Private Tales Temptation

[Lottie Beaufort]

"Your money, or your life."

* * *​

Lottie had been watching the opulent carriage make its way through the Widow Woods outside Oban for some time now. It had left the city walls a little after noon and was taking an agonisingly long time to reach the spot the Highway Woman had decided to stage her hold up. It was a decadent carriage even for Oban. The outside hosted a beautiful metal tapestry of flowers in varying stages of bloom, painted in a sky blue and then gilded in gold flakes. The door alone probably cost well over 10,000 crowns. The inside, not to be outdone by the exterior, was a whole host of lavish furnishings. Velvet curtains and seat covers, thick plump goose feathered cushions and further painting on the walls inside in golf leaf. Lottie knew for she had travelled in the thing countless times as a child. It belonged to her fathers friend, Oberyn De Lacey who was the kings personal adviser. It seemed a lifetime ago that she had ridden in that carriage with Oberyn's daughter Cassandra on their way to the Northern coast and their holiday homes in the vineyards to the south.

It wasn't the carriage itself that Lottie was interested in, though the temptation to try her luck at such a task was strong. She was young and though careful thanks to the careful tutelage of her sisters, she preferred to push her luck in contrast to their more considered way of thieving. No, what she was interested in today was the chest of clothes she knew Oberyn was taking home to his daughter. Her and Charlotte were of similar size and she knew they would be some of the latest fashions. He was also due to be delivering Cassandra's engagement ring to her, or so the rumours suggested. Diamonds didn't usually appeal but this was a Blue Diamond, said to have been forged in the heart of a dragons flame. And Lottie wanted it.

She was stretched out in the branches of a tree like a jungle cat when the carriage finally came into view on the ridge of the horizon which she could see through the gaps in the leaves.

"Finally," the thief breathed out an exasperated sigh and pushed herself to her feet. Cracking her knuckles she walked to the end of the branch, holding the one above her for support. Beneath her the ground rippled as she concentrated. Within a few moments a large tree - an exact copy of the one she was currently standing in which would now no longer appear to be there. The carriage rounded the corner a moment later and naturally pulled to a stop. Now was her chance.

With a cat like grace Lottie dropped down behind the footmen who had clambered out to explore the tree, smacking one in the back of the head hard enough to cause him to crumple face first into the first, and took the other male guard by surprise with her sword. Quietly she stepped over their bodies and made her way to the carriage. She wore her usual attire for these things; form fitting leather trousers, a white shirt, a black and gold military-esq form fitting waistcoat with a contrasting green and gold tailored frock coat. On her head she wore a striking tricorn black hat gilded in gold and about her eyes she had tied the matching green silk mask. Her bucket boots crunched on the forest floor as she sauntered leisurely over to the carriage and opened the door with a bit more venom than was strictly necessary.

"Your money, or your life Sir Oberyn," Lottie smiled sweetly.

Ten minutes later the footmen were bundled back into the carriage and the rich lord left at a far brisker pace in his carriage minus chest, ring and dignity. Lottie set the ring on her hand and inspected it in the sun with a blissful sigh. Today was going to be a good day, she could feel it.

 

[Raziel]

"Common fucking thieves," spat Raziel. The Harlequin and the Crone stood on the side of the road beside him. The Harlequin shrugged at him, as silent as ever.

He would never describe them as thieves even if they had also been waiting to rob the carriage. The blue diamond just happened to be a very vital piece in a very complex puzzle. Raziel was not even in this for the money, it was the challenge.

"Well, if the job is off..." mused the Crone. The Harlequin seemed to fall in slow motion before tucking into a tumble. She walked away, followed by the Crone.

"Common fucking thieves," muttered Raziel. He wasn't going to let this one go. Without wasting any more time he marched down the road to find where the carriage had been held up. Raziel was not a remorseful tiefling when his plans were interrupted.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

Lottie had a problem: the trunk was a lot heavier than she had expected. It had been easy enough to drag it from the back of the carriage and onto the floor but it was another thing entirely to pick it up and carry it through the forest. She scratched her head under the hat as she thought about the predicament. She could always go and get her horse, fashion a kind of sled and then drag it back to camp. But then she would have to leave the chest here and it might be gone by the time she came back; The Dandies were not the only Highway (wo)men to roam these highways.

Blowing out a breath she rolled her head to either side then grabbed a hold of one of the handles and began to tug it through the forest. She was not sacrificing one single one of these gowns that was for sure. Perhaps if she could at least get half way there and hid it somewhere she knew it would be safe then she could come back for it with back up. Maybe Rob, she didn't want to push her horse too hard.

 

[Raziel]

Raziel was not a tracker. He was no ranger who could follow footprints and broken twigs from one end of a forest to the other in search of his quarry. Fortunately those skills were not in demand today.

He starred, with some disbelief, at the gouge through the earth with his yellow eyes. His tail gave a flick of annoyance, his lips curled up into a dangerous smile.

Common, common bandits. Likely peasants with ideas above their station.

When he reached the edge of the forest he curled his hand into a fist and then tugged at the air. One of the trees lost a fraction of its shadow and Raziel bound that darkness to the darkness of his own soul.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

"Phew," Lottie dropped the chest and put her hands into the small of her back to stretch out the straining muscles. She was fit, but not this much. Maybe she had gone a bit too hard at the Festival a few days earlier with the drinking and dancing, then all the early mornings and late nights since then catching visitors leaving for home. Her sisters had given themselves the day off but she just hadn't been able to ignore this beauty.

She admired the ring again and how it looked on her finger with a hum. It did make her consider what her ring from the Prince would have been like if an adviser could have afforded this. A sigh. Alas, poor Lottie. She was about to pick up the trunk again when she noticed the marks she had been leaving behind her. A torrent of swear words tumbled from her lips at her carelessness; her sisters would have her hide. Torn again between going back to clear it up or carrying on she shook her head and waved her hand over her broken path casting an illusion instead. It should hold till at least the next day, plenty of time for rain to wash it away in the night or animals to cover it with their usual tracks. She would come back to check in the morning and clear it if it.

Onwards!

 

[Raziel]

The trail came to an abrupt end. Raziel might have walked around for hours trying to find another clue. However, the tiefling knew some illusionary magic. It was not his specialism, that was blood magic, but he could sense the shift in his perceptions.

Raziel left the spell alone. Attempting to mess with a persistent spell was a delicate business. At the very least there was a good chance the one he followed would sense the magic returning to the world.

Not a common thief then. Magic was a rare gift. At the core of his anger was a mental image of the robbers. Now it was more nebulous the heat of his anger was subdued.

Raziel increased his pace, following the trail of magic instead of the tracks.

"Fetch," he hissed. A deeper shadow rippled across the ground ahead of him to try and bind his prey. He could feel it now. The excitement of the hunt, the skip of his heart. The punishment would follow.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

Lottie's walk was slowing as a feeling of something not quite right was beginning to creep down her spine. It could have just been the fact the sun was going behind a cloud but she looked over her shoulder all the same. Nobody there. Shaking her head to clear the thoughts from her mind she hummed a tune to herself as she kept walking, the drag of the trunk had become a normal annoyance now and a strain her arms could take. Perhaps she would even get back before her sisters and she could come sort out this trail before dinner.

She was midstep when something snared her round the foot. With a yelp she let go of the trunk and managed to get her hands in front of her as she dropped to the ground, softening the blow a little. Cursing, she turned to look behind her to see what her attacker looked like and froze. A shadow? Lottie didn't know much about magic beyond her and her sisters skills but she was pretty certain shadows weren't often the type of gifts your friendly wood nymph used. Swearing she kicked out at the thing and tried to scrabble back. When that didn't work she slid her foot entirely out of the boot and made a run for it.

 

[Raziel]

All that effort and she had left the case. Raziel decided that he could return to it later. The chase was more important now. His heart drummed out a staccato beat as he ran after her. The shadow abandoned her boot and slid after her, like a shark beneath the surface of the ocean.

"So quick to give up your shiny baubles?" his voice sounded like a whisper, despite calling out after her.

Raziel drew his blade as he ran, more so that he could quickly call on his own blood for magic than to use as a weapon.

For sidelining his well laid plans he was going to ensure that her final moments in this world lasted as long as possible.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

Who the fuck is this.

Lottie's brows pulled into a frown as she tried to bring her breathing under control and listen. She had run a good distance and was now hunkered down behind a wide tree. Oberyn never travelled with a guard so it couldn't be extra protection could it? Besides, they would go after the chest and from the sounds of his voice he had no interest in that. So either it was a really dedicated guard who was going to risk his neck to get her diamond, or it was another thief and she had scuppered their plans by robbing the carriage earlier. Probably those bloody robbers who called themselves the Green Men. They really thought they were going to take her on?

Silently she eased the whip from her hip free, holding the length loosely in her other hand. Plan of action, Lottie, think. She could ultimately jump out and face the attacker but this type of magic was filling her with a sickening feeling in her gut. The best way to fight magic was with magic usually. Perhaps if the attacker felt she wasn't alone they would back off. The thoughts ran through her mind a mile a minute before she looked up at the tree. What would help her decide would be to get a look at whoever was following her, their numbers, and assess their strength. Gripping the whip in her mouth she began to climb.

Despite being minus a boot she was up the trunk on seconds and had laid herself over the branch of a tree that was still mostly in the canopy. She would be able to see but it would be had for him to see her unless he looked up.

If it was those Green Men she was going to give them a piece of her mind.

 

[Raziel]

"Come on, show yourself!" Raziel hissed. He slowed down, keen not to walk into a trap of illusionary magic. He had to check his anger and arrogance. The group had been too small to to carry the case off the ground, yet had still dealt with the guards.

By a drop of blood at a time he was going to make them pay.

The shadow had come to a stop. It had lost its prey. Raziel slowed to a halt beneath Charlotte's tree. Lowering a hand to the ground he gave a piece of himself to the shadow. She would see it rise from the earth, given a full form. It was like a twisted version of a goblin.

It looked up.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

Lottie's eyes grew round as Raziel finally stepped into view, catching up with the shadow which had been spinning around the area trying to find where she had gone. She tried to inch herself back, her courage beginning to fade. This was not just going to be a brawl between two thieves this was going to be something a whole lot...

"Worse," the word left her in a breath as she watched with abject horror the thing that grew out of the shadows. She froze, the branch she was on shook slightly and the creature snapped its head up. Lottie only had a second to use her advantage of height and how she was hidden to get the hell outta dodge. Two of them landed on the people below, one was Lottie herself the other a brilliant example of her concentrated illusion magic. One brandished the sword on her hip and the other the whip.

The one who landed on the Goblin dove with the sword in an attempt to skewer it, whilst the one with the whip landed practically on Raziel's back, bringing the whip around his throat and pulling tight.

 

[Raziel]

Raziel braced as the two shapes descended from the tree. It was a trap. They had snuck over his head on the branches to line up their drop. Another hot flash of anger went through him to a single beat.

The shadow was eviscerated by the sword, sublimating back into the aether in a heartbeat.

Raziel was pulled backwards, grunting and hissing as the chord was tightened around his neck. He dropped his knife and threw his weight forwards. His fingers clawed at the whip.

His dextrous tail caught the handle of the knife, swinging it back between his legs and upwards at his attacker.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

The illusion vanished as the knife in his grip went through it and Lottie now stood opposite him, whip and sword in either hands with her eyes narrowed. It seemed she had picked the right one to go for, she hadn't even thought about him being able to use his tail in such a way. Being young and using her magic so much was making her tired: illusions which required substance took a lot of energy. It was for that reasons she didn't throw herself at him for a second attack but rather tried diplomacy.

"Well, I would definitely remember you if I had robbed you, so why are you following me?" Lottie sheathed her sword and instead wound the length of her whip around her hand, released it, and did it again in an impatient manner. She still had her mask and hat on but it would still be clear she was irritated someone had interrupted her walk back to her camp.

 

[Raziel]

Raziel's tail passed the knife back to his hand. She was quite an effective illusionist. Whilst his experience meant he could sense them it was a matter of time. He could not concentrate on her magic when making a split second decision or when trying to call on his own.

"I had a plan and you interrupted it. In a very short time, when you start to wish for death, you will wonder if you deserved this."

He drew the blade slowly across the back of his forearm, leaving a thin red line in its wake. The blood rose as a mist, coalescening into a tight sphere over his palm. Now he simply needed a touch of her blood.

"The truth is that you do not. But we are not always in charge of our own destinies. I, however, will be feeling much better about this day."

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

"So you wanted Oberyn's treasures too..." it was a statement of fact she more aired for herself than for his benefit. She had only taken two things from that carriage and that had been the chest, which he had left behind, and the ring which was glittering like a traitor on her finger. She rolled a thumb over it in a lazy gesture to almost make sure it was still there then put her hand in the pocket of her waistcoat.

"Look, I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement," Lottie watched the blade draw across his arm with a sickening feeling developing in her gut. Blood magic. There was nothing good of wholesome about that, and she wasn't entirely sure how her illusions would match up to that. Anything she did now she couldn't drop a single bit of blood. Carefully, she took a step back with her hands raised, in the process taking her other foot out of her remaining boot. She couldn't afford to be off balance in this fight.

 

[Raziel]

"But...why?" Raziel asked. His tail gave an impatient flick as he took a single step closer.

"I can take a modicum of satisfaction from you and also have everything in that case?"

Raziel drew a second throwing knife and flicked it forward lazily. It struck the ground a foot in front of her bare feet.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

Lottie had no real answer for that. She supposed it was true, had to admire his honesty. Carefully she crouched down and picked up the knife that landed in front of her and ran it through her fingers as if pondering his question though in truth she pondered how she could get out of the situation itself.

"Well.... What if I showed you where a better prize could be found?"

Yes Lottie, because making a deal with the devil is a great idea.

 

[Raziel]

Raziel took another step closer. The shadows seemed to grow deeper behind him. A crimson sneer against a dark background. Just one cut to turn the fight, no matter how skilled she was.

"Would you like to tell me? I promise I will throttle the life out of you with your own whip before the night is done. The alternative is much, much worse."

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

This was why her sisters despaired over her. A normal humans reaction would be to run, or perhaps a few of them to draw a weapon and fight. Lottie's whole body was pumping with adrenaline and a thrill ran down her spine. She hated when people spoke to her in this way, discussing all the things they would do when they could lay their hands on her. But she wasn't to be played with.

She took two steps forward so they were toe to toe now, her own feral smile twisted at her lips.

"I will show you on the exchange that not a pretty little hair on my head gets hurt. It'll definitely be worth your while."

 

[Raziel]

Raziel narrowed his eyes. This close, they burned with the hatred that left no doubt that he would follow through on his threats. His sadistic nature and curiosity briefly flared into an internal struggle. His tail swished from side to side like the pendulum of a clock.

"This sounds like the last gambit of someone on the end of the noose," he accused. The shadows drew even deeper around them. She was quite alone now. Just this demon of a man between her and her safety. It was all fun and games playing the highway robber until you irked the wrong people.

Raziel didn't ask a question. He left the space for her to fill. The time it had taken to reply spoke enough on its own. He was going to hear her out.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

The shadows were blocking out the forest, the sun, her escape routes. Lottie knew she was playing a dangerous game but sometimes that was the fun in life. When he made the comment about being at the end of the rope she gave a casual shrug and kept her face nonchalant and held the dagger out towards him hilt first.

"If you want to try your hands at fighting with illusions, be my guest. How do you know what is standing in front of you right now isn't an illusion?" the highway woman cocked her head to the side and held his gaze intently. She had had time to create an illusion when she had stepped forward, perhaps that was when the real Lottie had vanished to make her escape.

"Seems to me you have three options. One, you kill me and I am here and you thus miss out on a way more interesting prize. Two, you kill me and find out the likely scenario that I am actually miles away by now and you've been played a fool. Or," she took her hat off now, her brown short curls blowing in the breeze as she placed the tricorn over her heart. "Number three, you promise me no harm and I promise - illusion me or real - I will show you where a Griffin Egg is currently being held outside of the inner sanctum."

The inner sanctum was near impenetrable and usually all eggs were kept in there. That one was outside was a rare and exciting opportunity for any thief.

 

[Raziel]

Raziel slowly wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the dagger, one by one. His left foot led, placed between hers. Then he wrapped his other hand around the back of her neck. It could almost have been an intimate embrace, had he not placed the tip of the dagger just below her sternum.

"Trust me. No amount of time would be enough to guarantee your safety now," he whispered. His fingers left a slight smear of his own blood across the nape of her neck.

"Illusions are like shadows, like blood, almost bound to the source. I'm sure I could find a way to bind this one to you, if that's what it is."

The tip of the dagger pressed just enough to sting, yet not enough to cut.

"You have this egg?" he asked.

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

Lottie stiffened when he wrapped his hand around the base of her neck. Her instinct was to lean her weight into it, which only doubled when the tip of the blade was pointed at one of the most vulnerable sections of her throat. She swallowed a hard lump but her eyes didn't leave his, kept her composure as he spoke. Their faces were so close she felt the words as much as she heard them and it took physical effort to stop her body giving an involuntary shudder. She really had annoyed the wrong person this time.

"I'm sure you could find a way but by then I would have informed my sisters, and their magic is far superior to mine. If you are struggling with this illusion, you will struggle with their gifts," very slowly she reached up and put a hand over the top of his on the dagger and with a firm gesture pushed it back towards him.

"No, I do not have it on me. So no, you cannot just slit my throat and search my corpse. If you want the egg you will need me as your guide. There is no other way."

 

[Raziel]

"Slit your throat? As if you would have such relief," he purred. His tail slowly swished from side to side over her shoulder, making it difficult for her to keep her gaze on his.

Crimson fingers trembled as he resisted her push. The tip of the knife quivered, hovering close to her skin. He pulled down, letting it trace a line from her throat to her navel.

Raziel wasn't working through logic inside his head, it was a raging maelstrom of temptations. She was so well formed and clearly proud of it. Raziel loved to take such things and bring chaos to them. A perfectly run city, a work of art. Taking her apart piece by piece would have been delightful.

"What I mean to ask is whether this is simply a case of fetching it from your stash or is there a challenge involved in taking it?"

 

[Lottie Beaufort]

It was becoming increasingly hard to stay focused but she had no doubts as soon as her attention was diverted he might plunge the tip of the blade through her throat - even if he did seem to want to savour her death. She didn't want to take the risk. The tail, however, was becoming annoying as it trailed tantalisingly over her shoulders, down the line of her neck, and made the curls of her hair bob. Once she seemed to have won a little of the battle in getting the knife to stop pointing at the hollow in the base the throat she risked a glance to the red offending limb and with quick reflexes reached out and grabbed it.

There was a sheen of anger in her eyes now. Lottie didn't like to be played with.

"Did your mother ever tell you it is rude to play with your food?" Her grip tightened on his tail and kept a hold of it. " It's in a nobles perfect little mansion basically being kept as an ornament currently, much more of a challenge than Oberyns carriage was anyway. But, perhaps you're not the man cut out for such a job," a little shrug and she dropped his tail ceremoniously.