Private Tales Black Strings

[Naser]

Vel Anir - The Gutters
Norah

There were few things in this world that put Nas off from his perpetual feeling of boredom, but the note he'd received three days ago had certainly been enough.

He knew who'd sent it before he'd cracked the wax seal. He knew what would have happened had he not come. He knew that he had little to no choice in any and all of this. A pain had filled his stomach since the letter had arrived, and it would have been a lie to say that he didn't miss the constant listlessness he felt usually. Knowing the future didn't always help.

Especially when it was this one.

Standing in the small, but familiar alleyway, Nas already knew that in a few seconds Norah would come wandering down the way. After that? After that he knew the 'Robber would make his show.

Nas knew it because he had seen it, because on the first night while clutching the letter he had done something he'd never done before; look days ahead instead of just seconds. Doing so had nearly sent him into a coma, but at the time it had felt necessary. He'd needed to do it, because otherwise...otherwise he wouldn't have made any choice at all.

Just that sent a tingle of anxiety down his spine, anger at his own weakness, at the fact that once again he found himself beneath the thumb of the torrid scum of Aniria's Underworld.

 

[Norah]

The alley smelled like piss and vomit. This one seemed particularly ripe. The myriad of small silver blades were well hidden on Norah. Stitched into the very fabric of her leathers and/or on bandoliers beneath her clothing. Little good they would do against the Robber's machinations.

Dark, shrewd gaze snagged on Naser as she wandered into the alley.

Her footsteps as light as a cats.

A twin note to his own was gripped in one of her hands. Her other fingers hovered around the myriad of silver hidden on her person. Traveling to the city was not...easy from the Academy. But it was doable. There was a silent question in her eyes as she peered at Nas before shifting her attention to the mouth of the alleyway.

 

[Naser]

The only answer he gave was a shake of the head.

It was all he had time for. "My darling boy."

The voice sent a shiver down Naser's spine. It was a sound that he had thought he would never hear again. One that he thought he'd left behind, one that still gripped his heart in every nightmare he'd had. Worse than the Proctors. Worse than some of the monsters the Republic had already made him fight.

"It's been such a long time." The 'Robber stalked forward, spindly as ever. Arms and legs too long for his torso, a black cloak surrounding him, an odd and torn top-hat adorning his head. Eyes seeming to spark a dark purple light even in the darkness. "My sweet girl."

The words made Nas sick to his stomach. "I'm glad the Academy has been taking good care of you."

 

[Norah]

Norah knew better than to speak first. A lesson learned long ago. Knew better than to cry when things hurt. Knew better than to whimper or show any kind of weakness. Her dark eyes flitted beyond Robber's tall shoulder and to the open mouth of the alleyway he now blocked.

There were a few others who passed by or loitered about. They looked young. Younger than herself and Naser. She knew they belonged to Robber. Just out of earshot but keeping a lookout.

Robber had a way of sucking the air out of a space. Making it hard to breath. Norah wanted to look at Naser. They'd gotten good at reading each other's expressions, even though Norah's were so practiced. So careful. Everyone still had their tells. Even the tiniest ticks. Those silent ticks and expressions in their eyes were a hidden language. A language only those on the streets could read.

But the rogue forced herself to keep her attention on Robber and waited him out, wondering what it would feel like to slide one of her silver knives into his heart.

 

[Naser]

"Still quiet eh?" The Robber asked as he took a step forward. Almost instinctively, Nas flowed backward. His movements far smoother than they had been when he'd been a boy, but still painted with obvious fear. The scarecrow of a man grinned, but did not try to press.

"Well, better that you listen, than talk." He smirked. "Your dear old 'Robber needs a favor you see."

Nas tensed, there were no favors with the Robber. There never were. The 'sweetness' of his request was always tainted with bile, and despite the crawling terror that still rose up his spine Naser couldn't help but bite back. Even if he knew it was useless. "Why the fuck would we help you."

The moment he spoke, the Robber's backhand struck across his face. His head jerking to the side, now far more used to the pain.

"I liked you better when you were quiet, boy." The Robber hissed, but then immediately smiled. "You both know why you'll help me."

His smirk returned. "Why you'll do every little thing I say."

The 'Robbers fingers danced, like he were dancing with a marionette. "Don't you worry, it's just a little job. Nothing you can't handle."

 

[Norah]

There was a tightening along her jaw as the Robber's hand made contact with Naser. A storm brewing in her dark eyes as she held her ground. Then, a feigned look at the ground as if she were casting her eyes downward in subservience. Though she kept a watch on his movements. Not foolish enough to take her eyes off what he might do next.

A small breath in that she held for a count of four.

Mousy-brown hair shifting along her face as she cocked her head to Robber and his gesticulating hand gestures through the air.

"What do you need us to do?"

Hands remained relaxed at her sides. Even though her fingers itched to palm that silver.

 

[Naser]

The 'Robber grinned wide as Norah finally spoke. His eyes those of a cat who'd spotted a mouse they intended to play with, rather than eat. "There is a girl."

He mused, and Nas almost immediately tensed.

"She lives in a town called Uliet. Just a few miles north of Vel Stratholm." The Initiate quickly did the math in his head. It would take them two days to get to the city, a probably the same for this town. That meant probably a week for this 'job'.

Long time to be away from the Academy. Too long. They would need to find an excuse.

The 'Robber brandished a piece of parchment, far too fine for him to have. "You bring her to me, out in the Farrow Fields, and that's it. Just make sure she's still alive when she gets there. Understood?"

He seemed to stare for a moment, expecting an answer, but all Nas did was snatch the paper from his hand. A second or two passed as the monster made man waited for another denial. But none came. "Good. I'll see you soon."

The man sang, slowly turning to step away.

 

[Norah]

Vel Stratholm. Close to the Savannah. On the edge of the northern part of the Falwood. Something about religious zealots. Norah's dark eyes narrowed on the Robber's back as he turned. His spindly form very much like the monstrous arachnids that haunted the woods outside Vel Cirak.

Her thumb brushed a coin in her pocket, wondering how quickly it would take her to move to bury one of her blades in the Robber's right kidney.

But in a breath, he was gone. And she was alone with Nas again in that dank alleyway. She let out an exhale she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The tension in her shoulders and chest easing but very much still there.

She slid next to Lothar like one of the silent cats in Academy's libraries. Dark eyes would peer down at the paper to see what was on it. Then they'd shift silently to Nas' face. Assessing and questioning at the same time.

 

[Naser]

"We'll need an excuse." There was no other answer that he could give. With a single stroke of a pen the 'Robber could make sure that Naser never saw the light of day again.

Though he was sure that the Republic would not get rid of Initiate's of value, they most certainly would take away any an all freedom. Prison would be the least of his worries. More likely he'd be sent to the front-lines and permanently stationed there.

He only assumed it would be the same for Norah. "Maybe that Archon."

Nas couldn't remember Gilram's name in the mad scramble for an excuse he had going in his mind.

"Whatever." His teeth gnashed together as he realized how well and truly fucked he was. No matter what he did, there would be trouble from one side or the other. He just had to hope they could figure it out. "

 

[Norah]

Norah released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Seeing Nas like this wasn't good. That meant he didn't readily see a way out of this. Head tilted in thought before her dark eyes lifted again.

"I could probably forge papers for us to be on a mission. Proctor Pilleth wouldn't know the difference." She was confident she could match handwriting. The problem would be if the other proctors started asking too many questions.

Eyes narrowed on Nas. "Why did you...did you take something from Robber when he hit you?"

It's what she would've done.

 

[Naser]

"Good enough for now." If they could get some other evidence or maybe make it seem like a Vigilite mission that would be enough. They only had about a week, and pressing for even more time wouldn't work.

Eventually someone would mark them down as runaways.

"Obviously." Nas said, though it would be easy enough for Norah to tell the bite to his words was more front than anything. The Initiate was shaken. Nerves on edge. This situation, seeing the 'Robber, it clearly unsettled him. "Some parchment he was carrying out."

It had been sticking out of his jacket. "Here."

He handed it to Norah, though it wouldn't do much good. The letter was clearly written in code, made to look like an ordinary recipe.

They would have to crack it.

 

[Norah]

The rogue frowned as she peered at the gibbergabber on the parchment. With a flick of her wrist, she offered it back to him. She didn't comment on his tone or stature but she did notice them.

"We need parchment, ink, and a quill," she slunk down the alleyway, her fingers shoved in her pockets as she led the way back out into the streets. She caught a boy watching them from the rooftops. Teeth clenched as she ducked her head and kept walking.

She wasn't surprised that the Robber still had his cronies watching them.

He was always watching.

She slowed her steps for Naser to catch up. A row of shops were just around the next corner. "Do you have coin or do you want to do this the old way?"

 

[Naser]

"Later." Wasn't like they couldn't break into a shop along the way, but they had to have priorities.

First they needed horses, rations, shit that could actually get them to this girl. "I'm not spending shit."

He protested, though in truth wouldn't have had the coin to spend anyway. Nas had stashed everything he'd ever earned away at the Academy, and he'd most certainly not taken it to this meeting. Knowing the Robber the bastard would have taken it gladly.

"I'll hit the Livery, get us horses." Nas told Norah. "You get us rations and some bedrolls."

For a week they'd need that at least. "And some rope."

He frowned.

 

[Norah]

Norah took out a coin from her pocket and flipped it into the air before catching it along her knuckles, moving it casually between her fingers. A small frown tugged on her lips as she looked at it while listening to Naser.

"Maybe we should get a wagon? Would be easier to transport her in a box."

The idea of being in the open with a struggling bound and gagged girl didn't sound like the smartest. Pinching the coin between her thumb and index finger, she quickly pocketed it. "Meet back up by Vinny's?" It was a hole-in-the-wall bar that most knew as a front for coin laundering. Dark eyes locked with Naser's and for a moment she hesitated. The thief wanted to say something to him.

And perhaps he saw what she was about to say in a different future.

For this one, she sealed her lips closed and disappeared into the crowds for the supplies.

 

[Naser]

Naser didn't respond to what was left unsaid. "I'll see about getting one."

He told her instead about the wagon, ignoring everything else before cutting off to the left and heading towards the livery.

It was easier not to talk about things, easier just to do the job and ignore everything else. That was what he'd learned at the Academy, what he'd learned from his time at the Academy. Always do the job first. Everything else could come later.

Once the job was done though, that was when you could do whatever you wanted.

As long as you were careful about it.

Quickly, Naser went about getting the things they would need. Two horses were easy enough to steal, but a wagon would be a bit more difficult. In the end he opted instead to steal the coin to buy things instead. Pickpocketing was easy, especially for him, and within an hour the young Initiate stood outside Vinny's.

 

[Norah]

Norah leaned with one shoulder casually against the outside wall of Vinny’s. With two packs that dwarfed her much smaller frame. It was a wonder she had the strength to carry them both at all.

With her boot, she pushed one toward Naser.

“Like old times,” she murmured. She had no hesitations about what they were going to do. Because when it came down to it, if it was between her life and that of anyone else, she’d always choose hers. She’d even kill the King.

She patted the outside of her jacket pocket. “I have the forged letter. We just need to mail it on the way out of town. You ready?”

 

[Naser]

The pack was scooped up and immediately thrown into the wagon. "There's a postbox on the way."

Marvelous Anirian logistics had long ago brought a mail system to the whole of Aniria. Born out of military needs, the whole thing had eventually expanded to the entire territory. Sending letters was easy enough, as long as you had the proper labels.

His head tilted in a nod, and he quickly motioned for Norah to join him on the wagon. Reigns snapping as the horses began to trot down the road and out of Vel Anir.

With their cart, the journey would take them a little longer, though not much more than his estimate. Most people paid them no mind, thinking them soldiers, farmers, or perhaps even the children of merchants. On the third day of their travel they came to the village, small lamplights beginning to spark in twillight.

"Yeah, I mean Takoda's ass is nice." He admitted. "But it's probably Avery for me. It's pretty pert."

Nas continued their conversation as they crested the hill, Norah being the only one at the Academy that he spoke so openly to. The secret shared link in their past linking them in a way the others they couldn't understand.

Not that anyone else at the Academy knew so.

 

[Norah]

Norah smirked like a smug cat. "Always the blondes, hm Nas?" The wagon rumbled beneath them.

"I always thought @Vittoria's ass was rather taught. The tightest, actually."

There had been reports of bandits in the area from the town they'd just left. The possibility excited Norah but she had to put on a concerned mask as they heard the news. Luckily or not, they hadn't seen or run into any. At least, not yet.

"Let me see that picture again," Norah swiped the portrait of the girl they were supposed to be bringing back to the Robber. "Kriff, she has red hair."

Unlucky.

And annoying to hide.

"Why do you think the Robber wants her?" A quiet question in the night, one whispered lest it be stolen.

 

[Naser]

"That girl shits diamonds. I wouldn't try fu-" Before he could finish his rather awful jape, Norah swiped the picture from him. "Hey!"

Nas complained. His fingers still coiled around the reigns.

He was glad at least that Norah was the one with him on this. If it had to be anyone at least it was her. It couldn't have been anyone but her of course, but at least it was something still. He shook his head as she mentioned the 'Robber.

"Don't know." He said, preferring not to think about it at all. "He usually wants the younger ones."

Nas reminded bitterly. "Think it isn't him. Someone 'bove him maybe."

The Initiate suggested as their Wagon lumbered down the hill and rolled into town. Slowly moving along and through the market square until they reached the front of a small tavern and inn.

 

[Norah]

A shiver went through her. Darker memories she shared with Nas arose with being around the Robber. Norah grew up on the streets of Vel Anir. And it wasn’t kind. It was savage.

Some days, she wonders if it was only her magic there all along that had saved her life. A life that had been saved at such a high cost. “We need to find out who.”

Norah knew the Robber would just take and take. And she was tired of living like that. As their wagon rolled to a stop, Norah offered the drawing of the girl back to Nas. Her short figure climbed down from the wagon as she offered a stable boy some coin to unhitch and take care of the horses.

Music filtered out of the tavern door along with some boisterous laughing and clapping. Looked like a bard was there and it was a popular night. Norah hesitated outside, looking at Nas. “So are you and Avery sleeping together?”

 

[Naser]

"Maybe find out at the hand off." Nas suggested. It was the only thing he could think of really. They could surveil the 'Robber later, but that would take even more time and...he wasn't sure he wanted to do that.

The man was disgusting. He certainly didn't want to-

"What?" Nas said, startled as he tilted his head at Norah. "No I just think she's attractive."

He said as he followed after her. "I don't think she'd let me touch her."

Which wasn't really a no, nor a denial that he was interested. Nas had never been one to turn down a good time though. Long as everyone involved was reasonable.

Pushing inside the tavern Nas passed Norah.

"Why did she say something?" He asked, pulling out his own coin to pay for at least a night so they could scope out their target. It would take time to get the lay of things, and then nabbing her would need to be quick. Still, they could always extend. "Actually, forget about it."

Nas said with a wave as he paid. "I don't need her getting doe eyes."