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 Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2022 8:33 pm
She narrowed her gaze at what Viltre said but didn't add another comment to that. Instead she turned her attention to the snap trotter and it's rider. She tried to think about what to do with them. If she sent them ahead then someone might follow. If she made them trail behind she was left with the same problem. He drew too much attention.
As much as she hated to admit it, the man stood out. He didn't fit in and also had looks that weren't something someone forgot. Sarnai was aware she was average in looks. Easily skipped over or missed. Thal was not. She sighed. She was going to end up shoving him in a clock or in a box to be put out of sight.
Her eyes dropped to the babies she had in her possession. They seemed to be peacefully sleeping where they were but they would get hungry or need changed soon. If they were on the same schedule then it might be alright but if they needed things at different times this could be hard. Sarnai felt her headache growing.
Not long after and they reached the cart she had waiting with her own beast in place. Instantly the radaku growled as others drew near and the shifter shushed it. "Alright, get the lady moved into my cart and covered up. We have a long ride to the safe house and Kamal hates delays." She really did.
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Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2022 8:42 pm
Thal carefully extracted his stolen woman from her original cart and carried her bridal style into the other one. Well he had a woman one way or another and he was going to take the best care of her not like that good for nothing excuse of toad droppings.
Ushi was better with curses but toads really did have quite awful feces.
She was so beautiful, looking a bit peaky but seemed to be sleeping soundly after what had no doubt been the worst night of her life and in another way the best. Remove a husband, gain a real man, add three babies all with his genetic stamp written quite clear on their faces. He had seen a few of her freckles..or so he thought at least.
He brushed his lips gently over her forehead. He couldn't wait to talk to her. The poor thing was probably going to take his head off, though the whole pregnancy thing had been her idea and she had been willing....
Myr growled at the Radaku for growling first.
"Hush," he said.
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Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2022 11:46 pm
Had it been two people, the tall Leaf native might have stepped between. Unfortunately, for all of his practiced charm amongst people, Viltre was a city boy. He knew precious little of animals beyond those folk kept as pets. Besides which, he was a bit more focused on the movements of his companions, currently carrying his sister and her sons, the lot of them justifiably helpless as newborns.
An odd thought struk as the transfer went on. Being a merchant born and bred, there existed an opportunity here, and the eldest Kavensei present could smell it. Simply to take the lot and get away. Sarnai burdened by his nephews, the man already bearing Terrwyn. Why trust it all to this girl's mercy? Why not take the sure thing rather than gamble his family's safety? This voice, hot with fresh hunger and greed, was silenced by another, tempered by experience and a colder ambition. Immediate rewards were to be weighed, balanced against their risks and seen clearly. Minimizing risk and maximizing profit were the goals of any merchant, even if that had to be over time. Both sound like Papa. Weird. He'd worked through this. Gone over it and worked it out years back. Why had the focus gone to turned backs when he had no intention of putting a knife in? Loyalty was its own reward.
Perhaps it was stress. Perhaps worry. Perhaps it was- This is the first time I've subverted the Kavensei will. Why now? I'll have time to process once it's done! I'll. Once it's. Even as the impulses throbbed in his brain, his movement did not stop. He strode forward, masked and empty of intent. He might well have disappeared for a moment. Planned, but this is the first step. No going back after this. Got to face them. Face her. Keep them safe. ...Later. Later. In one hand, there had slipped a card, detailing a series of numbers. He summoned his voice from the depths, and shook off his ill-timed internal crisis. "'Hoy, brother. When she's snug, y'might want this. Bit memorable to o with the transporter, hey? You can read maps, right?"
'Lurg allowed this, in part because he could read a room, and because he'd come prepared for a fight with people. With spears. And bows. And axes. Not lizards big enough to eat the brawny man in two bites. Nowhere in his job description did it say that.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 4:16 am
Her gaze went to Myr when he growled. Thankfully Thal managed to tell his beast to quiet down. Her radaku was trained to protect her from all threats and the snap trotter was making itself a threat by being so vocal. Sarnai sighed and went to her beast so that she could run a hand over its head gently. "Easy." her calm voice helped.
The radaku sniffed at the babies she had in her possession but did nothing other than that. It's curiosity sated by the scent of newborns.
As Thal moved Terrwyn the lady made a small noise at being moved. A cross between something pained and reluctant but she quieted down after opening her eyes for a second. The shifter lifted a brow at that then decided it was to be considered normal to be that exhausted after giving birth to triplets. Once she was settled and covered up Sarnai grabbed hold of the lead for the cart and watched the others. Mostly her gaze seemed to stay situated on Viltre and Lurg. While Thal could be considered a threat she didn't think he'd make a move while she held his newly minted children. Lung had no such loyalties to Terrwyn and her brood. And Viltre... well she hadn't quite figured him out all the way.
"You mentioned that you brought the other half of the original fee." She didn't state it as a question since she figured the leaf boy would understand what she was saying.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 6:20 pm
Thal turned to Viltre after his tantalizing glimpse of Terr’s light emerald eyes.
“I understand, yes I can read a map. She will be okay? Her and the babies?”
He would be wrecked if anything had happened to her. She and the children were the priority.
He stroked Myr’s snoot. It unfortunately looked like his wonderful mount was making everyone else nervous, from the shifting of body language.
“How soon until we can meet again?”
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 8:45 pm
His own internal turmoil never cracked the surface, never entered the body. He held Thalassa's gaze with assured sincerity and calm. "Should be fine. The midwife called it an easy delivery, but with three? Take that with salt; she's gonna need a good measure of rest. Wouldn't be up to riding with you for a while anyhow." Viltre had confidence in Nanna's medical opinion. He had to. If she were wrong, he'd just sent his sister to her death. ...Inaction would've led to the same. Carlos would've gone too far before long, that's why Mother chose him. The best risks are forward. Stop worrying at it. The gentle smile hadn't left his face. Of all here, Terr's gent had to be at ease, and the con artist put his best foot forward to that end. The scrap of paper was pressed into he Matoran's stronger hand, and gripped firmly for a moment. "Not sure if we'll talk anytime soon, bro. But you and her? Sooner than you'd think, later than you'd hope. Can't promise less than a week or two, the way caravans need to move."
Sarnai's quasi-summons got his gaze wandering away from his new family. "Yeah, just a moment. Sill need to give you the first bit." A hand slipped behind the grass cloak, around the small of his back. It came out holding a fat purse. With the meeting place set, he turned towards his contact, closing the distance in a couple long, easy strides. Without preamble, he plopped it into the shiftr girl's waiting hand. "There's the agreed on fee in total. When you come back, there'll be that again for the confirmed delivery, as agreed. If I'm dead or bein' executed for something, ask for 'Lurg here and you'll get the rest. He's a Friend, won't steal too much from it." The whole thing was still in flux. With his family present and at least semi-concious, he kept up the relaxed, cheerful manner. It wasn't as if his death was any big deal.
As before, 'Lurg nodded. "Ma'am. I'll have it kept safe for ya if he's 'unavailable'. He's paid me through the next three months fer that, just in case." And that was why Viltre had bothered making contact with Seilurg at all. He was a professional through and through. If he took the money on a job, the job got done.
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Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:16 pm
She listened to Thal before she then looked at Viltre to see what he'd say. Of course the answer was vague. The shifter offered a small smile. Sarnai happily took the payment and stashed it away. Lurg was then addressed by the shifter. "Appreciated. I'll be able to collect after confirmation has been given that they've arrived."
Finally she looked over at Thal again. "The lady and the babies can meet you at a safe house in Jauhar. Close to the Oban border." From there she glanced at Viltre. He often saw more than he should. Still, she pulled a paper from her pocket and then handed it to Thal. It had the place to meet them. "You will arrive before they will but don't panic."
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Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:31 pm
They were tiptoeing around him like he was a janarim with a toothache, but he supposed it was somewhat warranted. He was the Dad and 2nd husband/mate/paramour (whatever his official title was. He chose to be amused by it all. It was indeed best even if the beast in his heart tried to claw its way out of his chest to say 'No I will stay.' That was just who he was and he would not be a suitable mate for Terr if that voice didn't exist. He sighed, thanked them both. Sar seemed to have better people skills with more directness and less flowery fluff than Viltre but they were both saying the same thing. But he appreciated Sar's bluntness greatly.
"Thank you." He bowed his head to her. Tempted to stick his tongue out at this new brother in law because the smuggler thought him worthy enough of specific information. Sooner than you would think indeed.
"I'll head off then, see you soon." He peeked into the crate of babies, memorizing their little faces, brushing a hand across each cheek then swinging up onto the snaptrotter and waving, heading off into the bush to do the lone ranger thing. Hella anxious but still feeling better when the trees closed around him, knowing deep down that logically he was doing the right thing.
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Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2022 2:45 pm
This Thalassa fellow was, to his eye, attentive and just as curious as he had a right to be. In fairness, most fights Viltre had been in involved, at most, crossbows and spears. He'd never seen someone bring a beast that big to a potential fight. Until he'd got a full read, rather than secondhand accounts and surface observation, keeping the mask and seeming personally harmless was the automatic course. Unfortunately, the circular talking came just as naturally with it on, especially as he couldn't guarantee caravan travel beyond the itinerary without lying through his teeth. Whatever he said, Sarnai gave him a plainer location while the leaf man had passed his brother the coordinates to a backup site, and a couple code-phrases for Oban and Jauhar thieves guild. His network hadn't spread that far, but feelers were always out and about.
He'd read them both once he realized he'd been slipped another note, the scribe was certain. The wry look Viltre had been shot told him that much more. The hunter had cottoned onto some, but not all. As Thal resisted giving a raspberry, his new brother tipped him a wink. If he needed more than that... well, they could adjust their games in the future. "Be well, brother. Lookin' forward to the letters." As Thalassa turned to go, he turned to look over his sister a final time, seeing how she'd been laid out on the padding.
The thuggish courier nodded. "Yes miss. Couldn't pay out the second half if they didn't." That had, before all, been the deal. Left 'Lurg in a pickle if she reneged, actually. He couldn't use it himself for reasons of professionalism. His ethics wouldn't even let him steal much of it. Spirits, if Viltre bit it, he was looking at a lot of bother, either to do or have done. For now, he waited for something else to do, and watched everything.
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Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 8:13 am
Her Grey gaze followed Thal as he got on his beast and headed away. Sarnai had been attentive as she'd seen him caress his children. It left an empty feeling inside her, since her parents had died when she was very young, but she could appreciate his actions. The babies would certainly be better off than if they had stayed.
Looking down at the three little ones she had in her possession she tilted her head to the side. "We have a long ride now. No fussing, yeah?" The shifter knew that saying that would be pointless. At some point they would get hungry and need their mother. Which caused her to look at the sleeping woman with an unreadable expression.
After a minute she looked at Viltre. "I trust there will be no one following after us right away?" Sarnai wanted to make sure she had at least a few hours head start, though a day would be better.
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Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:45 pm
He trekked into the wild areas where only rangers and wildcrafters usually liked to be. He felt free out here and more the better because his mind was elsewhere with his budding family. Speaking of which, only Kechiri had any inkling of them. His Mother was going to strangle him but if the kids hadn’t been his, then it wouldnt have needed to be discussed until he was able to sire some to get Terr out of the unhappy marriage. The kids were definitely all his, he could pick his Father’s eye color and his mother’s eyebrows out on one plus the blue hair. His crystals in Terr’s pattern with his blue hair and his ears on another. The third had his skin tone and green eyes darker than Terr’s which was interesting. He had memorized his mates exact shade of green during their time together and had compared it to the triplet that had gotten Terr’s eyes and had determined they were in fact darker but definitely not from his side of the family. He wished he was looking at them now. But they needed to be close to their Mother especially when she woke up.
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Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:02 pm
Now that it was wrapping up, the tall young man took a moment to look over his nephews. Thallassa had taken the need for a mask with him, leaving a pleasantly blank expression. Save for a tiny crinkle at the corners and a little shine in the eyes themselves. More to himself than them or Sarnai, he bent down to whisper, brushing a stray lock off of one of the tan babies' foreheads. "Look forward to hearin' what sorta trouble you three'll get up to. You're off to a good start already." Had the boys been Finley's get, the only thing Viltre would have done differently would be to take them out oof the country himself. ...And shore up a stock of blackmail to be sure the man wouldn't follow. If that didn't work, well, there was always a sharp knife or some cheesewire.
The fondness vanished as soon as his eyes turned up to the shifter, replaced with placid neutrality. "With the trouble I'm about to cause? No. I'll be surprised if pursuit can be organized next month." Again, the grin with more teeth than mirth. Carlos would be incapacitated for hours yet, or else leaving a brown trail wherever he walked. Confusion had been sewn in their wake, with no paper trail or formal Guild deals. "Mother dear is a step from going too far. I'm going to ask her politely to stop. Or turn the House upside down, one of those. If she's going to try to kill me anyway, I might just as well have fun and do something worth dying over." Like this.
The smile folded shut, replaced by a quiet sincerity. "In case I never get another chance to say it... Thank you."
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2022 12:20 am
She nodded her head at being told that she wouldn't have someone hot on her tail. So Sarnai could at least breath easy on that. "Then we'll head out." The shifter nodded her head before she turned to pat the radaku on the side. "Come on boy, we have somewhere to be."
She glanced back at Viltre so she could give him another nod. "I'll make sure she gets to where she needs to be." Sarnai wanted to make sure he knew his sister and her children were in good hands.
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2022 9:52 am
Thal thought about everything that had happened. All the worry and stress and unknowns, then he thought about what his family was going to do to him when he got home.
He hadnt told his Mother and she had a very strong hidden temper, but the lot of them would take care of Terr and adore the babies. That was all he cared about anyway. Who really needed a hide on their back? For surely his mother was going to skin him. Maybe Ny would save him, or Ein. Someone? Anyone? Dad?
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Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2022 11:40 am
The mask slipped back on at the nod, her reassurance hitting home. "Look me up when you're next in town, then. With luck, there's more business to be done. With lower stakes this time." Much lower. If these games became a regular thing, the young man'd have a dozen ulcers before his hair even began to fade. A small bow, and he turned away. The deal was sealed. Sarnai had a reputation to uphold; reneging on such precious cargo couldn't do anything good for the young smuggler. She could be trusted to do the job. And if she failed them, Thalassa was not to be counted out. He'd probably swoop in to the rescue, the way his little sister had talked. Big damn hero, and all that.
Their deal safely underway, Viltre slipped back into the crowded alleys, 'Lurg touching his forelock to the girl and following suit in another direction. He might have had her followed in normal circumstances, have the roads watched to make sure. But this? No, not now. This had taken damn near his whole loose network to pull off. And been excellent proof-of-concept in the bargain. After a stunt of this scale, suspending traffic 'naturally' through an entire city route, his Friends had a refractory period, with only a handful still in reserve. And those, he'd asked about another job.
He had to make his move now, this very day, before Merle could realize and recover. Carlos was a symptom of her malice, nothing more. And she wasn't likely to take the loss of a marriage well. Once she learned of this on her own, Viltre's own assassination wasn't out of the question here. Even for one such as he, not dying was preferable to death. But more for what he could still do alive than any inherent worth he had. It's been a nice day. Let's go gamble with tomorrow.
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