Akire
He stopped, staring at her intently and instantly reverting to a somewhat less effective manner of stealth. The woman didn't seem to be fooled. She made no sudden movements, instead staring at the three bodies laying in front of her.
Three bodies... he thought he'd heard five voices. None of them sounded appropriate to the form he watched now. He must've hurried too quickly out the door to not notice that there were at least two more patrons still in his ship with Ralgo. He knew that none of the voices had been Ralgo's. He would have to try and get back into the tavern at least somewhat quickly, lest this be some form of a group trick to steal some of his belongings... or his ship itself.
He refocused on his target, though dimly aware of anything that could be going on behind him. She still faced her former opponents, but had slowly turned her head to the side so she could glare at him and be ready for his attack. She made no other movements. He could see that in her right hand she held a short blade. The moonlight reflected brightly off it, meaning that it was still clean. She had taken the knife from one of the men. This gave him pause, because there must be more going on here than he knew if she had not used the knife on these men, who were very much helpless at this point.
His thoughts returned to the fact that he'd decided to try and make this at least a little quick and took one step forward and addressed her.
"Why do you find it necessary to start fights and cause damage in my home? Why have you not killed these men?"
She did the polite thing and slowly turned towards him. He thought it would've been very rude indeed if she'd done it quickly. He did not abide rudeness, not even from current or former patrons. She continued her surprising manners by turning the blade, again- very slowly, so that it was hilt out and lying in her open palm. She then let it drop. He'd been right... there could very well be more to this situation than first appearances led, although it was possible that she knew of him or had enough of a look at him she decided more trouble would be a less-than-sage decision. He let his thoughts rest on the former. He now had a better view of her with her facing him fully. With the moon and the light from his ship behind him, he could see that her appearance was very striking, and she was at most five years his younger. The lighting also must make it difficult for her to get more than a cursory look at what it was that she faced. He could see no evidence of her carrying any form of weapon other than the blade she dropped.
"I'm fairly certain at least one of them is dead, actually. How do you know that you haven't merely interrupted me? That blade isn't so far beyond my reach... placating the newest aggressor in a fight can often work to my distinct advantage, I've found."
Though her words did not paint her as a pacifist, she had let on one detail... if he was the newest aggressor, than he had been correct and she hadn't been the cause of problems inside. He took a few steps towards her and picked up the blade she had forfeited. It was indeed one he'd seen on one of the male patrons earlier in the day. He stepped past her and watched the bodies of the men who'd been so violent only moments ago. There was no mist rising from the one on the far left. The largest one, on the far right, was breathing, but haggardly. He would probably not last long, and he didn't have the knowledge to save him. The one ten feet straight in front of him was actually snoring.
He turned and looked at her again.
"I take it the loud one back there was the one that grabbed you?"
She stared at him, making neither noise nor movement. She was breathing quickly, but rather slow for someone who'd easily dispatched enemies with a total of girth like these three had.
"Come with me... for the moment, you're still welcome on my establishment. I'll buy you a round, provided you give me a few answers and don't throw me through a nearby bulkhead."
He pointed to the ship, and although he'd already claimed possession, he was trying to put her at ease, so he continued.
"That's my home. "Pariah". You can call me Jarrid. Do you have a name, or shall I simply stick to pronouns?"
She turned and walked toward the very open entryway. As she walked nearly silently away from him, she responded only slightly louder.
"My name's Akire".
She kept walking, not breaking pace.
Three bodies... he thought he'd heard five voices. None of them sounded appropriate to the form he watched now. He must've hurried too quickly out the door to not notice that there were at least two more patrons still in his ship with Ralgo. He knew that none of the voices had been Ralgo's. He would have to try and get back into the tavern at least somewhat quickly, lest this be some form of a group trick to steal some of his belongings... or his ship itself.
He refocused on his target, though dimly aware of anything that could be going on behind him. She still faced her former opponents, but had slowly turned her head to the side so she could glare at him and be ready for his attack. She made no other movements. He could see that in her right hand she held a short blade. The moonlight reflected brightly off it, meaning that it was still clean. She had taken the knife from one of the men. This gave him pause, because there must be more going on here than he knew if she had not used the knife on these men, who were very much helpless at this point.
His thoughts returned to the fact that he'd decided to try and make this at least a little quick and took one step forward and addressed her.
"Why do you find it necessary to start fights and cause damage in my home? Why have you not killed these men?"
She did the polite thing and slowly turned towards him. He thought it would've been very rude indeed if she'd done it quickly. He did not abide rudeness, not even from current or former patrons. She continued her surprising manners by turning the blade, again- very slowly, so that it was hilt out and lying in her open palm. She then let it drop. He'd been right... there could very well be more to this situation than first appearances led, although it was possible that she knew of him or had enough of a look at him she decided more trouble would be a less-than-sage decision. He let his thoughts rest on the former. He now had a better view of her with her facing him fully. With the moon and the light from his ship behind him, he could see that her appearance was very striking, and she was at most five years his younger. The lighting also must make it difficult for her to get more than a cursory look at what it was that she faced. He could see no evidence of her carrying any form of weapon other than the blade she dropped.
"I'm fairly certain at least one of them is dead, actually. How do you know that you haven't merely interrupted me? That blade isn't so far beyond my reach... placating the newest aggressor in a fight can often work to my distinct advantage, I've found."
Though her words did not paint her as a pacifist, she had let on one detail... if he was the newest aggressor, than he had been correct and she hadn't been the cause of problems inside. He took a few steps towards her and picked up the blade she had forfeited. It was indeed one he'd seen on one of the male patrons earlier in the day. He stepped past her and watched the bodies of the men who'd been so violent only moments ago. There was no mist rising from the one on the far left. The largest one, on the far right, was breathing, but haggardly. He would probably not last long, and he didn't have the knowledge to save him. The one ten feet straight in front of him was actually snoring.
He turned and looked at her again.
"I take it the loud one back there was the one that grabbed you?"
She stared at him, making neither noise nor movement. She was breathing quickly, but rather slow for someone who'd easily dispatched enemies with a total of girth like these three had.
"Come with me... for the moment, you're still welcome on my establishment. I'll buy you a round, provided you give me a few answers and don't throw me through a nearby bulkhead."
He pointed to the ship, and although he'd already claimed possession, he was trying to put her at ease, so he continued.
"That's my home. "Pariah". You can call me Jarrid. Do you have a name, or shall I simply stick to pronouns?"
She turned and walked toward the very open entryway. As she walked nearly silently away from him, she responded only slightly louder.
"My name's Akire".
She kept walking, not breaking pace.
posted by Erik at 10:46 PM
3 Comments:
Wow, I'm a writing machine tonight... tomorrow, I'll do a word count on my combined blogs. :-D
As always, your input is valued, positive or otherwise...
And so you know, it's pronounced "a-KEY-rah"
Don't mispronounce a lady's name. It's impolite.
Impolite, and likely deadly in this case.
I love this stuff, you are painting detail that is too deep to not be explained, and then explaining it in a non-threatening way.
I did have to go back and reread the first part, I lost some of the detail over the last week and had to have it all at once, kinda tough to follow if you're reading fast like I do.
I am in -- hook, line, and sinker.
The best part? I so totally want to know this woman... You've made her real in just a few pages.
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