Private Tales A Little Favor

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer

Acteon Cass

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The Cass family was old. They had been land owners and active merchants in the Reach for longer than Alliria had been a city. In that time they had seen good and bad times. But this was the worst it had ever been for them. They had lost everything to some merchant lord that had forgotten the Alliran golden rule: business was never personal.

Acteon walked with his father Hector down the street towards a decent sized mansion. The older man was dressed in his best, which right now meant looking like a merchant that was doing decently well. A walking cane in his hand clicked. The younger man however was fully armed for once. Chainmail with a brigandine over it covered his torso. A pair of armored gauntlets over his forearms and hands with the same covering his shins and feet. He even had some simple pauldrons and greaves on as well. A sword and dagger hung from his hip, a small shield on his back, and a spear in his hands. He very much looked the part of a sellsword today.

"Sure we can trust this client?" Acteon asked his father as the pair looked more like a merchant and his guard walking down the street than father and son.

"Can you ever?" Hector responded immediately. "We need this favor. We finally have the funds to get buy our first property back, but we need this favor to actually get the deed. If we can pull this off, when we pull this off, we will have our feet under us again finally."

"Let us hope so. Rather not rush too much. Especially without knowing who our enemies are yet." Acteon responded after a moment.

"Just leave him to me and help me where you can." Hector responded back to his son fully confident.

=======

The estate belonged to the Berlong family, owners of the Berlong Transport Company. The head of both was a rather chubby middle aged man named Chester. He was not pleased as he sat in his office with Hector. Both had been discussing the matter at hand, which had resulted in some less than positive feelings. The head of the Cass family just sat back with a near permanent frown while his peer from the Berlong family was drinking his brandy between scowls. None had been offered to his guest.

Hector spoke up first. "Is this how you are going to continue acting?"

The larger man slammed his glass onto the desk and spilled a bit of the expensive drink out. "Of course! You would too if your idiot son ran off with a harlot and took deeds to half your properties with him."

"Acteon would never do either. If he wanted to take the family properties he would take them all not simply half of them." Hector responded calmly. "And speaking of my son, he can retrieve both for you easily. Will you uphold your end of the deal when he returns?"

"IF he returns." Chester retorted back in a near bark. "That whore has connections to less than upstanding citizens. I doubt he could handle it."

Hector's frown deepened. A servant entered the room and whispered something to their employer then was waved off.

"Speaking of. My insurance against your son's failure has arrived." Chester responded in a tone as if he was speaking with a lesser than a peer. "I trust results and your son's reputation seems exaggerated to me. He helped take a city for some empire out east without them having to lose any troops? Inflatted at best and an outright lie at worst." The chubby man starred Hector down as he added, "And we both know your son to be a liar Cass."

Hector's grip on his cane tightened and his voice was firm as he said, "And your son is a thief that fell in love with a whore and stole from his own family. Acteon has never and would do neither of those things Berlong."

The chubby man started to stand but the sudden jolt only made him stumble back into his chair. Before either of them could speak, the servant returned with Chester's insurance.
 
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She had spent the morning contemplating how she was going to cause offense this day.

It was a fine art, as was any kind of taunting; the goal was quite simply to get as close to causing bloodshed without actually causing bloodshed. For the so-called civilized world, that simply meant causing as much offense as one could without, in this case, losing a contract and leaving the Company in a poorer state. Aeyliea was an accomplished veteran at pushing the envelope when it came to this subtle form of taunting.

Today, she would be serving a wealthy merchant. She disliked people who put material wealth on such a pedestal as to raise it above the spirits of the land and the ancestors that came before them, for all that they cherished their ancestral name if not their forebearers.

Nevermind the fact that she had collected a substantial amount of wealth herself. The ends she was putting it to, however, were completely different than what those she took it from used it for.

"You know, one of these days you are going to make one of your clients mad enough they will have to do something about it," her companion remarked. The one-time assassin was dressed from head to toe in dark leather, with a hood that overshadowed his face. No matter what angle the light came from, it could not pierce the inky darkness within, such that only his smooth skinned chin was the only part of his face to show. That and his eyes, which gleamed when the light was right. The man carried two heavy bladed knives at his hips, the curved steel dulled with lamp black so that it did not gleam in the light.

She grunted in reply. She herself wore light leather under light chain; most of her armor tended toward light as did the weapons she chose to wear. The chain was an alloy of steel and mithril, making it light and strong. Impractical as it was, the leather fit her shape neatly, as did the leather leggings. All were dyed in black, green, and gold; Company colors.

She wore her hair in an intricate braid today, lying across her back and over the light, slightly curved sword she preferred over every other weapon. She had woven charms into her hair, bird bones, feathers, and beads made of polished stones of every shape and hue so that she clicked as she walked. The skull of a raven rested on her brow, the empty sockets staring balefully at any who looked upon her too long.

The entire effect was that she attracted every eye on the streets, even though in the Slums and in the Shallows she was relatively well known. Truth to tell, she craved that attention, the eye of every man in particular, and she went to the lengths to draw them to her like moths to a flame. It was an apt metaphor, as well; many of them ended up burned in the end.

She swayed her hips even more exaggeratedly at Tian's comment, and gave the man a side-eye. "Then to another they can go. The best, that is what I am. They know it, and so say nothing."

Tian shrugged. "As you say, boss. As you say."

The district was considerably better off than the places she chose to haunt. Which was not to say that she had not been here before; on the contrary, she spent as much time among the so-called mighty as she did in the slums. Of course, sometimes it was not to do the patron any good; a surprising amount of support for the various criminal enterprises found either funding or were flat out run by people in these districts.

"I do," she replied in a level tone. They turned up a drive.

"Should have brought horses," the dark man said. Aeyliea did not reply.

The place was opulent, at least from the outside. It did not impress the No'rei warrior, not even a little bit. She had been among many places like this, and could likely afford such if she was so inclined. She was not, as it happened, and wanted all of that money for her warchest.

"Time to see," she said as she approached the door. "To see and be seen." Her sharp eyes gleamed like a hawks'. "Perhaps they can get my blood up.' Or she could get theirs.
 
After having arrived at the mansion, Acteon had let his father go ahead to speak with the owner of the estate. The "help" was not needed after all in the main study. That was fine by him. His father knew what he was doing, perhaps the only person Acteon trusted to speak for him, and this would give him the chance to judge the situation.

From what the reachman could make out, the mansion was in a bit of disarray. It was not the kind those unfamiliar with the mansion lifestyle would notice. The servants steps were just a little hurried. Their gazes focused for less time on a single thing. Something was on the collective mind and worried them. They were in a rush to prove their worth. The big question was why.

When Aeyliea and her companion walked into the entry room, Acteon gave the two of them a smile and nod. Seemed whatever this job that Berlong had was going to require more than Acteon, showed a lack of trust in the Cass, or both. If he was a betting man, and he was known to be one from time to time, it was likely both.

=======

When the servant brought Aeyliea into the study, the first thing she would notice was that it had a lot of expensive things on full display and few of them were actual tomes or scrolls. The next would be a chubby man in very fine clothing with a glass of brandy at one end of a small round table with a guest in not as fine but still respectable clothing lacking any drink on the other. Both men did not seem to be in a good mood but the fatter of the two was clearly the most upset. They both were also old enough to be her father.

Hector was the first to stand. He gave Aeyliea a nod then said, "Care for a seat?" He stepped to the side so that she could take it if she wished.

Chester remained sitting. He motioned for the now vacant seat near him as he said, "Yes, do sit."

Whatever the woman chose to do, the chubby man would say, "Care for a drink?" He snapped his fingers before she even had time to respond. "Benny! A glass of brandy for my guest!"

A male servant off in the corner of the room not that far away prepared the drink and brought it over to Aeyliea. He held it out for her and would not set it down till she took it or refused.

Hector gave Chester a cold stare for a moment but remained silent.

"Forgive the lack of pleasantries, someone has ruined my mood for them," Chester said as he gave Hector a scowl back. "I am going to get straight to the job. I need you to retrieve the deeds and properties that my idiot son mistakenly took with him when he ran off with a whore. He is not the wisest so she took advantaged and tricked him. You will be compensated well for getting what is mine back. I will also offer you a bonus if you run that whore through as well."

"And your son?" Hector immediatel retorted.

"Yes, yes. A bonus if you bring him back alive to me as well." Chester said trying to wave off his "friend."
 
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"To stand do I prefer," she replied in a clipped voice, her accent thick as always. The mercenary captain was not impressed by the show of opulence here, nor the finery that either of the men in the room wore. Open displays of wealth were disgusting to her. The only purpose of wealth, to her, was that it could be used to pay people like these to do things she wanted them to do, or to procure supplies to further her own goals.

"Drink I do not, not while on the job," she added curtly to the offer. She was here to do a job, not here to be friends with her clients. She was certain these cretins would dislike her on the simple basis of being a commoner, in their minds, or else a part of the unwashed, penniless rabble. Or some other nonsense as this.

Of course, she was the one taking their coin. Even so, she did not trust them any further than she had to. Of all the kinds of people in the civilized lands, the wealthy and the powerful were the most likely to betray a contract or to slip a knife in when the eyes were diverted elsewhere.

"I would not worry about pleasantries," she continued. "A business I run, and run it well I do. Clients time, it is money." She gave the pair of them a smile that was all teeth and no mirth at all. "Assassinating, it is not a thing I do. Blood money I need not," she said in reply to the so-called whore that this man's son had run off with.

"So, to get these deeds is the task. More details you have, or have not? The job, it is well within the agreed upon price." A pause, a look to Chester, and then to Hector as well. "Where the boy has gone, you have information on?"

===

Tian stood back and shrugged as the captain went in the room to hob-nob with the gentry. It was just as well, because he really did not like dealing with people of their ilk. He had spent entirely too much of he long life putting and end to the likes of these people (and for great sums of money) to be comfortable in their presence.

The former assassin eyed the youth standing out in the entry room with him, and fixed him with a friendly smile that was only just visible beneath the shadows cast by his hood. He had not removed it on coming indoors, and when offered had flatly refused.

The young man out here did not seem to fit in the clothes he was wearing, but Tian was not about to point that detail out. Instead, he nodded to the youth. "Personal guard or mercenary, boy?" The tone of voice was friendly enough.
 
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Chester just looked at Aeyliea as she spoke. The look on his face showed he had no idea what he was looking at, but he was sure it was stupid. After she had time to finish speaking he simply said in a voice with some shock in it, "Is your head on right girl? You are speaking backwards."

"He has no more information for you. Just get the deed and his son back. You will be working with my son on this job. If you need help tracking him down then my son can do that." Hector responded in a much calmer and more respectful tone than his peer.

"Do not act as if I am some spoiled child Cass." Chester said with a glare. "You need me and losing my favor is not wise."

"Thinking a favor from a man who loses half of his property because his son fell for a common whore is worth anything was not wise." Hector replied back. "And yet here we both are. Now stop trying to swing your minor manhood around and just let everyone else take care of your mess."

Chester turned a deep red as he attempted to stand once more. The only thing that happened was him falling yet again back into his chair. Hector just made a disappointed sigh and turned his gaze back to the woman. "You may get started."

=======

The woman of the two went inside the study, but the hooded one did not. That told Acteon who the boss was. Good to know. His attention was more on the staff again however when they spoke to him. His ambers drifted back to him. Boy? This word got a raised brow from him.

"Neither. This is a business transaction and I am just waiting for the final deal to be done. Old man." Acteon replied back with a smile.

While he looked away once more, Acteon did not like the feeling he was getting off this other person. There was just something off about him and he had the scent of death about him. Those were never good signs, but they likely were going to have to work together. This Berlong fellow must be desperate if he was willing to go along with the favor they were here for. The state of the staff proved as much as well to him, and the fact he hired on mercenaries. The mansion owner did not trust them to get the job done, or did not trust anyone to be able to.
 
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<<"Your head is the one that is wrong, worshiper of gold,">> she replied to his comment. The language was No'rei her native tongue, and she spoke that in crisp and brisk manner. If she was angered by his words, she did not show it. If he wanted to be insulting, it would simply be reflected in the balance sheets when the job was complete.

And, of course, if he proved to be one of those kind of employers, the kind that tried to go back on an agreement simply because she was 'a backwards savage', well...sge would enjoy either spillng his blood herself or else introducing him to her advocates. It was likely she was wealthier than he was, but she did not advertise that.

"Taking care of other people's messes, that is my job. Your money I will have," she said tersely, and then deliberately turned her back on both of them to do as they said.

====

"Old men in my business are the ones you have to watch out for," Tian replied. "Of course, you look like it you should already know that."

Before another reply could be given, the door to the main room opened and the exotic woman came out, shutting the door behind her.

"Well?"

<<"Posturing, superior old men secure in their money and in the ability to hire others to do their work,">> the white haired woman said in her native language. It held a certain cadence to it.

"So...the normal situation, then." Tian looked to the young one nearby, and then back to his boss. "What is the plan?" He spoke in common, at least.

"A whore to find, a boy with a prick and a need and no sense," she said in common, her voice low enough to be heard in this room only. She cast an eye around to ensure there were no servants nearby. "More, there is to this. Not all to say has been said."

"So everything is right in the world, then. You do not trust the people paying us, and you plan on twisting the knife later." She offered him a mirthless smile that was all teeth. "Well then, this boy here is going with us, I think."

The captain turned, beads and bones clicking in her hair as she did so. She looked the boy - man, really, but Tian's mannerisms tended towards the strange. She offered a more friendly smile to him. Only just, though.

"Son of the one, you must be?" She looked him up and down in a rather direct manner. "Aeyliea,I am. Tian, he be. And you?"
 
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The hint of a threat was noted. Acteon was not going to do anything about it though. Never a good idea to start off a job with someone else violently. Likely just be the other man was having some fun. He could appreciate that.

Eventually Aeyliea came out of the room. Acteon raised a brow as he heard what the two were saying on the mission. Part of it was in a language he did not know but the rest was clearly done in common for his sake. He let them have their little meeting without interrupting.

Finally Acteon was addressed so he offered the woman a toothy grin. "Acteon Cass. And yes I am indeed the son. It sounds like the job involves a fool and a woman using him for his coin. Is that correct?"

Before the woman had time to respond, Hector exited the room as well. He had a scowl on his face and slammed the door behind him. This got another brow raise from Acteon.

"Trouble with the client?" Acteon asked.

"Always. The Berlongs are not known for being the sharpest blades in the belt." Hector responded. He turned to the group and addressed them all. "As I am sure Aeyliea has already informed you the job is the recovery of property and the son of Chester Berlong. He also offered extra reward if you kill the woman his son ran off with, but I for one do not care if she lives or dies. This should be easy enough so let us be off."

Hector began to head to the entry door with his cane clicking angrily on the floor. Acteon caught up with his father and asked the man in a voice still loud enough for their companions to hear. "When were you joining us on the job?"

"When that idiot disclosed what we were doing. Half. He said his son took half of the deeds to their family properties. Something about that sounds off and I want to look into it. I doubt any of you have the experience dealing with documents to recognize foul play, so I will be going along to check on it." Hector said first to his son then directed the rest towards Aeyliea. "Is that acceptable miss?"
 
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Before Aeyliea could reply to the old man, Tian smoothly stepped in. "I have a plethora of talents, good sir," he said in a silky smooth voice. It was difficult to tell whether or not he was taking the piss out of Hector or if he was being genuine. It was always difficult to tell, with Tian. Unless it was business time, and what qualified for that in the hooded man's mind was as mercurial as Aeyliea's temper was. "Could be that I know something of what you speak."

Might just as well have come out and said he knew about forging documents, signatures, and adulteration of records. Looking into the murky shadows under the hood, it was impossible to say.

Aeyliea looked at Tian for a moment, then shook her head so that the beads and bones clicked all the while muttering something unintelligible. She looked to Hector. "Is. But first, to headquarters we go. Eyes and ears you have, Tian?"

"On every single person of note in this city, and in several others," he replied. "Seeing as we deal with the upper crust so very often, it always pays to have at least a cursory idea of their comings and goings, and their dealings." This was directed to Hector and Acteon. The simple fact that he would openly state a thing to the very kind of people that would be watched was an odd way to flex. Again, the tribal warrior did not even try to comprehend him.

Tian was damned good at what he did, and that was why he was her second. Her talents lie in different directions than his.

"Unless objections you have, information awaits us." She cast a look back at the door to the room where they had their meeting, and muttered an oath to her ancestors.
 
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While Aeyliea and Tian spoke with Hector, Acteon slowed down and allowed himself to be left behind naturally. He could easily hear everything they were saying so could stay in the loop but his father's words got him thinking. The state of the manor had already caught his notice earlier and in the context of this new information it began to make sense. They knew there was likely about to be a hit to the Berlong income and that meant a lose of jobs. It also could be that something was going on and this run away son could expose what no one wanted exposed. He planned to figure though out.

Hector eyed the woman and her companion after the spoke. He was particularly interested in the hooded one. Something was off about him and the former merchant did not like that fact. Things being off lead to the unexpected and the unexpected was more often than not the doom of profit. He was especially wary after the directed comment about spies.

With a bit of a frown Hector said, "Do we have the time to go back to your base? I do not know much about your business, that is more my son's expertise, but I have yet to hear of him having to do such things. He generally seems to be able to find who he is after on little. I think it would be best to allow him to do his part and shorten our delay as much as possible. The longer we wait the further they get."

The group of now three had reached the front door once more.

=======

Acteon was completely gone from the group by the time his father had responded to them. Instead he had found his way to addressing one of the servants of the manor that was half hiding and half doing their job of cleaning in a side room. Approaching them with a smile, Acteon said, "You seem to be working hard. Perhaps a little too hard. Something reason for that?"

The young woman flinched at the sudden words directed her way. She had a very basic wedding band that reflected a low income status but was pretty enough. She shook her head at first then quick said in a more squeak, "No. Everything is well."

"Oh? Then why so shaken?" Acteon asked as he quickly studied her over. He needed some kind of weakness to exploit. The ring and her clothing seeming to not be in the best state of wash got an internal smirk. "Is everything well at home?"

The woman froze up and just stared at Acteon for a bit. He stood back with a very unguarded and open state about him. An act but one that seemed to have worked as this poor woman began to tear up. "No. No it is not. My husband worked on the docks but an accident took one of his arms. He has no skills outside of labor and so can't work. We have a daughter and he takes care of her during the day but he goes out drinking every night. I can't lose this job. I just can't...."

The broom dropped and the woman began to drop with it to the floor. Acteon swiftly moved in and caught her. Some soothing and nice words got the tears out of her. With her tears the man managed to get information out of her on Chester's son. A few coins were given as payment and to help her out, which he did really just to keep up the act, and then he left her to return to her work.

======

Acteon returned to the group by following their scent to wherever they had ended up. As he approached his father was the first to speak.

"Where did you get off to boy?" Hector asked in an angry tone while frowning.

"Calm down old man. I found out where the Berlong boy met his whore. We can figure out from there where they went next." Acteon replied and just kept on going. "We need to make a little visit to the Pleasant Pearl."
 
There was something off about Hector's son, but Aeyliea was not keenly attuned to the occult world , and certainly not in the same manner that Tian was. That he was different was enough; she ran a very specialized mercenary company that had its share of special individuals, unique or merely uncommon. She knew the young man would show what his own specialty was, eventually.

<<"I have the distinct impression that neither of these two think very highly of us. Maybe a thread more highly than our benefactor, though.">> The language had a certain flow and cadence to it that was satisfying to her, far more fluid than the awful trader tongue or the common spoken everywhere else.

Tian cast a sideways glance, and then chuckled lightly. <<"Welcome to my world, boss. I have been underestimated by more people than I care to think of. Honestly, I hope they keep doing it.">> His No'rei was as flawless as hers. At her rasied eyebrow, he shrugged. <<"Arrogance leads to dead men. So long as they keep thinking they know what I am about, I'll keep killing the nebulous them, and by extension I will remain alive."

She said nothing for a little while, at least not until Hector spoke to them. Tian had already noted the lad's departure, and had cursed himself for not placing a mark on the boy when he'd had the chance. Little concern, though, unless these two decided to become hostiles.

He had a knife for that, though.

"I think I am going to go take a stroll, Captain," he said suddenly. Aeyliea didn't even look his way, merely nodding. In moments there were only the two of them, the sound of her soft leather boots and the occasional clink of chain or the great two-handed blade on her back the only sound. It was only then that the wild woman finally responded to the more civilized of the pair.

"For now, we move. To the Shallows we will not go, for Tian shall do so faster than we can. Wait, we shall, for word. From your son, or from my second. Matters it does not," she said, her words clipped and thickly accented. Her eyes constantly moved, watching the shadows for any threat. It probably would not have made Hector very happy to know that he was walking alongside a target, but the chance of being attacked by any of her enemies was fairly low.

Especially since they had seen Tian near to hand. That kind of deterrent was the most effective thing she had to hand.

"Tian, he will find something. Doubtless as your boy will be to, too."

Minutes passed by. Aeyliea, playing to a certain degree of intuition, guided the pair towards the better part of the slums, places where decent folk were more common, and where the upper crust sometimes ventured when they were dealing with certain elements of society. Alliria was a large city, after all, and there were many such places...but she had a hunch.

And it was proven right enough when Acteon returned. She grunted as the name of a particular dive crossed the young man's lips, and a fire lit in her eyes.

"Pleasant Pearl, say you?" Her words were the slow sliding of a knife from its scabbard, of steel being drawn. "Lovely place, that." Two-Faced Eddie.

Suddenly she became very interested in this particular task. She wondered if that thieving fuck was involved in this whole mess, and hoped it was not so. The son of a whore had managed to evade her every effort to capture him ever since the day he had come to her compound, killed one of her people and half a dozen others beside, and tried to kill her in her own quarters.

The No'rei notion of grudges was the stuff of legends. But her sense of duty was, as well. She had to be content with hoping the bastard was involved in this to give her another reason to cut his pecker off and force feed it to him...before killing him messily.

----

The Pleasant Pearl was a misnomer, one someone must have really thought amusing when they came up with it.

It was not technically located in the Allirian Slums, being a few blocks away from those wonderful stretches of streets, but that hardly seemed to matter. Here, the streets were cleaner, more often cobbled than not, and the buildings were in far better shape and cleaner as well. But the Pearl stood out despite this; the exterior was always freshly white-washed, the boardwalk outside the door in good repair and the doors kept freshly painted. Across the street from the door, a pair of toadies sat in front of a wine bar, mugs of untouched wine set in front of them and practically congealing. They were not patrons of that business, merely watchers on the Pearl.

"My mark, he has picked a fine place," she remarked to the other two as she stalked down the street. Tian had not made himself reappear yet, which was not surprising; it was likely he would appear if needed, or was on some other lead. "In this place, a good friend of mine resides." By the tone of her voice and the baring of her teeth in what was clearly not a grin, it could be gleaned that 'friend' might be a bit of an exaggeration. In fact, the blade on her back suddenly seemed to take on a new light. It became readily clear she was ready to use it in a trice.

She had not decided on what they would do yet, but in this particular case she was content to let the other two do the talking. She could happily take on the role of nanny, and make sure that no one tried to stick a knife in their back or put a crossbow bolt through their livers. It was even odds that it was a good idea for her to come here. Her and Eddie were mortal enemies, and this was one of the notorious criminal Lords of Alliria's favored haunts.

She knew the layout of the Pearl. The common room had enough chairs and tables in it to host legitimate business, but there were always some shady characters seeded in it to make sure nothing surprised anyone. Everything was maintained to a standard that well-to-do merchants would not feel ashamed being here, and even lesser nobles visiting town would not feel a stain on their pride by visiting, although these worthies would likely make their visit quick.

The upper floors were for the harlots and whores, with a few rooms left to let out to travelers that mistakenly came here instead of more reputable establishments.

Downstairs, in the cellars and sub-cellars, were where the real business was conducted. Unless there were particularly shady dealings with her mark and the underworld, it was unlikely that they would be following their nose down there.

"The talk-work, I leave to you. Hired for brawn, not politics," the white-haired warrior said, assuming the position to the back of a bodyguard as they approached the hive of villainy and debauchery.
 
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All of the little things about Tian and Aeyliea did not go unnoticed by Acteon. Rather the lack of Tian and everything the woman said in his absence did not. She knew the brothel that he had been directed to already and seemed to have some personal business in mind related to it. Interesting. Made him wonder if Berlong knew of this connection or if the man his father called a bloated fool just stumbled into it.

Neither of the Cass men showed any signs of what their thoughts were as they traveled with their new companion. Both just carried themselves with a confidence that said they belonged here and that this city might owe them something. The later was extremely common from all who lived in the city. Regardless all Aeyliea would likely notice as different was how Acteon looked casual and relaxed as he walked but was constantly alert and aware of their entire surroundings. No one was likely to be able to sneak up on them without some form of skilled trickery involved.

The Pearl was very much what one would expect from a brothel in Alliria. Profit, in all its forms, was the first and foremost thought. Acteon could appreciate this fact. It made sense and was sensible. Why let potential coins slip through your purse?

After the woman spoke Hector looked to his son. "Care to take the lead boy? I am certain you are very familiar with this kind of establishment."

"Proud to know you think so lowly of your son old man, but you are wrong. If and when I choose to indulge in such desires I will do so thanks to my silver tongue not my silver coins." Acteon responded with a very obvious feigned look of being hurt. "The fun is in the chase and wasting coin removes that fun entirely."

The older Cass just made a grunting noise that was a mixture of pride and disbelief. Acteon's face became more serious and he added, "We need to be careful what we say from here. Our little hare likely has friends helping her in this place."

Acteon looked over at Aeyliea and moved close to her. Her leaned in next to her ear and whispered, "Mind helping with a little act? A female servant speaking on behalf of her master might draw some sympathy in this kind of place." A smirk formed on his face. "And it would make my old man look bad as well. Just ask for the names of the girls the Berlong son fancied, as his father is a friend of my own, and pick whoever catches your interest."

Acteon leaned back and just smiled to the woman as he awaited her response.
 
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She offered up a toothy grin at their backs as they bantered. Aeyliea was often the one doing the chasing, as Acteon had so bluntly put it, and she wondered how he would react to being chased himself for a change. Now was not the time, and the man was honestly too good looking for her tastes , anyway.

When he leaned in and asked his question, though, she about choked. Acting was not a strong suit of hers, and especially not acting the part of some simpering, weak-willed servant. She had never understood, and never would, the desire for someone to constantly serve others in such menial capacities as she had seen servants of the city do. It was neither her way, nor the way of her people, to do or accept such.

It was all completely irrelevant, anyway. "This I cannot do," she replied in a seriously. Those dark blue orbs of hers did not soften even a little. "Here, I am known. A hideout this is, for a criminal lord of the Slums. Blood feud, we have."

She did not know if he understood that statement. Surely he understood what a feud was, but it was deper, more personal for her. As a result there had been nearly endless skirmishing with the bastard over the past two years. No one here would think she had anything to do with the business she was involved in, now, but those who knew what this place was - most of the people working here, likely - would know who she was.

"Besides," she continued after a moment, voice still low. "Acting, it is not a thing I do. Capturing, killing, retrieving, and fucking? These things, yes. Deceit?" She didn't need to finish that statement. "For that, Tian I have."
 
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The Allirian was a bit surprised by what his new companion had to say to him. He expected a yes or a no depending on what sort of person they were, mostly a matter of their pride and values. What he had not expected was for her to say she can not do it. Interesting way for her to put it. What was even more interesting was what she followed it up with. Already he had sorted out his adjustment to his plan to handle this problem.

As Aeyliea shifted from speaking of the place to herself, Acteon just gave her a predatory smile. He said in a voice that only she and his nearby father could hear, "Capturing, killing, retrieving, and fucking? Those are things I can do as well. Deceit is another as is many other things. Why not broaden your horizons more and try new things? The greater hunter is not the one who brings one arrow but many."

The man began to adjust his armor a bit and made sure it was sitting as comfortably as possible. He also made sure his weapons were ready to be quickly drawn. While doing this he said, "Mistress Aeyliea would you be so kind as to babysit my feeble old man here? He is a wonderful merchant but a rather shitty fighter."

"Say that again after I beat you bloody with my cane boy." Hector responded back in more act of anger than any true feeling of it. "Try not to hurt yourself with whatever crazy idea you have this time. It would be my greatest shame to have to see my son saved from a beating in a brothel by a woman."

Acteon just flashed his father a toothy smile, revealing his sharp teeth, then swiveled towards the counter on his heels. He walked over rather casually and leaned on one elbow as he came up to it. A decently dressed old man gave him a smile. His typical customer routine followed.

"What drink can I get for you Lord while you wait?" The bartender asked in that practiced merchant tone so common in the city.

"Just a pint of ale. Like your sturdiest, most expensive mug made from wood as well." Acteon said back in a relaxed tone.

The old man nodded and did as requested. Acteon smiled and smelled the rich hop scent from it. One long drink to drain it to between three fourths and half full before he suddenly slammed the mug across the counter. The contact of wood against hard wood echoed out. Ale and splinters and foam went flying in every direction. A permanent mark was forever left within the counter top that would require the whole thing needed to be replaced to fix.

This single action got the attention of everyone in the establishment. Eyes were locked onto Acteon and the old man, who was utterly stunned by the act. The sellsword tossed the remnants of a handle off in a random direction, nearly hitting an off hours customer, before roughly grabbing the bartender by the scruff of his collar and pulling him in close.

In a whispered voice as casual and relaxed as before Acteon said with a not so friendly smile, "I have a few questions for you that I expect answers for unless you feel like being the next mug." The old man started to speak but found no words coming out just sounds. It was kind of loud so Acteon just shushed the man calmly and went on.

"None of that. Just nod for now. Got it? Good. So see that woman I came in with? Do you recognize her?" The old man nodded twice. "Excellent. See we are looking for a certain moron that happens to be from the Berlong family. He frequents this place yes?" The man nodded again. "Wonderful. He ran off with one of your girls and his dad would like him back home. Now I do not expect you to know where they went but I do expect you to know who might know. Do you?"

The old man's eyes showed he was clearly thinking very hard on the matter. That was what Acteon wanted. After a bit the old man started to give a nod that ultimately did become one. This got more of a smile from Acteon.

"Glad to hear it. I would like to speak with this person. Set it up for us. Oh and keep quiet about this whole matter would you? I have very good ears and very sharp eyes. Hate to have to do to you what I did to the mug. If anyone asks just tell them I was drunk and came asking about a girl who does not even work here. Do we understand each other?"

The old man nodded feverishly.

"It will be me and the woman visiting this person. Tell her it is for a threesome." Acteon whispered before releasing the man. After he started to leave but before he did he turned back. In a voice now at a normal volume he added, "For such exceptional service." He fished out and laid several coins onto the bar.

Walking back up to his companion and father, Acteon said, "So me and Aeyliea are going to meet our informant. You are going to go outside and find a tea shop or something old man."

Acteon smiled at the both of them.
 
"Many talents I have, for those that lack I have others to fill in." That was the whole point of having a team of specialized people. It was the mind that guided them all that was her greatest strength, after all. She was a tacit genius when it came to making plans, or thinking on her feet.

She settled back in her chair, fixing the old man with a toothy, unfriendly grin. "There are worse fates, old one. Here, one can find many of them." She had noted the sharp teeth of the man's son, and filed it away with all the other oddities she had noticed in regards to him. Not human, she had decided a bit ago. The particular flavor of inhumanity, that was the question of the moment.

She settled back, and watched the show.

---

The door opened, and a ratty girl stumbled into the rather fine quarters within. She clearly did not belong in this place, for the finery here did not well suit the rags she wore.

"Boss! Boss!" Her voice was a squeak, either out of fear or age; she couldn't be more than ten or eleven years old at most. The plain brown dress she wore was more like a sack on her thin frame; it, at least, matched the mousy, tangled mope on her head. "Boss!"

"What want with him, girl?" A shape separated itself from the shadows along one wall, resolving into a rocky troll. The beast was all crags and moss, with a touch of graffiti scrawled across its front. It and its ilk belonged in the mountains, not here in Alliria, but they were such useful creatures so long as you didn't let them overheat. "He not need nuffin," the thing said.

"Bricks, you can leave the urchin alone." This voice was different, far smoother. It came from a tall, well dressed man in a black waistcoat with fine embroidery in silver and gold thread. He stood in a door that had been closed a moment before, adjusting his suit to fit better. In the room, another shape was moving in the darkness. "Unless she is wasting my time, then you can dispose of her." He turned to look at the wretched child, a friendly-seeming smile on his face. "Well?"

"T-the white-haired one! She is here!" The girl was anxiously hopping from foot to foot now, her dark eyes bright with fear. "In the common, upstairs."

That friendly seeming smile vanished as if it had never been there. The thorn in his side was upstairs, in the common room of one of his many establishments. Within his grasp, except he knew all too well that there was no way she would willingly come into a place that she knew was his without preparation beforehand. She had been a worthy adversary, one that had bloodied him a few times. Quite unlike the rival gangs in the area.

"Go, then. I'll deal with this." The girl squeaked and left, the door left ajar behind her as she hurried away. The man, Edward Dangloe or, as he was better known by, Two-Faced Eddie, turned to the troll with a dark look on his face. "Go get some of the lads, Bricks. Its time to plan a party."

---

What she needed right now, she decided, was a drink. What she was not going to have right now, as it turned out, was a drink. Too much was at stake, and she was very much within the den of vipers now. her senses were more alert than ever before.

The old man proved to be a poor conversationalist, which was just as well. There was a divide of not only class, but upbringing - he, of the wealthy and of the city; she of the hard-nosed, fighting type and born to a way of life that neither of these men could understand, nor probably survive. She very much doubted that Acteon's father much appreciated her company, either. She was a wild savage, and beautiful or not, she was not a thing he would likely have much to do with except perhaps in his youth.

When Acteon returned, after the lovely performance he had given, she was wondering where Tian had gotten off to. As the big man came back up to them at their table, she affixed him with a feral smile. "Violence, it is a nice look for you." She peered around him at the bar, and grinned wider if no less feral. "In his dreams you will be, tonight."

She stood up, and stretched in much the same way a plains cat would before going out to hunt. Now was not the time to try to seduce anyone, but it was the time to remind everyone here who was the huntress and who the prey. Impression carried a lot of weight, nearly as much as reputation alone. "Meet them, we shall. On guard we must be, though." She offered him a grin. "Shall we?"
 
Hector had gotten into his discussion on philosophy with Aeyliea and when that had not gotten much of a reaction out of her he tried riddles. Mostly the woman just seemed to ignore him and treat him as if he had already given her a reason to forever hate him. When that hadn't worked he went for silence. Silence was always good. Then his son returned and seemed to have gotten results. He was also taking the antisocial wallflower off to a private room. It made him wonder if this had just been an elaborate ruse to get her into this sort of establishment's private room.

"Very well. I will await your return. I also trust you can find me wherever I might be." Hector said as he rose from his seat. Then he turned to Aeyliea. "Mistress Aeyliea I wish you luck dealing with my son."

The older Cass man left the brothel.

Acteon smiled back to Aeyliea after this. "We shall."

The man offered his arm out to her to take. He had no doubt she would ignore the action, but it was worth having a bit of fun making a show for those in the establishment that were aware of who either of them were. If she took his arm or not he would head with her to the room readied for them by the still shaken bar keep.

Along the way Acteon leaned in and whispered to his new companion, "Having a good time yet or are you waiting for things to get more physical?" A smirk was on his lips and an impishness to his amber eyes. Never hurt to have a bit of fun in these moments.

The brothel had some activity going on that caught Acteon's attention while he idly flirted. Lots of new faces were starting to show up and none of them from the street. Was it a sign of trouble or just a lot of people getting off at roughly the same time? Perhaps the workers were just that effective or the clients that quick. He could not say but it definitely would require him keeping up with it.

Acteon leaned in once more to whisper in Aeyliea's ear. "Place is getting crowded. Think we stood out too much or just enough?"
 
The only thing she offered the older man was a grunt by way of farewell. She did not find him as odious as he probably was, but there would never be a situation where the like of him and her would rub elbows and be more than cordial to one another on the surface.

The grin she gave Acteon was all teeth, and little in the way or mirth or friendliness. Here was another one born of a life that differed wildly from her own, and even if there was something indefinably primal about him, well, he was still the son of wealth. She did, as it was, take his arm...but she made sure that it was easy enough for her to slip free and be capable of defending herself quickly. She trusted neither Acteon nor any of the denizens of this place.

Her eyes danced across the room, picking up oddities here and there. She had been in the city long enough and, more importantly, dealt with the kind of thugs here long enough to be able to spot trouble when it was brewing. She had a kind of sixth sense for it, and it was aflame right now.

"Physical?" she asked, the tone of her voice suggesting innocence on what it was he meant. There was feigned surprise in her eyes, a kind of lack of comprehension. "By this, what do you mean?" She looked away from his eyes, close as they were in this moment, and surveyed the room instead. Trouble was definitely brewing now, but the source was unclear. It could be her, or him, or something completely unrelated. Only time would tell.

To answer the second question, Aeyliea grabbed a the back of the man's head roughly, and with the same lack of delicacy, pressed her mouth against his. The action came from nowhere, and was so swiftly executed that it would have been difficult to avoid. That was to say, even if the man in question had wanted to avoid it. She kissed him as thoroughly as he had likely ever been kissed before, tongue flickering like a snakes' between parted lips. One hand felt him up a thigh savagely and without any thought to impropriety.

And then she wasn't. She had slipped away, and stood facing Acteon with her back to a wall, cheeks lightly flushed and pleasantly breathless. She could see behind the man that there were a half dozen or so men and women seeded through the room that had eyes only for them, and so that answered at least one question.

"Too much," she said, still a little breathless. "Play the part, we must. Our wits we must keep about us, now." She waited for him to lead the way. Better he get knifed first, anyway, if it came to it. She had no trouble taking the rearguard position.
 
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The Allirian certainly did not try to avoid the kiss after the woman had her grip on the back of his head. He knew she was not in the throws of passion but rather it was part of their act here. They needed to look like lust filled fools and what better way than for them to go at each other like beasts in heat? It was the smart way to handle things right now and it opened up chances for him to have a little fun.

While Aeyliea was feeling up his thigh Acteon got one hand on her ass and the other on her chest. A squeeze of both to get an idea of how firm they were with as much thought to impropriety as she had with him. When they broke away suddenly the woman had her back to the wall while his was facing the room. It did not bother him. He knew none of them had crossbows and no real projectile could work in the compact place. Besides he had armor on still so his back was safe.

What the woman had to say just got him to grin. "We could fully give into our lust and still have more wits between us than this entire room on their best day." She motioned for him to go first and he was fine with doing so. The woman was cautious and clearly intended for him to be her shield. How "cruel" of her to treat her lover in such a way! He did not mind. His senses were sharp enough to warn him if someone was waiting for them.

Quickly they came to their room and Acteon took hold of the door handle. He turned around to Aeyliea and wrapped his free arm around her waist. Pulling her in close he nipped her ear then whispered, "Do not hear anything inside the room. Should be safe." He was not lying. There was no sound or scent coming from it. After this message he let his arm slide off the woman and finally opened up the door.

Inside was a bit roomier room than most brothels. It had a little table with three chairs, a fainting couch, and a bed big enough to fit three people. A few candles were providing light and some incense providing pleasant smells. But it was empty of anyone. So Acteon held the door open and motioned for Aeyliea to enter first. He held a gentlemanly posture but his eyes were subtly scanning the first floor below them. Attention was still on them but no one was making a move yet. That was either a good or a bad sign depending on how things went. How complicated was this job going to end up being if it was starting off like this?