Private Tales The quiet side of town

[Aurra Brylee]

"Miss Brylee!"

She felt fear, raw and cold, crawl up her spine. It was late on the streets of Elbion. The stone soaked up heat in the day and it was warm and humid at night.

What were the odds? She thought. She was walking quickly, hood pulled up and he must have seen a lock of her hair and recognised her.

She approached him quickly. Without explanation she grabbed his arm, turned him about and pulled him along with her.

"Just keep walking!" she hissed to Nuir

It was a couple of days since their card game. She had been hoping to see him again.

But not minutes after stealing something from an Elbion crime syndicate and with two thugs tailing her.

 

[Nuir]

Nuir almost hadn't recognized her at first. When he had seen the figure stealthily and swiftly moving down the street, he had felt a strange feeling of familiarity. The sense of something half-remembered. Like a name on the tip of his tongue. It wasn't until he had seen a bit hair and an ashen pointed ear poking out that the name came to him. He had been pleasantly surprised to bump into her again. The healer only vaguely remembered the card game he chastised himself for getting so carried away enjoying a bit of drink.

Nearly as soon as he had called out to her she was pulling him along somewhere. He blinked in surprise. She seemed to be in an awful hurry. "Is now a bad time?" Nuir asked obliviously as he allowed her to pull him along. He matched her pace albeit with a confused expression.

 

[Aurra Brylee]

"Er...no."

She tried to glance over her shoulder without looking. Two shadows were still on her tail. Given who she had stolen from, she expected they were nasty individuals.

Theh hadn't attacked which meant they wanted to learn something by following her. Nuir was in danger and he didn't deserve any of this.

"Actually yes. Keep walking with me. Are you...were you having a nice evening?" she asked.

People who worked for the man she stole from could be anything from efficiently violent to deeply sadistic. She was quite fond of the silly elf and didn't want him caught up just for calling her name.

 

[Nuir]

Nuir was certainly getting mixed signals. He could tell that Aura seemed to be anxious about something and in an awful hurry. Then again she was actively pulling him along and inviting him to walk with her....so maybe she was just on a very important errand. "oh...well ok then..." He quickened his pace a little to match hers.

The corners of his mouth tugged up a little further as he proudly replied "A productive evening. I offered my services to some of the seedier types this side of the city. Mostly stab wounds or burns but there were some fairly interesting patients thrown in." He replied nonchalantly as if they were simply having an evening stroll.
"It's been a long time since someone asked me to heal....less thoroughly....some people really value scars...."
The dwarves had been like that. Though in their case a lot of their objections had been more that they felt his way of healing was unnatural. It was part of his initial motivation to learn various healing methods outside of his own innate magic.

"And how was your evening? Busy on some quest....or...?"

 

[Aurra Brylee]

"Well you've seen the shadowy side of the city then," Aurra mused.

He didn't need to see any more of it, she thought to herself. They were still being followed.

She didn't want him to find out that she dealt in the darker corners of the world. There weren't many people who saw her in a pleasant light. He was always so nice when he called her name.

"My evening was productive but I'm afraid it wasn't quite as smooth as if have liked."

She sighed and glanced over her shoulder.

"Don't look back. I'm being followed. You might have stitched them up earlier..."

 

[Nuir]

"Oh" Nuir replied as realization set in that they were in danger. His brow did furrow a little but shortly righted into a more neutral expression.
In the grand scheme of their friendship the night of gambling seemed to be an acceptation. It was the one time they had crossed paths without some lurking doom hanging over their heads. Perhaps that wasn't coincidence. Well....maybe that was fine he decided. A proper healer ought to be able to handle a little danger. It was exciting in a concerning sort of way.

He gave her a small chuckle. "I do so hate when that happens. But I won't begrudge it if you have to undo my good works." The elf followed along with the confidence that Aurra was keeping an eye on their pursuers. In any case she seemed to know this city much better than He. Nuir had no idea where they were or where they were headed really. Cities tended to leave him turned around even at the best of times.
"Any good ways to lose them? or are you waiting for the right time to give them a slice and dice?" Nuir whispered in a somewhat mischievous tone.

 

[Aurra Brylee]

She briefly raised an eyebrow at Nuir. He dealt woth danger remarkably well. Even when he was wounded he kept himself together.

"I'm hoping to avoid that," she muttered back. "Walk a little more quickly. Without looking like we are hurrying."

Aurra turned them east and down towards the dock district. The moonlight was doing a good job of catching the white of their hair. She would be followed until she reached her destination. She didn't know if they would set watch or make a move then.

There were still people down around the docks. People would be here until the small hours of the morning and then the sailors would be up before most of the city.

Aurra picked her moment. They rounded a corner and then she grabbed his hand tightly and dragged him down an alley. They passed a lady of the night.

Aurra grabbed Nuir. She pressed her back to the wall and pulled him into her with her left arm. Her right hand held a blade. Their silhouette was pressed to the shadows.

"Shhh."

 

[Nuir]

It was a little difficult to keep in stride as they quickened their pace and appear casual. This was mostly due to the difference in their heights. Her legs were quite a bit longer. Though to some extent this was because Nuir suddenly found himself overthinking about what casual walking looked like.
Nuir offered an awkward smile to the woman as they passed her spot of business. Who knows what she thought they were off to do heading down such a seedy street. Not that Nuir particularly worried about appearances.

He stifled any reaction as Aurra pulled him into the even seedier alley. He was belatedly beginning to notice that perhaps Aurra had an over-protective streak. It wasn't a bad thing of course. If anything it was a bit endearing....and Nuir wasn't exactly rooting to find out what might happen if the men caught up. This level of caution might be entirely warranted. Nuir had begun to realize in his travels that his laissez-faire attitude was abnormal. It wasn't as though he liked being in danger but that generally was where the injuries were.
He stilled and quietly kept an ear out for their pursuers.

 

[Aurra Brylee]

Aurra tilted her head into Nuir's. From across his right shoulder she kept her eyes on the mouth of the alley. She kept her grip on him and when nothing passed the alley she became more consciously aware of the way he was pressed to her.

Shadows appeared at the mouth of the alley. She closed her eyes as she felt a figure turn towards them. Aurra gripped the knife held behind her thigh. She let out a soft moan, trying to make them turn away in shame for what was clearly a debauched act in the shadows.

The figures moved on. Aurra took a breath. She released her grip on Nuir.

"Well..." she whispered, feeling a touch of shame. "...I bring you to all the best places."

 

[Nuir]

A tinge of blush colored Nuir's ears as Aurra Brylee let out a noise that could only be described as lewd.
He hadn't thought much of the hold until then either. Suddenly the space or lack there of felt much more scandalous. He watched the figures move on from the corner of his vision. He gave a short relieved sigh.

"...Don't worry about it..." He replied with an awkward chuckle and a shy smile. "There seems to always a bit of excitement when our paths cross." Nuir moved back just a tad and straightened his robes a bit. His eyes swept over the dark alley as if it were very interesting and definitely not to avoid eye contact. He cleared his throat in a soft unconvincing way ".....in any case we've lost your pursuers it seems. Perhaps we should make our way to the less...'interesting' side of town? Unless you've still some unfinished business?" He would have liked to offer to get a bit of tea or coffee but it was terribly late now. Likely there were only pubs and taverns open this late in the evening.

 

[Aurra Brylee]

Aurra watched Nuir closely. The corner of her dark lips twitched into a smile. She swung her hips to her left and placed her hand there.

"Just a bit of excitement?"

Aurra decided that it would have been cruel to tease him any more right now. He was very sweet and she was worried that if she was direct he might simply run away.

"Let's head this way," she said, stepping past Nuir and heading further down the alley.

She didn't know exactly where it went, but she didn't want to cross the criminals back on the main street.

"We'll head up and away from the docks," she said. "I'll show you what I stole and we can get a drink. Maybe just one drink for you."

 

[Nuir]

Nuir blinked away a flustered a moment of bewilderment. He wasn't used to this line of teasing. Jabs about his height were common place. Flirting of any kind was usually not on the menu. Aurra was really quite statuesque in a confident way that had (until this moment) given Nuir the impression she wouldn't have spared a thought toward him. Well at least not in a salacious way. Surely it was all in jest. Teasing he was plenty familiar with.

He refrained from a relieved sigh as Aurra Brylee switched topic. Nuir pulled his cloak snuggly and his face settled into it's usual unreadable if soft smile. He followed her down the alley assured that she would find their way much surer than he could.
"So you stole something, hm?" There was a bit of a teasing tone to his voice. He wouldn't deign to chide a grown woman about her choices but it certainly made the context of their pursuers clear. Their was a tinge of pout in his voice as he added. "I would say I learned from the last time....but in truth everything after the under dark wine is a blur....so I'll heed your warning this time."

 

[Aurra Brylee]

"Oh I take what I want," she said, glancing over her shoulder. It had only been a few seconds and she teased him with a look that went up and down.

"Except when it's too drunk...But this was a job."

She turned her head forwards and picked up the pace. They left the alley and were heading gradually upwards. The city was large enough that she was confident they wouldn't be picked up again. They would have to flood to city to find her now.

"I think I'm stealing something back technically. So that makes this time a little better?"

Her tone suggested that she wasn't always carrying out good deeds. She was being paid, or course.

 

[Nuir]

Nuir's ears went pink again at the insinuation.
He followed her out of the alley and towards the city proper. Nuir didn't have a strong opinion on thievery. He had seen some of the dire straights people could find themselves in. He was fortunate he had never had to resort to such himself. Yet he had seen first hand that for some it was do or die. That and when one heals without discrimination one learns to not ask where the coin is coming from. Nuir didn't doubt that those men he had healed had done worse than a bit of thievery in their time.

He offered an awkward chuckle. "Well. This must be something precious indeed if someone went to such lengths." Nuir couldn't deny that his curiosity was a little peaked.

 

[Aurra Brylee]

"I think it's magical and dangerous. I think they probably stole it from the college. Risky business. Better to have it back in sensible hands."

Better to have a slightly heavier coin purse, she thought to herself.

"We'll check it over where I'm staying. Then I'll drop it off in the morning and be out of the city."

"Are you staying in Elbion long?" she asked.

 

[Nuir]

"Magical...?" Nuir mused quietly. Well perhaps it really was better off being stolen back then. From what Nuir had heard the college held all manner of ancient artifacts. Perhaps it was not as high and mighty as it once was but even out in the spine they knew of it. There were bound to be quite a few enchanted items that were better served by knowledgeable hands.

He offered a small shrug " I'm not sure....I hadn't decided on where to head next...or how long until then." There was always more to see and Nuir felt an inextricable pull to do so. He had never felt restless in the high mountain tops of the spine. Yet ever since departing he had drifted ever onward in search of some unknown destination, some unknown purpose.

"And what are your plans? aside from finishing this job of course..."

 

[Aurra Brylee]

"I was thinking on to Oban," she said. "You're welcome to join me to the portal stone. Or to Oban," she replied.

Turning off the alley after a few turns they were on a wider street. Horses would clearly walk carts up and down the street in the day.

She stopped under the swinging sign of an inn. Even in Elbion, few people could read, and establishments used colorful signs.

She pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the side door to the apartments above. She didn't want to go through the tavern.

She led them to her room. It was a mess. Her belongings spread across the floor. She set a pouch on the small table and loosened the strings. Inside was a small metal puzzle box.

"Yeah. I don't think we should try and open that."

 

[Nuir]

"Oban...." Nuir quietly mused in thought his head titled as he tried to recall what little he knew of the place.
It wasn't as if he had any particular route in mind. Traveling with a friendly face for once could be nice.
"Are you traveling there for business....?"

He followed her through the street to the Tavern and into the room without much thought about it. Only when they entered did he realize that she was either not very tidy by nature or had been staying at this tavern for some time. Nuir carefully avoided stepping on any of the strewn items. A tight frown formed on his face as she revealed the puzzle box. There was no telling at a glance what was inside. However if it belonged to the college there was every chance it was a seal for something very nasty. He nodded in agreement.

"I certainly doubt it's a harmless prize inside. "

 

[Aurra Brylee]

"I think I'm going to leave that well alone," Aurra agreed. She didn't know if the puzzle box was the protection or the magical item. She was well read and had heard of such a variety of mystical inventions that it could have been many things.

She turned towards Nuir and took a step closer. It was just at the edge of invading his personal space.

"For business, yes. I've got a few clients that live there. Abandoned cities to explore, that kind of thing."

"It would be nice to have a little company on the way..."

She offered. God's she hoped he would get the hint. Her blood was up from the escape and she needed an outlet.