Private Tales Read between the lines

[Talus]

Talus nodded furiously as Zana called out over the noise, his head poking up to scan over some of the heads until he spotted a gate guard.

The Allirian City Watch was a sorry excuse for soldiers, at least compared to the Anirian Guard. They wore drab leather armor, held their spears leaning back against shoulders, and all around appeared as though they didn't want to be there.

Talus quietly tried to remind himself that these men likely weren't half as well trained as the ones that he knew back home. "Excuse me."

He called to one of the half slouched over Guards.

"We're looking for the estate of Zell Al'Bashere." The Watchmen quirked an eyebrow, his lips thinning for a moment before he let out a bark of a laugh.

"Bashere huh? You're in for a surprise."​

Talus gave him an odd look. "What do you mean?"

The man just chuckled.

"You'll see. Just head down this street, take a left, then it's the last estate on the right. Can't miss it with those fucking domes."​

Talus shot Zana a concerned look, shifting on his feet for a moment before he nodded and offered a quick thanks before leading their small party through the Inner-City gate.

 

[Zana]

Zana gave a small whine as she ducked behind Talus and followed, head down.

As usual she had taken the manacles off before leaving the cabin though, after a hesitation, this time she had brought them with her. She needed her rest and the only way she could ensure that was with them. It terrified her but she wasn't just thinking about herself anymore. However, she wasn't that foolish to cage herself when walking around and her visions were in overdrive with the new sensations around her. Every time someone brushed past them or she caught something out of the corner of her eye there came another and another and another.

She followed until she was about to make a dash for some side street to throw up when finally she spotted what she thought was their destination.

"Well he wasn't wrong about it standing out," her voice was strained and she brushed away the bloody tear that rolled down her cheek. The house - or mansion she supposed an Allirian would call it - bucked the trend of its neighbours entirely and took after the Western style. It would not have been out of place in the Empire she had visited some months back with its smooth light walls designed to keep cool in the light and muralled floors.

 

[Talus]

Talus clutched Zana tightly, holding her as he felt the pain roll over her from being stuffed in the crowd. His fingers soothingly stroked over her skin, and he nodded his head in confirmation of her statement as he lead them towards the Estates doors.

It was not as large as the manors back in Vel Anir that belonged to the Great Houses, but some of the minor nobility had estates like this back home. "Hello!?"

Talus called out as he knocked on the door. His fist thundered against the door, echoing out for a few moments before a pause came. A few seconds passed, and then a small slit in the door opened. Two eyes looked out at Zana.

"What do you want?"​

"My name is Talus Morrid, I'm a friend of Zell's. He told me a long time ago I should stop by if I was ever in Alliria." The eyes narrowed for a moment, as if considering. "I met him in Oban, during a spi-"

The eyes seemed to perk up, and then the slot slammed shut. A few seconds later the sound of locks could be heard, and one of the two doors fell open.

"Come in, please, quickly, quickly."​

The man, a servant by the looks of him, ushered the small party inside with quick waving gestures.

"They are watching the estate, best you don't linger outside."​

Talus perked a brow, but quickly followed the instruction. He let Zana and the two animals go first, and then slipped through the door into a small square before the Manor. There was a stable on one end of the courtyard, a well on the other and a garden all between them.

At the end of it all stood the manor, large and sprawling in that strange western style.

 

[Zana]

Zana slumped against her horses flank in exhaustion as the city closed behind them. They were going to have to leave at night or the crack of dawn not at what appeared to be rush hour. At least, she hoped this was rush hour and not just 'normal' for Alliria or she might never be able to leave the manor again. Grey was pressed protectively up against her, his head firmly pressed into her stomach and she focused quietly on running her hand through his fur to centre herself once more.

In the moments before one deep breath and the next she wondered, briefly, if Grey could tell she was pregnant and that was why he was acting extra protective.

"Why are they watching the manor?" she finally took in the servant who had uttered them in, a little colour returning to her cheeks.

 

[Talus]

There was a brief pause from the Servant as he looked at Talus. He seemed to eye the younger Dreadlord curious, and then nod his head as if deciding something.

"Master Zell was...arrested."

Talus' jaw dropped. "For what?"

The demand was quick and immediate, shock painting his face. Zell had seemed the type to cause mischief, the sort of person that liked to get drunk and play a prank or two, but getting arrested? That didn't seem like him at all.

"Smuggling."

"What? Why would h-" Talus didn't get to finish his sentence.

"He did not, he was set up by Albus Drellin. The Merchant Councilor."

Talus blinked, looking at Zana. What the fuck had they walked into?

 

[Zana]

Go to Aliiria, she'd said. It'll be fun, she'd said.

Zana stared back at Talus with her lips pressing into a thin line. She could already feel his desire to help his friend and resignation filled her. There would be no leaving until he had at least tried. With a deep sigh she pushed off from her horses flank and began leading him over to the stable, her magic undoing the straps and buckles that belonged to the tack. Once he was dealt with she turned back to the servant, rubbing her hands on her thighs.

"I think you had best tell us the whole story, over some water perhaps?" she half motioned towards the manor.

 

[Talus]

The servant watched Zana with no small amount of wonder as magic worked around her, his mouth hanging open in shock as he found himself too stunned to speak. His head shook slowly, and Talus grabbed his shoulder lightly.

"Please. My fiance is pregnant." The Servant sputtered for a moment, and then quickly nodded.

"Of course, Master Zell would want only the best. Please come this way."​

Within a few moments Zana and Talus were lead into the manor. A massive antechamber was decorated with dozens of statues, paintings, and tapestries. Old arms and armor sat pinned to the wall, and Talus couldn't help but look at them in wonder.

Eventually they found themselves sitting in what he could only describe as a tea room, one central table surrounded by massive cushions that looked comfortable enough to sleep on. The Servant bowed and excused himself for a moment, then returned in a matter of moments with a platter of tea, cups, and of course water.

He poured some tea and water for Zana, then did the same for Talus before launching into a long explanation.

It seemed that Zell had seduced the Merchant Councilors Mistress, not his wife mind, but his mistress. The man had taken great offense to this, and had set Zell up for the crime he had been accused of. The evidence was flimsy, just some 'witnesses' that had seen Zell and his crew unload crates loaded with Anirian Arms onto the docks late at night.

"It doesn't even make any sense. Master Zell deals in spices, not arms. He hasn't been to Vel Anir in...well Ever."​

The Servant shook his head.

 

[Zana]

Zana couldn't help the small little smile that stole across her lips as Talus spoke those words; did he even realise the jolt of excitement that went through him when he said it? It was faint but she felt it through the bond and it warmed her. She was thankful her condition seemed to spurn the servant on however, and followed him inside.

It wasn't just Talus who marvelled at the artwork and oddities inside the house. Though she had been to the Empire her visit had had a purpose to it and she had had little time for pleasure. The situation was perhaps not the one she wanted to be in but she found herself far less stressed than when she had been on a mission for Vel'Anir.

The Dreadlord sunk into the cushions with all the grace of someone who had gotten used to sitting in such a manner. The tiredness was clear in the taut stretch of skin over her cheekbones and the dark smudges under her eyes, but it didn't carry across into her actions. Her eyes were alert and when the tea and water came out she was quick to guzzle down first a glass of water then sip at an overly sugary tea.

A frown darkened her face.

"I'm not too sure how we can help..." Zana confessed. Justice was very different in Vel'Anir. "How does the justice work here? Does this... Counsellor have to be the one to drop the charges?"

 

[Talus]

The Servant blinked for a second, clearly not expecting to have Talus or Zana help. He frowned a moment and then shook his head.

"No, the Councilor isn't involved at all. Just the City Watch and these Witnesses. Master Zell will be arraigned and put on trial, likely with a judge bought by the Councilor. The evidence does not matter much admittedly...though only due to the corruption."​

"Ah." The stark difference between Vel Anir and Alliria.

There was corruption back home, preferential treatment for the nobility, but there was a reason that even the Great Houses operated within the dark. The Anirian Legal system was stark, strong, and heavily enforced by...well pretty much everyone.

It had to be that way, mostly because the system was used by everyone in order to gain public advantage. A crime in Vel Anir could land you in prison even if you were of a Great House.

Though usually the nobility paid peasants to take the fall for them. "So in a round about way this Councilor is the one that has to put a stop to things?"

He reiterated Zana's question.

"No no. If we could provide evidence of Master Zell's innocents, then even a corrupt judge would not dare convict him."​

 

[Zana]

"Well... where was he when this supposedly happened?"

Zana took another sip of her tea. If it wasn't a case of going and scaring the living crap out of this counsellor then the next best thing was destroying their evidence. The easiest way would be for there to be evidence and people to put Zell in another place entirely at the accused time.

"And who are these so called witnesses? Perhaps if we talk to them," her eyes flickered to Talus. "They will remember that they just got Zell confused with somebody else."

Or of course, they could resort to just scaring the counsellor. Talus might have been more considerate for ordinary humans but Zana had no such qualms, her moral line a far more blurred thing. This was one of those situations where she saw it clear cut - Talus' friend was being wronged which upset Talus which made it Zana's problem.

 

[Talus]

The Servant seemed to chew over the thought for a moment, as if he wasn't quite sure just what he would have to say.

"Master Zell was with...well...he was with the Mistress at the time."​

Talus smacked his own face. "Of course he was."

His head shook slightly and he wondered what the fuck Zell had been thinking. He'd only known the man a brief time, but he most certainly didn't seem like a moron big enough to do something like this. A frown touched his face, and he looked at the Servant.

"She won't come forward?" The Servant shook his head.

"She is quite well...taken care of by the Councilor. As for the Witnesses. Well...I am not quite sure of that, but I've been able to find out they are sailors. Three of them."​

Well that was something.

Talus looked over at Zana for a moment, giving her a small smile. "I've always wanted to be a Detective."

 

[Zana]

"Of course you have," Zana gave a soft laugh and then rubbed the bridge of her nose as she tried to wrap her head around what they had gotten themselves mixed up in. They were meant to come away from Vel'Anir to not draw attention to themselves, especially if they were here to seek a doctor to get her checked over for a pregnancy they needed to hide. Getting involved with the cities politics seemed the complete opposite of going under the radar.

"Do you... have anything of his, that he held most recently or that he had on him a lot?" she returned her attention to the servant now. It wasn't the best way to get a vision but it could be done if the item was strongly connected to the person. Her magic had been going haywire since the pregnancy going backwards as well as forward, but she might be able to see something that would help them at least start their search for these witnesses.

 

[Talus]

The servant thought for a moment, then nodded his head.

"Yes, in his room. I do not think he would mind me showing you under the circumstances."

Talus nodded emphatically, finishing off his cup of tea and pulling himself up from the cushion. He walked over to Zana and offered her a hand as the Servant began to walk out the door. "You know."

The young Dreadlord said in jest.

"A few months ago I helped catch a Serial Killer in Vel Anir." It had turned out it was multiple goblins at the behest of a minor noble house but...well it still counted. "Three sailors should be no problem."

He smiled and pulled her to her feet. "We'll have him out by nightfall."

 

[Zana]

Zana looked more doubtful as she was pulled up from the cushions with reluctance. What she really wanted was a nap and maybe a smore.

"I hope so," she ran a hand down her braid and after a moment slid the leather thonging off the end. After a few moments of unwrapping she let it fall free to the small of her back in its loose waves of golds, browns and slight auburn hints. When the servant came down she thanked him for the item which turned out to be a handkerchief and carefully took it.

The vision hit her like a punch to the gut and her face registered as much as her eyes turned to that ghostly pale white.

A man standing before a judge, three others speaking turn by turn giving their false statements of seeing him down by the docks.

The image shifted --

-- three men laughing together in a tavern, a tavern with a sign of a swordfish jumping through a ring, as another man entered and pressed coins into each of their hands --

Zana dropped the silk like it had burnt her and rubbed at her temple.

"I think I know where to start looking."

 

[Talus]

Talus looked at Zana with no small amount of concern, frowning at her for a few seconds and putting a hand on the small of her back.

For a moment he wondered if this was a good idea. He could have her stay here and rest, not put up with all of this. Yet at the same time he knew if he suggested it she would likely hit him on the side of the head and box his ears.

"Let's rest for a while." He said softly, looking to the Servant. "We can go at dusk, it'll be quieter on the streets."

Easier to slip out. "Is there a room we could...?"

The servant nodded his head.

"Of course of course, please, come right this way."​

 

[Zana]

"No," Zana dug her heels in and refused to budge. "No - thank you but no," Zana offered the servant a small smile before looking up at Talus. "I don't know how much longer they'll be there," time was in short supply. Her hand travelled up his arm, rubbing slightly to reassure him, before it slid back down to twine her fingers with his.

Letting go, she looked around for a piece of parchment and quill. Spying a pencil and a bit of paper that must have been a servants notebook she lifted it with a little bit of magic and sent it flying to her hand. Once it reached her hand she began sketching the pub sign she had seen.

"Do you know where this tavern is? Or what it is called?"

 

[Talus]

A look passed between the man and Talus, the younger Dreadlord frowning deeply as he let out a small sigh. Arguing with Zana was like fighting a brick wall. Sure you could break it down, but doing so would give you more harm than good.

"Yes, It is down near the docks. I can show you."​

A frown touched his face, clearly not quite understanding what had just happened or how Zana suddenly knew this piece of information. He frowned a moment, and then held up a hand. "We shouldn't go dressed like this."

Talus motioned to their clothes.

"We need to borrow some clothes." He told the Servant. "Something that will blend in down there."

The Servant nodded quickly.

"I'll be right back."​

It was impressive, the speed at which the man bolted out the door. It was clear that there was excitement at the prospect at helping Zell. His steps were quick, and within a short few moments he returned to the room with a massive bundle of clothes.

Talus picked out a few, quickly stripping and throwing on the getup.

 

[Zana]

Zana too began stripping off without a care in the world, but froze when there was a muted noise of horror from the servant before he dashed from the room. In the Academy, and still even now in truth, she had grown so used to disrobing in front of anyone that she often forgot that wasn't normal elsewhere. She had the decency to wait for the poor fellow to be out of the room before pulling off the rest of her clothes and donning the Allirian dress he had brought down.

Whoever it had been brought for had been a lot thinner than Zana for it was tight across her breasts and her hips. She pulled a face and ran her hands over the curves with an irritated sigh.

"It will have to do," she murmured more to herself than anyone else then glanced over to Talus. It had been their first time alone for longer than a few seconds and she took his hands in hers with a smile. "Are you okay? I know he is a friend..."

 

[Talus]

While Zana was irritated, Talus ogled.

The dress was tight, but it was tight in all the right places. His teeth sunk into his lower lip for a brief moment, and his eyes panned up and down Zana's body with lecherous intent. He was only ripped out of his thought process when she took his hand. "Huh?"

He snapped out of it, shaking his head.

"Yes." The Dreadlord assured her quickly. "Yeah I'm okay."

A smile flickered on his face. "Alliria isn't as bad as home. I doubt they have him chained up in a dungeon somewhere."

Zell was a man of wealth and status after all. He couldn't imagine that the Guard would throw him in some dank cell somewhere.

"We'll get him out quick and enjoy our time here." He took her hand and softly pressed her knuckles against his lips. "I promise."

 

[Zana]

Zana stared at him blankly.

"I... I hadn't even considered he wouldn't he in chains," she admitted, dumbfounded. It had been the reason for her urgency as well as the issue of time itself. She hadn't seen a clock in the tavern she had seen so it was impossible to pinpoint a time they would be there; it could be they wouldn't go until after the trial but the way they had interacted with the barkeep had made her suspect that it was their drinking hole of choice.

"I had a vision of them drinking in this place, they were being paid by someone who looked rich," she wouldn't say important because he had looked nothing like the House nobles and that was Zana's standard of elite. "Hopefully we can get them to recant their statements and they'll have to let him go."

 

[Talus]

Talus nodded his head. "We can get them to do that."

He was sure of that at least.

"Money means little if you're not alive to spend it." There was an edge to his voice, though whether or not he was being serious it was hard to tell. It was easy to forget that Talus could be as hard as any Dreadlord if pushed.

For a few seconds he lingered, taking in a deep breath and taking a knife from his pack. Sword would be too obvious, and he doubted they would need it in the middle of a tavern. "Ready?"

He asked with a smile, tucking the blade beneath the odd leather jacket he had donned.

 

[Zana]

Zana stared at the knife with a little envy; there was absolutely nowhere where she could stash a blade and get to it easily enough for it to be of use. Not that she needed it, though she hoped to avoid using her powers in public here. Alliria might have been more accepting but a powerful telekinetic or energy attack would draw attention, surely?

A single nod.

"Ready," she ran her hands down the simple blue gown once more as if she hoped it would suddenly get bigger, then sighed and followed him out into the hallway where the servant was still waiting. Masir, as they soon learnt he was called.

They went out the servers entrance and wound through the streets. There were so many turns that she didn't think she would be able to remember how exactly to get back to the manor when eventually they found themselves down at the dockside. Zana spied the sign and motioned to Talus with a nod.

 

[Talus]

Talus had never really thought of cities as confusing. Every other one he'd been too had been thought out rather well. Yet as they wandered through Alliria he realized just how...chaotic it all was. Vel Anir had been planned, thought of, but this place?

This place seemed like wherever someone could build something they simply decided to. There was no urban planning, no thought put into what could go where.

It was an absolute nightmare.

Still, the servant man leading them apparently knew exactly where he was going, and before long they found themselves standing right before the bar with that odd sign. Talus looked at Zana for confirmation, and then thinned his lips when she nodded. "Stay here, we'll go inside."

Talus told the Servant as he straightened himself and adjusted the jacket.

With a deep breath the young Dreadlord moved forward, stepping across the street with Zana and moving into the tavern.

As soon as he stepped inside the scent of tabacc and ale his nose, lips turning to a frown as he waited for Zana to survey the room.

 

[Zana]

Zana took one step inside, promptly turned around, and left to throw up round the side of the building.

"I'm okay," she waved off his concerned expression when she came back in a few seconds later after pinching some colour back into her cheeks. She had learnt to smell through her mouth not her nose and this time the smell churned her stomach but not as badly. "Your children are kicking my butt today," she offered a weary smile and leaned up against him like any couple might before casually surveying the room. It gave the air of a young lovers looking for a table.

"There," her eyes froze, landing on the group of three men sat at the back of the room. "The ones playing dice beyond the fire. That's the three I saw in my vision."

 

[Talus]

He smiled as soon as she mentioned his children. There was something innately...pleasing about hearing that word. It sent a tingle of joy up his spine that forced him to smile. He tried to hide the expression, though he did a poor job of it.

Talus reached out and gently caressed her arm for a few seconds, only freezing a moment later when Zana spoke of the three men in the back. "Alright."

He took a breath.

"Alright I'll go over first." Talus told her softly. "Come in after me, distract them."

There was a confidence in his voice, though whether it was actually there or he was simply acting was difficult to tell. He flashed a smile at Zana, and then wandered over towards the table of three men playing dice. "Hello, Lads."

Talus said, pulling out a couple of gold coins.

"Mind if I hope in." He didn't wait for an answer, instead just sitting himself down.