Fate - First Reply Spring Heeled Trouble

[Vulpesen]

Alliria

Sparks flew from Vulpesen’s blade as claws flashed in the moonlight, a mere inches from his face and he offered a swift riposte, the point of his sword similarly coming within inches of the creature as it retreated. Still, as quick as the Zorren was, he scored only a large gash in his opponent’s cloak before it clicked its heels against the alley wall and sprang away. “Would you stop moving,” he growled, lifting his sword to point at its chest.

“And what fun would that be little champion” Its voice was high pitched and mocking, grating on Vulpesen’s ears. Anything beyond a passing glance revealed that it was something beyond the mortal races. Its face, capped by a top hat to undoubtedly hide a small pair of horns, was thin with a well groomed mustache and goatee. In its smile, Vulpesen could see a line of sharpened teeth. Its eyes glowed like flames in a hearth and as it lifted its hands, long metallic claws stretched from its fingers.

Dressed in a fine tail coat, the creature before him looked like a gentlemen of nightmares, but as the zorren’s eyes wandered lower, he found the real marker of what he faced. Below the knee, its legs were pitch black and thin. Its feet were shaped like an aristocrat’s boots. A passing glance might have made one think it wore simple breeches and black socks, but Vulpesen knew enough to recognize the shape of its limbs. A springjaek.

Mischievous at best, but more often malevolent, Springjaeks loved the city and the wealth of opportunities to sow chaos. There had been tales of some that managed to live normal lives, using glamorous to live among the mortal realm while suppressing their violent urges. But most were a danger, and something that the Brothers Vitae were constantly searching for. And when they were found, it was their agents that came to restore the harmony between the realms of mortal and fae. “Kiradin. You can come with me. Or you can leave this city. You’ve outstayed your welcome and if you resist anymore, I will end you.” The point of his sword lifted a bit higher, its tip evelling at the springjaek’s throat.

“And why would I do that? It’s so nice here. The girls are pretty with such lovely voices. Oh you should hear them scream. It’s like music. But I hear Zorrens have voices too. You might not be as pretty, but I’d still like to hear you SCREAM!”

Vulpesen had started to move but the springjaek’s claws raked against brick, bringing about a screech that almost brought him to his knees, just as Kiradin opened his mouth to release a gout of blue flame…

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3 Hours Later.


Singed, scratched, and bleeding, Vulpesen made his way into the inn, his tail flicking irritably behind him. “Quick lil devils. But he won’t leave the city. Even with me on his tail.” His grumbles and growls were drowned out by a flask from his cloaks which he brought to his lips as he reached the desk. “Room for one. Send up a meal, anything that’s left in the kitchens.” He didn’t wait to hear the rates for what he’d asked for. He simply dug into the pouch at his hip and produced some gold for the attendant. It was a generous amount, and he figured it would be enough to offset the late meal and any blood he might get on the sheets.

 

[Maelyne]

Maelyne's brows were set in a frown as she stepped on the boat that was about to travel from the Crossroad Mire to the harbor or Alliria. Her clothes were covered in mud and blood from recent fights she had gone through.

"Ugh, I really do hate coming to this place.. Why is it always filled with thugs and monsters that attack you on first sight?"

She opened her satchel and looked at the meager amount of herbs she managed to gather and let out a heavy sigh. Counting the different herbs and their amounts she calculated she'd have enough for at least four batches of antidote pills.

"I can get some herbs for healing pills in Alliria, if things go well I can at least make a few sets of healing and antidote pills."

A shipmate that took care of the payments walked up to Maelyne and stopped in front of her, the shipmate looked at the young girl in front of him from her face down to her shoes. His thoughts were clear..

"What is a small girl covered in mud and blood doing here on this ship? I hope she won't cause troubles on the way to Alliria."

Mae paid the set amount for her to get a small cabin to herself so she could clean her clothes and sleep for the night. It usually took about half a day's time for the boat to travel the distance from harbor to harbor.

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Early in the morning on the next day.

The boat slowly made it's way into the harbor of Alliria, as it started to turn to dock the door to Maelyne's small cabin opened and the girl could be seen walking out stretching and covering her mouth as she yawned. The cabins were not all that high class, the floors were naturally made of wood, the bed was just a wooden plank with a thin leather pad ontop of it and a even thinner cloth that would serve as a blanket.
Mae walked up to the shipmate that had taken her payment and gestured to the harbor.

"Does sir know how things have been in Alliria lately? Is there still a lot of theft and other small crimes?"

The shipmate shrugged in reply and continued to focus on his work to dock the boat properly, he threw the bumping pads over the side and then threw the ropes over the boulders used to tighten the boat to the dock in a single throw.
He continued to put down the walking board to let all of the passengers off the boat, as Maelyne passed him he smiled and spoke in return to her earlier question.

"You will find out yourself soon enough, we don't get told much about Alliria's situation."

Maelyne left the boat thinking about the shipmate's reply as she made her way to a inn she knew about a short distance from the harbor. As she made her way through a small alley a thin looking creature ran into her, grabbing the herbs from her satchel in a fast movement.
Cussing softly under her breath Mae rubbed her arm which the creature had ran into, she continued to make her way to the inn. Upon entering she sat down and asked one of the people working there for some breakfast, As she went to reach into her satchel to take out some money she noticed the herbs were missing.

"That darn creature stole my herbs?! That little thing! I will find him after this and remove his existence from the face of this earth!"

She calmed herself down as she let out a sigh and waited for her breakfast to arrive, as she was waiting she noticed other patrons including those who were staying at the inn entering the room.

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen groaned as he stepped down the stairs, his body swaying as if he was back on the ships where he so often made his mortal living. The swirling nature of his head was a fine reminder that whether he served mortals or fae, some aspects of his character never changed. But in his defense, it had been a rather rough night. And with little more than the dross of a chicken carcass, he had found need to take his calories from liquid bread.

Still, his ears flicked to a voice as he plopped down onto one of the stools. Certainly a maiden in distress, and what's more, distressed by some creature. True enough, in the world there were plenty of beings who called others 'creature', but he had the feeling this particular description was perhaps more in line with his hopes. His feelings were augmented by a buzz in his mind offered by his patrons. He was getting closer.

"Whatever juice ya got. Hit it with a fair bit of gin," he growled softly. Then, taking the proffered drink, he turned and headed to the maiden's table. "I've a feeling," he started as his tail hooked a chair and pulled it out for a seat, "that you and I might have some business in shared troubles, miss."

Maelyne