You Broke in to Tell Me the Door Was Locked...
The rogue glanced up from his writing to stare at the younger elf before him. A long, stern and solid ten seconds ticked and tocked by between the two of them until Fealthalas leaned back in his chair and spoke, “I had my reasons. Besides, it’s not your place to question me on these matters. They are… personal,” He scolded. Four Kaliri all stood on perches equally placed in the furthest corners of the desk. Each had their own stacks of letters, some sealed with a half-crescent moon framing a jawless skull, the others bearing a seal of two crossed daggers bound to a vial (of what one could assume is poison) via a ribbon.
The rogue before Fealthalas rocked on the balls of her feet. Her daggers clicked on the sides of her belt as she did so. The eyebrow of her Grand Master twitched as the clicking continued, “But you two would have made such a cute couple! What changed?” She questioned curiously, stopping suddenly as she noticed the ever-growing scowl on Feal’s features.
Thunder storms were brewing figuratively around her and she giggled, waving both of her hands as if to tell him to ‘calm down’. “I’m just asking!” She continued to press, “I’m genuinely curious to know why you made that decision,” she pressed her lips together.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Fealthalas folded one leg across the other as he sat deep in his chair, “Did everyone know about my infatuation with the Paladin?” he question. Though he directed the question mostly to himself, he held up a silencing hand before the younger she-rogue could answer, “Anaila, look over there and tell me what you see,” He gestured towards a large bulletin board with three categories labeled with elegant writing tacked to its surface.
'Assassination’, 'Intelligence’, and 'Thievery’ were all followed by slips of paper and envelopes or scrolls carefully applied to each category. Below those three was another category labeled 'Miscellaneous’ with a single envelope with a rather elegant and expensively sealed letter.
Not sure if the question she was asked was a trick one, she answered, “Our… Job Board?”
Fealthalas nodded slowly, “When we take a job, we put ourselves at risk. We also bring risk unto others that we spend our recreational time with,” He stood slowly and silently made his way over to the board itself, tapping a page that was tagged to the 'Assassination’ category, “Now that I’m back behind the veil and behind the desk more than I ever was, I cannot take the situation as lightly as I once did.” He made an effort to vaguely hint at what he was trying to explain.
Anaila prodded further as she stepped up to the board herself to take down a post under 'Thievery’ and read the request, “Yes, but you told me that you didn’t mind so long as they would be able to hold their own. Easy targets aren’t picked if they are going to be able to smash in our competition’s faces when assaulted,” she ticked a giggle through her teeth as she put the paper back up. Clearly, it wasn’t a job that tickled her fancy.
“Yes, but there is an easy target now, and my eyes are telling me much of the Paladin,” He paused, “I do not have much to lose. It is harder to get to someone that has little extra attachments. However, the Paladin’s young Son is a risk that I cannot make a possibility,” he furrowed his brow in thought as he walked back to his desk. Picking up a letter addressed to the that very Paladin, he turned it over in his hands.
“Well that’s just depressing,” she pouted as she followed him, taking up a carved stone paperweight and turning it around in her hands. Feal glanced to the fire in the center of the room and with a flick of his wrist, sent it spinning into the hungry flames.
“Yes,” Fealthalas huffed as he continued to sort through letters he had not sent as though contemplating his contact with the outside world of his operations, “Well, truth be told, I feel no pain from it.”
She gawked at him in disbelief, “You are so heartless! How could you not feel pain from having to cut those kind of strings!” She shoved him half playfully, though the force gave off that she was quite upset in some manner or another.
“Do not take my lack of emotional pain for having to detach myself as being heartless. Silvendiel has always wished for a happy life with a child and someone he loves,” he shuffled through a few letters, dropping some beneath each Kaliri’s perch. Shadowsong stirred from her slumber to blink large eyes at the Assassin and the Thief, though eyed her handler far more intently than the little thief girl.
“I am quite contented to know that Silvendiel is contented. To me, that is all that matters. To see others happy warms me as much as my own humored romantic interests,” He looked down to her for a second, “Not that I have any right now,” his twilight-blue eyes flickered between two names on two different envelopes in each hand before he tossed one into the brazier in the center of the room, “I am not interested in these sorts of things while I lack the stable situation to support someone I care about,” he heaved another sigh as he tucked some letters and a scroll into a neat pile besides a leather, skin-like journal. A hawk-like feather sat diligently on the cover as though guarding the seemingly empty pages.
“I can’t take you seriously sometimes,” Anaila huffed as though throwing a mostly silent fit about the situation.
“Ask not questions that you shall simply argue with,” he spoke rather dully, as though bored with her persistence and wishing that his answer was satisfying. Truly, it would be best for her health rather soon if she were to leave.
“Fine. Fine,” she threw her hands in the air for a moment before letting them drop. She turned heel, “I’m going to go see if our Quartermasters need any help before Vendeatta tells me to and before you get any grouchier than you already are.”
The door slammed shut. Staring at the surprisingly well crafted structure that was just abused into closing, Fealthalas decided it was wise to lock it and ensure that no further disturbances came.
Seating himself back at his desk, he attached a tether to each Kaliri’s foot before attaching the tether to the respective stack of bound letters. He sent each one off, Shadowsong, Hearthfire, Dusty, and Veilheart each taking separate tunnels out through the ceiling.
The rogue leaned back in his chair once more and folded his hands over his stomach as he kicked his feet up on the table. Sighing, his mind began to settle on personal matters. That was, however, until a knock came at the door and the handle clicked in protest to being open.
The churning of tumblers and the click of the door being unlocked was followed by soft creaking as Vendeatta came striding in, “The door was locked. Where is your squad?” he asked abruptly, jabbing a thumb back at the door.
Fealthalas replied by simply slamming his head into his desk.
Honorable Mentions And Those Whom Are Involved:
(Since I was asked so nicely)
andulkaphoto
kianamaiart
stormborns
2087
titsay
amandla
pixelskylines
