Private Tales Sickly Sweet

[Trix]

Trix practically skipped along the road. There was something about getting Krixus into these situations that was just simply... delightful. Perhaps it was because he had been dating that Pirian girl with her deep religious sense of morals. She had rubbed off quite the bit on Alistair who until then had been... well not as cool as the inner circle like Liliana but certainly more fun.

She pinched an apple from said bellowing market holder as they passed, flipping him a coin and biting into it.

"Come on Ali, let's hear your speech. How you were told she's the best at...?" her eyebrow hitched.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

If it was possible for Alistair to roll his eyes anymore than he already was then Alistair would have done so. He made him through the streets with his own group, both women casting for more...loud auras that Alistair's own subdued tone.

"I won't need a speech. I will let her feel like what she wants to be, the hunter."

Beneath Alistair's jacket, he removed a pouch of gold that he now hung noticeably on the outside of his belt. A few minor spells and his black clothing were already changing to lighter hues of blue and brown. Finally, he tousled his hair to make it look a little more unkempt.

Then, his shoulders noticeably slouched and his normally taught jawline slackened. Without knowledge of this man's status as a Dreadlord, he would have looked entirely unintimidating.

"I'll simply tell her that Gerald told me that she is the best, and I have plenty of money to pay. That will be enough."

Trix Kitra Sen

 

[Kitra Sen]

Kitra wasn't part of their graduating class at the Academy, but it was not hard to pick up the banter.

"It seems our friend Al here knows the way to the heart of a lady." She smirked, peering at Alistair first before shifting her gaze to Trix. Turning back to face the front, and shrugged. "Can't hurt to ask for discretion also. Helps sell the image that you are putting forth. Nice work on the change of appearance." The change had helped.

The closer they got to the Merchant's District, the easier it was for Kitra to spot the directions she was given.

"The yellow door to the left of the leatherworker's workshop." The voice that left her lips were not her own, but of the courtesan that told her the information to find their current suspect and lead.

"That look yellow to you? It looks more orange to me..."

 

[Trix]

"How so utterly boring," Trix sighed as Alistair presented his plan. "Not even one, tiny little deranged kink to tempt her?" the stony look in her direction was enough to tell her what he thought of that idea and she sighed again even more dramatically. "In future I think you should leave the cover stories to me to invent."

As they walked past the last stall - a floristry - Trix pinched a small unassuming snow drop.

"If it had been washed recently it would look yellow," she crinkled her nose. The smell was certainly worse this deep in the Merchants quarter. Pig slop, sewage, and things Trix would rather not identify sluggishly ran down the shallow drains in the street. "We'll wait over there," she pointed to a small tea shop on the corner which didn't look too offensive then popped the snow drop in his button hole. "Safe word is peaches," she winked before sauntering off.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"Your cover stories have too many... unnecessary liberties."

It was always nice to work with old friends, but Alistair was not about to let Trix continue to place him in uncomfortable positions for nothing more than her own amusement. He had left any bullying behind at the Academy.

Kitra's directions were indeed helpful. While he agreed that the door looked more orange than yellow, it was the closest thing to yellow in this area.

"One way to find out."

He split from his companions as he made his way towards the door. He wasted no time in knocking on the door, it was a light but quick knock meaning to convey hesitancy but also urgency.

"H-hello? Is anyone there? I'm here to see M-Merryn?"

Kitra Sen Trix

 

[Kitra Sen]

Kit grinned widely as Trix came to join her towards the tea shop, shooting Alistair a salute before turning around and parting ways before any could place the three of them working together. Finding a seat at the tea shop was not hard when Kitra all but ran into the shop to claim a table seen beside the window. Securing it, she offered Trix a triumphant and smug expression. "Best seat in the house."

This earned her doubtful looks from other patrons, who had better seats that allowed them to watch the tea ceremony being performed. Kit didn't care for it, ordering a lemongrass tea when a tea attendant came to their small table that gave them clear view of Alistair knocking on the door of the (not) yellow door.

"Kress, at least he is highborn." He still had a stiffness to him, but that was because Kitra knew what to look for in her colleague.

 

[Trix]

"Ah, mon ami, you should have seen him at the Academy," Trix shook her head with an amused smile as the two women watched the door open. A woman matching the description the courtesans had given filled the doorway, leaning against the door frame and running her eyes up and down Alistair like a piece of meat she couldn't decide on eating or throwing in the trash.

Trix ordered a hibiscus tea and then as the tea girl was off preparing it, she cupped her hands together and let a bit of magic bloom to life in her hands. An identical snowdrop to the one she had planted on Alistair appeared, through which they could hear the conversation happening across the street. She gave Kitra a wink at the other girls curious look then put a finger to her lips.

"Who are you? What do you want?" the woman asked, tugging her shawl tighter around her shoulders. Her eyes darting up and down the street nervously.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair would have to make sure that he told both Trix and Kitra that he told them so because it was clear from the first look that this woman was used to being in some form of control. He wrung his hands lightly before mimicking her and glancing behind him as if he too did not want to be seen.

"Um, I-I'm friends with Gerald...t-the cook. He told me y-you would help. I-I've never...b-been wit-with a w-w-wo..." The closer he got to the subject at hand the worse his pseudo stuttering became. After failing to get out the words he nervously grabbed at his coin purse.

"I-I can pay."

Alistair forced out, that bit seeming to be far easier to say than the real purpose of his visit, which Merryn could likely guess from his broken wording.

Some might be amazed at Alistair's acting abilities, but the sad truth that only his Academy classmates would know is that this wasn't really acting. This was an old version of Alistair from the Academy that he had worked for years to overcome. He had spent hours training his magic and swordsmanship to develop his confidence. He held himself to an incredibly strict and high standard so as never to slip back into this version of himself.

Kitra Sen Trix

 

[Kitra Sen]

Magic fizzled beneath her skin and dark eyes fell upon the snowdrop Trix was able to blossom between them. Her own magic reached forward, as if it wanted just a taste of the magic her colleague wielded, but Kitra always thought it rude to mimic the power of someone you didn't know well. However, if Kit did not mean to ever get to know them, she'd have a little play at their power.

Trix had earned Kit's respect her first year as a Dreadlord, and Alistair did too once she was selected to be part of the Vigilite.

She beamed, grinning widely as they could hear the courtesan.

"He's a great actor." She said in her softest voice, careful not to be heard but her magic carried her voice to the ears of her colleague.

Merryn, form their vantage point, seemed to change her defensive demeanour and open the door a little more, leaning herself against the frame for Alistair to see better. "So eager to wet your whistle... why me?" They could hear her ask through the magicked blossom. "There are nicer girls that specialise in one's first time, why me?"

Kitra furrowed her brows, unsure of the courtesan's line of inquiry. Perhaps she liked fishing for compliments?

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair looked taken back by the question and then glanced at his bag of coins like he had expected the coins to be all that was needed.

"Uh, um....I-I did not ask for the nicest or special-ties. I a-asked for the best. G-Gerald gave me your name."

A look of worry crossed his face as he seemed to realize he had said something wrong, "A-Although, d-d-d-discretion would also be rewarded."

By this point. Al was nervously fiddling with the bag. He looked nervous at the possibility that he had come here for nothing. As this woman stood in the doorway, the way Al seemed to slouch clearly demonstrated that she was in control.

"A-apologies if I in-in-bothered you."

Kitra Sen Trix

 

[Trix]

Trix rolled her eyes at the dramatics coming through the flower.

The woman on the doorstep at least seemed a little more convinced. She eyed the bag up again as it jingled and a hungered look took over her features for the briefest of moments. With another look up and down the street she sighed and stepped back out of the way to allow him to enter.

"Fine. But discretion goes both ways, d'ya hear? I'm not meant to be working at the moment and if Madame catches me taking clients and not giving her a cut... well. Just get inside. Take your boots off, don't be trapsing mud through my halls."

 

[Kitra Sen]

Kitra grimaced.

"Not meant to be working. Predetermined time off, you think?" Came her whisper.

Cradling her tea, Kitra concentrated on hearing Alistair's nervous rambling answer.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair was nodding his head so fast that he looked like a bobblehead. He quickly stepped inside as he stumbled over himself as he tried to accomplish three different directives at the same time. He was already trying to take his boots off as he stepped inside, while his hand was reaching for the pouch to hand the coin over to her.

He nearly fell before catching himself.

"Th-Th-Thank you very much. No one will kn-kn-know."

A small smile splayed on his face like he was trying to hide the excitement now that it looked like things were working out in his favor. Still trying to maintain his polite demeanor.

"L-Lovely home." As the door was finally closed after him. Once the boots were finally taken off, he waited silently for the woman to give him directions on where he should go.

Kitra Sen Trix

 

[Trix]

Trix gave her tea a thoughtful sip.

"Perhaps the Madame was not telling us the whole truth," the Dreadlord seemed delighted at the prospect, as though she had been waiting for an excuse to take the questioning to another level.

"But why would she agree to time off? To protect the girl? Or to try and cover up a mess?" she tapped a finger against her tea cup.

The woman gave Alistair a withering look as he all but face planted the floor of her hallway, though it didn't stop her from picking up the pouch of money he had dropped and neatly putting away about her person.

"Bedroom's this way. What are you into, sugar?"

 

[Kitra Sen]

"Well, let us hope those answers can be found out by our dear colleague." Kitra mused, easing back into her seat with her brown eyes now trained on the spelled flower. There was no need to watch the door no longer, not unless they wished to bring attention to their investigation.

She had to imagine what was happening now, where Alistair and the courtesan would be standing in her home. Kit tried to stifle a shit-eating grin hearing the woman speak in such a way to the poised lord Kitra only knew Alistair to be.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair slowly made his way in the direction she indicated, but it seemed the question she had asked stumped him. His mouth was moving, but no words were necessary coming out until a flood of stuttering followed.

"Oh, w-well, um, I...l-l-like...anything?"

He offered unhelpfully to her as he now more closely looked at the woman that he was inside. He wondered if it was worth continuing this charade. He could wait until he got in the room, tie her down, and then just bring the others in to continue the questioning.

That decision could be enacted quickly, so he would continue to play the game for now.

"W-w-what do y-you l-like?"

Trix Kitra Sen

 

[Trix]

Trix sniggered into her cup as the conversation continued.

"You're not paying me for what I like, Sugar," she gave him a bemused look and opened the door, standing to one side so he could enter first. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable and I'll get us some wine? Always helps on your first time."

She didn't give Alistair much of a chance to reply before sweeping off.

"Ugh. Let us hope Ali does not drink the wine. Not if she is our little poisoner, or there will be a lot of paperwork," Trix sighed.

 

[Kitra Sen]

Kitra pursed her lips, trying to compose her face.

"I suppose we should search her home after for anything that would link to her workplace, or even that... perfume poison, whatever it was." But yes, the wine would be the first hurdle for Alistair to navigate in hoping the working woman did not find it suspicious he was not taking proper sips.

Or perhaps the Rune Knight had a way of protecting himself against suspected poisons.

Her impatience started to show as Kitra kept shuffling in her seat, readjusting herself to listen in on the conversation between Alistair and the courtesan.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair's facade never dropped, but as he began to remove his clothes, he hesitated slightly. He was covered head to toe in tattoos and scars, certainly she would find that strange.

A quiet whisper under his breath and a small illusion was placed over his skin making it seem fair and unblemished. He then began to undress, stuttering over what he was trying to say while the woman retrieved their wine.

"Uh, um, I th-thi-think I have someth-thing I m-m-might like to do."

He moved to the bed taking a very conservative seat, looking extremely nervous.

Kitra Sen Trix

 

[Trix]

Trix's brows raised and she glanced over at her companion.

"Shall we place bets on our fair friends kinks, cherie? His last love was the religious type... perhaps he likes being whipped for penance," a wicked smirk cleaved her face in two.

 

[Kitra Sen]

There was something dangerous and exciting just talking to Trix.

Alistair was her colleague, someone she knew at the Academy but not well enough to know him once they were out from their years of being Initiates. Her relationship with him was more professional than personal, and an uneasy smile crossed her face. She liked to have fun, especially when Trix made things lighter and easier for such a chance.

"He plays meek and little very well. Perhaps he likes the role of being taken advantage of?" Kitra cleared her throat to hide her nerves saying such a thing, but her need to be included overrode any doubts.

"Oh Alistair! Would you like me to step on you?" Kitra's voice mimicked the courtesan's to perfection. It was her best talent given her magic, but one that earned her the title of Vel Cirak's Lyrebird.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

The woman looked expectantly at Alistair who had cast his eyes downward, not able to meet her in the eyes. The silence hung for several moments as a look of annoyance spread onto the courtesan's face.

"Well, say it. Don't be-"

"B-B-Bondage!" Alistair blurted out as his eyes finally rose up to meet hers, a blush spreading onto his face.

This time a small smile did spread on the woman's face as the surprising request from the meek man. Having forced out his words, Alistair went to unbuttoning his shirt.

 

[Trix]

Trix's laughter had people in the cafe glancing curiously in their direction, hesitant smiles on lips as though hoping to understand what had caused such mirth. She managed to get her giggles under control however soon enough for them to hear the next part of the conversation.

"I can do that, sugar. Just lie back.... Do you know if you prefer ropes or chains?"

Trix hid her next laugh in her cup.

 

[Kitra Sen]

Kitra choked on her own breath, one she did not realise halted in suspense as the words bondage and ropes or chains were spoken

Gasping for breath, she reached for her tea to help clear her throat.

"Kress, I am getting mental pictures. Oh no. Ugh!" Kit threw her hands over her face, then moving them to her ears and frowning. She did not need to imagine or hear any more of this talk. At what point was he going to start questioning her?

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair was frozen at the question for several moments before his shirt fell to the floor. The woman stood puzzled at the scarred sight before her, before Alistair whispered "Chains."

With that, a quick cast of a spell and stone chains erupted from the wall behind her latching onto her ankles and wrists before wrapping all around her. Within seconds she was neutralized.

"You two can come over now. You aren't getting to enjoy that part." His demeanor now completely changed back to what it was before.

Alistair stepped over to kneel down in front of Merry, "Alright, so you are going to answer some of my questions or you are going to die."

Kitra Sen Trix