Legend of Renalta: Reborn (IC)

[Commander Kalic]

Jamiahl heads down the city streets, moving for a back alley where her contacts had informed her of a madman with a pistol. It was a good place to at least start learning if this was... 'Brent's pistol', which Mikan had mentioned earlier. As she approaches the alley she has two choices: To climb up onto the rooftops and leap down onto her target, or to approach her target directly.

Jamiahl had spent several hours visiting contacts and asking in short conversations about the whereabouts of this blackpowder firearm, this 'Brent's pistol' Mikan had lost had been handed to someone known or at least to someone who was boasting about his new toy. Several contacts had given her enough information to go after a promising lead now, making a quick decision as she studied the alley she had to travel through... or over... to get to the suspected person with the pistol she looked for a spot to easily scale the walls and get to the rooftop. She would observe and watch first, quick action without thinking things through might end up badly for her... and there were now only two of them left.

A stab of pain went through her heart but she stomped it down with a force of will, focusing on the task ahead and started climbing.

Jamiahl reaches the rooftop, looking down into the alley to spot her target. A dwarf with a pistol, bald without a beard and wearing extravagent purple clothing. He was looking the pistol over and chuckling, a mad hint in the edge of his voice. "Yes... Finally..." He purrs, patting the pistol. "This will work well for the carnival..."
As Jamiahl watched from above, a soft twang is heard from somewhere deeper into the alley. A small object flies from a pile of refuse lying in the alley, and it strikes at the dwarf’s feet. Suddenly a small cloud of smoke envelopes the now cursing dwarf, and the pile of refuse turns into an orange blur which quickly enters the cloud.

A scuffle is heard inside the cloud, namely the dwarf cursing with a few human grunts being thrown in. it carries on for a few seconds when there is a loud CLICK flowed by the dwarf shouting “BASTARD SOLD ME A DEFFECTi-“ crack! the smoke dissipates revealing and orange cloaked figure standing over the crumpled dwarf, the gun in the newcomer’s hand.

“Next time you use one of these” The figure gestures with the pistol at the unconscious dwarf “Be sure you load it properly” he gives the dwarf one last kick before turning to leave the alley way.

The dwarf vanishes, a man reappearing a few feet away, wearing all purple and donning a strange top hat. He twirls a cane in his hand, a mad smirk upon his face. "Name's James, the Illusionist of the Carnival of Chaos... I apologize about my... Apprentice. He's a little... Eccentric, sometimes."

Starting in surprise at the man’s sudden appearance, the orange cloaked figure hand dropped to his saber though he quickly recomposes himself “I suppose you will be wanting your toy back.” He said, tossing the pistol up and down in his hand, his voice doing little to betray his uneasiness with the change of events.

James chuckles, tapping his cane against the ground and watching as the dwarf's unconscious form reappeared. "No. This was simply a test. One which my apprentice here... Failed." James taps the ground with his cane once more, and a shadowy hand reaches out from the darkness of the alley, grabbing the apprentice and drawing him back into the shadows. A loud 'crunch' is heard... Followed up with a little blood rolling down into the alleyway. "Keep the pistol. It's a toy." James brings his flamboyant purple cape around himself, and with a single tap of his cane vanishes, leaving the mangled corpse of his apprentice in the shadowy portion of the alley.

Jamiahl had watched in silence at the little scene unfolding in the alley below, a interesting appearance to be sure from the figure in the orange cloak but then the second surprise was that of the human dressed inpurple, she felt like hissing like a cat and growl all of a sudden at his appearance and instead tried to go deeper in the shadows from where she was observing the alley below. As the man cast his magic, or whatever it was, she felt a shiver of unease as she felt a vague familiarity. Whatever it was the man, if it was a man at that, used was demonic in origin. Part of her was glad she had made sure to stay out of the way and stick to the rooftops and observe first, some business was not worth getting into.

Retrieving her sling she filled it with a iron bullet and moved to the rooftop side, looking down at the orange cloaked figure. "Drop the pistol and walk away." Was all she said, preparing to hurl the bullet toward him if required.

At the woman’s call, the orange cloaked man chuckled “Figures someone else would be after this prize. Though I have to say your approach is far less intimidating than that fellow.“ taking a step aside to get out of the pool of blood seeping out from the shadows, the figure bends over, looking to place the pistol on the ground.

Standing up, he backs a few paces away from where the pistol lay. “I know when to pick fights, and this does not seem the time or the place! So come, collect your prize.” He steps back with a deep flourishing bow.

Her eyes never left the figure in orange, only slowing down her hand with the sling when he took a few steps back, keeping the bullet inside as she looked for a path that would allow her to keep upright and not turn her back to the man below, jumping to a lower rooftop till she manages to get on the ground on her own two feet after some maneuvering. "No prize. Returning it to its owner." She simply said as she moved to where she saw where the pistol was lying from the corner of her eyes.

Feeling like talking for some reason she continued. "My sisters and I rarely intimidated, we just killed." The only moment she broke eye contact with the figure was when she went through her knees and looked at where the pistol was exactly and reached out with her free hand.

“Shame that such a fair lady should use such ugly methods to get what she wants, I am sure you could have used other… means to pry that away from me. Though I would like to know the name of the woman who has bested me, not many people do these days.”
Jamiahl rose up, the pistol in hand, allowing herself a flicker of a smile at that before her facial features in the shadow of her hood went back to normal as she looked at the other figure. Pondering on what to say, if she should say anything. "Names are dangerous, especially now with what happened at the warlords keep..."

“Heard about that nasty business, pity I wasn’t there for the looting. Heard the warlord liked to keep some valuable toys. As for the names issue, if you will not give me yours than I shall give you mine. I am called Graith Longshot, master thief of the Free Holds!” his voice held a hint of true pride in name, though it was dwarfed by the sound of his inflated ego.

"Never heard of you." Jamiahl replied somewhat distracted, she was unfamiliar with guns, Salinï had once tried to incorperate them to the sisters arsenal but abondoned it, they were too loud for their type of work. She truly hoped this was the gun Mikan had lost, it already had been hard to acquire somewhat reliable information that the dwarf was truly the one with the specific pistol... she glanced at the bloodstains at the alley floor... and the rats slowly creeping forward as they had sensed their next meal.

She cocked her head and looked at the master thief for a moment. "Hang on... you the one who stole those rabbits? Fluffers?" She said remembering a rumor that linked that name among Southblood's

Graith visibly deflated for a moment… shocked disbelief flashing across at the lack of recognition, but at the mention of fluffers he brightened back up “That was me indeed, oh what a tale that was! Hanging fifty feet over the ground, one arm around the rabbit, another hooked through a window… but I doubt you are here to listen to my life story.” He gave another disgusted look at the corpse slowly being devoured near them.

“How about we go return your new acquisition to its proper owner, and then share stories over drinks?”

Jamiahl raised a eyebrow, wondering if that bounty for the death she had heard about in combination with that rabbit story was still valid... and then merely shrugged. "Group I'm with are... a colorful bunch, they are at the scorpion bar." She wraps the pistol in some cloth and puts it as best as possible in one of her pouches and then nods. "Lead the way if you know where it is." She said simply, unwilling to show her back just yet to this fellow.

“I know the place relatively well. Let’s get on our way!” He turned about on his heel and led the way out of the alley, taking the time to uncock his crossbow. HE makes his way through the crowd, chatting over his shoulder at the assassin, trying his best to keep things lively despite the woman’s seemingly subdued personality. They came up on the bar, its entrance clear of obstructions “Looks to be the place, judging form the a battered sign up there!”

[Orion]

Alex looks at the goblin and a wolfish grin spreads across her face before she flips a copper piece at him, "That would be me, green one." After a moment, she turns her gaze back to Hanus and raises a brow at the sight of his silver eyes, "Wolfslayer, huh?" She grins and offers out her hand to shake, "Alexandria Sumera 'Hell Hound' Nebacaesar... And I suppose we will see if your name rings true tonight, Child of Malaki," she says, gripping his hand tight and leaning in close. "I must say... It is nice to have a bloodsucker amongst us again, now that Isolde has left."

Zex looked up with a grin. "I hope the winnings cover the healers bill." He commended before sinking his head into his hand again. Xixis walked up behind Zex and slapped him across the back of the head.

"You truly are an idiot Zex. They were fornicating." He said plainly with the book in one hand.

"But there wasn't any hitting, and I didn't hear any 'please stop' or 'don't hurt me'" Zex complained.

Xixis's only answer was another cuff to the hung-over goblins head.

Kouri's blush intensifies as she stares at the two goblins, though the blush lightens up a bit as she realizes that they were talking about abuse. Oh. Lovely. Alex on the other hand laughs in an almost outright manic manner, Kouri giggling awkwardly as all the nervousness was trying to escape. "You are... An odd pair of women." He looks at Kouri and then points to Alex. "Woof woof?" He grins mischeviously, Kouri covering her face with her hands. Sarah slips off the bar and grabs Kouri's shoulders, leading her away from the wolfish Hanus to a chair she could sit down on. Kouri shudders, feeling an ethereal chain. The blush fades way as she gasps lightly, cursing under her breath. "Isolde?... As in, Isolde Adelaide Silbermond?" He asks curiously, looking around the bar and not seeing her.

"That's her," Alex manages to stifle her laughing for a moment as Kouri moves away. "After her few brushes with the true death, I think she had her fill with our company." Alex shrugs and takes a seat beside Hanus. "Why do you ask?"

Hanus remains standing, crossing his arms as a wolfish, almost childlike grin reached his face. "She was lonely one night. I was available. You know that dress she loves wearing?... That was her second dress. The first one was... Heh... Damaged." He then, finally, takes his seat beside Alex before spotting Xixis. "You. I have to talk to you shortly."

Xixis looked at the Vampire. "Feel free." He said. "You were a great help last night."

"Ah, say, were you the one who bought her that one? It would explain why she was so attached to it and made such a huff that it was destroyed," she snorts and picks up a glass of some fluid or another, sniffing it before putting it down with a grimace. "Actually, I had no idea Isolde ever got lonely... Or would consider laying with anyone. That is quite a shock, really."

"For you? Perhaps. Simply put she was younger then. Only maybe a hundred and thirty four years old... Ah. Those were the days." He stands up slowly, taking pestilence off of his back and placing it upon the table. "Black Drow steel. Feel free to admire it. I see the warrior's spark in you... Maybe one day you'll be strong enough to wield one." He turns and looks for the goblin, spotting him as he walks over to Xixis and then kneels before him. "You and that smoke mage from earlier freed me. Therefore, I owe you a debt. Your fight, and his fight, is my fight. At least, for the moment." He salutes by placing his arm upon his chest, elbow crimped and fist up to his shoulder. He then stands back up and awaits a response from Xixis.

Xixis's eyes widen imperceptibally to most beings. "I'm honoured," He salutes in the goblin manner, "It should be easier with you around. I know Braekre will appreciate it, you two seemed to share somewhat similar religious beliefs."

She fights back a retort about her strength before shaking her head and looking at the sword. She lifts it up and turns it over in her hands with a feint gleam in her eyes. This weapon made her own look like scrap metal.. And it was elven made... Damned Drow... she thinks before putting it back down, a bit envious.

Dean's eyes opened slowly. His exact whereabouts were unknown, but considering the level of comfort he was experiencing he knew he was in better shape than he had been for quite some time. He rolled onto his back, and looked around the room. His gaze soon floated upon the bottle of whiskey that he had polished off last night, and he reached for his head. Not too smart. he lifted himself up off the bed, and dressed himself to go back and join the rest. Every button was a bit of a challenge, and his boots nearly took him to the floor twice. It wasn't illness, just an insane dizzying feeling taking over. He leaned against the doorframe for support, and then let the walls guide him back to the common room, where everybody seemed to have been gathering once again. He sat down at the bar, reached behind it, and made a careful inspection of the bottle, it's odor in particular, making damn sure it was nothing but water this time, and started taking small sips while listening in on those around him.

Sarah raises an eyebrow quizzically as she quietly walks over to Dean, leaning down a little so as to be face to face with him. "That bottle was poisoned, you drank the whole thing, you're still alive... Nerian." Sarah chuckles, with an almost evil twist to it, and then steps back from Dean to look back to the goblin and Hanus. Hanus nods appropriately to Xixis, and then turns back to Kouri once more. "Such an eloquent lady, even in such simple clothing, perhaps we should find you something... More appropriate? In private?" He grins, and she responds with shaking her head and smiling a little. She then looks to Alex. "Give him points for being persistent, no?"

Xixis looked over towards Dean. "Be careful. Some of those were used by Zex as a toilet last night. Not sure which ones. Odourless too."

Alex picks up the sword and moves over to Hanus, pushing it back into his hands. "Sure, but he loses more for being an idiot," she growls, giving him a warning look. Hearing Xixis, she looks at the goblin and tries to hold back a chuckle long enough to say, "That is disgusting."

Dean gave the bottle one last sniff before placing it back on the counter, pushing it off, and laying his head on the counter. "Poison you say? Still alive? Sarah between me still being around, and having survived that, I wonder how you wiped an entire species of me out."

"One at a time I imagine" Xixis remarked casually.

"Doesn't seem very efficient at all." he replied.

"Sport doesn't have to be." Xixis retorted.

Hanus forces his lip to quiver a little, looking Alex up and down. "I was just being complimentary." He says, mocking innocence as he stands back up and sheathes Pestilence. "Besides, it's not like I can't handle the both of you. You're just women." He stretches out, several cracking noises echoing from his shoulders and arms as he brings them over his head. The kind that indicated that he had an absurd amount of strength. Sarah shakes her head. "Right. Sure. While one would light you on fire, the other would bludgeon you to death with your own ego." She then looks to dean and states simply. "Simple. Your people all lived in a mountain. So I blew up the mountain."

"Oh, really? I would think a well placed arrow would have done the trick too, Sarah. Though, I take it you just like putting on a show?" Alex asks, a hard edge to her voice.

Sarah shakes her head, a wicked grin upon her face. "Oh yes, a show. Quite a few shows. Hanus tried with me once. He almost died before I even really started." Hanus growled in response. "You have the touch of death, that isn't even fair."

"Well I suppose that explains that. Good thing I was one for plains over caverns. Thanks for not going after those dear." he said in a quiet voice.

Sarah looks at Dean and shrugs. "You weren't alive yet. Though if you were I would have killed you too. This is being honest... Sorry." She says, the apology being empty and almost pointless.

"Well, Sarah, obviously you missed quite a few, otherwise he wouldn't be here. For being so powerful and setting your mind to destroying something... You are very poor at it," Alex smirks.

Xixis paying attention caught something that interested him. "So Sarah, your 'death touch' affects even the undead. Most curious, how does that work?"

"Does it bring them back to life and then kill them properly?" Dean asked bemused

Sarah laughs openly at Alex's remark, and then responds. "If I kill everything strong, I'll be bored for the next generation." She then slips off the bar and grabs a bottle of scotch, tipping it back and continuing her response. "Besides. I have ethereal chains linked to half the people in this room, including Kouri. If I wanted to make a point, I would simply raise my hand..." She raises her hand, and Kouri shudders, feeling the chain tighten a little. "...But, I'm out to kill only what I need to kill." She lowers her hand, Kouri taking a deep breath and sighing. "I didn't need to kill everyone in the mountain. Just enough of them that time, and predators would take care of the rest. As for the mountain itself, well..." Her lips curl up, her next words sending a chill down Kouri's spine. "There is no kill quite like overkill." She then glances at Xixis and smiles a little. "I run off of life energy, just like any other creature. I stockpile it by draining it from people. This life energy is even in the undead... I touch anything long enough, and it dies. Quite pitifully. Save for maybe... Three others in this world, stronger than I by at least a small margin." She glances at Dean, and replies quickly. "Quite."

Sisera slowly moves into the Bar, at this point he is simply a tall, staggering mass with clothes on. Though his purple veil is curiously bundled in his hand instead of wrapped around his face; the scars and nicks that protrude from his neck and jaw glisten with drops of sweat that cover his entire face. To be frank, the man looked like an absolute wreck. There were dark bags under his eyes and a wrinkled forehead which suggested a large amount of stress was present. His eyes and head hung low; he didn’t look tired but… weary. Weary was a far better word; weary and haggard.

He see’s Sarah is still here, chatting it up with the rest of the group that had woken up. She was always a good conversationalist, at least to him anyway. She always had something witty to say to him when he was growing up. It was a shame he was in no condition or mood to really begin a lovely chatter which would have given him an illusion of the return old days.

“Good Morning” he gruffly mumbled to the group as he sat down, rubbing his pale scalp and trying to get his scrambled thoughts back together.

"Of course, the genocide of a whole people, and you are not a murderous monster," Alex smiles, "At least I can admit that I can be a heartless killer." As Sisera comes by, she sees his face for the first time... She flinches back, gawking at him for a moment before muttering, "Mornin' to you too... You, ah, you've looked better."

Xixis looked at Sisera. "Odd, most people don't get mugged inside the tavern. That's what the alley outside is for..."

Dean forced a worried expression "I thought I had it bad friend."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, looking at Alex and shaking her head. "I never said I wasn't heartless. Go ahead, cut me open, I don't have one." She grins, looking to Sisera snapping her fingers. The ethereal chain breaks for all to see, momentarily, before it dissipates into nothingness. "I have no ideed to keep you on a leash anymore, puppy." She says, her tone... Almost, showing some shred of care.

Hanus on the other hand looks at Sisera, and kneels once more, bowing his head slightly. "You rescued me earlier. As I said to the goblin, your battles are now mine, to repay that debt of freeing me."

Alex looks at Sarah with a touch of amusement, "Oh sure, I would love that. Just give me a chance and I would be happy to look, and don't worry, you don't have to cut me open to check if I just hide the fur inside in return."

Xixis chuckles to himself. "Careful Alex, if you spend too much time with Kouri she might want you to mow the lawn. And one of your kind might look funny with patches missing."

Sarah shakes her head once more. "I don't have to worry about finding the fur. Everyone knows your a mutt that made love to a lunatic on the high seas, who replaced you with... What was it... A furry? A fuzzy creature wolf thing? You're just two halves, not a whole of anything. A sad, decrepit bitch whose most impactful thing on the world is howling at the moon, like any other sub-human might." She leans back, crossing her arms. The viciousness of the comment, however, was still her playing a game of wits. Obviously she had a lot of practice.

“Just a… I had a rough night is all. I’ll be better with some food in me” He mumbles to the group, rubbing his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. He looks up for a moment as Sarah breaks the chains she had been weaving throughout the night; noticing that there was no chain attached to him. He makes a slight coy smile at Sarah before returning it to his current gaunt expression and looking down at the table in front of him.

A vampire just swore loyalty to Sisera “Thank you?” he says as polite as he can, extremely confused at what just happened. He would have to deal with this later when his mind was more up-to-date and less falling apart .

He see’s Alex shirk at him and it was then when it finally occurred to him that he didn’t put his Scarf on, his panic quickly subsides for a moment when he see’s Alex and Sarah go at followed by extremely humorless quips from Xixis. Finally Sarah ends it all with a zinger of a bash. He sighs at Sarah and stands up, stumbling slight doing so and looks at Sarah.

“I remember you being a lot kinder when I was a child.” He says to her, briefly remembering how he used to always hold her hands and was never daunted by its coldness, being soothed by it instead of frightened of it like most people were.

“Apparently this “bitch” was chosen over an Angel by a princess, so she must be something special that were all missing here.” He says kindly to all the parties involved, he didn’t like to be confrontational, never liked to make people mad or frustrated.

Xixis said to Sisera. "There's no accounting for taste. I knew an Ogre who fell in love with a Gnome. That didn't end well....."

Dean picked his head up off the counter again "Once knew a boy from the village with his pick of any maiden. Last I heard he ran off with his good friend Owen"

Alex smirks a tad at Sarah before turning on Sisera, "Oi! I may take it from this crotchety corpse who prays on the pretty young people to keep 'beautiful' because I know she can kill me before I get a good swing in. But you, you're a whole 'nother story, Sisera," she snaps pointing a finger at him. After giving him a moment for the words to sink in, she lightly pats him on the shoulder reassuring she was just kidding. "Regardless, I never said Val's choice in anyone was good, but damn was she fun in bed." A smirk spreads over her face. Underneath, it was painful to hear those words from Sarah... But, her hand reaches awkwardly to the ring on the other, feeling over its surface. "Hey, Dean, I remember Owen. Never figured him for that sort." to which Dean replied with an simple shrug.

Xixis spoke up. "I don't try and figure people out, there was a man here in Southblood who 'loved' horses more than females, and I mean he prefer getting his pleasure from male horses, not female."

"Please, I grew up in farmlands. You wouldn't believe how people preffered goats to their spouse." Dean said as he massaged his temples.

Sarah slides over the bar counter silently, entering the basement. Perhaps she had some affair with her 'pet' to take care of? Who knew. Kouri takes a deep breath and exhales quickly, still feeling the unnatural chain on her. "That woman..." She says, her voice shakey. Hanus nods, though his tone was far more... Annoyed. "That... Creature, more like it." He then pulls out Mayhem, one of his throwing axes, and examines the sharpness of the head, though it gleamed brightly, reflecting the natural light around them. Hanus then glances at Sisera and then chuckles. "What, is this fellow normally this... Depressing?"

"More often than not he is." Dean said slightly hushed with a shrug

"Well, if we are on the topic of people and their love of animals..." Alex lets the words hand in the air before nodding to Hanus, "Yeah, and look who just proclaimed himself his loyal bloodhound."

"...Crap." Hanus mutters underneath his breath, looking at Alex and putting on a fake smile. "Well, at least I'll have... Attractive company."

"I wish I could say the same," she gives him a sympathetic look.

Xixis remarks. "I'm sure Kouri appreciates the confidence in her appearance."

“Oh uh..” he stammers, having trouble responding to Hanus’s words. He takes the scarf and begins to wrap it around his head. He saw Alex shirk at his appearance and no doubt his depressing appearance was caused by them as well. He ties the knot in the back and stares at the vampire and Alex through the eye-slits.

“There! All better!” he said as cheerily as he could muster. As he gets up and reaches over the counter to find some food he suddenly lets out stifled giggles at Xixis’s comments. The Golbin was a funny green little bastard.

Alex' cheeks flush a tad, "That isn't what I meant, you crooked nosed bilgerat!" She looks to Sisera and moves closer, lightly undoing the knot. "Oi, if Xixis can show his ugly mug without all the ladies screaming and running, you should have no problems. Lose this thing, mate."

Hanus sighs, then turns back to Kouri. "So, as I was saying..." Kouri, however, had already burried her head in her hands. Hanus leans in closer. "Is there something I can do to make you smile?" Kouri's reply is muffled by her hands, but easily understandable. "Alcohol."

Xixis looks at Alex. "So if I send all the ladies running at the very least you'll still be here."

"Never once claimed to be a lady," she laughs to herself.

Xixis chuckled. "Plus, who really wants 'ladies' what do they know about fun in bed."

"Well, I don't know..." her gaze shifts to Kouri for a moment, "Some pick up pretty fast."

"Don't fool yourself. Kouri is no lady, true 'ladies' as defined in most courts are too air-headed to get dressed without help let alone actually take matters into their own hands." Xixis said plainly.

“No, Alex Wait!” He says as the knot is undone and the purple scarf falls to the counter. He looks at it and looks at the group for a moment, the scars. That pink horrid skin all over his neck and jaw, they could see it. He could feel the anxiety and this sudden weight pushing down on his mind. That horrid Dog could appear again. Instinctively and almost in paranoid anger he kicks a class cabinet that is below his boot and reaches down to grab two large bottles of a booze and places it on the counter.

“Who wants a drink!” He suddenly bellows out, the anxiety starting to ease up a bit. He grabs the scarf and stuffs it into his coat pocket, planning to put it on later. He stares at Alex and Xixis.

“Do I really have to hear pillow talk? Kouri’s my… I’ve known her since she was born. There some things I don’t need to hear.”

At the offer of a drink Dean raises his hand instinctively "I'll have one thanks."

"What's green and bobs up and down in a babies crib?" Xixis asks suddenly. "Zex eating!" He answered quickly.

Zex looked over at his master in horror. "IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE! I SWEAR!"

Hanus, quickly walks over to Alex, sliding up beside her with an obvious intention in his eyes. "..I like pillow talk, myself." He grins, showing his fangs off. "...Quite a bit, actually." Kouri rubs her temples, and then looks over to Sisera. "I wouldn't mind a drink."

"Would you put that tired old bit to rest Hanus." Dean asked a sharp sound in his voice

Alex looks at Xixis and Zex increduously. "I just suddenly realized, however bad I may be... You goblins have me beat." As Hanus comes up close, she smiles back, "I'm sure you do. You know what I like?" She raises a brow, waiting for him to ask.

Xixis snarks. "Buried bones?"

"Go get your nose caught in your book," Alex smiles sweetly.. and it was obviously fake.

"..What, exactly, do you like?" Hanus asks, instinctively his hand rests on the handle of Reaver, at his waist, though he leans in a little.

Alex elbows Hanus away, "Stakes, silver, garlic and nice naps out in the sun." She smiles and moves her hand with the silver ring up near his face, "Hey, what do you think of my engagement ring? Kouri picked it out." She feigns like she is going to fall forward and touch it to him.

“Alright! Booze time” In his happy façade he throws a clutter of glasses and wooden cups on the table. He looks at the group before him, their either full of sexual tension or tasteless quips. Fucking young people he thinks as he spots a small clear bottle of liquid in the back of the glass cabinet he had smashed. He picks it up curiously and sees the “DO NOT DISTRIBUTE” written on the back of the bottle. He turns it over and see’s the title.

“GutBuster, never heard of that one” he remarks quietly as his rips the cork off and gives it a hardy swig, now desperate to relieve his anxiety in anyway possible.

Xixis looks at Sisera. "So who's going to carry him? Because that's something only Dwarves who want to get REALLY drink touch. I saw a Minotaur get pissed after one bottle of the stuff."

"We can get Taigyn to do it. He's a big and strong enough mule," she snorts and tears the bottle from him. "Tipsy, this stuff will burn holes in your stomach. I really don't think you need that."

Hanus looks at Alex, chuckling a little. "I don't care so long as it doesn't get in my blood, lady." He then looks back at Kouri, noticing the silver ring on her finger. "...Heh." He remarks quietly. "Figures." He then looks Alex over once more, shaking his head. "Doesn't matter to me that you have a ring... And garlic? It doesn't work. Mind you don't put it in anything I eat, I hate it."

Kouri glances at the bottle, taking it out of Alex's hands. "You don't need to kill yourself Sisera... Please." She then pulls a glass over and pours it full. She takes a whiff of it and then immediately sets it back down. "Eugh. No. No. I'm sticking to wine, thank you." Amora walks into the main bar room, eyeing the glass and picking it up. He takes a whiff of it and then takes it down in one swig, shaking his head and then rubbing his shoulders. "That has quite the kick... But I drink harder things." He was shockingly without his summoning tome. As he looks around the room, he eyes each person. "Hmph. I'm going to check on my patient. Nobody die now." He walks out of the room, back to Teila's place as Kouri stares in awe. "...How is... That even... Fair." She says, realizing her own tolerance to alcohol was terrible.

"Poor Amora. He has no idea." Xixis said plainly. "There is a reason it's called 'gutbuster' not 'throatbuster'."

Alex winces as Amora downs the ale, "Oh, that man will be feeling that here soon. I can't even drink that without falling flat on my ass."

Sisera’s eyes darken for a moment when the booze is taken from him by Alex. He wasn’t done with it yet though. He looks at Kouri with a blank stare for a moment. He already did kill himself… for her. He cleared his mind, or tried to. This was the booze talking, not himself. He regretted drinking that stuff, he needed to be in control and not spout out random emotional drivel that he would later regret-

A Sisera now realized why it was called the GutBuster. He holds his stomach and feels as if an invisible force threw him down on the ground. He lands on his back, and for a few seconds he’s silent. Then a small, light laughter emits from the floor behind the bar, then a hearty laughter, then a choking, crying laughter.
“Oh Gods… this hurts so… much” He manages to spit out in-between the booming chuckles. Still holding his gut he crawls back up to the bar-counter and emits a smile of legitimate happiness. His mind felt… cleared, dissolved, unoccupied.

“So, who wants to hear a joke?” he says this with pain in his voice and the gleam of alcohol in his eyes.

Alex lets out an amused laugh, "Oh, this ought to be good... or just plain sad. Come on, let us have it, Tipsy!"

Dean takes a shot, and doesn't really notice the pain the others were mentioning. "Lay it on us Sisera."

Sisera clears his throat and stands up straight (as much as he can while still leaning on the counter). And prepares the jokes.

“This is an old Joke that dates back at least 1500 years ago when the Old Kingdom of Renalta still stood.”

“Now a Vampire” He gestures to Hanus

“A Lycan” he gestures to Alex

“And a mere Mortal man” He gestures to himself

Are walking through a large desert in the Renaltan Kingdom, as they continue their Journey they come across a magical pot, and when they rub it a Great and powerful Genie appears out of the Pot.

“YOU HAVE FREED ME FROM MY PRISON, I SHALL GRANT EACH OF YOU ONE WISH”
The Vampire Steps forward first and declares his wish

“I wish for all my Vampire brethren to be out of Renalta and to be free and Happy in a Land of our own”

With a Snap of his fingers the wish is granted and the Vampire disappears, presumably to his new homeland. Now the Lycan appears

“I too wish for a Homeland out of Renalta where my Brothers and Sisters can be happy and Free from Tyranny.”

The Genie claps his hands and the Lycan disappears, most likely to her new homeland.

Now the mere Mortal man steps forward and asks a genie a question before asking for his wish.

“You mean to tell me that all the Blood-suckers and Fur-balls are out of Renalta?”

The Genie nods:

“Oh. Then I’ll have some Mead.”

Alex stifles a laugh, "That's a terrible joke. My kind would never want to be stuck together in the same place! We're way too territorial... Besides, why would you want mead? Terrible stuff."

Kouri looks at Sisera, a mixture of horror and wonder on her face at how he could say a joke so profoundly... Stupid. Even by her standards it was... Really and truly stupid. "Sisera, I think you need to go to your room now. And sleep this off... Now, I guess we should--" She stops, glancing to Dean. "...We should uhm..." She thinks for a minute. "...Right. We should likely wait until sunset and then head out into the desert. Less people that way. Cooler too, I would imagine." Hanus glances at Sisera and then grabs him by the arm, a bemused look on his face. "You heard the lady."

"For god's sake he's not a child. Let him breathe." Dean said, taking another drink

"Kouri, now you sound like Br-- Someone I used to know," Alex corrects herself quickly at the idea of the man walking off into the sunset. The thought of him raises a little anger in her, but she tries to shake it off, grabbing a glass of something other than the Gutbuster and tipping it back.

Xixis remarked. "I see someone forgot about Zex's toiletry habits last night."

Sisera shudders at Kouri’s remark, the thought of going back to sleep and meeting that… thing again was truly horrifying. He grabs one of the bottles on the table and pours himself a small glass of whatever else there was besides the GutBusters. He takes a swig and glances at Hanus.

“Relax, friend, I have no intentions of sleeping right now… actually the last thing I’m going to do is sleep.” he says this in a melancholic tone as he shrugs off the Vampire’s grasp and moves to find a chair to sit down in, feeling a little weak in the legs after that GutBuster.

Kouri sighs, watching as Sisera drinks some more. It upset her, but she did her best not to reveal that as she turns away and looks back at the table. Hanus on the other hand looks at Alex. "I think your lover needs a moment with you. Eight hundred years or so of experience is telling me this." He says, with an almost warm smile before he looks around the room. "Now... Does anyone know where I can get in a good fight?"

Alex looks between the vampire and Kouri. "I'll give you a rain check on that one for later. For now, though..." She sidles up close to Kouri, drawing her arms around the woman and leaning in to whisper. "Something on your mind, Kouri? You have that look about you..."

Dean looks to Hanus, and gets up from the bar. The dizzying feeling having finally worn away. "I think you just found one."

Kouri nods, grasping Alex's hand softly and whispering back. "I don't like it when I see family hurt themselves on anything, leave alone drink... I'll... I'll tell you more later." She says, before jumping back as a large blade slides across her table. It was a black blade?... The drow takes his throwing axes and tosses them aside as well, onto the same table, along with Reaver. "May I present the two lovely ladies, a duel in their honour." He bows before Dean, and then raises his fists. "One involving fisticuffs... Splendid."

Dean cranes his neck up, down, left, and right. Shakingloose from a night's sleep, and limbering up for what was to come. "I've been waiting to take a crack at you since you opened your fat lips." he said as he cracked his knuckles

Alex nods slowly before yelping and growling at the tossed blade. She shoots the vampire a fiery glance before moving to Kouri's side again. "Careful or I'll mop the floors with you myself," she says half-heartedly, taking hold of Kouri's hand.

The vampire takes off his chest piece, arm armour, and gauntlets. "It's still not fair for you, but now at least you might get a hit in without hurting yourself." He states to Dean, raising his fists and bending his knees a little. "Shall you swing first or shall I?"

Dean follows suit until he's left with his linen top, and pants on. He rolls his sleeves up , and adopts his stance one again. "God forbid I give you a reason to complain when I beat you. We do this on equal footing."

"Just so you both can't complain later about no one saying anything... This is a bad idea," she snorts and grabs a new glass and sips from it. "Try not to break, maim, or kill each other. We still have bigger things to kill."

Hanus moves forward at a surprising speed, no longer encumbered by armour, and strikes out with his fist, hitting Dean right across the face and sending him sprawling onto a nearby table. Then, and only then, does Hanus crack the knuckles in his hand, all in a row, looking to Kouri and Alex and winking slyly.

Dean got up and shook his head out reeling from the hit he had just been dealt. He wasn't 100% what had happened, but it had landed him on his ass to be sure. He got back up to his feet, and closed in again. Keeping his arms high until he was close enough. At the right moment he fakes left, and swings in with his right quickly, aiming for Hanus' ribcage.

Hanus stumbles back as he is caught off-guard, not expecting Dean back up quite so quickly. He rubs his rib, then swings back at Dean, stumbling forward over a cup laying on the ground... Notable, there were no corpses left on the floor. They had all been cleaned up.

Dean stepped aside as Hanus came stumbling forward, and once he regained his balance Dean came forward again with what he had hoped would be an uppercut, but as he launched his fist upwards, Hanus deflected the blow, and shoved Dean away, this time sending Dean stumbling forward.

Hanus follows this up with a fist in Dean's gut, then smirks. "Come now, do better!"

Dean backs off after being sucker punched, but put the pain aside as he launches his foot forward coliding with Hamus chest, sending the drow hurtling into the bar, as Hamus ricochets off the bar Dean follows up by closing in, and punching him square in the jaw sending him off kilter to the right.

Hanus hits the bar, hard, and shakes his head as the fist comes flying towards him and knocks him off kilter. "Come now! HIT ME HARDER DEAN!" He growls, feeling anger build up.

Dean returns the suckerpunch that Hanus had dealt out to him, and after he had doubled over from impact Dean brought his knee up swiftly, making solid contact with the Drow's chin, and sending him staggering backwards.

Hanus stumbles to his feet, shaking himself out and then bull rushing into Dean, shoulder-checking him back a few feet onto Kouri & Alex's table. Kouri jumps back a bit, and then giggles. "Dean. Do me a favour. KICK HIS ASS!" She covers her mouth afterwards. She hadn't watched an actual, gloves-off outright brawl before, and in her 'honour' nonetheless! It was exciting.

Alex quickly picks up her drink from the table before Dean collides with it and looks to Hanus, "Watch where you throw people, I almost had to wear this."

Dean loses his breath from Hanus' colision, and as he hits the table he makes brief eye contact with Kouri "Uh, yeah, doing my best here..... Thanks." he got back up to his feet, and caught his breath. "You'll have to do better than that!"

Hanus charges at Dean and pins him to the table, getting ready to start beating his face in..

Dean forces Hanus back, and brings up his knees when there is space. As Hanus closes in again to reassert his pin Dean kicks out with both feet. Hitting him in the chest and stomach. He once again gets off the table. "Sorry about your drink Alex."

Hanus stumbles back, and then brings up his guard. "You? Wear that? Well then you'd have to change your clothes. I could help with that, naturally." He grins again, almost mocking Dean by not paying attention to him.

Alex rolls her eyes and leans back down against the table, "What Kouri said, Dean... And break his damn fang."

Dean lets out a groan at Hanus' comment, taking the oppurtonity of him not paying attention to close in and and kick at Hanus' left knee, causing him to fall on one knee. With the high ground he threw a blow down again at his face, striking him in the right cheek. "Don't you ever shut up?"

Hanus grins as he grabs Dean's leg. "No." He then tackles Dean onto the ground, pushing his good knee into Dean's gut. "Just give up already."

Dean prepares to defend for Hanus' strike. "You don't know me very well yet."

Hanus strikes out for Dean's face, hitting Dean's block. He hesitates, growls, and then steps off of Dean. "It's no fun to beat a man when he's down." He offers Dean his hand. "Sincerely, I'll lose it if I keep going, and it wouldn't be pretty for you."

"I'm not a very vain man Hanus. If you've got to lose it to win, then by all means take your shot." he said as he walked back over to his things. "Besides I was holding my own."

Hanus turns back, seeing his weapons knocked off the table. He kneels down and grabs them first, securing them and putting them beside his armour as he rubs his rib gingerly. "Not bad." He says, putting his armour back on quickly and putting all his weapons back on. All save Reaver, which he looks at with an almost animalistic understanding for a moment before putting it on his belt. "Your legs. Spread them apart a little more. Your stance had no strength. It's why I sent you around the room like a toy." He glances at Dean and smirks. "You hit like an orc though... Quite vicious."

Dean looked up as Hanus spoke to him. He was still putting his armor back on, and making sure everything was snug "Taught by an Orc, but thanks for the advice. Be sure to put it to good use nexxt time I beat your face around."

"Hmph. Next time I won't hold back." He states simply, before looking to Kouri and Alex and bowing. "For the ladies, of course."

Dean rolls his eyes. Unbelievable

Kouri shakes her head, yet smiles a little. It reminded her of all the idiots who vyed for her hand in court, what felt like... Ages ago. She looks Alex eye to eye, then makes sure she has a solid grip on her hand. "I need to talk to you." Kouri says simply, pointing for a private room. "It won't take long, something you should know."

Curiosity passes through her, alongside confusion... "Yeah, of course," she murmurs, starting towards the room. She wonders what it could be that she did not know already, or if she had perhaps done something wrong. Truthfully, she had been a bit more loose with her words than normal this morning, but that could not be what she wanted... Atleast, she tries to tell herself that.

[Andi]

Mikan looks around the city streets, eyes wide open at how busy things already were early in the morning. Shops were already open, and the streets were packed with people. Quietly as she slips through the crowd her eyes spot a rather large looking coin purse, and in an instant she bumps into her soon-to-be victim. "Oh! Sorry!" Mikan exclaims, the stranger merely nodding and not noticing that he was a little lighter as he walks on past. Mikan then slides back over to Salinï, a prideful grin upon her face as she shows off her prize. "Hah. Men. A cute face always makes em' forget to check their waist!"

She had merely watched and let Mikan do her thing, chuckling at the actions of the young woman. "Too cute and they might look back, noticing what you have in your hands." She says before enveloping the purse and Mikan's hand with her own to obscure it. "Now then... since you seem to have acquired some funds, after ordering some armor for me and Jamiahl as well as additional items I think it is time we get some more... suitable clothes for the Free Holds, desert clothing preferably if what we gathered was correct that.... milady wishes to travel into the desert." She did not say Kouri's name out loud, certain precautions had to be taken after all, not to mention that she would want to get out of Southblood quickly... with the warlord dead a power vacuum was in place and those always got messy...

Mikan nods, looking around at all the stands. There was one selling toys, another selling rat skull charms of various shapes and sizes, yet another selling dungeon guides and dragon guides, though they looked overly complex... Her eyes reach the sign on a moderately sized building with one floor, a clothing store. "Oooh! Goodie goodie goodie! Can we go there? Pleeeaassee?" Mikan said, a childlike life to her every move.

Salinï smiles and nods, "Of course... go and take what you want and need... I have a errand to run." She took hold of Mikan's arm and squeezes gently. "It will not take long, I promise." She had been at this market before and knew a certain stand that was selling specific set of items and she was planning to acquire one for the green haired woman before her, "Spare no expense and make sure to get something that will help you in the desert..." She said softly, cupping Mikan's cheek and caressing it before letting go and take a step back with a wink before disappearing into the crowd.

Mikan blinks, her smile wavering a little. She wanted to stay with Salinï, but those thoughts quickly evaporated as she opened the door slowly into a shop full of clothing. Clothing of all times. Some of it was even Rheinfelder! She darts all around the store, the store's owner staring in awe as a little green blur darted between racks of clothing. Finally, after a few minutes of this, Mikan takes her clothing of choice to a changing booth.

As she finishes changing into her new clothes she feels something furry slip past her leg, then run up her leg. She stumbles out of the clothing booth, her eyes wide open as she sees that something run up her stomach, past her chest and then--Oh, it was just Thane. A sigh of relief passes from her lips as Thane nuzzles into her cheek, her response being to nuzzle back. "You were the one who got people to help me, I bet. Such a smart little cute fuzzy thing! No wonder Elsha loved you so much!" The store owner looks over the counter, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "Eh'! You gonna buy that lady or what?... Oh, Rheinfelder. Nice choice." Mikan looks up, slowly standing up to finally fully reveal her choice in clothing...

"Nice choice indeed." Came a voice with appreciation from the doorway, Salinï was leaning against the doorframe, holding something behind her back as she let her gaze roam over Mikan with a smile. "Much better... and they suit you... though I hope you will get some warmer clothes... night can be cold out in the desert, unless you wish to rely solely on body heat..." She smirks at the shop owner after winking at Mikan, Mesharra's death had crushed both her and Jamiahl... but when during the height of their hunger this lovely creature came along... so similar, yet also vastly different in comparison to their sister but she had managed to start a healing process in her and Jamiahl so quickly.

Mikan blushes lightly, mumbling a thank you as she quietly pays the store owner, who merely whistles in appreciation. "Have a nice day now, though feel free to stay as long as you two like." The tone in the man's voice made it obvious what he wanted. Mikan rolls her eyes and then looks to Salinï, noticing that she was hiding something. "What'cha hidin' Sally?" She giggles, continuing to try to come up with new and different nicknames for the assassins. Thane, meanwhile, looks cautiously at Salinï, remaining on Mikan's shoulder and continuing to nuzzle into her neck and cheek.

Salinï turns to the creature on Mikan's shoulder, raising a eyebrow. "That one seems familiar..." She shook her head and smirked as she looked at Mikan. "Hiding? Well... you already seem to have a companion but still." She slowly started to bring her hands back to the front of her, talking all the while. "You spoke of what you had lost and that had me and Jamiahl thinking. There was one possession of yours that we could replace since even here her tale is well known and people make profit of it. So I hope you like this gift." She had both her hands extended now, laying bare upon them was a doll she had just bought, a plushie doll with a certain similarity to Kouri.

Mikan doesn't blink or giggle, or say anything. She just stares at the plushie, the black bead eyes almost seeming to stare back at her. It was a new plushie, a brand new one to boot. "Y-You... Got... Me a gift?..." She asks curiously, cautiously reaching out and quickly grabbing the plushie away, looking it up and down. That's when a smirk reaches her face as she leans in close to Salinï. "Aha! You want something for this, right? What's the catch." She asks.

Salinï raises a eyebrow at Mikan's words, surprised and puzzled and shakes her head. Eyes widening when the implication of Mikan's words hit her and she cups Mikan's chin and forces her to look her in the eyes. "I, and Jamiahl, decided to do this for you... because we care for you." She focused on the bond she and the green haired woman before her now shared and imparted her feelings, showing she was speaking nothing but the truth and trying to envelop her with nothing but warmth. "All I would want from this gift, is you to be happy and recover something you had thought lost to you."

The words hit her hard. Harder than anyone's words had ever hit her before. She had never thought that anyone would give a street rat like her something... Just because they wanted to. That was for women who were worth something in Rheinfelder society! No this... She looks at the Kouri plushie, then looks back to up Salinï, her voice cracking up as she speaks. "I... Nobody's... Ever given me a gift without a price before." She says, her eyes starting to water up. "...You would do this... Just for me? Really?" She says, barely able to hold back tears of happiness at being valued by someone this much.

Salinï smiles and nods, "Yes. Really. You are family... and more now." She envelops the younger woman in a warm embrace, not caring who saw or what they might think and leaned down for a soft kiss. "The only price perhaps, would be a smile... though I can... sense... that you love the gift."

Mikan's quivering lips immediately turn into a great, heartfelt smile as her arms wrap around Salinï tightly, a few tears of joy streaming down her cheeks as she buries her face in Salinï's neck. "Family... I've never had a family before... I've always wanted one." Her grip around Salinï tightens a little as she brings her face up to Salinï's face, Mikan's eyes were filled with a happiness that was truly genuine. A rare sight to see. "I love the gift, thank you, but at this moment I know what I love more... Or rather, who I love more." Her smile remains as she leans in to kiss Salinï one more time, bending one of her knees as she does so, leaning against Salinï lightly.

The corners of her mouth lift up in a smile as she kisses Mikan back, pulling back and grins. "Well then, glad to see the gift was welcomed like that." She turned around and saw the shop owner looking at both of them, grinning like a idiot. Rolling her eyes she pats Mikan's unoccupied shoulder, "Perhaps it is time to leave and get to the scorpion bar... before your friends think me and Jamiahl hurt you. As for you never having a family before... I think you underestimate the care your friends have for you... some were willing to tear apart every brick of the keep to find you.... which some of them even managed."

Mikan's eyes open widely. "Everyone came lookin' for little ole' me?..." Mikan giggles, her smile broadening even more than before. Now she looked downright smitten, almost like she was under a spell. She lifts the plushie up and pushes it in front of Salinï. "I cannot wait to tease ev-er-y-bo-day with this!" She then pulls it away as Thane hops off of her shoulder and scrambles onto Salinï's shoulder, nuzzling into her damp neck almost to say 'thanks.' "Sooo... Which way to the bar?" She asks curiously.

Salinï flinched and almost reached for a knife but it seemed the furry creature seemed friendly and after a moment of caution she reaches out and pets it along the back with her fingertips. "Affectionate little fellow... oh of course, her let me lead the way." She said with a smile, wrapping a arm around Mikan's waist. "Time to put the worries of the others at ease with your reappearance."

[Tempest]

============================
Kouri & Alex – Private Rooms
============================

Kouri closes the door behind herself and Alex, it was their room from earlier. Kouri sighs and then looks Alex eye to eye, a familiar commanding look to them. "Sit down. This might be a lot to take in."

Alex slowly moves to the chair and turns it about, sitting in it backwards and leaning over the back. Her nerves are on fire now, wondering just what could be so serious. She rubs over her cheek slowly, looking at Kouri, "What is it?"

Kouri sighs, then walks over to the bed, pulling a small piece of parchment out from underneath the pillow. She then lights her hand aflame, watching as the fire eagerly licked at the parchment, almost as if to give an example. "I can't destroy it with my magic... It's protected by the Royal Archiver's signature." She lets the fire go, then brings it up to her lips and whispers the password to open it. Finally, she hands it to Alex. "...It's Sisera's birth certificate. Apparently he is..."

She takes the paper in her hand, inspecting it and turning it over in her hand. She rubs over her jaw, a touch confused. She could make out a good deal of the words, though the way it is written is fairly hard to decipher, the preferred way of transcription changed over the ages. "Where... Exactly did this come from?" she asks, looking up at Kouri in astonishment. If Sisera were an heir, it made many things easier... but also brought about a whole new set of problems.

Kouri sits down, looking at the ground somberly for a moment. She still hadn't taken it all in herself. "Sisera got it from... From..." A chill runs down her spine as she looks to the door, wondering if Sarah could somehow hear them now. "...Her."

She grips the document a bit tighter in her hand as that detail sinks in. Her thoughts that some things could be solved shatter in an instant. She jumps from her chair, knocking it over in her haste and says in a low hiss, "Then this document has no true weight. If it comes from that conniving snake..." She fights back a growl, clearing her throat and pushes it back in Kouri's hands. "That... woman... No, that thing... I knew she was playing us somehow... And now here it is."

Kouri stands up, blinking in confusion. "It has the royal archiver's seal, it's old enough to be..." She sighs and looks down at the floor. "..I don't know.. What would she have to gain?"

"We all know Sarah can procure whatever she wants... She has her means," Alex paces over the floor, mussing up her hair before sighing in frustration. "What to gain?... You saw how she treated Sisera earlier... A toy, I think. It would be quite a big thing to have someone like that in favour of you.. Not now, unless..." Alex pauses and tries to move her mindset to something more conniving, bringing herself to Sarah's level. She shakes her head, "There is something. I just know it... I just, can't put my finger on it."

Kouri sighs once more, throwing the document and watching as it had just enough weight to make it hit the wall opposite of the bed. She sits down on it and rests her face in her hands once more. "Am I doing all of this just to fall into a ploy?..." She asks somberly.

She moves to sit next to Kouri, leaning against her lightly. "I think... That given the source, we should take it with a grain of salt... or perhaps a spoonful. Maybe on this, she is telling the truth... But, I think we're playing with half a deck while everyone around slips the aces into their own grasps." She pauses before looking up at the ceiling... The wooden planks above that remind her of the ship. "While enemies surround us, trust is a luxury... So we must take in everything with an openly wary mind," she repeats something Val had once told her. "Sisera, perhaps, I would believe... But..."

"But because it's from Sarah, you doubt it." Kouri smiles bitterly, and then looks at the document lying on the floor. "Mm... If the Royal Archiver were still alive, we could talk to her about it. Or an arcane mage, like... Isolde..." She bites looks at the ceiling with Alex, some sorrow welling up in her eyes. "Isolde..."

Alex leans in and touches her nose to Kouri's cheek. "For a vampire, she wasn't so bad," she murmurs. The rest of her words sink in before she finally speaks up, "For now, we should keep this all quiet. No point in announcing this to the world unless we can be sure... We'll find someone who can give it a good once over when we can."

"Alright..." Kouri whispers as she grasps Alex's hand. "Regardless..." She chokes back her sea of emotions, looking Alex eye to eye, coldly. "I cannot allow Sisera to rule... I cannot." She looks at the document, almost willing it to burn but the paper's anti-magic powers still resist her. "He is not fit to rule... Not emotionally, not mentally, not physically... Regardless of whether he has the blood or not... Regardless of how I've led him to believe that I always thought he was my 'long lost brother'... I... He's a good person, he was always there for me when I was younger, but I need to rule..." Her determination was back, full swing, a fire in her eyes that had gone dormant throughout their entire stay in Southblood... It was back. With more power than before. Her grip around Alex's hand tightens somewhat. "...So long as I have you... I can make it, I will make it, and we will rule together... One way or another."

She raises Kouri hand around her own to her lips and kisses over her knuckles, admiring that passion back in the woman's eyes. "And it will be so, Kouri..." A grin flickers across her lips, "This... is the right decision, you know... and it is nice to see that glimmer in your eyes once more."

"Well, someone needs to rule." Kouri smiles, resting her hand upon Alex's cheek and then bringing a finger, slowly, over her lips. "Besides... I don't believe there has been a kingdom with two Queens before... I'd like to see one."

Giving a small pout, Alex says teasingly, "Aww, so I can't be a pretty, pretty princess then?" She can hardly hold back the laughter.

Kouri jabs Alex in the side, shaking her head and smiling softly. "Sure, a pretty princess, with all the most eloquent dresses... Who still can't read, hmm?" She teases softly.

Alex wrinkles her nose, "I can count and write my own name. That's more than some people back home can say!" She pauses before asking, "I don't suppose princesses are allowed to wear pants underneath their dresses, huh?"

Kouri shakes her head. "Though, if a princess wants to be seductive, she wears dark stockings underneath a one tone dress, like blue or red... Maybe white if you can find one solid enough that people cannot see through the stocking. Then just a small slit in the dress to show off the legs, and... Mmm, I'm sure you in that dress would get all the knights bowing and begging." Kouri was... Trying to be crude, perhaps? She was trying to learn from Alex.

A smirk comes to her lips, "Please, I bet a princely outfit would drive a certain royal mad... I could tie my hair back and everything, I'm sure!" As if to give an example, she holds her hair up with one hand and gives her most serious, regal look while crossing her other arm over her chest before busting out laughing.

Kouri chuckles, and then frowns a little as Alex brings her arm over her chest. Her eyes wander to Alex's stomach, and then her own. "A prince, huh..." She mutters, thinking a little. "...Regardless of Sisera, I'll need an heir... That's the other issue we need to address..."

Her silly attitude drops at those words and a small frown appears between her furrowed brow. "That... is true," she admits slowly.

"I didn't want to bring this up... Thus earlier in the bar..." She sighs. "I don't want to hurt you... But I don't know how I can fix this without, well..." Quietly she rests her head against Alex's chest. It was a lot to deal with in one morning, on top of all that had happened over the past few days.

Alex draws her arm around Kouri and trails her fingers through her long, blue hair, trying to be comforting. "It's fine. I know that's something that needs to happen... And, when it comes time to do something about it... We'll face that together," she whispers softly.

Kouri nuzzles up against Alex, smiling softly. "I hope so..." She says, wrapping her arms around Alex tightly. "You know... Though... You really would look dashing as a prince."

============================
Taigyn & Amora – Private Rooms
============================

A blurred haze, sunlight filters through his eyelids creating a soft red light. Incoherent slurs pass his lips as he tries to slip into consciousness. His whole body feels leaden and sore after the events at the keep yesterday. Pain lances through his skull as synapses finally begin to register and the world about him blooms into light. He goes to push himself up and clutch his head, but out of nowhere, the white hot lance of agony jolts through his shoulder, arm, and side. A scream of his suffering leaves his lips as he suddenly forgets his migraine and grips his arm, holding it close against his body, cradling the injured limb like a delicate child. Tears flow freely now as he experiences all of yesterday’s endeavors crashing upon his body all at once.

His hand investigates slowly over his bare chest and slowly comes to the alcohol soaked rag packed into the gunshot. With a growl, he tears it out and spies the inflammation and infection settling in. He blinks back the tears, touching his fingertips to the edges. As he draws it back, the pussy gunk comes off, sticking to his fingers that he wipes off onto the sweat soaked sheets. He looks around the room and spies his armour on the floor. He edges pieces away with his foot before awkwardly garbing himself from the waist down with one hand. His eyes fall to the arm pieces and he sighs. After donning an earthy-red shirt, he rolls the sleeve up on his injured arm delicately before easing the armour onto his other. All the cinches, he pulls tight with his teeth. He looks down at himself with a small laugh. Either someone would have to help him with the rest, or this would be how he would go into battle… At least it was comforting to have some of the protection and the pair of weapons at his hip.

With a grunt, he stands up and scoots the last of his gear into a small pile… All save for his tome, which he tucks snugly into his pant-line. Satisfied that the belt will hold it in place, he goes in search of Amora. He raps his knuckles against the door quietly and listens closely for an answer… When none come, he eases the door open quietly and peers in through the crack. He calls out a tentative hello as he enters in completely and scans the corners. The room is empty, at least mostly. Sitting neatly on the bed, as if carefully placed there, as if with love rather than carelessly tossed. He looks behind himself before closing the door. Insatiable curiosity draws him forward despite the prickling sensation that this would defy any of the man’s trust.

He sits lightly upon the bed and lifts the book onto his lap, his other arm hanging limply by his side. The Templar chews the inside of his cheek as he darts one last glance at the door, before his fingers trace up along the pages. As if handling a newborn child, he fingers through the book before flipping to a random page. An ink sketch of a timber wolf is etched upon the aged page. Words sprawl out over the pages. A few, he can make out… Words of magic he has been studying. The rest are completely illegible. He follows the lines of the words, feels over the image, transfixed. A small laugh leaves his lips as he thumbs through the pages, spying a different sort of wolf, an owl… He stops as the medium used on the page changes. His eyes widen as he holds the text open on his lap to a single page… Blood is crudely scribbled on the page in the image of a woman. No words accompany this image. This time, he refrains from touching the pictures on the pages. He simply gazes, lost in thought. And worry that he has stumbled onto something he should not have.

As Taigyn reaches the blood picture he feels something grip at his limbs. His eyes are forced to close and he starts to hear in the background, growing louder and louder... 'Help me...' The sounds of fire crackling in the distance, the voice of a young man panicking, the smell of smoke. He feels his hand start to shake, starting to move towards the page, and then...

"TAIGYN!" The voice rang out clearly. The grip, the whispers and the smell of smoke vanish in an instant as he is brought back to his senses. The door slams shut behind Amora, a grave look upon his face. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY BOOK!"

Still quaking throughout his whole body, Taigyn looks up to Amora with wide, fear-ridden eyes. “Amora… What is this? Who is this woman?” he murmurs out, feeling chilled to his core. “I heard her… I HEARD HER!” he shouts out, the terror at what just happened increasingly apparent.

Amora walks over to Taigyn and without warning or a second thought, punches Taigyn's wounded arm, knowing it would hurt the most there as he snatches his book out of Taigyn's hands. "Shut up!" Amora says with a low growl of anger, looking through the pages until he found the image of his wife, quickly looking over it with crazed eyes to make sure that Taigyn didn't damage it.

He fights back the howl of pain, drawing it back into a snarl as he grabs at his arm. He rocks back and forth, eyes closed tight, fighting back the tears, trying to reign himself in. After a moment, he looks up at Amora with fiery eyes, jumping up, ready to strike the man down. He stops, taking a slow breath to enable himself to relax. “Is she the reason for how you act?” he looks over Amora scrupulously, trying to capture any reaction of his. “That’s why that book is so important to you…” sorrow passes over his face for the doctor.

Amora glares stubbornly at Taigyn for a moment, and then looks down at the bloody image of his wife, regret filling his eyes as he draws his fingers across the page, slowly, caringly. "...I don't have to answer that." He states simply, attempting to avoid the questions.

“Of course,” Taigyn fidgets at the way the man reacts to the book. Just from the way Amora is treating it, he has no doubt the woman was a dear lover of his. The Templar picks through his words carefully, “You don’t have to tell me… But, I think if everyone knew why you’re with us, what is going on… Why that book is so important… Then they’ll help you however they can.”

"They wouldn't understand." Amora states coldly, closing the book slowly and putting it underneath his arm. "Besides that. Then they might actually care about me. Then I might feel guilty when I don't save them, or even get them killed to suit my own needs." He coldly glares at Taigyn, tension in his every muscle. "Is there something else you want..."

He wants to argue and to pry more into the subject. Yet, with how defensively Amora is treating the subject, he reluctantly lets it drop. “Well, I’m sure you noticed with how you struck me… But, I think my arm is broken. Do you think you could help me out on this?”

Amora looks at Taigyn's arm, then sets the book down onto the desk beside his doctor's kit. He then looks at the ingredients. They seemed out of place. He narrows his eyes, and then remembers the night before. "She liked it alphabetical..." He mutters quietly aloud to Taigyn, finishing arranging the alchemical ingredients before finally grabbing what he needed to set Taigyn's arm. "You should have come to me last night, could have gotten yourself killed to fever."

A soft rumble of a laugh leaves his throat, “Oh, that would have been a blessing after everything else…” He closes his eyes and brushes the hair sticking to his forehead away. “No, I figured you would have your hands full with Teila. She needed your attention far more than I did… This? Just a flesh wound,” he shrugs noncomitally before wincing. Waiting for Amora to get everything in order, he clears his throat and asks quietly, “What was she like?”

Amora moves back to his kit, pulling out a bottle of hard liquor. The wound desperately needed cleaning... Liquor killed everything. He turns and approaches Taigyn, getting hit with the question as he uncorks the bottle. He hesitates, his eyes darkening a little as he recalled warm memories. "A peasant girl, beautiful and intelligent and wickedly adept at magic who gave up a chance to join the esteemed Mage's Guild... Just to marry an orphan noble who spent all his time reading books and taking care of the estate... To put it simply... She was perfect." He then proceeds with grabbing Taigyn's arm, holding it as still as he could, and then pouring the liquor on the wound. It wasn't like there wasn't an abundance of liquor here to get anyway.

He gnashes his teeth, light flaring behind his eyes before black spots dot across his vision. He pants heavily, looking away from Amora and his word. Taigyn tries to keep his mind on anything but his arm. His mind keeps flitting back to the woman, though… “She sounds like a wonderful woman, Amora,” the plea and the vision waft back to the front of his thoughts, “I understand it means little, but I am sorry.”

Amora lowers his head somewhat as he tips the bottle to his lips and takes a swig. It was something he'd never done before--drink on the job. The gutbuster from earlier wasn't doing much though. A shame, really. He drops the now empty bottle onto the floor, pulling out some bandages and getting to work making a sling. "Don't be. I'm going to save her, and she'll have a nicer life than before. She'll get to live with a princess. Talking about dresses, and hair dyes, and their hus--.... Spouses." He says the last word with a little apprehension, finishing the sling as he then takes it off to get to work with the rest of his bandages working on his shoulder. "...I don't know about you but I'm not... Entirely comfortable with Kouri's choice." He states simply.

A small chuckle bubbles from him at that last comment. “Ah, so I’m not the only one uncertain about that… Certainly poses a lot of problems as royalty, but considering Alex’ history as a pirate… All sorts of political issues to come if Kouri gets her dream to take off.” He chews the inside of his cheek again, it was becoming raw and starting to bleed some. “I don’t think I can understand her choice to be with any woman, to be honest. They appear to love each other, sure… but, well, it is still hard to wrap my head around. My views with these things are very… traditional, I suppose you could say.”

"Yet another thing we have in common." Amora mumbles as he finishes bandaging Taigyn's arm, then gets the sling in and places Taigyn's arm in the sling. He then tightens the sling a little and grimaces. "Normally I'd say it'll take you two weeks to heal that. However..." He thinks to Os'Falan, and then Teila. "I'll get one of our other healers to speed the process up." He states simply, leaving specific names out of it. He then stands up and walks over to his summoning tome, flipping through the pages until he reaches his wife's page. Taigyn hears a few quiet whispers from the book, and then sees a pair of ghostly, misty arms, almost like smoke, wrap around Amora for a moment "She was beautiful..." He mutters, repeating what he said earlier. They vanish as he closes the book again.

A chill runs down his spine at the sight of the apparition. Every part of his training screamed at him to do something, to destroy the book. Yet, still, that look in Amora’s eyes. The same way he would look at the only piece of Julianne he had. He looks away for a moment and speaks up, “You say healers?... So even with Seoran gone, there are others… If I might ask, I would prefer not to have Teila see to my wounds.”

"Hah! She requires rest. Not to be bothered by you or anyone else right now, anyway." He says rather quickly, looking into his doctor's kit and finding a great, and worrying, absense of space. He places his book into the doctor's kit, then puts what remaining alchemical ingredients he has away. "I'll need to head out into the city shortly. I'm sure you can pay for a healer there if you would prefer... Os'Falan may also be able to help. Bards have non-magical ways of healing people." He states, lying through his teeth but not really caring. Taigyn needed healing. Didn't matter from who, or what. "...Speaking of Teila, I should... Check in on my patient."

He gives Amora a wary glance before nodding. “Very well, I will first talk to Os’Falan, I suppose. From there, perhaps I will have to seek a healer…” He rubs his face with his free hand, wiping away a layer of sweat. “I would be careful of the half-elf woman, Amora. There were some very… concerning events last night regarding her. It may be for the best if I told everyone and we decide from there what to do, but I am not about to see us abandon her here in a fragile state when she saved Mikan.”

"Abandon her? I don't think so. It's not happening. I will not..." He stops, looking to his book for a moment before slinging his doctor's kit on. "...Look, just get to Os'Falan." He leaves his private room, and starts heading for Teila's room instead, leaving Taigyn alone to contemplate what happened to him earlier.

[Brovo]

"I will watch you. For the ability to heal wounds and injuries at such a pace is a trait of great warriors of old, Dean." -Page 51, Amora.

Graith pushed open the door to the bar, letting the bright sunlight illuminate the poorly lit bar. What he saw didn’t impress him, but not a lot did in the freeholds. There were a half-dozen or so patrons having their own conversations, only pausing briefly to look up at Graith and Jamiahl. Stepping inside, the thief gestured towards the bar “Well then… fancy a drink, my dear?”

Jamiahl followed the thief, Graith, inside the Scorpion Bar and looked around at the faces, most were ones she had seen before in the company surrounding Kouri, there was a new face, dark elf, drow, who seemed... wrong to her for some reason as she continued looking. Teila was nowhere to be seen and that unsettled her for a moment but then Graith had said something about a drink. "A drink... yes." She decided not to address the dear part, if she and her sister needed more thralls then perhaps this one might be approached but for now their new one and Teila were sufficient... at least for now. Again she looked around, she was a bit worried about the lack of presence of Teila and wondered if she knew about Mesharra, the brief memory of her dead sister made her stumble as she was distracted by a moment of grief before she restored herself, now was not the time to once again be lost in grief.

Hanus turns and spots the newcomers, a smirk reaches his lips as he spots not one, but two delicious looking people. Yet as his eyes drifted over the woman, an unsettling feeling wraps itself around his guts. The way she moved, was almost... Predatory. "Who are you two?" He asks, the smirk faltering somewhat as he leans against the bar.

Sarah leaves the basement, silently moving behind the bar and glancing between Graith and Jamiahl, but remaining oddly silent.

Moving to stall her stumble, a hint of confusion tinged Graith’s face. “Maybe you should hold off on the drink?” he offered “Perhaps a seat would be the better choice?” Turning to the Drow, Graith put on his best showman’s smile, held out his arms in a grandiose fashion, and addressed him “I am Graith Longshot, master thief of the Freeholds. Who might you be, my dark-skinned fellow?”

Jamiahl studied the Drow for a moment, she kept feeling he was... wrong for her, strange he was not unattractive but she had a feeling he would not do at all. She inclined her head a little, "Jamiahl." She simply said, surveying the room further and when she took a tall barstool to sit upon as Graith suggested, it had been a tiring walk over half of Southblood to gather the whereabouts of the pistol secured in one of her pouches. She then glanced at the bar and who was behind it and seeing a woman, she recoiled as if slapped, nostrils flaring, this one... was even more wrong than the Drow and gave her a urge to fight... though most of her mind screamed that doing that would be suicidal and she should better run. Trying to calm herself and keep acting... 'normal' she remained seated and look instead back to the Drow and Graith.

They leave the room together, Kouri and Alex. Walking side-by-side, her arm around Kouri's waist, Alex cannot help but have a broad grin sprawled out across her face. As they enter the main area of the bar, Alex notices the new arrivals. Her heart picks up speed a fraction at the sight of Jamiahl. She opens her mouth to say something, quickly dismisses it asks instead, "Where's Mikan? Is she okay?"

Hanus grins, openly showing off his fangs for a moment to Graith. "Longshot? I think I've heard that name before. You stole a rabbit, yes?" He chuckles, and then continues. "Hanus "Cryptwolf" Wolfslayer, at your service." He bows eloquently, noticing out of the corner of his eyes that Kouri and Alex had entered the room, the arm around Kouri's waist... Hmph. Oh well. It was merely a challenge which he would overcome later, surely. "I am a Drow." He states simply, pulling out an axe at his waist. "And this is Reaver, my Axe." He then points out Sarah. "And that's Sarah Darkhammer. The Abomination's Wife." He then sheathes his axe once more.

Graith laughed at the mention of the rabbit “Yes, I am the daring rogue who risked life and limb to save that rabbit! Good pay, great fun. If we are here for a while, I might regale with you with that tale. As for the company you keep… I am sure she told you she was Miss Darkhammer, but the holds are full of people claiming to be oh so many things…” He notices the two lovely women coming into the barroom, the taller one’s armed wrapped around a blue-haired beauty. “Oh the possibilities there…” he mused to himself quietly before returning his attention to the Drow “So, what brings you to this… place, Hanus?”

"Adventure." He states, shrugging with boredom. "Oh, and the women." He points subtly towards Alex and Kouri, then looks to Sarah. "...But not this one." Sarah pulls her hood back, rolling her hand over Graith's cheek and leaving a bit of frost behind. "You could always kiss me and find out if you would live." Sarah remarks, a cold smile on her lips.

“Adventure, women, gold…. great reasons to be part of any escapade!” Graith chortles, slapping Hanus on the back before turning his attention to Mrs “Darkhammer”. “I make a point of not kissing strange women without first getting to know them, and you do not seem like someone I should get to know, sad to say. Maybe another time.” he concluded with a humorless smile. This woman was one of two things 1) a rather stupid con-woman (which he had no time for or 2) she was the real deal, in which case Graith did not want to get to chummy with her.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____________________

Jamiahl turned to see Alex and Kouri come into view, noticing how they walk and cling to each other. She saw the grin on Alex's face falter the moment she saw her, Jamiahl too faltered, she knew exactly what happened in those tunnels before she had been knocked out. Turning to both her and Kouri she bowed her head, "Mikan is fine, she and Salinï are in the city. Acquiring new garments for Mikan to replace those she lost."

Kouri looks at Jamiahl, feeling a bit of jealousy well up. She knew what happened. She knew it was magically influenced, and that the sisters supposedly couldn't control themselves... Still. She lets go of Alex, smiling softly and letting her hand drift slowly down Alex's arm before finally returning to her side. "Oh, that's... Good, I guess... What happened?"

It was reassuring to know Mikan was alright, but then the worry for the thief was replaced by a flicker of something else. She moves her hands in front of herself, fingers running over the ring on her hand and spinning it in small circles. She keeps her gaze upon her hands, a bit of guilt welling up and muting the confused mess inside her mind.

Jamiahl looked briefly around theb ar for a moment before returning her gaze to the two women. "Perhaps it is better to talk of what happened away from prying ears." She said simply.

Kouri stands up and sighs. This would be... The second time they would head to a private room immediately after entering the main room? "Let us go, then."

As soon as Kouri turns around to lead the way Jamiahl can't help herself she looked at Alex, noticing how she keeps caressing over a ring on her finger, not knowing or realizing the meaning of that gesture she shrugs it off, feeling a small thrill go through her before she looked back to Kouri and decided to follow her. Salinï had told her briefly after Mikan had passed out what she had done... and she was wondering how the blue haired woman tasted in compared to Alex's lips... Shaking her head to banish the thoughts she made to follow, unconsciously adding some more sway in her hips as she walked.

Lost for a moment, she did not realize Kouri or Jamiahl moving away. She looks up and quickly takes to coming up behind the duo. Her gaze slowly lowers and fixates on the motion of the assassin's body unconsciously. She swallows hard and quickly averts her gaze, her hands working the edges of her sleeves to the point it begins to fray.

Kouri opens the door to one of the private rooms, motioning for Jamiahl and Alex to enter first. "Please." She says simply, looking to Alex and smiling reassuringly.

Jamiahl enters, crossing her arms as she look for a somewhat comfortable spot against the wall to lean against and looks at Kouri and Alex as they enter. As soon as the door closed she spoke, directing her words to both, looking from one to the other. "You know the state I... both of us were in?" She said simply, referring to both herself and her sister, Salinï.

Alex gives a wry smile back before moving to sit on the bed rather dejectedly. Meekly, she nods and tries to keep her gaze down. "Yes, we know..." she manages to mumble out.

Kouri closes the door behind herself as Alex enters, immediately following Alex and sitting beside her. She hesitates, and then lets the jealousy melt away as she wraps an arm around Alex's back reassuringly and warmly, holding Alex against herself as she looks up to Jamiahl and nods. "Yes. I am... Aware." She says cautiously, trying to keep the memories of Salinï's approaches away.

Jamiahl's eyes lingered on the two of them and the affection they had for each other and she allowed herself the faintest of smiles. "It seems not to have damaged what the two of you have." After saying that the smile vanished replaced by her look of casual neutrality. "Last night Salinï was about to..." She trailed off looking at Alex, "It does not matter, if she had stayed long enough when I woke... something might have happened, instead Mikan came and took her place... and last time I checked she could not be happier." She paused before she continued. "Is Teila safe." She said in a small voice, Salinï had not said much about Teila, claiming to know little due to the events surrounding their hunger and Jamiahl was worried... ever since Mesharra's death that Teila too was in danger.

She has some doubts in her mind about Mikan truly being happy... Not with the way she had left her. As the question of Teila comes up, a bit of panic wells up in her. "She's safe," she blurts out without hesitation. She has no clue, though. She had not seen Teila since they left. In her mind, though, it seems wiser to let her believe what she would like than to trigger another reaction like with Mesharra... At least until they were not stuck in the same room with her alone.

Kouri nods and quickly adds onto what Alex said, her eyes not leaving Jamiahl's and not showing a hint of deception. "Teila is recovering after Amora healed her. He is one of the best doctors I have ever met, and I had access to some of the best doctors and clerics when I was younger." She finally breaks eye contact, looking to Alex with a little concern in her eyes. Alex was... Acting strangely.

Jamiahl nods slowly, some relief and gratitude for the news in her eyes. "Thanks." She looked from Alex to Kouri, deciding to speak up after a moment's hesitation. "Alex is acting... in a similar way you would act if I were my sister and within this room or elsewhere. As for Mikan again..." She pats the pouch with the gun in it. "Once she and my sister have returned you can see for yourselves how she is and judge for yourself if she is better or worse."

She shrugs to Kouri slightly before looking slowly between her and Jamiahl. She wonders at what is in that pouch... More strange herbs comes to mind. "We'll see when she's here..." Alex trails off distractedly, "What do you mean by her acting like... this?" She can't help taking in the details of the assassin, biting the inside of her cheek.

Kouri looks at Alex, resisting the urge to look away shamefully. "We're both affected by them." She says simply, looking to the ring on her finger and calming, smiling softly and tightening her grip around Alex somewhat. "I'm guessing by some kind of magic." She hopes quietly that it was magic. She didn't like the answer if it wasn't magic.

"It's not magic." Jamiahl said bluntly. She shrugged and continued. "Well not exactly..." She sighed and closed her eyes letting her head rest against the back of the wall. "My sisters.... sister... can explain better."

She lets out a short, bitter laugh at the two of them. She had felt it before, but to a lesser degree, with Mesharra. Now it was happening again, stronger. It was not like what she felt with Kouri, but still. Comments from Gold-eyes about herself being unfaithful ring in Alex' mind. "We'll have to talk to Salini about it then, I suppose," she speaks out. She wonders if it even matters, if it can change, if there was a chance Kouri and Jamiahl would-- She looks quickly at the floor again, and slips her hand quickly under the sleeve of her shirt. The metal band presses into her forearm and burns. It brings tears to Alex' eyes, but distracts her mind.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____________________

Mikan bursts into the Scorpion Bar, immediately colliding with Hanus whom was attempting to leave. She giggles, looking up to see Hanus' face. "You remind me of someone I used to know... Heh." She whispers, Hanus grunting in responding adjusting his two handed blade on his back. "Let me guess. He had red skin and spouted lines about taking over the world." Hanus then brushes past Mikan, heading out the door to go peruse the market. Mikan looks back, blinking hesitantly. "...Well, you're half right." She murmurs before looking forward, a chill immediately running down her spine upon spotting the cloaked figure behind the bar. "...And you are?" Mikan asks hesitantly. "Nobody you need to know just yet, street rat, though I think it best that you go see Kouri and Alex. They're in the room three doors down on your right in the hall." Mikan blinks, then looks back for Salinï. "...Leeaaad the way?" It was an excuse for her to look at Salinï's... Hips, certainly, but it wasn't like she really minded her looking at the lovely sight... Right?

Salinï allowed herself a chuckle and placed a hand on Mikan's shoulder and smirks, she had a feeling why she had to move in front of the thief. "Of course." She said and moved in front of Mikan, surveying the bar, the goblin shaman seemed to be lost in a book, vaguely recalling he was lost in it last night as well she shrugged, look back for a moment at where the drow and the figure in orange had left to go outside. Those were new, she shrugged and returned her gaze to the bar, she had seen Mikan react... in a interesting manner and when Salinï let her eyes wander to the bar she could understand. She felt a small shiver and feeling of dread when she looked at the woman and seemed to sense... a wrongness upon her. She chocked back the feeling however and for a moment glared daggers at this... woman. "You are a dangerous one..." She said with narrowed eyes, blinking and pulling back a hand that somehow had found it's way to where she had sheathed her dirk.

"Come on Mikan." She said looking away from the woman and following her directions to a door and knocked, waiting for a moment before opening and entering, seeing both Alex and Kouri in one corner and Jamiahl against the wall. "Greetings." She said, looking at Alex... before settling her gaze on Kouri.

Kouri shudders, not in fright but neither in pleasure. The memory of last night flooded back to her. It was... Disquieting to say the least. She holds Alex a little tighter, then smiles broadly as Mikan comes running into the room. "Hey Alex! Gueeessss what!" Mikan pulls out the Kouri Plushie and puts it in her face. "Tada!"

Her mind was elsewhere as Kouri tightens her hug, but Alex gives it back. Until she is surprised by Mikan shoving something into her face. She reels back a little before she sees its a doll. Her mouth hangs open as she furrows her brow in confusion. "What... is.. Mikan, that doll is just a touch disturbing," she laughs.

Salinï smiles at Mikan's behavior and moved to her sister nodding. "Talking to them I see?" Jamiahl just nodded, something like mirth in her eyes as she watched Mikan showing off her new plushie. "Have they brought up what happened last night?" Again Jamiahl nodded, followed by a so-so gesture. "I see... how is Teila." Jamiahl shrugged and finally spoke. "They tell me she is fine, she needed that book carrying doctor but she was recovering." Salinï let out a brief sigh of relief upon hearing it. "Thank the crone..." She looked back to Mikan and whispered. "Did you get it?" Jamiahl nodded, giving Salinï a smile upon seeing the gesture. "Good... then after that we might need to talk to Mikan about something..."

Mikan perks her head up and looks back to Salinï and Jamiahl. "Talk about what?" She asks curiously, moving closer to them as Kouri watches Mikan leave the plushie in Alex's lap. She looks at the plushie for a moment, certain thoughts swirling about in her mind. Nostalgia. "Marcus..." She whispers under her breath, only Alex could overhear what she said. Mikan looks between Salinï and Jamiahl, then looks back to Alex and Kouri. "...Need some privacy?"

A feint moment of sorrow passes through her at the loss of Marcus, drawing her dangerously closer towards her mood last night before she saw Kouri. She looks at the plushie and lifts it up in both hands, her thumbs feeling over the fabric. "Maybe, Mikan. I think there is something we need to discuss with the assassins. Considering..." she pauses and looks at the green-haired girl, "What I think happened between you three last night, you might as well stay, though." She had just left Mikan there... If what she was feeling was indeed a strange side-effect of a simple kiss, she can hardly imagine what it had done to Mikan.

Salinï looked around the room, walking to Mikan and placing both her hands on Mikan's shoulder. "I suppose there is need for some talk, yes. But first-" she turned Mikan's head looking warmly at the young thief and smiled. "-Why don't you tell your friends what happened a little and how you feel about so they can see you are indeed happy."

Mikan blinks in confusion, then turns back to face Alex and Kouri, nodding happily though still plainly confused. "I felt afraid, and they made me feel better..." She tries to think of way to put it that wouldn't offend the princess, then looks at the plushie and smiles warmly. "Salinï bought me that... Didn't put a price on it or anything... Just to see me smile."

A knot twists in her own stomach. She had kept slipping between fear and enjoyment last night with the assassin. Was this really what Mikan would be saying -- The same girl bawling about demons? Or was it a side-effect? She gives Kouri a slightly concerned look before looking away. She wants to just leave this room now. It is stuffy and uncomfortable being in here with Kouri and the two assassins. Kouri may have forgiven her, but she cannot let it go herself.. She would have slipped last night, would have welcomed Salini's embrace...

She nodded Jamiahl forward and together both sisters turned to Kouri and Alex. "For our part... we apologize for our actions toward you, both of you." Salinï was saying, "We were.. not ourselves... or well we were ourselves but influenced by our hunger..." She had the notion to look somewhat embarrassed. "If we could take back some of the things we would... but what's done is done, you said so as much Kouri but I ask again, will you allow us to keep travelling with this group?"

Kouri nods, avoiding eye contact with Salinï as she continues to hold Alex against her. This seemed rather tough on her... Kouri looked concerned. "Yes. If only because we need all the allies we can get." She says simply, and truthfully.

She keeps silent, knowing Kouri's verdict on the matter was correct. She strongly wishes them to leave, though. They would be there with them constantly on the road.. May even be forced to be alone together again. A slight chill runs down her spine at that idea. Though, truthfully it was not entirely for the troublesome implications..

Salinï let the verdict for what it was and nodded. "Very well... now then you had questions? Or is the matter settled?" For now she added in silence.

Kouri looks at Mikan, and then motions to the door. "Now I'll need that privacy, Mikan." Mikan frowns playfully. "Aww." Kouri then grabs the plushie of herself, looking at it and chuckling. "I'm sure there's a couple men outside this room you can tease to death with this." She tosses the plushie over to Mikan, who grins with a wicked look to her eyes. "Oohhh yes. There is. Mwahahahaha!" She leaves the room, chipper as can be, Kouri sighing. She had never seen Mikan quite so happy before... Well, no that wasn't true. There was at least... One other time... On a ship. Still. Now was not the time for nostalgia. "Salinï... Is this magic or something else that affects us?" Kouri asks simply, her grip around Alex loosening a little.

Salinï sighed and rubbed her eyes, focusing her thoughts on the mater. "In the simplest of terms and explanations... what both of you are experiencing in simply a... increase of libido... attraction... towards me and Jamiahl. And as you noticed, yes it affects both of you... but it can't really force your hand, it simply... lowers boundaries a little and allows you to... explore." She shrugged before she continued. "It's part of who and what we are... part succubi and what we use to... survive."

She feels happier for a moment, that it was not just an inner problem... But she crushes that feeling. "Is there a way to stop this?" she asks slowly. She needed to know before she decided how to really feel.

Salinï turned to Alex and shakes her head. "Sorry... no... there is a means to stop it but only after... well what we and Mikan did several times last night." She says after a moment's hesitation and allows herself a flciker of a grin.

Kouri rolls her eyes and then slips her hand into Alex's hand, cautiously. "No, no... That will not be... Necessary. We'll figure out a way on our own without resorting to such... Actions." She looks to Alex, forcing herself to smile though she was blatantly uncomfortable being in that room. "...I don't have anymore questions, do you, love?"

"No... I'm ready to go, Kouri," she mutters. The situation is bothersome and seems as if both roads will lead to the same end for herself. She stands up and waits for Kouri to come with her... The only difference in each path seemed that Kouri would be aware when it happened on one.

Salinï and Jamiahl stepped back, making room for them to leave. "We can't offer much comfort I know but it is as it is... can you find Mikan and send her back please? We still have some things to discuss... and find Teila."

Kouri follows Alex, leaving out the door behind her only to watch as Mikan zipped past her and back into the room. "Well... Alright then... I need to go out on a walk. Alex, will you join me?" Kouri says, with great uncertainty and even a little fear in her voice.

"Yeah, a walk sounds nice," she responds, squeezing Kouri's hand a little tighter. "Maybe while we're out, I can pick up some new armour since mine was lost in the keep.."

Kouri nods in agreement, leaning in and kissing Alex's cheek. "I need a dress anyway." She smiles softly as they walk out of the Inn, and onto the streets.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____________________

Mikan slams the door behind herself closed and then leaps onto Salinï, hugging her tightly. "HA! I heard all that! You sly wo-... Demoness, you!" Mikan giggles, then looks to Jamiahl. "Ooh, you got something in your pocket! Don't tell me that bulge is your tail... Not that I don't mind your tail. I like your tail."

Salinï hugged Mikan back after getting her breath back and couldn't help but grin at the behavior of her. "So we have to worry about you listening in from now on? It does not matter though." She stroked a hand over Mikan's back and bare skin that was not covered by her new clothes. "You have gotten one gift from me, now it's time for Jamiahl to do the same." Still hugging Salinï and Mikan watched as Jamiahl rummaged in her pouch, and produced the pistol she had claimed in her meeting with Gairth.

Jamiahl looked at it to Mikan, "Is this the one you had lost?"

Mikan stares at it, wide eyed. "...Yeah, how did... I..." She slips off of Salinï, walking over to it and not grabbing it. She whimpers quietly. "I had a lover before the both of you... He died... This is all I have left of him..."

Seeming to have agreed upon at the same time both Jamiahl and Salinï stepped forward hugged Mikan between them. "Ssh, we understand... at least we have returned it to you." Salinï pauses, struggling with something, before she seems to just go with it. "Mikan, I feel a need to bring this up but... this lover, did he... die recently?"

"Yes... He did." Mikan says, her eyes full of pain as she recalled how she wasn't there for his last moments. She should have been. She should have been there, should have been there to hold his hand, maybe he... He would have made it a few more minutes... She could have done something and instead she ran away. She looks at the pistol, then looks to the floor. Did she really deserve to carry that?...

Salinï gently cupped Mikan's chin and made her look her in the eyes, she studied them still mulling things over as she continued. "ANd before him... were there any other... men?"

"...Uhm... I'm a thief... I lived in Rheinfeld... It's not like you're born good at thieving, so, uhm..." She shuts her mouth at that point, refusing to go any further than that. It was treading into dark places that she hid and filed away, deep, deep inside in places she did not tread, nor needed to tread. "Any other question, please..." She mutters.

Salinï closed her eyes taking in a deep breath, knowing that both Mikan and Jamiahl were looking at her oddly by now surely with the way she was acting and asking these things. "I ask Mikan... because I may have reason to believe this pistol is not all you have left of him." She cupped one of mikan's hands with her own... and placed it on her stomach. "There is life inside of you... I could feel it with the bond we now have." She offered a weak smile. "You are with child Mikan."

Mikan hears those words echo about in her head. 'With child'... "I..." She looks down at her stomach, eyes wide in shock. "Salinï... Are... Are you sure?..." She looks at Brent's pistol, and then snatches it from Jamiahl's hands, looking at it. She remembered their last night. Was there a mistake? Did she make a mistake?...

Not sure why but Salinï made sure to cover the hand Mikan was holding the pistol with and nods. "I am sure Mikan, I can feel the lifeforce... Jamiahl does too." After the revelation the other sister had looked hard at Mikan till she felt a twitch of what Salinï was talking about and nodded. "Does that not please you? Knowing your lover lives in this child inside you?"

Mikan's hand trembles within Salinï's grasp as she looks at the pistol. It was loaded. "...I... This soon?..." She says, her voice trembling. "..I miss Brent... I'd love to have a child, especially his but... This soon?... Why..." She says, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

Salinï hugs Mikan tighter and nods to Jamiahl, who gently but firmly pries Mikan's fingers away from the guns and takes it from her so that Salinï can guide Mikan to the bed and sit down taking the thief with her and keeps hugging her close. "The why and how is actually the easy part of how it happened..." She could not help but saying with a chuckle before she became a little more serious again. "I would not say the child would come soon, simple that you are with child... and you are part of our family now and we will take care of you and the baby, if you allow us to."

Mikan stares at the gun in Jamiahl's hands, longingly. To get it back and then have it taken away again was almost cruel in her mind. "Thanks..." Mikan says, her voice quivering as she holds Salinï tightly and buries her face in Salinï's neck. "I don't mean to worry you, just... It's a lot to take in..." Tears start to escape her eyes, running down her cheeks as they did before, though now more tears of sorrow and uncertainty and fear than joy.

Kissing the top of Mikan's head and then her cheek Salinï continued to hold the young thief as she cried. Jamiahl had, as a precaution, made sure the pistol would not be able to fire at the moment, holding the bullet in her hand as she placed teh pistol on the bed beside Mikan. "Sorry that the news had to come like that." Salinï murmurs, nodding her thanks to Jamiahl. "But you are not alone..."

Mikan curls up in Salinï's embrace as she continues to cling to her. "...I just wish... I had more time... To do all the things I wanted to do." She looks down to her knees, avoiding eye contact, attempting to hide her pain in rather feeble, almost pathetic ways. "Seems all the guards in Rheinfeld were right... Pregnant already... Couldn't screw up more if I tried, huh?" She tries to make a joke out of her own predicament, a small piece of her childish charms attempting to break through her pain, even now.

Salinï raises a eyebrow. "Why would a child mean to stop what you wanted to do? Name a few of what you always wanted to do then, as for those guards ignore them you are with us now." She offered a smile, "Well you got yourself screw with me and Jamiahl last night, but that did not turn out bad, did it?" She laughed softly.

Mikan giggles, and then looks shyly up into Salinï's eyes. "..That was fun, it's just.. I never knew my parents... Or my family. I want to adventure and stuff but if I have a child... I can't run off, I'll have to stay safe for my child's sake..." The words felt wrong coming from her lips. Speaking of a child, this early in her life... It just felt so very, very wrong.

Salinï leaned down and kissed the green haired thief briefly on the lips. "These are concerns to mull over after the child is born, you might think otherwise after that has happened or find a solution around it. I thought you should know at least instead of keeping it for myself. Now then..." Salinï trailed off, looking to Jamiahl and then back at Mikan with a smirk. "It seems you might ned some... stress relief... would you be happy to accept a third gift from me and Jamiahl both... now that we have this room and... comfortable bed to ourselves..." She said in a whisper, brushing her lips over Mikan's.

"Mmm... I don't see why not." Mikan smirks, wrapping her arms around Salinï's neck. "Lets just try not to be too loud though... Don't want to make the boys too jealous." She giggles, then kisses Salinï intimately again, brushing the pistol off the bed to make room for Jamiahl. The plushie falls onto the floor, and in a way was almost staring at her.

[Slade]

He drains the last drops of the alcohol in the cup, swishes it around his teeth and finally swallows with a slight grimace as the stuff went straight to his stomach. He pushes the glass to the side, a swig of that Gutbuster plus a cup of whatever it was he just drank was enough for him. It certainly wasn’t getting rid of that weight which kept dragging his mind down into some dank and unpleasant gutter. People had begun moving in and out of the bar now, more people interacting with each other; talking, laughing and some putting on the occasional frown or concerning look. He stands up and re-adjusts his White over-coat and black pants as he quickly heads back to his room for a moment. He hears some noises coming from other rooms on the way but he blocks them from his mind. He see’s the room in the same violent, disheveled state he had left it in: a table turned over, a cracked empty water basin on the floor with large dark water stains on the floor board. He hoped nobody had come in to see the state of the place…. It would have raised some eyebrows.

Unfortunately someone had come in, as he reaches to grab his Pata Sword which laid on the bed he also spotted a small sack of coins. Sarah’s payment, of course. He didn't remember seeing her go this way, but then again she had a knack for things like that. In an instant she would be gone and then return suddenly, and you wouldn't know what hit you.

He clicks the sword onto his belt and conceals it beneath his Over-coat and puts the sack of money in one of the coat’s pockets and heads back downstairs. His head recovering from the Gutbuster drink that had knocked the living crap out of him… literally. He now see’s Sarah sitting behind the bar now, pondering, observing, scheming maybe. It was all possible with this woman. He feels the purple scarf in his pocket and becomes even more self-conscious of his appearance as he approaches Malaki’s wife. He doesn’t sit down; he had sat down for long enough already.

“I uh wanted to thank you for that scroll” he said in a low, somewhat raspy voice.

“I wouldn’t have told her myself, but uh, I appreciate you doing that”.

"Mm? Oh. I did what was necessary, Sisera." Sarah states simply, staring at an empty bottle of scotch. "You know, this has no taste to it anymore."

“Father would be sad to hear you say that. He always was a lover of alcohol.”

He says this with a touch of sadness. He had gotten over the death of his father… step-father a long time ago. But he still missed him dearly and every once in a while a memory would come back to give a slight, tedious tug at his heartstrings. Sarah though was a living memory of his childhood, a reminder of a house that was full of affection and love when it didn’t feel so empty and lonely. He looks at Sarah in the eye, reminiscing about all the times he asked her to pick him up when he was a small child and remembering that slightly bewildered look she gave him when he asked.

“ya know, I didn’t have a Mother growing up, and uh watching all those noble children run home to these large families full of Mothers & Grandmothers and Aunts was… it made things a little envious.”

He pulls the purple scarf out and begins to wrap it around his head and covering up the burns and scars that plagued his neck and jaw like a horrendous disease. He eases up a little after tying a small bow in the back.

“So uh… Thanks for taking that role for me, it made growing up so much more endurable with you around.”

"Your father loved wine. Wine is hardly an alcohol... He quit hard drinking for your sake as I recall." She watched him put on his purple scarf, inhaling just enough air to audible sigh in recollection. Then, some in surprise as he thanked her, in his own awkward way. "...Don't thank me. Just... Don't."

“Sorry Sarah, no take-backs” he said meekly as he turns away and heads for the door. When he heads out his eyes water and blink rapidly, trying to get adjusted to the light. He walks in the direction of the market sector where he had bought his new-found sword and clothes. He knew the Cradle was their next objective and he assumed they were going to get there by crossing the desert; a dangerous endeavor if not prepared.



He wanders around the Markets, merely browsing and looking at all the wares the street vendors sold. Some of the goods they sold had some quality to it, though most of it looked like stuff they rummaged off the streets and bloody battlefields. Anyone who wanted the best goods would have to go inside one of the stores. Surprisingly, despite the little coup Kouri and the group had committed at the Palace, things carried on like normal. Though admittingly the place seemed far busier than he’d ever seen it; and whenever the talk wasn’t about prices it was about the Warlord’s death. He smiles underneath his scarf, seeing the twisted humor in the fact that the leader’s death had made his city booming economically… at least for a day or two.

Sisera approaches an Elderly woman who has an assortment of fruits, vegetables and other plants hanging on the wooden frames of her vendor. He throws a coin to the woman and takes an Apple out of its small wooden basket. He lowers his veil for a moment to take a small conservative bite and when the juicy taste settles in his mouth he takes a larger bite. The purple fabric still covers most of his scars, though pieces of the brown and pink marks slightly protrude from his face. The woman notices it but doesn’t cringe or stare at him, doesn’t even bat an eye at it. These people were used to scars and marks, Disfigurements and broken bodies. Despite all its negativity with Slavers and Warlords and thieves, the City was growing on him: it didn’t judge you or ask questions, it didn’t care about your scars or how you got them, for it was scarred as well. It knew that pain and realized it was better to just let it sink into the past. Sisera seemed to have trouble with that last part, letting things fade into the past. Which was concerning since he would soon be fading away sooner than his memories would. His now strong muscles would begin to deteriorate at some point; he would become feeble and old and fade away like smoke in the wind. How fitting.

“City seems pretty busy after their king get’s killed” He remarked in between bites.

“He lasted for a while, but usually we go through these Warlord’s like fruit… where you from?”

“Places” he said as politely as he could, he puts another coin on the counter and grabs another Apple and begins to bite down on it.

“I see, are you heading out to the desert?”

“It’s a possibility.”

“Well I got something that could help you out.” She said and Sisera let out a small sigh, knowing that she would try to sell him something other than Apples.

She reaches down under the Vendor and pulls out a small metallic box. The strong Mint scent is overpowering as Sisera throws the last Apple core in the streets and pulls his Scarf back up and waives his hand to ward off the strong smell. Inside were large tied up bundles of thin green leaves.

“This stuff is a life-saver in the desert.”

“What is it?”

“There’s some long name that scholars use, but we just call it Plant Mint.”

“How original.”

“Listen! This stuff can ward off getting thirsty if you run out of water, plus it’s good for treating sicknesses.”

“How do you take it? You gotta boil it in a pot or something?”

“Just chew it. One piece should be chewed for ‘bout an hour.”

She takes one of the leaves from the box and starts to chew on it. Mainly to show Sisera that she wasn’t trying to sell him some toxic plant. Sisera nods and takes out his coin-purse.

“How much?” he ask curiously

“15 for a bundle of 30 leaves.” She said plainly

“Seems too cheap for some miracle plant” He pointed out suspiciously.

“Ain’t no miracle plant. This stuff wards off thirst, it doesn’t quench it though, you’ll live longer sure but after a while you need to drink something. And this thing won’t cure no plague, it just helps with a cough or fever.”

He puts 15 coins on the table, plus one for another Apple; she wraps bundles of the leaves in a cheap cloth and hands them over. Sisera puts them inside his coat pocket along with his coin purse. It felt weird having money to spend. Before he met Kouri, any money he could scrounge up always went to food and was gone quickly. It was a wretched existence to endure for a decade. The lady puts the money away and before he leaves makes one last quip.

“You should take off those heavy clothes. That’ll kill you in the desert.”

“It’ll be a blessing during the nights though” he retorted back.

“Ah but it’ll be Hell during the Day. You should at least cut off the sleeves on that Coat.”

“…maybe” He says as he walks away munching on the Apple.

[Sarzu]

Hanus moves quickly through the city streets, feeling a chill run down his spine as he arrives at a large, open plaza filled with cages containing various animals. Several shapes and sizes, from pets to mounts. His eyes reach a large green lizard with a saddle on its back, and he grins nostalgically. This was his kind of lizard... Yet he felt like he being watched by something equally nostalgic.

There was slight movement in a side alley obscured by shadow, a flash of a smile, the shape of a arm, one finger pointing directly at the new figure in the open plaza and at once a shape detached itself and made it's way forward, slipping past several large cages holding a variety of pets. The animals inside had two interesting reactions to this new presence skulking by, some retreated away from the iron bars as the shape moved past, the more courageous of the animals letting out a soft hiss and aggressive posturing till the shape had moved past their cages. It stopped, watching the target pointed out to him, it saw he was wary as if he knew he was being observed at the same time as the sound of scraping steel came from when a blade is removed from it's scabbard it jumped forward, whirling robes of black and purple as it moved with the intent to attack at the Drow in the plaza.


"Hmph." Hanus mutters, swivelling his feet to avoid the blow whilst simultaneously pulling out Reaver and swinging towards his target, hesitating at the last moment as his axe reached the target's side. "...You, of all people, should know better than to sneak up on a Drow."

Frozen, the figure in black and purple had stopped moving at the sound of clapping hands which came from the alley, two more figures detached themselves into the light, both Drow. One dressed in rich robes of black and purple with gold, adorned with spikes and leering demon faces, a look of arrogance and superiority on his face and in his eyes to complete the image as he moved forward, followed by another Drow wearing some kind of combination of robes and armor to protect the more vital areas of his body. The one who had been clapping, the richly dressed looked at Hanus with a smirk. "Merely testing if your reactions are the same as ever.... which they evidently are." Harrad of house Baenre said with a slight smile on his lips. "After it has been... a century and a half, since last we crossed paths have we not?" With a gesture of his hands the figure wit hthe blade out moved silently back and sheathed it's blade, assuming a position to the right of his master, besides the other Drow.

"Hmph. Necromancy. I could... Feel it." He feels a chill run down his dead spine, and a slight twinge to his heart. He was a Vampire first, however, and undead second, so while he felt the call to serve, it didn't truly affect him in the same way it would for other undead. "I suppose I should feel honoured to meet you once more. So how many souls have you tortured to find your secrets since last we met? A few dozen?" The sarcasm was thick, but there was some friendliness to it. Hanus was a Drow, after all... Even if he didn't like his own kind all that much.

"You should be honoured to meet my master once more, cur. The great master of sorcere Harrad Baenre, who-"

Harrad motioned the other Drow to silence. "Naream, Hanus here knows very well who I am... and what I am capable off." He grinned and shrugged before he answered the vampire Drow's 'questions'. "What you may call torture Hanus, I simply call.... thorough investigations and interviews. After all, with the tools and means I have at my disposal to make people talk... even after they have died... why shouldn't I if the answers they gave me in life are not to my satisfaction?" He grunted and looked lost in thought for a moment as he crossed his arms, "Sadly even in death they refuse to offer me the information I craved... ah well I enjoyed the moments of inflicting agony on their, ha, 'immortal' souls... the fun ones I have kept in soul jars for later... experimentation." He grinned, "But enough about me... how have you been and more importantly... what brings you to a place such as this?"

Hanus glares coldly at the apprentice, slamming the bottom of Reaver's handle into the back of the apprentice's skull. "Learn your place, mortal child, or the Spider Queen will feed upon your untrained mind." He passes the apprentice, sheathing Reaver as he closes the small distance between himself and Harrad. Notable, the once thick crowds were giving them a fair amount of space, the few foolish enough to listen in closely being sent scampering away with the occasional glare from Hanus or one of Harrad's... 'Tools' gave an equally cold glare. "Harrad, Harrad, Harrad... My house and yours had a close relationship. I remember that much. It was the only reason I gave you some of my blood for study... But I digress, you know me well enough. A sense of adventure! The sights!... And recently, something that might intrigue even you."

Raising a eyebrow Harrad snorted, "If by close you mean our two houses decided not to openly kill each other and instead opted for the quiet murdering of each other behind closed doors then yes our two houses were close... last I heard from... home... is that, that particular alliance is in ruins though." He shrugged, "As for the Spider Bitch, you still believe in her? She is still gone you know, Kiaransalee is now my patron deity now... and much more favourably to the... work I do." He simply said, walking closer while looking at Hanus as a biologist might look at the corpse of a animal, it's chest wide open and studying it's internal organs. "As for your blood... I have made some... interesting creations with it and if you can spare more I'd greatly appreciate it.... and what, pray tell, might intrigue even me?"

Hanus raises an eyebrow, then looks at his arm. "...Perhaps later." He states simply. "You'll have to pay for it as always. It's not... Cheap, to replace my blood, to say the least." He states simply, resting his hand against Reaver's handle. He knew instinctively that he was not a match for Harrad. Harrad would simply throw enough fodder at him to prevent him from closing the distance... To pick away at him, piece by piece until Harrad had all the blood he wanted. Of course, deep inside, Hanus knew that Harrad wouldn't destroy a source of Drow Vampire blood... Still, the alternatives were perhaps worse than a final death. "As for the... Spider Queen... I still believe she once existed. Whether she is still alive or not, her lessons are important enough for our people to learn... Namely, to never leave your back exposed, or to trust anyone." He leans against a nearby cage, the dogs inside quivering in terror at the other end of the cage. "As for the piece of intriuge, I suppose it is the reason you are here at all. The human woman who has lasted ten times as long as any human ever should be able to last... At all. I've met her. I'm part of her little... Entourage, now."

Harrad let out a laugh, "Well, well.... so glad that my journey to this forgotten place was not without merit.... I had heard the rumors and stories of a certain... woman resurfacing after all this time, alive and well... and roughly a thousand years of age and she was still human?" He placed a hand on a book secured with a heavy chain to his belt and strokes over the cover tenderly. "Of course I am interested... and you have become part of her entourage? A fascinating tale I am sure, one I would love to hear... as well as a introduction to this... fascinating human."

"Soon enough." Hanus states coldly, looking to the apprentice, and then to the other app... No, creature. He felt no draw for blood on that one like he did with the apprentice and Harrad. "Do introduce me to your little minions, though. The apprentice especially interests me, he has quite a mouth on him that does not befit the man he learns under." Hannus begins to walk out back towards the mounts, the crowd continuing to give him and Harrad each space.

Harrad shrugged and followed Hanus, keeping his distance though, "Well since the last time we saw each other was in the Underdark, the boy, barely two centuries on him, is Naream, of house Baenre. A cousin or some such, I did not care all I cared about was his latent potential for magic and... my field in particular. As far as apprentices goes he is competent... I haven't caught him a single time yet stealing secrets from me during my tutelage of him and yet I know he has." Naream had the beginning of a smile at the first part but when Harrad started talking about secrets he opted for a more neutral expression while his master continued. "As for the other... do you remember a certain master at arms of house De'Vir, cocky, somewhat arrogant and loved taking things that weren't his? Well he tried to steal from me... and has paid the price for it... haven't you my loyal shade?"

The voice coming from the purple robed figure, the lower half of his voice obscured by purple cloth, was without emotion and seemed a mixture of someone speaking who hadn't had a single drop of water in days and a moan. "Yeees, master."

Harrad smirked, "He is still in there somewhere... and the screams of rage he still has after so much time that I had him turned into this.... still give me a profound sense of pleasure and justice." A feral grin came over the necromancer's face. "I am somewhat curious what might happen if I had ordered Shade to press on the attack.... but the blood of one such as you... is very hard to come by."

"I saw his moves... Stiff and dead." Hanus starts saying as his eyes catch a large lizard with a saddle on it out of the corner of his eyes. He starts approaching it. "Reaver would have embedded into his side with enough force to send him sprawling onto his back. Then Pestilence would have had a feast." His hand reaches out for the lizard, patting it on the head. The lizard seems quite content with this, despite it coming from a vampire. Hanus smiles. "I will take this one." He pulls a small pouch of gold coins out, pouring a few out onto the waiting hand of a rather brave breeder. "Are you not scared?" Hanus asks. The Breeder retorts quickly, "why should I be scared when I breed lizards large enough to take off my head? Or flatten me in a temper tantrum? No no. Also, her name is Kouri. My daughter liked the fairy tale so I named it after that ole' princess."

"Interesting." Harrad said after witnessing Hanus pay for the riding lizard. "You know I haven't bothered with paying for anything... lately when I need something I just suck the life out of the merchant in question, summon back the spirit make it tell that the goods I need are free of charge and leave... It's a trick I learned from a rather entertaining warlock, thought his way was to make the merchant go 'fwoom' and then he simply took what he wanted... very entertaining fellow, forgot his name, something with an R... or was it Dick?" He shrugged.

"Hah. Warlocks." Hanus says, shaking his head and clicking his tongue. "Come'on girl." The lizard complies, leaving its cage which the merchant had unlocked and following Hanus quietly. Some of the tighter streets might be a little trouble... But then nobody would want to be in the way of a Drow Vampire on a giant riding lizard anyway. "So. You want to meet the princess I presume?" He states with a somewhat bored tone in his voice. "Because if we do, first rule. Don't kill any of her entourage. She wouldn't appreciate it. Oh, and the legend... It's true. She does want to get rid of them." He points to the sky, and then continues. "I'm sure you can see how that might be... Useful."

Sending Shade off somewhere Harrad and his apprentice followed Hanus as he made his way off the plaza, at the reference to the legend he raised a eyebrow. "Truly? Fascinating... I wonder what is involved in that process... but yes a meeting would be... most enlightening. As for the not killing part... no promises, any other rules I should know about?"

Hanus shrugs. "The usual. Only kill people the princess tells you to kill. Bark. Roll over. Play dead." He snickers at the unintended irony of the comment. "Oh, and she knows magic. Quite a bit of it."

"This lady is getting more interesting by the second I hear more of her... if she is indeed who you... and she... claims she is of course, part of me still believes this might be a grand hoax. But very well, let's meet this princess and we'll see how things go from there..." Harrad said with a smile on his lips and looking ahead.

[Tempest]

The desert streets were full of dust and beaten upon by the sun itself as Kouri looked around the very foreign, alien streets, attempting to find a shop as she brought her arm up to try and keep the sun out of her eyes. "Hmm..." Her eyes spot a small shop, someone on the street grabbing Alex's arm and then pointing at the store. "Lots o' light armours and pretty clothes for sale miss! Just the things I see you need! Please shop there!" Kouri blinks, and then smiles a little. A shop crier. Hired to advertise by yelling at people... Crude, but in this place, efficient.

Alex gets a little irritated by the guy grabbing her and is about to deck him. She barely manages to stifle that urge and lets out a soft sigh. "I suppose we have to start this mad hunt for things somewhere?" She looks to Kouri and smiles half-heartedly.

Kouri smiles back, grasping Alex's hand and motioning towards the shop. "Please lead, my brave prince." Her smile grew a little, but there was something holding it back. Something on the back of her mind.

Alex leads Kouri in and pushes the door open. The shopkeeper gives them a curious look before a smile spreads across his face. Her lip draws back a little in disgust at the expression on his face before she turns to Kouri, "Why don't we look for your dress first. It shouldn't take nearly as long for some armour."

Kouri nods in agreement, then starts looking around the store. There were several racks, notable, one for Rheinfelder outfits. Perhaps this is where Mikan found her clothing? Then again, there were many shops in town just for armour and clothing. She looks around the shop, seeing several eloquent pieces in turquoise, red, gold and even brown... Why anyone would pay so much for a brown dress was beyond her, though. Finally her eyes are set upon a simple blue dress. Not eloquent nor poor, and it fit her figure fairly well. She places a hand on the simple, stitched clothing, a small smile crossing her lips as she grabs the dress from the rack and lays it over herself. "What do you think, Alex?" She asks.

Alex looks at the dress a little confused. It looks... overly decorative in her mind. Though, it was far less than what she had originally met her in. She wonders if Kouri ever buys clothes in other colours, but she nods anyways. "It looks nice, Kouri. It suits you."

"Does it?" Kouri asks simply, looking down at the dress before frowning a little. She was accustomed to it... But it did draw attention. She looks to some of the light armours around the shop, biting her lip nervously. Fah. A princess in armour... The thought was silly. "Maybe... Armour would be better than a dress." She mutters quietly.

She scratches her head as she looks at the armours. "Maybe, all things considered. It would be fairly uncomfortable til you get used to the feel. Too much would be very restricting and tiring to wear also... Maybe something lighter," she says slowly, letting her hand drop. It would be weird seeing Kouri in anything but a dress. In fact, the pants and shirt Kouri was in was already uncharacteristic enough.

Kouri looks around the store. She sees a few pieces of chain mail, leather, simple padded clothing, and even a few pieces of half plate, though that would be more medium armour... Wouldn't it? Kouri sighs. She knew none of this. She was to be trained, one day, but that day never ended up arriving. "...I have... No idea what I should wear in the way of armour, Alex." Kouri says, a look of embarrassment in her eyes.

Her eyes scan over the equipment, imagining each. Chain seemed out quite easily. Harder leathers or studded as well. She looks between the soft leather and padded equipment. She points to a leather jerkin or the padded stuff. "The padded things may not offer as much protection, but it is something. The shirt there of leather, it offers a touch more, but will be a little heavier and a touch more restricting."

Kouri walks over to the leather shirt, feeling it over with the tips of her fingers. It was coarse. Much unlike the dress. She thinks back to Rheinfeld... "I'll take this... I'm not very agile anyway. I learned that much in Rheinfeld." She states, grabbing the leather shirt off the rack and returning the blue dress to where she found it. "I.. Suppose I will start with this." She enters the changing booth, and in a minute or so comes back out wearing the leather shirt. It was a little uncomfortable, yet she felt safer wearing it. It was a bit of a tight fit, which ended up showing off her... Curves, but then, leather was supposed to be a tight fit... Right? "Better, or worse?" She asks bluntly, a half-smile on her lips.

She covers her mouth and tries to pass off a thoughtful look when she actually wanted to laugh. The dress looked horrible peeking out underneath the leather piece. "We might go for some clothing that looks... More practical."

Kouri nods, and sighs in annoyance as the merchant behind the counter falls over, howling with laughter while a couple other customers stare, attempting to contain their laughter. "...Yeah... Good idea..." She enters the changing booth once again, taking off her dress and putting her leather clothing over her peasantry clothing. "What else do I need?"

Her eyes scan over the items handing up. There were some styles for women... Those that follow along the styles in Southblood could hardly be called armour, consisting of a few carefully placed strips of leather. The fact that Kouri still tried to keep a dress did speak volumes, though. Alex picks through the items, assembling an outfit piece by piece. A chest piece here, shoulder pads, leather gauntlets and boots. She places these all aside before looking through the clothing with great care. After a bit, she plucks out matching blue skirt, blouse and gloves. She looks at the skirt and Kouri before picking up a thicker belt. "Here, these ought to be better," she shrugs.

Kouri grabs the blouse, skirt and gloves. She smiles warmly as she grabs the belt, looking Alex eye to eye. "Ah, you remembered, back on the Blood Sea." Kouri's tone withheld something, though, as she entered the change booth and and put on her clothing, quietly leaving and looking down to her legs. "This skirt is a little... On the short side." She says with a bit of a blush coming on. "...But I can live with it, quite easily... You have a good taste in clothing, at least."

While Kouri had been busy getting dressed, Alex had decided to look over the armour selection for herself. Her mind was almost set when Kouri came back out. Her face lights up at the sight, but she manages to keep her composure. "Its just some styles I've spied," Alex smiles.

"That I can see." Kouri says simply, looking over the armour. "I might need your help with the armour... Join me in the changing booth?" She says softly, the shopkeeper perking his head up upon overhearing it and grinning. Kouri shakes her head and walks into the changing booth.

Before disappearing into the changing room with Kouri, Alex glares daggers at the shopkeeper threateningly. In the small room, she looks around slowly before setting the articles down and rearranging them. "Never had to do this?" she takes a guess before picking up the chest piece and turning to Kouri.

Kouri nods, a frown starting to creep onto her face as she looked up at Alex. "I never had to raise a blade, or put on armour from where I was from... A mistake now, I see, in hindsight." She adds the last part with a hint of regret in the tone of her voice. She was still avoiding something, it was plain for Alex to see.

Quietly, she circles around Kouri and places the chest piece on carefully. After moving Kouri's hair out from underneath, she sighs as all the straps are hidden by the long locks. "Hold your hair up, please so I can get at these, Kouri..." she murmurs softly. As Kouri moves her hair, she gets to work on tightening and securing the armour. As she does so, she finally asks, "So what's on your mind?"

Kouri keeps her hair held up, now face to face with Alex she looks into her eyes and sighs softly. "The assassins... They're both affecting you..."

Alex fidgets and breaks off eye contact quickly. She licks over her lips softly, her whole mouth feeling incredibly dry all of a sudden. "I didn't kiss Salini," she whispers out just barely.

Kouri's frown remains all the same, a strong feeling of turmoil in her heart starting to escape as Kouri grasps Alex's shoulders. "I saw you in that room, with the both of them... It's really getting to you, isn't it..." She whispers as she looks away. "...They already got to Mikan... You saw it too, didn't you?"

"I did see it... And that's my fault... Because I couldn't... I couldn't stop myself," she looks up and takes a deep breath. "Mesharra, Salini, Jamiahl... I want to say its all been their fault, that it's all because of what they are... But I don't think it is," she finally manages to admit.

Kouri stands there in the changing booth, stunned at what she just heard. Was Alex unable to control herself?... Maybe... Maybe it had something to do with her lycanthropy! Right! It had to be... It... It just had to be. Kouri looks back to Alex, eye to eye, taking a deep breath and finally asking the hard question. "If... If we get separated again... And you're alone with those selfish, devilish whores... Would you fall?..."

She hesitates for a moment. The truth felt bitter on her tongue, but she had to spit it out. She wasn't about to start lying to Kouri now. "I would, Kouri. I would struggle against it, of course, and try my greatest, but... I think sooner or later, I would slip up." She takes a slow breath, "I'll do what I can for that situation not to happen, but if it ends up like before..." Flashes of being pinned up against the wall and lips pressed against each other zip through her mind and in reaction, she clenches her fists.

Kouri takes a deep breath, attempting to steady herself as she felt as though she were hit with enough force to destroy a small building. There was real pain evident in her eyes. She was shaking a little, a mixture of rage at the assassins and sorrow at hearing that Alex would... "It's okay." She says, barely, her tone indicating otherwise as her voice grows a little shakey. After a few moments, her arms slowly wrap around Alex, and she whispers softly. "I would still love you... Though, being honest, the assassins would not be so lucky." Kouri chuckles at the dark humour, but remained shaking.

She slowly slips her arms about Kouri and holds her tight, her head resting against Kouri's. She keeps silent for a moment before murmuring, "You have my heart, Kouri... And they will never be welcome to it."

"Mm..." Kouri kisses Alex softly, resting a hand on her cheek. "...At least I know, now. Thank you for telling me the truth... It's one of the reasons I love you, Alex." She sighs happily, some of her pain alleviated but notable not all of it. "Though, perhaps you should help me get the rest of this armour on, first... No?"

She seems far more relaxed as she nods and picks up the next piece of armour to fasten onto the princess. "Well, I don't think you could have fallen for my kindness, smarts or level-headedness... So, brutal honesty seems just as good," she snorts as she sets to tying a bracer on.

"You do yourself no favours." Kouri chuckles again, feeling the straps around her shoulderpads tighten as Alex puts it all on. Normally this would have been embarrassing... But with Alex? It felt natural. "You're smart, and kind when you want to be... I wouldn't have offered to marry you otherwise, my dear and... Sometimes furry love." She ruffles Alex's hair a bit, running her hand through it slowly. It was matted, somewhat knotted, and... Right, sand. Kouri takes her hand out of Alex's hair and shakes it out. Eugh. Sand.

She looks at Kouri's hand for a moment before laughing slightly, "Ah, sorry... I didn't usually have the luxury of a bath on my travels and that habit has been a bit hard to shake." She brushes back through her hair and grimaces. It was getting that course texture like an animal. She shakes it out and helps Kouri with the last of the armour. There was something gnawing at the back of her mind now and it was becoming apparent on her face.

"Alex, what is it?" Kouri asks softly, ignoring her new apparel for once to focus on something vastly more important.

"Mikan and the assassins... I don't think that should go on... She was terrified when I left last night. After everything... With Brent, and the keep..." She sighs and leans back against the wall before dropping down to sit on the small bench. "You heard how they explained everything last night after they killed Ishcar... Then what they said today... I don't want to leave Mikan to them... I'm already to blame for what's happened between them already."

Kouri sighs, then kneels down in front of Alex and grasps Alex's hands softly, clasping them together within her own hands. "Listen to me... You are not to blame for what happened. It was her choice... You can no more change that than you could change the fact that the sun sets every evening."

She draws her hands away and stands looking down at Kouri. "It wasn't a choice she made herself. The assassins drove her into a corner where it was either her or me..." She moves away, shaking her head. "I can't change what happened.. But I'm not going to sit by while they continue to make Mikan their addicted little plaything."

Kouri grabs Alex's shoulder, squeezing it a little. "Don't walk away on me... Don't face this alone." She once again wraps her arms around Alex from behind this time, holding her tightly and whispering in her ear. "Renaltans never leave their lovers to stand alone... It's an unspoken rule." Kouri kisses Alex's neck, then continues. "We'll get Mikan back together... Then we'll beat the Gods together... Then we'll rebuild a kingdom of tolerance and kindness, together... Otherwise, what is this all for?"

She sighs softly, letting all the tension leave her body, "Alright, Kouri..." Her fingers lightly trace along Kouri's arms around her before she cups the princess' hands. "Thank you, by the way."

"Thank me for what? I'm just making you feel better because I know you would do the same if our positions were reversed." She lets her hands slowly slide out of Alex's hands, lowering her arms from her embrace to slip past Alex and step out of the changing booth. "...There. Now... How do I look?" She asks with a smile.

She surveys the look on Kouri before nodding, "It looks nice on you. You're turning into quite the striking adventurer." She begins to walk to the counter before stopping and leaning in to whisper, "And I thank you for all your patience with me..." her eyes flicker down over Kouri before she tacks on, "And for giving everyone a damn fine reason to be jealous."

Kouri smirks, running a finger down Alex's cheek and over her lips teasingly. "I can think of a few other... Things, which are better than making others jealous." She motions to the clothing racks. "And now, now we find some armour for you, love."

Her eyes widen for a moment, stunned for a moment at Kouri's actions. A smile bubbles up as she stumbles out, "Right... That... Let's do that." She moves over to inspect a few different pieces, occasionally glancing back at Kouri.

Kouri moves up behind Alex, glancing back to make sure that they were out of eye sight with the shopkeeper... And they were. A sly smile reaches her face as she gets behind Alex when she isn't looking, wrapping her arms around Alex's waist and resting her head on Alex's shoulder. "Hmm... Are you looking at pants, or a shirt first?" Kouri asks softly.

A shiver runs down her spine as Kouri comes up behind her. "Oh, I'm not sure... I actually didn't see anything wrong with what I have on," she confesses.

"Mmm..." Kouris hand drifts down Alex's arm, then over her stomach. "What about armour?" Kouri asks, her tone just as soft as before, but now with a hint of flirtatiousness behind it. "The sooner you find some you think will work for you, the sooner I can help you put it on... So, pants or shirt first?"

Alex grips a pair of pants in front of her... It was nothing special, just more form-fitting than the pants she had 'borrowed' from the warlord's room. "We... Can start with this," she barely manages to say now. Her mind seems a bit hazy with Kouri's sudden change in behaviour.

Kouri smiles seductively, though as she was still behind Alex the smile couldn't be seen. "You know, I thought I would try to learn how seduction works." She allows one of her hands to run down Alex's side to her thigh. "...Is it working or am I doing it wrong?" She asks curiously, nudging Alex towards the changing booth.

"It's definitely working." Taking Kouri's indication, Alex begins towards the changing room. After a few steps, she reaches back and takes the princess' hand to lead her in behind her. As they enter behind the curtain, Alex draws Kouri in for a lingering kiss. "For being so new to this... You're rather good," the lycan says against her lips.

"Mm, well... I learned a lot from you." Kouri says softly, care in her eyes as her hands toy with the edges of Alex's pants at her waist, her cheeks flushing a bright red. "Not the whole way here, though... Tonight, I have a few surprises. This is a treat 'till then... Remember that." Kouri whispers, bringing Alex's chosen pair of pants up between them. "Now... I think you should start changing."

She is getting lost in Kouri's playfulness and quiet words until plans for the night are brought up. A slight smile spreads across her lips as she enfolds Kouri's hands in her own, lifting them up and pressing them to her heart. "Speaking of changing... I hate to ruin all your plans, but..." She lightly licks over Kouri's cheek, "...It is the full moon."

"Ah... True." Kouri says, though her attitude seems to remain there is a flicker of hesitation in her movements. Her hands grasp Alex's hands, though one of her legs gets between Alex's legs as she pins Alex against the wall. "Full moon interfering with my plans... Just means I'll need to move things ahead a little bit." She raises her leg a bit between Alex's legs. "...Still working?"

Her heart begins to race as she draws her arms around Kouri's waist. "Yes, still working," she breathes out by Kouri's ear. Nuzzling into the soft blue hair, she wonders what has gotten into the normally timid girl.

Kouri takes a deep breath and stops, lowering her leg from between Alex's legs and nuzzling back against Alex. She, again, runs a hand through Alex's hair, slowly this time however. "I... Suppose I should... Explain myself, huh?" Kouri whispers, continuing to keep Alex pinned against the wall.

Alex nods and looks Kouri eye to eye, "That would be appreciated." Her hand traces over Kouri's cheek.

Kouri smiles, returning Alex's eye to eye gaze. "The assassins... They'll use it against us again. You heard them... The tones of their voices, especially... I want to know the tool they use, so I can avoid situations in which they'll use it against me. Simply Alex, an ancient Renaltan saying comes to mind... That which I know, I conquer in my mind. And if seduction is all about the mind... Well, then..." Kouri grasps Alex's hand within her own, kissing Alex again deeply and pressing herself against Alex, remaining that way for a few more moments, fragile and full of love before she whispers against her lips. "...Then the fastest way to learn is by doing, isn't it."

Alex slides her hands slowly along Kouri's sides before letting them drop. "I can understand where you are coming from, Kouri... But I don't want to make this about overcoming the assassins or something like that." She lightly thumps her head against the wall and fights back a growl, "Its not just about the mind, especially not when it comes to how they get to you... The entice your with their whole body, ensnare you with their eyes... I know it has something to do with how I react, but its not just simple seduction... And this... Right here... You and I... it isn't either." Her hands clench into irritated balls, "If you want to explore new things, fine... but, I don't want it to be because of anything other than you genuinely wanting to."

Kouri panics a little, her cool composure shattering like glass as she grabs Alex's shoulders tightly. "Alex, if things were different, right now you and I would be in a room learning every little thing we could... Every small touch, each and every sound and look... I would explore everything with you... Especially after last night. I look back on it and everytime I do I shudder with a delight I have never experienced before in my life... Don't ever think for even half a second that I wouldn't want to explore with you... I want to... I want to make you smile, I want to see you laugh, and..." Shes blushes profusely, looking down at the floor. "...And... And after last night... Every time I touch you I feel this small warmth shoot through my heart and it takes all the weight on my shoulders away, if only briefly." Her hands slip down to Alex's hands, softly wrapping around them and trying to slip in them. "Alex, I love you, and anything I do with you is because I want to do it... The assassins be damned... I'm sorry about my justification... I'm just scared, I feel like I don't know anything at all and this is all so new to me and..." She whimpers quietly, not sure how she could fix the apparent mistake she made.

She stays there for a moment, taking everything in and looking at Kouri with a curious expression. After a moment, she leans in and kisses her cheek soft as a feather. "Be calm," she utters soothingly. "Be yourself, Kouri... The woman I've fallen so hard for... Everything else will come with time and shouldn't be rushed," she nudges her nose against Kouri's face with a gentle smile.

Kouri smiles a little and nods, wrapping her arms around Alex tightly. "I'm scared... I don't want to lose you... We're close now, to where this will all end, one way or another... I guess I'm rushing ahead because of that."

"We'll make it through this, Kouri..." She gives the princess a small squeeze of a hug back. "We may have plenty to fear... but... Ancient Renaltan sayings... Conquering with the mind... Not as well put, but the message is clear, aye?"

"I guess..." Kouri whispers, letting her arms drop away from Alex's back. "Hmph..." She takes a few deep breaths, calming herself and looking towards the changing booth's curtain-door. She was planning something. The look was in her eyes. "...Get some armour for yourself... I'm going to try to talk to Mikan. The assassins'... 'Methods' are not affecting me as badly as they are you... Once you're finished, come find me back at the Inn. Also, I think we'll need some horses... Or camels, or lizards, or at least something to ride. And tonight..." Kouri kisses Alex on the cheek. "Tonight I'll be there for you, and I'll get to see another side of you I've never seen before."

[Andi]

Salinï fastened the last straps of the gauntlet with the hidden blade mechanism, balling her fist and adjusting it a little to make sure it was really secure once more. She had just finished putting on her clothes as quietly as possible and looked around the room, clothes were strewn everywhere... a scene very similar of the morning at Teila's herbal shop, bringing a smile playing on the assassin's lips as she centered her gaze to the bed. Two curled up figures, arm entwined with each other, she shook her head with a smirk, it had been... tricky to untangle herself without disturbing both of them, she guessed they had been out for at least a few minutes and she wanted to head out for a bit. Looking to the floor she saw the plushie she had gotten Mikan and picked it up, looking at it. It was still a crude representation of Kouri she had to admit and moved silently to the bed, leaning over the two figures to put the plushie between Mikan's arms and to her chest. Jamiahl moved, a half eye open and looking at her sisters before closing it again and nestling closer against Mikan.

Leaning down Salinï kissed first Mikan on the head and then Jamiahl, pulling back from the bed and to the door leading out of the room. Opening it, cursing inwardly as it creaked but seemingly it had not disturbed the figures behind her as she stepped out and closed it, moving to the common room, there had been a awful lot of new faces... and no sign of Teila when she first came in with Mikan. Despite Kouri's assurances she wanted to find Teila.

Sarah sat silently upon the bar, hood up and covering her head she remained perfectly still, motionless, though she looked poised to leap off the bar at a moment's notice. "You seem to care for that street rat... I didn't know your kind could care for anything."

Salinï entered the common room and looked around, sure enough there were was a new face right there and some were the same, the goblin for one and that young man over there... she froze at the voice and turned slightly, looking at the... woman from the corner of her eye. She was the one who felt... wrong... to her... like the Drow but worse, much worse somehow. Her tone of voice, not the mention how she was sitting, poised really, made Salinï on edge and resisting the urge to try and stab her. She carefully let the words slip from her mouth as she addressed the woman. "What exactly is my 'kind'... and what do you mean by street rat."

Sarah finally makes a small movement, crossing her legs and taking a deep breath to sigh with a bored tone. There were several things she could say, and yet, she glossed over their specific heritage... For now. "A street rat. A common thing. A replaceable, cheap, mortal toy. You should know what those are. I'm sure you've used them from time to time before."

Salinï smirks, "You mean nobles? Those who believe that wealth and power means they can get whatever they want?" She turned to focus her full attention on the woman, boring her eyes into her. She had a good hunch about who she was talking and snorted, "Because if I think I know what... who you are talking about... then it is far from replaceable, or cheap... or a toy." She crossed her arms, "Besides who are you to say such things, care to name yourself?"

Everyone in the room could almost see Sarah's playful though twisted grin through her hood as she pulls it back to reveal her deadened eyes, pale skin and lips, and silver hair. She looks to Salinï, an unreadable look in her eyes. "Sarah Darkhammer, Salinï... Oh I know all about you. I also know about that toy you have in the back there. The one that has been used... Over and over... When she dies from old age I will remain. When she is forgotten, her meager and unimportant existence spoiled by time... I will remain... And so will you. So do, please, entertain me on how a mortal girl with no exceptional skills would not simply be replaceable."

Salinï's face was a mask devoid of emotions as she looked at Sarah's face, then a tremor came over her lips... a sound escaped her partly opened lips and became louder.... she was laughing, snorting and wheezing as she pulled herself back together and looked at the 'woman' in front of her. "What? Expected me to be speechless? Afraid? Cowed? I know about you too... or at least have heard about you too." She narrowed her eyes and smirked, "Sarah Darkhammer... consort of a dying breed..." She scowled at her. "That... toy you speak off... has a name, Mikan... and for someone with a unimportant existence... I do not know for how long this groups has traveled but this unimportant has survived everything thrown at her... healed a wound delivered to me and my sister after we lost... one of our own." She had paused, a unwilling sob coming from her throat before her voice became like steel once more. "As for her used over and over... why should I or my sister care? That only means she has experience and can keep up with the two of us." She smirked before she continued. "And if she dies, which seeing her track record seems unlikely as I pointed out, she will do so who care for her..." She took a step closer and leaned in, her face inches from Sarah's. "But when you die Sarah Darkhammer... you will die alone... and forgotten... and by hurled into the deepest layers of the hells where the Stranger has eagerly anticipated your arrival for the way you cheated your way out, like the pathetic little weakling and coward that you are... a street rat like Mikan is not so easily replaced, there is only a one in a million like her... but women like you... they are under every rock out there and just sprout like weeds, asking to be rooted out and burned, never to regrow again."

Sarah stares at Salinï, eye to eye with an equally cold expression until her grin returns as she claps slowly. "Oh so adorable. Millions of other women are like me because they know it works... As for the nine hells? I have been there already. Interesting place. I don't really like the decor, though." She pushes Salinï away, grasping her shoulder for a moment as she does so and forming an ethereal chain. "And you? You compare me to a weed, when you are made of a life draining cancer that consumes all life? Why, I do believe you need to look in a mirror if you want to know what a pointless, life-killing plant looks like."

Salinï felt a shiver and pulled back, away from the touch on her shoulder, a growl escaping her lips, she had done something to her, she felt a link... something that connected from her to Sarah. "Touch me again... and we'll see how truly immortal you claim to be..." She placed a hand on the grip of the short sword that once belonged to Mesharra. "You may hear much and see more... but do not claim to me, my sister, Mikan or anyone else. Arrogance before the fall... I know my faults and flaws and live with them every day."

"Arrogance before the fall... Yes, I've heard that before. Throughout many generations, and you know what was true of them all?" Sarah slips off the bar, leaning in closely to Salinï but not touching her, there was no need to start a fight here. "They all died in their immaturity, with no comprehension of eternity... Lucky for the street rat, though, that she'll never be important enough to realize that." She takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, letting the cold and scentless air breeze over Salinï's cheeks. "As for killing me, don't get such a fancy idea in your mind..." She tightens the ethereal chain a little around Salinï's throat. "I have a chain on the princess, right now... I can still feel her, holding her bitch in her arms. Before you could pull out your blade, she would be dead, and so would you... And then I'd go find another mortal with a sense of self-importance from some kind of blood line."

Salinï gasps and looks at Sarah, murder in her eyes... and then she let the fire in her eyes dim and played back what Sarah just said and then just grinned as the thoughts swirled through her head. She knew that whatever the princess was planning involved blood, her blood, Renalta royal blood... and what she knew of this Sarah Darkhammer she would gladly see gods vanished from mortal affairs... so that meant there was something, someone other than the blue haired princess with the type of blood that is needed? Instead of voicing that she just purred, "Pain... is a pleasure... and a reminder... and threaten to kill that one again... kill me... there is still a third sister... and she has always been the deadliest among the three of us... now are we through trading barbs? Or are you about to explain what your problem is with me... or 'my kind' as you referred to me earlier..."

"...Demons are never to be trusted... That simple." Sarah leans back against the bar, motioning towards some stairs. "Go up, down a hall, there is a wounded woman recovering. I believe you want to see her."

Dean had been listening in on the conversation between Salini and Sarah, but wisely holding his tongue. He had been sitting there most of the morning quietly minding his own business and thinking, but these two and their bickering were making things impossible. "Are you two finally finished? Thought you'd never stop your fighting."

Salinï growled and was eager to turn away from Sarah, as if noticing there were other people in the common room for the first time, biting her lip as she bit back a angry retort at Sarah. "It seems we are... whatever it was what we were doing." She looked the young man over. "What is it to you?"

"To be honest? Not much else than peace of mind." he motioned around the room, to some of the havoc that had been created the day previous. "As you can probably tell, it's been a rough couple of days. In fact you of all people should know just how bad things are for some people right now. So I suppose I just would rather not have to risk my neck in another random brawl if I don't have to."

Salinï can't help but let out a bark of amused laughter. "And yet you spoke up just now, risking your neck as it were, a interesting development considering the words you just uttered."

"Yeah, well I'm hardly perfect. Maybe I just wanted to defuse a situation between you two, I know I'm not after a fight."

Sarah laughs, and then looks to Dean. "It wouldn't be fight. It'd be over in no time and then I'd tell my pet to clean up the mess, don't you worry, I'm not a brute like Hanus. Besides, I like you, farm boy."

Salinï glanced back at Sarah and scowled before turning back to, Dean, if she remembered the name right. "I doubt that is possible, but thanks for the attempt..." She turned back to Sarah and smirked, [B]"So you call this one farm boy... that is the trouble with you, you think you know it all because you 'see' what people were... not what they can become. Know this... when one you once called farm boy, toy, scraps... or street rat rises to be the one that ends you... I... and countless others will be there to laugh and gloat."[/B] She muttered a oath to the stranger and turned around, striding off to the stairs in search for Teila.

"Well isn't she just a bowl full of sunshine!" he turns about on his stool and watches her leave, for the first time noticing a new figure sitting in the bar. Curious that an outsider would stick around and watch the dispute that had just taken place. "So what are you?" he shouted at the man "Brave? Hungry, or just stupid?"

“I would like to say I am none of those. Sure I might be daring, handsome, perhaps a bit debonair, but certainly not stupid. And what I am doing here is seeing what all the fuss is about. Had a run in with the lovely lady Jamiahl this morning, and as recompense for me handing over a certain weapon she brought me back here.” He swallowed the rest of the drink he had poured for himself.

After placing the glass back on the bar, he moved over next to Dean “though I am rather curious as to what this fine group of… upstanding citizens are doing in such a place as this.” He finishes with a gesture around the bar.

Dean rolled his eyes as the man spoke. There was something both unsettling, and somewhat familliar about him "Last I heard we're holing up until nightfall. Some of us are in a rough way." Physically and mentally he thought thinking of Sisera. "And quite a compensation. Dragged back in time to witness a cat-fight between a couple dangerous woman..."

“Seemed less a cat fight and more a declaration of war. And believe you me; I have been around for many of both. Cat fights have more skin shown and fewer words traded.” Leaning against the bar, Graith cast a glance at Sarah, his opinions shifting on who the lady might very well be. “My advice is watch you don’t step between those two, they may very well kill you to get at each other.”

"I'm willing to take my chances. I maintain that they're both fairly reasonable. At least reasonable enough to put aside petty differences until the job gets done."

“Well then, you have a higher regard for people that I do.” Graith responds a mock salute. “So what exactly is the job, if you don’t mind my asking?"

Dean raises an eyebrow. This might be a fun reaction. Non-chalanty he shrugs, not looking at anything particular just straight ahead. "Oh?" he said his tone flat, and dull "You weren't told? We're out to kill the gods."

Graith scoffed at that “Oh is that all? Sure going the best way about it then. I mean how else are you supposed to kill them. Getting drunk in a bar while your allies prepare to rip each other’s throats out, strikes me as the only logical solution.” Glancing at him, graith’s good natured smile feel form his face “You’re serious? You really expect to kill the gods with a couple of assassins, a drow, you, a noblewoman and her consort, and whatever she is?” he said jerking a thumb at Sarah.

"I certainly wouldn't underestimate her of all people." he said glancing towards Sarah "But yes, yes that is the plan. I wouldn't say it's just us though. In my opinion, we've probably had a couple moments of divine intervention, and luck."

".... Fate has also played a couple hands" he added as an afterthought.

Laughing openly, Griath looked at Dean incredulously “Really? You mean the gods, whom you’re trying to kill, are helping you? Look, I was willing to believe you are trying to kill the gods, but that has got to be the worse lie I have ever been fed since Mrs. ‘darkhammer’ here told me who she was. You must all be insane, but I’ll humor you. just why would someone want to kill the gods?”

"Who's to know for sure why a god does anything they do. I tell you there have been things that have happened that just would not have happened otherwise." he chewed on the man's question for a moment "Why? Well, not that she likes to mention it often, but I believe the reason can be reduced to 'revenge' to be blunt of course."

“Seems like one of the worst reason to do anything. No real value in just killing someone. More specifically though, why do you want to kill the gods? Did they do something to spite you as well?”

"I do it to help someone who was wronged. At first I wasn't fully aware of what we were doing, but by the time it was brought to light I'd grown to care for the person at the center of it all. I've never had any serious gripes with the world, but injustice is rampant, and the powers at be have let these things come to pass. If a change of regime is what it takes for progress to happen, then so be it."

“So, the gods are to blame for injustice eh? When was the last time you saw a god do something directly attributing to the injustice in this world? That was before you joined this quest to kill them, just to be clear.”

"Not so much to blame for all of it, but at the end of the day they have control and power, they abuse it to meet their own ends, and end up not caring at all for anyone else. They get what they want, and heads roll when they don't."

“Tell me, have you ever cared about the happenings of ants? Did you ever watch them, shepherd them, protect them? I doubt you ever have. Now to the gods what are we but ants? Sure more intelligent and what not, but they have unimaginable power and view. They wouldn’t understand it, to them we must seem about as important ants, scampering around building our little mounds and biting at them when they accidentally step on us. Can you say they responsible when they step on us without noticing? Why should they care what happens to a few measly ants?”

"Do ants worship us? Do they kill hundreds of innocents in our names? Have you ever meddled in the affairs of ants? Fucking of course not. But the same can't be said for the gods. There are entire nation who swear absolute fealty to the gods, do everything, and anything they see fit. The gods leave them to it, and they promote the worship. favoring those who do over those who don't. That is the exact opposite of not noticing. That is taking an active fucking interest in a subject."

“Really? The gods are to blame for wars and power struggles? Men will find reasons to kill each other! Look outside, go walk these streets and find those lying in the gutter. Welcome to the Freeholds, possibly one of the most godless places in the world. Children fight each other over old bread, thugs kill merchants for a few coins, and Warlords execute people for insane laws! The gods certainly must be to blame for this! Why else would the world be full of needless death if not for the gods, I mean they are the ones who came down and told those children to be hungry. They told those thugs they should love money. Told the warlord to inspire obedience through fear.”

“When mortals go to war in the name of the gods, is it really the gods who told them too or was it the ‘prophets’ who speak for him? When nations oppress people in the name of their divine lords, is it really the gods who wanted it or cared, or just those in power using the tools at their disposal. Sure the gods might be selfish, but it is gods lack of carrying really the source of injustice or was it just the men who day the follow him?”

"I have never said that it is the fault of the gods for all sins of the world, though if scripture is to be believed, yes they are. Of course man has it's own desires and here they manifest in all kinds of ways, but that doesn't change the fact that in the godfearing land that I'm from, they pull a lot of sway, deliver a lot of divine orders, and kill many innocents. If you don't agree, theres the door feel free to have no part in this, but our course is set."

[Brovo]

Kouri looks up at the Inn, taking a deep breath and then exhaling slowly to calm her nerves. Right. She had to do this. Yet, somewhere in the back of her mind, she was afraid of a repeat of last night, only with worse consequences. She hesitates before opening the door to the Scorpion Bar, stepping inside and closing it behind her. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the low light of the interior of the bar as they searched eagerly for Salinï, or Jamiahl. This whole place felt wrong to her, now, since she knew there were assassins here, ones that desired everything they touched.

Salinï was having issues controlling her anger, part of her wanted to hurl a dagger at Darkhammer... or see how much she could withstood being soaked in oil and lit on fire... but she controleld it beneath the surface and went to the stairs... what was it she had said, Teila was up and down in a hall where she was recovering? She started to ascend the stairs.

Kouri spots Salinï, and immediately bolts after her, shooting a glare at Sarah who held a bemused look. As Salinï reaches the top of the stares, Kouri ends up right behind her. "Stop. I need to talk to you... Privately, Salinï." She states simply, her tone a little cold, her royal masquerade in full force.

She stops, eyebrows raised in puzzlement as she turned back and looked at Kouri, "Again?" She looked back, down the hall and who waited in one of the rooms, sighing she pinches the bridge of her nose and nodded. "Very well Kouri, lead the way."

Kouri leads Salinï to a small room, resisting the urge to growl. Curiosity briefly lit up in her eyes as she wondered if it was Alex or Marcus she learned 'angry growling' from, but then, that was distracting from the point of all of this. "Salinï..." She starts, considering her next words carefully. She was, after all, in the same room as an assassin, and while just as passionate as Alex, her fury was not quite so... Blatant. "What are you doing to Mikan? You realize her husband died just a day ago... Right?"

Salinï flinched at how this conversation started, putting her on the defensive and with already some anger lurking beneath the surface from her recent conversation with Darkhammer she scowled and gritted her teeth. "I am not doing anything for Mikan... unless you mean that me and my sister are there for her and apparently care for her because from what I gathered from her this entire time she felt like she was alone!" She crossed her arms in front of her and stared daggers at Kouri. "Yes we know her lover has died, that she was her husband is new to me but perhaps Mikan had reasons not to tell us... I respect her privacy... unlike some it seems."

"Well excuse me for needing to know what my companions are doing when I'm squaring off against GODS!" She finally tries to growl in anger, though it sounds more like a newborn kitten mewing. Her eye twitches in annoyance. It wasn't fair that it was hard to do, because it was how she felt at the moment. "Besides, she must be in the most caring arms of all when those arms reach for everyone else as well, you.... You... You whore." Kouri crosses her arms. Whilst she had experience as a politician, she hesitated to actually call another woman a term that, at least in her time and culture, equated to social suicide.

She felt her hands, tucked between her arms and chest unclench and form into claws for a moment as she narrowed her eyes and let otu a angry hiss... taking a deep breath and calmed down... a little bit. Looking at Kouri with narrowed eyes she softly spoke. "What... did you just call me?"

"I called you... A whore." Kouri replies coldly, taking a step back as her hands warm up, though don't burst into flames just yet. She didn't want to come to blows over this, that much she allowed to show through her masquerade. "You want everything and everyone that moves, though at least you seem picky enough to choose things with heart beats... Yet Mikan thinks you love her, I saw it, you saw it, Alex and Jamiahl saw it. What do you think it will do to her when she realizes that sex means nothing to you. You used her to quench a thirst, a desire. She was a tool to you... So don't you dare question that I care about her. I do. You seem to be physically incapable of it."

Salinï stood there, anger shimmering in her eyes as she looked at Kouri, just glaring at her without speaking for a minute. "Let me tell you something..." She began, her tone of voice cold and emotionless. "This morning... we explained Mikan everything what might be involved of being with us... we gave her even the option to get out, away from us... but she knows me and Jamiahl will care for her, love her... for who she is. If you think we used her as a tool... then that says more about you than it does about me..." She glared directly at Kouri's eyes. "If we see her like you thin kwe see her... would I have gotten her a gift like that plushie? Would my sister risk time and effort tracking down the one to find some pistol of her lover and return it to her? You come to me with your accusations... but have you really asked Mikan what she wants? What she thinks, what she cares for?"

She growled now and took a step forward, letting her arms drop and reach for something at her belt. "And now let me ask you something else..." She unhooked something and brought it up to Kouri's face so she could see. "Was she... a whore too... who cared for nobody but herself..." In her hand, holding it up between her and Kouri she held Mesharra's urn. "Because if you are telling me... that one of my sisters died... trying to save someone who only thought of her as a whore who could not love or care for nobody... then she apparently died for someone not worth saving."

Kouri stands there for a minute, her masquerade cracking a bit as a little personal pain reached her eyes. She didn't expect that. Her eyes look at the urn, she remembered Mesharra dying for her, and Ishcar standing there. She takes a deep breath and replies, slowly, with a single remark. "Better than her sisters who immediately sought to replace her with anyone they could find, and who preyed upon a young girl to get what they wanted." She looks away, biting her tongue and feeling some guilt well up. She immediately regretted saying that to someone who was willing to give her life to save her own... Yet there was still the fury that burned ever brightly inside her, the one that screamed to get Mikan away from these women and to keep them away from Alex.

The hand with the urn trembled, a predatory growl coming from Salinï's throat, eyes burning with rage, gritting her teeth she attached the urn back to her belt and secured it. When she spoke her voice seemed to come from far away, her eyes on the urn, not betraying her current emotions. "We did not prey upon anyone... she willingly gave herself to us... I regained clarity long enough to give her a option ro run, to flee... me and Jamiahl would have... feasted... on any we could grab... Mikan stayed out of her own free will.." She looked up tears welling up in her eyes. "She claims me and Jamiahl helped her, that she is happy with us... it is she who healed us, Mesharra is no longer in this mortal realm... but she would want us to move on, to enjoy life. If you really think that we are what we are... go and ask Mikan what she wants... do not go behind her back and attack those who are now in her life and care for her.." She scowled, "Ask that blasted Darkhammer woman, she too seems to know we care for her... and there will be violence if she dares to call Mikan street rat or vermin again in my presence..."

Kouri only feels the regret grow with each passing word. Her fists unfurl as she sees the tears in Salinï's eyes. She chokes the still growing regret back, and closes the small gap between them, pressing her hand upon Mesharra's urn cautiously. "Brave woman... I'm sorry, Salinï." She murmurs quietly. She then mulls over the words about Darkhammer. An image of Sisera in a crown ruling with puppet strings attached to his arms flashed through her thoughts for a moment. She shudders. "We're... Different. Mikan did seem happy... And you did get her that stupid plushie. There is that." She struggled with her anger still, though, and it was apparent in her eyes. "...Don't touch my wife, and I'll try to accept you. Understand that it's hard for me to even understand you."

Salinï blinked, pulling back and shivered, hugging herself, part of her was still angry and she controlled it. "Know this... I will speak with Mikan about this conversation... we never kept any secrets from our... lovers... so perhaps you ought to talk to her before I do." She said, looking away. "And again about Darkhammer... she is dangerous... apparently you do not trust me, not really, but trust me on this... she is not your ally, not completely, you may share a same goal but she threatened that it was easy to kill me.. and kill you."

"I know." Kouri states plainly, standing there awkwardly for a moment. She had no idea how to reply now. "I knew her likely before you were born." She says with a small smile, cracking a poor joke. "She's a woman who keeps her word, but only when it benefits her to do so." She tries resting a hand on Salinï's shoulder, frowning. "I'm.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... It's just that... Agh, how can I explain myself... I suppose I cannot, can I?"

Salinï sighed and awkwardly patted Kouri's hand and then just hugged her, trying to not make it look like she was trying anything. "You did this because you are worried about Mikan... and about yourself and Alex." She broke off the hug and shrugged. "That explains enough... so unless there was something else?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, there is." Kouri states, looking away and biting her lip. Her next words were... Distressing to say the least, but she needed the services of an assassin.

She raised her eyebrow at the way Kouri now acted, "Oh?"

Kouri takes a deep breath, and then swallows back her nervousness. She looks to Salinï, eye to eye, coldly. "Sarah is using Sisera to attempt to usurp the throne from me. This would be... Disastrous. In the final battle, it would be better if... He had an accident." She bites her lip hard enough to bleed a little. This made her feel rotten... But it had to be done, and she didn't have the convenience of an army, or laws, to afford this.

To say that Salinï was surprised... well she was actually, her eyes widening at the request... and more importantly fro whom it came. "If you do not mind me saying this... you are the last person I expected to ask this of me or my sister... and so it is Sisera, the bandaged one? Hmm Darkhammer had slipped there was someone else with the required blood..." She murmured thinking, she looked back at Kouri. "Are you sure about this course of action?"

Kouri's lip quivers a little. She remembered how he took care of her when she was young... But then, she once believed in the Heavens, too, and that nearly killed her. "No... But it is necessary. Do you want to see an entire kingdom puppeteered by Sarah, of all people?" Kouri says as a return, wringing her wrists. This would be blood she could never wash off her hands. "It seems with each passing day, I'm no better than my enemies, heh..."

Salinï smiled, but it was without humor. "You are simply getting used to ruling a kingdom and the hard decisions you have to make... glad to see you have learned this lesson early on." She nodded, "He will die... and me and Jamiahl will attempt to do it quick... and without... too much pain. As for you thinking you are no better than your enemies, do you do this because you want to rule? Or do you do this because you don't want someone to rule who will be someone else's puppet? I let you answer that yourself." She crossed her arms. "There is the problem about... payment... of course."

"What is the price I must pay for this?" Kouri asks, staring at the ceiling, almost as if asking for forgiveness... Yet she knew there would be none from them. No, she would have to carry this weight on her own.

Salinï looked down and closed her eyes. "We do this... and you, as queen, owe my sisters a favor... to be called upon in the future." Was all she said, waiting for a answer.

Kouri pauses for several minutes. That favour could be anything, and she would be obligated to fulfill that favour. "...Favours are fine, within reason... I will not pay with rulership... And don't ever ask me to do something that I cannot, like let go of Alex... That aside, you may have a favour of your choice in the future. To ensure this is done."

Salinï looked up, "Payment is settled then. There can be no turning back now." She let out a sigh. "Now then... the last two conversations I had were somewhat... taxing... so could you perhaps leave me alone for a moment?"

Kouri doesn't smile, instead opting to nod quickly. "Go. I... Need to be alone for a little while, myself."

Salinï bowed her head and made to leave. "I trust you will talk to Mikan before I do? If you care for her that much perhaps she should hear your concerns from you and not me..." With that she bowed again and left, she would calm down some and then go to find Teila... what Kouri might have forgotten though... Salinï never said anything if she or Jamiahl would leave Alex... or her... alone...

Kouri leaves the small room shortly after Salinï does, a rather disgruntled look upon her face. It seemed at the moment that she was carrying too much upon her shoulders and her heart. Too many things to think about, too many things to fight. A quiet sigh leaves her lips as she descends the stairs, back into the main room just in time to see Mikan blowing a kiss to Jamiahl before leaving her side. She did seem happy with them. Was it all just illusions though? Perhaps something more malevolent than that.

Mikan pushes the plushie in her face, and a very familiar, now almost somewhat annoyingly squeaky tone of voice bursting out, right in the middle of the bar. "I. Missed. This. Thing!" Mikan says, enunciating each word with excitement while Kouri, almost exhaustively, pushes the plushie aside. "Yes, Mikan. I'm glad you have your toy back." Mikan frowns, then quickly replies. "...I uhh, I think we need to talk." Kouri nods slowly, motioning for Mikan to lead the way. Out of the corner of her eyes she notices Mikan trying to sway her hips. Why? She shakes her head. Must be trying to imitate the assassins.

In a few moments, Mikan had led Kouri to a small room. Kouri closes the small door, noticing Mikan's frown hadn't dissipated. "I uhh... I felt something upsetting. Between you and Salinï, I mean... Yeaah... Long story short I can kinda feel what they feel and they can kinda feel what I feel a little, sorta, it's more them feeling me than it is me feeling them but I guess it's like a rope? I dunno to describe it, but like... What happened?" Mikan asks, almost a little upset. Kouri felt taken aback somewhat. This wasn't like Mikan... Well, no, that was a lie. This was exactly like Mikan, but a little less subtle. "Oh, I don't know. A little of this, a little of that..." Kouri turns away, noticing a small mirror nearby she quickly walks over to it, looking her hair over and noticing at the very roots of her hair, that the black had started to overcome the blue.

She notices Mikan standing right behind her.

"Princess, I ain't a kid... Please don't treat me like one."
"I know."
"You know? Really? That's all I'm going to get, is some cryptic crap from you?"
"You wouldn't understand, Mikan, I'm just--"
"Trying to do the right thing? Then start by talking TO me! Not AT me, dammit! I'm not just some fucking toy you can throw away like Ishca--"

Kouri turns and slaps Mikan, anger and pain in her eyes. There had been enough glorifying that bastard, and it seemed that Kouri was at her wits end.

"Ishcar tried to kill me, and upon failing that, he killed Mesharra! SHE DIED FOR ME BECAUSE OF SOME DERANGED LUNATIC'S PERSONAL FANTASIES AND NOW I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT ON MY HEAD FOR THE REST OF MY WAKING DAYS AND RESTLESS NIGHTS, MIKAN!" Mikan stands there, stunned, her cheek throbbing in pain but her arms locked up in shock. This was... Ishcar did what?! Her face goes pale with the realization. "But I... I killed... The pirate ship, he was there, and you, and I..." Kouri grasps Mikan's shoulder, shaking her head. "I don't know how, but he was an angel... Who knows how many times they might bring him back to try again, I honestly do not know... And now..." Kouri lets go of Mikan's shoulder, turning back to the small mirror and frowning as she stared at the roots of her hair. Why.

"Now... What?"
"I fear I may lose you."
"Aww psshhh... C'mon! That's silly!"
"Not whilst you consort with the assassins."
"I did so by choice."
"You were forced to in order to save Alex, weren't you?"
"At first, then when I had the chance to escape, I didn't."
"Why not?"
"I don't know... They lost someone, I had nobody... Seemed like a fair deal at the time... 'Sides, if it weren't me, it'd have been some other nutter who'd have gotten the tails!"
"...Tails?"
"Err... Nevermind. Look, just know that I'm perfectly fine Kouri... I promise! Besides, you have Alex, what do you need me for anyway. I'm just some thief that gets her friends killed, and gets captured, after all..."

Mikan, at this point, was looking down to her shoes. Her albeit new shoes, Kouri noted. They bought her clothes, and a plushie, and retrieved Brent's pistol... All for her. It seemed a little excessive for someone who was used... Maybe they really did care. Maybe. Kouri walks over slowly, and as Mikan lifts her head she feels two arms softly wrap around her. She blinks curiously, looking up at Kouri before quite happily nuzzling in. "You know... Most women I'd be flirting with right about now, like this..." Kouri smiles softly, running a hand through Mikan's matted and messy ponytail for a moment before replying. "Oh? Is a princess too high and mighty for you now?" She says teasingly.

"No, no, it's just that the way you look after my every action makes me think of you like you're my mom."

Kouri's eye twitches, though Mikan doesn't notice as she's still nuzzling against her. Mom?! REALLY?! OF ALL THE DAMN THINGS SHE COULD CHOOSE IT WAS A... Fah! Kouri sighs in annoyance, causing Mikan to let go and once again look Kouri eye to eye. "Err, what did I do?" She asks incredulously. "...Nothing that a little time with Alex won't fix." Kouri says, smiling softly and hiding her prior annoyance. Mikan looks at the princess plushie, then hands it to Kouri. Kouri looks it over, shaking her head. Was she really that naive? Did she really... Wear a dress with that high a cut on her leg and not notice that whole damn time? Really? Why, it looked downright dreadful now. If she didn't know better, she'd have to say that a man dressed her just for his own amusem--

"Kouri, I'm pregnant."

"...What?" Kouri says, looking up and seeing Mikan scratch the back of her head awkwardly. "...That's uh... You don't look pregnant, Mikan. How do you know this?" She asks softly, resting a hand upon Mikan's shoulder reassuringly, though Mikan didn't seem very bothered by it. "The sisters figured out after we uh... Well, I guess those tails are reaaaall precise n' all, or somethin', but yeah. They figured it out and now uhh, here I am. Figured you should, well, know." Kouri thinks for a moment, and then smiles warmly. "Look... When this is all over, come with me and I'll make sure your child has a good, safe home... You too, if you want one. Maybe even in the castle, assuming we'll have a castle of course." Mikan giggles. "Ooh, so she can try on fancy dresses and learn to read and stuff huh!" Kouri nods, then hesitates before replying again. "...You do not know how to read, Mikan?" She shakes her head. "No, no... Brent was going to teach me, but, well..." A small frown reaches her face as Kouri looks around the room, spotting, of all things, the book titled "The Legend of Renalta." Quietly, she walks over and grabs the book, then sits upon the floor and motions Mikan over. A quick glance at the first page made Kouri smile as Mikan dropped down beside Kouri, staring at the page with a confused expression. "Alright, Mikan. Lets begin, shall we?"