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 Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:16 am
Xenia 1
When Xenia had first been contacted by the very same Oban who had sworn to stay away she was speechless. Had the woman gone mad? If she came back around then Indra wouldn't hesitate to flay them both and if Xenia went around any sort of Oban official she would be spending the rest of her life behind bars. What did she think to gain from a meeting like this? At firs she was tempted to ignore it completely, but...there were things that Xenia herself wanted and this may have been her ticket to getting them.
Still, she didn't trust it so she agreed to come but on the condition that she was allowed to bring backup of her own. So, that moonless night, Xenia waited behind the old bakery as instructed with her hired hand. The theory was that he would have information that she didn't, seeing as Xenia wasn't entirely sure what the Oban wanted, but either way they would get paid for their part in this.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:21 am
Sariza 1
Tracking down a lone yaeli had been harder than expected. While there weren't many that traveled across the sea there were enough that finding one lone criminal in Sulburi had taken a few weeks. Sariza had managed to find a few dead ends before miraculously coming across her target who, surprisingly, hadn't yet fled with her pirate band. Her demands of having someone with her were justified; after all, Sariza herself wouldn't be coming alone. She could only hope it would be two individuals and no more.
Wearing her armor would have been as obvious as riding in on Uovu so Sariza tried to play down her status as much as possible. This wasn't a meeting for a noblewoman nor of a calvary captain; just a few people trying to sniff out a lead.
They were getting closer now, close enough for the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. "Watch for snipers," she murmured.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 7:58 am
Valek 1
Valek had adapted quite nicely to living in the shadows of Oba. The young swordsman had found himself taking upon a new job, gathering information on potential disturbances to the nobility, and tonight was posing as your basic hired help for a Yaeli who was getting caught in the midst of things. Apparently the main target of the group of interest had connected with Xenia before and it was Valek's fortunate timing that he had gotten wind of the Yaeli woman looking for some hired help in case of trouble. Thankfully he had already made himself known as a hired sword for the area and it worked out nicely since no one paid much attention to the muscle. Just give me my coin and that's that. He would often say even though he was silently tracking every conversation, putting the pieces in the back of his mind even when he had to lip read from across the way or sneak up towards the room while guarding it. This time though he had admitted to having some knowledge of local activity which worked even better since he could participate in the conversation, something that should be fine considering those that they were meeting wanted intel for the same resolution he was working towards.
"So that's your Oban couple then?" He mused as he stayed back and watched the pair approach. Already he had cleared the area, making certain it was safe and he was on high alert just in case any party crashers decided to stop by.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 8:07 am
Faisal
After months of waiting they were finally back in Oba. Faisal knew that this was a risky meeting, but it seemed that it was their best lead and so he did his best to prepare himself for any potential trouble that could arise tonight. He had his swords, throwing knives, and a few other things hidden beneath his cloak just in case there was a scuffle. He would never again be caught off guard without some type of weapons, not after the last encounter he had with Sariza's hunters who now were targeting his whole family. Apparently Sariza having sons was the last thing any of their hidden threats wanted and Faisal's family name did nothing to stop their lingering hatred and thirst for revenge.
"I will." Faisal assured Sariza, giving her hand a quick squeeze before letting go again so that he could be ready to react to any dangers. "That's your contact?" He whispered in a low voice, his gaze narrowing as he studied the two figures approaching them. A Yaeli and a Yaeli hybrid? Definitely not the type of contacts anyone would be expecting, but hopefully helpful nonetheless.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 9:50 am
Xenia 2
"Apparently." Xenia murmured. It had been some time since she'd last seen the woman, but no matter how she changed her appearance those crystals were still the same. Seeing her walking with all the strength that had been buried beneath layers of hallucinogens' was more intimidating than Xenia wanted to let on. The woman was massive, certainly a far cry larger than Xenia's petite frame and the man at her side wasn't any smaller.
She had her swords at her sides and while any other weapon would have weighed her down Xenia had a few smaller, thinner daggers stuffed in her curls.
"I would congratulate you on your wedding, but none of us are here for pleasantries." Looking at the faces surrounding her, Xenia knew she needed to wrap this up soon.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 9:59 am
Sariza 2
Instead of smaller, more portable weapons Sariza had simple brought her lance and a pair of thick, iron gauntlets. Every time she so much as moved her knuckles they made some sort of noise; an ever present reminder for her contact that if things went south she would hit the floor.
"The woman, yes, but he..." Sariza felt her brows furrowing. Where had she met him before? He had such distinct features that it should have been obvious, and yet...so much about her capture was still a haze because of the red flower.
"You're right, we're not." She turned to look at Faisal, then the other man and back to Xenia. "We're looking for information on a group trying to eradicate Ruzicka blood. Surely you've heard something."
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:46 am
Valek 2
Ah, that Oban woman did look familiar. Instead of being intimidated Valek appeared almost relaxed and more intrigued than anything else. Living on the edge was how he enjoyed his life and it showed tonight as he strolled forward once Xenia confirmed these Obans were their contacts. "I'll still offer congratulations, especially considering you look a lot better this time." Valek offered as he remembered Sariza from that time. Was it because of her blood that she had got caught up in such trouble in the first place? If only he had connected the pieces then!
"Ruzicka is whispered like a curse among the lower classes, especially those who are still struggling with the shadows of the Oban war." Valek replied with a small frown. "It would be hard to not hear something, but to actually track someone who is actively making moves against your family?" He glanced towards Xenia. "You have connections with a woman who thrives in these places. Does that name ring a bell from personal conversations rather than rumors?" He was already thinking fast, recognizing that this conversation would be short lived despite his own preference for chatter. There were simply too many dangers and if the mastermind had already hired assassins...well Valek had a feeling he could easily point them in the direction of a few, especially considering those he had investigated beforehand. For now though he just wanted to get a feel for what the others, especially Xenia knew.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:26 am
Faisal 2
Even though it wasn't the time for pleasantries, Faisal found himself raising a brow at the Yaeli hybrid's comments. "He knows you?" He whispered towards Sariza. The Yaeli was the contact, right? So who was this guy? If he was simply a hired sword then it was truly a small world after all. Faisal's lips pressed together in a frown as he tried to piece together the other man's words.
"Even if it's whispered as a curse the war is long over so surely it's not whispered on a daily basis. There has to be some active movement that you've noticed." Replied Faisal quietly, his gaze skimming over the pair and back towards the dark alley around them. 'We've been attacked by assassins before and need leads. If we can locate those who attacked us then surely we can find whoever holds the purse strings." Even if there was a disgruntled group the actions had been funded by someone, something had to buy those weapons and trained assassins. It was not your average mob with torches and pitchforks. That would have been easy enough to handle while this matter was a bit more complicated than that.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 3:27 pm
Xenia 3
Oh, this was something she hadn't thought of. Xenia raised a brow, content just standing back and letting Valek have his moment. What kind of connections did he have with a Calvary Captain? For that matter what sort of connection did she have....? She was still trying to figure out why Sariza had thought she was the 'safest' option here.
"Generations trapped in poverty because of the war need someone to blame. The Ruzicka's were an easy, viable target and still are now that you've resurfaced." Something about what Faisal said caught Xenia's attention and the smuggler mulled it over. "If you've been targeted by assassins' why not start with their guild? A faction operates out of Sulburi and for the right price I could put you in contact with someone who could forget your face." Nothing was free; especially not safety and Xenia wasn't going to risk hers for extra information.
Looking to Valek, Xenia nodded her head. Indra had her threads spread out all across Oba and likely would extend her empire if she wasn't keen on sticking to the seas. "Rumor has it a man named Zyn Yauthlo was asking about 'the Ruzicka girl' a few weeks before your attack. "
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 3:37 pm
Sariza 3
Sariza's eyes widened. "It is you! I couldn't be sure because of the red flower, but I had suspicions." Perhaps she was being too loose with their hand by showing that much emotion, but what were the chances? A thought in her mind wondered if all the yaeli in this city were connected through nefarious connections, but that wasn't fair to the island as a whole. To clarify for her husband, she turned to him and nodded, "When Xenia set me free I didn't know where I was and he helped me get to a safe space."
It didn't give the hybrid any sort of pass, but it did make Sariza more willing to trust his word. Everything the pair was saying was true and she couldn't blame anyone coming after her for those reasons. Thousands of matori families were no doubt ruined because of her grandfather and while she couldn't make it go away she could try to make it right. She just needed to survive first.
"Zyn Yauthlo? I've never heard the name, but if we had a connection in the guild then we could confirm whether it was him that hired the assassins' or not."
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 3:47 pm
Valek 3
Valek raised an eyebrow but gave a nod of agreement at Xenia's words. It was poetic enough and he completely agreed with the assessment. "I would just add that considering everything it is fairly easy enough for anyone that may have also benefited from your family's demise to rile the masses." Nobles had their own games and it would only be fitting if someone else took the fall for their desired outcome. It would not surprise him if someone in power had the purse strings to orchestrate the downfall of a noble family who held so much power at one point. Even if the grandfather had been on the wrong side of the war it would not take much for his heir to fix the wrongs and gain standing again, something which had been stopped by their unfortunate accident.
"Mmhmm. Glad I could be of service then and now." Confirmed Valek with a nod. Even if he hadn't the time to linger on what happened to the Oban woman it was a relief to see that she was for the moment safe and sound. To think that he had believed himself just helping another lost soul in the underground. The plot thickens. "Zyn Yauthlo is a nasty fellow. You must have been in a good hiding spot for him to not have thrown a few knives your way yet." Stated Valek with a frown as he glanced over at the pair. "I'd be careful since you're back in Oba. That man also costs fairly good coin...do you know your family history at all? Is it actually possible that someone on the upper grounds gained from your loss? I really am curious." Hadn't she also married into a pretty influential family? Someone may be getting greedy by reviving some old flames.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 3:54 pm
Faisal 3
Faisal hadn't wanted to consider the possibility but the hybrid's words created a knot in his stomach. Was it truly some sort of power play that had started all of this? Sariza's grandfather had been a horrible man but so many other families had done their fair share of evil during the war...the Ruzicka influence had been great at one point, something that was even more than their own family considering the close connections to the old monarchy. The heir would have access to the estate, the ability to recover everything....but if you wipe out the whole family line and cover it up as a result of remaining dissention from the war then things would blend in with the history books. A surprise heir could go back to the estate, try to piece together everything that had happened in the past whereas before it would have just fallen to ruin or been taken over by another. Faisal's gaze narrowed as he pondered the possibility. "To remove the family completely from the picture you would have to make certain every last member was taken care of." He mused as if reflecting the hybrid's belief.
"This may be a bit of a complex issue." Admitted Faisal before glancing at Xenia. "We need to find the connection. Don't worry about coin, I have plenty to offer if your information is valid. My family can offer rewards and safety as necessary." They had to do whatever they could to protect their family after all. Faisal was determined to not allow the tragedy of the past a chance to repeat itself. They would get to the root of this.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:12 pm
Sariza 4
While it had been a thought Sariza had toyed with in passing she'd never really given it actual credence until now. A family that could have benefitted from the fall of the Ruzickas? "I don't know enough about my families history to be able to make any sort of calls. I know that their wealth and influence kept them in the upper ranks of nobility, but beyond that I have nothing." That was the most frustrating part of all of this. Every problem surrounded either her family or those connected to them, but Sariza didn't have the slightest clue who any of these people were, who they were tied too, where it all started...
Every last family member.... As soon as she heard her husband's musings Sariza thought of her sons and not of herself. This was a delicate issue, but one with a time stamp. The faster they could get it handled the higher the chance of her sons' living to adulthood became.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:29 pm
Xenia 4
"A scapegoat," Xenia commented mournfully. She understood all too well what it felt like to be used as an easy target for the machinations of others. While she may not have understood the intricacies of Oban politics she could sympathize in this.
"Zyn Yauthlo is one of Sulburi's best. Back when he was part of Korres' crew he was a hired blade, nothing more, but when he joined the guild they removed his restraints. There isn't anyone he won't go after and anything he won't try to take out a target even if it costs him his life." She didn't mean to kill them, but they were paying her for information and that's what she would give. Xenia personally had nothing against them, but whoever could afford to send Zyn their way clearly wanted this over fast.
"They're on a job right now, but as soon as it's over I'll contact you with information on a meet up."
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 6:49 am
Valek 4
Valek raked a hand through his hair as he mulled over the details, or rather lack of derails in this meeting. "So it sounds like you'll need someone watching over your family from the shadows until this is resolved. Track down the assassin and find whoever is paying him. You offered coin and safety?" He glanced towards Faisal, a small grin crossing his lips. "My friend here can get you connections but I can offer some coverage if you'd like. I like to keep to the shadows myself so it shouldn't be impossible to keep an eye out for assassins."
It would be a shame for a whole noble family to get destroyed again, especially since Valek was supposed to be investigating these type of incidents.
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