more predictable motivator than crazy desert religion."</p><p></p><p>"Or icky vampire lust."</p><p></p><p>"Hey!"</p><p></p><p>Chuckling at the Naridic girl's suddenly red face, Elena leaned out around the corner to peer again at the wharf.</p><p></p><p>The soldiers they'd shared the hotel with last night had gathered here, joined by a detachment of city guardsmen, all of them looking alert and angry. She sighed.</p><p></p><p>"It's not going to be easy to get a ship out of here. And we're sure not walking to Shaer."</p><p></p><p>The group retreated back down the street and ducked into a small shop. Ignoring the merchant's greeting, they crowded around the window, staring out into the street.</p><p></p><p>Etienne had a suggestion. </p><p></p><p>"We could wait for nightfall and try to steal a boat."</p><p></p><p>"And until then?"</p><p></p><p>"Weren't we going to try and figure out how those Nevakada guys got into town? Why not carry on with that plan?"</p><p></p><p>Isaac nodded thoughtfully.</p><p></p><p>"Killing a basketful of Kishaks would really improve my mood, actually."</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>"Well, Isaac, there's your basketful, right there."</p><p></p><p>"Maybe a bigger basket than I had in mind."</p><p></p><p>Isaac and Etienne perched on a rooftop, looking down through broken tiles into the office below. Beneath them lounged at least a dozen red-skinned warriors, obviously killing time without much enthusiasm.</p><p></p><p>The office belonged to del Corazor Shipping, and a variety of clues had brought the Saijadani pair here, most notably the drunken ramblings of a recently-dismissed warehouse guard. Elena, Zuleika, Arrafin and Nevid waited in the alley behind the office building.</p><p></p><p>"They do seem pretty calm, considering they're in the midst of an enemy city."</p><p></p><p>"Calm. Stupid. It's hard to tell with Kishaks."</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>"I like ye, lad."</p><p></p><p>"Oh, no."</p><p></p><p>Zuleika recoiled as Kaley suddenly appeared on Nevid's arm, smiling at the Saijadani youth. Nevid's reaction was nearly as violent, but the dreamy Shaeric woman drifted along with him as he tried to retreat.</p><p></p><p>Elena tried a smile.</p><p></p><p>"Hi, Kaley. How are you?"</p><p></p><p>The girl kept staring at Nevid's face. She showed no sign of having heard Elena.</p><p></p><p>"Where have you been? Nevid, ask her where she's been."</p><p></p><p>Nevid's terrified gaze rolled over to Elena, then back to the smiling young girl clutching at his arm.</p><p></p><p>"Uh. Ka. Kaley. Kaley."</p><p></p><p>"I like ye, lad."</p><p></p><p>"Yes. Yes. That's good. I. I like you, too."</p><p></p><p>She sighed and gripped him tighter.</p><p></p><p>"Listen. Kaley. Where did you go? Where have you been?"</p><p></p><p>"Been? I've been with ye, lad. I've no hope to go elsewhere, have I?"</p><p></p><p>"But."</p><p></p><p>Nevid ran out of conversational steam. Arrafin tried a smile and tapped the girl on her shoulder.</p><p></p><p>"Hi, Kaley."</p><p></p><p>Without losing her dreamy smile, the girl turned to look at Arrafin.</p><p></p><p>"Ye're a nice lass. Ye'll no make me go, will ye?"</p><p></p><p>"No, Kaley. We don't want you to go. But we're wondering if you've seen. Um. The King. Recently."</p><p></p><p>Panic erupted in the girl's face and Arrafin put up her hands to try and reassure her.</p><p></p><p>"No, no, sweetie, it's okay. Nobody's going to hurt you."</p><p></p><p>Zuleika snorted but did not challenge the assertion.</p><p></p><p>"Does he make you do things? The King? Are you afraid of him?"</p><p></p><p>Kaley's nod was that of an unhappy child.</p><p></p><p>"He hurts me. But he can no find me here, ye see. Not with me lad by me side."</p><p></p><p>"He can't?"</p><p></p><p>"Only sometimes."</p><p></p><p>Nevid got some of his aplomb back and put an arm around the girl's slender shoulders. She smiled up at him with sudden joy.</p><p></p><p>"It'll be okay, Kaley. We'll help you."</p><p></p><p>"I know ye will."</p><p></p><p>Crashing, swearing and the sudden clang of steel exploded from inside. Zuleika swore.</p><p></p><p>"Those bastards started without us."</p><p></p><p>Charging inside, they found Isaac holding off most of the Kishak soldiers, swearing at the top of his lungs at Etienne, who was nowhere to be seen, although a few soldiers were aiming heavy blows at a desk nearby.</p><p></p><p>Overhead, a broken beam and a gaping hole in the roof told of what must have been a precipitate entrance.</p><p></p><p>The Kishaks turned as Zuleika waded into their midst, her sword flashing. Elena stretched out a hand and purple light flared as two soldiers convulsed, shuddering with unseen vibrations that seemed to nearly tear them to pieces.</p><p></p><p>Arrafin stepped away from her friends and drew on her dark power. Shadowy tendrils rose up around her, but suddenly collapsed back into the ground. The Naridic girl stamped her foot and tried to compose herself, her little owl fluttering over her wild curls.</p><p></p><p>Again her sorcerous skills failed her and she reeled, nearly overcome by the cold fury of Shadow she'd called upon.</p><p></p><p>Most of the soldiers were down, clutching at wounds or lying still, when the last pair dropped their swords and fell to their knees, pleading in their harsh tongues for mercy.</p><p></p><p>"To hell with every last f**king one of you."</p><p></p><p>Zuleika thrust her sword into the first one's abdomen, and as he keeled forward, she whirled the blade over her head and decapitated the other. Still in her battle fury, she kicked at the one she'd stabbed, shrieking with hideous laughter as he scrabbled for his entrails.</p><p></p><p>Elena grabbed the Naridic woman and shoved her back.</p><p></p><p>"That's enough, Z. That's enough."</p><p></p><p>They stared at each other, and Zuleika burst into tears.</p><p></p><p>Etienne crawled out from under the desk.</p><p></p><p>"Are any of them left alive?"</p><p></p><p>Isaac looked around with a grim look.</p><p></p><p>"Not 'alive', as such. Not as could answer a few questions, anyway."</p><p></p><p>Arrafin came forward. She bent down and heaved up the severed head of the last soldier.</p><p></p><p>"The one doesn't necessarily mean the other."</p><p></p><p>Everyone watched in a horrified daze as Arrafin settled the head on top of the desk Etienne had been under. She had to twist it a bit to get it to sit upright, but once the grisly task was done, she stepped back.</p><p></p><p>"Uh. Arrafin?"</p><p></p><p>"Just a minute."</p><p></p><p>The Naridic girl closed her eyes and the others pulled away as dark shadows swirled up around her. One of the gasping Kishak soldiers stopped gasping as the tendrils drifted over him.</p><p></p><p>The shadowy whorls and streams gathered in front of Arrafin and then surged into the severed head on the desk, which heaved and twitched.</p><p></p><p>"It worked. Great. Now we can ask it questions. Let's think carefully about this."</p><p></p><p>Arrafin turned with a happy smile to her friends, pleased with herself. Her smile faded at the varying looks of discomfort on the others' faces.</p><p></p><p>"What?"</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>"Well, that was a waste of time."</p><p></p><p>"If you hadn't asked the same question twice..."</p><p></p><p>"I didn't know we had a time limit, Zuleika. Arrafin never said--"</p><p></p><p>"Don't you blame me, Etienne. I told you to think carefully."</p><p></p><p>"Thinking. Not exactly his strong suit."</p><p></p><p>"Well, at least we know the Tyrant's Shade doesn't know where we are. That's good."</p><p></p><p>The bickering party carried on down the dark street, making their way back towards the wharfs. As they neared where earlier in the day they'd seen the mercenaries and the guardsmen, they slowed.</p><p></p><p>"Etienne, go and look. See if they're still there."</p><p></p><p>The half-Kishak slipped into the shadows and disappeared. Elena shrugged.</p><p></p><p>"He is light on his feet."</p><p></p><p>Isaac's growl was an unhappy one.</p><p></p><p>"Not always."</p><p></p><p>The burly Saijadani still favoured his left arm after the battle in the office building. He started as Etienne re-emerged.</p><p></p><p>"No good. The wharfs are crawling with soldiers. We'll never get out of here."</p><p></p><p>Another figure detached from the shadows beyond Etienne. The entire group stepped back and readied their weapons. The voice was a woman's, but low and husky.</p><p></p><p>"Relax. I'm a friend. I can get you out of here."</p><p></p><p>Isaac's eyes narrowed suspiciously.</p><p></p><p>"I don't think you're my friend."</p><p></p><p>"Oh, Isaac, I'm <em>especially</em> your friend."</p><p></p><p>Collette de Maynard stepped forward, smirking just a little.</p><p></p><p>"In fact, I just might be your only friend right now."</p><p></p><p>Her smirk disappeared.</p><p></p><p>"I know where they took your mother, Isaac. She's not dead. The del Orofin are holding her prisoner in Salejo. Do you want to see her?"</p><p></p><p>Isaac sheathed his sword.</p><p></p><p>"None of your tricks, b***h. And keep your hands where we can see them."</p><p></p><p>"I'll consider that a 'yes,' shall I?"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="barsoomcore, post: 4049876, member: 812"] [b]Frying Pan, Fire: 13[/b] "I guess those mercenaries are better at bribing officials than we are." Arrafin shook her head at Saijadani corruption. "Is everything in this country about money?" "It's a more predictable motivator than crazy desert religion." "Or icky vampire lust." "Hey!" Chuckling at the Naridic girl's suddenly red face, Elena leaned out around the corner to peer again at the wharf. The soldiers they'd shared the hotel with last night had gathered here, joined by a detachment of city guardsmen, all of them looking alert and angry. She sighed. "It's not going to be easy to get a ship out of here. And we're sure not walking to Shaer." The group retreated back down the street and ducked into a small shop. Ignoring the merchant's greeting, they crowded around the window, staring out into the street. Etienne had a suggestion. "We could wait for nightfall and try to steal a boat." "And until then?" "Weren't we going to try and figure out how those Nevakada guys got into town? Why not carry on with that plan?" Isaac nodded thoughtfully. "Killing a basketful of Kishaks would really improve my mood, actually." ***** "Well, Isaac, there's your basketful, right there." "Maybe a bigger basket than I had in mind." Isaac and Etienne perched on a rooftop, looking down through broken tiles into the office below. Beneath them lounged at least a dozen red-skinned warriors, obviously killing time without much enthusiasm. The office belonged to del Corazor Shipping, and a variety of clues had brought the Saijadani pair here, most notably the drunken ramblings of a recently-dismissed warehouse guard. Elena, Zuleika, Arrafin and Nevid waited in the alley behind the office building. "They do seem pretty calm, considering they're in the midst of an enemy city." "Calm. Stupid. It's hard to tell with Kishaks." ***** "I like ye, lad." "Oh, no." Zuleika recoiled as Kaley suddenly appeared on Nevid's arm, smiling at the Saijadani youth. Nevid's reaction was nearly as violent, but the dreamy Shaeric woman drifted along with him as he tried to retreat. Elena tried a smile. "Hi, Kaley. How are you?" The girl kept staring at Nevid's face. She showed no sign of having heard Elena. "Where have you been? Nevid, ask her where she's been." Nevid's terrified gaze rolled over to Elena, then back to the smiling young girl clutching at his arm. "Uh. Ka. Kaley. Kaley." "I like ye, lad." "Yes. Yes. That's good. I. I like you, too." She sighed and gripped him tighter. "Listen. Kaley. Where did you go? Where have you been?" "Been? I've been with ye, lad. I've no hope to go elsewhere, have I?" "But." Nevid ran out of conversational steam. Arrafin tried a smile and tapped the girl on her shoulder. "Hi, Kaley." Without losing her dreamy smile, the girl turned to look at Arrafin. "Ye're a nice lass. Ye'll no make me go, will ye?" "No, Kaley. We don't want you to go. But we're wondering if you've seen. Um. The King. Recently." Panic erupted in the girl's face and Arrafin put up her hands to try and reassure her. "No, no, sweetie, it's okay. Nobody's going to hurt you." Zuleika snorted but did not challenge the assertion. "Does he make you do things? The King? Are you afraid of him?" Kaley's nod was that of an unhappy child. "He hurts me. But he can no find me here, ye see. Not with me lad by me side." "He can't?" "Only sometimes." Nevid got some of his aplomb back and put an arm around the girl's slender shoulders. She smiled up at him with sudden joy. "It'll be okay, Kaley. We'll help you." "I know ye will." Crashing, swearing and the sudden clang of steel exploded from inside. Zuleika swore. "Those bastards started without us." Charging inside, they found Isaac holding off most of the Kishak soldiers, swearing at the top of his lungs at Etienne, who was nowhere to be seen, although a few soldiers were aiming heavy blows at a desk nearby. Overhead, a broken beam and a gaping hole in the roof told of what must have been a precipitate entrance. The Kishaks turned as Zuleika waded into their midst, her sword flashing. Elena stretched out a hand and purple light flared as two soldiers convulsed, shuddering with unseen vibrations that seemed to nearly tear them to pieces. Arrafin stepped away from her friends and drew on her dark power. Shadowy tendrils rose up around her, but suddenly collapsed back into the ground. The Naridic girl stamped her foot and tried to compose herself, her little owl fluttering over her wild curls. Again her sorcerous skills failed her and she reeled, nearly overcome by the cold fury of Shadow she'd called upon. Most of the soldiers were down, clutching at wounds or lying still, when the last pair dropped their swords and fell to their knees, pleading in their harsh tongues for mercy. "To hell with every last f**king one of you." Zuleika thrust her sword into the first one's abdomen, and as he keeled forward, she whirled the blade over her head and decapitated the other. Still in her battle fury, she kicked at the one she'd stabbed, shrieking with hideous laughter as he scrabbled for his entrails. Elena grabbed the Naridic woman and shoved her back. "That's enough, Z. That's enough." They stared at each other, and Zuleika burst into tears. Etienne crawled out from under the desk. "Are any of them left alive?" Isaac looked around with a grim look. "Not 'alive', as such. Not as could answer a few questions, anyway." Arrafin came forward. She bent down and heaved up the severed head of the last soldier. "The one doesn't necessarily mean the other." Everyone watched in a horrified daze as Arrafin settled the head on top of the desk Etienne had been under. She had to twist it a bit to get it to sit upright, but once the grisly task was done, she stepped back. "Uh. Arrafin?" "Just a minute." The Naridic girl closed her eyes and the others pulled away as dark shadows swirled up around her. One of the gasping Kishak soldiers stopped gasping as the tendrils drifted over him. The shadowy whorls and streams gathered in front of Arrafin and then surged into the severed head on the desk, which heaved and twitched. "It worked. Great. Now we can ask it questions. Let's think carefully about this." Arrafin turned with a happy smile to her friends, pleased with herself. Her smile faded at the varying looks of discomfort on the others' faces. "What?" ***** "Well, that was a waste of time." "If you hadn't asked the same question twice..." "I didn't know we had a time limit, Zuleika. Arrafin never said--" "Don't you blame me, Etienne. I told you to think carefully." "Thinking. Not exactly his strong suit." "Well, at least we know the Tyrant's Shade doesn't know where we are. That's good." The bickering party carried on down the dark street, making their way back towards the wharfs. As they neared where earlier in the day they'd seen the mercenaries and the guardsmen, they slowed. "Etienne, go and look. See if they're still there." The half-Kishak slipped into the shadows and disappeared. Elena shrugged. "He is light on his feet." Isaac's growl was an unhappy one. "Not always." The burly Saijadani still favoured his left arm after the battle in the office building. He started as Etienne re-emerged. "No good. The wharfs are crawling with soldiers. We'll never get out of here." Another figure detached from the shadows beyond Etienne. The entire group stepped back and readied their weapons. The voice was a woman's, but low and husky. "Relax. I'm a friend. I can get you out of here." Isaac's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I don't think you're my friend." "Oh, Isaac, I'm [i]especially[/i] your friend." Collette de Maynard stepped forward, smirking just a little. "In fact, I just might be your only friend right now." Her smirk disappeared. "I know where they took your mother, Isaac. She's not dead. The del Orofin are holding her prisoner in Salejo. Do you want to see her?" Isaac sheathed his sword. "None of your tricks, b***h. And keep your hands where we can see them." "I'll consider that a 'yes,' shall I?" [/QUOTE]
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