Private Tales Truths In Blood

Tyr - The Black Orchid
Theron

"Edromir, you know how foreigners are." It was not often that members of the Deathwatch made their way to the Temple District of Tyr.

Though once a center of the city, the Temple District had long since fallen out of favor with the elite, and in truth...even the commons of the great black city. Named after the towering cathedrals that had been built by the Ogres, the Temple district was home to a dozen churches. Each one dedicated to one of the old Gods of the Ogre'dim. The ancient religion of the Ogres which made up one of the three main populations of Tyr.

Centuries ago the Temples had been visited daily, but as the city had grown and it's people with it, the Ogres had steadily become less religious. Shifting their own beliefs to more align with their Tyrian brothers, most of the grey-giants now worshiped their ancestors instead of distant gods. Despite that, the Temples still held a place of honor within the city.

Even the most ardent atheist unwilling to touch the once sacred buildings.

As a result, the Temple District had become a home for the illicit.

Criminals and those of ill-repute often found haven between the grand Cathedrals built by the Ogres of Old, and a small society in it of itself had been born there. Some thrived within that life, while others could not hold up.

Such was the case with the man now laying dead upon the floor of Seyah's pristine establishment. The floorboards already soaked with sticky crimson. "They don't know the rules."

The Taverness complained quietly.

"It's not my fault the idiot drew a blade, and he ran before he could ev-" Before she could finish, the Deathwatch Lieutenant held up a hand and gently shook his head. Her fellow Tyrian giving her a stern look, perhaps keeping his tongue in check so that she would not unleash some of the famed fury the Taverness was known for.

"Seyah, don't matter what you say. Blood was spilled, worse, man was killed." Seyah grumbled quietly. "We've got to look into it. Just sit tight, you can take a night off while our man investigates."

Edromir insisted, a huff escaping the Taverness. "Well, then where the fuck is he?"

She demanded.

"Who?" Seyah asked, her voice tinged with more than a little bit of sarcasm. Knowing that Theron of course meant the dead man on the floor, rather than the foreigner who had done the stabbing. Edromir's look over Theron's shoulder almost immediately chiding.

"No." She sighed, then corrected herself. "Sort of."

The Taverness glowered. Still seething more than inwardly that the whole of her business was shut down for an evening. "Tiella!"

Seyah barked, her voice echoing through the Black Orchid as most eyes turned to her. A few whispers echoing out until finally down a red carpet lined stairway walked a woman dressed in regal read. Slowly she padded her way down to the commons, her head bowed low as she approached the Deatwach sniffer, glancing only briefly at Seyah.

"She was his favorite." The Taverness remarked. "Your regular, yes?"

She asked, Tiella slowly nodding her head. "Yes, Ma'am. Torvill came here near every week, he-"

A sniffle interrupted her words, a single tear rolling down the girls cheek as she continued.

"He was good to me." Tiella finished as Seyah's eyes nearly rolled out of her head.

"Isn't it your job to find out?" Seyah snarked back at the Bloodletter, Edromir's features once again flickering with disapproval behind Theron.

His look seemed to say; 'this is serious, Seyah. Push too much and there will be consequence'.

Torvill had not been of the Blood. From what she knew he was a simple human of nord descent. He'd come to Tyr some years ago selling slaves won in battle and had quickly taken a liking to things here. His business had quickly built up over the years, and in short order he had become one of the largest importers of new slaves into Tyr itself.

The business would now be in flux, Seyah knew, and there was opportunity in that.

A long, trialed sigh escaped the Taverness. "I don't know exactly."

She grumbled.

"My Guards stay outside." Seyah noted. "Torvill usually enjoyed a drink at the bar before...consummating his arrangements. This time he differed and preferred a seat at one of our booths."

The Taverness gestured to the plush bench next to where the corpse still lay. "The other man, a foreigner by his tongue and garb, came in and spoke to some of my girls. Then while they went to fetch his drink he came over and..."

Seyah gestured to the corpse now laying upon the floor.

At least the sniffer was as eager to get this done as she was. This whole thing was incessant, and annoying, but if she pointed the way she could at least get her business open again. ”Lula, Orilla.”

Seyah snapped off the names, and two girls almost immediately stepped forward.

Lula was a small slip of a thing, her red hair and black eyes marking her as half-Tyrian. Despite her father's nature however, Lula had latent talent within the Blood. Which was exactly why Seyah had taken her in. Teaching half-breeds to use their abilities was against the law of course, but the Taverness didn't care.

Neither did Talmanes. “He only spoke to us briefly, Sir.”

The girl said to Theron, glancing briefly at Seyah as though she were searching for some confirmation. A frown touched the Tavernesses lips for a moment, but she nodded anyway. Whatever information the girl had, she was clearly unsure about sharing it, but cooperation would see them through. This time at least.

“He only ordered a drink, but I noticed something on his collar. A tattoo.” Seyah's eyes narrowed. “A blue hand, in a circle with a hammer laying across the palm.”

”Oh fuck me!” Seyah complained almost immediately as Lula mentioned the symbol. The Taverness instantly recognizing its description as belonging to a ‘labor’ group run by Wendrick Polgir. An industrialist, and powerful man in Tyr. ”He was Polgir’s man.”

The Taverness said to Theron, letting out a heavy sigh as she realized this mess was a lot bigger than she'd assumed.

Seyah frowned as Theron thought outloud, shifting slightly as she leaned against the edge of her bar. Hand coming up so that her chin could rest in her palm, finger gently tapping against her chin. "Well..."

Did she dare?

Polgir had been a thorn in her side numerous times now, and he would stand against Talmanes in the days to come. But crossing the man was...a step to say the least, and it would not be one she could take back easily. "I may know of a way Polgir usually..."

Her gaze flickered briefly around the room.

"We should speak in private." Polgir had a way of making those doing his dirty work disappear. The man owned ships that went all over the world, it was a simple task to send a killer away on them. Luckily, Seyah knew the men who worked those ships. "Would you come along?"

Seyah asked, flashing Theron a charming smile and nudging her head towards a door behind the bar.

"Oh." Seyah said, surprise flickering over her face for a brief moment as she remembered what Theron was actually true.

"Yes." The Taverness agreed with a nod of her head. "That's why I'm doing it."

She hadn't intended for that outcome in the least. If she could take Polgir down a step, it would a place she could easily take. Bringing him to her level was dangerous, particularly if he got word of her involvement, but it was at least worth a try.

Besides, it never hurt to get in good with the Deathwatch. "May I be candid?"

Seyah asked, not waiting for an answer to continue.

"I don't think I can help you." She began, biting her lower lip in a show of fear before continuing. "Unless I know this crime will be followed to it's roots, and all it's conspirators be charged."

Meaning Polgir, the man who undoubtedly ordered this killing in the first place.

For a moment more Seyah considered him.

Someone like her never much liked working with the authorities. They were a necessary evil, someone had to keep control after all, but things like this were sensitive. She especially had to dance carefully. Considering her...proclivities, one had to step over more than one dangerous mine.

"Aye." The Taverness said finally in agreement.

"I can give you a testimony." Seyah offered, a grim sort of smile pulling at her lips as she shifted her stance. Fingers lacing slowly over her belly. "I believe I know someone who can connect the dots, a money...mover, you see."

Oh this would make her a new enemy, but if everything fell exactly right..."I will need to accompany you."

The Taverness declared, leaving no room for any sort of argument.

It would have been difficult for the Deathwatch to gain entry to where they were going, not only because they would have to find it, but because of those who stood guard. If things were to go well, it was best she accompany them.

"Meet me out back." Seyah told Theron as he stepped away and tended to the corpse that still lay within her commons. She couldn't help the roll of her eyes as he spoke of 'cleaning' up, well used to the attitude of the Deathwatch officers.

Never wanting to do more work than they had to.

She watched, dully, as the men did the last of their work. Quickly setting about the removal of the corpse and leaving only a stain of blood before leaving the Orchid all together. Seyah stared at the crimson speck for a moment then motioned to her girls. "Clean that up, and get this place running. I'll be out tonight."

The Taverness declared as she ascended the stairs and proceeded to change. Finding Theron in the back alleyway just a few hours later, now wearing flexible leathers rather than a flowing green dress.

"You know." Seyah said, approaching the Bloodletter quite boldly without greeting. "Polgir has had men of the Deathwatch killed before."

She mused, smiling at him. "You're throwing out a very dangerous rope by even thinking of going after him..."

One which could easily be used to hang him.

"Oh no of course not." The Taverness said with a smile. "But you don't need to make excuses. I understand the need to be close to me."

The smile on her lips turned into a smirk. "I have seen a mirror after all."

Her arm hooked into his, and quickly she began to lead them down the street. Heading not towards Tyr proper, but instead towards the Temple District. Heading deeper into what had once been sacred ground, but was now little more than a haven for the lost.

She listened carefully to Theron's truth, pursing her lips. "He must have been furious."

Seyah mused.

"I worked for him, once." The Taverness admitted. "Though I doubt even he knows that. It was when I was a girl, little more than one of the rats in the gutter. He employed us Turtledoves then, you see, to steal. He would get us maid contracts in the Rich parts of town, we would steal what we could and he'd take his cut..."

"Not the worst employer I've ever had, in truth." Though now he was more of a thorn in her side. Standing in the way of her expansion. but if this all worked out well...

Seyah let out a chuckle. "Oh, he most certainly is."

Though Polgir might not have been as abusive or cruel as some of the others Masters who preyed upon the down-trodden, he was no better. He offered no beatings or short reprisals, but instead offered outcomes which would bring a swift and quick end to any dealings at all.

Something they had witnessed tonight.

Working for Polgir, one might not get covered in bruises, but they would be lucky enough to make it out alive after a year. The man wasn't cruel, but he was certainly ruthless.

Not to mention, in her way.

"But." Seyah began, finally getting to the part of why she had told Theron the story in the first place. "My time with him won me some friends, and I believe one of them will be very interesting to you."

The Taverness declared as she continued to lead Theron deep into The Temples. "He is a Lieutenant, and Handles Polgir's business with Mallian."

Seyah gently patted Theron upon the arm, almost as though saying 'of course you're special'. Smiling up at him with no hint of sarcasm or mockery.

Even if it might have been there. "A few things."

She admitted to his question, still leading him further into the Temple District. Never stalling, nor stopping to pay attention to any of the beggars until the silence around them began to grow loud. Ancient forgotten churches giving way to ramshackle taverns and other forms of entertainment.

"But, most you won't ever need to know." Seyah flashed him a smile. "My friend knows where the bodies are buried."

The Taverness stated plainly. "And I thought you might be able to convince him to tell you where they are."

Something she could have done herself, though she had not the authority. Better that it came from the Watch, better that Theron learned first hand. Things would still go in her favor that way, and she'd not only win a business, but perhaps make a friend.

Seyah allowed herself to be gently tugged into Theron's embrace, flowing into his side as he leaned and whispered into her ear. A laugh echoed from her lips seconds later, as though he might have whispered something a little too forward in her ear. Her hand gently coming up to nudge at his chest playfully.

She played her part perfectly for anyone that was watching. "Unfortunately for me."

The Taverness answered finally.

"The people who cause all the trouble, seem to often be the most interesting." Seyah pursed her lips, and then reached up to gently run the back of her knuckles against his cheek. "It's sweet that you worry about me."

Her lips turned to a smile. "But I don't need to be kept out of trouble."

No, not when her patron drove her directly towards it. "I just need Polgir to be brought to Justice."

Seyah said cryptically, not offering more of a hint as to why.

"Forgive me, I get so caught up in events."

Her left hand flickered, producing a fan from seemingly nowhere. It unfolded as she slipped free of Theron, slowly drawing a small wind over her red hair as she peered up at her companion. "Seyah Mal'Tarr."

If Theron intended to keep his promise, then Polgir would never have a moment to retaliate.

It would be more valuable for the Tracker to know her true name.

"My friends trust who I tell them to, Theron." Seyah said, a brash smile crossing her flips as she fluttered the fan near her face. Cooling herself against the flows of magma which stretched beneath the streets around them. "Otherwise I wouldn't call them friends."

A wink flickered over her features as she turned from him. "Come along now."

She beckoned as she moved into the depths, heading directly into the goblin dens.