Private Tales Have you heard there's a rumour in Alliria?

[Althea]

Thea took an offensive step forward, her face drawn in a rictus of rage, her hand rising as she moved. "I can fight my own battles as a matter of f--" Her words cut off abruptly as Sol's hand wrapped around her wrist before she could extend it toward the male, her hand balled into a fist. The man's grip wasn't gentle, in fact the pain it inflicted was obvious as she tried to yank it free to no avail. Sol's knuckles paled with the force of his vice-like hold on her and he yanked her back to stand behind him with a harsh shove as he let her go.

Thea stumbled and managed to catch herself before she fell, her hand rubbing at her wrist as she looked at her feet. Sol had scowled at her at the mention of avariels, and she avoided his gaze entirely. "I think that's enough talk of nonsense for one day, lad." he glared at the male and jerked his chin in dismissal..

"I'll deal with this talk of thievery." he snorted, but Thea knew that thievery wasn't the issue here. Thea had turned to discreetly slot herself back into the moving current of the market, but Sol's grip on the back of her neck caught her before she could disappear.

"Let's be gettin' you home lass." he smiled unpleasantly.

 

[Gawyn]

Gawyn's smile was smaller this time but it lit a fire in his eyes as she stepped forward. Simpering, flirting women were never the ones that caught and retained his interest. But that fire... his brow quirked however as the large man roughly handled her back into his shadow. His nickname for her made a lot more sense at the way she seemed to shrink back. He'd done nothing last night when those thugs had followed her outside but she had proven then she could take care of herself. Or maybe this man had. Either way he sensed she wouldn't be throwing a punch at him and freeing herself.

His lips twisted down and before he could chide himself he took two steps forward and gripped a hold of the man's wrist.

"Actually, she'll be coming with me."

The last thing Gawyn wanted was to cause a scene by murdering someone in the city. Though, bleakly, he wondered if a day went by where there wasn't a murder here. It tempered his tone a little and he rolled his eyes away from Sol to Thea.

"She promised she would make up for her theft by doing a few errands for me before I leave this evening."

 

[Althea]

Sol bristled, looking down at the hand on his wrist, his one eye wide with rage at the gaul of the elf. The hulking man barked a laugh. "Did she now?!" he asked, his booming voice drawing some attention from the vicinity, some pausing to watch, others moving away as quickly as they could.

"Well the little dove's time isn't hers to promise. She don' work for you.." he grinned menacingly at the elf and lowered his face, gritting his yellowing teeth, slowly letting go of Thea in the process. "I'm gonna be generous, since you're clearly not from around here and have no fuckin' clue who you're meddlin' with.. You'll get two seconds to fuck off, before I break your limbs, and then your pretty head." he growled.

Thea peeked around Sol to look back at Gawyn, giving her head a quick shake, all manner of her own rage gone now that his death would be on her conscience. Sol was well known, he was the bully in these parts of Alliria, and Nikolai's muscle, he didn't mess around. That and every word that came out of the elf's mouth was getting her into more and more fucking trouble.

 

[Gawyn]

The sound of drums was a sweet song in his ears as the threat washed over him. The way the General smiled, someone without a clue of who was talking to might have thought the brutish man had just offered him a fine wine for a good price or offered him a sack of gold. It only made him tighten his grip on the man's wrist until he could begin to feel the bones give as they did just before the real pain began.

"I haven't had a good fight in a very, very long time, child," his eyes ran over the brutes form. Where Gawyn was slender and tightly coiled muscle, Sol was large and built like a brick privy. Despite his blood they also seemed well matched for height, perhaps an inch or two in it, though it only served to make Gawyn look more like a stick that could be snapped in the oafs saucepan like hands. It was probably why a few people watching sucked in a breath when the elf continued with a disappointed sigh. "And it looks like I'll be waiting a while longer."

He brought his own fist up with a crack against the man's nose before he could retort.

 

[Althea]

Althea winced at the elf's retort, knowing that this wasn't going to end well. She reached out hesitantly to touch at Sol's arm, intent on trying to intervene with more than just words.. "He's not worth the troub--"

"None of your tricks!" Sol erupted and shoved her, this time hard enough that she slammed into a wooden post and she crumpled to the ground with a grimace, feeling the bruises already begin to bloom.

Sol had been about to open his mouth to respond to the elf when his fist collided with his nose which cracked and exploded with blood. The man stumbled back a step in surprise, a sudden hush falling around them as he let out a loud roar in fury.

Sol had blades, but the weapon he drew was a club. He far better enjoyed beating his victims to a pulp than making it quick. He laughed as he shook his head at the elf and spit blood onto the dirt. "You're gonna regret that you knife eared fuck." he grinned, his teeth bloody, before yanking him toward him and aiming a hard slam down on his head.

 

[Gawyn]

Gawyn settled into a stance that spoke of years of fighting in such a casual manner it was almost a surprise he didn't automatically set himself just so even when in pleasant company. It was clear from how he relaxed into it that he preferred it certainly. The blade that had been at his hip remained sheathed and instead, the elf merely let his hands hang down casually by his side. As far as he was concerned he didn't need to waste the effort of pulling such a lethal blade unless he really had to.

Taking a life is not a sport, and should be done only when it is necessary.

It had become almost a game between him and Aohdain over the years to see how often they could disarm an opponents with their hands alone.

So when the man grabbed a hold of his shirt and yanked him forward to meet the ogerish club he insisted on using he didn't resist. He stepped with the pull and used the extra momentum he received to duck fluidly under the man's upstretched arm. The club hit the stones where he had been standing with a crack and lazily, Gawyn put a boot in the mans unbalanced stance and pushed, hoping to send him sprawling to the floor at least stumbling.

"I really do hate bullies. Especially when it's clear they have only earned their fear through roughing up those weaker than them."

 

[Althea]

Sol was a large man, and now unbalanced he was easily toppled to the ground just as Thea was getting back to her feet with the aid of two of the girls from the Bordelo. "Get back home.." she ushered them with a tight smile, the girls watching the scene uncertainly before rushing off through the crowd.

"Enough. There's no need for this!" she insisted, her voice quaking. She'd be in trouble either way, but if Sol was badly beaten it'd only be worse. Still, she didn't dare get close again, nor try to help him up, not unless she wanted a smack in the mouth.

"Please go." she said desperately to the elf as Sol roared, trying to pull himself up, a dagger drawn into each hand, intent on swiping at Gawyn.

 

[Gawyn]

Gawyn opened his mouth to say something when Sol roared to his feet with the two blades brandished in his hands.

"Excuse me," he flashed her a tight smile and stepped forward, still unarmed. He side stepped to the left as the knife in Sol's right hand slashed towards his right arm. It put him closer to the blade clutched in the man's left arm so he focused his attention on that first. One hand curled around Sol's wrist whilst the other applied pressure to just above the elbow. In one fluid movement he attempted to pull the brute's arm round and up behind his back. At the very least the movement should make him drop the blade in his left hand, at best the pressure of having his arm shoved up his back would drive him to his knees.

"She is right, you know, there is no need for this. I just need her for a few hours and she'll be back to tuck you into bed and kiss those bruises better," he sighed dramatically. A crowd had gathered to watch now and a few nervously chuckled at Gawyn's words.

 

[Althea]

She winced as she watched, her hands reaching out nervously, as though to wordlessly plead with the elven male not to hurt him.. "Alright alright - I'll help you just--" her nose wrinkled at the image of her putting her lips anywhere near him.

"What? Fuck no." she protested and looked down at the snarling brute. "I'll be back this evening. No need to let him embarrass you any more." she huffed at him with a scowl, still rubbing at her wrist, her back aching.

"Come on." she looked at Gawyn with a roll of her eyes and turned to leave before things got any worse.

 

[Gawyn]

Gawyn made sure to put his foot and apply just enough pressure to make his warning clear as he stepped over the brute with barely a glance down at him. The people who had been watching breezed out of his way suddenly finding any and every excuse to be somewhere else. He barely looked over his shoulder to make sure she was following until they were a few streets over. Only then did he let out a little huff of breath.

"Why do you stay with that lout?" he shot her a dark, accusatory look as though it were all her fault he had had to deal with Sol in the first place. Technically... it was her fault but he supposed he hadn't had to get involved in it. When the drums were beating that loudly it was hard to think of anything but the coming fight. With a slightly louder sigh he softened his features and gave her the best attempt Gawyn could make of an apologetic look.

"I mean... If you don't want to go back that is I'm sure there is a way to get you out from under his thumb."

 

[Althea]

Althea was busy looking over her shoulder when she almost walked right into him and right into that dark look he was giving her. She recoiled and tensed, the look on her face one of complete indignant protest. "What? Sol? It's not like that. It's none of your damned business anyway." she grumbled and looked over her shoulder again. "You've no idea how much fucking trouble..." she cut herself off with a deep huff.

Her hand ran down her face, considering but not really believing his suggestion. It wasn't like she hadn't tried before, she'd attempted more ways than one. Her fingers sorted the ribbons tied around her wrist at the thought and she shook her head.

"No I, I have to go back." she answered, her expression softening a little too. "Do you really need my help with something or can I go now?" she asked, her arms folding.

 

[Gawyn]

He didn't feel an ounce bad as he watched her squirm with the thoughts of freedom versus the pain of trying. She had claimed to be strong, someone who could fight her own battles, but now she looked as frightened as the others in the crowd. Perhaps it would have been for the best to kill him and be done with it. A not too small part of him relished the thought. With a start he realised his fingers has gone to the pommel of his blade and he consciously released it to put them in his pockets instead.

Fine, if she insisted on going back. It wasn't his problem.

"You can tell me what you know about the Avariel. Clearly, you have an opinion on them," he raised a brow as he stared down at her, daring her to disagree. "And from how your boyfriend reacted when I mentioned it you are more involved with them than just seeing them in passing. I need to know what you know."

 

[Althea]

Thea chewed on the inside of her lip, her gaze narrowed at the way he looked at her. He was damned infuriating.

"He's not my b--" she cut herself off with a growl and shook her head, trying to calm herself rather than allow him to rile her. "My boyfriend, is far prettier. Thank you." she answered with a fake smile. And far more dangerous, she thought to herself with a roll of her eyes.

"And my opinion on them is nothing good, but I don't know what difference that makes to your endeavours. I once sought their help, they refused and let me rot in a gutter. They're cruel, self righteous bastards and I am glad that they hide away in their fucking city so that I never need to set eyes on them. Are we done?" she asked, folding her arms with a quirk of her brow.

 

[Gawyn]

Gawyn dismissed her anger arrogantly and fixated instead on her words about the Avariel. He leaned casually against the rough brickwork and his fingers scratched along his beard as he turned her feelings over in his mind. Ignoring her obviously emotional response the fact she had gone to them for help and they had apparently done the opposite was interesting. What was even more interesting was that if the Avairel had only just started visiting the city she must have met them before.

He ran his eyes slowly over her, seemingly seeing her properly for the first time.

"And why... exactly would a human go to Avariel for help?" He asked slowly but his tone was like a blade being drawn, as if he knew that before him wasn't what he had initially thought and it had put him on his guard.

 

[Althea]

A muscle feathered in her jaw as she clenched it, her fingers tightened on her bicep indenting tiny crescents with her nails.

"And why...exactly, are you such a smarmy git!?" she snapped back. "Look I get what you think of me and why you think it, but if you'd stop speaking to me like I'm some sort of.." she frowned, unable to find the word, but he made her feel so... tiny. She swallowed and shook her head.

"Forget it. It's none of your business why I sought their help, point is I thought they could help me and they looked down their pretty little noses at me too." she sneered and turned away.

"I don't have time for this" she said, turning to walk away from him. "I have work to do so if you're quite finished judging me I'll be on my way."

 

[Gawyn]

"Wait - wait!" He made to grab her arm and then coiled his fingers back into his palm as he remembered such a thing was considered rude. The last thing he wanted was to have beaten up a man who had handled her roughly to do the same. He shoved a hand through his hair instead to keep it from doing something stupid but also to quell his frustration. If only he could be more open about why... He gritted his teeth together causing a muscle in his jaw to twitch with the effort.

"Look, I am trying to find out if it is worth... reopening communications between my people and theirs. Before they shut their gates we were... allies. When they shut their boarders they left us in the lurch. I have no intentions of restarting that relationship if they haven't changed. You're the first person who hasn't fawned over pretty feathers or how nice it is to have Ambrosia in trade again," he sucked in a deep breath when he finally ran out of air and then let his hand drop back to his side.

"So... will you tell me more? I could buy you some tea...?"

 

[Althea]

She turned back to him, watching his hand recoil and run into his hair instead, her lips pursing as she huffed and leaned against the stone wall to cross her arms once more, her ankles crossing and toe digging into the ground as she quirked a brow as though waiting for him to get on with it.

Left in the lurch? You and me both, she thought to herself with a snicker. Still, his tone had changed, and so there was no cause for hers to remain as offended as it had been either. She let out a sigh and her expression softened slightly at the offer of tea.

"I.. Don't know what else you want me to tell you. I don't know if they've 'changed', I don't care if they have. I won't forget how they treated me when I needed help. I thought they were good people, once. If you want my opinion, don't waste your time." she frowned, her pale green eyes darkening slightly.

"There she is.." Sol grunted from the end of the alleyway. He had two other men with him, a human named Eli and a dark elf named Xander. They stood, waiting expectantly and Thea tensed, letting out a quiet growl in frustration.

"Yes I'm coming!" she snapped petulantly. "I'm sorry, I have to go.." she told Gawyn and pushed herself off of the wall to trudge toward the trio. "I'll be around the western docks at midnight.." she whispered as she walked, glancing over her shoulder to him.

 

[Gawyn]

But why hadn't they helped her?

The details were what he wanted. The reason why she had gone to them for help in the first place, the reasons why she had needed to go to them specifically and not the multitude of other races, people, civilisations that she could have turned to living here. Then, above all, that question. What were their reasons for refusing someone aid? If it had been down to the fact she was a Groundling then perhaps he could let it slide; their fear was well founded even if the execution of it was not. Yet he couldn't imagine the whole council would turn her away based on that.

He opened his mouth to ask when he caught her look and turned just as Sol and his henchmen appeared. A dark look coloured his eyes and though his fingers didn't stray to the sword at his side the intent was in every line of how he held himself. The only reason he didn't was because of her whispered words and the fact she went to them seemingly of her own free will. If this brute wasn't her partner then perhaps they worked for him; his lips curled in disgust at the thought. It was no way to treat a woman you claimed to love.

"Thanks for your help," he said casually and leaned against the wall with a coy smile directed at Sol that was as dangerous as a vipers bite.

 

[Althea]

Thea glanced back at him as she reached the end of the alleyway. Sol sneered at him and spit on the ground, a not-so-subtle warning. Xander stared her down and stepped out of her way to let her pass, reaching to grip her elbow before she pulled it away.

"I can walk." she muttered, and the three followed after her at a distance.

---

She was shoved unceremoniously into the study, Nik was already there, pouring himself a drink.

"I swear if he shoves me around like that one more t--"

"He'll stop shoving you around when you stop giving him trouble." Nikolai interrupted and she silenced with a frown of petulance on her brow. "Whats this business with the elf and chatter of Avariel?" he asked coolly without looking up from the glass of amber liquid he swirled in his hand. "And, thievery?.." he added and gave a disdainful tsk. "Don't I give you enough, Althea? I picked you out of the gutter so that there would be no need for this sort of childish behaviour.."..

He looked up now, the firelight making his eyes look like chipped amber, but it was the anger she noted more. "The guy was far too up his own ass, I wasn't stealing for me I took it and gave it to a beggar." she told him as she fell into an opulent armchair. "He was going around asking about Avariel, wanted my opinion on them, I told him that I didn't have one and that I'd never so much as seen one up close."

Nik gave her a doubtful look but he took a long sip of his drink and set the tumbler down to walk to her in a slow, purposeful stride, the one she'd seen him do many times meant to intimidate people who crossed him. He took her chin and forced her to meet his gaze, a tight smile on his handsome face as he squeezed hard. She grimaced at the bruising touch and tried to pull away, but he held tighter.

"You wouldn't want to be going anywhere now, would you, my darling Althea?.. You remember how upset I was the last time we had a little hiccup like that." Yes, she remembered, she'd spent two weeks in a healer's bed barely conscious. "I care for you, so very much..Sometimes, it's like you don't appreciate all that I do.." he crooned.

"Of course I do.." Thea forced a smile despite the pain and she stood slowly, reaching to run her hand down his chest but her wrist was caught in his hand before she could, his dark brow quirking in warning. She smiled and let out a soft chuckle. "Don't you trust me?" she asked, and he let out a sharp sigh and guided her hand to his chest, his eyes closing at the instant soothing bliss that he'd grown so addicted to. Thea pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth and turned, letting him drop back into the armchair she'd vacated, and watched as he gave way to stupefied sleep.

"He said if you disturb him, he'll rip your nuts off and nail them to the front door." she said to Sol as she passed him in the hallway. It sounded like something Nikolai would say, and so it wasn't questioned, and she ignored him when he asked where she was going as she stepped outside and rushed toward the docks.

 

[Gawyn]

You should have gone after her...

It wasn't the first time the thought had crossed his mind but it had grown in increasing frequency the more minutes that ticked by midnight. She had confirmed that Solgrin was just one of the lackeys and not the one pulling the strings which made him wonder - just how dangerous was the master? If a dogs bite was only a third as bad as their owners he dreaded to think what it was that girl was walking back to. And it's all your fault. That thought had also crossed his mind several times since they had parted ways. His brows were drilling themselves into a frown that might have become a permanent feature of his face if he held it for very much longer.

The clock chimed half past the hour and Gawyn gave a frustrated sigh. He'd wait ten more minutes. Ten more minutes and then he would leave. The market owners had said the Avariel arrived early in the morning and the last thing he needed was for one of them to recognise him. If he was gone he couldn't get more people into the wrong kind of trouble either. It was best to go, maybe he should go now.

His thoughts made the binding on his wings hard to maintain and his agitation made him want to flex them so very badly. With a glance around the dock he peeled off his jacket and shirt and sighed as the cool air hit the raised tattoo of his four wings.

 

[Althea]

She took her time, making sure she wasn't being followed. Nikolai employed some of the best trackers in Alliria, and she'd learned well from them how to cover her tracks, but even then she had to be careful. When he woke he'd wonder where she'd gone and if there weren't already men following her, they would be searching soon enough.

Her dark hood remained drawn as she slunk silently from street to street, a grimace on her face as she realised she was late. On the lower pier, was a man already untying his boat and rowing off toward the ship that sat waiting further out, and by the time Thea got there, there was no point in yelling for him to wait. Midnight, he'd told her, no later.

She ran to the end of the pier and cursed loudly, ripping down her hood and kicking over a stack of lobster crates that splashed into the water. A hand ran down her face as she let out a deep huff and cast her gaze heaven-bound, staring up at the stars that blinked back at her for a moment before realising that they weren't the only ones watching her. He'd come, and Thea's stormy gaze narrowed on him from the end of the pier, the silvery moonlight making him appear almost ghostly without his shirt.

"Thinking of taking a swim?..." she asked nonchalantly as she wandered up to him and sat herself down on a barrel, unable to help but let her gaze linger for a moment or two longer than she'd intended, but there was distant thought in her eyes.

"When are you going home?.."

 

[Gawyn]

If he closed his eyes he could almost imagine the sea breeze coming in off the harbour was running through his feathers. It was a soothing thought. He hadn't been grounded for longer than a day in years and he missed the feeling of flying as much as others would miss the thought of air if they could no longer breathe. A few more minutes and if she didn't show he would find a secluded spot and unbind them. If he pushed himself hard he could reach the hidden city by sunrise. The thought of seeing just how fast he could fly after all this time in a confined city was enough to make him shudder with the anticipation. Her voice behind him snapped him out of his thoughts.

"You're late," Gawyn snapped, though it was clear his anger was directed at himself and letting her catch him unawares. Jerkily he yanked on his shirt though he couldn't bring himself to pull the jacket on over the top. At least in just his shirt he could still feel the cool breeze through the linen; with the jacket on it felt like his wings were being stuffed into a sack. "Once you've finished telling me your story," he huffed and glanced back over his shoulder to the docks behind them. At least out on the piers end they would see anyone approaching. When he looked back to her he thoroughly looked her over, his posture and gaze softening just a fraction.

"Did he hurt you?"

 

[Althea]

Were those scars on his back? She had only caught a glimpse before he was tugging his shirt back on, but she could've sworn she'd seen the shape of a wing. Her brow furrowed, and she decided to ignore the fact that he'd snapped at her for her tardiness rather than explain herself. She'd had enough of explaining herself...

She pulled her feet up onto the barrel and encircled her arms around her knees, her attention drifting back to the merchant's ship in the distance as it pulled it's anchor from the sea bed. Again, she ignored his probing until she caught the change in his tone and her icy gaze shifted to his face. Her chin was bruised, but otherwise she was unscathed.

"No.." her head shook gently, a few snowy tresses falling about her face and she huffed the strands from her eyes. Not yet... She added in a thought, her lips pressing thinly.

"And I'm not in the habit of telling stories to strangers. I just..." she frowned at him. Why had she told him where she would be? She'd planned on leaving, but he'd been the only person who hadn't been too afraid to stand up for her in she couldn't remember how long..

"I suppose I just wanted to say thanks. You really should get out of here though, Sol..doesn't forget a face." she offered a tight smile and dropped her gaze as she fought over a question she wanted to ask.

'Your impulses will land you in trouble if you're not careful, little dove.' She sneered at the memory as she heard Nik's words at the back of her mind, causing her to swallow her words bitterly.

 

[Gawyn]

Murky green eyes lingered on the bruising on her chin as he pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded curtly at her answer. He didn't believe her but if the woman didn't want his help he couldn't very well force it upon her, could he? You could, a voice hissed in the back of his mind. Aohdin would be horrified if Gawyn returned home and told him he'd left a woman who appeared to be in some sort of gang behind to suffer her own pride.

"Whilst I'm flattered over your concern, the fact I won't be able to forget that ugly little face of his is plenty enough to keep me away from here for a while," his lips twitched into a ghost of a smile but vanished just as quickly when his eyes caught that bruise once more. You should go. With a sigh he sat down on a barrel opposite her instead. "What if you didn't tell the story to a stranger? My name's Gawyn," he held out his hand formally.

 

[Althea]

A huff of a laugh escaped her as he commented on Sol's grizzly face and she gave a short nod, her expression faltering as he sat down and introduced himself. She was clearly nothing but trouble, she'd given him enough warnings in that respect, and yet he seemed persistent to speak to her.

Her lips twisted for a moment before she let out a relenting sigh and reached out a delicate hand to his and gripped it in a handshake. "Althea." she answered quietly.

"And, it really isn't much of a story. I was abandoned by my family, wound up on the streets, was taken in by the Bordello, and someone important took a liking to me." she frowned, awaiting the judgement that most people cast upon her. Desperate people did desperate things, but she wasn't about to justify herself to him nor to anyone.

"So what's yours? Why are you so hell bent on finding the Avariel?.." she asked with a disdainful frown. "They're all stuck so far up their own arses I'm surprised they can breathe." she muttered.