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 Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:00 pm
Ariadne hated leaving her home, especially when she knew she wasn't even being followed by some protector or other, but there were certainly some times when it had to be done.
Usually she'd send someone to go for her, to take her messages, run her errands, to do all manner of little things, but her own strong willed nature, and her own liking for secrecy wouldn't always let her send someone else.
Today was one of those moment. She was supposed to be picking up a package that she had requested from the dwarves. Normally she wouldn't have anything to do with them, but sometimes it needed to be done. They had a certain kind of crystal that was perfect to scrying with, and she'd finally managed to get her hands on one of them, that pleased her greatly.
She didn't however trust anyone else to pick up the valuable stone. The city she was going to was full of renegades, her family would cause trouble and disgrace themselves... she didn't need that. Plus though she loved her family she didn't trust the not to steal the item again and sell it for themselves and the profit.
With a curl of her lip she pulled her hooded cloak around herself a little tighter and tucked the hood around her face a little more. She hated being in this city... she hated the renegades... and she really really hated dwarves... this whole thing just made her feel sick. No decent, self respecting Drow would be found in this pit. This horrific pit...
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:00 am
With yet another sigh the tall drow stood vigilantly beside the disgustingly hairy excuse of a dwarf. He knew he was hairy as far as drow went, but I mean, honestly.. These guys were quite disgusting, they never washed for one thing.. ANd they.. Well they never washed.. He just hoped that whoever this client of his brothers was would hurry on up and collect their stone already, he didn't want to spend more time than he absolutely had to standing by this lowlife.
So why on earth was he there in the first place? It could be summed up in one word.
Mavis.
His beloved little dragon was going to be the death of him one day. He had been charged with delivering the stone to the correct client in this district of the underdark, a task that did not usually fall into his intermittant roles within his younger brothers network of trades and businesses, and he had been handed the task purely by coincidence. Haeldril was on the move again and seemingly quite busy in other matters of business, and could not spare a body to carry out this transaction, Vic finding himself to be the only drow of the band to be nearby to this town on this occasion. He hadn't minded doing it, not in the slightest, matters were just difficult involving this trade when his beloved little Mavis had got wind of what was contained within the sealed box, wrapped protectively in silks and velvets. Considering dragons of her age had no problem gnawing and leaving small indents in diamonds he feared that she would make short work of the polished wooden box that held the stone and shorter still of the contents.
Hence his current predicament with the dwarf, the first one he saw who didn't look like he'd rebel too much at being ordered away from his work.
It didn't stop the dragon glaring beadily down at the unwashed hairy creature he stood beside however, she wasn't usually one to touch what wasn't her masters, therefor hers, for now at least.
"Where are they.." He grumbeld under his breath, rubbing once at his eyepatch then at the back of his head, he'd been having this strange prickling sort of headache for the past few months. It seemed to be getting worse and worse today, by the minute now.
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:06 pm
While walking through the hideous crowds Ariadne found herself needing to pause for a moment. Her head was was thumping again, just above the base of her skull, right by her neck. It was an intensely unpleasant sensation. It had been there more and more often recently, and she could only put it down to the strange voice she'd been hearing. She couldn't tell honestly if it was male or female, but she presumed male from the conversations they had been having.. it was like hearing her own thoughts, but.. they were most definitely not hers.
As she paused she curled her delicate hand round onto the back of her head, holding it there for a moment until the strange pain began to dull a little, it had been constant for a few days now, ever since she reached this town.. ugh.. she had not enjoyed the two nights she had had to stay here at all. It was a damned place, obviously absolutely horrible.
After a few moments she became accustomed the the painful sensation again and managed to push it to the back of her thoughts. The first few weeks have found her taking to her bed every now and then because of it, but now she really was getting more used to it.
Now.. what was she looking for.. a Dwarf of course.. but that didn't really help simplify things really. There were hundreds of them all over this abysmal city... she really hated it. She needed one of them, with a package for her, and instructions to look for a dark purpled cloaked figure. Her cloak was heavy, dark purple velvet, the cloak was hooded, the hood, drawn up covered her face very well, casting it into sharp shadow, it was hard to make out any of her features at all and the fabric was so dense and heavy that it hid her figure well as well. She didn't want to be known here, it wouldn't do her well at all.
Lifting her head a little her blood red eyes flicked around the area.. who was she looking for.. there.. maybe that one.. there was a figure, short and squat, a dwarf standing off to one side with a taller figure next to him, dark skinned, white haired.. a Drow.. ugh.. who would affiliate themselves with a Dwarf...?
But still.
Straightening herself up she moved towards the pair, lowering her voice to a coarse whisper she demanded.
"You have a delivery..? Let me know at once if I am correct, for if not I must move on at once."
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:21 pm
Vic'zar just couldn't help starting down at the hairy little creature beside him, the same distainful slightly disgusted look upon his features. It was a morbid fascination, could grease really make one's hair do things like that? It just wasn't natural. Blech..
His lips curled into a small grimace at that thought, his attention so focused on the dwarf that it took him a while to realise that he was infact being approached. THe main factor in snapping him out of his odd hair fueled trance was the dull headache intensifying all the more, thoughts of discomfort mingling with his own about how disgusting the lower life forms were and if it would help them at all if he fashioned some for of sheep dip like he had seen on the surface. Dwarves were on the same level and human livestock, he was sure.
He gave a small grunt of discomfort as he pinched his fingers and thumb over the back of his neck, squashing down the uncomfortable feelings. It was an art he was learning fast, habituating to pain wasn't really an incredibly sensible thing to do, but sometimes ot did help.
Squinting a little with his one eye for a moment while he ignored the odd throbbing he observed the whispering figure infront of him, concealed in rediculously thick fabric,
"What was that..? You're whispering." He leant down and forwards a little, "And my you must be warm under there.. I assume you're here on.. Business..?" He continued on, brushing an arm to the side, "If you'd like to step this way so we can discuss our.. Transation..?" He motioned to a small space beside the building he was standing besides before lifting his hand higher to dislodge the dragon who was now staring intently at the figure as well.
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:43 pm
Ariadne grimaced to herself as she looked down the little ally that this other Drow was trying to take her.
"Yes. I am." she replied to his question, still not allowing her voice to rise very much above a whisper.
"Though I am sure you could have found a better place.. but never mind.." She lifted the cloak slightly as she stepped past the young-ish looking male Drow, no sign of respect was needed at all here, she out ranked him greatly even if she didn't want her actual status known.
"I have the promised amount with me. I trust you have the item I requested." She lifted her head a little again, her red eyes caught the slight light as she peered out from under the heavy velvet hood.
"There won't be any need for an argument now, will there..?" She was armed, and well armed at that. She'd never go alone without her two knives, though really there for sacrificial purposes she knew they would do very well for other situations as well.
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:56 pm
The other drow opened his mouth slightly at the other, a strange slightly confused look creeping over his face, "Look... SOrry but of you want this, you're going to have to speak up.. I have the most disgusting headache and there's far too much going on.."
He followed her the few short paces into the secluded space between the two buildings, giving his dragon another firm push off his shoulder, the creature taking the hint this time, alighting on a small ledge on the side of the building, positioning herself directly above the two drow.
Vic'zar then removed the polished small box from the dwarfs grubby fingers giving him a slightly harder than nessecery kick to send him on his way. He really hoped it was a male at least.. With a small shiver he turned bacl to the cloaked drow, wiping the box over with a soft square of cloth, shooting a warning look up at the building as he did so.
"No.. THere's no quarrel here, there might be up there though if someone doesn't behave hersel in a moment.." He indicated the dragon whose twitching wings indicated the urge to swoop down at the box, though she obediently stayed put for the time being.
"I'm trusting that I won't have need to count your coin, will I..? It's such a tiresome task while trying to defend it from the likes of a gold mongering creature such as that.." He shifted slightly uneasily, he was getting dangerous thoughts here, they weren't his own, which troubled him, putting him slightly on edge.
"And I'm trusting that there won't be any foul play on your part as well."
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:15 pm
Ariadne was getting that obnoxious buzzing in the back of her mind again. It was the most irritating thing.. she needed to concentrate now, but how could she if these irritating thoughts would not leave her be.
"No there will be no trouble here. And no need to count either. I am quite capable of keeping track of money I thank you." He voice rose a little at the implied insult and she squared her shoulders.
This was one of the problems with her not being seen as a woman, she was not given the respect she definitely thought she deserved.
"Your little creature is a problem for your trade then..?" She asked, her voice not so hidden as it had been, slightly more feminine, but definitely strong.
"I don't think it will go down well if the dragon gets it teeth into it." She stated, extending a hand from under the robe..
"There will be hell to pay if.. if the lady's item is damaged.." she didn't need to be her right now.. there was no need for that at all.
"Here is your money now give me the item." her tone was curt for a moment.
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:30 pm
The male frowned all the more at the odd intensity of his acheing skull, it had never been anywhere near this bad before.. He rubbed at the back of his neck, balancing the coveted box in one had for a moment as he grimaced ever so slightly.
"Well excuse me! It's customary to let our clients know what we intend to do with the gold once you've handed it over, so you don't suspect us of doing something.." He rambled slightly giving the wall an irritable look for a moment. He held out the polished box to the figure, keeping his eye more on the dragon for the moment, ready to swat her out of the air should she dive for it, but she behaved this once, even as he accepted the pouch of coin in return for the treasured stone.
"Yes.. She has a tendancy to believe that any item o value that I own and indeed my coins in fact belong to her and not myself. It's in her nature of course, I can't blame her for it.. But all things considered, I got her when this was still new and painful," He touched his eyepatch for a moment, his pale blue eye travelling down to the small figure infront of him, "FOr the purpose of not being taken by suprise on my blind side. She does a good job of it, and protecting my coin pouch.. She even protects it from me, embarrasingly enough.." He grumbled..
"Your lady sounds like a real proper slave driver.. Fancy going for a drink before you return to that sort of hell..?"
It was strange.. The headache of his seemed to be getting all the worse.. More of a stabbing pain this time.
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:49 pm
Oh this fellow was too much! He really was!
Making an angery noise Ariadne lifted her hands and shoved the hood back away from her face. He dark red eyes caught the half light and flashed as she turned her head to fix an angery gaze right on Vik.
"I will thank you to keep to your place sir." She stated. She wore no adornments, that was true, but she was still a woman! And she had professed herself to be from a house, and a house with money such as she had spent just now, a few moments ago could not be a low one.
"You would be well served to keep your criticisms to yourself as well.." Lolth her head was hurting.. really.. really hurting.. making a pained noise she lifted her hand and pressed her fingers against the back of her neck..
"By the spider thats awful!" she couldn't hold the words in, why was throbbing, burning as badly as it was.. it wa slike someone was trying to stick a knife straight through her dark skin and into her spine.
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:10 pm
Vic merely raised an eyebrow as he kept his hand clamped over the base of his skull, his resolve to keep the pain at bay slowly crumbling as it only got worse and worse. He still just about managed to smirk at the figure who now revealed herself to be quite a beautiful in incredibly angry female.
"Oooooh.. Well that explains that sharp tongue of yours then, Madame Client.. My humblest apologies, I'd bow but you see I'm my own man and I don't really give a driders a** what you think of that one.." He grumbled a little more under his breath at his sentence continued his pain only increasing.
Eventually he closed his eyes, hunching forwards just a little leaving himself horribly expose for a strike from, what he assumed, was now an incredibly pissed off client of his brothers.
He felt a small, familiar weight press back down onto his shoulder, his beloved pet returning to him, sensing and seeing anger boiling between the two.. Or perhaps she sensed her masters pain.. Or most likely she wanted to be closer to the precious stone again..
"By gods I need that drink now.." He ground out slowly, "And you're still welcome along if you can bare to spend time with someone as uncontrollable as the surface animals.." He smirked a little there. Self mocking but still fairly friendly to some extent. He had to be.. It was a woman in front of him!
"You look as bad as I feel, huh..?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:04 pm
Ariadne was going to reply again to the comment about her sharp tongue.. but... well... honestly he seemed to have saved himself quite well.. damn it... why couldn't he have just been another totally uncouth rude as you like male? She was in the mood to give someone a good telling off and he'd have done nicely.. he'd been rude before after all! But.. sadly.. that just wouldn't fly now. She didn't need a reason to give him any cause to ask about her, she didn't want news that the Matron of the G'eld family ran her own errands to flow freely, certainly not.. her family would have to do a lot more work protecting itself if that happened as she would lose a lot of the fear fueled respect she currently had.
His kind invite to her annoyed her even more for some reason.. she wa sin pain! Why did he have to make her seem rude as well as superior! Ugh! Men! They were so.. so.. they were just so.
She wa sin so much pain though! The back of her head.. the join to her neck was agony.. why? Why was it throbbing so much?
His final comment made her snort.
"If I didn't have such an infernal headache then I'd have you maimed for that last comment.." She stated, though it was slightly tight with both pain and irritation her voice was still full, rich and slightly lower pitched than a lot of women's voices where, she wa sa sultry woman, passionate and her feelings showed through in her voice as she spoke, she couldn't hide her emotions.
"But.. Fine. One drink.. as long as we go somehwere pleasant that has wine and no dwarves.. and besides, you're paying." She looked up at him with a slightly arched eyebrow and a small smile.
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:06 pm
Vic just grinned at her as with a final rub he finally let his hand drop away from the back of his head, "Ahh, but Madame Client.. We all know you won't call to have me mimed because, and lets be frank here.." He leant down to her just a little more with a devilish wink, "I'm far too attractive to be done away with.." He chuckled as he straightened up, "And further that, if you had me maimed I wouldn't be able to buy such a fine eyed lady like yourself a drink now, would I? Nor would you have me to put between those disgusting, greasy dirt divers."
He arched an eyebrow amusedly at her, pleased that the pain had dropped to far more manageable level, and on top of that, though it appeared to be fluctuating every now and then, it even dropped further still. Perhaps whatever divine being that had planted itself inside his head was in good spirits now. He knew he hoped to be soon enough.. And if he could get his reluctant long hired temporary acquaintance here happy enough, hopefully some more!
"You know drowning yourself in a large fine drink would be a pretty good way of forgetting about your pains.. I know it helps me.." With cheerful grin he offered her his left arm, the non-belted one,"It would be rude of me to expect you to buy the drinks though, Madame Client.." He shook the bag at her, "But in a way you'll be paying none the less, huh?" He daren't dip too far into the gold that rightfully belonged to his brother, but he couldn't resist teasing the female just a little more, "Vic'zar Claddep, the profound lover, at your service if you would wish it!"
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:25 pm
Ariadne raised an eyebrow again, holding the silence that hung in the air between them.
"That.." She shook her head,
"That is definately one service I think I can do well without you.. oddly hairy creation.." she looked up at him again, noting how unnaturally tall he was as well..
"ANd your name needed little interpretation.. I presume it was one of your own choosing..? Or are we hiding something..?" despite the searching questioning she reached out her hand and curled her slender arm around the much stronger arm of the male drow, her delicate fingers resting against his forarm..
"And no. The money is yours now.. if you plan to steal from your mistress or master to buy me drinks thats fine by me however.. I don't need my money funding others if I can help it.." she shrugged slightly, a very small smile tugging at her lips.. somehow.. all of a sudden the pain was dieing again.. it was going.. she wished she knew what it was.
"I think I would appriciate the dwarf sheild.. actually... ad.. the fuz aside I suppose you could look a little more like a driders a** than you currently do.." in all honestly she found herself admitting, privately of course.. that the stragely tall male that the petite matron now found herself on the arm of was actually a fairly attractive creature as far as males went.. and he did have lovely strong arms.. she unconsiously brushed her fingers over the arm she was holding as she thought to herself.
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:54 pm
Outwardly the male didn't waver his confidence for a moment though inwardly he started to question his charms. Maybe it really was time to trip down his goatee at last. The braids were too much?
But the balance was restored as she spoke to him again, even if she was turning down his valued services. He wouldn't have minded servicing this pretty lady at all. He smirked happily to himself.
"Turning me down already, Miss..? I'm disappointed, and I'm sure you shall be too when the true evening finally rolls around!" He teased her playfully. Now that the stone was out of sight and business was out of the way he felt far more at ease to be himself once more rather than an extension of his brothers trading arm.
"And as for my name, curious Miss.. I'll tell you a little about mine if you will grace me with your own.." Again with the arched eyebrow and the gently teasing, probing tone as he brought his arm closer to himself and thusly her s well.
There was a movement from his shoulder as his dragon shifted almost folding herself in two so she could get a better look at the person touching her master, two beady eyes settled on the top of Ariadne's head for the time being, one wing tucked up and the other flopped down Vic's back as she started to take a particular interest at the ruby dangling from this new companions ear.
"You have me all wrong on that note!" He gestured wildly with his belted free arm, accompanied by a short bark of laughter, "I do not steal from my most beloved brother! I merely borrow! I borrow generally without asking and certainly not returning, but it is borrowing none the less, Miss!" He continued guiding her out of the alley and down the streets making a playful point of placing himself between her any any greasy dwarves they happened to pass.
"You require a fine wine then, Miss Client..? Well perhaps this place will take your fancy, unless you know of a better place we could frequent..?" He flourished a hand at a faded if elaborately tasteful building, a quiet bustle coming from within indicating a far less raucous crowd than cheaper taverns.
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:19 pm
Ariadne gave the male another amused look,
"Now you see.. I have to gauge my own curiousity here... you see.. I already know your name.. which puts me one step away really doesn't it.." she gave him a small smile, flicking her eyes up to him.
"Do I actually want to know which.. could actually turn out be quite a mundane story in exchange for a name.. let me see..." she flicked her eyes to the dragon again,
"I wouldn't advise it fine creature... there might be more than meets the eye to that pretty stone in my ear.." she smiled, creatures she liked..hence her family's strange pets.. but the same pets had made their name well known.. she didn't really think giving that name was a good idea.
"Okay though.. as you are being such a wonderful dwarf shield.. You can call me Ariadne.. but that, I'm afriad.. is all you're getting.." she lifted her free hand brushing a section of her long hair back over her shoulder, the long white tresses tumbled down over her shoulders, clinging around her hips and finally ending just past her rear.
She simply rolled her large eyes at his statements about borrowing, she decided that this was a better responce than actually commenting, it would leave him wondering more after all..
"Wine.. yes.." She finally stated, having been peering at him intently for a few moment, letting her eyes now flick to the entrance to the building..
"Me..? Know somewhere around here..?" She scoffed,
"By the darkness no! I have very little reason to come to such a dive as this out of my own free will.." She shook her head,
"No.. I suppose as this really does look like the best this pit has to offer this place will do.." She wasn't rally nervous.. but as they approached the door she tightened her arm around the males.. just.. incase she stumbled. Honest.
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