I Do NOT Owe You! (prp Sebastian x Sastrugi)

[DieKraft Fe-Amon]

Sebastian began his day like any other; a trip to the store for a snack and then off to his recent master's home for his duties. Arms were hung dutifuly at his sides and as he finished his last task for the Lord he left with a bow and began his treck back home through the main street of town. He rather enjoyed being anonymous in the crowd; falling into them and not knowing anyone. The rain had stopped leaving everything muddy and damp and this; of all things, made him rather upset. A dirty butler was no butler at all...he grimmaced to himself as he continued through town.

A new bath house was opening and he considered stopping as he grabbed an apple from a cart; casually munching it before turning to pay the owner...  

[BlueBell05]

Sastrugi let out a large sigh as she lay back in the large warm bath. Comfort was a rare pleasure for Sas' and cleanliness one of her more prominent quirks. A white coat wasn't exactly desirable in her occupation and many had told her she'd never succeed but that only pushed her to try harder and develop her own methods for sneaking and concealing herself. She was proud of her methods and her success and so wore her coat as clean and white as she could manage.

A gentle splash at the end of the room caught her by surprise. Peering down her nose she caught glimpse of a lean dark form gliding through the water, she couldn't make out any features as the other meara seemed to melt into the shadows around him. The form was distinctly male that much she could tell and somehow . . . familiar. It couldn't be Mantel she had assigned him an important training mission designed to keep him busy and besides he didn't know she was at the baths. Nor was it any of the other Meara's she was familiar with in town. She knew of almost everybody and couldn't recall anyone with such a dark coat. Yet she recognised him. Reclining casually by the edge of the bath the Male meara looked up and caught her eye, he smiled and in a clipped polite tone introduced himself as Sebastian. Sastrugi froze memories of a bright moonlit night and a dark powerful stranger flooding back to her. "YOU!" she spat...  

[DieKraft Fe-Amon]

Sebastian looked rather surprised...baffled even and the expression faded as fast as it had appeared.

"Indeed. me." he smiled and the short words were enough to know by anyone's measure he was merely making conversation.Obvioualy he did not remember her. His life was so full of moments like that one he simply did not have the capacity for all of them. Gods forbid he had to do anything normal like real butlers often do... His body shifted beside hers and with a few deep breaths he let his eyes roll over to hers from one side and his elboxs kept him afloat in the water. luckily he had no one to look for him now that his current mission waas over he could fool around a bit.  

[BlueBell05]

Sas' seethed behind an icy cold glare. He didn't remember! How could he not remember! His eyes swept over her causing a warm flush in her body that sharpened her anger to a point. In the blink of an eye she had reached behind herself and pulled out a silver dagger concealed within her belongings. Turning again with the intent of thrusting it into his jaw she was met with an iron grip that stopped the dagger inches from his elegant face, holding her locked and unable to move. Too dignified to struggle Sas' just glared into his deceptively calm face. She saw malice in his eyes but also confusion and intrigue, he may not remember but he was curious to know. Frustration broke down her barriers and she decided to oblige him "The Lord of Dorlaew? 100,000 gold! Your first kill for the order!? None of that would have been yours if it wasn't for me, I let you have him and you know it!" A hint of realisation came into his eyes but something else was there too...  

[DieKraft Fe-Amon]

Sebastian let her point the dagger at him; let it get close even before it stopped in a blinding halt. Her eyes hinted at something other than anger and his slid over her as he held her away from him. He almost didnt want to...But with a shrug and a flick of his wrist the dagger went sailing too close to one of the bath attendants who screamed and left the two alone; far too startled to even ask!

Her words reminded him; unfortunately he felt them true and Sebastian always keeps his word. Always finishes his work and always does a damn good job.

"I am in your debt then." he smirked one milisecond then let it fade to his plastic stare and cold smile which melted into his expression with a twinge of happiness.

Her eyes brightened a little at his instant submission...Perhaps she should not be too quick to decide who was profiting from the arrangement?

"Ask of me what you will. Until my debt is repaid I am yours." Sebastian relaxed again; the bath water steamed and rose like a mist from a waterfall.  

[BlueBell05]

His instant, cool response caught Sastrugi by surprise, she felt the emotion flicker quickly across her face before schooling her features into a snowy calm. For a brief moment she was undecided as to how his debt could be a benefit to her, he was very skilled ... that much she knew and perhaps the time would come when she would need his ... assistance. She let that thought go almost instantly she didn't want to be reliant on him she wanted to punish him! At least thats what she told herself, perhaps there was something much deeper within her that wanted to keep him around. The two sat quietly together in the bath, never breaking eye contact. There was a small commotion outside, their little episode must have caused the bath house employees some alarm. Sastrugi's thoughts began to flick though simple excuses for their behaviour when she heard a loud *thud* and a small grunt at the end of the bath house. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

She called out softly "Mantel" there was no reply. "I know it's you Mantel your still much too loud, remember hold your breath as you jump and release it slowly as you land." Mantel walked calmly out of the shadows a subtle look of chagrin on his face. "I tried Sas' but it's really hard!" Eyes like thunder landed upon him, he faltered and stammered in a monotone "Um, I mean, I'm sorry miss i'll do better next time" Mantel walked over the edge of the bath and sat behind her rigid and attentive. Sas' looked back to Sebastian and though she sensed a vague amusement beneath his blank visage. The corner of her lip twitched "From today you can begin repay your debt. You will train the boy!"  

[DieKraft Fe-Amon]

Sebastian's eye flickered not even to glance at the child. His head stayed very still as his expression melted agian from hard to soft and the boy; despite his youth and enthusiasm , was finally silent for fear of his new master's wrath. Sebastian was cold; a wrath would not be quick or firey hot but cold; slow and something like ice running in shards and chunks through the veins.

"Very well, mistress." He spoke with a half-grin on his face. He could be ammused by the child...use it to elevate his own skills.

He watched as his own ammusement irritated the mare and he could not help but grin wider at the thought of the two bumbling about while training was a mildly entertaining thought.  

[BlueBell05]

Mantel was scared... Very scared. Sas' was often harsh with him but he always knew that deep down she cared for him. To this stallion however he could tell he meant nothing, at best he was a pawn for his own personal gain. But he could also see that he was a man of strong principle and knew that he would honour his debt.

Sas' stood up Glaring at Sebastian, irritated. He seemed to be pleased with this arrangement, as though it benefitted him. Beneath her irritation Sastrugi was mildly impressed, somehow this stallion was able to turn every situation to his advantage. She didn't like not being in control ...

* * *

Sas' stood in the open doorway to her small hut. She and Mantel lived high above the other Mearas on the snowy slopes behind the village. She could see Sebastian and Mantel walking up the hill towards her, their dark coats in strong contrast with the white snow around them. Mantel seemed exhausted and a little shaken but a quick check when they reached her told her he was unhurt. She let Mantel go inside and turned to Sebastian "How did he go?"  

[DieKraft Fe-Amon]

Sebastian looked a little pale but was; overall, unaffected by the entirety of their journey. His hands went to pat his fur clean of the mild dust ladden in it from training. The sweat dripped from all three but mostly the boy..who was worked harder than anyone for he was; if nothign else; the plaything of Sebastian's afternoons.

"He performed adequately, mistres."

With a curt bow Sebastian stood guard outside the hut. Being no other purpose for a butler in a hut on the mountainside he began to start their evening fire. It was soon a tiny little flame atop a stick in the shelter of much larger logs which would burn and their ashes feed the future generations of flames to join in.

"Is there anything else you require of me today?" he asked politely as his hands placed several recently line-dried blankets back inside the hut.  

[BlueBell05]

Sastrugi frowned slightly having Sebastian become her butler was not something she expected. Her house was small and being naturally quite secretive she didn't allow him to do much cleaning or spend any period of time in her house alone. She was often hard pressed to find things for him to do but she couldn't deny she did love ordering him around. "No that will be all" she said dismissing him.

((ahaha a butler in a mountain hut xd Should we leave it here or should things get ... intimate?))  

[DieKraft Fe-Amon]

Sebastian was quick to dismiss himself from her presence before letting his icy stare melt ever so much... His treck through the hut was quiet and he simply laid outside like a sleeping centry sloppinly napping on duty. In truth he was done...but rather than treck all the way bac to town on his final hours he prefered to simply sleep outside. It was qiueter ; darker even; in the forestry.

(( I thought we were having a longer storyline before she eventually manipulatedhim into that? Its ok either way--just think much more could be done here wink ))  

[BlueBell05]

A hard knock on the door woke Sas. It was still dark, probably around 2 thirty she guessed. Running over to the door she was surprised to hear two voices, recognising one as Sebastian she wrenched it open and saw him standing outside talking to a tall thin Meara in a heavy cloak. Sas' recognised him immediately as one of the guild's runners. He turned to her as she opened the door and handed over a black envelope. She knew Sebastian was watching her, they both knew what it meant. She had a new assignment. As always a small card was inside with a name and a price written on it, 'the Marquis Oscglinn, 20,000 gold'. Sas' nodded to the runner and he nodded once to her and once to Sebastian before striding quickly down the hillside.

Sastrugi looked suspiciously at Sebastian, what was he still doing here at this time of night? After glaring at him briefly she decided she didn't care. He wouldn't be able to get inside the house without her knowing and he couldn't cause any harm outside. She turned to go back into the house when he said ...

((Eheheh I considered speaking for Sebastian but this seemed like more fun. I'm well keen for a long storyline, there is much potential! Lol poor Sas having to force sex out of her butler xd ))  

[DieKraft Fe-Amon]

His eyes narrowed at the mare who stood silently behind. The envelope was indeed for her but she had missed the one for him...He would be on assignment soon and lingering in her presence would only complicate things. Assasins work alone for good reason. Their targets could be eachother...

"Mistress. Are you still awake?" his eyebrow quirked and stone like facade returned with a quick flash of a shadow over it.
She would make a quick trip of the target; it was simple enough to raid his traveling coach when it came through town within the week if they got the timing right. Otherwise she would need to infultrate his fort which held the eastern border.


(( Well...sort of forced XDDD Totally jsut thought of a mr.and mrs.smith plot line for a sec! LOL totally JUST realized i needed to reply razz My bad... razz You cna poke/prod/bother me all you like if i dont reply ... X3))  

[BlueBell05]

Sas' couldn't sleep, she had begun going through the details of the assignment in her head and was lost in planning. This new assignment would be tricky, it would be handy to have an accomplice, she thought of Mantel the experience would do him good but he wasn't skilled enough yet for her to rely upon him. Her thoughts turned to Sebastian, if she used this as a training exercise Sebastian could come along as Mantel's tutor. Although she didn't trust him having Mantel to watch over would hopefully prevent him from sabotaging the mission...or would it aid him? She was still mulling these questions over when she heard Sebastian walk into the room and ask if she was still awake.

"What do you want Sebastian?" she replied, rolling over to look at the stallion.

((Oooh good response, that could be a possibility, next assignment maybe? It'd be fun to try and resolve beause we don't want them killing each other and if they did what would happen to Mantel!! gonk ))  

[DieKraft Fe-Amon]

"I know their caravan is in town soon. You would be wise to take the lot of them out at the same time," he spoke gently in the night so as not to rouse the youngster who was sleeping not too far away.

Sebastian's tone changed, was somehow softer...smoother than before. It was almost as if he was alive only at night and his eye, flashing red and white in the darkness, was the only outline of him visible at the late late hour.