[center][h1]Nimueh[/h1][/center]

[b]Time:[/b] Morning
[b]Location:[/b] Roshmi
[b]Mentions:[/b] Nobody
[hr]Another knife vanished from a brunch table somewhere in Roshmi. When Nimueh turned the corner she tested its edge with her thumb. Dull, of course. But any dull knife could be sharpened. She already had a steak knife she had stolen from a kitchen and two other butterknives. Ten minutes later she was in a shadowy, filthy alleyway running a rock along the knives’ edges.

The hunt wasn’t over yet. Maybe today she couldn’t catch Nabarra, not in the state her other hand was. But tonight she’d break into a healer’s house and get that fixed quickly. It would scar, but they would just join the other scars on her body.

As her hand went over the century-old rhythms of sharpening a blade Nimueh closed her eyes and started meditating. The grinding noise brought her into her trance. Bringing her back to where she stood on the roof. The arrow hit but not well enough. That was her first mistake. The second was that she allowed Nabarra to crawl up to the opposite roof. Letting her jump over was also a mistake. The raider had fought harder than anticipated. Indeed, she was trained by those who were trained by her father. The most stinging failure was that of her magic though. As the daughter of the famed lady of sorrows, Nimueh should’ve been better. Her weakness was becoming a problem. As a healer would heal the problem that was her hand, she’d need a mystic to deal with her magic.

Again she went over the memory, picking out the pieces. Nabarra made mistakes as well. She disarmed herself before a light elf. Why? To prove innocence, probably. So she was ideological. And loud. Very loud. All that told Nimueh that her prey wasn’t one for hiding. At least she wouldn’t do it well. There would be clues running from the greenhouse. But that place would be swarming with guards now.

[b]“Again.”[/b] She whispered to herself. Her mind pulled her back to when she had drawn her arrow. The light elf. Who was he? Not a simple one. The way he held his blade betrayed training but also experience. His features felt familiar. Like she had seen him before some decades ago. He at least frequented the greenhouse. That would be her next target.

Nimueh was pulled from her meditations by the vibrations on her bracelet. She frowned. Who could call her now!? Then she noticed the purple flashing light and never accepted a message so fast in her life.

The hologram from her wrist showed the helmet of Xenelith, her father. [b]“Sir.”[/b] Nimueh said, immediately standing at the attention as if he was right in front of her. Though she hoped he wouldn’t see her shameful wounds.

[color=a187be]“At ease, huntress.”[/color] His voice was cold and stern. Like it always was. Like it always had to be. Nimueh dropped the salute but remained silent. You didn’t speak to a superior unless spoken to. Though she deeply hoped he wouldn’t ask about her mission. [color=a187be]“There’s been a change of plans.”[/color] Nimueh’s heart skipped. [color=a187be]“The king of Roshmi intends to surrender in return for keeping his position as ruler.”[/color] Typical. [color=a187be]“Amarantha and Basilian will fly towards the city to broker the arrangement.”[/color]

Nimueh’s jaw nearly dropped. Wide-eyed she looked at her father, who remained quiet for a moment. Amarantha? Here. Something fluttered in her chest. The queen herself! There was no great hero in Nimueh’s mind, save for her father perhaps. But while she was well acquainted with his coldness, the queen had always felt like something else. Her grace and power was ethereal. Hard to define. Yet she was a role model for Nimueh nonetheless. The way she spun her web of men and magic made it hard for any dark elf girl not to love her.

[color=a187be]“Make sure the king doesn’t change his mind in the meantime. Head for the palace. Your presence should be enough. Make sure all the tokens are locked down. The princess is a rambunctious one so make sure she stays in your hand.”[/color] Nimueh gave a single nod as she carved the commands into her mind. [color=a187be]“And Nimueh.”[/color] He used her name! [color=a187be]“Make me proud.”[/color] The connection cut out and Nimueh exhaled all her tension as she doubled over.