MysidiaDrakkenbane

It was pouring in Freeport and the sound of wet scraping boots echoed through the dirty streets. It was a cold rain and the breath of all the inhabitants could be seen. The cold water pricked the flesh just enough to let you know that it was indeed a winter rain. Not cold enough for snow but warm enough just to keep the water right above freezing.

A dark elf woman, poorly dressed, ran through the streets. Her dark black hair hung in light curls as the water beaded off the strands and dripped onto her soaked woolen cloak. Her clothes were torn and tattered on the ends and her blue-black skin was darker than usual due to the temperature.

White ghost vapors poured out of her nose and mouth as she frantically ran through the streets, trying to keep her bundle in her arms as dry as possible. She bounded up the path and skittered down a dark alleyway, thrashing her back to the wall, trying to catch her breath.

She pushed a black strand of hair away from her face and sank down to her knees, feeling her pulse race through her body. Her silver gray eyes scanned the street out in front of her before uncovering her bundle. A soggy loaf of bread and a bit of dried meat lay in her lap.

She hungrily tore at the bread and stuffed her face, while keeping a sharp ear to the noise around her. She should have been more careful. Granted, she stole the food she was eating, but she should have been wiser in choosing her victim. In her line of work, there were only two kinds of assassins, those that were paid well for what they did, and those that starved. And being that she held on to her family’s curse, it was rare she was paid for her profession.

As she bit into the chunk of meat, she heard a few guards voices echo off the buildings around her. She sank deeper into the darkness and unsheathed her daggers for protection. It wasn’t that she wasn’t very good at what she did. She was, it was just that her family name wasn’t what it used to be and people didn’t want to deal with that kind of reputation.

She watched the guards run past her and she smirked smugly in the dampness around her. She lived to see another day, yet again. Bristlebane was watching out for her. She flipped the dagger up in the air and caught it before putting them back in their sheaths. She stepped out into the street to watch the guards turn the corner and she chuckled as she realized she had won again.

She turned around and started to walk when a huge ogre blocked her path. She froze solid, realizing that it was his meal she stole. She swallowed hard feeling the white fear creep up into her throat as her eyes widen.

The huge ogre raised his fist and pounded it on the top of her head, causing her to fall unconsciously in the winter rain.

When she came to, she began to feel the headache that the large lump began to bring on and she groaned slightly. She felt the chains on her wrists and ankles and she grumbled realizing she had been captured. Much like everyone else in her life, it seems Bristlebane had turned His back on her too, leaving her at the mercy of the law… Whatever law that was in Freeport, anyway.

“Good, you’re alive.”, she heard a man’s voice say. She looked up sharply to see a human male sitting in a chair by the door. He took his iron gauntleted fist and banged it on the metal door behind him.

The woman scooted herself towards the slime covered concrete wall that helped form the cell she was in. She rubbed her dirty hands over her hair to feel the large knot, causing her the pain. Grumbling, she folded her arms and just waited patiently.

Moments later, a dark elf male dressed in a vibrantly purple and yellow robe, came in and waved his hand to dismiss the human. The dark elf woman rolled her eyes and began to grow uncomfortable being in that cell.

The ogre walked in just as the human was leaving and this caused the woman to curse under her breath. The dark elf male turned around and growled at the woman, causing her to cower a bit.

“I told you not to harm her.”, the dark elf male said in a strict voice.

“Look! She lives.”, grunted the ogre. The dark elf male scowled.

“What am I doing here?”, the woman asked.

The male turned around and barked at her, “It must NOT speak! It must learn its place!”

He walked over to her and took her chin in his hands forcing her to look up at him. He looked her over for a moments and grunted in some kind of acknowledgement.

“There is no denying you, child. You are your mother’s daughter.”, the male said. He pushed her chin away and walked back towards the chair, taking a seat.

“You knew my mother…”, she said softly.

“Yes. I knew your whole family before The Rendering. Before the Tier’Dal turned their backs on you.”, he said smugly. She knew he was in his glory. It wasn’t often that a Tier’Dal male was allowed to berate a female so. Usually, it was the females that were superior, but situations being as they were, this male had and edge over her due to her family name, dishonored as it was.

“What is it you want with me?”, she asked.

“Since this has bearing on your situation, I will permit the question. You carry your mother’s namesake in both first and last name, Akahsha. The Darkskye’s have been disowned from the Tier’Dal since your mother aligned herself with the Rydian Empire. A pity she never cleared it before she died.”, he said waving his hand at her.

Akahsha blinked at him through waves of contempt. She hated her race almost as much as her mother did. Arrogance made her blood boil.

“However, what if there was a way to reclaim the standing of the Darkskye namesake and place you back into the ranks your family once was before the dishonorment?”, the male said and grinned wickedly.

“Who are you?”, Akahsha asked.

Seeing the annoyance flicker in the male’s eyes, she quickly broke her gaze and bit her lip.

“Val’eth Sulkar.”, the male said. “Now, do you want to clear your family’s name or not?”

Akahsha laughed. “How is that possible?”

Val’eth got up and back handed Akahsha across the mouth. She yelped and tears began to form in her eyes. She licked her lips and swallowed the blood she tasted.

“Do not mock me, you insignificant whelp!”, he said angrily. His red eyes burned like fire against his black skin. Akahsha made a mental note to place his name on the list of people she would be getting back to at a later date. She had a special torture in mind for Val’eth. Something with hot pokers and diseased ridden rats came to mind…

“The queen lives, I’ve been given word. I thought you would like to know that…”, he left his words hanging. She looked up sharply and her ice silver eyes shined evilly in the darkness.

“Ah, that got your attention. Yes, Her Majesty is alive and well, and wandering through Antonica last I had heard.”, Val’eth said, his voice almost a purr.

“She is heavily guarded. An attack on her won’t be so easy.”, Akahsha said licking away her blood.

Val’eth folded his arms and sat with an oily smug smirk. “She is without her Catta Thaeja. She is vulnerable and ripe for the picking.”

Akahsha toiled over the news in her mind and tried to hold back her excitement. If she appeared overeager, he would give the job to someone else. Under eager and he would think she didn’t care.

“What do you get out of this?”, Akahsha asked.

Val’eth grinded his teeth at the lack of manners from Akahsha, but years on the streets would do that to anyone, so he allowed it to pass. “The Overlord currently has a female Tier’Dal for his right hand. The Overlord fears no one, but knows full well that news of the Rydian Queen would stir up some of the older Iksar and just might start a rebellion. He likes his control right where it is. If something were to happen to the fallen queen, his majesty might look upon my family a bit favorlier than N’Velex.”

Akahsha grinned. For the first time in years, she felt the calm evil spread across her body like a warm comforting blanket. She hadn’t felt this calm in a very long time.

Her voice, in a velvety purr said, “Where might I find this queen?”

Val’eth grinned in return. “Excellent.”

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