The Tattooed Woman Pt. 23

Some moments later there was a clumping on the wooden stairs outside and the door to the inn swung open to admit two men, humans, ruffians by the look of them. Both were garbed in heavy coats of patched and waxed fabric over mismatched armour of studded leather, and they peered about with the wary caginess of scoundrels.

Adair moved to stand towards the middle of the common room and eyed the louts. Ashunara stood slowly, hand resting on her sword-hilt while Nyx drifted to one side. As she did Azure slipped silently through the door behind them and her grin was both feral and bright as she closed it behind her with an audible "click".

None of these sinister dance steps were lost on the louts and they began to visibly perspire. Adair slowly stalked forward and stared at them both for a long moment before she drew a breath, "Speak."

One of the men was a burly fellow while the other was smaller and wiry, with a furtive rat-like demeanour and it was this man who hurriedly spoke, "We've been sent to fetch you. I'm to tell you we don't know where the girl is but we're to take you to them that does."

Nyx grinned and murmured quietly, "A clever ploy, we can't torture you for information you don't have," she drew her dagger and toyed with the razor-sharp point, "but mayhap I should carve off a few unneeded body parts anyway, you know, just to be... certain."

The larger man flinched at the cold words, "We gots nothin to do with stealing no lass. We just took coin to deliver a message and be guide is all."

Ashunara spoke up, "What message?"

The smaller man licked his lips, "Them what sent us say the girl is well, and unhurt, but she won't stay that way unless you do as they bid. We're to bring the tattooed wench, alone, and unarmed. I'm to warn you that this place is being watched, and if anyone follows then it'll be the girl who pays the price for your recalcitrant defiance. They..." he flushed, "they look a rum bunch. I wouldn't put it past them to hurt the girl bad."

"Tell me about them, how many were there, what were their arms and demeanour?"

The ferret-faced man winced, but after a moment's consideration his mouth curled in a calculating expression and he wheedled, "If they find out we spoke out of turn it would belike cost us, but mayhap if you made it worth our trouble."

Ashunara grinned amiably and her sword slid from its scabbard with a sibilant sound, "if you don't talk then mayhap I'll cut your throat from ear to ear, and then we'll see if the sight of your bloody and gruesome death inspires your podgy companion toward required eloquence."

The man swallowed, "Ah."

The Captain moved alongside the man and rested a hand gently on his shoulder as her unblinking eyes bored into his and her smile broadened disturbingly, "Ah, indeed."

Sweat beaded the man's brow as he spoke, "There were four of them, they came by the Sheep's Head Inn, down by the dock where me and other rogues like me who are on the scout for jobs and coin are known to frequent. They offered a gold just to deliver a message and convey you to them. They wore cowls and hoods that hid their faces for the most part and they had dark features, I took them to be Elf-kind of some sort, likely some halfbreed or mix-blood Dark-Elven get."

"Go on."

"The fellow who spoke was not the leader I think, for he seemed to defer to one who kept to the background but even so I glimpsed that one's face in the lamplight. He had a wicked and angry scar that marred his visage so he would be recognised easily enough I should think."

Nyx moved closer and the already sweating man licked his lips as he took in the murderous gleam in the woman's eyes, "A scar you say?"

"A-aye. A right nasty one at that, but he caught me looking and turned away."

The two Dark Elves exchanged glances before Ashunara continued, "What arms did they carry? Did they strike you as well-versed in violence."

"They had swords for the most part, heavy curved blades of a foreign style I'm not familiar with and they all had a number of daggers and other blades about them, in boots and tucked into their gauntlets and belts. They wore mail under their cloaks and I'd suspect it was good quality stuff for they moved well enough. I took them as guild assassins in truth, so I was leery of the job, but a gold! Just for an evening's easy work."

"Any bows or crossbows visible?"

The man thought hard, "One stayed near the door, that one had a crossbow under his cloak for I saw the stock when he opened the door to leave. They moved well, no wasted chatter if you catch my drift. I should think them handy enough with the blades they bore."

"Where are you to meet up?"

"They didn't say."

"Hmm?"

"They didn't say! We were directed to walk with the woman down certain unsavoury streets and they would interrupt our stroll at a time and place of their choosing."

Ashunara smiled at Nyx and tilted her head, "My, how devious."

She turned to Adair and sighed, "Well, it looks like the game's afoot."

"Indeed."

"You shouldn't go alone, I could come with you, or Azure could follow unseen?"

The tattooed woman smiled, "You would hazard such for Cassie? You are setting a poor example for your kind you know; one might even accuse you of sentiment."

Ashunara snorted, "So, sue me! I don't trust these pricks."

"Truly you are a fascinating creature Ashunara of the Dark Elves, but I must go alone. I would risk no avoidable hurt to my sister."

"This is unwise."

"Nevertheless, it is what I must do," she turned to Ashunara and gave the woman a knowing grin, "I know your mind Captain, you are wily and cunning. Doubtless, you have some devious scheme in mind. So, promise me you will abide by my decision and not follow."

"I can't dissuade you?"

"No, my course is set," she grinned, "and I will either have your promise or incapacitate you here and now, and I would think you might need your limbs intact for the coming struggles."

The Captain chuckled and shook her head, "I should have flogged you harder when I had the chance you insufferable wench."

"No doubt."

The woman waited until the Captain eventually threw up her hands in disgust, "Very well! If it must be as you say, then so be it."

"Ha! Did I not say I knew you, Captain? I heard no promise in those clever words."

Ashunara sighed and cast her eyes to the floor, "As you wish, I promise I'll not follow."

The woman surprised her by reaching out to gently lift her chin and she held out her hand, "If this goes ill I'll likely not return. So I would have you know that I am glad to have met you Ashunara, you as much as Cassie have reminded me of many of the things I thought lost to me."

The Captain clasped the woman's hand tightly, "May the Queen of Night watch over you."

Adair laughed, "Oh, sweet Captain, you should be careful what you wish for."

Gesturing curtly to the two ruffians the tattooed woman followed them out into the storm, leaving Ashunara staring at the door.

After a long moment Nyx moved to her side, "We really sitting this one out Captain?"

Ashunara sniffed and looked to her old friend, giving her a wolfish smile as she unwrapped her cloak to reveal the dark mail she wore beneath its folds, "What the fuck do you think?"