| She grumbled at herself as she waited outside the bar, standing patiently while she looked around for any signs of a trap. She brushed the silky purple hair from her face before she pulled on her hood slightly, reassuring herself that her features remained hidden in the night. The frigid cold air caused her to pull her cloak around her even more as the light of the fire made her want to move into the bar. I'm starting to get too paranoid for my own good... but a little of that doesn't hurt in the business. She made her way to the door under the moonlight, looking around one last time before she entered the bar. The wave of heat hit her like a brick wall to the cold as her skin began to heat up slowly. She looked around from the entryway, gazing around for the contact. Slowly, she made her way to an empty table and sat down, adjusting her hood to keep the light from her face. A waitress made her way to the table where she sat. The waitress proceeded to curstey slightly, bowing more than what was required. From her clothes, it was obvious that men had grabbed at different areas, but the waitress seemed a little less than indifferent. "So what will the dark stranger have tonight?" She didn't make any effort to mask her voice from the waitress as she replied. "Some wine... red elven if possible." The waitress seemed rather confused by the reply but wasted no time in returning to normal, walking back to the bar through the hands of the intoxicated crowd. Her gaze shifted from the waitress back to the empty chair in front of her as her eyes scanned the tables in front of her. Frustration seemed to build up slowly as she found herself losing her patience slowly to the noise of the drunken idiots nearby. She paid little attention the pale man who sat down at her table. Her focus remained elsewhere as the man coughed for her attention. Her glance did not change, however, as the man waited patiently for her to respond. Satisfied, she finally turned to the man, her smile hidden from the light. "I never expected nobility to show up personally." "There was not a better place for me to meet you without ears eager for a coin." "Oh, and what about your home?" Her eyebrow raised slightly. "Lost in a bet... which is why I have asked for your services." "So you've made a stupid bet and now you want me to kill the winner? I don't see why I should even bother. Your offer is rejected." "WHY YOU..." His words became choked as he realized who he was dealing with, causing a smile to appear on her face. She watched him gather himself before he slowly sat down, ready to deal once again. She glared at him from under the hood, waiting for him to make a new offer. "I plan on holding a party for him in a week or so. If you manage to strike him down before it, you may take the money that would have been spent on that as well... including the 500 up front and the 500 on completion." "How much is that in total?" "Roughly 1400." She shook her head. "2000... including what slaves he has." The noble stared at her as her eyes diverted to the waitress as she arrived with the red wine, setting it down in front of her. The waitress proceeded to greet the high-classed man in the same manner as before, letting him glimpse at more than he needed. "And what shall m'lord have today?" "Whatever you choose my dear lady." She watched the waitress curtsy once again before her disgust left a bitter taste in the back of her mouth. She picked up her glass of wine, staring at the red liquid before she brought it to her mouth and sipped. Her focus returned back to the noble, who seemed more preoccupied with the women in the bar than the deal. She eventually set her cup down to draw attention back to her as the pale man returned to business. "Fine. You have a deal. I do expect good news after the party." One of the drunks left the crowd and proceeded to stumble to the table where she resided. She watched as he stopped in front of her, smelling of ale and sweat. Her nose wrinkled as she turned her head away from the human, focusing upon the wine that remained in her glass. "Too good to drink ale are we? Who do you think you are?" She ignored the buffon as her nose felt repulsed by the smell of his breath. She shook her glass slightly, gazing at the small waves that were created before the glass was snatched out of her hands by the drunk. He proceeded to dump the rest of the wine on her hood as she felt her patience diminish with the contents of her glass. The bar was in laughter at the show that the drunk created, and her mood was not improving. "Why don't you get up, huh?" One hand locked around her wrist as she was pulled to her feet. With his other hand, he proceeded to remove her hood, letting her hair flow out. She stared into his eyes as she noticed that his attenion was focused upon her ears. A smile crossed his face as his hands found her shoulders. "An elf... and a purty one at that. So hows about you and me have a little fun tonite?" Someone from the crowd shouted out. "She's too good for you ya ugly bastard." Even more laughs sounded from the crowd as the drunk wrapped his arm around her in defense of himself. She stared at his hand for a moment before she decided that she had enough. Without a second thought, her heel struck him hard in the groin, causing the the drunk to fall over in pain. Her ears picked up nothing but the laughter from the bar as a few more drunks proceeded to step forward in defense of their damanged friend. "Now you be a good lil elf, or there will be trouble for ya." A smirk grew on her face. "Oh? And what would that be?" In the corner of her eye, she noticed another drunk lunge at her, hands reaching for her body. She ducked low, letting the arms fly past her before she brought her palm into his jaw. He stumbled back slightly as she spun around, slamming her foot into his skull as he tumbled to the ground. Before she got her bearings, a pair of arms locked her arms behind her as her first foe rose back to his feet. She waited for the drunk to advance before she planted a kick to his gut. Immediately she followed with her heel into her captor's ankle, forcing him to release one of her arms. She spun around, planting her elbow into his nose as bones crunched from the blow. The damanged man fell to the ground, clutching his bloody nose as she looked around the bar. Fights were now everywhere in the bar as she found her way back to her seat, convinced that no one else would try to fight her anytime soon. Her focus returned to the noble who seemed amused by the fighting. A smile appeared on his face as his eyes gazed at her. "Your skills in fighting are only matched by your beauty." She glared at him, unamused by the comment. "Don't waste your words on me." The noble gathered himself for a moment. "Well... you have a deal. Though for how much I'll be paying you, I expect you to do a rather good job of covering your tracks." "It was nice doing business with you..." "Stavan. And before I forget..." She watched the pale man pull out a few folded papers as well as a bag of coins, setting them on the table. "Here is all the info you will need about your target, as well as the mansion itself." She picked up the papers as well as the coins, putting them in her cloak pocket before she adjusted her clothing. Slowly, she stood up, glancing around once more in the bar before she pulled her hood over her head. She shivered slightly as she walked out of the bar and into the night. She paused at the doorway, looking around before she began her walk home. She gazed up at the stars as she walked, letting the moonlight shine into her hood. Her curiousity slowly built up as her thoughts focused on the papers, until she reached into her cloak and pulled them out. Carefully, she opened the paper before she began reading. She blinked in surprise as she starting reading about her target. Her surprised faded, however, as she continued reading, opening up the map for a brief moment. She shrugged, folding up the papers and putting them away as her mind focused on the task ahead of her. It's just business. |