And ruthless to boot. How marvelous he thought that was in an agent.

"Thank you kindly dear, that would be very nice but I am not nearly as helpless as I look."
The old woman gave Safa a playful wink and flexed her fingers.
"These old hands still know a trick or two with a dagger in the dark."
That being true was not the reason, Morcar was fully capable and even without his magic he was a match for most thugs but the Shroud was growing weak, holding the old woman's form this long was straining his resources. He could not maintain such illusions forever, despite his potent ability. He needed rest.
"I shall inform our employer that you have accepted his offer and when you return we shall meet here and then I will take you to him. You can hash out the details then amongst yourselves. Good evening deary, sleep well."
She paused then before leaving, giving Safa a tender if slightly conspiratorial smile.
"And stay safe."

@Safa
 
Safa nodded, deciding that now she'd occupy herself with the rest of the honey wine and finger foods still left on their table. Dark eyes watched as the woman disappeared behind a group of men, glimpsing the cloth she wore between two sets of shoulders before she left through the door. Safa thought someone like that old woman knew more than two tricks when using a dagger. After all, everyone in this part of the world of Khurun knew the streets were dangerous, even when armed.

When Safa arrived back home, everything was a mess. The oldest children had done their best to put everyone to bed, but they often forgot the importance of cleaning up after each other. At least this time, they had remembered to extinguish the fire in the pit. Safa set her bounty of salt on the table, slowly going around it to pick up old wooden bowls with lentils still inside. She would wash them tomorrow and scold the little ones about letting food go to waste. She wiped off crumbs from the bread and pushed all the stools under the squat table.

She went about each section of the living area, folding blankets, putting small toys and trinkets away, filling up a vase with water, and sweeping around the fire pit. She had to light a short, fat candle with smelly wax to finish her work but quickly blew it out before heading upstairs. In the dark, she knew each step and where it would creak, and so silent like an owl, Safa ascended above to hear soft snores from the beds set about in two neat rows. She paused at the landing, eyes slowly adjusting to the dark.

One of them rolled over in the bed, kicking off a blanket. They had left the window open, but the heat would linger in the air without a breeze. The young woman turned, ready to climb the last few stairs leading to an attic she had claimed for her own as the oldest.

"Safa?" A whisper, soft and meek.

"Edda, you should be sleeping," Safa said, hardly stern to the youngest girl of the bunch. She had arrived months ago, and while she had opened up to the others, Edda remained as quiet as a mouse. She never spoke up in a group, preferring to nod or shake her head.

"I will now with you home." Safa paused at her words before turning back to the room with the two rows of beds filled with sleeping children. She went to Edda's bed, saw her lying on her stomach, and stroked the girl's hair off the back of her neck. If it were cold, she'd have tucked the girl beneath the blanket, but that would have been cruel.

"Do you not sleep when I'm away?" Edda's small shoulders shrugged. "I see. Try to sleep, then." Safa sat down at the edge of the bed, patting the girl's back slowly and waiting for Edda to fall asleep.

@Morcar the Faceless
 
Back home at last, well his home away from home. The trip was slow as he meandered through the alleys, swapping forms, once he became the large man in black he was not bothered.

Outside his sanctum far from the cares of the world, Morcar had many smaller, more modest places to rest and if necessary, to hide.
Tonight as he shed the visage of the large man he stood up straight and locked the door behind him then crossed the room and by way of hidden mechanism opened the bookshelf to slip behind it, closing it after him. As he made his way down into the darkness the torches lit by virtue of his will alone. Such parlour magik cost him almost nothing to perform so he needed not be concerned with his depleting power. As he neared the bottom the delicate carved limestone changed to rough dug earth, at last he came to another door which he opened with another key and entered into a carved room which with a wave of his hand he illuminated via oil lamps.

Swapping his outside robe for a more comfortable indoor one and matching slippers, it was time to rest.
The chair was long and low and let him recline deep into it, next to it the now cold coffee and meat was left from the morning, he catered to himself and preferred to in such instances. Trust was hard won.
At last he would have it. The thought made him smile, for so long he had waited, coveted, yearned and at last he had found a thief able to claim it. All he had to do was wait and make his offer to Safa's current employer.

She would return to the bar, he would inquire about her on and off days in disguise of course and wait. Without thinking he reached out and plucked a piece of the meat from the silver plater and ate it, letting his mouth fill with juice and saliva.

"Soon, heh heh, yes!"

@Safa
 
Days would pass before Safa would get an inkling that it was time for her to meet her new employer. She didn’t see the old woman again, even while searching for her in places that many of the elderly frequented. She had given more of her free time to the children, finished an odd job that took a few hours instead of days to complete, and even found the time to tie up a loose thread.

It would be at the run down tavern that the precedent of her journey begin, sitting at a table, enjoying marinated olives and thick warm wine. She had needed a break from the children, because all children tended to be draining even if they didn’t mean to be, and sometimes it was easier to lie about having to work than to tell them she needed space from them.

Popping an olive into her mouth, it would begin. The start of a story, right before her eyes.

@Morcar the Faceless
 
The bar was full, as it often was and as he entered in the guise of the old woman once again it did not take him long to clap eyes on Safa which drew a smile on his face. She was punctual and that always pleased him in a partner.

As he made his way over he was sure to approach from where he might be seen. The old woman's form was shorter than his and he made sure to play the part well at her having to nudge past other patrons with appropriate apologies, where necessary and while he was apt at the act he secretly could scarce wait to be rid of it but such measures were what helped keep him alive.

When he finally stood before Safa the old woman's face widened into a soft smile.
"Hello again dear, I'm glad to see you looking well."
Her voice was warm and motherly, gentle. It was easy to let the gratitude flow when he felt it so earnestly. When he was so close to achieving what he desired. If he was a man of less self control he'd be jumping for joy but revels would have to wait, there was long hours of work to do yet.

@Safa
 
Perhaps it wouldn't be a lie that she was away working after all. Dark eyes curiously watched the old woman approach the bar top. She thought poorly of those who didn't move to get out of Zsa Zsa's way. She wasn't one to excuse those who inclined to be ill-mannered, even if she was exactly that. She raised her half-empty glass, the wine sloshing but not enough to drip over the lip.

"You're not looking bad yourself, Zsa-Zsa. It's been a while," Safa said with a twitch of her lips. She tried smiling, but she wasn't used to waiting so long. Sometimes, she thought she was being followed, only to sit with her paranoia for hours and realize that there was no one in the shadows, no one lurking behind corners. This employer had kept the old woman's promise that the previous employer would not harm Safa. It was reassuring, and though Safa didn't like admitting it, a bit terrifying to consider what lengths someone might have gone to keep such a promise.

"I hope you have some news for me. I don't like to rush my employers, but I heard a rumor that one of the Rinats will appear publicly for an upcoming election. There are many whispers about who it could be, but the roads from Naya Vapna to Svapna dilute these rumors. I'm sure whatever they say in the capital is more likely than what I hear."

@Morcar the Faceless
 
He sat and settled the old woman's form into the chair he was beginning to like the term of endearment.
"I am glad to say that my, our employer has seen to the matter of your previous employer with what he told me was minimal fuss. He doesn't like mess and goes to great lengths to keep it that way."

She folded er hands on the table, animated and interested.

"Such an opportunity must be providence itself."
She grinned at Safa.
"Unfortunately the one who shall be presented is still a closely held secret."
He'd lost Rhun trying to get that little piece of information. A shame, he was gifted and showed potential with the Weave, Morcar was considering offering him an apprenticeship. It still stung more than he'd like it to. He'd grown fond of that lad.

"But we know it will be in the Ruby Palace, West balcony. They will make their announcement of candidacy there. The whole city will be there, guards too. Much will be left with little defence. You will have your chance then to take the ring but He may tell you more himself. Are you ready to meet him?"


He studied her reactions now, if she was hesitant she did not show it and though he did not openly say it this was her last chance to back out. Once she'd seen his face he could not let her go. This was the downside of his strategy. He had to be certain and sometimes he was wrong, though he'd be loath to admit such a thing.

@Safa
 
Ruby Palace, West balcony. Safa nodded her head, tucking away that valuable piece of information. She was good at scaling walls, but if there were going to be all eyes on that balcony, she might have to find another way inside. Would it be possible to sneak inside before the announcement, wait until after it was made, and then stalk the Rinat until they were alone in a room? She pursed her lips, dark brows furrowing low over her eyes. No, that was risky and amateur.

Reaching the Rinat before they even entered the Ruby Palace?

"Hmm? Oh, yes." Safa nodded her head. "I am as ready as I'll ever be," She gestured to her clothes. "I don't have anything better than this, anyhow." Her thoughts were still racing about what plan of action would be best to take, and which plan would be quickest and easiest. All she needed was the ring, to see where it was stored and figure out the best window of time to take it, right? Safa hopped off her stool.

"Lead the way, Zsa-Zsa." She said with a grin. "It'd be wise to thank him myself in handling matters with my previous employer. Should I address him as Mister or is that too pretentious?"

@Morcar the Faceless
 
*Mister*

Morcar did not think himself dignified enough to warrant the title, and as a scholar he knew it to be variant of the title Master which he was not fond of. Master's were people who stood out in the open, he was a thing hidden in the dark. Like Safa herself and the countless others who lived their life of secrets and lies.

The old woman's face smiled as she got up again with a scoff.
"I don't call him anything of the like, he'll give you his name if you believe that's his name anyway and he'll call you by yours I shouldn't wonder."

It took him longer to navigate the way out of the tavern and into the streets.
"I'll take you to the door, from there you go in alone. Wait there and he'll be with you shortly."

As she walked it was agony to him, the form of the old woman was shorter than him and slower in her gait.
"I hope you don't mind but he has rules about his collaborators meeting and likes to keep the groups as small as possible."

A convenient lie to give him time to change back and enter through the back entrance. He hated running but needs must.

Eventually the ally and the rundown door which would scarce catch anyone's eye was before them. Simple wood, just this side of stable. The old woman stopped.
"Best of luck Dear."

He gave it his best shot at sounding encouraging without sounding too certain of the outcome.

@Safa
 
"Hmm," Safa hummed, rolling over the old woman's words around in her head. he'll give you his name if you believe that's his name anyway. Safa didn't find that to be uncommon. She imagined that she had been given many fake names before from previous employers, partially because they didn't want things to lead back to them but mostly because they had developed aliases long ago in their heads. Another ego, another person, another secret.

Safe shrugged, turning to look at the old woman. She grinned, cocksure but genuine, raising a hand in farewell.

"Take it easy on those old bones of yours," Safa said, hardly looking nervous even if she had just been told good luck. This was a meeting, Safa would get some good info, and then she'd be on her way. She had gone through these plenty of times so... why did she feel nervous about this one? She turned around, opening up the door. Safa pulled down her hood as she stepped inside.

The air was colder in here than outside, the sun never reaching inside this place. The unease Safe felt rose, a lump forming in her throat. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her pants, trying to look unbothered, trying to look like anything else other than how she felt. What if it's a trap? A small voice in the back of her head whispered. Dark curls bounced about Safa's face and shoulders. No, she was fine, she was safe, this employer might be dangerous, but she was needed-- and as long as she was useful, she wouldn't be harmed.

@Morcar the Faceless
 
Scrambling, running, huffing and puffing Morcar bolted to the other end of the building as soon as it was safe to do so unseen, pausing only briefly to take a drink of water from one of the many city fountains. The heat became worse when exerting oneself.

Still gasping for breath he reached the back entrance and taking a moment to stand upright and collect himself he unlocked the door and entered the back room knowing that Safa was beyond in the front room. Again he felt the excitement, he was another step closer.

He entered the front room with as casual an air as he could muster given his still deep breaths from his run carrying a pre made platter of cheese, biscuits and spreadable meat paste with a glass jug of water.
"Safa yes?"
Placing the patter down he opened his hand to her and in his fine robes of black and red approached with a gladdened smile. He always liked meeting people a second time, it gave him a special thrill.
"You may call me Morcar, it's a pleasure to meet you face to face, I have heard much about you."
He gestured to the humble but comfortable furnishings about them.
"Please, sit and help yourself. You must forgive my not having wine but I prefer to conduct business with an unclouded mind."
Seating himself he poured the water into two glasses and passed one to his guest. Already he could tell he had made the right choice in her, she was wary and careful and those qualities kept people alive. He liked that, clever people were a good investment.

@Safa
 
She straightened up when he entered, as if she had been caught doing something wrong. She had suppressed her urge to snoop around and instead stood about with one foot in paranoid daydreams and the other in reality. Safa was taken aback when her new employer came in with a tray of food-- she could smell the pate, mouth drooling already with such a luxury--and didn't move to seat herself until her employer had.

"Lightweight, huh." She said, the earlier anxiety about the proper way to greet was long gone. Instead, she smirked despite her short stature and the lack of beautiful clothing about her. Something about the way he said that he heard much about her brought a pride that glimmered bright in her eyes. She took a glass of water but didn't yet drink from it, instead, she let it anchor herself to not mindlessly tap her foot or twiddle her thumbs.

"I gotta say, I didn't expect this." Safa gestured towards the tray of food with a free hand. "No wonder why Zsa-Zsa must be found of you." And running around with a hidden dagger, she thought. "Shall we get right into the meat of it? No pun intended of course."

@Morcar the Faceless
 
Curling his smile and looking into the barren fireplace before he answered.
"No I don't suppose you were. Zsa-zsa, as you call her, has gifted me the simple understanding that fed people are agreeable people."
As he spoke he put cheese on a cracker and spread the pate on it.

His memory of the real old woman flashed in his mind. Dry warm hands, the smell of spiced soup and wood smoke. A cat on her lap.

Snapping himself out of it he took a drink of water.
"I am a firm believer in looking after my hires. Generosity inspires loyalty, loyalty gets results and results get well paid for. Everyone wins."

It was as simple as that and he knew that. If it was not so then he would make it that simple.
"So in that vein I have a question to ask you and I will ask you to be honest with me."
Speaking casually he hooked his arm over the back of his chair and planted his ankle on he knee. Casual and perhaps even flirtatious as he took a bite of his prepared cracker, covering his mouth with his large sleeve as he spoke to not show his open mouth.
"Are you happy in your current life?"

He suspected she was not, few were satisfied living in poverty and Safa was too young to truly settle for it, at least in his experience. Why else would she perform such dangerous jobs?

@Safa
 
Well, Zsa-Zsa was right. When hungry, Safa was never in a good mood, and perhaps something besides alcohol and olives in her stomach would have soothed her nerves. She drank half her glass of water before setting it down on the table, beginning to make herself a snack. She didn't have refined tastes, couldn't quite understand that a platter like this was one of choices. Safa first grabbed a cracker and ate it, then took some cheese and ate it separately. It wasn't until she saw Morcar's cracker that she considered combining all three items.

She looked up, having grabbed her second cracker.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Safa said, a quirk of the lips in a half smile. She looked back down at the platter, at the glass jug of water. "Nobody is happy here. Maybe the kids are, but then they grow up. It's hard to get work, and it's hard to have a home. Great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, and children soon to have their own children, all crammed in together with no space to spare. When one person gets sick, we all get sick. It's more common to watch businesses die than thrive, without the merchants, we'd have no salt, no good way to keep meat safe to eat." She sighed, shrugging her words off.

"It's grim, but only if you try to be good and do good." Her cracker was completed, a decent replication of Morcar's, though it was now mush and sliding down his throat. "I don't care what I gotta do to survive, I'll do it. It's worked out for me so far, why fix it if it ain't broke?"

@Morcar the Faceless
 
"No I'm from the Eastern Coast. The ways of the free cities are strange to me."

The chuckle that came from him was soft.
"And I have much to learn, hence all this and you and Zsa-zsa. I act through you that I might not impede myself with my ignorances."

Refreshing his water he continued.
"Children, yes. Their happiness comes easy, as you say."
So she lived her whole life like this, a tiger among alley cats.
"Do you have any yourself?"
She was not too young and ill fortune made far younger mothers than her, another waste of resources. Mindless cruelty that beget more pain. How he loathed the carelessness of it all.

"It would be better that I know, in case something happens to you. I could see they are taken care of."
Trained, educated and put to good service is what he meant but he knew giving voice to that would seem callous despite even his best intentions so he waited for her response with attention. These were important details and with Rhun gone he had decided to invest in Safa now. He could not expect the best from her if her heart and mind wandered to dependants. In his mind to relieve that burden was his best option, less cunning men might remove the dependants but this was folly. Great investment yielded great results.
Morcar invested in people.

@Safa
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom