The Blood of Bargaining

The Blood of Bargaining

Postby CherryStatic » Sat Jan 17, 2015 5:48 am

"You should eat."

Bern Clydell's scowl peeled itself from the rotting floorboards of the room and latched onto her former client's face. The naïve and absentminded nature that had complicated her job on more than one occasion over the past few weeks was nowhere to be found in the bright blue eyes that briefly met hers before a plate of steaming food was proffered. It went ignored, and Alcara set it to the side after a fashion, where she knew that it would remain untouched until she left, and perhaps even then. She seated herself on the floor with her legs folded under her, facing the half-elf.

"I can't imagine what you must think of me." she said after a pause, folding her hands across her lap and threading her fingers together. Even in the uniform she wore, red leather that stripped her of any and all whimsical charm, she appeared far too young and gentle to be anything but the dancer Bern had done her best to shield from harm. The half-elf's brow twitched.

"It's nothing nice, I can tell you that."

The younger woman's gaze dropped to the floor between them. "That's fair, I guess. Still, you're handling this better than I thought you would."

Bern rolled her eyes, choosing not to reply right away. She could faintly hear the buzz of chatter and commotion from Myrken's townsfolk through the wall behind her, reminding her of how close they were to the marketplace. How out-in-the-open they were. She had to admit that the head of the viper nest she found herself in had guts choosing this place as a base of operations.

"She wanted to Bind you, you know." Alcara said, pulling her hair over one shoulder and running her fingers over it absently. She glanced at the window high overhead that allowed a shaft of sunlight to slice through the dim interior of the place.

"You mean control me." Bern corrected with a frown, her hackles raised at the prospect of someone using their power to turn her into their puppet. "So, what? Did she have a change of heart? Did she realize that kidnapping people makes you unpopular?"

"I asked her not to."

Bern issued her a savage grin. "How gracious of you; I'm still a prisoner, in case you haven't noticed."

"You're not in chains." the Bloodletter said, her fingers continuing to play along her hair, not meeting the other's gaze.

"I might as well be." Bern said quietly, slumping back against the wall. "I didn't think you'd stoop to using someone like this. But I've been wrong about you before."

"I told you, I don't make the decisions." Alcara said, a hint of frustration in her voice. "I'm sorry that Crucia is tying your hands like this, I really am, but we need you. Me, especially."

The bounty hunter smirked bitterly. "Funny way of asking for help. I don't have any option but to do what you want for now, but just know that I'll be waiting for my chance to slit your leader's pretty throat."

Alcara shrugged. "I'm sure she's counting on it. Be careful."

"After her, I'm coming for you, you black hearted bitch."

There was a beat of silence, the faint drone of the marketplace's ambience filtering into the quiet room. Alcara's fingers slowed, then stilled, finally releasing her coppery hair. Her blue eyes took in one of the only people she had ever considered a friend, who now regarded her with naked hatred.

Wordlessly, she picked the plate of food up from where she had set it on the ground and rose fluidly, turning on her heel and heading for the door. She opened it, pausing to glance over her shoulder.

"This is bigger than you, and I don't have to be nice about it. But I'm trying. I'm not a monster."

Bern sneered. "You're much worse."

Alcara's eyes narrowed slightly. "Your family is important to you; that's the only reason you're following Crucia's orders. My family is important to me, too. I'll do what it takes to protect them, same as you."

She closed the door behind her, but Bern never heard the lock turn. She waited for several seconds, but the Bloodletter's footsteps faded. Perplexed, her gaze fell to the ground.

A key lay where Alcara had sat, glinting quietly in the poor lighting.

Bern plucked it from the rotting floorboard it rested upon, turning it over in her hand. Glancing up at the door that Alcara had disappeared through, she slipped the key into her boot, wondering what the girl intended.
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CherryStatic
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