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 Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 4:53 pm
They had gone over it more then once, more then twice, in fact three or four times. M’ere wanted to be sure, because she didn’t want to even consider the possibility of this going wrong. There were lives at stake.
The slender woman was dressed well - but not too well. Her clothes and jewellery were fine - but not too fine. Enough to make it possible that she was in fact, here to buy children and forged drudge papers, with Re’ka - representing second wing - along as her bodyguard. She’d been a sneaky once, and M’ere trusted her enough to keep her trap shut that she was willing to have her along.
As she understood it, the children were aged between about seven fourteen - they would, she suspected, be destined for a less pleasant fate drudging in a hold where their papers wouldn’t be too closely examined. Their job was to intercept the children, because the Weyr could not allow that sort of nonsense - but it also wanted to get as much of the group in its nets as possible before closing them up. Let a few tunnelsnakes escape, and you would soon have a whole new nest.
The meeting had been arranged in an out-of-the-way cothold, which the riders had been watching on and off since the meeting had been arranged. M’ere - Mevarere - reined in her runner as they crested the ridge, looking down at the cothold.
“So. Right. You play strong and silent and full of swords, and I do the talking. Not that I’m not repeating this for like, the eighth time and I am absolutely not nervous” she said brightly, “and when I say full of swords, do not actually be full of swords because I am not taking you between and also my skills mostly extend to talking and running away really fast”
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:09 pm
Shards she wished M'ere would shut up. She liked her but shells!
Re'ka was dressed, well, like Reskani. That was in leather armour, scuffed and old with a battered scabbard at her hip. Her hair was pinned close to her head in a multitude of tight wound braids, unwashed for the last sevenday or so to blend with the rest of the look of a hired sword.
She knew these people.... She knew people like them anyway; her band had never been wealthy enough to trade in lives, taking them had been more their bag. Still, she knew how it went and how to fit in with them perfectly well and wasn't overly ruffled by the prospect of what lay ahead. It was only because of her background in fact that she was even here today at all, well that and her skill with a sword on the offchance that things went wrong. Anyway, she knew what probably lay ahead and it was as familiar as sunrise.
"I got it the first time," Re'ka replied amicably enough with a faint smile to M'ere, bringing her own runner to an easy halt. "We go in, we get the kids, we ask where we can get more... or rather you do, and I listen."
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:48 pm
M’ere smoothed a stray blonde curl back under its net, which was neatly covered in turn by a hood, pulling her shoulders up and readying herself to nudge her runner on. On her pale fingers, gold rings gleamed, a mark of wealth even if she was dressed down.
“Some days it feels real good to be a rider” she said after a moment, then flashed Re’ka a grin and spurred the runner down into the valley. It did, and that was the honest truth: knowing you were actually making a difference in the world, and not just filling out paperwork ’til you died. That said, it was distinctly weird riding a runner after a dragon. However smart the runner, it wasn't half as intelligent, and certainly couldn't read your mind about where you might be going.
She swung off when they were outside the small building, flanked by a larger barn, and appeared to be loosening the runner's girth before taking a closer look around. Everything was laid out as it was supposed to - and a moment later the door swung open - but something made her a little uncomfortable, and she wasn't yet sure what it was.
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:00 am
Re'ka grinned, urging her own steed on after M'ere. It did feel good to be a rider, it wasn't what she'd planned for her life at all; it was much much better. Though her dragon was far out of sight she felt his agreement and satisfaction, of course he was better than whatever she had been intending!
As they arrived Re'ka joined M'ere in appearing to loosen the girth of her runner, 'appearing to' being key. If they needed to make a swift exit on the beasts there wouldn't be time to tighten them up again and a loose saddle could very well spell disaster.
As the door swung open Re'ka rested her hand on the pommel of her sword, still relaxed but cautious and clearly indicating to anyone looking at her that yes she was armed and would use the blade without hesitation if it came to it. She hoped it didn't, these people would be a lot more use left alive.
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:48 pm
The man who looks out is tall, with a square chin and a nose that’s been broken at least once. M’ere thought him about forty, but he might have been younger, lived a hard life. Who knows? About forty will do. His dark hair was split into six or seven braids, each of them tipped with hair wound around what looked like - yes. A fingerbone.
Well, if that isn’t an identifying mark, the green rider wouldn’t know what was.
He nodded, retreating and holding the door open for them. His eyes did linger on Re’ka’s sword for a moment, before flicking back up to her face. “Marita said you’d be coming by, by and by. She said your companion was ugly, though!”
“Marita talks too much” M’ere said dismissively - the contact who had put them in touch with these smugglers after having a crisis of conscience really did, even by M’ere’s standards - though she dropped back to let Re’ka lead the way.
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 3:01 pm
Re'ka looked at the man. Re'ka looked at the fingerbones. Some people, Re'ka decided, were just trying way too hard. Finger-hair's comment earned a scowl from the powerful woman but she held her tongue offering only a grunt as commentary, they didn't need two Maritas after all. Still, it was nice to be appreciated even if it was by a man who obviously had something lacking in either his confidence, his hose, or his sword arm. All the better for them if it turned out to be the former.
Playing her part as the good bodyguard Re'ka stepped into the building after Fingers, holding a hand up for M'ere to wait outside while she checked it out. Inside it was pretty bare which made her inspection pretty quick; some shelves, a couple of boxes, a rough bed in the corner, and of course a hearth - currently unlit. There was also a rough wooden table near the middle of the room with four chairs around it. One of the chairs was occupied by a man with a comfortable paunch. The man was wearing a smile; he was wearing clothes too - better quality than Fingers' but not too fine - but compared to that smile of his the clothes didn't seem all that important, it looked like the smile of a man who thought he was about to make a lot of money.
Not judging any of this to be a threat - not an immediate threat anyway - Re'ka stepped inside fully and beckoned for M'ere to follow her.
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 3:38 pm
M’ere trusted Re’ka implicitly - as she would (almost) any of her fellow riders - and just nodded, stepping over the threshold and taking a glance around herself. Like any small cothold, it looked as though it only had one entrance, though she might have been wrong about that. In fact, she decided, she probably was: it would be surprising if these people-smugglers didn’t have a hidden way out.
Maybe through the cellar.
“Are you going to offer around a drink?” she said brightly, advancing on the table, pausing for a moment to allow Re’ka to pull her out a chair. “It’s been a sharding long ride, I don’t mind telling you, and I’ve worked up a good thirst"
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:53 pm
"Ahh, you must be Mevarere; welcome, welcome." The handsomely portly man had a voice as smooth as silk and as he got to his feet and bowed the shift in the material of his shirt hinted at powerful shoulders and arms hidden under the softness of fabric and fat. "Drinks, of course; I have always thought that it is much more pleasant to do business with a drink. Ah, forgive me, I ought to introduce myself properly, I am Saspear and this gentleman," Saspear smiled a little at the irony, "is Blade. Now what can I fetch you to drink? We've beer or wine - a pleasant Benden red or a cheeky little white produced not too far from here - or if you prefer Blade can light the fire to make klah for us? The latter would take a little while, of course."
Re'ka narrowed her eyes, keeping one hand resting on the hilt of her sword while the other rested on the back of M'ere's chair. Saspear didn't talk like Fingers - make that Blade, whatever - but she doubted he was the big boss of this operation either, a smooth middle ranker maybe? A deal broker, though judging by his shoulders perhaps a deal broker who could defend himself if he had to. Hopefully they wouldn't have to find out whether or not that last bit was true.
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Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 4:24 pm
“Wine will do” she said lazily, hands resting lightly in her lap. She sat up straight, her posture speaking of careful training, and did not fiddle with the rings that decorated slim fingers. “So now that we all know each other -“ and as if those weren’t as much aliases as her own name “- let’s get down to business. I’d like to inspect the merchandise before we make any deals, but I’ve heard good things about quality from our mutual friend”
Blade. Faranth, who named themselves Blade? The finger bones in the hair were one thing - M’ere could appreciate showmanship - but that name was too much. Tarazeth was giggling somewhere in the back of her mind. She was glad to have Re'ka at her back, though, quite literally.
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Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:59 am
"Wine please Blade, make it the Benden will you?" Saspear flashed what looked like a genuine smile at his companion, sat back down, and then turned his smile back onto Mevarere. Her bodyguard didn't get a second glance. "The merchandise, of course," the dealer gave a slight nod, "I wouldn't expect anyone to buy unseen, though our friend speaks correctly; we don't trade in the half-starved or half-witted. We have three with us today for you to inspect, the rest are nearby at another of our locations. If you like the three you see you're welcome to take them today in exchange for a deposit on the rest. We can arrange for you to collect the others at a time that suits you or we can have them delivered if you prefer to wherever you require them."
Re'ka remained quite still, listening to Saspear but watching Blade as he went to collect the wine and goblets. The goblets were wooden but they were pretty things so far as she could see at a distance and in the glow-lit gloom; some kind of dark wood, delicate forms and... decorated? Yes, as Blade brought them over she was able to pick out that the stems were made to look like vines and that grapes had been carved around the underside of the bowls. So far, so normal, but Re'ka was keen to get this bit over and get a look at the kids. If they could take three away with them today all to the good, though what would happen to them she had no idea. Perhaps if their families could not be found the Weyr would have them.
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Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 1:25 pm
“That’s good to hear from the runner’s mouth” M’ere said affably, ignoring Blade and whatever he might be up to. They could afford to be patient, and she shouldn’t be too pushy - the person she was playing had all the time in the world to sort this out.
“The party I represent wants good smart workers, but I think we could also do more business in the future if it all pans out - I have some contacts who’d be looking for younger children, especially good looking ones. Childlessness makes some people so desperate” she said, her head tilting slightly to the side, as if she was considering. “But - anyway, returning to the here and now. We shouldn’t count our wherries before they’re hatched, after all! I’d love to see your samples, and then we can talk prices”
She was similarly uncertain what would be done with the children - but whatever it was, their fate would be better then anything these people had planned for them.
"Is that my wine?" she said, finally slightly turning to take Blade into her field of vision.
she probed, trusting her dragon to pass the message on.
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Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:14 am
Blade nodded to Mevarere and passed the other cups around before stepping back to stand beside Saspear's chair.
Saspear smiled and raised his cup; "Good health, and good business," he toasted, taking a sip and then setting his cup back on the table with a sigh of satisfaction. "The samples," he nodded, "Blade will bring them in for you presently. I would certainly be interested in future deals. Whatever your clients requirements are I am sure we will be able to fill them."
Pycath replied.
As her dragon passed on her thoughts Re'ka raised her cup to the toast and took a sip of the wine, which wasn't the best ever but eh. What she was focused on right now was Saspear's talk of stealing kids to order... well maybe not stealing; it was also amazing how desperate too many children and not enough money could make people. For kids like that though it might turn out for the best in the end and their family too but somehow Re'ka doubted the Weyr would want to hear that. Sometimes the 'good and noble' ideals of good old oath-humping riders didn't match up well with reality.
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Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:36 am
M’ere took a sip, raising the cup to her mouth while keeping her eyes on Saspear. Those eyes widened just the tiniest fraction before she mastered herself, setting the wine down on the table casually. There was an odd taste in her mouth, like spices, but it was not spice - she was very certain of that.
drink no more wine! It’s drugged!> Tarazeth had never been more urgent, because M’ere’s thoughts had immediately leapt to treachery and how to unembroil them from the situation.
“How about now?” M’ere said lightly, the pretty rider giving him a very winning smile. If there were any children. She didn’t know that there were, now, and she didn’t know what these people wanted either. Them, presumably, and she didn’t want to find out why. “I don’t think we can really talk until we know what we’re buying, do you?”
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Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:53 am
Oooooh shaff. Re'ka covered the way she had suddenly stiffened by glancing sharply over her shoulder. She glared at the door for a moment or two before grunting and turning back to the others, swirling her wine and giving Blade a glare that seemed to dare him to comment on her startle... or she hoped it did anyway. Shaff!
Pycath replied to Tarazeth, his voice keen as a wher's talons as he flexed his wings in readiness for a sudden take off. what do they know? It doesn't make sense for them to be drugging their business contacts so they must be aware that something's not right.>
Blade's brows knit but that was his only response to what was going on around him; his face was hard to read.
Saspear meanwhile nodded. "Of course, of course. Blade, get them up here would you?"
Blade grunted and nodded, heading over to a trapdoor and thumping on it four times in an odd rhythm before stepping back and raising it. A couple of moments later three figures emerged one by one, two girls who looked to be in their early to mid teens and a boy who was perhaps a couple of turns younger. All looked healthy enough and largely unhurt, though all were a little disheveled and one of the girls sported a livid bruise on her face. All of them also looked terrified as they huddled together but the girl with the bruise shot M'ere a look of pure hatred even as she quailed and held fast to the others.
Saspear gestured lightly to the trio, apparently untroubled by their demeanor. "The price will depend on how many you want to buy, the more you purchase the better the deal," he explained casually.
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Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 12:27 pm
Tarazeth said impatiently, the green pacing back and forth, her tail flicking, all motion and fire and impatience. She hated to wait - she wished to do. when my rider - our riders! - are safe>
“They look a little thin” M’ere said, her red-gold eyebrows knitting in consternation. Bargain, bluster, act like you haven’t noticed a thing. “May I…?”
She didn’t wait for permission, but stood, walking to the children and concealing the anger in her heart. Nobody should do this to them. Their childhoods should be as hers had been - not without concerns and responsibilities, but knowing that you were safe and loved and able to do stupid things. She regretted the distance she stood from her family now, but there was no other way it could be with their business being what it was. She couldn’t afford the compromise it would be.
“Let’s see your muscles” she said, picking out the girl with the bruise - the leader? How had she gotten that bruise? - and as she leaned in she murmured quietly, avoiding loud sibilant ess sounds as much as possible. “We’re from the Weyr. Do as we tell you and all will be well”
It was a risk, but one she thought worth it. Either they were in on it - which she doubted - or it would, if they believed them, make getting out of here a good deal easier. Now that they knew there were really children… they couldn’t just leave them to these people. No rider could, not one who took their oath seriously.
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