thewriter
05-18-08, 10:25 PM
The Forbidden Ecstasy
A solo by thewriter
note to judges: This solo may take a while. I will mention when I am done posting in it. thanks very much, hope you enjoy it.
Neoku groaned and laid down as soon as he and his companion entered the rather plain room the innkeeper gave them. It's walls and floor were bare of anything that could make it welcoming, and you could hardly call the musty wad of stuffed cloth in the corner a bed.
The smell of that thing must be driving Neoku's nose crazy, Narida thought.
Narida looked at him with apologetic eyes, and stroked the fur on his head. "There there, little brother," She told him calmly. "Just one more job, and we can make you feel better." Neoku nodded in understanding to her, gently licking her hand in affection. When Narida went to leave the room, he strained to stand. This only made Narida sigh and shake her head at her loving companion.
"No," she told him, sitting him back down. "I'm going to get the job - we're safe here. You rest - we only have a month left. Save your strength." Reluctantly, Neoku laid back down, and readied for a much need nap. Narida left the room, closed the door, then paused. She was cutting it awful close this year. Could she seriously save Neoku this time? Sighing, she leaned her back against the wall, and put her hands in her face.
"Gods help me," She pleaded. "Don't let me lose the one companion that won't abandon me. Please." She said the words slowly, as if it pained her to turn to the Gods that so scorned her to save her. An uncontrollable shiver went down her spine - what she supposed was her body telling her to stop. She knew the longer she lingered the worse, and that she had a client waiting downstairs. Slowly, Narida swallowed, her solemnity and worry was washed from her face, her usual indifference back. She had a job.
Narida walked down the steps to spy her client sitting in the corner. He wasn't exactly subtle - of high stature in this town by the looks of him, the average man would say. But this man was the head of a black market around the world with the alias of an honest merchant. Today he chose the garb of a blue satin shirt that clung tightly to his lean, jet black body. He wore khaki colored breeches and black leather boots, with gold embellishing around the toes and rims. a few simple rings were on his fingers, and his bald head was bare. Two earrings were in each ear - each ear holding an obsidian loop with a garnet inset and a white gold loop with a yellow topaz inset. She supposed it meant angel and devil, but she never understood the theologies of man and high elves. He had a cologne-like scent to him, Narida noted as she approached him. As usual.
He spied her coming and gestured to the seat next to him. Narida gave a small smile and took the aforementioned seat. "We meet again Jack," Narida observed. Her tone was more friendly with this client than with most - he was a regular, so she had grown used to him. "Who is getting in the way of your goods this time?"
He had a fruity, rich sound to his laugh. "Aye - my goods are being threatened a lot nowadays. My recipe is just that loved, it would seem." His voice had the thick accent of the more tropical areas in Althanas.
Narida sighed and drummed the fingers on her left hand on the table impatiently. "Who's my target?" She asked bluntly.
"Isaac Lannis," He told her. "Head adviser of Max Dirk."
Narida's eyebrow arched easily and gracefully on her forehead. "You better get every coin that you can find together, Jack, because you realize for a target of that stature and security, my services will not be cheap."
"I'm not so sure you are in the position to negotiate price, dear Narida," He said with an air of confidence about him. He turned to the serving maid and ordered a flask of their finest red wine, who blushed at his friendly smile and hurried to do as she was bade.
Her brow went from raised in surprise to furrowed in confusion. "I'm not so sure I follow. You know that in my assassination attempts, I always-"
"How is your wolf?" He interrupted her. "Usually, when you come to me, he is with you no matter what." Narida bit her lip, and bit it hard. He knew, didn't he?
Jack smirked. "I did some reading on your culture while you were on the way here. So, here's the deal: If you do this job for me, I will pay you the normal price, and the price of a cart to carry your wolf in when he gets too weak. But you have to do this exactly as I say, or our chance is gone - and then where will you be?"
He saw the anger and spite in Narida's face. The smoke gray eyes that had been lax were now seemingly ablaze. Her index finger was drumming rapidly now, the numerous small thuds as they hit the table resonating in her keen ears. If you were really looking, you could notice a slight twitch in one ear. Jack knew he had crossed her bad this time, but he held his smirk and he simply poured her some wine when the girl brought it. the girl quickly retreated with a frightened look on her face when she saw Narida's expression. Narida never touched the goblet, but instead glanced at it as if it was the one blackmailing her. She and Jack stared one another down in a long, long silence beforeNarida said in a low, quiet tone, "What do you want me to do?"
A large smile graced his face, showing porcelain white teeth. "Good girl," He told her. He probably would have even patted her head, had she not tightened her right hand around the hilt of her stiletto, Black Ice. "So dear old Max plans on having a grand banquet in the next week - his anniversary. Being a frequent customer of mine, I have been invited. However, I have neglected to find an escort..."
Narida scowled. "A banquet?! a god's forsaken banquet?! Jack, perhaps in eating your 'bread' you must have gone mad, because I am a beast elf. Banquets are for proper women and elf maidens who know how to dance and sit and eat properly and talk in pretty words and....wear a dress! I don't even own a dress!" All of these things flew out at once. It was one thing to make her do a job against her will, another to not tell her if her target deserves death or not when it is because of that that she is doing the job, but this...this was just slavery.
Jack looked her up and down. "I will have one made for you. Red silk should go nicely with that lovely platinum hair of yours...if it ever can get untangled and clean."
"Oh, fine," She said, her angry tone returning. "So I won't offend them in my dress, I'll just offend them with everything else!"
"Your kind must be deaf, my dear," He told her, leaning back in his chair. "We have a week. I will teach you personally the proper etiquette, dancing, and socializing of a banquet."
"Oh my, I feel so honored," Narida snapped sarcastically. "I have the privilege of being taught how to act like a mindless whore of the court by a sleazy smuggler."
"You are too kind, fair maiden," He told her, bowing his head mockingly. "I'll have my men come to fetch your dog-"
"Wolf," she corrected with a bite to her voice.
" - Your wolfand your things. While you study the art of ladyship, you stay in my manse. You must get used to the feel of big, lavish places as well as wearing a dress and heeled shoes. I can't very well trust you to do these things on your own, so you will be watched by my people."
"Great - first blackmailed, now kidnapped," She said to herself bitterly.
"Your feisty attitude should be focused less towards loathing me and more towards becoming a proper lady, my dear."
She glared at him with tightened lips. "But of course, my lord," She spat.
This only made Jack laugh again. Though this time she despised the exotic sound of it. "Well lady of court or no, you are for sure a woman," He told her, reaching out an ebony hand and gently pinching her cheek as if she were just a child. "Come," he beckoned her, standing. "You shall accompany me in my litter. I will have a smaller one sent over for your...wolf."
"Good luck - unless you bring him a litter with my scent in it, he won't even trust the men carrying it," She warned him, getting a smirk of her own. Jack closed the gap of proximity, making the height difference prominent(though it already was, him being two and a half heads taller and all). He leaned his head down near hers, his big eyes studying her own carefully. One of his hands sneaked behind and pulled some hairs from her head. She had known he was doing that, but could not fight, or he would look for someone else when she did not have the time to do the same. She knew this. Everyone knew the Isaac Lannis to be corrupt enough to deserve death, and if she couldn't get one more death soon...she did not want to think of what would happen should Neoku die.
"Now then milady," He told her, offering the crook of his arm. "Shall we?"
"We shall," she said, denying his arm and instead striding ahead of him with her strong confident walk and not the dainty walk that so many ladies had. Jack sighed and laughed. "What a wonderful week we have in store," He muttered to himself as the servants outside opened the litter and Narida entered. But before Jack could, he stumbled over something and nearly lost balance. It was one of Narida's obsidian knives that was always lodged in her boot.
"My apologies, m'lord," she told him. "I seemed to have dropped it." Her own little smirk was on her face.
This made Jack sigh again, but out of thinning patience and Narida's childish antics. A wonderful week indeed.
A solo by thewriter
note to judges: This solo may take a while. I will mention when I am done posting in it. thanks very much, hope you enjoy it.
Neoku groaned and laid down as soon as he and his companion entered the rather plain room the innkeeper gave them. It's walls and floor were bare of anything that could make it welcoming, and you could hardly call the musty wad of stuffed cloth in the corner a bed.
The smell of that thing must be driving Neoku's nose crazy, Narida thought.
Narida looked at him with apologetic eyes, and stroked the fur on his head. "There there, little brother," She told him calmly. "Just one more job, and we can make you feel better." Neoku nodded in understanding to her, gently licking her hand in affection. When Narida went to leave the room, he strained to stand. This only made Narida sigh and shake her head at her loving companion.
"No," she told him, sitting him back down. "I'm going to get the job - we're safe here. You rest - we only have a month left. Save your strength." Reluctantly, Neoku laid back down, and readied for a much need nap. Narida left the room, closed the door, then paused. She was cutting it awful close this year. Could she seriously save Neoku this time? Sighing, she leaned her back against the wall, and put her hands in her face.
"Gods help me," She pleaded. "Don't let me lose the one companion that won't abandon me. Please." She said the words slowly, as if it pained her to turn to the Gods that so scorned her to save her. An uncontrollable shiver went down her spine - what she supposed was her body telling her to stop. She knew the longer she lingered the worse, and that she had a client waiting downstairs. Slowly, Narida swallowed, her solemnity and worry was washed from her face, her usual indifference back. She had a job.
Narida walked down the steps to spy her client sitting in the corner. He wasn't exactly subtle - of high stature in this town by the looks of him, the average man would say. But this man was the head of a black market around the world with the alias of an honest merchant. Today he chose the garb of a blue satin shirt that clung tightly to his lean, jet black body. He wore khaki colored breeches and black leather boots, with gold embellishing around the toes and rims. a few simple rings were on his fingers, and his bald head was bare. Two earrings were in each ear - each ear holding an obsidian loop with a garnet inset and a white gold loop with a yellow topaz inset. She supposed it meant angel and devil, but she never understood the theologies of man and high elves. He had a cologne-like scent to him, Narida noted as she approached him. As usual.
He spied her coming and gestured to the seat next to him. Narida gave a small smile and took the aforementioned seat. "We meet again Jack," Narida observed. Her tone was more friendly with this client than with most - he was a regular, so she had grown used to him. "Who is getting in the way of your goods this time?"
He had a fruity, rich sound to his laugh. "Aye - my goods are being threatened a lot nowadays. My recipe is just that loved, it would seem." His voice had the thick accent of the more tropical areas in Althanas.
Narida sighed and drummed the fingers on her left hand on the table impatiently. "Who's my target?" She asked bluntly.
"Isaac Lannis," He told her. "Head adviser of Max Dirk."
Narida's eyebrow arched easily and gracefully on her forehead. "You better get every coin that you can find together, Jack, because you realize for a target of that stature and security, my services will not be cheap."
"I'm not so sure you are in the position to negotiate price, dear Narida," He said with an air of confidence about him. He turned to the serving maid and ordered a flask of their finest red wine, who blushed at his friendly smile and hurried to do as she was bade.
Her brow went from raised in surprise to furrowed in confusion. "I'm not so sure I follow. You know that in my assassination attempts, I always-"
"How is your wolf?" He interrupted her. "Usually, when you come to me, he is with you no matter what." Narida bit her lip, and bit it hard. He knew, didn't he?
Jack smirked. "I did some reading on your culture while you were on the way here. So, here's the deal: If you do this job for me, I will pay you the normal price, and the price of a cart to carry your wolf in when he gets too weak. But you have to do this exactly as I say, or our chance is gone - and then where will you be?"
He saw the anger and spite in Narida's face. The smoke gray eyes that had been lax were now seemingly ablaze. Her index finger was drumming rapidly now, the numerous small thuds as they hit the table resonating in her keen ears. If you were really looking, you could notice a slight twitch in one ear. Jack knew he had crossed her bad this time, but he held his smirk and he simply poured her some wine when the girl brought it. the girl quickly retreated with a frightened look on her face when she saw Narida's expression. Narida never touched the goblet, but instead glanced at it as if it was the one blackmailing her. She and Jack stared one another down in a long, long silence beforeNarida said in a low, quiet tone, "What do you want me to do?"
A large smile graced his face, showing porcelain white teeth. "Good girl," He told her. He probably would have even patted her head, had she not tightened her right hand around the hilt of her stiletto, Black Ice. "So dear old Max plans on having a grand banquet in the next week - his anniversary. Being a frequent customer of mine, I have been invited. However, I have neglected to find an escort..."
Narida scowled. "A banquet?! a god's forsaken banquet?! Jack, perhaps in eating your 'bread' you must have gone mad, because I am a beast elf. Banquets are for proper women and elf maidens who know how to dance and sit and eat properly and talk in pretty words and....wear a dress! I don't even own a dress!" All of these things flew out at once. It was one thing to make her do a job against her will, another to not tell her if her target deserves death or not when it is because of that that she is doing the job, but this...this was just slavery.
Jack looked her up and down. "I will have one made for you. Red silk should go nicely with that lovely platinum hair of yours...if it ever can get untangled and clean."
"Oh, fine," She said, her angry tone returning. "So I won't offend them in my dress, I'll just offend them with everything else!"
"Your kind must be deaf, my dear," He told her, leaning back in his chair. "We have a week. I will teach you personally the proper etiquette, dancing, and socializing of a banquet."
"Oh my, I feel so honored," Narida snapped sarcastically. "I have the privilege of being taught how to act like a mindless whore of the court by a sleazy smuggler."
"You are too kind, fair maiden," He told her, bowing his head mockingly. "I'll have my men come to fetch your dog-"
"Wolf," she corrected with a bite to her voice.
" - Your wolfand your things. While you study the art of ladyship, you stay in my manse. You must get used to the feel of big, lavish places as well as wearing a dress and heeled shoes. I can't very well trust you to do these things on your own, so you will be watched by my people."
"Great - first blackmailed, now kidnapped," She said to herself bitterly.
"Your feisty attitude should be focused less towards loathing me and more towards becoming a proper lady, my dear."
She glared at him with tightened lips. "But of course, my lord," She spat.
This only made Jack laugh again. Though this time she despised the exotic sound of it. "Well lady of court or no, you are for sure a woman," He told her, reaching out an ebony hand and gently pinching her cheek as if she were just a child. "Come," he beckoned her, standing. "You shall accompany me in my litter. I will have a smaller one sent over for your...wolf."
"Good luck - unless you bring him a litter with my scent in it, he won't even trust the men carrying it," She warned him, getting a smirk of her own. Jack closed the gap of proximity, making the height difference prominent(though it already was, him being two and a half heads taller and all). He leaned his head down near hers, his big eyes studying her own carefully. One of his hands sneaked behind and pulled some hairs from her head. She had known he was doing that, but could not fight, or he would look for someone else when she did not have the time to do the same. She knew this. Everyone knew the Isaac Lannis to be corrupt enough to deserve death, and if she couldn't get one more death soon...she did not want to think of what would happen should Neoku die.
"Now then milady," He told her, offering the crook of his arm. "Shall we?"
"We shall," she said, denying his arm and instead striding ahead of him with her strong confident walk and not the dainty walk that so many ladies had. Jack sighed and laughed. "What a wonderful week we have in store," He muttered to himself as the servants outside opened the litter and Narida entered. But before Jack could, he stumbled over something and nearly lost balance. It was one of Narida's obsidian knives that was always lodged in her boot.
"My apologies, m'lord," she told him. "I seemed to have dropped it." Her own little smirk was on her face.
This made Jack sigh again, but out of thinning patience and Narida's childish antics. A wonderful week indeed.