…..:::::|. Havvenchael Sixth .|:::::…..
Kodlaa, upon scanning the first market with no successful find, asked of the Kaehnnah beside her.
“Since I'm privy to knowing you're some sort of super-being, why exactly did you join?”
“Mortals, especially the Agents, are intriguing because you don't know everything about each other, yet you trust each other intrinsically. Immortals know practically everything about one other and trust nothing. How is it you all get so many things done?” He said looking about even this city of Havvenchael.
“Cause it seems you all think on the defensive. That's probably why your son and everyone else calls you useless. You can't always put your arse before your head thinkin’ you know how everything’s going to end up. A little fore-knowledge is useful, yeah, but based on all that bit you just told me about myself and my kin...you know too much not to get bamboozled. Serves you right for being pompous. I haven’t the foggiest what I’m doing half the time but I pay attention good, ‘cause I have to.”
“Pup's got a point.” The shadowing Elsa smiled openly to the two on the streets. “Ignorance breeds an opportunity for learning. And the more you learn the more you can exact your will.”
Ruu chinned a nod. “Wolves and their wills.”
“So what’s it you rule over, anyways? Since all you got domains and such.”
“Clearly not wisdom, wolf.” Ruu scoffed at himself. “To answer though, mine is keen sight, marksmanship, efforts people endeavor from a far off.”
“Ah, God of Risks.” Her eyebrows jut upward in fast understanding. “Now I see why you’re with me.”
Ruu could only laugh in bewilderment by this little one beside him. She had a mind for all this sort of thing with Immortals and he was amazed.
...
Siin almost gasped as he saw Ruu and Kodlaa and Elsa laugh and caw around the bend in the road to pass just near the inspecting mancer. They threw hands in the air—flashing one-handed number signs—laughing, as a secret signal they were still in synchronous maneuver with the Quarrymaster and two men watching. They then disappeared into another main thoroughfare under a bridging pass full of contortionist on poles.
Siin was sure of it now and cut an eye to Veyorlin. Those three knew where the candle was. Something in Siin wanted to throw a fit at the anxiety welling in him. What was this distress that Agents had to suffer every acquisition? He was sorely beginning to hate the pressure.
“You are one of much flinch.” Veyorlin uttered almost annoyed. Siin kept his mouth shut, as he was also about two seconds off this Jemedh in his midst. His tail was, indeed, flinching quite a bit as he waited for the mancer to make some sort of a move.
…..:::::|. Third Gate Hamlet .|:::::…..
Hers was a straight forward hunt. Catch and kill a giant flying creature. Halycind had never done that before but she was sure of herself now moreso than ever. So when she'd caught its scent up toward a low hill and seen its tracks toward there, waiting for its master, she didn't much bother stalking it. She was bent on just walking up to it and ending its miserable existence.
Shaw's grey-amber eyes in his honeyed skin beckoned some caution to the girl.
As they strode the hill alongside some of the suburban dwellings and huts, Halycind stopped, crouched and looked to her new weapon.
“Hey?” She thought to say aloud. “Do you know how to use this thing?”
“Seriously?” Shaw's white eyebrows rose high under the hood of his cloak.
“It was two-hundred rosemetal coins. I'm not about to let it go to waste.”
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“Two hundred? You were taken.”
She bent a shocked head in to him.
“It's only worth about fifty in silver.” He chuckled. “...and you gave him rosemetal.”
“Faetzaht tourist trap.”
Shaw raised eyebrows in agreement. “To answer your question, though, yes. I know how to use one. Stay behind me and do as I say.” He stood to full Jemedh height as they came up on a low grumbling sound. He made a gesture for her to remain silent and behind him.
…..:::::|. Havvenchael Sixth .|:::::…..
Eberhavven Kodlaa sprung to hang on the arm of her now 'loving father' as they advanced on the crooked merchant she'd sighted a ways up the thoroughfare. The merchant, in lavender, was not smiling but seemed intrigued.
“I wanted to get something for me Da, it's his eightieth cycle.”
Ruu looked down to her with a very pursed face.
“He looks good for his age and you—you take to tans well.”
“That's 'cause I'm only half a fair-hair.” Though this was truth, the rest of her thoughts bent to a spilling of untruths. “Me Ma—“ she sniffled, “Me Ma was killed by a—a Stringwood.” She feigned a gushing forth of tears. The merchant offered her many many scarves to soothe the girl. Ruu rolled his eyes in open question of her antics.
“We lost her on his sixtieth birthing. Strung up, pulled apart...in its gnarled roots. I know he'd like anything special you might have...as I'm his only daughter and I'm going away to train to be a doula.” Her face was red now with emotion. Ruu hung his head, as feigning tears at such over-exaggeration was far outside of his realm of capability.
“Oh, such a noble trade. To be of use in a Ladies House.” The merchant seemed moved and dug around to look for something to sell to the sobbing girl. Ruu looked down to her in frustration. She cut an eye up to him then back to the merchant's crates. Freely, while he searched, she continued to make sobbing sounds while looking the boxes all over. She finally saw what she knew would be behind him.
...
He stood there long enough for his anxiousness to wane just as the mancer decided to make his movements toward the bridging pass Elsa and Kodlaa and Ruu had all passed under sometime ago. Siin was off, ready to make his capture, when he noticed the mancer gone. He'd disappeared into a massive parade. This was the last day of May Rising and droves of people lined the main thoroughfare to view the processionals of costumes and marching mages and tumblers and troubadours on hovering carts decorated with far too many ribbons and bows. Siin's eyes grew wide and his anxiousness welled into anger. Veyorlin snatched him around to peer down to the mage.
“Capture...do not kill him.” Veyorlin looked away to listen intently to the lit Grui near his own position. Veygornne was warning Ruu the mancer was closing in and Veyorlin darted eyes around to see whereabouts Veygornne had even gone off to. “What fruit was that Ruu said things would be shaped as? A pear?” After only a moment of scanning the 'sight' of the Grui he saw Veygornne again nearest a hovering cart full of dancing girls. “Wiylin is about to come upon the dancing onea, you must—”
“I know.” Siin, in a bolt of something new for him, flashed in blue streaks of light down to the streets and walked calmly after his quarry. Veyorlin shot eyebrows high on his face and then followed in much the same fashion, only indigo and with less sparks of hate.
A frilly woman with a red fan, waved the heat from her face as the salting mancer walked upon her and she feigned a swoon into his chest. The mancer caught her and his salts just as Siin walked upon her to brush him off and peel her awkwardly away. The mancer smelled horrid this close up and Siin knew there was nothing good in his intent. He fumbled at brushing the mancer's long worn robes to give their collective time to muster on this position.
Veyorlin sighed a full sigh and pinched his eyes shut in frustration. Veygornne passed him smiling. The Jemedh were clearly not used to the ways of rogues.
When the merchant looked up, Kodlaa buried her head into her 'father's' arm feigning sobs once more.
“I don't seem to have anything that might suit your father's advanced age. It is to be commended. And I only have trinkets.”
“Oh, well...good Ser, would you happen to have anything, crates perhaps, marked in red?” Her amber eyes caught his brown eyes glossing over.
The merchant immediately became suspicious. “A Red Special? No.”
“Then my auntie was full of lies.” She sighed throwing the back of her hand to her forehead.
“And you will be full of small puncture wounds if you do not leave my sight.” The merchant quickly impressed.
“Listen, you.” Kodlaa’s whole act dropped as she slammed herself close onto the shelf of his stall. “There's a man here who I'm not gonna let get what's in that crate. He's gonna glass-blow a fire-salted magnum opus of everyone in Havvenchael so big they'll be selling pieces of us on the streets of Air House if you don't hand it over. So whatever pointy thing you're trying to pump me with better be on the end of a wick.” She shot, now that both their ruses were exposed. “You see this?” She lifted part of Ruu's long golden hair to expose the shaved sides of his head. “Yeah, he's that. He’s one of them. And he's in real good with them pole arms passing by. They'd be sure pissed to find you got fencin' crates on their turf. But I paid him good roses to keep from squealing on you soes to get you to budge. Now I'm gonna act like a total prat over your stall and draw their attention...you got me? You so much as roll on me to the guards and his blade'll be in your snitchin' voice box faster than you can say--” And she made a sound and motion that simulated the cutting of his throat.
Her drilling had opened his eyes wide and he nodded a small cornered head to these two.
...
The mancer tried to bid his farewell from Siin and the fancy woman but was bumped by two children tossing a ball to one another. One of the children clearly exhibited mage talent and the mancer's interest was piqued. Siin and the winking woman split ways to gain vantage on where the mancer might head next, enamored a bit by this parade.