I'l Fana Kelbé (The White Hart) Contract: 'Retaking a Memory'

[Katarya Frost]

Covered in soot, dressed like a strumpet clown, and then being carried around by the elf because her outfit and the smoke had hindered her ... Katarya Frost hoped that this would be the worst she ever felt about herself.

Nyx croaked in consent and took to the air.

--

Nyx landed in the flurry of glassy black feathers, hoping through the open window, turning her head to the side as she fixed her eyes on Ksenia, warbling at her. It seemed Ksenia was needed.

[Ksenia]

Nyx appeared at the window, warbling. Ksenia felt a lump in her throat. “Are they okay?” she asked the raven. Nyx warbled at her, a happy sounding noise. “Am I supposed to go with you?” Nyx chattered at her and hopped toward the door. “Okay then,” Ksenia said to herself.

She slipped past the curtain that blocked off Mr. O’Dell’s cot from the rest of the back room. She shook his shoulder gently. “They’re out. I’m supposed to meet them.” Mr. O’Dell muttered something and curled deeper into his blanket. Ksenia grabbed a piece of scrap paper, scribbled a quick note on it, and left it on the main work table. She let herself out the back door, holding the cloaks, and turned to Nyx. “Lead on, Nyx.”

The raven led her a bit south before turning westward. Ksenia saw a plume of black smoke stretching upward in the north and gulped a little. It looked horrible. Nyx chattered at her and Ksenia picked up her pace. She hoped everyone had escaped unscathed.

[Dáire]

The boots of the two men clacked and thudded along the cobbles as they tore through the city at break neck speeds. It was just as well both spent many a day doing this, but even so, Dáire could feel himself weakened. His tunic was wet, the fabric sodden with his freshly opened wound. Nowhere near the extent it had been the previous night but enough for him to be aware already.

The sound of shod hooves mixing with that of many boots, echoed off the walls of a street running adjacent to theirs, a few blocks over. Whether it was in response to the commotion behind them or someone sent to locate them, he did not know. Artemis soon took to the roofs, Dáire only caught the briefest glances of the man, as he leapt across and over their heads as they skirted the alleys. His legs began to ache as fatigue began to claw at him; he hadn't done so much flat out running in such a long time. Several minutes later, he felt as though he could finally give into a sigh of relief. Through the valley of houses and the crest of a hill, the sea glistened the stars above it, the moon light dancing along the gentle waves as they made a last push for land.
The warehouse district loomed before them, making a sharp right as they entered, he followed a dark and fairly disused path through the multitude of buildings. The are had once been used to store fine imports, fine wines, exotic fabrics, spices and the like, but in recent times trade hadn’t been favouring such large influxes of the higher end market goods. As a result, many lay empty, like the somewhat run down looking building Dáire ground to a halt before. The huge wooden structure bore the weathered look of an old ship, the wood had a green tinge to it and the smell of decay hung around the place. Making sure Artemis had saw them stop, he pushed the side door open silently, and went inside.

Inside was much like the outside, it smelt damp, the remains of old paperwork was strewn around on the tables that were scatter about the room’s walls. Old empty ale and wine barrels were stacked to one end of the room while crates adored the other end. Striding wearily through the room, his breath puffing out in clouds before him, he scanned the floor near the stacks of barrels. Finally locating it , he swooped down, his cloak billowing out around him and making him one with the shadow that heavily cloaked the room, he jammed a knife under the wood, freeing the trap door.

The panel of planks lifted soundlessly on well-oiled hinges and Dáire smiled. A small wooden stair case led down into the darkness beyond. Propping the door open, he gracefully descended the stairs, tracking down the candles and began lighting them one by one. What was revealed was in stark contrast to what they had left behind above them. The walls were painted a muted white,, the smell of damp was absent instead the smell of spices greeted them. A plush rug lay near the middle of the room, multiple cots waited at one end of the room, a small desk and packed book case lay against a wall while the other end of the room boasted a sizable pantry of non-perishable foods, including several casts of the fine- and now old wine, that had been left behind by the previous renter.

Wound forgotten in his relief of having seemingly pulled it off, he turned to grin widely at his two companions, eyes glittering and heart light. “I think we earned cracking open one of those tonight, don’t you think?”

[Katarya Frost]

"I'll say!" Kat said, with delight. Wine was just what the healer ordered.

She glanced up as Ksenia entered the room, with Nyx on her shoulder. For a moment, there was a pang of jealousy, but she soon dismissed it, even going so far as to chuckle at herself. Why was she so threatened by this woman? Nyx was doing hew job, and she happened to like Ksenia ... it was hardly the end of the world.

Kat gave the woman a smile and held out one of the full cups to her. "And the lady behind our disguises! She said. "I can honestly say I have never hated anything so much as I have these clothes," she smiled. "But, they worked better than any magic I could conjure up. So first toast of the evening; To Knsenia; Mistress of the Needle!" She tapped her cup with the others and took a drink. "Who is next?" She asked, in fine spirits

[Artemis Black]

Artemis felt his exhaustion beginning to fog his brain when Dáire finally turned into the warehouse district. When he slipped down to stay close to his companions he felt anxious energy washing the tiredness away. ‘We’re so close, this was where things always go wrong,’ he thought as he checked on the rather annoyed Katarya. When Dáire levered open a trapdoor Artemis let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. The walk down the steps was marked by relief flooding his body.

He leaned against the wall, staying near to his lover and grinning broadly when Ksenia joined them. He raised his glass with the toast, “To the woman who makes my future, so that I might share it with another,” he added softly.

When the floor was opened Artemis stepped off the wall. He planted his feet and flexed his legs before slamming his hips forward in a sudden and vigorous thrust. The fabric, designed to hug him overly close and not made for the stress, tore with a loud ripping sound that seemed to echo across the room. The shredded remains of his pants fell to the ground revealing to the women Artemis had chosen not to wear his undergarments, likely due to the tightness of the pants.

“My gods, that was stifling,” he said, groaning softly as he relaxed his muscles. He tossed back a second glass of wine and then rounded on Dáire. “You tore your stitches! I just did these. Take this off,” he said, tugging at the elf’s drenched shirt. “I’ll fix it up and you can drink to numb the pain,” he added as he tried to get at the man’s buckles.

[Katarya Frost]

Kat's eyes widened as Artemis revealed himself, then they narrowed, and finally, she rolled her eyes. "Must be cold in here." She said, taking a sip of her wine and smirking.

[Ksenia]

Ksenia raised a glass of whatever it was that Dáire had had in the cask, but she wasn’t drinking it. She’d taken a sip to be polite, but she wasn’t much enamored of most alcohols. Tonight, she especially didn’t want any. The let-down jitters of anxiety and adrenaline were beginning to set in, and Ksenia wanted nothing more than to go back to the Goose and sleep, or pretend to, anyway. She barely cared that Deb would be busy feeding from idols-knew-who and wouldn’t be around. I don’t belong here. I didn’t really do anything. Even Artemis’s quiet aside only made her slightly annoyed that he apparently expected her to bankroll his - and by association, Katarya’s - futures.

Post-event feelings were always the worst. She wanted to scream, to cry - even to vomit, to rid herself of it all - but she had to stay here, to pretend to them all that she was happy. Tomorrow, she might be pleased and impressed they pulled it off, but right now, she felt sick. The back of her eyes burned as tears threatened. I’m only going to bring them down. They don’t need to have to deal with me.

“Dáire, is there any other way out except the trapdoor?” she asked quietly, as Artemis fussed over Dáire’s torn stitches. I don’t belong here.

[Dáire]

Dáire’s brows near shot right through his hair line as he stared, stunned at the sudden action and the mans obvious lack of concern. Artemis advanced on him with purpose, now bare from the hips down and seemingly oblivious to both Dáire’s and Kats reactions. The man gulped down what was his second sizable cup of the fine wine as he approached, his hands then grasping onto Dáire’s blood-soaked shirt and tugging it out of the way before realising the bandolier and other straps crossing his chest, prevented the garment from being moved out of the way.

For the first time in quite a long while, he found himself a little lost for words. How did he handle this situation? Glancing at Kat, she seemed unbothered now by her lover’s brazen behaviour, going as far to crack a joke about the temperature at Artemis’ expense. Unable to say anything, he downed what remained of his first glass of wine in a single gulp, setting about deftly removing the straps and bloody garment encasing his body. Unwilling to try and argue with the determined little human.

When Ksenia spoke, he was so thankful for the interruption for what was quickly becoming an awkward moment, that he jumped on the answer. Pointing a finger to the book case a few strides away, “Run your hand down the right-hand side of that, just behind the rim of the book case will be a level, flick it and the case will swing out.” Hissing as Artemis poked the wound, apparently, he’d managed to pull more than one stitch in their hasty jaunt through the city. “That will lead you to one of the abandoned office houses, they’re all interconnecting.” His voice coming out somewhat higher and spoken through clenched teeth this time.

Gladly accepting a refill on his glass, he downed that one as well, the pull and tug of the needle at his side familiar, but no more pleasant than it had been the first time he’d had to be sewn back to together near 150 years ago.

Time seemed to blur a bit as the rather potent wine began to take effect was it three or four large glasses he’d had? The faint recollection of trying toe hug Artemis when he’d finished the stitches also tickled his mind; he wasn't totally sure though. His mind became increasingly hazy as mental and physical exhaustion hit like avalanche, eviscerating anything else his mind may have wanted to consider.

***

That morning he’d risen to the sound of squabbling gulls, clattering high above them on the tinny roof of the warehouse. Mists were thick that morning, clinging to the sleepy city streets like creeping fines, the tendrils drifting lazily as the group made their way towards The White Hart. Their theft seemingly still undiscovered, they had decided not to linger in the close confines of the warehouse, hang overs and sleep deprived thieves did not sound like a situation that would remain peaceful for long.

Lengthening his strides and moving ahead, Dáire reached a still blood-stained arm towards the once more pristine door of the hart, and led the two humans inside. A few Almá were already hard at work, preparing the tavern for a new day of business. Dáire’s gaze locked with the cool eyes of the all-seeing Quimellë, who waited expectantly at the far end of the bar, before a door that led into her office. He couldn’t read the womans expression when she laid those penetrating eyes, upon Artemis in tow.

Aurae raised a perfectly groomed auburn brow as they entered the back room, focus falling upon the second human. The woman’s features were perfectly schooled, Dáire couldn’t get a read on her reaction to his presence; bar the mild surprise she allowed to show. The two older elves shared a look, something unsaid passing between them in that moment.

“Since you’re all still in one piece,” She gave Dáire a knowing look, her eyes flicking to his hands. He hastily clasped them behind his back as she moved on, her gaze flowing over Ksenia and Artemis again. “and you seemed to add one more to the contract.”The warm brown depths of her eyes froze over, regarding Dáire and Kat her voice dropped an octave. “You are aware I do not like the involvement of Salquë in my personal business, Almá and Nuinë.”

She paused in her admonishments, just long enough that Dáire began to feel the need to squirm beneath the pressure of his elder’s words. The air in the room had become frigid, if he did not know she couldn’t have magic, he’d have sworn her emotions would be calling a tempest down on the city.

“However … having evidently aided both my Nuinë and Almá significantly enough; that they would present him to us, in such an uncouth manner as this, I believe I may over look it this time. Élara,” She turned to the other elders who was watching them so intensely, Dáire was surprised they hadn’t caught a flame under it. “please look into the extent of this ones involvement. I should like to know before I say more on the matter.”

Facing them again, she held out a jewelry laden forearm towards them. The gold bangles, rings and bracelets with their many precious and semi-precious stones, catching and throwing the soft morning light that cascaded through the small window of the room. “I believe you have retrieved something that belongs to me.”

[Katarya Frost]

Elára's own expression was stony as she cast her eyes on the three of them. "There was nothing in the contract that prevented either Nuinë Dáire or the Almá from involving outsiders," she said. "Though I thought they would know better."

Katarya spoke up, though in the presence of these two women, she couldn't help but feel anxious. They probably should have left Artemis out of this meeting, but she had felt it would improve his relationship with the Hart if they knew how much he had actually helped!. "My apologies, to both of you." Kat began. The Salquë were instrumental in helping us. We were provided uniforms to help us get into the residence of the mark, and Artemis here was the one who actually took the bracelet."

She gave her lover a nudge, to make him hand over the bracelet. "Which he then got to Dáire, who got us all out of there. The story is much longer, and I am happy to tell it, but it was a success."

"Time will tell, if it was a true success of not, Almá." Elára said, but the watched as Artemis stepped forward.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis could feel the cold disdain oozing from the elves as he followed Dáire and Katarya into the back room. It wasn’t a particularly unique experience, being distrusted or despised. He simply remained quiet and kept himself collected and professional. ‘They’re terribly about form and etiquette,’ he thought to himself as several glares and awkward silences passed him by.

Then Katarya was there at his defense, speaking his and Ksenia’s praises and prompting him to offer the collected item. He stood, offering a short bow, and began his debrief in the same way he had a hundred times before. “I, Artemis Black, was contracted to provide intelligence on movement, composition, and responses of guard forces inside and surrounding the target facilities to be combined with information regarding layout collected by overwatch.” Artemis nodded to Dáire.

“Additionally, I was selected to be on the infiltration team and provide collection of the target as well as general protection to mission critical magical assets,” he added, this time nodding to Katarya.

“I sub-contracted an associate of mine, Peredhel Ksenia, to construct appropriate attire that we might infiltrate without detection. The infiltration and escape were adequate. Magical assets were deployed successfully, though a shift in strategy was necessitated by excess smoke during the escape. Overwatch was required to assist in exfiltration due to unforeseen, and unconfirmed conflict in the outer areas of the compound. The conflict did not directly impact the mission.”

“One kitchen staff recognized Almá Katarya during entry, and may have survived,” Artemis nodded to Katarya. “I present the target item as proof of completion and recommend my companions for a solid execution in the face of shifting odds,” Artemis took out the delicate elven jewelry, turned it right side up, and placed it in the demanding woman’s hand. He then settled back into a professional stance in his chair.