Viduus Tenebris

[allysnpcs]

Thread 1 @kingofcrows-cartwright @viduus-tenebris @morgana-the-healer​

It was about an hour after the auction when it was time to get the things that one had purchased. Viduus was there to oversee the proceedings, Cartwright was picking up the ship in a bottle he had purchased for Lavinia and Morgana was there for the book she had gotten.

All normal things really. Except for when Morgana saw the strange movement in the painting. Standing behind Cartwright, she leaned away and towards the picture to look at it, when a strange glow emitted from the painting and captured the three individuals, drawing them into the painting. It was the strangest feeling, like getting turned inside out. They landed on a dirt floor, dusty and dirty with some debris around them. The air smelled like smoke and they couldn’t even see the sky though everything had a strange red and grayish tint to it. 

Whereever they were, it sure wasn’t save

Keep reading

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus got up from the ground, dusting himself off. “Great, another suit ruined.”, he grumbled to himself, before checking his surroundings. His two companions on this unwilling journey didn’t seem to have fared much better, so he took at least a little comfort in that. After he was satisfied with having gotten the worst dirt and wrinkles out of his suit, he noticed the smell. There weren’t any other signs of fire yet, but he sure didn’t feel like waiting around until there were. Turning around, he fixed his gaze on Cartwright, not without rolling his eyes at the situation though, and swearing under his breath.

“Seriously? Well done Crowright. Got me caught up in one of your messes again?”, he half chided, half teased.

Not really waiting for an answer from the man, he turned to the woman with a charming smile, extending his hand to help her up. “I am so terribly sorry about this! If you want to sue Dorkwright later on, I have some excellent lawyers you can call.”

[kingofcrows-cartwright]

Cartwright had barely managed to gather his bearings before he heard the telltale screeching of whom had to be his least favorite person on the planet; and even worse Viduus was directing his screeching at him. 

“I accidentally sell one of your little members to a merchant once and suddenly i’m branded the bad guy for life.” He huffs and crosses his arms like a petulant child. “It was an accident, get over it.”

Taking in his surroundings with an eyeroll at Viduus for good measure, he noticed the similarities between them and a certain painting that had been at the auction. 

“Hey this ain’t me, cursed shit is a little above my pay grade. If anything, it seems right up your alley, Viduus.” He turned to Morgana, recognizing the girl from her shop. “I’ll hold him down if you wanna kick him in the balls a couple times.”

[morgana-the-healer]

Morgana groaned as she lay on her back, staring up at the red sky. She knew she wasn’t in Naraya anymore. “What-” She began to say before choking on the heavy dust, that was something she would have to get used to quick. Morgana pushed herself up with her elbows at first, bringing herself into a sitting position.

She looked around and noticed two other people had been pulled through the painting with her- if that was what really happened; she was having a hard time wrapping her mind around that idea. It was all so bizarre.

She just barely recognized the man that hid in her shop that one day that felt like months ago. “I remember you.” She tilted her head towards him. “You’re that cheeky auction guy.” She added, looking over at Viduus. She accepted his hand, using his leverage to pull herself up. “Do you know where we are?” She asked the two of them.

“Oh stop it, you two are bickering like children.” If they were going to get back home, she thought they might be a more cohesive team if they worked together- and she definitely didn’t want to be out here by herself. 

[viduus-tenebris]

Cheeky auction guy? Viduus was stunned momentarily by her words, before thinking about it. She did have a point.

“True. I have been known to be quite cheeky.”

He looked over at one of his top ten least favourite persons to be trapped with in a painting of a hellish landscape. Or to be trapped in a painting in general. Or be trapped with.

“As for you, do you always have to be so vulgar? ‘Kick me in the balls’, really? Try some manners for a change Cartwheel, and behave like an adult.”, he chided the third of their merry crew.

Again, he looked around, trying to remember if he had ever seen something similar, or if he could scrounge up the knowledge of where the painting had come from in the first place. Coming up blank for the time being he turned to the others.

“Well, I’ve got nothing on where we are, except for ‘In a painting’. Any other bright ideas?“

[allysnpcs]

Thread 1 @kingofcrows-cartwright @viduus-tenebris @morgana-the-healer​

It was about an hour after the auction when it was time to get the things that one had purchased. Viduus was there to oversee the proceedings, Cartwright was picking up the ship in a bottle he had purchased for Lavinia and Morgana was there for the book she had gotten.

All normal things really. Except for when Morgana saw the strange movement in the painting. Standing behind Cartwright, she leaned away and towards the picture to look at it, when a strange glow emitted from the painting and captured the three individuals, drawing them into the painting. It was the strangest feeling, like getting turned inside out. They landed on a dirt floor, dusty and dirty with some debris around them. The air smelled like smoke and they couldn’t even see the sky though everything had a strange red and grayish tint to it. 

Whereever they were, it sure wasn’t save

Keep reading

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus got up from the ground, dusting himself off. “Great, another suit ruined.”, he grumbled to himself, before checking his surroundings. His two companions on this unwilling journey didn’t seem to have fared much better, so he took at least a little comfort in that. After he was satisfied with having gotten the worst dirt and wrinkles out of his suit, he noticed the smell. There weren’t any other signs of fire yet, but he sure didn’t feel like waiting around until there were. Turning around, he fixed his gaze on Cartwright, not without rolling his eyes at the situation though, and swearing under his breath.

“Seriously? Well done Crowright. Got me caught up in one of your messes again?”, he half chided, half teased.

Not really waiting for an answer from the man, he turned to the woman with a charming smile, extending his hand to help her up. “I am so terribly sorry about this! If you want to sue Dorkwright later on, I have some excellent lawyers you can call.”

[viduus-tenebris]

Grand Auction

Viduus surveyed the room from behind the curtain of the stage. A lot of people had shown up for the auction. Some expected, some not so much he surmised, as a small smile played across his lips. Regardless, if they had money and an interest in parting with it, he’d welcome them with open arms.

He checked the buttons of his white shirt again, and made sure his cuffs showed properly from under the sleeves of his black suit, as he waited until the pitch in the auction hall had reached a certain crescendo, before stepping in front of the heavy red curtains.

“Good evening my esteemed guests, for this most wonderful of auctions!”, he let his smooth voice carry over the crowd, which quieted at his words.

As he sauntered over to the podium, he flashed a charming smile at the assembly, before opening his arms in a welcoming gesture.

“Tonight, I wish to present to you only the finest of artifacts, fitting only for the finest of buyers. Many of you have already perused our catalog while you had to wait for dear old me. ”, at that, he winked at his guests, “So without much further ado, let us begin this evenings auctions!”

He stepped behind the podium, taking a hold of a small cudgel, and removing the cloth from the first item that was placed atop a display stand.

“First up, to start us off with a bang, one of the most legendary and infamous items of our catalog! A piece certainly not amiss in any serious collection. Bids are starting at 10000 Silvers!”

(Everyone can decide for themselves, if their item is the one up for grabs currently, and all auctions will be played out at the same time. So you don’t have to wait for anyone else before you can add your reply :D )

[morgana-the-healer]

Morgana entered the room, her eyes lighting up impressed with the outfits throughout the crowd. She loved events like this where people would get together and dress up, it was the only time she could dress to her heart’s content and not feel silly for it.

Morgana started at the back of the crowd, her petite frame allowing her to maneuver her way through to the front, finding a seat close enough for her to eye the display stand. A series of Ooos and Aahhs washed through the crowd as the Witches Guide to Healing was revealed.

10000 Silvers sounded like a lot to Mo, but this was a special guide so she understood why they started so high. One person raised their hand, the bid went up, then another and it rose again. 

Morgana raised hers nervously, her lips pressed together tightly as she listened to the auctioneer go on.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus saw a petite hand being raised by a girl that looked like she herself hadn’t expected her hand to go up.

He noted her bid,:” 15000silvers! Do I hear any more? I certainly would love to, not because of the money, but because of what is at stake here! Look at this beauty!”

He walked to the small pedestal where the book was placed, delicately running his pale fingers along its spine.

“This is not a mere romance novel you are bidding on! Though if that’s where your interests lie, I might have some of my private collection to share later on.”, he winked slyly at the crowd, some of who’m chuckled ,”No, this is a one of a kind tome! A guide you could ill afford to miss in your collection.”

He specifically caught the eyes of the girl that had done the last bid, trying to gauge her reaction, as he absentmindedly noted another bid go up for 17000silvers.

[elainalehane]

A Night to Remember

The Auction was  the social event of the month, which naturally meant that the Narayan Times would need to attend as well.  Sadly, most of it would probably be about gossip but if something interested was to happen Elaina was sure to cover it. 

The first few rounds of Items had already been sold and now there was a intermission where everyone could get something to eat and drink and Elaine stood there on one side of the room with a drink in her hand, looking around for a good target for a good conversation, or maybe for some gossip.

[viduus-tenebris]

Walking into the large barroom, Viduus was immediately overwhelmed with people wanting to shake hands, and tell him what an amazing job he did. Basically suck-ups he groaned inwardly. He certainly didn’t need them telling him what a great job he was doing on stage, after all he was, well, himself. Worse, everyone kept pushing drinks into his hand. Not that he minded the occasional non-blood related drink, but this much was ridiculous.

Almost fighting through the crowd to get some air at last, he spotted a welcome sight. Seeing the represantative of the Narayan times, he made his way over to her.

“Oh my, how lovely to see the press here as well. And then sending such a wonderful journalist as well!”, he smiled at her, “Tell me, how do you like tonights event so far?”

[viduus-tenebris]

Grand Auction

Viduus surveyed the room from behind the curtain of the stage. A lot of people had shown up for the auction. Some expected, some not so much he surmised, as a small smile played across his lips. Regardless, if they had money and an interest in parting with it, he’d welcome them with open arms.

He checked the buttons of his white shirt again, and made sure his cuffs showed properly from under the sleeves of his black suit, as he waited until the pitch in the auction hall had reached a certain crescendo, before stepping in front of the heavy red curtains.

“Good evening my esteemed guests, for this most wonderful of auctions!”, he let his smooth voice carry over the crowd, which quieted at his words.

As he sauntered over to the podium, he flashed a charming smile at the assembly, before opening his arms in a welcoming gesture.

“Tonight, I wish to present to you only the finest of artifacts, fitting only for the finest of buyers. Many of you have already perused our catalog while you had to wait for dear old me. ”, at that, he winked at his guests, “So without much further ado, let us begin this evenings auctions!”

He stepped behind the podium, taking a hold of a small cudgel, and removing the cloth from the first item that was placed atop a display stand.

“First up, to start us off with a bang, one of the most legendary and infamous items of our catalog! A piece certainly not amiss in any serious collection. Bids are starting at 10000 Silvers!”

(Everyone can decide for themselves, if their item is the one up for grabs currently, and all auctions will be played out at the same time. So you don’t have to wait for anyone else before you can add your reply :D )

[yaelodomye]

@ishkavitae​

Yael was sitting close to Ishka. There wasn’t anything she particularly wanted to get, but it was always fun to see what other people got. Since this was a public auction there weren’t any illegal items on the podium that could work for blackmail… but she could see that Ishka was interested in the pearl necklace, and suddenly so was she.  

When Viduus called for the starting price she lifted her hand and smiled towards Ishka 

[ishkavitae]

The pearl necklace that was showcased on the podium felt handpicked just for Ishka. She settled into her seat, mostly unaware of who was near her as she didn’t particularly care to pay attention in crowds. She waited until it was time for the necklace to be bid on, she readied herself for a bidding war, though she was sure she’d be able to be anyone who dare. 

Ishka was about to raise her hand when she made eye contact with Yael, who had already raised her own. The audacity. Ishka thought to herself while giving Yael a tight lipped smile. She turned back to the auctioneer and rose her own hand. 

“20,000 Silvers!” Ishka called above the crowd.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus noticed the apparent tension between the two persons who had bid last on the current item. Tension or even animosity like that was always a great way to get a bidding war started.

"20000 silvers, wonderful, but I feel like that would do such a magnificent piece wrong! Please remember that all our items are unique, and many of them even from old Naraya."

He sighed in mock exasperation at the crowd, waiting for a new bid, from the corner of his eyes checking how the two would react.

[viduus-tenebris]

Grand Auction

Viduus surveyed the room from behind the curtain of the stage. A lot of people had shown up for the auction. Some expected, some not so much he surmised, as a small smile played across his lips. Regardless, if they had money and an interest in parting with it, he'd welcome them with open arms.

He checked the buttons of his white shirt again, and made sure his cuffs showed properly from under the sleeves of his black suit, as he waited until the pitch in the auction hall had reached a certain crescendo, before stepping in front of the heavy red curtains.

"Good evening my esteemed guests, for this most wonderful of auctions!", he let his smooth voice carry over the crowd, which quieted at his words.

As he sauntered over to the podium, he flashed a charming smile at the assembly, before opening his arms in a welcoming gesture.

"Tonight, I wish to present to you only the finest of artifacts, fitting only for the finest of buyers. Many of you have already perused our catalog while you had to wait for dear old me. ", at that, he winked at his guests, "So without much further ado, let us begin this evenings auctions!"

He stepped behind the podium, taking a hold of a small cudgel, and removing the cloth from the first item that was placed atop a display stand.

"First up, to start us off with a bang, one of the most legendary and infamous items of our catalog! A piece certainly not amiss in any serious collection. Bids are starting at 10000 Silvers!"

(Everyone can decide for themselves, if their item is the one up for grabs currently, and all auctions will be played out at the same time. So you don’t have to wait for anyone else before you can add your reply :D )

[viduus-tenebris]

Before the War - Tavern

[viduus-tenebris]

ember-lyretail:

Ember watched him as he spoke, explaining vaguely what had happened to the mind, hanging on his every word and leaving her mind to wonder what exactly it was that Viduus had done to him, and what the man had done to him to merit such punishment.

She licked her lips slowly as she listened, feeling more and more intrigued by what he said than perhaps she should have been, but she couldn’t help herself. She was fascinated by what he described and longed to learn more about it, about what he was capable of, and what he had used on this man. 

“If I may ask then, what kind of “care” was he subjected to? And might I ask what he did to deserve it that was worse than what my previous boss did? Of course if you do not wish to say, I will respect that and not pester you on it. I am simply a very curious fae who is fascinated by your abilities.” She admitted with a smile.

She nodded when he said revenge should keep her motivated, agreeing entirely that it would. She had been close to her parents, it would motivate everything she did. “I’ll watch myself, I promise.” She was slightly confused when he said he didn’t think death would be useful with her, wondering what he meant by that.

She didn’t have much time to ponder on it though, as his eyes soon seemed to drink in her facial features and she remained still as he examined her, his gaze making her stomach flutter softly. And then he clarified what he meant, even called her beautiful, and she laughed shyly, glancing away briefly as she wiped her forehead momentarily, hiding her face for a moment, embarrassed that he had caught her blush. But her gaze quickly returned to his as she pressed her fist to her mouth.

“I uh… I-I didn’t think you would notice that… But thank you. I-I am flattered that you would think so of me.” She told him with a smile, meantally kicking herself for stumbling over her words. ‘Keep it together, Ember!!’ She mentally scolded herself before asking in a quiet voice, trying to regain her confidence, though for reasons she didn’t understand he was making it difficult. “So, you think I am too beautiful to use your “skill set” on, Viduus?”

He simply smirked for a moment, pleased at her reaction.

“Oh no, don’t worry, I will be sure to teach you almost all of the skills I posses in due time. But I believe I should teach you slow, so as not to leave you too exhausted, come morning.”

The ambiguousness of his phrasing was intentional on his part, as he found that he greatly enjoyed teasing her, and apparently she reacted in a most wonderful way to either compliments or dual meanings in sentences. Of what their future banter would consist of, he could only imagine. But it ought to be good, he surmised. As much as he would have liked to follow up on that lane of talk, there was another question of hers, still hanging in the room.

“What I did to that man, is one of the things I will be teaching you. You can view his state of mind as a milestone, you should reach at a certain point. Just know, that when I released him, I told him I would be the end of him one day. However, I never specified when that would be. So now, from time to time, I like to drop by, seeing him squirm as he wonders if today is the last day he’d live.”

His words were without malice, but held a certain kind of glee in them. It was true that he was actually toying with the barkeeps already frail emotional state, just by being here, but he felt justified in his actions, and would defend them fro anyone. Not that he felt he’d need to. To him it seemed as if the Fae was actually on the same page as him, regarding how matters should be handled.

“But tell me, how could you think I would not notice your blush, since it suits you so very well, and even enhances your radiant beauty? I would be hard pressed to miss it, even if I wanted to, which I do not.”

A small chuckle escaped him, as he again leaned closer across the table, trying to get a hold of her eyes with his own.

[viduus-tenebris]

Before the War - Tavern

[viduus-tenebris]

ember-lyretail:

Ember smiled gently as he spoke, his words expressing his desire to know every fine, minute detail about her in time causing her to smile softly, intrigued by his desire to know her better over time. But his words about him having taken a liking to her caused a soft, unbidden blush to dust her cheeks for a moment.

She nodded slowly with a respectful smile as she replied honestly “While hearing that you have taken a liking to me is somewhat surprising to me, I assure you I would never dream of trying to use such a thing against you. Others, perhaps I would, if temporarily exploiting their desire means I get what I want. But you… Well, let me just say I have taken a liking to you as well, and I would not wish to anger or disrespect you by using such feelings against you.”

Her eyes never left his as he motioned for the barkeep, smiling a little as she realized he must have noticed her drink running out. How gentlemanly of him! It was beginning to seem to Ember that there was much more to him than she first realized.

Ember listened intently as he questioned her on what her motives were, explaining that if she wanted revenge, it would take some time to exact, especially considering who it would be against.

But before she could reply, the barkeep arrived with a new drink, and she watched intently as the man gave Viduus her drink by mistake, taking note of how the man seemed utterly terrified of Viduus, not even soaring a glance at her since she was in his company. And that sparked the Fae’s interest.

She was impressed with the way Viduus spoke regarding her, givving the man a curt nod of agreement before he scurried off. Once he was gone Ember’s gaze returned quickly back to meet his eyes again.

“He seems quite afraid of you, Viduus… Might I be out of line in asking how he wronged you? And what you did to him to make him fear you so?” She asked in a voice of honest curiosity.

“As for the subject of do I want revenge. Simply put: yes. The dog murdered my parents and numerous innocent women for nothing. I do understand that it will not be immediate and i must be patient with the process, but ultimately to make the creature suffer as i have would bring me great pleasure indeed.” She said simply, an air of eagerness for vengeance evident in her voice.

A flicker of amusement shone in Viduus’ eyes, as she asked about the barkeep.Not that this amusement was as large as the one he got from seeing her cheeks gaining a reddish hue. At the moment he surmised it could be attributed to both the alcohol starting to work its way throughout her system, as well as his words directed at her. Then again, he had to admit that the way she looked at him some times, would have made him blush too probably, had he not had himself under control, and if blushing were a thing he was truly capable of any longer.

“That...man”, he said the word, as though it left a bitter taste in his mouth,” did indeed do some things in the past that would make the crimes commited by your previous employer pale in comparison. As for what I did to him, injuries done to the mind, are always a whole lot longer lasting, as well as much better at keeping people from doing foolish things again, than doing bodily harm. Anyone can use a hammer to shatter bones for torture. Breaking anothers mind however, is a much finer art. He has been subject to my care, and I believe the experience will haunt him to the day he dies.”

Another small smile graced his lips, as he leaned in closer.

“Revenge then. Good. It should keep you motivated, but try not to let it consume you, or get in the way of things, lest it get you killed. I would hardly have any use for you dead.” He furrowed his brow for a moment. “On second thought, dead is a relative term, since it can also be quite freeing, taking certain circumstances into account. Death can also make someone more useful even. However, I do not think that would be the case with you.”

Again, a devilish smile found his way onto his face, as he peered at her eyes first, then the rest of her face, stopping for a moment at her lips, before returning to her eyes.

“I would not wish to mess with beauty, now would I. Somehow, I don’t think paleness of my kind would suit you as well, as your sweet blushing cheeks would.”

[viduus-tenebris]

Before the War - Tavern

@ember-lyretail A short, cold gust of wind entered the tavern as the door opened, making a few of the candles lined around the room and on various tables flicker, before the door had closed again. A tall man had entered, most of his frame hidden by the dark grey travelling cloak he wore, the hood up. Some of the patrons cast a quick glance at him, while others paid him no mind. He was not in any way visibly armed, and so talk and laughter resumed almost immediately, while he seemed to look around for a place to sit. It didn’t take long for him to single out the person he had been looking for, seeing as she was one of the very few people sitting alone.

With a purposeful stride he closed the distance to her table. Smiling beneath his hood, he laid his left hand onto the table, hoping to catch her attention. “Is this seat, by any chance, taken?”, he asked in a deep melifluous voice, nudging his head slightly in the direction of the bench across her seat at the table.

Without truly waiting for an answer, the stranger sat down across from her. “I have heard the most curious things about you, Little Fae. Wouldn’t you know it, some strange girl helping out a band of merry businessmen about to make a bad deal! What ever in the world would make you do such a selfless thing?” Finally, the man took off his hood, eyeing her with a curious, anticipating look in his eyes.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember sat silently at the table, picking at the rim of her mug of ale, contemplating the events of the night before. 

She didn’t regret what she had done, not by any means. The two people she cared most for in this life were safe now, and that heartless bastard would never lay hands on them again, nor would he swindle anyone else out of a fair deal. She wasn’t even sad he was gone. 

What she was sad about was having to leave behind the woman and her daughter, whom Ember had grown to consider family, since she was out of a job and had no means of paying for her lodgings now. 

Her few belongings sat on the floor beside her table in a suitcase as their owner contemplated life and where she could possibly head to next to start over. 

And that was when she heard his voice. The leader of the Dusk Coats. Well, truthfully she saw his hand first.

Her eyes glanced over at the hand placed gently beside her on the table, her eyes slowly moving up the length of his arm as she raised her gaze to look up into his face, a look of mild surprise that he was here now, speaking to her, in her icy blue eyes.

She didn’t have time to answer him before he seated himself in front of her, though she wasn’t about to deny him. She had no reason to do so. 

She straightened her posture slightly as he began to speak, saying he had heard some rather curious things about her, prepping herself to become defensive if the need arose. She swallowed softly to keep her head level, but her eyes stayed locked on him, ready to react in any way necessary, though her gut told her he was not here for malicious intent. Not by any means.

She couldn’t help a quiet chuckle, followed by a soft smirk as he spoke of her helping them, her eyes flitting briefly down to her mug at his query of why she would do such a selfless thing, before looking back up at him.

“That man was a snake. He was cruel and degrading, and often robbed good people of an honest deal. I was tired of it.” She explained with a slight shrug. “Plus, I know who you are, and I know how you and your men make examples of those that cheat you. His wife and daughter have been very good to me since I came here, I considered them like family. I didn’t want them to suffer a punishment they didn’t deserve because he was a worthless scumbag.” She replied honestly as she looked up at him, her gaze remaining unnerved as she stared into his eyes though her stomach felt as though it had a large knot lay within it.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus listened to her short speech intently. She spoke with conviction, and a certain kind of fire in her words. He smirked slightly, thinking that even if it weren’t for her actions, her words alone made him like her. She had called him out on how the Dusk Coats operated, true, but it was no secret that they would have made an example of the cheater. However, the way she put it made it seem almost as if he were the monster! Admittedly, had the deal gone through, he would have most likely ordered his followers to burn the house down, not really caring who would still be inside. Then again, he did have a reputation to uphold. He sensed the womans uneasiness, but felt no inclination to put her at ease. After all, if she was intimidated by his presence alone, he might use that to his advantage. He searched her face for any minute microexpressions, that could mark her as liar still. He was please to find none. He allowed a small smile to grace his lips, reaching for her tankard while still holding her steady gaze. He lifted it to his face, taking a sniff at the content, before putting it back in front of her with a slight frown. “Ale? The houses own no less? My, you must truly be desperate to get drunk if you are willing to put up with that terrible stuff. Never mind the headache you are bound to get from it.”, he grimaced. “Now, you are quite correct in your assumption that I would have done most gruesome things to that man. Maybe even hurt his family. I admit that I am surely no saint, but I would take a hazardly guess that neither are you, since you were incredibly fast in your reaction to sell out that man, taking into account that his wife and child will lose their support, and might even be driven from the city if they can’t earn what they need to stay and survive.” He waited for a short moment, letting his words hang in the room. Of course, he had nothing to base his words on, but he wished to see if he could rattle the Fae in front of him. “Be that as it may however, what is it you are planning to do now? Simply leave?”, he gestured to the suitcase by her side.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember watched him closely as he reached out for her tankard, her movements remaining unflinching. True, she wondered why he was reaching for her mug but she wasn’t about to make him think she was scared of him. In reality she hadn’t been given a reason to be afraid, only cautious.

She frowned softly when he voiced his disapproval of her drink of choice, wondering why he chose to criticize her drink of choice. Not that it was any real insult of course, she was simply, as he put it, desperate to drown her sorrows and the house ale was the cheapest way to do that.

His words regarding her being no saint made her smirk softly, raising her eyebrows briefly with a soft shrug of agreement. But his comment about the woman and her daughter possibly losing their support and have to leave the city if they can’t make enough to stay afloat made her stomach sink slightly, but her expression remained calm and steady. She knew he was hoping to rattle her, testing her to see how easily she scared, but she didn’t scare as easy as most thought.

She glanced down at her suitcase as he gestured to it before looking back up at him. She shrugged slightly as she replied “Why not? I’ve no reason to stay, have I? Leaving is the only chance I have for new opportunities. As for the woman and her daughter, their business does quite well, and with the scumbag owner gone, people will know they can get a much fairer deal for a much better price and I’m quite sure the business will blossom far more than that rat ever thought possible. They needn’t worry about ending up on the streets.”

She smirked as she clasped her hands together and placed her arms on the table, leaning forward slightly as she asked “Why do you wish to know if i am planning to leave? Concerned about the well being of an innocent stranger, are we?” She teased gently, determined to show him she wasn’t afraid of him. She wasn’t easily intimidated, and she was determined to prove that to him.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus raised an eyebrow slightly, impressed by how she handled herself. She had not been fazed in the slightest, either hiding her emotions truly well, or not being afraid in any sort of way. Either was fine by him. She was intriguing to him. A new person to discover, a blank slate to fill. Reading people and their emotions normally came easy to him, but the Fae in front of him posed an enigma he would love to unravel.

She had potential. Much of it at that. He smiled inwardly as he thought of how to best approach the subjects on his mind, and the person in front of him. He briefly toyed with the idea of drawing things out slowly, just to see how she would react. He could have her robbed in the dead of night. Her belongings then turn up miraculously back at her home, only to have them stolen again. However, if her actions so far had been any indicator to go by, it would hardly have an effect on her. Most likely she would shrug it off, perhaps even mentally marking him as a madman, though that wasn’t that far a stretch now that he thought about it. One could only live for so long and still stay sane.

He turned his mind back on the present, deciding how to handle things.

“True, you could leave. But do opportunities come easily these days? Also, I believe you might have become accustomed to a certain kind of standard of living. One not granted outside these cities walls. As for my concern for your well being. You did me a favour, and never let it be said that I would not repay my debts. I see potential in you. Admittedly, I cannot estimate how you will fare, but I would like to make you an offer.”, he spoke, also clasping his hands in front of him, leaning over the table, getting closer to her, while mirroring her pose and smile,”How would you like to join my Dusk Coats, little Fae?”

[ember-lyretail]

To say Ember was surprised by his offer would be a slight understatement. She wasn’t completely taken aback by it, but she wasn’t expecting it either, so she was, at least a little surprised that he would make her such an offer. 

Her eyebrows raised slightly and she pulled back a tiny bit, before asking in an obviously amused voice “You wish me, a female, to join your band of merry men? And how would you’re men feel about a lady joining their company? ” She asked with a grin, greatly intrigued by his offer.

After a moment of thought, she gently pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, releasing it before adding “Regardless however, you do have a point in that I am quite accustomed to this city and the comforts it has to offer… And admittedly, being who I am, it is not always easy to happily settle in a new place…” 

A soft smile lit up her face and she nodded briefly before saying in a voice of mild eagerness “Alright, I will take you up on your offer! I am rather intrigued by your way of life as it is, and I think you and your band just might give me the sense of adventure I’m so desperately craving! When do I start?” She asked with a grin, extending her hand to him with a smirk as if to seal the deal with a handshake.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus couldn’t help but let a playful smile dance across his lips as he heard her words.

“Who says we are a band of just merry men? Our Coats hide the more prominent features of our female members quite well. Downright sad that is, in some cases.”, he said with a pout.

He too reached out his right hand, the black ring bearing the insignia of his office in stark contrast to his pale complexion. With a firm shake, he sealed their agreement, looking forward to the times to come. If she continued to show the same eagerness and willingness to work in the Dusk Coats, he would have many uses for her, and her skills. Sure, some of the others might frown on the notion that she was accepted so soon into their ranks, but well…. they did work for him after all, so they would simply have to deal with it.

He retreated his hand, keeping to leaning on the table. “You can start either this very night, or tomorrow if you wish. As for your earlier ambition of getting drunk faster than a coal miner on payday, everything you wish to drink this night is on me”, he gestured to the bartender, who gave a curt nod, turning to the cabinet behind him,”However, I won’t allow you to poison yourself with that foul stuff they call the houses ale around here.”

At that moment, the bartender returned, hurriedly putting two glasses with amber liquid in front of them. He made a point of looking everywhere but them, before shuffling back. Viduus smirked at the mans antics, before raising his glass at the Fae. “To your health!”

[ember-lyretail]

Ember chuckled softly at his comment about the females in his gang, responding with a soft smile “Well, that does sound quite a shame for the male members of your band, not being able to easily physically distinguish male from female. But that also explains why I assumed your band consisted only of men, I could not easily distinguish the men from the women in your group that night you came to the store.”

She gave his hand a firm shake, eager for the future that lay ahead of her, before slowly retracting her hand from his. She was quite looking forward to this new way of living, though for a fae that was a bit of an odd thing to want, but then again she was no ordinary fae. She wasn’t sure how the others of the band would accept her, but regardless she was determined to prove herself to anyone who doubted her. 

Ember chuckled at his insistence that she not drink the poor excuse of ale the house had, dipping her head slightly with a soft laugh before raising her gaze back up to his. 

“How could I refuse such an offer, hmm?” She asked with a grin. Her eyes followed his gesture to the bartender, returning her gaze to meet his eyes as he spoke again, before glancing at the bartender as he arrived with their drinks. She couldn’t help help a quiet chuckle beneath her breath at the man’s obviously nervous state. She knew it was because he no doubt knew of this man as the leader of the Dusk Coats, but Ember just could not seem to find herself as intimidated by the man at the table with her as most so obviously were. 

“And to an exciting, and hopefully long lasting venture!” She countered as she too raised her glass to him before taking a drink, marveling at the delicious taste and smoothness of the texture of her new drink. It was like heaven sliding over her tongue compared to her previous drink. 

Moments later she lowered her glass and said “Well, if I have the choice, I would choose tonight. It would give me a place of warmth and safety to sleep far sooner than I anticipated, as well as a job in the morning.” She took another swig of her drink before continuing. “Now, since we are officially working together, I think we should get to know each other better, wouldn’t you agree? I’ll go first. The name is Ember, Ember Lyretail. And I must admit I am quite curious to know the name of my now boss!” She added with a smirk. The cheap ale from before, mixing in her system with what she assumed was the best ale the bartender had to offer, was adding to the bold nature she had inherited from her father.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus took another slow sip of his glass, closing his eyes for a moment, as if in fondness of the drink. Placing it back on the table, he fixed her again under his gaze, leaning back in again, and starting to talk, while smiling.

“Of course, do excuse me for not properly introducing myself at the beginning of our most illustrious discussion. I am Viduus Tenebris. And you can attach a lot of titles in front of, and behind that name. Be it Lord of Secrets, Ruler of the Dusk Coats, or any other such fancy sounding things, at the base of it, I will remain myself. That is your first lesson right there. In the coming times, you will need to work your way up, and learn to adress people by their rightful titles and whatnots. See it as a motivation to climb the hierarchical ladder, since it means you have to remember less of that. But, as you have surely noticed with that barkeep just now, holding a certain position, grants you a matching reputation. I for one, could have this whole place emptied this instant if I so wished it. This can be useful, for some situations. For others, not so much.”

He smirked at her, taking a slow sip of the amber fluid, again, obviously enjoying it greatly, this time, keeping the glass in his hand, swirling its contents around at a slow pace.

“Now, I will admit I had some research done on you, in the short time I have first heard of you, and talking to you now. But I always do prefer to hear the highlights of my pretty little Duskies from themselves. So tell me, how did you end up where you are now? But please, spare me the boring details, and jump straight to most of the more recent juicy bits. It would not do at all to have you figured out, in one single, inebriated evening!”

[ember-lyretail]

Ember watched him as he leaned closer, listening intently as he described how she would need to be certain to address people by their rightful titles in the coming times, a seemingly daunting task, but she was certain she could handle it. 

She had to admit she was impressed when he said that he could have the entire place cleared out if he so wished, finding him having that kind of power fascinating and yet at the same time she couldn’t help but wonder how often he needed to put that “skill” to use.

She grinned softly before asking “Is there a title which you prefer to be called by, sir? I would hate to offend by using a title that you dislike more than another.” She stated plainly. She figured that if she was to “climb the ladder” properly, she’d better use the more favored titles.

She blushed unintentionally when he referred to her as one of his “pretty duskies” but she felt a hard lump form in her throat when he wished for the juicy details of why she was here. Ember’s smile faded slightly, a minuscule look of apprehension crossing her features briefly. Speaking of her past that got her parents killed and sent her on the run always made her slightly uneasy. Her eyes flitted momentarily to his lips before moving back up to his eyes as she considered his request.

Mere moments later however, she found her courage again and smiled once more, a soft yet sly smile. “The juicy details hmm? I’ll Keep it fairly brief then. I lived with my parents in the summer court, the prince there was an absolute dog whose wives always mysteriously disappeared once he tired of them. He took a fancy to me and rather than allow him to marry and eventually kill me, my parents smuggled me out of the city to keep me safe. For this, he had then murdered. I wandered from place to place until one day I settled here and simply never left.”

Ember picked up her drink again and took a slow drink before setting her glass back down and leaning forward once again. “Do you wish to know anything more, my lord Viduus?” She asked quietly, and air of honest curiosity behind her voice.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus eyes lit up at her short tale, though one could not be certain if it was from either excitement, or any other emotion. He noticed the slight hesitation when asked about her life, and stored that information for later in the back of his mind. Apparently the subject was tough for her, so he decided not to press her on it. Anyway, if he so wished, he knew where to gather information from now.

“Oh my, yes my dear! Come time, I would love to know every little detail about you! Every tiny secret, every hidden desire, and every nook and cranny! But I also love a good mystery, so rest assured for now, that I will not pester you with questions. As for titles, while still being a rookie, and when being in the company of others, I would prefer you would call me ‘My Lord Tenebris’ or ‘Lord Viduus’. When alone, Viduus will do nicely. I have taken a liking to you, but do not think for a moment that you could, or should exploit this.”, his eyes steeled for a moment, as he said this.

He again raised his hand, never taking his eyes from her, but knowing full well that the barkeeper would pay attention to him. His own glass was still filled about halfway, but hers was nearing its bottom. It simply would not do to leave a fine young lady without a drink.

“So then, is revenge something you are after?”, he asked tentatively, “Because revenge, is a dangerous game, though highly fun and even addictive if played right. If that is your endgame, I can tell you though, right from the start, that it will take a long time before you could actually come close to exacting your revenge on the Summer Courts royalty.”

As if on cue, the barkeeper arrived with a new glass of the amber liquid, which he placed in front of Viduus.

“No, this is not for me, you buffoon. Does my glass look like it needs a refillment?”

The man shook his head, slightly shuddering, staring at the floor.

“’Course not, this drink is for the lady”, he motioned towards the Fae,”Also, keep them coming until she, or I tell you to stop.”

Hurriedly, the barkeeper placed the glass in front of Ember, before rushing off again, not daring to spare a look at their faces. Viduus seemed amused by this. He smiled slightly, as he remembered the man, and how their paths had crossed years prior. There was good reason that man should be afraid of him, he thought, lips drawn to a thin line, preferring to take another sip of his drink, before looking at his companion for the night.

“Now then, where were we? Ah yes, revenge! Do you wish to have it?”, he asked, raising his eyebrows.

[viduus-tenebris]

Before the War - Tavern

@ember-lyretail A short, cold gust of wind entered the tavern as the door opened, making a few of the candles lined around the room and on various tables flicker, before the door had closed again. A tall man had entered, most of his frame hidden by the dark grey travelling cloak he wore, the hood up. Some of the patrons cast a quick glance at him, while others paid him no mind. He was not in any way visibly armed, and so talk and laughter resumed almost immediately, while he seemed to look around for a place to sit. It didn’t take long for him to single out the person he had been looking for, seeing as she was one of the very few people sitting alone.

With a purposeful stride he closed the distance to her table. Smiling beneath his hood, he laid his left hand onto the table, hoping to catch her attention. “Is this seat, by any chance, taken?”, he asked in a deep melifluous voice, nudging his head slightly in the direction of the bench across her seat at the table.

Without truly waiting for an answer, the stranger sat down across from her. “I have heard the most curious things about you, Little Fae. Wouldn’t you know it, some strange girl helping out a band of merry businessmen about to make a bad deal! What ever in the world would make you do such a selfless thing?” Finally, the man took off his hood, eyeing her with a curious, anticipating look in his eyes.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember sat silently at the table, picking at the rim of her mug of ale, contemplating the events of the night before. 

She didn’t regret what she had done, not by any means. The two people she cared most for in this life were safe now, and that heartless bastard would never lay hands on them again, nor would he swindle anyone else out of a fair deal. She wasn’t even sad he was gone. 

What she was sad about was having to leave behind the woman and her daughter, whom Ember had grown to consider family, since she was out of a job and had no means of paying for her lodgings now. 

Her few belongings sat on the floor beside her table in a suitcase as their owner contemplated life and where she could possibly head to next to start over. 

And that was when she heard his voice. The leader of the Dusk Coats. Well, truthfully she saw his hand first.

Her eyes glanced over at the hand placed gently beside her on the table, her eyes slowly moving up the length of his arm as she raised her gaze to look up into his face, a look of mild surprise that he was here now, speaking to her, in her icy blue eyes.

She didn’t have time to answer him before he seated himself in front of her, though she wasn’t about to deny him. She had no reason to do so. 

She straightened her posture slightly as he began to speak, saying he had heard some rather curious things about her, prepping herself to become defensive if the need arose. She swallowed softly to keep her head level, but her eyes stayed locked on him, ready to react in any way necessary, though her gut told her he was not here for malicious intent. Not by any means.

She couldn’t help a quiet chuckle, followed by a soft smirk as he spoke of her helping them, her eyes flitting briefly down to her mug at his query of why she would do such a selfless thing, before looking back up at him.

“That man was a snake. He was cruel and degrading, and often robbed good people of an honest deal. I was tired of it.” She explained with a slight shrug. “Plus, I know who you are, and I know how you and your men make examples of those that cheat you. His wife and daughter have been very good to me since I came here, I considered them like family. I didn’t want them to suffer a punishment they didn’t deserve because he was a worthless scumbag.” She replied honestly as she looked up at him, her gaze remaining unnerved as she stared into his eyes though her stomach felt as though it had a large knot lay within it.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus listened to her short speech intently. She spoke with conviction, and a certain kind of fire in her words. He smirked slightly, thinking that even if it weren’t for her actions, her words alone made him like her. She had called him out on how the Dusk Coats operated, true, but it was no secret that they would have made an example of the cheater. However, the way she put it made it seem almost as if he were the monster! Admittedly, had the deal gone through, he would have most likely ordered his followers to burn the house down, not really caring who would still be inside. Then again, he did have a reputation to uphold. He sensed the womans uneasiness, but felt no inclination to put her at ease. After all, if she was intimidated by his presence alone, he might use that to his advantage. He searched her face for any minute microexpressions, that could mark her as liar still. He was please to find none. He allowed a small smile to grace his lips, reaching for her tankard while still holding her steady gaze. He lifted it to his face, taking a sniff at the content, before putting it back in front of her with a slight frown. “Ale? The houses own no less? My, you must truly be desperate to get drunk if you are willing to put up with that terrible stuff. Never mind the headache you are bound to get from it.”, he grimaced. “Now, you are quite correct in your assumption that I would have done most gruesome things to that man. Maybe even hurt his family. I admit that I am surely no saint, but I would take a hazardly guess that neither are you, since you were incredibly fast in your reaction to sell out that man, taking into account that his wife and child will lose their support, and might even be driven from the city if they can’t earn what they need to stay and survive.” He waited for a short moment, letting his words hang in the room. Of course, he had nothing to base his words on, but he wished to see if he could rattle the Fae in front of him. “Be that as it may however, what is it you are planning to do now? Simply leave?”, he gestured to the suitcase by her side.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember watched him closely as he reached out for her tankard, her movements remaining unflinching. True, she wondered why he was reaching for her mug but she wasn’t about to make him think she was scared of him. In reality she hadn’t been given a reason to be afraid, only cautious.

She frowned softly when he voiced his disapproval of her drink of choice, wondering why he chose to criticize her drink of choice. Not that it was any real insult of course, she was simply, as he put it, desperate to drown her sorrows and the house ale was the cheapest way to do that.

His words regarding her being no saint made her smirk softly, raising her eyebrows briefly with a soft shrug of agreement. But his comment about the woman and her daughter possibly losing their support and have to leave the city if they can’t make enough to stay afloat made her stomach sink slightly, but her expression remained calm and steady. She knew he was hoping to rattle her, testing her to see how easily she scared, but she didn’t scare as easy as most thought.

She glanced down at her suitcase as he gestured to it before looking back up at him. She shrugged slightly as she replied “Why not? I’ve no reason to stay, have I? Leaving is the only chance I have for new opportunities. As for the woman and her daughter, their business does quite well, and with the scumbag owner gone, people will know they can get a much fairer deal for a much better price and I’m quite sure the business will blossom far more than that rat ever thought possible. They needn’t worry about ending up on the streets.”

She smirked as she clasped her hands together and placed her arms on the table, leaning forward slightly as she asked “Why do you wish to know if i am planning to leave? Concerned about the well being of an innocent stranger, are we?” She teased gently, determined to show him she wasn’t afraid of him. She wasn’t easily intimidated, and she was determined to prove that to him.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus raised an eyebrow slightly, impressed by how she handled herself. She had not been fazed in the slightest, either hiding her emotions truly well, or not being afraid in any sort of way. Either was fine by him. She was intriguing to him. A new person to discover, a blank slate to fill. Reading people and their emotions normally came easy to him, but the Fae in front of him posed an enigma he would love to unravel.

She had potential. Much of it at that. He smiled inwardly as he thought of how to best approach the subjects on his mind, and the person in front of him. He briefly toyed with the idea of drawing things out slowly, just to see how she would react. He could have her robbed in the dead of night. Her belongings then turn up miraculously back at her home, only to have them stolen again. However, if her actions so far had been any indicator to go by, it would hardly have an effect on her. Most likely she would shrug it off, perhaps even mentally marking him as a madman, though that wasn’t that far a stretch now that he thought about it. One could only live for so long and still stay sane.

He turned his mind back on the present, deciding how to handle things.

“True, you could leave. But do opportunities come easily these days? Also, I believe you might have become accustomed to a certain kind of standard of living. One not granted outside these cities walls. As for my concern for your well being. You did me a favour, and never let it be said that I would not repay my debts. I see potential in you. Admittedly, I cannot estimate how you will fare, but I would like to make you an offer.”, he spoke, also clasping his hands in front of him, leaning over the table, getting closer to her, while mirroring her pose and smile,”How would you like to join my Dusk Coats, little Fae?”

[ember-lyretail]

To say Ember was surprised by his offer would be a slight understatement. She wasn’t completely taken aback by it, but she wasn’t expecting it either, so she was, at least a little surprised that he would make her such an offer. 

Her eyebrows raised slightly and she pulled back a tiny bit, before asking in an obviously amused voice “You wish me, a female, to join your band of merry men? And how would you’re men feel about a lady joining their company? ” She asked with a grin, greatly intrigued by his offer.

After a moment of thought, she gently pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, releasing it before adding “Regardless however, you do have a point in that I am quite accustomed to this city and the comforts it has to offer… And admittedly, being who I am, it is not always easy to happily settle in a new place…” 

A soft smile lit up her face and she nodded briefly before saying in a voice of mild eagerness “Alright, I will take you up on your offer! I am rather intrigued by your way of life as it is, and I think you and your band just might give me the sense of adventure I’m so desperately craving! When do I start?” She asked with a grin, extending her hand to him with a smirk as if to seal the deal with a handshake.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus couldn’t help but let a playful smile dance across his lips as he heard her words.

“Who says we are a band of just merry men? Our Coats hide the more prominent features of our female members quite well. Downright sad that is, in some cases.”, he said with a pout.

He too reached out his right hand, the black ring bearing the insignia of his office in stark contrast to his pale complexion. With a firm shake, he sealed their agreement, looking forward to the times to come. If she continued to show the same eagerness and willingness to work in the Dusk Coats, he would have many uses for her, and her skills. Sure, some of the others might frown on the notion that she was accepted so soon into their ranks, but well…. they did work for him after all, so they would simply have to deal with it.

He retreated his hand, keeping to leaning on the table. “You can start either this very night, or tomorrow if you wish. As for your earlier ambition of getting drunk faster than a coal miner on payday, everything you wish to drink this night is on me”, he gestured to the bartender, who gave a curt nod, turning to the cabinet behind him,”However, I won’t allow you to poison yourself with that foul stuff they call the houses ale around here.”

At that moment, the bartender returned, hurriedly putting two glasses with amber liquid in front of them. He made a point of looking everywhere but them, before shuffling back. Viduus smirked at the mans antics, before raising his glass at the Fae. “To your health!”

[ember-lyretail]

Ember chuckled softly at his comment about the females in his gang, responding with a soft smile “Well, that does sound quite a shame for the male members of your band, not being able to easily physically distinguish male from female. But that also explains why I assumed your band consisted only of men, I could not easily distinguish the men from the women in your group that night you came to the store.”

She gave his hand a firm shake, eager for the future that lay ahead of her, before slowly retracting her hand from his. She was quite looking forward to this new way of living, though for a fae that was a bit of an odd thing to want, but then again she was no ordinary fae. She wasn’t sure how the others of the band would accept her, but regardless she was determined to prove herself to anyone who doubted her. 

Ember chuckled at his insistence that she not drink the poor excuse of ale the house had, dipping her head slightly with a soft laugh before raising her gaze back up to his. 

“How could I refuse such an offer, hmm?” She asked with a grin. Her eyes followed his gesture to the bartender, returning her gaze to meet his eyes as he spoke again, before glancing at the bartender as he arrived with their drinks. She couldn’t help help a quiet chuckle beneath her breath at the man’s obviously nervous state. She knew it was because he no doubt knew of this man as the leader of the Dusk Coats, but Ember just could not seem to find herself as intimidated by the man at the table with her as most so obviously were. 

“And to an exciting, and hopefully long lasting venture!” She countered as she too raised her glass to him before taking a drink, marveling at the delicious taste and smoothness of the texture of her new drink. It was like heaven sliding over her tongue compared to her previous drink. 

Moments later she lowered her glass and said “Well, if I have the choice, I would choose tonight. It would give me a place of warmth and safety to sleep far sooner than I anticipated, as well as a job in the morning.” She took another swig of her drink before continuing. “Now, since we are officially working together, I think we should get to know each other better, wouldn’t you agree? I’ll go first. The name is Ember, Ember Lyretail. And I must admit I am quite curious to know the name of my now boss!” She added with a smirk. The cheap ale from before, mixing in her system with what she assumed was the best ale the bartender had to offer, was adding to the bold nature she had inherited from her father.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus took another slow sip of his glass, closing his eyes for a moment, as if in fondness of the drink. Placing it back on the table, he fixed her again under his gaze, leaning back in again, and starting to talk, while smiling.

“Of course, do excuse me for not properly introducing myself at the beginning of our most illustrious discussion. I am Viduus Tenebris. And you can attach a lot of titles in front of, and behind that name. Be it Lord of Secrets, Ruler of the Dusk Coats, or any other such fancy sounding things, at the base of it, I will remain myself. That is your first lesson right there. In the coming times, you will need to work your way up, and learn to adress people by their rightful titles and whatnots. See it as a motivation to climb the hierarchical ladder, since it means you have to remember less of that. But, as you have surely noticed with that barkeep just now, holding a certain position, grants you a matching reputation. I for one, could have this whole place emptied this instant if I so wished it. This can be useful, for some situations. For others, not so much.”

He smirked at her, taking a slow sip of the amber fluid, again, obviously enjoying it greatly, this time, keeping the glass in his hand, swirling its contents around at a slow pace.

“Now, I will admit I had some research done on you, in the short time I have first heard of you, and talking to you now. But I always do prefer to hear the highlights of my pretty little Duskies from themselves. So tell me, how did you end up where you are now? But please, spare me the boring details, and jump straight to most of the more recent juicy bits. It would not do at all to have you figured out, in one single, inebriated evening!”

[viduus-tenebris]

Before the War - Tavern

@ember-lyretail A short, cold gust of wind entered the tavern as the door opened, making a few of the candles lined around the room and on various tables flicker, before the door had closed again. A tall man had entered, most of his frame hidden by the dark grey travelling cloak he wore, the hood up. Some of the patrons cast a quick glance at him, while others paid him no mind. He was not in any way visibly armed, and so talk and laughter resumed almost immediately, while he seemed to look around for a place to sit. It didn’t take long for him to single out the person he had been looking for, seeing as she was one of the very few people sitting alone.

With a purposeful stride he closed the distance to her table. Smiling beneath his hood, he laid his left hand onto the table, hoping to catch her attention. “Is this seat, by any chance, taken?”, he asked in a deep melifluous voice, nudging his head slightly in the direction of the bench across her seat at the table.

Without truly waiting for an answer, the stranger sat down across from her. “I have heard the most curious things about you, Little Fae. Wouldn’t you know it, some strange girl helping out a band of merry businessmen about to make a bad deal! What ever in the world would make you do such a selfless thing?” Finally, the man took off his hood, eyeing her with a curious, anticipating look in his eyes.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember sat silently at the table, picking at the rim of her mug of ale, contemplating the events of the night before. 

She didn’t regret what she had done, not by any means. The two people she cared most for in this life were safe now, and that heartless bastard would never lay hands on them again, nor would he swindle anyone else out of a fair deal. She wasn’t even sad he was gone. 

What she was sad about was having to leave behind the woman and her daughter, whom Ember had grown to consider family, since she was out of a job and had no means of paying for her lodgings now. 

Her few belongings sat on the floor beside her table in a suitcase as their owner contemplated life and where she could possibly head to next to start over. 

And that was when she heard his voice. The leader of the Dusk Coats. Well, truthfully she saw his hand first.

Her eyes glanced over at the hand placed gently beside her on the table, her eyes slowly moving up the length of his arm as she raised her gaze to look up into his face, a look of mild surprise that he was here now, speaking to her, in her icy blue eyes.

She didn’t have time to answer him before he seated himself in front of her, though she wasn’t about to deny him. She had no reason to do so. 

She straightened her posture slightly as he began to speak, saying he had heard some rather curious things about her, prepping herself to become defensive if the need arose. She swallowed softly to keep her head level, but her eyes stayed locked on him, ready to react in any way necessary, though her gut told her he was not here for malicious intent. Not by any means.

She couldn’t help a quiet chuckle, followed by a soft smirk as he spoke of her helping them, her eyes flitting briefly down to her mug at his query of why she would do such a selfless thing, before looking back up at him.

“That man was a snake. He was cruel and degrading, and often robbed good people of an honest deal. I was tired of it.” She explained with a slight shrug. “Plus, I know who you are, and I know how you and your men make examples of those that cheat you. His wife and daughter have been very good to me since I came here, I considered them like family. I didn’t want them to suffer a punishment they didn’t deserve because he was a worthless scumbag.” She replied honestly as she looked up at him, her gaze remaining unnerved as she stared into his eyes though her stomach felt as though it had a large knot lay within it.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus listened to her short speech intently. She spoke with conviction, and a certain kind of fire in her words. He smirked slightly, thinking that even if it weren’t for her actions, her words alone made him like her. She had called him out on how the Dusk Coats operated, true, but it was no secret that they would have made an example of the cheater. However, the way she put it made it seem almost as if he were the monster! Admittedly, had the deal gone through, he would have most likely ordered his followers to burn the house down, not really caring who would still be inside. Then again, he did have a reputation to uphold. He sensed the womans uneasiness, but felt no inclination to put her at ease. After all, if she was intimidated by his presence alone, he might use that to his advantage. He searched her face for any minute microexpressions, that could mark her as liar still. He was please to find none. He allowed a small smile to grace his lips, reaching for her tankard while still holding her steady gaze. He lifted it to his face, taking a sniff at the content, before putting it back in front of her with a slight frown. “Ale? The houses own no less? My, you must truly be desperate to get drunk if you are willing to put up with that terrible stuff. Never mind the headache you are bound to get from it.”, he grimaced. “Now, you are quite correct in your assumption that I would have done most gruesome things to that man. Maybe even hurt his family. I admit that I am surely no saint, but I would take a hazardly guess that neither are you, since you were incredibly fast in your reaction to sell out that man, taking into account that his wife and child will lose their support, and might even be driven from the city if they can’t earn what they need to stay and survive.” He waited for a short moment, letting his words hang in the room. Of course, he had nothing to base his words on, but he wished to see if he could rattle the Fae in front of him. “Be that as it may however, what is it you are planning to do now? Simply leave?”, he gestured to the suitcase by her side.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember watched him closely as he reached out for her tankard, her movements remaining unflinching. True, she wondered why he was reaching for her mug but she wasn’t about to make him think she was scared of him. In reality she hadn’t been given a reason to be afraid, only cautious.

She frowned softly when he voiced his disapproval of her drink of choice, wondering why he chose to criticize her drink of choice. Not that it was any real insult of course, she was simply, as he put it, desperate to drown her sorrows and the house ale was the cheapest way to do that.

His words regarding her being no saint made her smirk softly, raising her eyebrows briefly with a soft shrug of agreement. But his comment about the woman and her daughter possibly losing their support and have to leave the city if they can’t make enough to stay afloat made her stomach sink slightly, but her expression remained calm and steady. She knew he was hoping to rattle her, testing her to see how easily she scared, but she didn’t scare as easy as most thought.

She glanced down at her suitcase as he gestured to it before looking back up at him. She shrugged slightly as she replied “Why not? I’ve no reason to stay, have I? Leaving is the only chance I have for new opportunities. As for the woman and her daughter, their business does quite well, and with the scumbag owner gone, people will know they can get a much fairer deal for a much better price and I’m quite sure the business will blossom far more than that rat ever thought possible. They needn’t worry about ending up on the streets.”

She smirked as she clasped her hands together and placed her arms on the table, leaning forward slightly as she asked “Why do you wish to know if i am planning to leave? Concerned about the well being of an innocent stranger, are we?” She teased gently, determined to show him she wasn’t afraid of him. She wasn’t easily intimidated, and she was determined to prove that to him.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus raised an eyebrow slightly, impressed by how she handled herself. She had not been fazed in the slightest, either hiding her emotions truly well, or not being afraid in any sort of way. Either was fine by him. She was intriguing to him. A new person to discover, a blank slate to fill. Reading people and their emotions normally came easy to him, but the Fae in front of him posed an enigma he would love to unravel.

She had potential. Much of it at that. He smiled inwardly as he thought of how to best approach the subjects on his mind, and the person in front of him. He briefly toyed with the idea of drawing things out slowly, just to see how she would react. He could have her robbed in the dead of night. Her belongings then turn up miraculously back at her home, only to have them stolen again. However, if her actions so far had been any indicator to go by, it would hardly have an effect on her. Most likely she would shrug it off, perhaps even mentally marking him as a madman, though that wasn’t that far a stretch now that he thought about it. One could only live for so long and still stay sane.

He turned his mind back on the present, deciding how to handle things.

“True, you could leave. But do opportunities come easily these days? Also, I believe you might have become accustomed to a certain kind of standard of living. One not granted outside these cities walls. As for my concern for your well being. You did me a favour, and never let it be said that I would not repay my debts. I see potential in you. Admittedly, I cannot estimate how you will fare, but I would like to make you an offer.”, he spoke, also clasping his hands in front of him, leaning over the table, getting closer to her, while mirroring her pose and smile,”How would you like to join my Dusk Coats, little Fae?”

[ember-lyretail]

To say Ember was surprised by his offer would be a slight understatement. She wasn’t completely taken aback by it, but she wasn’t expecting it either, so she was, at least a little surprised that he would make her such an offer. 

Her eyebrows raised slightly and she pulled back a tiny bit, before asking in an obviously amused voice “You wish me, a female, to join your band of merry men? And how would you’re men feel about a lady joining their company? ” She asked with a grin, greatly intrigued by his offer.

After a moment of thought, she gently pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, releasing it before adding “Regardless however, you do have a point in that I am quite accustomed to this city and the comforts it has to offer… And admittedly, being who I am, it is not always easy to happily settle in a new place…” 

A soft smile lit up her face and she nodded briefly before saying in a voice of mild eagerness “Alright, I will take you up on your offer! I am rather intrigued by your way of life as it is, and I think you and your band just might give me the sense of adventure I’m so desperately craving! When do I start?” She asked with a grin, extending her hand to him with a smirk as if to seal the deal with a handshake.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus couldn’t help but let a playful smile dance across his lips as he heard her words.

“Who says we are a band of just merry men? Our Coats hide the more prominent features of our female members quite well. Downright sad that is, in some cases.”, he said with a pout.

He too reached out his right hand, the black ring bearing the insignia of his office in stark contrast to his pale complexion. With a firm shake, he sealed their agreement, looking forward to the times to come. If she continued to show the same eagerness and willingness to work in the Dusk Coats, he would have many uses for her, and her skills. Sure, some of the others might frown on the notion that she was accepted so soon into their ranks, but well.... they did work for him after all, so they would simply have to deal with it.

He retreated his hand, keeping to leaning on the table. “You can start either this very night, or tomorrow if you wish. As for your earlier ambition of getting drunk faster than a coal miner on payday, everything you wish to drink this night is on me”, he gestured to the bartender, who gave a curt nod, turning to the cabinet behind him,”However, I won’t allow you to poison yourself with that foul stuff they call the houses ale around here.”

At that moment, the bartender returned, hurriedly putting two glasses with amber liquid in front of them. He made a point of looking everywhere but them, before shuffling back. Viduus smirked at the mans antics, before raising his glass at the Fae. “To your health!”

[viduus-tenebris]

Before the War - Tavern

@ember-lyretail A short, cold gust of wind entered the tavern as the door opened, making a few of the candles lined around the room and on various tables flicker, before the door had closed again. A tall man had entered, most of his frame hidden by the dark grey travelling cloak he wore, the hood up. Some of the patrons cast a quick glance at him, while others paid him no mind. He was not in any way visibly armed, and so talk and laughter resumed almost immediately, while he seemed to look around for a place to sit. It didn’t take long for him to single out the person he had been looking for, seeing as she was one of the very few people sitting alone.

With a purposeful stride he closed the distance to her table. Smiling beneath his hood, he laid his left hand onto the table, hoping to catch her attention. “Is this seat, by any chance, taken?”, he asked in a deep melifluous voice, nudging his head slightly in the direction of the bench across her seat at the table.

Without truly waiting for an answer, the stranger sat down across from her. “I have heard the most curious things about you, Little Fae. Wouldn’t you know it, some strange girl helping out a band of merry businessmen about to make a bad deal! What ever in the world would make you do such a selfless thing?” Finally, the man took off his hood, eyeing her with a curious, anticipating look in his eyes.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember sat silently at the table, picking at the rim of her mug of ale, contemplating the events of the night before. 

She didn’t regret what she had done, not by any means. The two people she cared most for in this life were safe now, and that heartless bastard would never lay hands on them again, nor would he swindle anyone else out of a fair deal. She wasn’t even sad he was gone. 

What she was sad about was having to leave behind the woman and her daughter, whom Ember had grown to consider family, since she was out of a job and had no means of paying for her lodgings now. 

Her few belongings sat on the floor beside her table in a suitcase as their owner contemplated life and where she could possibly head to next to start over. 

And that was when she heard his voice. The leader of the Dusk Coats. Well, truthfully she saw his hand first.

Her eyes glanced over at the hand placed gently beside her on the table, her eyes slowly moving up the length of his arm as she raised her gaze to look up into his face, a look of mild surprise that he was here now, speaking to her, in her icy blue eyes.

She didn’t have time to answer him before he seated himself in front of her, though she wasn’t about to deny him. She had no reason to do so. 

She straightened her posture slightly as he began to speak, saying he had heard some rather curious things about her, prepping herself to become defensive if the need arose. She swallowed softly to keep her head level, but her eyes stayed locked on him, ready to react in any way necessary, though her gut told her he was not here for malicious intent. Not by any means.

She couldn’t help a quiet chuckle, followed by a soft smirk as he spoke of her helping them, her eyes flitting briefly down to her mug at his query of why she would do such a selfless thing, before looking back up at him.

“That man was a snake. He was cruel and degrading, and often robbed good people of an honest deal. I was tired of it.” She explained with a slight shrug. “Plus, I know who you are, and I know how you and your men make examples of those that cheat you. His wife and daughter have been very good to me since I came here, I considered them like family. I didn’t want them to suffer a punishment they didn’t deserve because he was a worthless scumbag.” She replied honestly as she looked up at him, her gaze remaining unnerved as she stared into his eyes though her stomach felt as though it had a large knot lay within it.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus listened to her short speech intently. She spoke with conviction, and a certain kind of fire in her words. He smirked slightly, thinking that even if it weren’t for her actions, her words alone made him like her. She had called him out on how the Dusk Coats operated, true, but it was no secret that they would have made an example of the cheater. However, the way she put it made it seem almost as if he were the monster! Admittedly, had the deal gone through, he would have most likely ordered his followers to burn the house down, not really caring who would still be inside. Then again, he did have a reputation to uphold. He sensed the womans uneasiness, but felt no inclination to put her at ease. After all, if she was intimidated by his presence alone, he might use that to his advantage. He searched her face for any minute microexpressions, that could mark her as liar still. He was please to find none. He allowed a small smile to grace his lips, reaching for her tankard while still holding her steady gaze. He lifted it to his face, taking a sniff at the content, before putting it back in front of her with a slight frown. “Ale? The houses own no less? My, you must truly be desperate to get drunk if you are willing to put up with that terrible stuff. Never mind the headache you are bound to get from it.”, he grimaced. “Now, you are quite correct in your assumption that I would have done most gruesome things to that man. Maybe even hurt his family. I admit that I am surely no saint, but I would take a hazardly guess that neither are you, since you were incredibly fast in your reaction to sell out that man, taking into account that his wife and child will lose their support, and might even be driven from the city if they can’t earn what they need to stay and survive.” He waited for a short moment, letting his words hang in the room. Of course, he had nothing to base his words on, but he wished to see if he could rattle the Fae in front of him. “Be that as it may however, what is it you are planning to do now? Simply leave?”, he gestured to the suitcase by her side.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember watched him closely as he reached out for her tankard, her movements remaining unflinching. True, she wondered why he was reaching for her mug but she wasn’t about to make him think she was scared of him. In reality she hadn’t been given a reason to be afraid, only cautious.

She frowned softly when he voiced his disapproval of her drink of choice, wondering why he chose to criticize her drink of choice. Not that it was any real insult of course, she was simply, as he put it, desperate to drown her sorrows and the house ale was the cheapest way to do that.

His words regarding her being no saint made her smirk softly, raising her eyebrows briefly with a soft shrug of agreement. But his comment about the woman and her daughter possibly losing their support and have to leave the city if they can’t make enough to stay afloat made her stomach sink slightly, but her expression remained calm and steady. She knew he was hoping to rattle her, testing her to see how easily she scared, but she didn’t scare as easy as most thought.

She glanced down at her suitcase as he gestured to it before looking back up at him. She shrugged slightly as she replied “Why not? I’ve no reason to stay, have I? Leaving is the only chance I have for new opportunities. As for the woman and her daughter, their business does quite well, and with the scumbag owner gone, people will know they can get a much fairer deal for a much better price and I’m quite sure the business will blossom far more than that rat ever thought possible. They needn’t worry about ending up on the streets.”

She smirked as she clasped her hands together and placed her arms on the table, leaning forward slightly as she asked “Why do you wish to know if i am planning to leave? Concerned about the well being of an innocent stranger, are we?” She teased gently, determined to show him she wasn’t afraid of him. She wasn’t easily intimidated, and she was determined to prove that to him.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus raised an eyebrow slightly, impressed by how she handled herself. She had not been fazed in the slightest, either hiding her emotions truly well, or not being afraid in any sort of way. Either was fine by him. She was intriguing to him. A new person to discover, a blank slate to fill. Reading people and their emotions normally came easy to him, but the Fae in front of him posed an enigma he would love to unravel.

She had potential. Much of it at that. He smiled inwardly as he thought of how to best approach the subjects on his mind, and the person in front of him. He briefly toyed with the idea of drawing things out slowly, just to see how she would react. He could have her robbed in the dead of night. Her belongings then turn up miraculously back at her home, only to have them stolen again. However, if her actions so far had been any indicator to go by, it would hardly have an effect on her. Most likely she would shrug it off, perhaps even mentally marking him as a madman, though that wasn’t that far a stretch now that he thought about it. One could only live for so long and still stay sane.

He turned his mind back on the present, deciding how to handle things.

“True, you could leave. But do opportunities come easily these days? Also, I believe you might have become accustomed to a certain kind of standard of living. One not granted outside these cities walls. As for my concern for your well being. You did me a favour, and never let it be said that I would not repay my debts. I see potential in you. Admittedly, I cannot estimate how you will fare, but I would like to make you an offer.”, he spoke, also clasping his hands in front of him, leaning over the table, getting closer to her, while mirroring her pose and smile,”How would you like to join my Dusk Coats, little Fae?”

[viduus-tenebris]

Before the War - Tavern

@ember-lyretail A short, cold gust of wind entered the tavern as the door opened, making a few of the candles lined around the room and on various tables flicker, before the door had closed again. A tall man had entered, most of his frame hidden by the dark grey travelling cloak he wore, the hood up. Some of the patrons cast a quick glance at him, while others paid him no mind. He was not in any way visibly armed, and so talk and laughter resumed almost immediately, while he seemed to look around for a place to sit. It didn’t take long for him to single out the person he had been looking for, seeing as she was one of the very few people sitting alone.

With a purposeful stride he closed the distance to her table. Smiling beneath his hood, he laid his left hand onto the table, hoping to catch her attention. “Is this seat, by any chance, taken?”, he asked in a deep melifluous voice, nudging his head slightly in the direction of the bench across her seat at the table.

Without truly waiting for an answer, the stranger sat down across from her. “I have heard the most curious things about you, Little Fae. Wouldn’t you know it, some strange girl helping out a band of merry businessmen about to make a bad deal! What ever in the world would make you do such a selfless thing?” Finally, the man took off his hood, eyeing her with a curious, anticipating look in his eyes.

[ember-lyretail]

Ember sat silently at the table, picking at the rim of her mug of ale, contemplating the events of the night before. 

She didn’t regret what she had done, not by any means. The two people she cared most for in this life were safe now, and that heartless bastard would never lay hands on them again, nor would he swindle anyone else out of a fair deal. She wasn’t even sad he was gone. 

What she was sad about was having to leave behind the woman and her daughter, whom Ember had grown to consider family, since she was out of a job and had no means of paying for her lodgings now. 

Her few belongings sat on the floor beside her table in a suitcase as their owner contemplated life and where she could possibly head to next to start over. 

And that was when she heard his voice. The leader of the Dusk Coats. Well, truthfully she saw his hand first.

Her eyes glanced over at the hand placed gently beside her on the table, her eyes slowly moving up the length of his arm as she raised her gaze to look up into his face, a look of mild surprise that he was here now, speaking to her, in her icy blue eyes.

She didn’t have time to answer him before he seated himself in front of her, though she wasn’t about to deny him. She had no reason to do so. 

She straightened her posture slightly as he began to speak, saying he had heard some rather curious things about her, prepping herself to become defensive if the need arose. She swallowed softly to keep her head level, but her eyes stayed locked on him, ready to react in any way necessary, though her gut told her he was not here for malicious intent. Not by any means.

She couldn’t help a quiet chuckle, followed by a soft smirk as he spoke of her helping them, her eyes flitting briefly down to her mug at his query of why she would do such a selfless thing, before looking back up at him.

“That man was a snake. He was cruel and degrading, and often robbed good people of an honest deal. I was tired of it.” She explained with a slight shrug. “Plus, I know who you are, and I know how you and your men make examples of those that cheat you. His wife and daughter have been very good to me since I came here, I considered them like family. I didn’t want them to suffer a punishment they didn’t deserve because he was a worthless scumbag.” She replied honestly as she looked up at him, her gaze remaining unnerved as she stared into his eyes though her stomach felt as though it had a large knot lay within it.

[viduus-tenebris]

Viduus listened to her short speech intently. She spoke with conviction, and a certain kind of fire in her words. He smirked slightly, thinking that even if it weren’t for her actions, her words alone made him like her. She had called him out on how the Dusk Coats operated, true, but it was no secret that they would have made an example of the cheater. However, the way she put it made it seem almost as if he were the monster! Admittedly, had the deal gone through, he would have most likely ordered his followers to burn the house down, not really caring who would still be inside. Then again, he did have a reputation to uphold. He sensed the womans uneasiness, but felt no inclination to put her at ease. After all, if she was intimidated by his presence alone, he might use that to his advantage. He searched her face for any minute microexpressions, that could mark her as liar still. He was please to find none. He allowed a small smile to grace his lips, reaching for her tankard while still holding her steady gaze. He lifted it to his face, taking a sniff at the content, before putting it back in front of her with a slight frown. “Ale? The houses own no less? My, you must truly be desperate to get drunk if you are willing to put up with that terrible stuff. Never mind the headache you are bound to get from it.”, he grimaced. “Now, you are quite correct in your assumption that I would have done most gruesome things to that man. Maybe even hurt his family. I admit that I am surely no saint, but I would take a hazardly guess that neither are you, since you were incredibly fast in your reaction to sell out that man, taking into account that his wife and child will lose their support, and might even be driven from the city if they can’t earn what they need to stay and survive.” He waited for a short moment, letting his words hang in the room. Of course, he had nothing to base his words on, but he wished to see if he could rattle the Fae in front of him. “Be that as it may however, what is it you are planning to do now? Simply leave?”, he gestured to the suitcase by her side.

[viduus-tenebris]

Before the War - Tavern

@ember-lyretail A short, cold gust of wind entered the tavern as the door opened, making a few of the candles lined around the room and on various tables flicker, before the door had closed again. A tall man had entered, most of his frame hidden by the dark grey travelling cloak he wore, the hood up. Some of the patrons cast a quick glance at him, while others paid him no mind. He was not in any way visibly armed, and so talk and laughter resumed almost immediately, while he seemed to look around for a place to sit. It didn’t take long for him to single out the person he had been looking for, seeing as she was one of the very few people sitting alone.

With a purposeful stride he closed the distance to her table. Smiling beneath his hood, he laid his left hand onto the table, hoping to catch her attention. “Is this seat, by any chance, taken?”, he asked in a deep melifluous voice, nudging his head slightly in the direction of the bench across her seat at the table.

Without truly waiting for an answer, the stranger sat down across from her. “I have heard the most curious things about you, Little Fae. Wouldn’t you know it, some strange girl helping out a band of merry businessmen about to make a bad deal! What ever in the world would make you do such a selfless thing?” Finally, the man took off his hood, eyeing her with a curious, anticipating look in his eyes.