Private Tales Creatures Of The Night

[Iris]

Varys had to hold back a laugh as he unlatched the back of the wagon to open it up. There was still a bit of a mess; things thrown around from the 'bumpy' trip here. Climbing up into the wagon, he begins to replace some fancy looking jars that had slid around. "You don't need to worry about belonging. You'll always have a place as long as I can help it." They'd both suffered the pain of loneliness in their lives. The least they could do was try an alleviate it.

She growled in mock anger, "Can you stop giving me things that I need to pay you back for? Honestly, at this rate I'll never pay you back."

He'd be able to see, and hear, that this was a simple ploy. Something that made her look upset, however unconvincing it was, when in fact she was perfectly fine with owing him more.

"You ever been to Maraan?" He turns around, finishing his clean up and adjusting the cover over the wagon." "It's a small trading city, out by the Aberresai Savannah. Anything you're looking for, you can probably find it there. Should be a lot of gold to be made." He winks at her with a smirk, sliding back out of the wagon and poking her on the chest.

"I haven't. I've never been to the savannah. Ever." She said with a shake of her head. "It sounds interesting though. I look forward to seeing it."

"I have a sneaking suspicion that you're going to make hauling all our junk from town to town a bit more interesting, Iris."

His master arrived not long after, ushering them into the wagon and climbing up into the driver's seat. The invisible force that seemed to pull the horseless wagon started up once more. They were off.

"I might." She said suggestively, climbing into the back of the wagon with him again.

 

[Varys]

Turning his attention away from her for a moment, he opens the cover between the driver seat and the back where they sat. His Master sat there, not really driving, but observing whatever propelled the cart. He turned and offered the two of them a wave, before asking that Varys be ready for trouble once they were far enough out. With a nod, Varys slid over to the single large chest they had amongst the metal cylinders and odd flower shaped paper wrappings. that littered most of the wagon, save for open space for sitting and sleeping.

Cracking it open, he pulls out several swords. They seemed ordinary enough, aside from the fact that their blades seemed to be made of a tempered glass rather than steel. He also set his personal bow aside, placing all of the weapons by the back of the wagon for easy access. He muses over to Iris as he works, explaining.

"We have a few enemies you should know about. There's a rather massive group of slavers we escaped from a few days back, and in order to escape we may have inadvertently gotten their vehicles sunken into the Allirian Strait. So they're a bit pissed."

He slides her a sword, not sure if she'd take it. He wouldn't blame her if she was confident in her own ability without such a thing.

"And we have assassin's who want my Master dead, sent by an associate who stabbed us in the back while we were in Volta. That's a whole different story."

Satisfied with his preparation, he closes the chest and cracks the back covering just a bit, just enough for him to see behind them. "Maraan is really more in Amol-Kalit territory than it is in the Savannah, but we'll be passing through the Aberresai regardless. Last time I was there I almost got eaten by a damned troll. God, I was a baby compared to now. I was lucky there were people there to save my ass." He did have to wonder how Pretty Boy and Ezra Archiva were doing lately. He hadn't seen either of them since.

Iris

 

[Iris]

"We have a few enemies you should know about. There's a rather massive group of slavers we escaped from a few days back, and in order to escape we may have inadvertently gotten their vehicles sunken into the Allirian Strait. So they're a bit pissed."

He slides her a sword, not sure if she'd take it. He wouldn't blame her if she was confident in her own ability without such a thing.

"And we have assassin's who want my Master dead, sent by an associate who stabbed us in the back while we were in Volta. That's a whole different story."

"Well that's just cowardly." She said with a frown. "If you want someone dead you kill them yourself."

At the mention of slavers her expression got noticeably more aggressive, hateful almost. She waved aside the sword, "I have my own." True to form she demonstrated, summoning a simple arming sword to her hand, one made almost entirely of fire. She dismissed it almost as quickly. "Thanks to my patron, I have a few goodies at my disposal. A sword included."

Satisfied with his preparation, he closes the chest and cracks the back covering just a bit, just enough for him to see behind them. "Maraan is really more in Amol-Kalit territory than it is in the Savannah, but we'll be passing through the Aberresai regardless. Last time I was there I almost got eaten by a damned troll. God, I was a baby compared to now. I was lucky there were people there to save my ass." He did have to wonder how Pretty Boy and Ezra Archiva were doing lately. He hadn't seen either of them since.

"Well good thing you're a little tougher now. That and you have a half-demon on your side, what could go wrong?" She asked, quite confident that they weren't in any real danger.

 

[Varys]

The elf pulls the sword back and tucks the extra one away back into the chest. He wasn't shocked a bit at her display of power. He was learning more and more that she could handle herself better than most would assume. "Tougher. Yeah, I guess that's one way of putting it. I'd say I've grown a lot over the last year and a half."

That had been a hard road. Until recently, he'd had no confidence in himself or his abilities. He was jaded and angry at the world, blaming everybody else for his misfortunes. Now though, he had a purpose. He had a goal, and that could make all the difference.

"You're probably right about that, with the assassins at least. The slavers are a bit more of a problem. There's a lot of them, and they've already almost killed us once. They overwhelm us in sheer numbers, and no amount of Half-Demon brawn can outmatch a near army. No offense."

With a satisfied sigh, he plops next to her, throwing an arm around her shoulder and stretching. "Hey hot stuff." He snickers. "New around here? We should be at our halfway stop in a few hours. Provided nothing happens."

Iris

 

[Iris]

That had been a hard road. Until recently, he'd had no confidence in himself or his abilities. He was jaded and angry at the world, blaming everybody else for his misfortunes. Now though, he had a purpose. He had a goal, and that could make all the difference.

"You're probably right about that, with the assassins at least. The slavers are a bit more of a problem. There's a lot of them, and they've already almost killed us once. They overwhelm us in sheer numbers, and no amount of Half-Demon brawn can outmatch a near army. No offense."

"None taken." She said with a shrug. "I've been attacked by slavers once or twice, and while they are numerous, fire is quite the hungry creature, and while one demon may not be as big a threat as they might sound, fire is something that consumes everything that dares come close, and fire happens to be my specialty. Besides, they aren't soldiers, they're a threat to be sure, but they probably don't have the discipline of a trained army, which means they're easier to scare. I don't think you're considering all the possibilities. I've evaded capture by being the monster under the bed. If people are afraid of you, less of them will bother you, and the braver but less numerous souls that come after you are far more easily handled than an army, and if you take out a few heroes, you turn into a cautionary tale, and people leave you alone, for the most part anyway."

She'd been doing this a while, and yes, an army of slavers was a serious threat, but if they could make them afraid, then it was far more likely that they get away with no harm done. They didn't need to be a huge, indomitable foe, they just needed to look like a huge, indomitable foe.

With a satisfied sigh, he plops next to her, throwing an arm around her shoulder and stretching. "Hey hot stuff." He snickers. "New around here? We should be at our halfway stop in a few hours. Provided nothing happens."

"Fairly new handsome." She replied. "And what particular happenings are you expecting?"

 

[Varys]

"Handsome? Well now you're just saying what you think I want to hear. Mind you I'm not complaining in the least." He smirked and crossed a leg over the other, making no attempt to hide the fact he was pulling her closer to him. Her words were true, and if he hadn't seen the things that he had, Varys would be inclined to agree with her outright. Even so, he shakes his head a bit.

"I have total faith in our ability, but these guys... they're a different ball game than the garden variety slaver band." He almost shudders at the memory. "They didn't attack us with slavers, they sent... what used to be their slaves. They'd stripped them of their own sentience. They crawled like mad dogs, their faces hacked until they were nothing but monsters. Called them 'hounds'."

"I never want to have to fight those things again, and I sure as hell don't plan on becoming one. As for this trip, the only things I'm focusing on are the rear of the wagon and the absolute treat of a sight next to me." He added cheekily. "There has been a smaller wagon we've seen behind us one too many times lately to not be following us, so I am going to be looking out for them. Other than that, shouldn't be too rough of a ride."

Iris

 

[Iris]

"I have total faith in our ability, but these guys... they're a different ball game than the garden variety slaver band." He almost shudders at the memory. "They didn't attack us with slavers, they sent... what used to be their slaves. They'd stripped them of their own sentience. They crawled like mad dogs, their faces hacked until they were nothing but monsters. Called them 'hounds'."

"I never want to have to fight those things again, and I sure as hell don't plan on becoming one. As for this trip, the only things I'm focusing on are the rear of the wagon and the absolute treat of a sight next to me." He added cheekily. "There has been a smaller wagon we've seen behind us one too many times lately to not be following us, so I am going to be looking out for them. Other than that, shouldn't be too rough of a ride."

She grimaced, "It seems like fire might just be exactly what you need. A nice conflagration would do well to be rid of such monsters. And a mercy it would be to kill them."

He mentioned a wagon that had been following them, and she asked. "Should I lay an ambush for them? I doubt they know too much about me being here, and they certainly wouldn't know what to expect from me. I could be rid of them, interrogate and exemplify them without that much trouble."

 

[Varys]

Varys had to concede that point to her. Whatever killed those 'Hounds' fastest was the best option. Fire would have been much more effective than the glass blades they'd used. "It didn't help that I was the only one of our party who wasn't injured. Mr. Burr had just come back from the brink of death, and the same goes for our associate pulling the wagon. I spent days afterwards dressing and cleaning wounds."

He was understating just how dire the situation had been, but it was difficult to cope with just how close to his own demise he'd come. Still, that had also been a time of great growth for him: He'd been the sole reason for their survival, and it wouldn't be the last time. For the first time in his life, he'd made a difference. It had lit a fire, deep in his gut.

"Well, it's an option..." He hummed as he listened to her suggestion. "Yeah, we'll make a brief stop for lunch and a coffee in about an hour, as is our usual schedule. Before we get going, we'll lay a trap down for them."

Just as Varys said, a little over an hour later the wagon slid to a stop, and Burr's fist rapped on the side of the wagon. "Take a break from whatever it is you two are plotting and come down for some lunch." A fire was already lit outside, and Burr had a stew cooking over it.

Iris

 

[Iris]

It didn't help that I was the only one of our party who wasn't injured. Mr. Burr had just come back from the brink of death, and the same goes for our associate pulling the wagon. I spent days afterwards dressing and cleaning wounds."

She grimaced, "sounds like you had a bad time. Well, I suppose that makes you a hero doesn't it? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. With that getaway at the village, how could I expect any less? Eh hero?"

"Well, it's an option..." He hummed as he listened to her suggestion. "Yeah, we'll make a brief stop for lunch and a coffee in about an hour, as is our usual schedule. Before we get going, we'll lay a trap down for them."

Just as Varys said, a little over an hour later the wagon slid to a stop, and Burr's fist rapped on the side of the wagon. "Take a break from whatever it is you two are plotting and come down for some lunch." A fire was already lit outside, and Burr had a stew cooking over it.

She stepped out. "Ambush it is. Shall I go wait for them or should I stay here?"

 

[Varys]

Varys scoffs playfully at her as they exit the wagon. "Hey, I'll have you know I got very handsomely rewarded for that cave escape. It was totally worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat." He cackles, sliding out and onto the ground as he moves to join Burr with the stew. She certainly seemed to be in a hurry though, and he raises an eyebrow. "Itching for a fight? You're crazy if you don't think I'm coming too. I wanna see you in action."

He turns to Burr, "Save some stew for us, we're gonna go poke around and see who our friends behind us are. We shouldn't be long, barring any distractions." Burr nods to the both of them, and Varys dusts his hands off, turning to walk back to Iris.

"They should catch up with us soon, but they usually hang back and watch while we eat. Figure we jump em' when they stop, huh? Can you see a good spot from here?"

Iris

 

[Iris]

Varys scoffs playfully at her as they exit the wagon. "Hey, I'll have you know I got very handsomely rewarded for that cave escape. It was totally worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat." He cackles, sliding out and onto the ground as he moves to join Burr with the stew.

"Oh I know." She giggled. "So did I."

"They should catch up with us soon, but they usually hang back and watch while we eat. Figure we jump em' when they stop, huh? Can you see a good spot from here?"

She glanced around, and with an evil glint in her eye she spied a nice set of cover for them to hide in. A nice group of trees that sat atop a shallow hill, high enough to hide them and close enough for a proper ambush. "There. That look good to you?"

 

[Varys]

Varys nods. It would be a good vantage point, and he doubted any of their pursuers would be able to spot them, not unless they made a scene which to be fair was entirely possible when it came to the two of them. He waves for her to follow and hurries up to where she had pointed out. The trees made for decent cover, they had low hanging branches to boot, so that even if one would normally be able to see the two of them from behind the trunks, there was a layer of foliage and leaves that also defended them.

"Alright. If I'm right in my thinking, it should show in a few minutes. When it does, I'll follow your lead this time. Just tell me when to move. I picked these up on the way up here..." He reaches into the pocket of his trousers and pulls out a handful of stones, smirking at her mischievously. "Thought I'd test your theory..."

Sure enough, a small black wagon soon arrived on the path they'd taken, obviously making sure to stop just short of where they would be able to notice it were they still with their own vehicle.


Iris

 

[Iris]

Varys nods. It would be a good vantage point, and he doubted any of their pursuers would be able to spot them, not unless they made a scene which to be fair was entirely possible when it came to the two of them. He waves for her to follow and hurries up to where she had pointed out. The trees made for decent cover, they had low hanging branches to boot, so that even if one would normally be able to see the two of them from behind the trunks, there was a layer of foliage and leaves that also defended them.

"Alright. If I'm right in my thinking, it should show in a few minutes. When it does, I'll follow your lead this time. Just tell me when to move. I picked these up on the way up here..." He reaches into the pocket of his trousers and pulls out a handful of stones, smirking at her mischievously. "Thought I'd test your theory..."

Sure enough, a small black wagon soon arrived on the path they'd taken, obviously making sure to stop just short of where they would be able to notice it were they still with their own vehicle.


Iris

She grinned his way when he mentioned 'testing her theory'. Then the Cart came into view. And the first order of business, was to immobilize it. She whispered, "try to keep them off me, I'll get in close. Try to keep them from going anywhere."

She spread her wings, and with a gale-force takeoff wind she launched herself at the cart, hitting it full force with her shoulder. Whether she'd knock it over was a little up in the air, but she put a lot of effort into putting the right amount of force into the right places in the right way to do just that and put the cart on it's side. And from there her burning sword came into being.

(I'm so sorry. I thought I'd posted this already.)

 

[Iris]

(Thine snoot is to be booked.)

 

[Varys]

He let out a low whistle at the sheer force with which she launched herself, the blowback she created breezing his long hair back as though he'd been standing in a windstorm. That was some powerful torque... He wondered just how fast she was able to go? A question he could ask her later, he supposed.

She nailed the wagon that had been tailing them with a shoulder charge that would make an Orc take pause, and the black wagon toppled over with ease. Almost immediately, three figures sprung out from the door of the wagon, they weren't the brutish mercenaries Varys had expected them to be, rather they were elves dressed in light armor carrying small blades and arrows. Assassin's perhaps?

He raised the pebbles to his face, muttering down to them, offering them a chance to play a game. Pebbles and small rocks were playful in nature, always eager to prove themselves worthy. "All I need you to do is hit the boys, okay? Don't hurt the pretty one with the wings, she's mine, okay?" The pebbles were all to excited. He began to throw them down at the elves before they had much chance to collect their bearings, the small rocks adjusting to smack into their joints and faces with perfect accuracy, causing them to retreat back from the pain.

Iris

 

[Iris]

Well that was interesting to see. Some elves put on the retreat by pebbles. How cute. So she stepped in, her wings folding to let her move a little more freely on the ground, bringing her sword in front of her to be ready to fight.

The first elf was engaged and she traded a few blows with him before he was finally cut in twine by her sword of fire. Then it was time to deal with the second, the third would be kept alive for questioning.

 

[Varys]

He couldn't help but admire the display of power she put on, her blade cut through that first goon like butter. He winced a bit at the sight though; In truth he'd probably have tried to spare them. Varys didn't care much for killing, as weak as that may have made him seem to others. Even so, he wasn't about to tell Iris what she could or couldn't do.

He begins to descend from the elevated spot they'd hid, deciding that there wouldn't be much danger of him being harmed with Iris around. The second of the three was fleeing in his direction, perhaps seeking help or mercy from a fellow elf? He clicked his tongue at him as he approached, sweeping his leg forward to trip him as he approached, raising his boot and placing it on his back.

"I think they've learned their lesson, Iris. Restrain the third one and I'll deal with this fellow." He heard swears from the creature beneath him, but he looked down and shot the elf a look; I'm doing you a favor, his gaze said.

Iris

 

[Iris]

"I think they've learned their lesson, Iris. Restrain the third one and I'll deal with this fellow." He heard swears from the creature beneath him, but he looked down and shot the elf a look; I'm doing you a favor, his gaze said.

"Yes sir." She said, almost disappointed, but she did as instructed and with the belt of the dead elf she secured the second elf's arms. And now they were to be questioned. She hopped into the carriage to search it for anything of interest. If she found anything of interest she'd grab it, then burn the carriage.

"Shall I question them or do you want to?"

 

[Varys]

Varys let out a sigh as he looked at the two of them. Elves in a black wagon... "Damnit..." He muttered to himself. Iris would find nothing of value to her, but oddly two jars of a strange blue salt, as well as a pair of iron, leather padded collars about the size of Varys's neck. "There isn't really a need for interrogation. I know exactly where these assholes are from."

Part of him wanted to let Iris do as she would with them. It was what they deserved, if he was being quite honest with himself. They were hired to take him and his master back as servants, probably on the payroll of Amelia Bram herself.

Flicking a pebble stuck to his shirt into the fire she'd started, he shakes his head a bit. "Let's leave em' here. I'll tie this one up too. They aren't going anywhere, anyways. They saw what you did to their friend." He'd wave her to follow him back to their wagon. Burr would be impatient, ready to get back on the road to the next stop.

Iris

 

[Iris]

"There isn't really a need for interrogation. I know exactly where these assholes are from."

She looked a little disappointed but she didn't complain. How could she?

Flicking a pebble stuck to his shirt into the fire she'd started, he shakes his head a bit. "Let's leave em' here. I'll tie this one up too. They aren't going anywhere, anyways. They saw what you did to their friend." He'd wave her to follow him back to their wagon. Burr would be impatient, ready to get back on the road to the next stop.

Okay now she had to complain. "Oh, can't I at least cut off a few toes? Maybe their thumbs? Please?"

She looked as though she genuinely wanted to do that, which she did. She was a half-demon after all.