| The business of making friends - MOVED; the Art of making Enemies | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 7 2014, 07:02 PM (33 Views) | |
| Valia | Sep 7 2014, 07:02 PM Post #1 |
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Deaths Lady
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(09/07/14 11:04:51 ) [.Deaths Lady.] V A L I A |.MERCHANT OF SULPORT.| [-Market-] Is at the market, a large open square of stalls in the heart of Sulport. Vendors flock around you trying to sell the many different and exotic wares on offer. says to ALL: At the heart of the market, within the gathering at a small cafe-like area, a table from the many had been chosen with purpose. The pergola cast shadows upon those gathered beneath its arches and I was among those there. The broken rays of sun filtered down, setting a blaze upon the waves of dark splendor that framed the small of an oval face. Eyes of sheerest green glistened hauntingly. Surrounded by darkness on all sides, the light could embrace but one. Shadows danced along the artful slope of exquisite bone structure, whispering along the slender length of my neck. It was as though I'd been cast in stone, still and unmoving save for the stare of those eyes. Layers of golden material draped lavishly, secreting away the details of the female frame beneath. Every breath of wind teased through the tousled lengths of dark hair, a brush of material to softly billow around and against me with each caress. Despite the days warmth, I appeared unfazed. An expression of serenity lazed upon pretty features but there was something more hinted in the depths of those cunning eyes. Her mind was a labyrinth of thoughts this day, firing one behind the other. To another that rapid shot might have been utter chaos, overwhelming in its intensity and perhaps even devastating in nature. Pieces came together like a giant puzzle, slowly revealing itself in that gaze. Absently, I lifted the delicate cup to the swell of my lips to test the flavor of the tea. A small amount of honey sweetened it pleasantly and briefly the pleasure of that spilled through my eyes. And though I looked at nothing, those eyes were constantly on the move, a sharp mind drinking up everything seen. A woman more clever than she was pretty, could be said to be a dangerous thing. Add charm, willful pride and a touch of arrogance and what you have would be a lethal creature. 09/07/14 11:16:58 ) [.Deaths Lady.] V A L I A |.MERCHANT OF SULPORT.| [-Market-] Is at the market, a large open square of stalls in the heart of Sulport. Vendors flock around you trying to sell the many different and exotic wares on offer. says to ALL: Heavy were the approaching steps, loud and unmasked, the man lacking of any stealth in the moment. My gaze maintained its course as the steps grew closer and closer. It would appear, I realized nothing except the play of children in the water of the drinking fountains, their innocent laughter echoed out until the sound was ate up by the warring cries of vendors in the surrounding market. A smile graced my lips as I watched them playing so exuberantly without a single care but too I watched the turn of eyes from other patrons to the incoming source of those booted, heavy steps. I deduced from the path of their eyes it was a man, tall of stature. And from the way their eyes were quick to tear away rather than be caught looking, he must have been intimidating or gruesome in some form. I found myself intrigued at this, waiting to see if I was truly his target. Poised, straight was the line of my back to him and I gave no clue that I was even aware of him there. My own eyes avoided the warning glances of those around me. I noted several, abandoning their tables entirely leaving silence in their wake as they strode away. I doubted the mans intentions were anything to malevolent, giving that he chose to single me out publicly, in full view of the market-goers. And still, the delicate hairs along the nape of my neck prickled instinctively. The path of his hand gusted the untamed waves of my hair as his hand claimed the perch of my right shoulder as its resting place, thick fingers splayed over the round of my shoulder with an unneeded force. (09/07/14 11:36:48 ) [.Deaths Lady.] V A L I A |.MERCHANT OF SULPORT.| [-Market-] Is at the market, a large open square of stalls in the heart of Sulport. Vendors flock around you trying to sell the many different and exotic wares on offer. says to ALL: I did not react immediately. Taking a sip from my tea before returning the cup to the table. Then slowly, my face swiveled from the view of the fountains to allow me to look upon the hand that had trespassed upon me. Thick, calloused fingers gripped tightly that soft curve of my arm. And despite the strength in that hand, I refused him the pleasure of any fear. My chin lifted in challenge as those opaque eyes cut a path up his arm and to his face. The coldness of that gaze was enough to chase away the warmth of the entire summer and with it, life. He blanched in the wake of that greeting gaze but his hand remained, unmoving for the moment. A leachorous smile crept upon his features, revealing itself first in the darkness of his eyes. Black eyes they seemed, the pupil at their center nearly undetectable from the iris itself. It was a bottomless stare that looked back at me. In another life, I might have feared such a look. Disappointment settled in the fine lines at the corners of his eyes and in the perse of his thin lips as he realized he'd failed to shock me in his manner. "You will remove your hand, Sir." I kept my voice at a low and mostly even tone. And as respectfully said the words might have been the grace of patience was sliding from my face. His lips twisted into a mocking smile but his hand slid slowly from the curve of my shoulder and along the contour of my bicep. I could feel the calloused skin of his fingers snagging the fine threading of my garmentry and my lips pulsed together at the touch. His hand pulled back as he claimed a spot on the bench beside me, closer than I deemed necessary...... "No offense meant, Lady Valia. You are the Lady merchant, Valia of Sulport, are you not? "..... 09/07/14 12:01:54 ) [.Deaths Lady.] V A L I A |.MERCHANT OF SULPORT.| [-Market-] Is at the market, a large open square of stalls in the heart of Sulport. Vendors flock around you trying to sell the many different and exotic wares on offer. says to ALL: The corner of my own mouth jumped slightly, the want of a snarl trying to invade the mostly uneffected canvas of my face. At such proximity, I allowed my eyes to wash over his face. There was an art to discretion but in this instance there no need for such. I felt the hilt of a sword brush my hip as he slid so close that he could have been my shadow. His was a face, I did not know. He was entirely a stranger to me. Even the lilt of his voice was lost on my ear, either a mix of too many regions or perhaps disguised. If he was indeed, masking his native accent, he was well skilled for I could detect no such evidence. And though he asked for my identity, I felt he already knew the answer already. I knew I had never seen his face in Sulport before this moment. There were many new faces to the city these days and I wondered if he'd been here long. In either case, it did not sit well with me. He leaned closer, as if to share some secret and perhaps because I had yet to respond to his question. It was unsuspecting, the brace of his hand on my leg just at above the knee, beneath the table unseen by any. The line of my body stiffened perceptibly, jerked instinctively to revolt against that touch. This was a gross invasion of my space and anger lashed through me with force enough that I saw red . His lips curled with the satisfaction of my reaction. ...."You're going to need a friend, Valia. I can be a friend to you. I could provide much in the coming winter. In business too.".... I could smell the vile stench of his breath, the warm brush it over my neck as he spoke lowly. Repulsion crawled like tiny insects down the line of my spine and I bit back the urge to gag. I shifted away from him in that moment, but the grip of his hand held me in place. Pretty, innocent-seeming eyes narrowed with a smile. But there was nothing friendly in those eyes staring back at him. Nothing welcoming of his presence. I slipped my own hand beneath the table as though to cup his, my fingers played over his momentarily before without warning I found grip on his pinky and ring fingers and pulled back until I heard the snapping of bones, felt the give of those joints beneath the pressure before I released him. He released me just as swiftly trying to quiet the howl that had filled his chest with an audible sound that drew eyes in our direction. I used the moment to escape the table. "I'm not in the business of friends." There was a moment of reckoning, enemies make their stance known. I leveled my gaze upon him. It was revealed slowly, the hidden menace that possessed me, the truth hidden behind a lovely face and furious eyes of palest jade. "Welcome to Sulport." The words hissed venomously as I strode away from him without looking back. My tongue sucking to roof of my mouth as I exhaled fire. That emotion burned in the depths of my eyes. This moment, this single action set into motion many thoughts. I would not be caught in such a manner again. And without a way to protect myself. I swept the length of hair from my face and over my shoulder violently. The brilliance of pearly teeth were glimpsed between the draw of a silent snarl. Hatred flashed in that gaze and fleetingly behind it was the whisper of fear. (09/07/14 12:26:35 ) [.Deaths Lady.] V A L I A |.MERCHANT OF SULPORT.| [-Streets-] Along one of the many busy Streets where the shops never seem to close and crowds never fade. says to ALL: Anger curled fingers of flame around me, burning me with its welcomed embrace. The sound of bones, breaking like twig, echoed through the darkness of my mind. I enjoyed hurting the man. Inflicting both pain and humiliation upon him. And had returned the act in kind. Though it was true, that cosian blood flowed in those veins, it was a free woman of Sulport that walked away. He was lucky, that man. Had I the strength or opportunity, he would have lost that hand entirely. The pleasure of that thought rippled over my skin in goosebumps, despite the warmth of the sun shining down upon me. A pink tongue glossed slowly the curve of a smile, the look alone that of a predator having its first taste of blood, fresh from the kill. There were likely none who would notice the wicked intent gleaming in those pale eyes. But it was there, like a monster lurking in the darkness just out of sight. The promise of it to come had been promised in the sound of breaking bones. That graceful stride had changed somewhat. A provocative glide mostly hidden in the artful draping and gathering of golden material. It was enough to draw the eye, something just beneath the surface, that could go unrealized yet the presence was such that it lingered tauntingly. (09/07/14 12:35:20 ) .V O L S T A G G of S U L P O R T. First Comes Anarchy, Then Comes Me [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to ALL: -And Volstagg remained there in those shadows. He saw everything. None knew these alley ways like he did, except perhaps for one dangerous woman. He drifted here and there ,peering out of the mouths of the shadows as he circled that market square. A rabid mood was festering inside his soul and he could feel the call of Odin starting to seep forward, carving its Frenzy into his very bones. Thus was the nature of a Berserker.... He eventually did pause, between a butchers and a bakers. Staring over the heads of the crowd and watching one presence in particular... His feral blue glare sparked with something wicked as he watched Valia of Sulport rise from her place and take her leave of the market... His gaze shadowed her until she was out of sight, and then it fell back towards the unknown Man.- -Back into the shadows Volstagg moved. Stalking through the web of alleyways, home to Predators, but not an Apex Predator like He. Eventually he found himself near the mouth of an opening, between the Forge and a café. He had anticipated the fate of others correctly and that man was coming this way. Leaving the market in the same direction as Valia. He looked angry, cupping his hand in his other. Volstagg watched, the man drew closer... and closer still... At the moment that he stepped by the opening of that alleyway... Volstagg stepped forward, catching the man by the collar of his tunic and pulling him into the shadows... it happened so swiftly that the crowd on the street failed to even notice and within the blink of an eye, the man was gone, pushed deeper into the alleyways.- -The man staggered and turned to face the Berserker with an arrogant scowl of warning.... “Watch yourself stranger.” … -he snapped- … “Touch Me again, and I shall kill You.” … his words were indeed full of threat, a curved sword hung from his hip and the size of the man promised that he was capable of using it... Volstagg seemed to heed his warning and nodded in silence, his expression stoic... He then put his axe down, propping it against the wall and letting go of it. Then he drew his sword, and tossed that to the ground next to it. He was now unarmed and took a step forward... reaching out with a pointed finger to slowly jab the Man in the chest.... (09/07/14 12:44:30 ) .V O L S T A G G of S U L P O R T. First Comes Anarchy, Then Comes Me [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to ALL: -The man frowned at the jab of Volstagg's finger against his chest. He was confused by the odd behaviour but he was also a man who followed through with his threats. He stared into Volstagg's eyes but saw nothing. It was empty... and then it wasn't … something broke free of chains and in sheer desperation to act first, The man reached across to grab the handle of his scimitar, drawing it from the sheath of his hip.- -There was a ring of steel, but Volstagg's right hand was already moving, darting forward towards the man's left hip. Before that sword could free itself fully from the scabbard. Volstagg's hand wrapped around the blade itself and stopped it dead in its tracks.- -There was another moment of hesitation from the man as he felt the unsheathing come to a premature stop. He looked down and saw that over half of his sword was still within the scabbard and that hand gripped the blade, just above the mouth of the scabbard and held it firmly in place. The Man gave a tug to pull it, but it didn't move.... blood began to trickle down the blade.... A shade of fear washed across the man's face and as he looked back up towards Volstagg, he saw only the flash of a forehead crashing towards his face....- (09/07/14 12:58:25 ) .V O L S T A G G of S U L P O R T. First Comes Anarchy, Then Comes Me [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to ALL: -Volstagg's solid wall of a forehead was butted forward and hammered against the beak of the man's nose. It shattered with a loud popping sound and blood splashed -everywhere- … across Volstagg's face, the walls, the floor, and into the air. The man would have fallen onto his back, but Volstagg's grip on the sword never wavered and the sheer strength of the grip kept the man on his feet... Volstagg had left his axe on the ground behind him, so his left fist was empty now and it suddenly snapped up in a rising blow that smashed fist into face, not once... but three times, in quick succession. Each blow aimed for a different area of the face … each blow as quick as the strike of a snake … the first hammered knuckles into the Man's mouth, teeth tore from his blistering gums and -pinged- off the wall... the second strike was aimed for that already broken nose... further driving it up into the skull and leaving only a gnarly gash in the center of his face where his nose used to be... The third punch was directed for the man's right eye socket and the bone shattered around the eyes, fractured outwards like cracks in an earth quake, spreading out in a ripple towards forehead, cheek bone, and temple....- -Volstagg wasn't finished and powered his left fist forward for a fourth time, but curled it inwards and across himself at the last moment to instead slam the full length of his forearm across the man's face, with a shock force trauma that would no doubt rock the man's brain violently... this time... Volstagg finally let go of that sword and the Man staggered backwards, crashing into a pile of sacks, full of refuse from the nearby shops.... - -Volstagg stared blankly at the Man as he scrambled over the piles of rubbish, trying to find his feet....When the man finally did manage to drag himself up the wall... he was a mess... Blood poured from his mouth, those broken teeth cutting up the instead of his mouth and cheeks with their sharp edges... blood dripped from his sunken nose in large gloops, kind of like frothy, bubbly surf... The right eye socket was caved in and had swollen shut... He couldn't speak, but he did finally draw that sword... Volstagg on the other hand, did not retreat for his weapon … instead... he began to walk towards the Man... who raised his scimitar back over his shoulder, in anticipation to strike... (09/07/14 13:10:17 ) .V O L S T A G G of S U L P O R T. First Comes Anarchy, Then Comes Me [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to ALL: -As soon as Volstagg cut the distance down to 3ft... The Man attacked … hacking his sword downwards towards the Northerner's head. Volstagg leaned to the side just in the nick of time and the sword cut down his flank, finding only thin air. His right hand caught the man's wrist and gave a sharp twist., exposing the back of his shoulder … and that was all Volstagg desired in that moment... His memory flashed back towards the touching he had witnessed in the markets. So in turn … he powered his fist forward, in a devastating punch towards the ball of the man's shoulder and dislocated it one fell swoop... The sword fell to the ground and the man howled in pain...- -The desire to fight left the man and he started to back away... scrambling to run the other way... deeper into the alleyways …. Volstagg calmly reached down and picked up the sword before walking after him with a quiet whistle echoing through the alleys from his lips.- -The man ran. This way and that way, His arm now hanging limp at his side and the finger of his other hand was badly broken and disabled the entire hand. He could barely see straight and kept stumbling over his own feet... he became lost to the maze … doubling back on himself … going around in circles … and then he found a dead end … and he heard that Whistling.... he had to go back and could not tell where the whistling was coming from, it was all around ,all in his head... suffocating him … He started to run again.... back the same way he had come...- -There was a flash of steel as he passed by a turning and Volstagg appeared, slicing that long scimitar from his left left to low right in a deceptive strike that cleaved across the front of the man's legs …. just above the knees... slicing deep into the muscle and dropping him to the ground with a cry of terror.... (09/07/14 13:11:45 ) [.Deaths Lady.] V A L I A |.MERCHANT OF SULPORT.| [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to ALL: I stepped from the light of the streets and into the darkness of the alley. It was cooler here, the sun unable to penetrate beyond the snaking corridor of the maze-like alley. My steps echoed gritty over the stone facing of the walls. I knew the intricate twists, taking a route most left untravelled simply because it was mostly unknown. It was as though a secret path had been forged for me alone. In the depths of that place, I could hear a scuffle. From a distance, the sounds carried, a chorus evocative of death. Brutal in nature and force, the crunch of breaking bone and the meaty thud of physical violence. I could almost scent the blood that rode the air. Perhaps a figment of my imagination but it haunted me, like some delicate perfume. Saliva flooded my mouth, the tang of something metallic stained my tastebuds suspiciously. Had I bitten my lip unaware? Or was it more of an over-active imagination? I kept moving forward, deeper into the underworld that was the alleys, putting distance between myself and that music. And still, it called to me in a way I could not explain. Sounds whispered in all directions, alerting me to the presence of others. It was easy enough, to wait as they passed by, hidden from their site behind the turn of the high walls. So many had done so, unaware of my presence entirely. I could find my away, leaving none the wiser of our proximity to each other. Confidently aware, I slipped through the alley with a stealth that belied the true nature of woman, a slither of movement that hinted at a contained violence. Hidden it was. Beauty in motion that distracted from the poison and rage that filled her. (09/07/14 13:18:58 ) .V O L S T A G G of S U L P O R T. First Comes Anarchy, Then Comes Me [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to ALL: -The man was on his back, blood flooding the filth ridden alleyway and pouring away around the corner. He was already fatally wounded and would bleed out in minutes, but he held his broken hand up in defence, a silent act of surrender, the begging of mercy and pleading to be left alive... Volstagg stepped forward, moving next to the man, and staring down into his one good eye... his answer to the plea came by way of a backhanded and almost lazy swing of the sword … the steel edge connected with the wrist and severed the man's hand off completely.- -He bawled in agony and Volstagg rose his foot, carefully placing it against the man's jugular... without a word... he stomped it down and drove it home … crushing the throat and breaking the neck with a loud cracking sound.- -The man was dead and Volstagg lowered to crouch beside him. Placing one hand on the dead man's forehead to steady it, and then with that scimitar, he began to saw through the mushy, crumpled neck... working relentlessly until he had cut all the way through and removed the head …. He carried it by the hair in his right hand … tossed the sword down onto the headless body and walked away, back into the shadows... (09/07/14 13:21:45 ) [.Deaths Lady.] V A L I A |.MERCHANT OF SULPORT.| [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to ALL: Running. I knew distinctly the sound of it. Someone fled in panic, somewhere among the twists and turns. A smile carved my lips wickedly at the thought. I was far enough way that I cared not of the source. Instead continued to grow the distance. And then I heard it, faintly, the whistle. The sound stirred my heart from its slumber. Exhaling softly, I found myself memorizing the deathly lyric. The music now, filled my mind with visions. Blood-splattered flesh. The pristine white of bone. My own steps, though slowed, continued onwards. I felt the grip of that song settle in my bones, my stride altered in complexity to match the timing. Slender fingers drew through a length of dark hair, pulling over the silken strands to tickle at my scalp. There was a flutter of lash as my eyes closed, the intensity of the pleasure of it catching me unaware. I felt hyper-aware of everything. And as I took yet another turn, my gaze lifted to the top of a wall. Ravens set in wait, their dark eyes reflecting back the labrynth of mazes that extended around and beyond us. Their heads cocked and twisted, listening too to that sound. A distant cry of agony jolted them into flight, as if bidden by the sound that promised death. (09/07/14 13:23:19 ) .V O L S T A G G of S U L P O R T. First Comes Anarchy, Then Comes Me [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to [.Deaths Lady.]V A L I A: -Volstagg returned to his axe and spatha, claiming them back to his hips. Then he moved back into the alleyways and became lost in its void.- -You had taken yourself into the alleyways and perhaps you would come across the evidence of violence, or even the headless corpse itself. If you didn't … one thing you would find waiting for you against the back door of your office... was the Head … sitting there and staring down the alleyway... (09/07/14 13:38:50 ) [.Deaths Lady.] V A L I A |.MERCHANT OF SULPORT.| [-Alley-] Is in one of the many alleys that web their way through Sulport like a labyrinth. says to ALL: The alley was suddenly christened in silence. There were no sounds of violence, no cries of pain, even the birds failed to sing. I filled that void with an echo of the whistle, hummed in melodic fashion that was a warning as much as it entrancing. When finally I walked the long corridor that would bring me to the alley-entrance of my office, my eyes were quick to take up the site that lay in wait. There upon the stoop sat a head. I could not yet make out the features but there was a familiarness that grew with every step that drew me closer. I strained to listen but I heard no evidence of anyone other than myself. And at last I stood at the stoop of that backdoor, staring down into the face of the man from the market. Was it his death chorus I had heard? I stooped down, my fingers fisted into the crown of his hair so that he was forced to look upon me. Dead, unseeing eyes had glazed over. I felt no remorse, no pity. There could be only relief, the pleasure of it twisted sickly in the depth of my gut. He was dead. I would not have to worry about vengance for the humiliation I had inflicted upon him in the market. My eyes lifted from that face to scan both left and right, scouring the alley for the slightest bit of evidence that anyone lingered. In that moment, I felt perhaps I was not alone after all. I stood tall then, drawing the head up in my hand by the hair. It was heavier than it looked but not too heavy. I cast a glance at the alley and stepped towards the high wall, tossing that head up and over. It landed on the other side like discarded trash. I slipped unseen into the backdoor of my office. Hopefully his head would rot away to nothing, dined on by the scavengers that called the alley home, so that he could not be identified. It was likely he would be forgotten. And for me, it was though he'd never existed. Edited by Valia, Sep 7 2014, 08:49 PM.
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7:15 PM Jul 11