A strong gust of wind blew through the back alleys and streets, the breeze carrying a heat that struck skin. People moved quickly back and forth, hauling boxes, sacks, and crates of different merchandise to sell at the markets, trying not to let the rain get to them.
The room inside was quiet. Almost still as a slumbering elf lay, wrapped in cotton sheets. Faint rustling could be heard as her bed partner milled around the room, lifting the last of a piece of studded leather, well-worn and loose, to fasten into.
Once changed, the blond left a pair of silver pieces on the wooden sijasabi nightstand, and gently pressed open the door leading out of the room.
With a straightening of her chestplate, and adjusting her gauntlets, Azita Mirzaii stepped quickly down the stairs, pushing past a couple of the early morning tavern patrons.
“Azita! Morning!” Came the call from the inn’s owner, an older elf with dark hair.
“Morning Coryn, how’s it?” Light footsteps reached closer to the bar, glancing over the notices pinned to one of the support beams. The usual renegades and thugs on the loose, apparently the crown guard were slacking on their duties.
“Ah not bad, not bad at all. Are you heading to Macie’s today by chance?” The name caused sanguine eyes to snap from the pillar, looking over the elf cautiously.
“Yeah, may be. What’s it to you?” The voice was guarded, a worried undertone as her gaze refused to leave the man.
“Don’t you be concerned now. Just wondering if you could deliver this to her. She helped me out with a delivery of ale the other day. My supplier had gotten more expensive, but she recommended a new one. Best deal so far. You can take a gold from the bag as payment if you run it over to her.”
He pushed over a bag of coins, which she glanced over before lifting, testing the weight of it.
“You’re the one who frequents her the most from these parts. Thought I’d ask, saves my boy the trip you know? He’s got boxes to clear today.”
“Fine, only for you though Coryn, I’ll see you later but I gotta get a move on.” She was quick to step away before any further requests could be made. Conscious of doing work in this part of town. Macie was a fine enough boss, but rival groups could be protective of their territory.
The door was pushed open to the early morning of the capital. A downpour struck her almost immediately and the girl pulled her thick leather hood over her head.
A typical day by the coast, the wind blew quick with an uncomfortable warmth, the rain pouring down over the old, cobbled streets. The reality of staying in a dockside inn. Sometimes however, it was better to stick to the Old Ward. Busier and louder in the morning, the perfect chance to slip from a place unnoticed.
The city was her home and had been for many years. She knew the back alleys and lanes like her native lands and knew which to avoid as well. She was not one to stop getting into trouble, quick to argue and quicker to fight, Azita had been known to have multiple knives just in case she got disarmed.
Her reputation was well enough established for most people to stay away, apart from the one or two she allowed herself to work with or call friends from moment to moment.
While she could have taken the main road, the roguish female hated the idea of eyes upon her, of attracting attention she wouldn’t dare crave otherwise.
The back streets had their own charm to them, as much as could be given with the usual sort that lurked in the shadows.
Though there was some shelter from the rain and wind, she kept her hood up, old boots splashing in deep, clouded puddles of mud every so often.
A group of gnomes played Snatch under an awning. Sheltered from the deluge that continued to pour in the morning. She gave a respectful nod as she passed, recognising a couple from her time around certain taverns in the city.
But with quick steps and a fast pace, it wasn’t long before the blonde found herself in front of her employers. Macie was kind, gave her a bed and a fair wage for doing odd jobs. While Azita was known to mostly gather information, she could be persuaded to threaten someone from time to time. It was easy to spill blood when the price was right.
The two-story building remained quiet this early in the morning. No doubt it would be bustling later in the day, but right now the few guests that lingered were either day drinkers, or night workers, and neither of those cared much for socialising.
Azita took the chance to fix herself up a little. Straightening out her cloak and breastplate, twisting her gauntlets so there was some form of symmetry and pulling her hood down to run fingers through her light blonde, shoulder length hair.
Once she felt as presentable as she could, only then did she push the worn bolelisha door. One of the numerous signs of the actual age of the tavern. While many appreciated the quaint homeliness that Macie had set up, to those more observant the tavern was weather worn and battered. Damp walls and beaten old shutters demonstrated that enough.
“Morning Crail. Macie around?” The young halfling looked up at Azita as she entered, giving a soft nod.
“Yeah miss, ye find her in the back. Big T came by, so she’s briefing ‘im on a few things.”
“I’ve told you, there’s no need to call me miss. Azita is fine. Makes me feel old.” She responded, giving a smirk and roll of her eyes as he just shrugged and ducked slightly to hide his face.
Not letting any further comments slow her, she moved to grab a couple of leftover plates and cups at the tables from the breakfast run. There were a few morning shift workers cleaning up around the kitchen as she stepped into the back room. She placed the items down within reach of them while she walked through, managing to dodge a tall pile of boxes as she made her way to the back.
There were rooms for the guests around front, but the back had rooms for the staff. And while Azita didn’t work for the tavern itself, she did enough jobs for Macie to be able to hold up in one of the rooms for a decent price. It was nothing fancy, but a small room with a single bed and the promise of safety was much better than staying out in the streets under all elements.
As she pushed past more boxes, she knocked on one of the doors.
“Get in, close the door behind ye.” Came a sharp answer from the other side, and she did as she was told. Stepping in and closing the door behind her.
Azita’s eyes met with the halfling woman sitting at the desk, and she nodded her head, before her gaze turned to a hulking brute of a man. Broad shoulders, head clean-shaven, heavy plate armour, and a massive war hammer that was strapped to his back. It was surprising to realise his half-elven nature due to his build.
“Ah, ye’ve arrived. Wondered when ye’d crawl out of yer pit.” Her attention returned to her boss, and she gave a soft nod.
“Sorry Macie, never knew I was on duty today.” She placed the pouch given by Coryn on the desk in front of the red head, who looked over with a raised eyebrow.
“I passed by Coryn, said he owed you this and I was coming across anyway.”
“All the way out by the docks aye? What’re ye doing away out there?” The voice feigned curiosity, but Azita knew what her employer was like. Getting as much as possible, taking control of the conversation. It was unsettling when she didn’t have much to respond with.
“Just…sampling the local produce is all. Spending some of my hard-earned silver on a day off.”
She shied away from the gaze of the woman, who glanced her up and down before nodding.
“Well as ye ken where yer loyalties lie. Coryn’s fine, but a know some folks from that shady group of fuckers have been lurking around, taking anyone they can. Ye’d dae well to avoid getting snatched up.”
The younger did everything in her power to not roll her eyes at what the older woman was saying. True kidnappings had been more frequent. But she had been handling herself long before meeting Macie, she figured she’d be fine.
“You wished to see me though Macie?” Her eyes glanced back to the hulking figure in the corner. Big T wasn’t known to talk much, but he had a reputation. A mercenary with a knack for going in big and loud. A wall of metal and muscle, most who tried to take him on barely stood a chance, if the scars that littered every patch of skin were an indication of what he had been through.
Her style was the complete opposite to the man. Preferring to be quiet and stealthy over coming in big and loud. She was a thief and assassin. Not a warrior like the big guy was.
“Oh aye, yer right. Good news for yeh girl. The pair of yeh actually.” Macie took the chance to glance back at Big T before continuing.
“Milre has asked for both of yeh for a job. And ye ken ye can’t refuse her like.”
Azita felt herself swallow nervously, stepping back ever so slightly. Big T didn’t seem fazed, with his gaze fixed on Macie as she spoke.
“The Lady Milre? Isn’t there…another who can speak to her?” She swallowed; the thought of the creature made beads of sweat trail down her neck. She had only stepped in the room once and that cold feeling was not one she wished to know again. The unsettling nervousness rose in the pit of her stomach at the thought of the fey.
“Yeh ken the rules Azi, she wants ye both. So ye both shall go.” She said as she pushed herself from her desk, stretching her legs and back.
“A told her as soon as yer both here, a’ll take yeh down to her. Follow quick now.” She moved past the piles of boxes in the back room, the sound of rain battering against the outside shutters could be heard. But otherwise, there was silence. Which made Azita even more anxious.
She felt her legs shaking, but pushed forward, not even daring to glance at Big T behind her. She knew the man was following, quietly and stoically as always. Him towering after made this whole situation even more serious. What was the need of two individuals with opposing skill sets?
As Macie approached the door first, she gave three sharp taps on the wood. They echoed in the corridor. Azita couldn’t help but feel this was part of some sort of trap. The back of her mind screamed that there was a dangerous creature beyond that door.
“Ma’am, the pair you have requested have arrived for you.” Blue eyes darted to her employer. She couldn’t help but notice the change of tone. The mood shift from being in control to being submissive. The feeling of being prey continued to cloud her mind, her eyes never leaving the door. Watching as if her life depended on it.
However, after what seemed like an eternity, what couldn’t have been more than two seconds, a soft voice was heard on the other side of the wood.
“Let them in Macie.” Which the halfling did immediately, pushing open the door and motioning for Azita and Big T to step inside.
The pair were greeted by a freezing cold. Not like the icetide months, watching the snow fall. This was something deeper, something magical that caused the cold to bury itself into bones and flesh. To coat anything, it could as it staked its claim throughout this small room.
Sitting at one side of the stunning, carved wood desk was a creature of beauty, and terror.
Fey.
“You may leave Macie; I wish to discuss things with them.” Said halfling looked rather out of place for a moment, before giving a low bow of her head and stepped out, closing the door behind her.
As soon as the door was closed the room seemed to get slightly darker. The shadows grew tighter together, looming over the three in the room. Azita couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably, seeing her warm breath drift up in front of her.
Silence filled the room, neither of the pair wished to say anything as icy blue, pupilless eyes scanned over them. It was usually her making others uncomfortable. Azita held pride in her ability to read people, to understand what they were thinking and how to use that to her advantage. In this case however, it was impossible. The fey had no expression, just a blank face. Staring too long made her feel lost. Lost in those icy blue eyes that stared back, like walking through a thick, never-ending blizzard.
Seconds, minutes, potentially hours seemed to tick past all at once. Time ebbed and slowed, the silence was deafening. No outside noise could be discerned, no people in the streets. It felt like they were the only three people alive at this point.
“Well, I suppose you both are wondering why I have requested your presence.”
That voice snapped her out of the trance she hadn’t noticed herself fall into. Like waking from a deep slumber, she attempted to blink her eyes and move her feet slightly to wake herself up. How long had she been staring?
The fey didn’t seem to let them answer the question, as soon as they were paying attention she continued, a slight grin appearing on her face as she began to speak. A velvet voice, soft spoken, calming. But at the same time, something more laced the sweet words. Something Azita couldn’t quite place.
“I’ve been watching all the members of our little family, for some time. We of course, wish to make sure we are pleasing our clients. Both of you are exceptionally… skilled at your jobs, which is exactly what I need with this matter. I will tell you now, nothing I say will leave. this. room.” Those last words were punctuated with a firmness, and as those words left the lips of the fey, Azita felt a swirl of magic wrap around her instantly. An invisible chain that tightened around her entire body, forcing her to release a shuddering breathe and how tight she was being constricted. Glancing to her compatriot, she noticed a very similar expression of discomfort on Big T’s face. The usually stoic man was tense, arms forced together.
“Remember the contracts the pair of you signed?” No more was said as the slight grin grew, stretching the mouth of this creature to an impossible limit.
“You both are to work together, a team, will that not be pleasant? You have two jobs, to kill King Nixoh Bluewater and his eldest, Prince Averni.”
Azita felt her throat tighten further. The king? That was impossible, he was well guarded, protected beyond her capabilities. She had heard things about Big T and his reputation true, but even working together, she doubted that they could pull this off.
“Once this is done, you are to report back to me. Any deviation from this contract, and well…I suppose we would have to dispose of two good workers, and I would hate to see that. I love each member of our little family, and you are all so dear to my hearts. I would hate to to…” She lingered on this pause, glancing over each of the bound individuals in front of her. The grin she had on her face seemed to grow wider still, stretching beyond the impossible, almost reaching her cheekbones.
If she wasn’t frozen in place, Azita would have shied away from this sight. The frost that covered the surfaces of the room spread further, the cold biting at her cheeks, making her eyes water, and her skin start to freeze.
An uncomfortable, cold feeling travelled up her wrist, almost caressing the pale skin under leather armour.
And just like that, the world sped up again. That limbo that had grown unsettling, unnerving had stopped. Both her and Big T seemed to be released from whatever grasp the fey had held over them, falling to the ground. Big T steadied himself rather quickly, but Azita found herself shivering and almost kneeling. A sudden weariness curling through her muscles.
“…end our agreement so suddenly, would you not agree?”
She found herself nodding, beyond her control, trying to survive. Her instincts were in overdrive, wanting to hide away from this obvious predator who was far stronger than her.
“Very well, you are aware of your task. While there is no timescale, I would like this to be complete in the next couple of months, before the end of icetide at the latest, do you understand?”
The blonde woman had felt her throat dry up, trying to utter words, to say something, but she was stuck in a place of fear, not knowing what to do and how she could even think to get out of this. It was true, what the fey had said, that she had signed her life away.
“Do you want this done loud, or quiet?” Both Azita and Milre turned to Big T. His voice was deep, a heavy accent from the northern lands, Azita hadn’t travelled enough to pick it out, but enough merchants passed through the city to be able to notice it.
“Quiet…yes, quiet.” The grin hadn’t left they feys face but wasn’t so vicious as it was before.
“Best of luck, do not fail me. Now, go.” Again, curls of magic could be felt, an unknown power that wrapped itself around Azita. She tried to refuse, tried to stop it this time. But it took control, freezing her arms and forcing her legs to march to the door after Big T, who’s body seemed to be just as rigid.
And just like that, they were back in the hall outside the room.
She couldn’t help but glance around nervously, as if to see some distant blue eye watching them from the walls or the ceiling.
Azita felt she needed more time to gather her thoughts, but there was no rest as Big T began walking, through the corridor and to the kitchen. The man didn’t stop however, as he pushed past what looked to be some afternoon staff for the lunchtime rush.
It hadn’t felt that long? Suddenly Azita wondered how long they had been in that room. Time had stopped after all, well…at least it felt like it stopped. She didn’t know anything about magic to know if it was possible or not.
“Wait, Big T where are you going?” She tried suddenly, her throat dry and hoarse.
When the man didn’t respond, she reached to grab his wrist, yet he pulled back. Azita didn’t follow, flinching at the unexpected movement.
“I need time. I’ll be here tomorrow.” Was all he said with the same monotone voice. And all she could do was nod as he stepped away.
After a few seconds of pausing, she too made her way out of the tavern. If they were taking a day to think it over, then Azita did not want to do it here. In fact, she desired nothing more than to be as far away from that fey as possible.
The cold, pupilless eyes haunted her mind. Every time she blinked, she could see them staring back at her, emotionless, unwavering.
As soon as she left the building her hood was up, and she made her way through the winding, puddle filled streets. People rushing to and fro to get out of the heavy downpour. She didn’t notice the chill in the air, didn’t feel concerned by the rain. She had the sudden urge to flee, clear her mind.
To stop feeling like a fly caught in a silken web.
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