[hr][hr][h1][b][i][color=goldenrod][center]Valanthe Vanatar[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h1]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/eOqRyHH.png[/img][/center]
[hr][hr]

"Cinder," Val said positively purring at the sight of the fire genasi. "How nice of you to finally join us. I was telling Ulleiss here how pleased I was to see you two again. It is a rare privilege indeed in my profession to be reacquainted with two such wonderful friends."

"Of course, my great joy at our reunion was only magnified by the prospect of being your colleague once more in yet another heroic endeavor that promises to leave us richer than when we began. Let us just hope that this contract doesn't end like that dreadful job in Lulkel. It cost me a fortune to get that dress washed."

"I'm assuming there's a reason you haven't arrested this scoundrel, Cinder," the large dragon commented, turning his head to face the genasi as she approached. 

"Unfortunately it seems she will be a necessary evil on this particular quest. And for the gods' sakes, stop with your patronizing politeness," she replied, scrunching her face up in disgust at the moon elf.

"My poor, poor, misguided Cinder," Val began shaking her head sadly from side to side. Her lips pursed in a small frown, but Val seemed more amused than disappointed. "It is only patronizing because you choose to interpret it as such. If you had only paid attention to the many lessons I freely gave you, then you would have learned to speak properly many moons ago."

"Just cause I ain't from some highfalutin family with daddy issues doesn't mean I can't speak correctly. Not to mention it's incredibly pretentious, and who, besides the obvious company, would want to talk like that?" Cinder asked, though it didn't appear she really wanted an answer as she almost immediately started talking again. "Why are you here in the first place?"

Val rolled her eyes at the familiar accusation, Cinder was fond of bringing up parental figures, especially her father, a telling sign that Val noted. However, her parents were a subject Val preferred to avoid. Lest she somehow summon them to the present spot, dusty as it was, by merely mentioning them. The moon elf smiled broadly as soon as the conversation return to her favorite topic, her own self and her mysterious, ever-shifting motives.

"Oh, that is a wonderful story of redemption," Val exclaimed with a happy sigh and soft smile that would have brought tears to the eyes of a troll. "You see, having spent a several nights languishing in the sad jail of this supremely sad town, I had time to reflect on my many minor indiscretions. The old Val is dead Cinder! The still stunning Moon Elf you see before you is the new Val.  A kinder, much gentler Val, full of innocence and unburdened by a long history of criminal accusations. My most recent iteration is a lovely creature that is here to do great good. She is driven through the purity of her own heart to restore the balance in this dusty wasteland and certainly holds no aspirations of robbing the party of all their wealth. Indeed, the good sheriff himself detected my positively impeccable innocence and released me with his most humble apologies and a lovely, rustic breakfast."

"..." 

Silence greeted Val at the end of her story, and the Cinder exchanged looks with Ulliess. Mind you dragons are not known for their varying array of facial expressions but even he looked... Doubtful, to put it mildly. Cinder on the other hand looked like she was going to start laughing. And then she did. 

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," she sputtered in between chuckles. "I'm sure that if I went and talked to the sheriff right now he'd corroborate your story, hm? Say what a delight you are? Right. You forget that the only reason I'm on good terms with half the sheriffs in the country is because of our mutual desire to put your behind bars where you belong. 'Kinder and gentler Val' my ass. If you steal anything of mine, I don't care what the law says. I'm shooting you."

"I already have your heart, Cinder, what more of value can I steal from you?" Val replied with a sly smile. She felt magnanimous and therefore did not send a spell in Cinder's direction as repayment for the bounty hunter's most impolite laughter at her expense. It was a constant source of sorrow for the moon elf that Cinder did not blindly believe her. It made tricking her more enjoyable, but it forced her to put some effort into the endeavor. And Val had a natural inclination to abhor effort. She preferred easy marks that fell for her azure eyes and soft smile.

"Bold of you to assume I have a heart," Cinder replied. Unlike with the rest of the party, it took quite a lot for Val to actually ruffle Cinder's feathers. She was sure it was because Val was obviously actively trying to get under her skin while the rest of the party just blindly said absolutely idiotic things. "And oh, I don't know. All of my earthly possessions?"

"I would be a very bad friend if I did not note your carefully guarded heart," Val mused. She took a step forward and pointed towards Cinder's chest. "I feel certain it is somewhere in there, beneath some layers of ice, of course. Despite your attempts at casting yourself like some common ruffian, you're far too generous to be a real rogue."

Laughing to herself, Val tossed a coin into the air, and shifting her hand forward made it reappear behind one of Cinder's pointy ears before the illusionist danced it in front of her eyes. Winking at the dragon, Val whispered, "Fear not, friend, I will relieve you of the mortal possessions that burden you soon enough."

The coin vanished back into the sleeves of her dress and Val booped Cinder playfully on the nose. Bowing slightly, she darted out of range, "Now, Cinder, promise me that you'll behave. I'd be very sad if you ruined this new role for me before I even had a chance to try it out."

Cinder had made an attempt to grab the hand that booped her, having fantasies about breaking some dainty and pathetic fingers, but Val had moved out of range too fast. Alas, neither could deny they knew the other well.

"I'll be waiting for you to screw up, Val, and the moment you do I'm taking you in to collect that bounty. Then I can really retire, and never have to see your ugly mug ever again. Speaking of retiring if you mess up this gig for me, I will get very violent." She said that last bit as flame started to crawl onto her shoulders, courtesy of her hair. Ulliess made a noise that might have been a sound of amusement, though it was unclear exactly which part of this encounter had garnered it.