Sophie's perfume, it was all they could smell inside such a small space. The cramped inn room seemed more like a prison cell, with hardly enough room to fit the two beds and single chair that occupied the room.
Sophie had decided to take one of the beds, laying across it on her side. Elise sat on the other bed well Damian pulled up the chair, the room was quiet with eerie lighting from the lone flickering candle.
Sophie ran a hand down her neck, grabbing hold of her shirt and pulled it down, nearly exposing herself before stopping. "Oh my I apologize, force of habit." The fiendish flicker of her eyes shot towards the mortified Elise, silenced, as Damian's boot crashed into her shin. She shot up, the kick wasn't light, Elise thought she may actually be hurt.
"Bâtarde!" Sophie yelped, saying of the many Retaillian curses that Damian could understand. "Quit trying to scare the poor girl." Sophie rubbed her shin, a meek growl slipped through her fangs. "Fine I'll try, but you know I don't make promises." Damian sighed.
"Well Wolf, how long has it been? About thirteen or fourteen months?" Sophie asked, her one foot on the edge of the bed, to which she rested upon. "Fifteen now I think, too long." Elise saw it, something in his words that reflected off his eyes, it was guilt.
"I guess I should be flattered, being the first one you tracked down. Here I thought you would look for Volker, or Norman first." Damian tilted his head, concealing his smile beneath his fist. "You were easier to find, you like to make an entrance and leave lasting impressions." Sophie chuckled, nodding her head, a single offensive finger raised in his direction. "I don't want to hear a single word out of your mouth, I'm not the one known throughout half a god's damned continent."
The two of them laughed, Elise sunk farther into the corner of her bed. "Despite that, I take it you've been doing well right?" Something changed in her expression, Sophie's mask didn't slip, but shifted hearing those words. "As well as I could have, after everything. Well. . . It wasn't very easy as I'm sure you'd know."
Silence. It lasted, longer than anyone would have liked. Neither the Wolf or the Minx could speak, as if their tongues were sealed inside their mouths. But Elise could, persevering through the silence that held the others like a noose.
"So how long have you known Damian?" Elise asked, her voice freeing them. Sophie glanced at her, seemingly eager to answer her questions. "I've known him for about oh. . . eight or nine years I believe, that seems about right, Damian?" He nodded to her, Elise now seemingly concerned. "You must have become a mercenary quite young then, you can't be any older than me can't you?"
Sophie chuckled to herself. "I'm a bit older than I look, but you are correct I suppose." Elise pondered her words, as Sophie looked to be in her early twenties. "So how old are you then?" She asked well Sophie covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers, flaunting her eye lashes with a slight bend of her neck. "Oh you sweet thing, as a woman you should know never to ask a gal such a thing."
Elise looked away towards Damian, his eyes were already upon her. She tried to read something from him, something that would hint around the secrecy they both seemed to carry about themselves.
"Do all members of the Conclave have some sort of secret, you with your age and Damian with his last name and where he's from. Are you hiding it from me, or is there another meaning for it?" The two mercenaries shot a glance to one another, before he could Sophie spoke. "You're the inquisitive type, I can respect that. But just know. . ." Sophie stepped forward, low to the ground. With eyes like a gorgon holding her in place, her venomous tongue licked across a hungry maw. ". . . You should learn when to mind your own, especially with killers like us." Her hand was cold, it pressed against the soft flesh of her cheek. Elise thought that her life could be sapped away, this woman touching her so gently, could kill her with but a thought.
"That's enough Minx, she's curious is all, and we're far from uninteresting." Her head turned, slowly with precision. Every inch she moved seemed calculated, planned as if a play on a grand stage.
Her head moved back, swaying like a serpent. Her hand moved and brushed Elise's long raven hair, swooping across her neck and off the tip of her chin. "Forgive me if I scared you, I'm protective is all. I hope you understand." Elise's heart thumped so vigorously she thought it may escape her chest, even as the predator playing with her life backed away.
Elise tried to calm herself, but the beast across still stalked her. Those eyes picked her apart, waiting for the moment to pounce.
"My, you are fun to play with Elise." Damian narrowed his gaze. "Minx, that's enough." Sophie rolled her eyes, her expression softening. "Once again, forgive me. I promise you little dove that I shall not harm you, in fact, I'd like to do quite the opposite."
Sophie licked her lips, with the seductive grace of an elite courtesan. "Sophie!" Damian shouted, to which she cackled in response well Elise shuddered.
"Oh Damian you've got to agree, that was funny. Come on, I can see that smile tugging at your cheeks."
Damian scoffed well shaking his head, trying not to smile, and succeeding. "Alright you've had your fun, that's enough." Sophie twisted her grin. "Oh you know I'm never done having fun, but I'll humour you just this once." She stood with a stretch, and headed for the door.
"It's quite late, we can talk business tomorrow morning. I'm sure you two lovebirds want some alone time anyway, after all Damian, I know you like the ones with the pointy ears."
A mischievous grin paired well with her sinful giggle, it was enough to make him want to drink.
When the door finally closed he groaned, sliding his sweating palms through his hair. He knew her antics would be bad seeing him with a woman, but that was a bit much for him.
"You two were together at one point weren't you?" Damian turned with horror leaking from every pore, shaking his head to which his neck nearly snapped. "Me and Sophie? No, Gods no. That's just how she is, and especially so to people like yourself."
Elise shot up, arms crossed and glaring. "What's that supposed to mean?" Damian raised his hands, calming the saucy half Elf.
"That probably sounded rude. I meant people who are new, those she doesn't trust around those she does. Don't take it personally, she'll grow on you as you will on her."
Elise narrowed that glare into a pointed blade, plunging it into his soul. "Why would I need to grow on someone, what do you mean exactly?"
Damian lowered his head with another elongated groan as he remembered what it was like to travel with women.
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Morning came too quickly for Elise's liking, the sunlight crept in from the window and onto her face. She wanted to lay in bed, how she missed sleeping in a bed, even if it gave her splinters or fleas.
"Come on Elise, get up." She told herself, throwing the blanket to the side as her legs swung off the bed. Damian wasn't here, his bed empty and cold. "Where did you run off too?" She begged the question to no one but herself.
Her eyes caught something on his bed, a small slip of paper with a single silver coin. She took both in her hands, her eyes drifting across the page as her fingers caressed the metal.
"Out to get some supplies, go get some breakfast at the tavern.
- Damian"
She crumpled the note, biting her lip as she tossed it out the window. "I could have come along, you didn't have to leave me."
She had slept in just her trousers and blouse, despite how cool the room was. Once she was dressed, Elise examined the coin. A sleek well pressed silver coin, or a "hirsch" as they were known. Given the name because they bore one of the two animals on the royal crest, hirsch being a stag.
She slipped the coin into a pocket on her belt, she kept her hood down as she made her way to the city street. Damian would probably protest such a thing. "Kidnapper's target pretty girls who are alone on the street." It's what he told her, but she was more focused on him calling her pretty.
The thought of him praising her brought a smile to her lips, her mind was quiet, only the echoes of her footsteps entered her pointed ears.
It took her a moment to notice the eyes on her, the townsfolk and soldiers looking her way. She smiled and waved, which only made it seem worse. "Perhaps he's right." She said with her eyes lowered, and they stayed lowered till she reached the tavern.
The place smelled like beer, a bit too strong for her liking. She ignored the sleeping patrons left over from the previous night, and kept her eyes from the ones that weren't.
As she sat down her waitress was already upon her, a young blonde girl no more than fifteen. Elise greeted her with a polite nod, and as the girl spoke it dawned on her, the language.
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Damian had finished quicker than he thought, as he beat the morning crowd at the shops. He wasn't exactly sure where they were headed next, but he ordered enough supplies to last them for at least a month. It'd be delivered to the inn by noon, he had time not only for a trip to the blacksmith but breakfast too.
"There you are." A Retaillian voice, as he turned Sophie butted into him causing Damian to stumble. He caught himself, and looked to her, mortified.
"Not a single word Damian I swear." She was serious enough to follow up her threat with action. But he couldn't speak, he was too stunned, she looked terrible. Her skin was dried and leathery, her eyes seemed almost sunken like a dead fish. The bags under her eyes were large enough to fit a cannonball, and her hair, by the Gods her hair!
"What!" She snapped, grabbing hold of her dagger. Damian's face curled into a wicked grin, as if he was possessed by a demon.
"Did the Lady of Yearning finally curse you? For your many attempts to usurp her." She pulled the blade from its sheath, a growl poured from behind her maw. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Besides we both know you'd lose that fight."
Sophie sheathed her knife and walked with him. "Have you eaten?" He asked, well Sophie resisted the urge to draw her dagger, again. "Of course I haven't, and neither am I a morning person. Pair that with my hangover, I'm a bit prickly."
Damian shook his head. "Yeah I can tell that much. . . So you're drinking again." Her teeth clenched and grinned against themselves. "So what if I am, is that a problem?" She was angry, more at herself than him. "Well I thought you'd stopped a while ago, or was that a lie?"
He said the words, and knew immediately he shouldn't have. "It wasn't a fucking lie Damian, I did stop. Then everything fell the fuck apart, so you know what, I started drinking, and whoring, and all the other vices I enjoy. And I don't wanna hear anything from you, not with that half Elf harlot on your arm."
He stopped her, his firm hand around her shoulder. "Prickly indeed." She pulled away. "First off, I'm not gonna say anything other than I care about you. I know what you're like, and if you want help again I'm here. And secondly she's not a 'half Elven harlot', we've never slept together so don't even start."
Sophie smirked, not acknowledging the first half of what he said. "You haven't slept together, yet. But admit it, you wanted to peel off her clothes from the moment you saw her. And don't get me wrong! I don't blame you, I'd do the same given the chance." He exhaled, sharply like a blade fresh from the whetstone. "You can't even deny it, I know you Wolf, so don't try to play me for a fool." She patted him on the shoulder, then pinched his cheek. "Now I need to find something to sink my teeth into, run along and be a good pup, I'll see you after breakfast. . . Oh! I should also mention encase it's not clear, she wants you too, maybe more than you want her. Anyway au revoir mon ami." She left, and he remained standing there. She did know him, and she wasn't wrong. But he didn't want to admit it, he couldn't! Not after everything, not after losing Lenore.
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After about twenty minutes of hand waving, pointing and growls of frustration. Elise managed to order breakfast, it wasn't exactly what she wanted but she'd take it. A bowl of porridge, bread and breakfast beer, oh how she loved beer.
The porridge was bland but the bread made up for it, the breakfast beer was hardly alcoholic, yet she didn't mind. It wasn't till she was done did a familiar face enter, and she gulped as Sophie approached.
"Hello little dove." Sophie slid into the seat across, then called something out that Elise couldn't understand. "How are you this morning? Did you sleep well?"
Elise sipped her drink, maintaining eye contact with Sophie in fear of what may happen if she looked away. "I'm well, yourself."
She didn't answer, not even when the barmaid set a pint of beer in front of her. Sophie just stared, perhaps into her soul.
"You and Damian were together weren't you, he wouldn't admit it but you were." Sophie swirled her finger in the foam of her drink. "No we weren't, but trust me it's a common assumption. Now it's my turn for a question, and I don't recommend you lie." Sophie raised her finger from the beer and licked it. "How did you meet and why are you traveling together? You look like a lost lamb, you have an innocence about you. I want to know why."
Elise scoffed before sipping her drink. "Fine I'll tell you, but I'd like to ask something in return." Sophie nodded, and then Elise told her. She recanted the story of how they met, and how her former master gave her to him.
"A slave given as a reward, not uncommon at all. And him freeing you immediately after is very much like him." Sophie took her first drink, savoring the bitter liquid as it slid down her throat.
"My turn." Elise stated. "Do you treat everyone like this or just me, and why?" Sophie smirked and set her drink down. "That's two questions." Elise crumpled her hands into fists. "You asked two questions as well, now answer."
Sophie tapped her fingers against the table. "My you're feisty, I like it." She winked. "I do treat everyone like this, and it's not because you're pretty, it's because I don't trust you little dove. And as to why I'm like this, it's because I was once a slave too. Your turn."
Elise felt a knot tightening in her gut. "You said last night to Damian that he always liked the ones with pointy ears, I take it you were speaking about Elves. Why'd you say that."
Sophie smiled and drank from her cup, then licked away the moisture that remained on her lips. "His late wife was an Elf, and she was the only woman I've ever seen him with. I joked about it, perhaps I shouldn't have."
Sophie drank again. "Her name was Lenore, you said it yesterday. How did she die?" Sophie lost her smirk, her eyes no longer playfully invasive. Now she was serious, her aura almost oppressive.
"Elise dear." Her hand crawled across the table, gently but firmly taking hers. "Remember what I said about learning to mind your own, try and remember that will you."
Sophie turned Elise's hand, dragging her thumb across her palm. "Such soft hands, I'm envious." Sophie felt a hand upon her shoulder, a firm grasp. If she didn't know who it was she would have gone for her dagger.
"Everything ok here." It wasn't really a question, not by his tone, but Elise answered it as such. "Yes of course, please join us."
Sophie shot her a curious glance as Damian took a seat, sitting beside Sophie to her surprise. "Minx you're looking much better than earlier, no longer a shriveled corpse I talked to in the street."
Sophie regretted not stabbing him. "And you more cheerful, did you finally manage to take that stick out of your ass?"
Damian glanced towards her, a smug grin growing slowly. "I did actually, and you're welcome to borrow it if you like. It may help you stand up straight, I know you're used to lying on your back."
Elise nearly spat out her drink, never before has she heard him say something so vulgar. Sophie ignored her, and simply placed a gentle hand upon Damian's shoulder.
"Damian honey, if anyone needs help with standing up straight, it's you." Her eyes glanced downwards, now seemingly everyone was staring at his loins. The table was quiet now, a silence thick with tension that a razor couldn't cut, but laughter could. The two of them, erupted. Laughter spilling out from the table, the two old friends concluded their banter with a few light jabs and smirks.
Elise had a look about her, not one that either Damian or Sophie could describe. Not horror, disgust or amusement fit the expression so blatantly displayed. The two mercenaries looked at each other, their shit eating grins turned to the half Elf across from them. "Oh come on Elise, lighten up." Damian said, his foot nudging against hers. "If you're travelling with us dear you best do so, cheer up, it's fun." Sophie said, her hand tapping Elise's.
"You both are strange, very strange." Elise muttered gulping down the rest of her drink, not sure exactly what to say. "Now putting that aside, we should probably discuss our next move. Sophie did you take on a job here, we could use the funds." Damian said turning towards her, Sophie leaned back against her chair with her neck hanging loosely. "So it's our funds now, hmmm." Damian rolled his eyes. "Yes Minx, our funds."
Sophie leaned into him, her chin resting on his shoulder. "You're so cruel to me, making me share my hard earned silver." She pouted, good enough that most would believe it was real. "Minx I'm gonna jab you in the eyes."
She retracted, arms crossed. "Fine we'll share." Damian scratched the top of her head. "Good, now do you have a job or not?" She brushed away his hand, sitting up right resting her hands upon the table. "The garrison commander here, Sir Ronald. Hired me for a task, I have a connection with the Warren down in Erybridge that offered me the job. . ." Elise raised her hand. "The Warren?"
"An organized crime group, a large one at that." Sophie answered, and Elise was satisfied. "I took the job and met with the commander. He originally wanted me to do some recon and an investigation for him, apparently he's having trouble with a tribe of Wood Elves to the west of here."
Damian sat up. "The tribe near Halburg, in the south of the Willow Wood?" Sophie nodded with a wink. "Indeed, and since I know you're familiar with them I went and spoke with him last night. I figured we could solve his problem all together, for an added fee of course."
Damian stroked the scuff of his face. "What's the issue he's having with them, unless he's stupid he should know it's not a good idea to pick a fight with Wood Elves." Elise leaned forward now, listening intently now. "Apparently a merchant from Halburg traded them some faulty equipment, safe to say the Elves were pissed off about it so they went to the town to complain." Damian raised his finger. "They have a good relationship with Halburg though, what went awry?"
Elise folded his finger down gently, grasping his hand ever so softly. "I was getting there." She let him go before continuing. "When the Elves went to Halburg, the guards saw them carrying weapons. Add in a language barrier with the Elves already pissed off, now tensions are high, and the lord of Halburg doesn't want a fight with them. So the lord of Halburg reached out to Sir Ronald, and he reached out to the Warren. The Warren said they needed someone good at investigations and recon with experience with Elves, and I just so happened to be in the area." Damian eyed her. "When have you ever interacted with Wood Elves Minx?" Damian asked, Sophie met him with her signature devilish grin. "They said Elves, I've met and worked with Elves. What type of Elves I was referring to never came up in conversation, just how much they were paying me."
Damian sighed rubbing his forehead. "One day that attitude, no, hubris is going to get you killed." Sophie shrugged. "Nah, I'm perfect. Didn't you know?" Damian sighed again, resisting the urge to slap his foolish friend across the back of her thick skull.