Post by Charon's Claw on May 17, 2008 12:32:45 GMT -5
The dagger sunk halfway into the soft wood of the wall, followed by a small hiss and a faint acrid smell. Slender fingers clasped the hilt and yanked it from the wood. The woman brought the dagger before her dark eyes and spun it around slowly watching the faint light from the candle reflect along the surface. She sighed softly, then glanced to the sleeping figure laying under the covers next to her. A faint smile formed on her lips, as it always did when she looked upon Edward.
"Have you finally found a bit of peace now that they are dead?" she whispered faintly. He didn't stir to her question at all. She shook her head, hair brushing her cheeks while her visage hardens once more. She flipped the dagger in her hand deftly and hurled it into the wall as swift as a lightning strke. The wood gave way to the metal and the air filled once more with soft hissing and the faint smell of acid.
"A good thing I'm not in Cormyr now, Mouse would've had a fit from what I've been doin'," sighing she reaches out for the dagger again and plucks it from the wall. "Ain't missed this life any," she further mused, "hopefully he's got peace now'n things can go back t'normal." She looks over the dagger's fine edge again then hurls it back into the wall. The predictable hiss followed by acid assaulted her nostrils.
She glances over to Edward who is sound asleep next to her on the bed, then looks away and stares hard at the wall, thinking over the events of the past few tendays she's been away from Cormyr.
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Dusk walked quietly down the dusty lane glancing left and right at the wind worn buildings. Shacks of wood and buildings of stone reinforced by wood framed the street. She payed little heed to the few people she passed, nor gave a second thought to the poverty stricken wretches that dotted the side alleys. The scene was all to familiar to her. She pulled her cloak tightly about her to ward from a renewed gust that brought the sand buffeting wind to bear. Briskly she walked to the side of a building in search of some shielding to gather her thoughts and orient herself. Moving into the shadows of an alley she let down the protective cloak and reached in a pouch pulling out a list to look over every detail critically, exactly as she had done at least ten times since Edward handed it to her. Looking around in irritation and rubbing some sand out of her eye, she spotted a somewhat prosperous building across the lane. She narrowed her eyes and glanced from the building to the list again once more, brushing some stray hair behind her ears.
"Guess that's th'place," she mumbled to herself. She rolled up the now tattered list and let out a faint resigned sigh then pushed forward to the building, pausing only a moment to glare at each person that happened to pass too close to her. Upon nearing the door she paused a moment and took a breath to gather herself and glanced at the faded, sand blasted wooden sign overhead. "Yup, this is th'place," she mumbled to herself in confirmation, sparing a glance down to the list in the cloth pouch attached to her strong leather belt. Dusk narrowed her eyes and put on a firm visage then pushed open the door glancing to each side quickly as she moved through.
Within she was greeted by a miriad of aromas and sounds, from the stink of cheap weeds to the sweat and dirt of the poor wretches who spent most of their existance the place. The chatter of people hushed momentarily when she entered, each patron sparing a glance to the door then resuming their business. The clink of glasses and plates drew her attention briefly from the patrons to the bar. Looking back to the crowd her lip curled up faintly, the only outward appearance to her distaste of the place. She looked over the crowd thoroughly, then moved up to the bar deftly weaving in between the many patrons and tables that were set around the room. A rough and slightly dirty looking woman wiping down a plate with a soiled rag greeted her curtly at the counter. Dusk looked over her briefly noting that her curly brown hair was a nest of ragged tangles and her garb was somewhat neat yet noticably worn. She looked back up to her dark dead pan eyes and the woman spoke to Dusk again.
"What's yer pleasure?" she croaked in a worn and tired voice. Dusk's nose wrinkled up slightly from the woman's breath as she spoke.
"I just want a room," she replied curtly, quickly composing herself.
"Room and the 'services' be fifty gold. Pretty one like yerself should find good time." she replied with a lewd grin and a snicker.
"I only want a room," she spoke again, more firmly with the hint of a threat basing her tone.
"Lookie here girly, only rooms we got, ain't for sleepin' if ya get me meanin'," the woman smirked leaning one elbow on the counter, her baggy sleeve brushing lightly then sliding off the side to dangle in the air.
"Fine, whatever," Dusk managed to hiss out. Gritting her teeth slightly doing well to hold her rising anger in check, she stiffly reached into her pouch and produced the needed gold and dropped it on the counter. The woman snatched it up greedily almost as soon as it thumped onto the slightly bowed countertop. She walked to the back wall and opened a cabinent with a rickety squeak. Fishing around in the cabinent for a moment, she then turned back around with a key in hand.
"Down the hall, fifth room on the right," she spoke with a dirty grin. Motioning with the key toward the hall, she then held it out to Dusk who snatched it with a grab as swift as a cobra strike.
"Thanks," Dusk stiffly hissed out, storming quietly down the dimly lit hall, floorboards creaking softly under her swift steps. Doing her best to ignore the moans, creaks, and stenches coming from each of the occupied rooms she pushed on down the hall giving each number on the door a faint glance. She continued down the hall blinking a few times to adjust to the low light of the few candles dotting the wall. Wrinkling her nose in distaste at some of the more pungent smells she came across, she finally came to the door she paid for. She briefly glanced over the cracked wood of the door starting to reach for the knob that was not present. She scowled a moment, then just sighed in resignation and pushed open the creaky, dilapidated door. She walked through briskly, flaring her nostrils with a sharp exhalation of breath to ward the worst of the stench. Her gaze shifted over the room slowly, settling on the large wretch sitting on the bed against the far wall. He had stirred from his sleep, looking around with a wide eyed look a moment, then ran his hand through his greasy dark hair only to mess it up more than it had been.
"Gots a visitor? Here for a bit o'fun wit Oldof?!" he queried with a lewd, gap toothed dirty grin. "You have good time with me!" he roared with a feral smile playing on his face. He pushed up slowly from the bed, using the nightstand next to it to assist him and adjusted the dirty and tattered trousers he wore loosely around his waist. His roaming gaze settled on her completely as he ambled over rubbing his bare chest, his grin widening as he neared.
"Tiny one you is!" he laughed boisterisly, then smirked, "hope Oldof don't break you."
Dusk halted him with a glare that could have frosted a fire elemental, curling up her lip not hiding her disdain in the least. She recoiled slightly as he started to move toward her again, his large frame causing the floorboards to creak, and raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait, so your name is Oldof?" she asked him.
"Ya? Oldof show ladies good time! Bwahaha!" he replied, showing yet another infuriating lewd grin.
"Ahh... Oldof! You are -just- th'one I was lookin' for then," Dusk said back to him, holding her hatred and disgust for the wretch in check. "In fact, I was lookin' just for you!" She grinned to him forcibly softening her glaring visage pulling out a list and a piece of charcoal. She unrolled the list with a faint crinkle of parchment and her eyes roamed down it until she reached a name. Oldof. With a slow spreading grin she rolled the list back up and replaced it in her belt pouch. She looked back up to Oldof, who was staring at her with a slightly puzzled expression.
"Just some questions I got for ya first, before th'fun," she spoke with a soft tone, relaxing him slightly. "Ya know a woman called Tastori Skelwmos?"
"Uhh.. you stupid're somethin'? She one o'the most richest people 'round this part o'town," he babbled on with his throaty voice. He coughed a phlem filled cough wiping his mouth and stubble brisky then spat in the chamberpot at the foot of his bed, missing horribly.
"I see... she comes here often?" Dusk hissed out, once again making a near visible effort to keep her irritation and revulsion in check.
"Ya, whassit to ya?" he asked suspiciously.
Dusk sighed faintly and reached under her cloak pulling out a fair sized brown burlap pouch. "It means a lot t'me, so I'll give ya this if ya just tell me where she lives." Dusk flung the pouch to the brute across the room. He grasped it from the air greedily, the pouched tinkled with the tell tale sound of gold. Grinning showing his gapped stained teeth, he craned his dirty gaze back to her.
"She lives in th'big house down d'main lane o'this corner o'town. Take d'street t'd'right past d'shops, n'her house be th'big one at th'end o' d'street," he barked out roughly. "Gots guards'n all that, can't miss it." He walked back to shove the coins under the flat pillow on the low bed. He turned back to her slowly and ambled over. "Now, we get down t'other bizuness eh?" he asked with no little amount of eagerness.
"Why, of course! You've earned that much at least, Oldof," Dusk purred to him. She shifted a subtly squaring up to his approaching form. He walked up to her and reached to scoop her up into his hairy burly arms. Curling her lips in a frown at his pungent odor, she exploded into motion. She reached under her cloak pulling out a dagger from its concealment. As quick as a viper she reversed it in her hand and crouched low sending a swift kick to the oaf's legs causing him to tumble down with a grunt in a heap of flailing limbs. Springing up as quick as a cat, Dusk flipped over him as he fell, landing lightly on the other side of him. She spun around the moment he started to pull himself up and sliced at his exposed spine, grazing the bone and leaving a long wicked gash that hissed as flesh started to dissolve slowly. The scent of corroding flesh and spilled blood filled her nostrils while the sound of his agaonized yell filled the room. Working quickly she kicked him with the heel of her boot square in the back causing his scream to cut short and end with a burst of exhaled air. She then reached out with a hand deftly and clasped her slender yet powerful fingers over his throat cutting off his air. She let him fall to the floor the rest of the way, guiding him down then quick stepped to remain atop of him, her hand still on his throat cutting off his air and a dagger poised at his gut. Looking up from his helpless position at her with a wide eyed stare, he tried to grasp at her hands only to find that his arms would not answer his mind's call. His eyes widened even more as she got off of him and brushed herself off and adjusted her hair back to its near perfect positioning. He could not move! He tried with all his might to kick and flail, but to no avial. Finishing primping herself Dusk turned a superior smirk over him.
"You won't be able to move oaf. I've severed the nerves in your spine, it's temporary though ya won't live long enough t'gain th'feelin' back," she said to him sweetly, though her vocie was tinged with a no little contempt.
"What.... Oldof.. do... to you?" he rasped through a ragged breath.
"Well aside from th'fact that I find ya offensive, rude, crass'n just downright disgustin', you've done nothin' t'me. But! I ain't doin' this for m'self, m'doin' it for someone dear t'me. On them words, Edward Lorkus sends his regards." Dusk grinned ferally looking down at the helpless man. After a brief moment his eyes widened as large as saucers in recognition. Laughing bitterly and joylessly Dusk walked over to the bed and took off the stained sheets, tying them together creating an impromtu noose skillfully. She fished in her pack and pulled out a soiled rag and some twine then walked back to Oldof shoving the rag roughly in his mouth and securing it with the twine tying it tight enough to his face to draw a faint trickle of blood. She then tied the makeshift noose around his neck and flung the other end over the rafter in the far right corner of the room. Dragging him over she started to pull on the sheets raising him into the air with great effort. Oldof gurgled and gasped fuitily for the air his lungs so desired. His limbs flopped lazily to their sides from the blow she struck to his spine. She pulled out a dagger and drove it into the thick boards of the walls and tied off the sheet over the hilt.
"Normally I kill m'enemies quick'n mercilessly, though for you I'm makin' an exception."
He gurgled in reply and his eyes widened yet again as she neared with her awful dagger in hand. Her face a calm mask showing little expression beyond a hint of disgust, she closed on him taking one of his wrists in her hand. His muffled yell filled the room as Dusk calmly yet brutally and efficiently cut open the skin of his wrists, the acrid scent filling the air of the room as the acid from the dagger slowly burned his flesh. She gave the same treatment to the other wrist, then calmly walked back to the bed and wiped her dagger off on his pillow. She reached under the pillow and took back the gold he had set there replacing it back under her cloak. She replaced her dagger back in its concealed spot then moved with purpose out of the room her face an impassive and expressionless mask as she secured the door closed behind her. She paused briefly to loosen some of her clothing, muss up her hair, and give herself an overall messy bedraggled look, then walked back out to the common room her footfalls making not a hint of sound on the floorboards from her balanced gait. She walked briskly up to the counter and placed the key atop of it waiting. The woman that greeted her came back after a few minutes and snatched the key from the counter.
"You have good time I see," she grinned widely, wagging her head stupidly.
"Oh yes... better'n ya know... better'n ya know," Dusk smirked then turned around and paced out of the establishment. She squinted as she exited, her eyes adjusting to the brilliant sunlight then she pushed on blending into the crowd. Walking along she pulled the list from her belt pouch out again with a piece of charcoal and scratched off a name. Oldof.
"One down... two t'go," she said with a tinge of regret and resignation in her voice. Sighing she shoved the list away and walked down the dusty lane toward the House of Tastori Skelwmos, glaring briefly at the people that passed by too close to her.
//comments of any kind are welcome
"Have you finally found a bit of peace now that they are dead?" she whispered faintly. He didn't stir to her question at all. She shook her head, hair brushing her cheeks while her visage hardens once more. She flipped the dagger in her hand deftly and hurled it into the wall as swift as a lightning strke. The wood gave way to the metal and the air filled once more with soft hissing and the faint smell of acid.
"A good thing I'm not in Cormyr now, Mouse would've had a fit from what I've been doin'," sighing she reaches out for the dagger again and plucks it from the wall. "Ain't missed this life any," she further mused, "hopefully he's got peace now'n things can go back t'normal." She looks over the dagger's fine edge again then hurls it back into the wall. The predictable hiss followed by acid assaulted her nostrils.
She glances over to Edward who is sound asleep next to her on the bed, then looks away and stares hard at the wall, thinking over the events of the past few tendays she's been away from Cormyr.
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Dusk walked quietly down the dusty lane glancing left and right at the wind worn buildings. Shacks of wood and buildings of stone reinforced by wood framed the street. She payed little heed to the few people she passed, nor gave a second thought to the poverty stricken wretches that dotted the side alleys. The scene was all to familiar to her. She pulled her cloak tightly about her to ward from a renewed gust that brought the sand buffeting wind to bear. Briskly she walked to the side of a building in search of some shielding to gather her thoughts and orient herself. Moving into the shadows of an alley she let down the protective cloak and reached in a pouch pulling out a list to look over every detail critically, exactly as she had done at least ten times since Edward handed it to her. Looking around in irritation and rubbing some sand out of her eye, she spotted a somewhat prosperous building across the lane. She narrowed her eyes and glanced from the building to the list again once more, brushing some stray hair behind her ears.
"Guess that's th'place," she mumbled to herself. She rolled up the now tattered list and let out a faint resigned sigh then pushed forward to the building, pausing only a moment to glare at each person that happened to pass too close to her. Upon nearing the door she paused a moment and took a breath to gather herself and glanced at the faded, sand blasted wooden sign overhead. "Yup, this is th'place," she mumbled to herself in confirmation, sparing a glance down to the list in the cloth pouch attached to her strong leather belt. Dusk narrowed her eyes and put on a firm visage then pushed open the door glancing to each side quickly as she moved through.
Within she was greeted by a miriad of aromas and sounds, from the stink of cheap weeds to the sweat and dirt of the poor wretches who spent most of their existance the place. The chatter of people hushed momentarily when she entered, each patron sparing a glance to the door then resuming their business. The clink of glasses and plates drew her attention briefly from the patrons to the bar. Looking back to the crowd her lip curled up faintly, the only outward appearance to her distaste of the place. She looked over the crowd thoroughly, then moved up to the bar deftly weaving in between the many patrons and tables that were set around the room. A rough and slightly dirty looking woman wiping down a plate with a soiled rag greeted her curtly at the counter. Dusk looked over her briefly noting that her curly brown hair was a nest of ragged tangles and her garb was somewhat neat yet noticably worn. She looked back up to her dark dead pan eyes and the woman spoke to Dusk again.
"What's yer pleasure?" she croaked in a worn and tired voice. Dusk's nose wrinkled up slightly from the woman's breath as she spoke.
"I just want a room," she replied curtly, quickly composing herself.
"Room and the 'services' be fifty gold. Pretty one like yerself should find good time." she replied with a lewd grin and a snicker.
"I only want a room," she spoke again, more firmly with the hint of a threat basing her tone.
"Lookie here girly, only rooms we got, ain't for sleepin' if ya get me meanin'," the woman smirked leaning one elbow on the counter, her baggy sleeve brushing lightly then sliding off the side to dangle in the air.
"Fine, whatever," Dusk managed to hiss out. Gritting her teeth slightly doing well to hold her rising anger in check, she stiffly reached into her pouch and produced the needed gold and dropped it on the counter. The woman snatched it up greedily almost as soon as it thumped onto the slightly bowed countertop. She walked to the back wall and opened a cabinent with a rickety squeak. Fishing around in the cabinent for a moment, she then turned back around with a key in hand.
"Down the hall, fifth room on the right," she spoke with a dirty grin. Motioning with the key toward the hall, she then held it out to Dusk who snatched it with a grab as swift as a cobra strike.
"Thanks," Dusk stiffly hissed out, storming quietly down the dimly lit hall, floorboards creaking softly under her swift steps. Doing her best to ignore the moans, creaks, and stenches coming from each of the occupied rooms she pushed on down the hall giving each number on the door a faint glance. She continued down the hall blinking a few times to adjust to the low light of the few candles dotting the wall. Wrinkling her nose in distaste at some of the more pungent smells she came across, she finally came to the door she paid for. She briefly glanced over the cracked wood of the door starting to reach for the knob that was not present. She scowled a moment, then just sighed in resignation and pushed open the creaky, dilapidated door. She walked through briskly, flaring her nostrils with a sharp exhalation of breath to ward the worst of the stench. Her gaze shifted over the room slowly, settling on the large wretch sitting on the bed against the far wall. He had stirred from his sleep, looking around with a wide eyed look a moment, then ran his hand through his greasy dark hair only to mess it up more than it had been.
"Gots a visitor? Here for a bit o'fun wit Oldof?!" he queried with a lewd, gap toothed dirty grin. "You have good time with me!" he roared with a feral smile playing on his face. He pushed up slowly from the bed, using the nightstand next to it to assist him and adjusted the dirty and tattered trousers he wore loosely around his waist. His roaming gaze settled on her completely as he ambled over rubbing his bare chest, his grin widening as he neared.
"Tiny one you is!" he laughed boisterisly, then smirked, "hope Oldof don't break you."
Dusk halted him with a glare that could have frosted a fire elemental, curling up her lip not hiding her disdain in the least. She recoiled slightly as he started to move toward her again, his large frame causing the floorboards to creak, and raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait, so your name is Oldof?" she asked him.
"Ya? Oldof show ladies good time! Bwahaha!" he replied, showing yet another infuriating lewd grin.
"Ahh... Oldof! You are -just- th'one I was lookin' for then," Dusk said back to him, holding her hatred and disgust for the wretch in check. "In fact, I was lookin' just for you!" She grinned to him forcibly softening her glaring visage pulling out a list and a piece of charcoal. She unrolled the list with a faint crinkle of parchment and her eyes roamed down it until she reached a name. Oldof. With a slow spreading grin she rolled the list back up and replaced it in her belt pouch. She looked back up to Oldof, who was staring at her with a slightly puzzled expression.
"Just some questions I got for ya first, before th'fun," she spoke with a soft tone, relaxing him slightly. "Ya know a woman called Tastori Skelwmos?"
"Uhh.. you stupid're somethin'? She one o'the most richest people 'round this part o'town," he babbled on with his throaty voice. He coughed a phlem filled cough wiping his mouth and stubble brisky then spat in the chamberpot at the foot of his bed, missing horribly.
"I see... she comes here often?" Dusk hissed out, once again making a near visible effort to keep her irritation and revulsion in check.
"Ya, whassit to ya?" he asked suspiciously.
Dusk sighed faintly and reached under her cloak pulling out a fair sized brown burlap pouch. "It means a lot t'me, so I'll give ya this if ya just tell me where she lives." Dusk flung the pouch to the brute across the room. He grasped it from the air greedily, the pouched tinkled with the tell tale sound of gold. Grinning showing his gapped stained teeth, he craned his dirty gaze back to her.
"She lives in th'big house down d'main lane o'this corner o'town. Take d'street t'd'right past d'shops, n'her house be th'big one at th'end o' d'street," he barked out roughly. "Gots guards'n all that, can't miss it." He walked back to shove the coins under the flat pillow on the low bed. He turned back to her slowly and ambled over. "Now, we get down t'other bizuness eh?" he asked with no little amount of eagerness.
"Why, of course! You've earned that much at least, Oldof," Dusk purred to him. She shifted a subtly squaring up to his approaching form. He walked up to her and reached to scoop her up into his hairy burly arms. Curling her lips in a frown at his pungent odor, she exploded into motion. She reached under her cloak pulling out a dagger from its concealment. As quick as a viper she reversed it in her hand and crouched low sending a swift kick to the oaf's legs causing him to tumble down with a grunt in a heap of flailing limbs. Springing up as quick as a cat, Dusk flipped over him as he fell, landing lightly on the other side of him. She spun around the moment he started to pull himself up and sliced at his exposed spine, grazing the bone and leaving a long wicked gash that hissed as flesh started to dissolve slowly. The scent of corroding flesh and spilled blood filled her nostrils while the sound of his agaonized yell filled the room. Working quickly she kicked him with the heel of her boot square in the back causing his scream to cut short and end with a burst of exhaled air. She then reached out with a hand deftly and clasped her slender yet powerful fingers over his throat cutting off his air. She let him fall to the floor the rest of the way, guiding him down then quick stepped to remain atop of him, her hand still on his throat cutting off his air and a dagger poised at his gut. Looking up from his helpless position at her with a wide eyed stare, he tried to grasp at her hands only to find that his arms would not answer his mind's call. His eyes widened even more as she got off of him and brushed herself off and adjusted her hair back to its near perfect positioning. He could not move! He tried with all his might to kick and flail, but to no avial. Finishing primping herself Dusk turned a superior smirk over him.
"You won't be able to move oaf. I've severed the nerves in your spine, it's temporary though ya won't live long enough t'gain th'feelin' back," she said to him sweetly, though her vocie was tinged with a no little contempt.
"What.... Oldof.. do... to you?" he rasped through a ragged breath.
"Well aside from th'fact that I find ya offensive, rude, crass'n just downright disgustin', you've done nothin' t'me. But! I ain't doin' this for m'self, m'doin' it for someone dear t'me. On them words, Edward Lorkus sends his regards." Dusk grinned ferally looking down at the helpless man. After a brief moment his eyes widened as large as saucers in recognition. Laughing bitterly and joylessly Dusk walked over to the bed and took off the stained sheets, tying them together creating an impromtu noose skillfully. She fished in her pack and pulled out a soiled rag and some twine then walked back to Oldof shoving the rag roughly in his mouth and securing it with the twine tying it tight enough to his face to draw a faint trickle of blood. She then tied the makeshift noose around his neck and flung the other end over the rafter in the far right corner of the room. Dragging him over she started to pull on the sheets raising him into the air with great effort. Oldof gurgled and gasped fuitily for the air his lungs so desired. His limbs flopped lazily to their sides from the blow she struck to his spine. She pulled out a dagger and drove it into the thick boards of the walls and tied off the sheet over the hilt.
"Normally I kill m'enemies quick'n mercilessly, though for you I'm makin' an exception."
He gurgled in reply and his eyes widened yet again as she neared with her awful dagger in hand. Her face a calm mask showing little expression beyond a hint of disgust, she closed on him taking one of his wrists in her hand. His muffled yell filled the room as Dusk calmly yet brutally and efficiently cut open the skin of his wrists, the acrid scent filling the air of the room as the acid from the dagger slowly burned his flesh. She gave the same treatment to the other wrist, then calmly walked back to the bed and wiped her dagger off on his pillow. She reached under the pillow and took back the gold he had set there replacing it back under her cloak. She replaced her dagger back in its concealed spot then moved with purpose out of the room her face an impassive and expressionless mask as she secured the door closed behind her. She paused briefly to loosen some of her clothing, muss up her hair, and give herself an overall messy bedraggled look, then walked back out to the common room her footfalls making not a hint of sound on the floorboards from her balanced gait. She walked briskly up to the counter and placed the key atop of it waiting. The woman that greeted her came back after a few minutes and snatched the key from the counter.
"You have good time I see," she grinned widely, wagging her head stupidly.
"Oh yes... better'n ya know... better'n ya know," Dusk smirked then turned around and paced out of the establishment. She squinted as she exited, her eyes adjusting to the brilliant sunlight then she pushed on blending into the crowd. Walking along she pulled the list from her belt pouch out again with a piece of charcoal and scratched off a name. Oldof.
"One down... two t'go," she said with a tinge of regret and resignation in her voice. Sighing she shoved the list away and walked down the dusty lane toward the House of Tastori Skelwmos, glaring briefly at the people that passed by too close to her.
//comments of any kind are welcome
