Private Tales Hag's Head Intrusion

[Leandra Marin]

Lea, for once in her life made a bold and deliberate move in the city. She was one to stick to the shadows, run rooftops. Instead she strode purposefully through the muck and grime of Osteriam, her fists clenched. She minded her business, kept to herself..and yet she was threatened.

In a short brawl outside her own home, she was beaten and bloodied by a man thrice her size. She had a long scar from her naval to her collarbone to attest to the struggle, and one across her cheek. To say that she was furious was and understatement.

Hood pulled over her braided blonde hair, she headed directly to the Hag's Head. Amber eyes gleamed in the gloom as she strode through the door, flinging it back and making it hit the wall behind it. Muddied boots crossed the floor and she stood seething.

"Gella, where the fuck are you? I have a bone to pick with you." Her voice permeated the room and any faces inside that weren't already facing her gave rapt attention to what was about to unfold. Her arms were crossed, and shadows licked across her cheeks as she seethed. She would either die here, or live her life on the run from the Jagged Emeralds. She would find out soon enough.

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

To any who witnessed the angry young lady storming her way through the eerily quiet, snow-covered streets of Osteriam, she was a woman marching towards her own death. The only people who dare enter the Hag's Head these days were members of the despicable Jagged Emeralds. Those who were unaffiliated with that infamous gang either left the Hag an Emerald or didn't leave at all. No, Leandra was just another loss they would have to suffer through, another crime committed by Gella and his men.

None of them would leave their ramshackle, dilapidated homes to try and stop her though. It was no secret what had been done. She'd been made an example of for all to see, that brutish Orc of Gella's, Oalrig... Who could tell if it was his own actions or Gella's orders? Either way, it wasn't a smart move to intervene, not by any means.

The stairs of stone that lead up to the ominous tavern on the hill may as well have been as tall as mountains for the commitment she was taking in ascending them. And waiting for her at the top, past the old doors of the Hag's Head, awaited a room full of Emeralds, men and women of ill repute who had dedicated themselves to crime under Gella Rerra, sitting at tables drinking, playing cards, or counting money.

All of them now looking at her, and sitting at the bar was the brutish hulk who'd attacked her, back turned as though he knew exactly what had just come through the door.

"Oalrig! Did you make a friend?"

The stunned silence of the room was broken by a short figure behind the bar, a young half-elf, pale-skinned and offering a shit-eating grin at his company's arrival. "I thought you said you gave her a good ass kicking. Apparently, I'll have to reeducate you, you big moron..."

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Lea had their complete attention. The entirety of the Jagged Emeralds was staring her down as she stood in trembling anger. Her eyes scanned the room, gaze sliding off each patron as she searched for her quarry. She was starting to feel the cold fingers of fear on her spine. It didn't matter, not anymore.

Her eyes locked onto the orc, fear quickly replaced by a scorching anger. It was then that she heard the voice of Gella, calling out from behind the bar. His words made her forget her reason, and she hissed as she approached the turned back of the orc.

"How dare you. I've stayed out of your business. I've left your targets alone. Yet you attack me, in front of my own home? Why!" Her last word reverberated across the room as she shouted. Lea reached for her dagger now, pulling it swiftly from the sheath. Each step brought her closer to the orc, and closer to Gella. "I'll fucking kill you both."

She growled the words, her hand reaching for the shoulder of the orc, her dagger aiming for the flesh of his neck. She was not making it out of here alive, no sense in wasting time.

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

It wasn't the first time an angry victim had stormed into the tavern, and it probably wouldn't be the last either. The Emeralds that sat at the tables around her had varied expressions on their face, some seemed to be amused at the gall this little sprite had to march in with a tone like that, while some looked more concerned about what was about to happen as a result of it. It was prudent to remember that not all Emeralds chose to be so willingly...

No matter how they felt, they all knew better than to speak now. The look in Gella's eyes, that mischievous glimmer, was dangerous. Who would risk having that massive orc turned in their direction? Oalrig was as loyal as he was large, despite Gella's constant insults thrown at him. That the hulking beast of a creature didn't so much as turn to face Leandra as she shouted and approached was because Gella hadn't given the word. No, the half-elf leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms with that cocky little smirk that was just enough to get under your skin. Until she threatened to kill him.

"Oh?" His eyebrows raised, lips pursing in amusement. "You're gonna do that? Look at you!" His voice turns to a soft, menacing laugh. Obviously, he wasn't entirely worried about Leandra's threat. When her hand found Oalrig at last, Gella nodded to him. With a sudden roar, he raised his massive arm to block the incoming knife. The blade sinks into the flesh of his arm, but it doesn't stop the limb from colliding with Leandra's head and sending her down to the floor.

Immediately Gella jumped over the bar, sliding his hands into the fur-lined pockets of his coat as he raises a foot to prod at the woman. Oalrig stands behind him, gripping the hilt of the knife and pulling it free, blood spilling onto the already stained floor. "Get up. I know it'll take more than that." A few Emeralds had risen from their seats either to attack her or to leave, but Gella raises his hand to stop them. "You think you're so fucking sneaky, don't you? You're not the only thief in town. I. Don't. Like. Competition."

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Leandra knew she had stepped in it, she was good at that. She doubted even if she hadn't shown up and caused trouble, she'd be dead within a month anyways. It was unlikely that the orc wouldn't have come to finish the job if he had found out she lived anyways.

Leandra was a bit surprised at the lack of movement from the others, even the orc himself. Gella seemed to have them well under boot. Still as she reached the orc, she could feel the condescension in his voice.

The steel glinted in the gloom of the tavern light as it flashed in an arc for the flesh of the orc's neck. She was focused, blocking out everything else. Suddenly, the massive orc roared, her blade sinking into the flesh of his arm as he sent her sprawling.

The collision with the meat of his arm against her head was briefly dizzying. Gella prodded her with a boot, and she looked up at him with pure anger. She stood, her eyes never leaving the man before her. Only once she stood, did she let her glare wander to the orc. "Obviously it takes more than that, your orc couldn't even finish me off the first go." She spat at his feet, reading herself for what was inevitably going to be a fight.

At his last comment she sneered, and ugly look on a normally very pretty woman. "Why is it then, that your people are so good at missing the good treasures. I just have to mop up after shoddy work after all." They were playing a game now, antagonizing and taunting. She was waiting for the next attack, already poised on the balls of her feet.

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

The sound of her knife clattering against the wooden floor as Oalrig tosses ot down with no small level of disgust would ring in her ears. Oh, Gella was less than pleased with the Orc too, and the brief look of submission the large male shot to the half-elf as Leandra reeled from the counter-attack was evidence of that.

The assault on Marin hadn't been an order from Gella. While he was far from fond of her, he hadn't given the word to make a move against her yet. It seemed Oalrig's temper had found the better of him, and Gella would have to see to it that the dumb oaf remembered exactly who it was that he was dealing with later.

Luckily for Oalrig his punishment would have to wait, as his boss's attention was stolen once more by the simmeringly angry woman glaring up at him, spitting on his boots in defiance as she clambered back to stand in front of him. Such stubbornness, such anger! Gella felt the smile on his face grow wider and wider, a finger moving back to his mouth for him to clamp his teeth onto gently.

"I love the way you look at me, Miss Marin. You detest me, don't you? You think I'm detestable..." That smoldering anger in her eyes, it was that same look he'd given to the old bitch who'd owned this place, owned him, every day of his life. Gella knew what happened when that hate boiled over. "Hit me. You think I'm so bad? You think one gang is something so despicable? I stop the hordes of scum and villainy from coming into this city, and all I ask for is a little respect."

He gestures her forward once more, a maddened expression on his face. "So hit me. Show me what you can do, that you can do better than me. I'm Gella Rerra. I AM Osteriam."

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Leandra hadn't been this angry in all her life. She wanted to scream, she wanted to tear his face off. She was ready to, and hebwas making it easier and easier for her to lose control. That mocking tone in his voice raised her anger to boiling levels. It was to the point she couldn't think clearly anymore.

She didn't think to use her magic, her only thought was to rip him limb from limb. She stared into his eyes, locking onto them with the ferocity of a cornered animal. That smile he was giving her, that was the tipping point.

"You don't have to stop them, because you are them. You're no better than any other villan out there. Even if you paint yourself that way. In fact, you're worse." At his exclamation, she couldn't stop herself. She lunged at him. Fist drawn back, it would be a left hook if it connected.

A feral scream left her lips, she didn't even know it was her screaming she was so infuriated. She wanted to dig her nails into his flesh, hurt him the way she had been hurt. This wasn't even all about him at this point. This was about her whole life.

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

That simmering rage that bubbled just under the surface of her skin, spilling out from between her lips with every word she spoke... It was almost nostalgic to the grinning half-elf that was the target of her rage. Oh, he would have been livid had Oalrig killed her, not when she had so much potential. That was the reason he'd kept out of her hair all this time, after all, now for who she was, but for who she could be.

The hushed whispers around them from the Emeralds seated at the many tables of the Hag's Head grew to rumbling murmurs, Gella's loyal were as curious as to their leader's decision to goad his attacker as they were anxious to see what would happen as a result. It was unlike the young crime boss to fight anybody on his own, especially when they'd barged into the Hag's. "You're going to hurt my feelings, Marin. You think one gang is worse than three or four fighting out in the streets?"

His question was interrupted by the crack of her knuckles against his cheek, sending the well-dressed gangster staggering back a bit with a hand on the side of his face where he sported a nice angry bruise now. Half of the Emeralds raised from their seat before Gella raised one hand, the other moving to crack his jaw with a scowl. "It's almost cute how naive you are, marching in here like you own the place and expecting me to take you seriously." He said quickly before stepping forward swinging his leg forward in a kick aimed for her gut.

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Leandra was more than pissed at this point, rage had infested every part of her, and she wanted to rip him apart. His words, his cocky attitude. It only fueled the fire. Had she more sense in her anger, she would have seen he was baiting her.

Lea was so angry, she couldn't even respond to him. Her fist connected with his face with a satisfying sound of flesh on flesh. Her eyes followed his hand as he bid the others to stay out of it. It was a mistake, as his leg connected with her stomach.

She made a grab for his leg as the momentum sent her backwards. She hoped to make him lose balance. If he were to fall as well, she'd scramble to get up, buying herself precious time. If he did not, she would still move quickly to right herself and wait for his next move.

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

Gella was a powerful man in the sense that he had a following behind him, but physical strength was not his biggest asset. He ruled through fear, not brute force, and although the kick would hurt it would not be nearly so damaging as a blow from Oalrig or one of the other Emeralds. Gella wasn't looking to hurt Leandra though, not really. The deranged half-elf just wanted to milk every bit of anger out of her, wanted to make her seethe.

Seethe she did, wrapping her arms around his leg as she went down and twisting against the floor to pull him down with her. His light frame didn't lend well to keeping him upright, and Gella's body smacks against the hardwood with a grunt. "Mmf. Fiesty bitch, aren't you?" He growled, bringing his other knee up to his chest and kicking down at her face in an attempt to free himself.

The others were beginning to lose the worry they held, allowing themselves to get invested in the fight. Cheers and jeers began to fill the room, eager to see the both of them kick the shit out of each other. Gella lived for it, but the tenacity of this woman did grate his nerves just a bit. "Get off of me! You don't even know why you're angry anymore!" More kicks were sent down, his boot aiming to find whatever he could.

"Make her bleed, Gella!"

"She's like an animal, ain't she?"

"I'd let her wrestle me down, long as she don' mind me rollin' her over a bit!"

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Leandra had a grip on his leg, and she held to it fiercely. Even as the kicks began to rain down on her. She felt a crack as his boot heel broke her nose, causing blood to spill. This only pissed her off more as her eyes watered with the pain.

"Yeah I do, I'm pissed at you. I'm pissed at what YOU'VE DONE TO ME." She continued to grip him tightly as she began to maneuver herself over him, using her grip as leverage to pull her up until she was straddling him.

She lifted a fist, her blood covering the both of them from her broken nose. Her chest was having, and her eyes were wild. She wanted to pulverize him. The crowd made her want to do it more so. Still, she hesitated with her fist raised.

She wasn't a monster, this rage wasn't her. Still, she could not shake the weight of it. She wanted to make him hurt, like she had been hurt. "Give me one reason not to pulverize that pretty face of yours."

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

The only reason he hadn't ordered his men to rip her limb from limb as soon as she'd seen fit to barge into his his place unannounced was curiosity. It was a rare chance to see just what the mysterious thief he'd heard so many whispers about was made of. Why would he pass up such a treat?

But now, that curiosity had passed. Now she was just a ball of anger. Mindless rage directed at him for reasons she couldn't even articulate. The bleeding woman before him was nothing special, just the same as everybody else in this damned city. What a disappointment...

So why was it that he still found her so intriguing?

Gella had no idea why, but for some strange reason he found himself with no desire to kill this girl. It would bring him no joy. No, that fury would be wasted on the devourers, wasted in a shallow grave. She was a born killer, and Gella needed those. Wiping his face of the trickling blood that ran from his mouth, his grimace turned to a grin, and he would raise a hand, snapping his fingers demandingly as he looks past Leandra towards the large Oalrig approaching her from behind.

"You're hired."

Oalrig brings his massive arm across Leandra's head, striking her back to the ground, the sheer force knocking her unconscious. The large orc lumbers over her, prepared to deal another vicious blow when his Half-Elf leader barks. "Enough!"

A long pause filled the room, all eyes turning to Gella. Some curious, some angry, some worried. What new hell awaited the poor woman? Gella had a knack for sick, sadistic punishments...

"Clean her up, stop her bleeding. When that's done, bring her to me."

Hushed murmurs again began to fill the room. Gella Rerra showing mercy? It didn't seem likely. Surely he was just setting up to inflict even more suffering. The black-hearted gangster had a reputation as nothing less than a monster. Even so, the Emeralds followed their orders, a few of them rushing over to scoop her up and take her to the infirmary.

When she awoke, her nose would be bandaged and her wounds cleaned. She lay in a very soft bed, compared to what was usually available in Osteriam it would seem like a cloud. The air was warm, and she could hear a voice as she came to.

"--Have faith in me. She's going to be very useful."

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

There was a very big pause as she sat straddled over him, chest heaving and nose dripping. Leandra was almost annoyed at his lack of reaction, still she did not strike him. That adrenaline was starting to burn up, along with some of the anger.

She narrowed her eyes at him as he lay beneath her. What was this game he was playing with her? He seemed rather unbothered by the whole ordeal. She was aware of the crowd, but she didn't care about them. This was between her and Gella, and she wanted him to know she was serious.

All she wanted was to be left alone, to do what she was good at. He and his crew had messed with her, and she needed to drive home she wasn't a pushover. Still, she couldn't find the strength to hit him anymore. Her fist started to waver, and then he spoke. "Hired? What?" She was stunned, who did he think he was?

Lea had little time to react, as the orc came up behind the duo and kicked her senseless. Her final thought was how much she loathed the orc as she fell to the floor. What followed was pitch black dreamless sleep, a darkness she sunk into gratefully.

When Leandra awoke, she took a second to actually question if she was alive. The bed she lay upon was more comfortable than any she had ever slept on. She opened her eyes slowly, groaning as she touched the bandage on her nose. She could hear a bit of a whispered conversation as she moved to sit up. Maybe she could still make it out of here unnoticed.

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

Any attempt that Leandra made to rise from her place on the bed would be quite futile; ropes bound her wrists to the frame of the bed, and her ankles wore similar bindings. To somebody who didn't know Gella, the scene would have looked ominous and foreboding, a precursor to terrible things...

To somebody who knew Gella Rerra, it looked worse.

It wasn't that anybody held suspicion that the young half-elf planned on violating Miss Marin's decency; those who served Rerra had never known him to show any interest in the pleasures of flesh. The last female Emerald who had made a pass at him found herself mysteriously placed at the front line of a raid a few weeks later, and that hadn't ended well for her.

No, the reason that the gang leader sitting on the edge of the bed with a bound woman strapped down to it made every Emerald wince was that it meant Gella had taken a genuine interest in her, for one reason or another. Nobody wanted Gella's interest, because that meant he would want to be close, and those closest to Gella Rerra often led very short lives.

Still, Leandra's struggling would be enough for the half-breed to notice that she was coming to, and when her vision finally cleared she would see him there looking down at her with another Emerald, slightly older and dressed in finer clothes than the average grunt. His fingers were running along a silvery beard as his eyes seemed to pierce through her.

"Leandra!" The much fresher faced Gella exclaimed, bringing the attention back to him. "Congratulations, you're not dead! That's much more than the last person who barged in like you did can say. Which is... well, nothing."

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Leandra quickly found that she was bound to the bed. Despite trying to wiggle free anyways, it was painfully obvious she was stuck. She groaned in annoyance, blinking her eyes as she adjusted to the light. She wanted to rub them, but she could not and that was yet another annoyance. She sighed, exasperated. She thought she would have ended up dead, this was way worse. Gella, it seemed, had taken an interest in her at this point. That did not bode well for her, she wanted nothing more to do with the Emeralds, that was why she made the scene she did in the first place.

She turned her head, looking at her surroundings, her gaze landing on Gella. Of course he would be here when she woke up, to what rub it in her face she got her ass beat? What did he want with her anyways, he made it clear she was a problem. Well, she would apparently have to wait an see, nothing she could do about it now. She was here until he let her go.

Fuck

That was the only though she could muster as Gella looked down to speak to her. Her gaze flicked to the older man, her brows furrowing. What exactly was going on here? "While I appreciate that you didn't kill me, what exactly am I doing here?" She wiggled her arms as she acknowledged the ropes and raised an eyebrow. "Afraid I'd run away?" She was poking the bear, and she knew it. Still, she couldn't help herself.

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

There was that unending sass. Honestly, if she wasn't so nonstop with it Gella would have almost found it cute. Spitting and snarling up at him while she's tied down to a bed all Gella can really do is roll his eyes, his body leaning forward before pushing to spring to his feet, reaching out to touch the older man's shoulder as he walks in a slow circle around him. "Oh yes, I'm petrified of you springing free and fighting your way out of this actual fucking stronghold full of my men. Really, I go weak at the knees."

If sarcasm had an audio accompaniment, it was Gella's tone as he slid over to the door, his steps almost serpent-like as he locked the door. The elderly-looking Emerald didn't seem to find the situation as amusing, staring a hole through Leandra that would make a Devourer nervous. Gella turns around, looking between the two of them as that cocky little smile fades. "Hey, hey, hey!" The elf stomps back between the two of them and delivers a gloved smack to the back of the old man's bald head. "Can you not go making this weirder? She's already itching for a fight without your mean-mugging her."

The man rolls his eyes at the smug half-elf, turning on his heel and strolling to the corner of the room. "I don't like it, Gella. You're smarter than this, but if you won't listen, I'll let you make the mistake." When he reaches the corner of the room, he does not stop, his flesh meeting the old wooden walls of the tavern. He does not collide with them though, instead, his body begins to phase through the material, walking through it as though it were some illusion he'd seen through. When he'd been fully enveloped, the wall appeared as though nothing of the sort had just happened.

"Tch, show off." Gella clicked his tongue, turning his attention back to the matter at hand. The feisty little thing tied to his bed... She was special. Not because of how she looked, or because she threw a temper tantrum and landed some good hits. No, it was more than that. It was that spirit inside of her, that unquenchable fire he saw in her eyes. So few had that in Osteriam, and it grew rarer and rarer every passing year.

"Leandra. Let me get to the point." He sat down on the side of the bed, next to her head. Leaning down a bit, he slowly runs one of his hands along her cheek. "I want you to work for me." Before she can protest, he shushes her, bringing a finger to his lips. "Now sh-sh-sh. I know you're thinking you'd rather die, but listen. I don't want you to be some ordinary emerald. I want you to be in charge of what we steal, of how we steal it. I'm putting you in a very high position, don't you see?"

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Leandra could do nothing but lay here and wait. She was stuck, forced to deal with whatever Gella had cooked up for her. Still, she was bandaged and safe, not dead in some dung heap. There could have been worst fates, though who knew how long this mercy would last. She had heard plenty of stories, rarely did any have a happy ending for the victim. The sarcasm rolling off of Gella's tongue angered her, but she bit her tongue and took a breath instead. She slowly let the anger go, it would not help her here.

Her flicked from Gella to the older man. It felt as if he were staring into her soul, and she wiggled uncomfortably. She didn't know who he was, but she had an instant dislike of him. He seemed to mirror this distaste, and Gella caught on to it quickly. He smacked the man on the back of the head and admonished him. Despite her situation, she was curious. Choice words were exchanged, and she watched the man from the corner of her eye as he melded into the wall, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. "Neat trick." She grumbled softly, as the two were finally alone.

Gella sat beside her, and she narrowed her eyes at him. She remained quiet, she needed to be patient. The anger needed to stay stamped out for now. She flinched slightly as he touched her cheek gently, expecting something worse. When it did not come, she exhaled softly. "I'm curious as to why. You tried to have me killed. There's also, you know that big fight we had. Why would you think I would suddenly trust that you want me to work for you, when it's just as likely you'll put a knife in my back readily."

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

Gella wasn't going to lie, that little wiggle of resistance Leandra offered did put some less than innocent thoughts into his head. He was a sick-minded criminal mastermind sure, but he was also a young, hot-blooded male. How often was it you saw a girl with that kinda body in Osteriam, too? She was already tied up and laid out, he could just...

Nah, that was stupid. There was no fun in having somebody unable to fight back, just crying and moaning under you. Gella always thought the kind of people who would force themselves on a woman were fucking weirdos. Not because of the depravedness of the act, but more the lack of a challenge. Gella didn't have any interest in such sickening debauchery. "You say neat trick, but when he does it a dozen times a day it just gets obnoxious." Gella quips, rolling his eyes towards the wall.

Leos was the smartest of the Emeralds by far, a trusted advisor who'd once been a prominent mage. Gella still wasn't sure exactly why he'd wanted in, but he'd become the closest thing to a father figure Rerra had ever had. Even so, the half-elf could hardly stand the old man. Every plan Gella thought up was immature or hair-brained, in his eyes. Bah, what did he know?

The Emerald leader's hand remained lingering on Leandra's cheek, but when his head whipped back around to look at her again, he slid it up through her hair and grabbed it gently. "I didn't try shit. Oalrig took it upon himself to go after you, and he'll be dealt with for that." He wasn't a fan of such false accusations. absolutely rude.

"You took it upon yourself to march in the front door of my place, square up to me and throw some hands. I like that. That takes balls. Bigger balls than anybody else in the Emeralds, save for mine." He grins, that sly, smug little smirk. "You and I, we could make magic together."

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Leandra could see his lingering eyes on her, and she frowned. Bound like this, she was easy prey. Even when she wasn't bound, there had been plenty of attempts on her by lecherous pigs. They usually ended up with missing teeth, but that wasn't an option here. Gella seemed to move on, his tone switching gears again. "Oh, is he a bit of a show off then?" She raised her eyebrows at Gella, a smirk on her lips.

Gella's hand still lingered on her cheek, his touch feather light on her skin. It was almost endearing, until she remembered the ropes. "I don't think he and I will get along much." She resisted the urge to wiggled against her bindings again, though they were becoming quite uncomfortable. She wanted out, but she was slowly realizing she got more with honey than with vinegar.

At Lea's mention of him sending the orcish brute to kill her, his head whipped around so he could stare at her. She flinched slightly as his hand slid up her cheek and into her hair, his hand grasping with a gentle but firm grip. She could feel her heart beating faster as she looked up at him. He was prone to be unpredictable, this much she knew. "If you didn't order it, then I apologize. How was I supposed to know, he's your muscle after all. Of course I would assume that you ordered it."

Gella's next words had her matching his smirk with her own. She wasn't one to wallow in her home when something happened to her. She always went to the root of the problem. "Alright, I tell you what. I'll join you, under one condition. No tricks against me. We work together as a team, no sly surprises. If you can agree to that, I'm your girl. If you can't, you better just kill me here."

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

Oh, but she was much more agreeable when she wasn't left with a choice. Most everybody was, it was just a matter of knowing where to apply the right pressure. Usually choosing his way or death ended in his favor, and honestly, it baffled Rerra that more people hadn't figured that out yet.

The half-elf's lips curled into a grin as she talked down Leos; she could heckle him all she wanted. It would be a treat to see him insulted by a woman, especially when the old coot was too chivalrous to lay hands on one. Talk about entertainment. Oalrig was a different story. Gella needed those two to coexist, and the big orc jumping the gun and mugging her threw a bit of a wrench in that.

His hand releases her hair, and he straightens up a bit, dusting himself off. "He's also an Orc. Thinks with his muscles. Oalrig is like a big dog, Marin: He goes off the leash and gets in trouble sometimes, but he's very loyal to me. You might not have noticed, but he's also the biggest motherfucker in Osteriam. We need him. So I'll have him apologize, and you'll be square. Deal?"

Apologizing... Oalrig wasn't going to like that, but unless he wanted to be locked in the pit again, he'd do it. Leandra seemed to understand the situation now, and she matched his expression as she stated a demand or two. "Not really in a position to pontificate with me, Marin, but fine. If I decide you need to be disposed of, I'll tell you to your face. That's a privilege a lot of Emeralds don't get."

Gella walked around the bed, untying her limbs as he continued, "And you're not 'my girl'. You're an Emerald and I expect you to adhere to the same rules they do. You'll get no special treatment from me until you prove you deserve it."

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Lea knew she wasn't in a position to make demands, but if he relented to them it was all the better. If she didn't ask, then it didn't matter. She wasn't an idiot by any means, though barging into his bar wasn't exactly smart. Still, she could have ended up dead at his hands despite it.

Gella released her hair, and she watched him warily, though the feeling hadn't been totally unpleasant. She listened to him, a slight frown on her face. An apology? For almost killing me?

Leandra pondered his words for a moment, but only a moment. She knew better than to keep him waiting. She answered in a wry tone of voice, eyes narrowing slightly. "Yeah. I noticed how big he was when he nearly killed me. Fine, it's a deal. If he apologizes, we'll be square."

Gella agreed to what she asked, and to be honest, it surprised her. Her voice was soft as she thanked him. "That's all I want. To know when you're going to put me down." She knew it was her inevitable fate, her life to end at the hands of Gella Rerra.

As he walked around her unbinding her, she slowly stretched and began massaging her limbs. She rolled her eyes and frowned. "I didn't mean literally, I just meant I'd join you and your Emeralds, not cause trouble. I'll do as you ask." He had taken it way to literally, and for some reason it irked her at his response to what she had said.

 

[Gella Rerra]

If Gella noticed that she was still sassing him about that whole Oalrig incident, he didn't show it. In fact, as soon as he was done unbinding her he seemed to lose interest in the conversation, having made his way over to the only window of the room and narrowing his gaze through the foggy glass. Rerra could see them out there, a large group funneling into Osteriam through the gates. They weren't Emeralds, but he did recognize those outfits.

Despite what Gella liked to think and say, The Emeralds didn't have absolute power within Osteriam. The city itself was a haven for many criminal organizations and gangs. It just so happened that The Emeralds were the biggest of them. That didn't mean he didn't have to cooperate with the others sometimes though. Play nice, and you could get something you wanted.

These guys, dressed in red and blue dyed leater, were called The High Tide. Mostly they were elven smugglers, stealing expensive shit and selling it to the gangs who didn't have the means to make off with such well-guarded treasures or those who didn't leave the city much.

For the Emeralds, that usually meant refilling the Hag's supply of booze and grub. Of course, it was awfully expensive, and The High Tide had been raising prices steadily over the last couple of months, citing 'increasing demand.' Bullshit. They knew Gella was loaded, and they wanted every coin he had. Jealous pricks. Clicking his tongue disgustingly at the caravan of loaded wagons, Gella turns back to his new recruit...

And another nasty little idea forms in that rotten brain of his.

"I've got good news, Marin. I think I've decided on your first assignment..."

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Gella fell silent after untying her binds, and Leandra set to massaging the life back into her limbs, a wince gracing her soft features. She followed him with her eyes as he approached the window, he seemed lost in thought again. Lea slid her legs across the bed testing her weight before standing with a gracious stretch.

Lea wasn't dead, so she should count herself lucky in a way. She had come here knowing full well she could have been thrown in a ditch somewhere and left to rot. Still, Gella was dangerous, unpredictable. She considered her days numbered even still. She lifted her arms above her head in another stretch, groaning softly.

Gella turned to her suddenly, and she studied him, her arms still raised. She dropped them to her side as he spoke, her eyebrow arched in slight curiosity. "Well then, let's see what you've got for me then."

She was confident in her abilities, and at her remark, a small smirk touched the corners of her lips and she crossed the room to stand before her new boss, arms folded, face expectant. She wasn't going to continue to bullshit around, at least not right this second.

Gella Rerra

 

[Gella Rerra]

Well, she seemed to have open ears, so this would be a nice test to see whether or not she really was as useful as he suspected. Stepping aside and gesturing her with one arm towards the window, Gella's lips curled into a little smirk. "See those wagons out there? Those are the High Tide. Maybe you've seen them in town before, selling goods from across the continent for a hiked-up price. They're the ones who keep the booze flowing in here." Rerra turned his focus back outside as several elves in red and blue garb disembarked the lead wagon, parked outside the Hag.

The half-elf felt his teeth clench as he sneered at the looks on their faces, laughing and grinning as they waited for his arrival. "They're getting greedy. Charging me a premium because they know I need liquor to keep my men happy. There hasn't been much I could do about that." His eyes flicked back to the newest Emerald. "Not until now anyways..." Surely she could pick up the hint by now? Rerra departs the window, sauntering towards the door leading back downstairs to the bar, and stopping in the doorframe.

"I have a meeting with them right now. They're probably going to raise the price again. While the important ones are inside busy haggling with me though, there are only a few elves guarding those wagons. If somebody were a particularly skilled thief... well, who knows what could happen?"

If Gella tried to get one of his regular Emeralds to make any move against the Tide, they'd know who was responsible and cut him off. Nobody knew Marin was under his employ, however... And right then and there, Gella decided that nobody would. Leandra would be his secret weapon. His ace in the hole.

Looking back at her one last time, Gella grinned. "There's a walled-off yard behind the old tavern that used to be on the south side of town. Store the booze wagon there and get somewhere safe. I'll come collect you both and you'll get your share. Understand?"

Without waiting for an answer, he left the room, boots thumping down the stairs to meet his 'associates'.

Leandra Marin

 

[Leandra Marin]

Leandra caught on to what he was implying fairly quickly. He amber eyes narrowing as she listened, her brain already beginning to tick as morsels of information were fed to her. It didn't matter what the task was, a job was a job and it secured her safety.

She could feel Gella's eyes on her as she observed the activity below. Strangely, it didn't seem to bother her, even though it should have. Perhaps it was the brawl, and hom sparing her that made her more at ease.

Rerra was far from stupid, this was a good move on his part. He was testing her, and getting something out of it too. If she failed, it really wouldn't affect him. Lea could appreciate the way his mind worked, even if he sometimes came off as a madman.

He turned and departed before she could even acknowledge him, and she shrugged to herself. That was fine, it's not like they'd ever be friends. He was paying her for her services, and that wad it. Business was business and she was just fine with that.

He would probably be meeting them in the bar proper to start, so the unconventional exit for her would have to do. Lea stepped lightly across the wood, no sound coming from the soft leather of her boots. She deftly unlatched the window and slid out with little fear. She measured the distance carefully, and made her drop to the cobblestone below.

As Leandra approached the cart, a soft ripple would appear, and to the other elves she would appear the same. Their garb was distasteful to her, but that mattered not. With confidence, she strolled up to the cart, nodding to the guards.

The elf on the cart had the look of deep boredom in his eyes, and barely acknowledged her when she hopped up beside him. "Boss wants us to bring it around back in preparation to unload." The elf beside her heaved a deep sigh. "Would have been nice to know." With a few more sighs and a cluck at the steeds pulling it, they were moving.

It was a short jaunt, and as soon as the wagon was out of sight, Marin made her move. She struck the elf in the jaw, her fist connecting and knocking him out cold. She pushed him from the still moving cart and onto the stone of the alleyway.

Pleased with herself, she urged the horses onward. The route she'd take would bring her completely around the group she had just left, very little risk on her end. In a short amount of time, Lea reached her destination. She parked the cart and covered it in a large cloth. She hitched the horses out of sight as well. Satisfied everything was secured and out of sight, she too took it upon herself to blend in the shadows and wait. Gella would show up when he was good and ready.

Gella Rerra