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[H3]Nora[/H3]
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"A distraction would be most welcome," Nora said, nodding towards Sheri. "I am sure the good Sheriff will relish the pleasant company. It has been said that he is a man of many great appetites and boundless greed."

The hand resting on her sword finally relaxed as the carefully collected words left her mouth. Nora could feel the warmth of anger in her chest. The whirlwind of emotion whipped across her skin like sharp kernels of sand. She watched Skarsat carefully. He had made his point. That was fair. That was the risk Solange courted when she played her games. But he had gone too far. She would not defend Solange. The woman had to defend herself. However, Nora could not ignore the bitter taste in her mouth. She had limits too. And the Tork had danced on the very blade's edge of what she would tolerate. Violence was a weapon. Violence was a useful weapon. Still, like all weapons it had to be wielded properly, carefully even, and it had to be applied in just the right amount. There was an art to violence. A gentle dance, skillful footsteps matched to the rhythm of blood.

Disappointment was a bitter draught to swallow and Nora considered for a moment what sort of people Vargas had bound her to. The giant Tork had a temper. Tempers were a problem. Tempers had a habit of leading to problems. Problems inevitably lead to violence. And violence. Violence meant death. She hoped for his sake that Vargas would not hear that he had touched Solange or see the damage he had caused for that matter. There were rules. There were rules of conduct expected of all that entered the Faded Lantern. Unspoken as they might be, they were no less fatal if broken. Vargas was protective over his property. And more importantly Vargas had his own reputation to consider. There were consequences to damaging the property of the Lord without proper cause.

"I trust that we can all conduct ourselves as professionals? Yes?" Nora said with a cold glance that settled first upon Skarsat and then on Solange. A frown danced across her lips as her eyes lingered and she resisted a sudden urge to shake her head. It was too early for fools. It was too early for foolish bravado. And it was far too early to bloody her blade. "You may settle any disputes [b]after[/b] we return."

"May you find cool water," Nora said in parting with a warding sign as she left the room, not quite managing to shake off the shifting dunes of anger she felt as she turned away from her two colleagues.