Dragon (S)Layers Ch. 15

Flesh and Flexibility

The Black Boar was an inn located on the fringes of the city's outskirts, filling an obtuse little plot of land sandwiched between two hills owned by rich nobles who, despite their best efforts, hadn't managed to convince the owner to hand over the deed to either one.

It was probably because of the location; the crossroad made it an opportune stop over for anyone heading to the city or any of the southern villages that dotted the path to the kingdom of Resa. When she had first come to the city, Sarah had made it a point to stop at the two story inn out of curiosity.

She hadn't been disappointed-- as humble as it was on the outside, it made great use of spacious layouts and warm, inviting lighting to put her mind at ease right from the start. She'd been a different person all those years ago, but it seemed as though the inn hadn't changed all that much. The lighting and pleasantly lined face of the older woman behind the counter had the same effect that they had back then, almost instantly the knot in Sarah's shoulders began to unwind.

She pre-empted the woman, producing a bag of coin. "Hello! I'd like to rent two of your finest rooms."

"Certainly, miss. You're just about in time for dinnah, wouldya like it at your room?"

Sarah eyed her for a moment, considering ever so briefly the gentle lines of the woman's neck, even through the practical dress she wore. After the day she'd had, the idea sounded appealing. Something new, experienced even-- "Well, that depends, dear." She leaned forward into the woman's space with a soft smile. "How would you prefer I apply my tongue to what you have to offer, hm?"

Despite being coated in sweat and grime from the day's events and the ride that followed, Sarah imagined herself still able to pull off something at least marginally attractive. The woman just chuckled and shook her head, though her smile was genuine, even to the point that it actually made Sarah want to grin in return.

"You should clear your plate, ya look like ya need it!" Abruptly she swatted Sarah's stomach with the back of her hand. Sarah let out an 'umph' and the woman went back to get the keys. "Mind my askin' who gave ya that shinah?"

"Ah?" The hell was a shiner? Probably some eastern affectation. Perhaps it had something to do with her accent. "I suppose I've been fortunate in life."

"Just not with men, ay? Sign here, if ya want a couple more days, just let me know, hm?"

Sarah gathered the keys and her coin, playing off her confusion with a relaxed smile. Maybe after a bath and some time to relax she could put in the time to seduce the woman. There was always the paladin, too. . .

She checked the rooms over and went outside to retrieve their guest and the rest of her group. The problem with the paladin, attractive though he was, and he really was. Broad shoulders, husky voice. Well hung from what she could tell.

Oh, but then he'd be clinging to her like a puppy. What's more, he was a paladin for gods' sake. The last thing she needed was a source of religious debate and zealotry. She didn't need someone telling her she was a shoddy priest.

No, it seemed she was going to have to default to Tessarie. Unless, of course, she could find some entertainment amongst the other guests.

Outside the carriage the paladin and Tessarie were hoisting the unconscious girl up into a carry. The larger human had no problem with the relatively tiny woman aside from the grim look he wore. He and Sarah exchanged a glance before she held up her key. "She can stay in my room for the evening."

"I still think this is a terrible idea."

"Compassion, my dear boy, is not a trait unique to your ilk."

"She's tainted--"

Sarah turned on her heel, pointedly ignoring the implication. It didn't take a magical pact to feel the bristle of the woman's immense power, nor the dark taint to it's presence, but that didn't mean the girl herself was as dark as whatever power she'd aligned herself with. Even if it did, there were questions to be asked. . . "Bring her inside, if you would. Keiter, are you all right to walk?"

He stumbled weakly from around the carriage with his robe clutched tight to his shivering body. "I-- I'll make it."

Thank the gods she couldn't heal anyone, Sarah quietly mused as she wandered over to the coach driver and instructed him where to park-- and leave- the carriage. After paying him, she turned back to the inn in time to see something that surprised her.

Tessarie was offering Keiter a hand with a shaky smile, helping him up the stairs. It was interesting to see how quick she had forgotten her initial misgivings about the kobold, perhaps there was hope for her yet.

By the time they had the girl laid out on the large bed, Keiter had practically fallen asleep. The three of them took turns looking at one another waiting for the other to speak, to lend some sense to the madness of the last few hours. Sarah didn't need someone to tell her what was wrong, though. She knew what was going to happen if the dragons' agents caught up with her.

She had a chance to learn what they were planning, though. Yes, this was a good omen, even if it was unexpected. She could get a head start if she knew what she was up against. Sarah quietly ushered the others into the hall. "Get some food and rest, we'll talk about this later. Here's the key for the other room."

To Sarah's surprise, the paladin was the one who asked, "what about you?"

"I'm sure I'll be all right. We'll discuss this all a bit later, hm?" Without waiting for a reply she closed and locked the door. Not even two seconds later she slumped against it, the sudden awareness of her intimate proximity to the woman who'd planned to kill her pinged in the back of her mind like a gunshot.

Half-elf or not, maybe there was something to the whole 'fey crazy' theory. Surely no sane person would do something this blatantly contradictory to their own well being.

Sarah saw something in this woman's face, though, something more than she would expect from a ruthless killer. She slept fitfully and still wore the youth of her years, the inexperience and the open mind that suggested she might be open to influence. Sarah had seen many peoples' sleeping faces before and the openness of her expression suggested a kind of war waging inside. Perhaps she could manipulate this girl. . .

The fact that she had rescued the girl from the alley, in truth saving her life, should have been enough to buy the time and goodwill Sarah needed to formulate a plan and learn as much as she could about what the dragon had been planning.

Yes, she told herself, this could work. But 'could' and 'would' were often at odds, so it was only because of common sense that she relieved the girl of the half dozen daggers strapped to her light absorbing armor.

Sarah had become acquainted with weapons grade steel when she was an apprentice smith, but there was something immediately off about these blades. For one thing, they were much too light even for steel and they didn't have the 'spark' of magic to them that they should have had if they were magical. However even at glance it was obvious that they were exceptionally lethal. Even the nicks in the scabbards were deep.

Sarah ran her thumb across the flat of one of the blades, running her finger over the texture in an attempt to puzzle out what kind of technique had been used to give them their raised grain. Slowly her gaze turned to the girl sprawled out on her bed. Even packed into her body hugging leathers, she had a kind of feminine presence that belied the incredible feats of strength she had performed.

Powerful legs, thighs made of coiled steel bound to wide hips that were infinitely holdable, sweeping into a slim waist that Sarah found herself eying thoughtfully as she tapped the flat of the blade against its scabbard. Her chest was rather modest but Sarah imagined following the lines of her body from the strong jaw, over those cuppable breasts to the flair of her hips and the powerful thighs that looked as though they were meant for wrapping around someone.

By the gods she was something to appreciate. Danger be damned, she had the kind of body that turned heads and set mouths salivating with possibility. Her strength and fearlessness were the icing on a very well made cake, yet something prickled the fringes of Sarah's consciousness, something that reminded her just how obscenely dangerous it would be to slide between the sheets with this girl if she was awake.

Yet, for all her knowledge, Sarah couldn't help but wonder. . .

Carefully, quietly, she set the blade down on the dresser beside the girl's other kit and inched her way over to the bed. In as soft a voice as she could muster she whispered, "Wake up sweetheart."

The girl didn't stir at all save the slow breathing which caused her leathers to creak as she tried to breathe in deeply. Sarah leaned forward slightly, hand resting on the butt of her pistol as though she could get it out fast enough to stop the girl if this was a trap. She wouldn't have a chance at this range.

With a trembling hand, Sarah found and unbuckled the straps holding the girl's leathers. It took her several minutes but eventually she managed to get them open and off, revealing a blue silk nightgown wrapped around her body and caked with blood from the now closed hole in her stomach. The wound was still healing even hours later and now only a fingertip sized hole remained.

At that point, Sarah should have stopped, she should have let her 'captive' rest in peace for a while, but seeing the way in which the girl's tight core flowed out into her hips set Sarah's mouth watering. It was more than the fear of the assassin in her bed waking up that made her knees tremble, one of her weaknesses, something she so very rarely got to indulge was so close at hand. . .

Of course, logically, the best thing to do would be to interrogate dnd kill her but was she wrong for wanting to find a non-violent solution? Of course not. She undid the girl's belt. It seemed as though she had a thing for blue silk, if anyone could consider the strip of fabric covering her mound an undergarment, she was indeed covered. Sarah's finger hovered above the tiny cord that held it tied over the curve of her pelvis. Her finger trembled slightly, she couldn't possibly deserve this and yet she couldn't just pass up such an opportunity, could she?

She swallowed and forced herself up. Curious. Sarah mused as she set the leathers atop the dresser with the other equipment. From the cabinet underneath, she grabbed a pitcher of water, a basin and a rag. With a little digging she found some tallow based soap and-- surprisingly-- a built in water spigot concealed in the wall. It seemed as though someone had taken her suggestion from years past.

Why shouldn't they? She was right a lot more than she was wrong, and it was a good idea. Sarah smirked to herself as she filled the pitcher and disappeared behind the divider screen. After picking out some clothes for both herself and her guest, she cleaned herself up and, still a little distracted by thoughts of the girl's body, barely stopped long enough to get fully dressed-- not that there was much to slipping on a robe.

Never one to loose sight of caution, however, the half-elf kept her pistol tucked into the sash of her robe as she emptied the basin and grabbed another rag. She stopped at the foot of the bed and considered her options, briefly contemplating just how she should approach cleaning up that bloody mess the arrow had made of her stomach and whatever might have been done to her back. Speaking of which, Sarah glanced at at the armor.

She hefted the vest up and fingered the hole that had been punched into the metal plate covering the stomach. The plate was multi layered from what Sarah could tell, a thin outer coating of some metal she'd never seen and a couple other elements that looked strangely familiar though, despite her best attempts, she couldn't discern one from the other. That's when she noticed one of the blades was missing.

Sarah's heart backed up into her throat. How could she have been so stupid to leave a killer unguarded and unwatched? When had she even had time to get up and slide back into bed without making a sound? The accusations and stupidity warred inside Ssrah's mind like a firestorm as she slid her hand to the butt of her pistol and set the armor down.

There were only two ways to handle it, but she wasn't stupid enough to turn on the girl and attack-- even if she could get a solid shot off. Hell, the girl could have been behind her at that very second and--

Stop it.

Sarah closed her eyes, let out a slow breath to steady her nerves and spoke in as confident a voice as she could muster. "My dear princess awakens." When that got no response she turned slowly, keeping her hand on the gun and her other arm covering it with the wide sleeve. She put on the best smile she could. "Might I gaze upon those lovely eyes again, dear, or will you forever hide them from me?"

She was cute, there was little question about that, but Sarah couldn't help but see past that to the killer she was. They employed similar tactics to get what they wanted by lulling the dim-witted into thinking they were just a pretty face. Sarah found a smile gracing her own lips. "Dear girl, let us not pretend further, lest I find myself questioning my own sanity, I know you're awake."

That got a reaction. Her sharp, exotic features softened a little as she opened one violet eye to gaze upon Sarah. Slowly the other opened and they both looked at one another, sizing each other up. Sarah could swear she saw that flicker of curiosity in her gaze like she'd seen at the party, which probably meant she had the advantage yet again.

She pressed it with a smile. "Ah, I retain my grip on reality for another day. For a moment there I thought I'd imagined that I saw you breathe."

"That implies. . ." the girl trailed off, swallowed. "Implies you were looking at my chest."

"In the absence of your beautiful gaze, I had to improvise, dare I say, 'make do'." Sarah flashed a smile she didn't feel. "That would imply there is anything about you that isn't in some way heavenly and worthy of worship, though, now wouldn't it?"

The girl furrowed her brow. That flicker of curiosity sparked again. Sarah grinned at her confusion even as the tip of her index finger slid against the trigger of her pistol.

"I have some questions for you, dear, do you think--"

"Why am I alive?"

"Compassion is a virtue, I hear," Sarah cant her head as if to shrug. Let her wonder. "Far be it for me to let someone so beautiful be caught by people who could never truly appreciate her exemplary gifts, hm?"

They eyed one another for a moment, the girls' lavender irises bored into Sarah with due suspicion and perhaps a little uncertainty. When she finally spoke her voice was hoarse and came out as throaty growl deeper than most men could have managed. "I owe you my life, then?"

Sarah managed to hide her surprise. Just barely. "Don't fret, dear. I ask only for some questions answered in return."

"Ask."

Sarah made a show of gazing at the girl's thick, powerful thighs. Barely above a whisper, she breathed a reply to the demand. "Have you ever considered a career as an ear warmer?"

The human girl blinked, looked down at her body and then up at Sarah again. When Sarah smiled she fidgeted a little. "Why am I--"

At least her voice had returned to normal. A soft rolling purr, at that. "I was going to clean you up, dear. Though, I suppose that can wait. . ."

"I need to go."

"Ah, but where would the fun be in that, dear. No, I think you and I are going to have a talk--"

"Then ask, Sarah."

"I think you know who."

"Humor me." Her voice sounded hollow even to her own ears.

"A better question is how come you signed a deal with a power greater than yourself and expected to come out of it unharmed." There was something, something very subtle in the girl's posture and voice that suggested she wasn't entirely confident in what she was saying. There was doubt in her eyes that kindled as they watched one another for the moment that followed.

Sarah pulled her gun from her sash, the girl didn't so much as bat an eye at the possible threat of violence. Probably figuring that Sarah could have killed her if she wanted to. She was clever. Sarah set it down on the dresser and strolled to the bed, tossing the peach nighty she'd picked out for the girl beside her. When she got to the edge of the bed the girl drew back a tiny bit.

Yes, this was how it was supposed to be, wasn't it. Curiosity begets fear of the unknown and fear of the unknown leads to discovering something new. Sarah dampened her lips with her tongue and braced her hand beside the girl's body, leaning over her so they could gaze eye to eye. "Tell me something, sweetheart. What power did that noble you kill deal with to earn such a fate?"

"Nobles."

"Hm?"

"Plural," she slipped into a much more human inflection, soft and distinctly feminine, as though controlling her voice would make Sarah any less suspicious. "I killed s-" Sarah put her finger to the girl's lips.

"I don't need to know more. . ."

The quarter blooded elf girl eyed Sarah's finger briefly, then looked up at her.

"May I finish what I started, sweet girl? I hate leaving things undone."

After several seconds passed the girl nodded slowly, giving Sarah permission to do what she had meant to in the first place. Sarah recovered her pitcher and basin, eying the girl as she lathered up her wash cloth. Deliberately she touched the girl's stomach, pushing up the frill of her silk gown while tracing the hard muscles hidden under her pale, sweat slicked skin.

She couldn't have been more than twenty summers, a fantastic age but this level of physical prowess demanded years and years of training, even discounting the magical advantage she had over most mortals. Sarah pushed the nighty higher than strictly necessary to expose the hard abdomen underneath. The girl never once broke eye contact as Sarah carefully cleaned the blood from her flesh with slow, gentle strokes and careful attention. The muscles underneath had already healed up which meant most of the damage was mended by now. She would be fine given time.

After finishing, Sarah's gaze flicked down to the spot. Something flashed in her mind's eye; a flicker of the girl holding a knife to her throat for her lapse attention. The image wasn't hers. It punched its way through her body and into the base of her spine, sending a shiver up it.

She wouldn't show her fear, though, she leaned forward until the girl's pouty lips were only a breath away from Sarah's own. "Roll over." She commanded.

It was the assassin's turn to look Sarah over like she was an oddity. Finally she drew a shallow breath and started to turn, giving Sarah a beautiful glimpse of just how curved her hips were. A hard, curvaceous body of this caliber was too rare to come by in eastern girls, nothing like the women in the west or even the north. Here there was plenty of grain to keep them well rounded all over, but in the west where fish was the staple diet, muscles tended to be harder and curves more generous. Gods she had missed this. . .

Her would be killer rested her chest against the mattress, gaze turned rearward towards Sarah while she swabbed the blood from the exit wound. Once done, Sarah leaned forward and kissed her earlobe. "I have something for you to wear. Something without a hole in it. . ."

"I thought you said you had questions."

Sarah breathed in the girl's musky, powerful scent-- that of all spice and the sharp tang of a good pepper. Unconsciously she brought her finger up the curves of her killer's body, deliberately following a line from her hip to her shoulder. Once there, she held the girl's upper back and met her gaze. "I see curiosity in your eyes, dear. Perhaps we can sate each other's, hm?"