[center][h1][color=1E90FF]Sjan-dehk[/color] & [color=8D3B72]Kalliope[/color][/h1][color=8D3B72][b]Time:[/b][/color] [color=1E90FF]Late Evening[/color]
(Thanks to [@Tae] for helping with this)[/center]
[hr]

Sjan-dehk followed half-a-step behind Kalliope as she led him away from the docks. Most of these streets, with smoothened cobbles sheened by warm lantern-light, and narrow grouts coloured by stubborn mosses and hardy lichens, were familiar to him. Well, they were to his feet, in any case. His eyes recognised none of the buildings lining his flanks – even though he had trudged past them several times since he arrived to Sorian – but all the same, his legs seemed to remember his current course as one he had charted before.

Not that it mattered a great deal; Kalliope did most of the navigating. She kept a hand around his arm in a gentle hold, and used it to guide him through the thronging crowd and into the encroaching night.

And it was a pleasant night, he had to say. The fading light did plenty to hide away the few imperfections which day had been so unabashed in showing him. Dancing shadows, cast by murky lanterns swaying in a soft wind, concealed from sight the muck and grime which caked the ground in patches. Were it not for the not-so-occasional squelching of his boots, Sjan-dehk might have even completely forgotten about the disgusting, sticky stuff. Accentuated by the low light, every source of light – no matter how little – seemed all the more comforting and warm. Even the narrow side-streets leading off into the warrens of slums, with flickering lamps hanging precariously from doorways, managed to look inviting. 

Of course, being in good company played a major part in keeping Sjan-dehk’s spirits buoyant. 

Despite all of his earlier misgivings – about Cassius and Kalliope, about how he should conduct himself in her presence, about the entire masquerade itself, about why he even had such concerns – Sjan-dehk was strangely at ease as he walked with her through the city. Granted, the light and relaxing atmosphere surely helped him to push such thoughts aside, but there was something disarming about Kalliope herself. What it was exactly, he didn’t know. Maybe it was how she carried herself, or maybe it was her natural charm, or maybe it had been that long since he had a night out that wasn’t related to his duties. Either way, he found himself chatting with her about everything and nothing, all at once. Just simple small talk about their days, about what they had done, and yet it still brought smiles to his face and pulled quiet laughs from his lips. 

[i]“Stop, thief!”[/i]

The booming, angry shout – loud enough to rise high above the din of the crowd – interrupted Sjan-dehk’s retelling of his earlier adventure at sea. Looking away from Kalliope and further up the street, his eyes fell upon a diminutive figure clumsily weaving between surprised pedestrians. A woman yelped and tripped as she flung herself out of their way. [i]“That boy’s a thief!”[/i] That same, booming voice bellowed. [i]“Someone stop him!”[/i] A sharply-dressed man tried to do just that, and reached for the elusive darter, but his fingers found naught but air. The boy threw a glance over his shoulder, but continued scrambling ahead. 

As the commotion unfolded, and the lively atmosphere of the pair’s conversation was brought to an abrupt stop, Kalliope’s instincts had her tighten her grip on Sjan-dehk’s arm. Keen eyes, sharp and green, tracked the accused thief as he flitted and stumbled through the crowd. A look of determination hardened her face, and a plan materialised in her mind. [color=8D3B72]“Grab the boy, but try not to harm him,”[/color] she said. [color=8D3B72]“There may be more to this than we realise. I’ll handle the man.”[/color] Glancing at Sjan-dehk, she swept a hand over her dress. [color=8D3B72]“I’m better suited to deal with the pursuer currently, anyways.”[/color]

Sjan-dehk understood right away what she meant. He responded with a nod when she loosened her hold on his arm, but she didn’t notice. She was already taking action.

Kalliope dashed ahead, expertly navigating the sea of densely-packed people. Neither the fleeing boy nor the man chasing him expected her sudden appearance. Kalliope swiftly intercepted the former, positioning herself directly in his path. The boy let out a surprised yell as he collided with her. She left him little time to recover his bearings or even realise what was going on, however, as she skillfully redirected him towards Sjan-dehk. Unable to stop himself, the boy’s own momentum sent him crashing into the Viserjantan’s legs. 

So waifish was the boy that Sjan-dehk felt little of an impact. It didn’t take much to restrain him, either – a firm grip on his shoulders was all it took to root him in place. [i]“Let off!”[/i] The boy yelled through gritted teeth, his feet kicking against the ground as he struggled with all his might to break free. Sjan-dehk tightened his hold on the boy, but only slightly – the boy was so skinny that it felt as if his bones would snap with even a touch too much force. [i]“Let off! I didn’t do anything!”[/i]

[color=1E90FF][i]“Be calm,”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk said gently. Or at least, he tried to. The boy’s wild flailing – futile as they were – had annoyed him somewhat, and his words came out sounding like an order. Not surprisingly, they did little to assuage the boy, and he continued to struggle. [color=1E90FF][i]“Be calm,”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk repeated. [color=1E90FF][i]“Or we cannot help.”[/i][/color]

The boy’s pursuer soon caught up. He was a rotund man, with a round face, and wearing a white shirt that was mottled with old stains. Sweat dripped from his brow and clung to him like a second skin. He glared at the boy – who glared back – but could do little else. Kalliope stood firm in his way, arms crossed over her chest and back straight. [color=8D3B72][i]“Alright,”[/i][/color] she began. The man almost looked small in her presence. [color=8D3B72][i]“Let’s calm down for a moment, then you can explain the situation to me. My friend stopped the kid, but I’m not about to allow you near him till I know the full story here.”[/i][/color]

[i]“That boy stole from me,”[/i] was all the man managed to say between gasps and pants before he hunched over, hands braced against his knees. He drew in a deep breath and grunted as he righted himself. [i]“A loaf of bread, would you bloody believe it? Now, I’m not looking for trouble. Have him return what he took, and I’ll consider the issue settled.”[/i]

Sjan-dehk immediately looked at the boy. [color=1E90FF][i]“What he say, it is true?”[/i][/color]

The boy bit his lip and stared at the ground for a moment. All Sjan-dehk could see of him was the shock of dirty, unkempt brown hair covering his head like a mass of seaweed washed upon shore. [i]“So-So what if I did?”[/i] The boy said defiantly after some time, but there wasn’t as much of a fight in his voice as before. [i]“It’s just bread, and it’s not like the old man’s selling much of it! I-I’m not hurting anyone!”[/i]

Sjan-dehk grimaced and looked at Kalliope. Regular thieves weren’t the sort to steal something as cheap and as worthless as stale bread. Such an act was that of the desperate, and the boy certainly looked as if he was in desperate need of just about everything. 

Kalliope’s gaze shifted between the boy and the man a few times before she caught Sjan-dehk’s. Hearing the boy’s words ignited a burning fury within her, the sort which wouldn’t – couldn’t – be easily doused. In an instant, she rounded on the man. Her eyes burned with indignation, and disdain dripped from each and every one of her words when she spoke. [color=8D3B72][i]“You chased this boy relentlessly and caused such a scene over a fucking loaf of bread?”[/i][/color] The man shrunk before her, his earlier anger gone, replaced by worry and some amount of fear. His eyes looked to Sjan-dehk, as if asking for help. The Viserjantan merely responded with a grin and a shrug. 

[color=8D3B72][i]“Can’t you see this child is starving?”[/i][/color] Kalliope’s voice rose, and she gestured vehemently at the boy, who by now had stopped struggling against Sjan-dehk’s grip. A disgusted smirk played across her lips as she leaned in towards the man. [color=8D3B72][i]“But no,”[/i][/color] she continued, her voice dropping to a threateningly low pitch. [color=8D3B72][i]“Your fat ass has decided that your precious profit comes first, doesn’t it? One look at this boy, and anyone with a shred of decency would see that he’s desperate. Yet here you are, making a scene over a morsel.”[/i][/color] She stepped forward, her eyes burning unabated. She looked the man up and down. [color=8D3B72][i]“You’ve probably never missed a meal in your cushy life, have you? I can tell you haven’t! How about showing a bit of compassion for once? Or is your heart as bloated as your belly, filled with nothing but greed?”[/i][/color]

Sjan-dehk said nothing as Kalliope verbally lacerated the man. What else was there to say that she hadn’t already said, and with far better words? And so, he simply listened and watched. It heartened him greatly to see Kalliope rebuke the man and defend the boy with such passion. That alone would have earned her his deep respect, but she managed to go even further. With each successive word, the man’s discomfort grew until it became impossible to hide. He shrank and looked as if he would rather be anywhere else but here. Kalliope was clearly not a lady to be trifled with.

But they couldn’t stay here forever. Neither of them could order the man to leave, and once he figured that out, he would likely recover some modicum of courage. And after that, things would simply devolve into a shouting match where nobody won. [color=1E90FF]“Kali,”[/color] Sjan-dehk called out to her. [color=1E90FF]“Can you get my coin pouch? Left side of my belt, on my back.”[/color]

Kalliope snapped off a few parting words – all of them dripping with acerbic contempt and accompanied by a withering glare – at the man before moving to Sjan-dehk. She plucked the pouch from his belt and gave it to him. [color=8D3B72]“I am well aware that stealing is wrong,”[/color] she said in a voice low enough for just him to hear. [color=8D3B72]“But I’d rather this boy steal food than starve to death. No one deserves that fate.”[/color]

[color=1E90FF]“I agree,”[/color] Sjan-dehk said and fished a coin from the pouch. [color=1E90FF]“And I honestly wouldn’t pay this man for a loaf of stale bread, but I don’t think he’s going to leave us be, otherwise. Could always use threats of violence, but…”[/color] He trailed off as he beckoned the man over. The man hesitantly approached, his eyes gazing at the ground, but glancing at Kalliope every so often. [color=1E90FF]“Think of it as me paying him to piss off,”[/color] Sjan-dehk added and pressed the coin into the man’s palm. With a wide grin on his face, and keeping his gaze locked onto the man’s the entire time, Sjan-dehk said in a cheery voice, [color=1E90FF]“Now kindly fuck off, thank you very much.”[/color]

The man eagerly turned and hurried back the way he came. 

With that settled, Sjan-dehk turned his attention to the boy. [color=1E90FF][i]“So why steal?”[/i][/color]

[i]“I told you, I–”[/i]

[color=1E90FF][i]“Yes. You were hungry. I know.”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk released his hold on the boy, but he didn’t run. Kneeling to look him in the eye, Sjan-dehk continued, [color=1E90FF][i]“You do not have money, yes? Not enough to buy food. What…Why is that?”[/i][/color] The boy didn’t reply, and instead stared at the ground between his fidgeting feet. Sjan-dehk’s lips curved into a frown, but he had expected this. Here he was, a total stranger who couldn’t even speak the local tongue with any sort of fluency, questioning a child. Of course, the boy would be uncomfortable. But still, Sjan-dehk pressed on. [color=1E90FF][i]“You tell us, and maybe we can help.”[/i][/color]

[color=8D3B72][i]“He’s not a bad person,”[/i][/color] Kalliope added, and cast a sidelong glance at Sjan-dehk with a teasing smile. [color=8D3B72][i]“A little rough, but he’s not bad. We want to help you, but we can’t if you don’t tell us anything.”[/i][/color]

The boy looked up at her, then at Sjan-dehk, then back to her. He gulped. [i]“T-There’s this gang,”[/i] he began, his eyes darting around as if he were worried that someone might be listening.[i] “They-They’ve been askin’ my mother for money. Tellin’ her that she either pays or somethin’ bad’ll happen to us.”[/i] His lips trembled and he gulped once more, but he carried on. [i]“So she’s been payin’ them most of what she earns, you see, and what’s left ain’t enough for us to buy anythin’. I just wanted to help, is all.”[/i]

Sjan-dehk sighed. He had heard this story – and many others like it – far too many times. In the immediate aftermath of the war, Iwa-Jafi’s poorer quarters had been rife with similar gangs attempting similar rackets and schemes. An unfortunate side effect of the chaos and confusion that came with the end of a conflict. It had been Shim-sen’s – one of Sjan-dehk’s brothers – to put an end to such criminal activities, and that he did with ruthless efficiency.

But Shim-sen wasn’t here now, and Sjan-dehk was. And so there was only one thing for him to do. 

[color=1E90FF][i]“This…Gang. You know where they are?”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk asked. 

[i]“Yeah.”[/i] The boy nodded, looking at Sjan-dehk momentarily before turning his gaze to Kalliope. [i]“Everyone does. We’ve to go there to pay our dues.”[/i]

Sjan-dehk nodded slowly, then stood back up. [color=1E90FF]“I can’t leave this,”[/color] he said with a heavy sigh and placed his hands on his hips. [color=1E90FF]“Not as how it is. It’s not the Way. By the Abyssal Depths, it’s not even the right thing to do, Way or not.”[/color] He turned to Kalliope with an apologetic look on his face. [color=1E90FF]“I know I promised to join you at the ball, and it’s not my intention to break my word, but…”[/color] He trailed off and nodded towards the boy. [color=1E90FF]“This is something that must be fixed, and I need more guns and more swords to do that. Means I have to return to Sada Kurau before teaching some ruffians a lesson, and I think the ball will be long over by the time I’m done with everything.”[/color]

Kalliope reached out to gently touch his arm, her eyes soft with understanding. [color=8D3B72]“Sjan-dehk, darling.”[/color] There was warmth in her words. [color=8D3B72]“You don’t have to apologise to me. I would never expect you to turn a blind eye to injustice like this, especially when it’s right in front of us.”[/color] She spoke reassuringly and gently at first, but then her lips curled into a playful smirk. Twinkles of mischief lit up her eyes. [color=8D3B72]“But you’re a damn fool if you think I’m going to stand aside and let you have all the fun, especially in my own city. I’m coming with you and you can’t stop me. First, though, I need to do one thing.”[/color]

She had been listening intently when the boy related his story earlier, and her heart had grown heavy with empathy for his struggles. The desperation that drove him to theft, the threats made by ruthless people far more stronger than him, she understood them all, all too well. 

Crouching, she met the boy’s eyes with a compassionate gaze and smile. [color=8D3B72][i]“Listen, sweetheart,”[/i][/color] she began, her tone gentle but firm. Even so, the boy looked away, as if he were expecting a scolding or a lecture. But Kalliope continued anyway. [color=8D3B72][i]“I understand why you had to steal, but stealing is dangerous, especially when you’re up against those gangs. You could get yourself or your family hurt, or even worse.”[/i][/color]

She paused for a moment, a thoughtful expression painted across her face. [color=8D3B72][i]“But I have another idea. How would you like to work for me?”[/i][/color] She asked, her voice brightening with enthusiasm. In an instant, the boy’s attention returned to her, his eyes snapping back to her face. [color=8D3B72][i]“You see, I need someone with sharp ears to keep me informed about what’s happening in the city. Just listen out for any interesting tidbits of information you come across and bring them to me. I’ll pay you weekly, no matter what, but I do expect you to keep me updated from time-to-time. Another thing I’ll occasionally need you to do is to deliver messages for me. Do you think you can do that?”[/i][/color]

[i]“Y-Yes,”[/i] the boy croaked, eyes wide in surprise at the generous offer. He quickly cleared his throat, and repeated in a clearer voice with a series of enthusiastic nods, [i]“Yes! I can do that for you, miss!”[/i]

Kalliope smiled. [color=8D3B72][i]“Perfect. Your first job will be to deliver a message to my sister who should be at the ball at Count Damien’s. I’ll write up the letter and give you the details on how to find her.”[/i][/color]

She looked up at Sjan-dehk, her smile bright. [color=8D3B72]“My dear captain, do you think you could spare some clothes, weapons, paper, and ink?”[/color] She asked, eyes sparkling with mischief as she stood back up. [color=8D3B72]“I don’t think this dress, beautiful as it is, is quite suited for a fight.”[/color]

Sjan-dehk chuckled and nodded. In truth, he had been half-expecting Kalliope to come with him. Part of him wanted to turn her down – things could get quite rough, after all – but then there was something about her that made him feel as if she could handle herself. Something about the way she carried herself that reminded him of some women he knew. Women who were proper terrors on the field of battle. [color=1E90FF]“Can’t say I’m not curious to see how you’d fight in that,”[/color] he teased with a grin. [color=1E90FF]“But sure, there’s more than enough onboard [i]Sada Kurau[/i] for the two of us.”[/color]

He turned around, facing the way they had come. [color=1E90FF]“Let’s go.”[/color] It was difficult for him to hide the excitement in his voice, and so he didn’t. Who could blame him? This was far better than any ball. [color=1E90FF]“We’ve got a long night ahead of us. Best not to keep it waiting.”[/color]