[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/BjtZNtv.png[/img][/center]
[color=ed1c24]Location[/color]: Kindeance, Pesti, western farmstead.
[@A5G][@Remuri]
[hr]

Veronica and "satiation" were friends with a conflicted relationship. Conflicted in that, as much as she loved feeling that way on the all too rare occasions that she did, she also fundamentally hated what it meant. That she had killed again. More specifically, that she had fed from a sentient being. But for all her morals by comparison to the majority of her... "kind", Veronica was a practical individual. And moreover, she was an assassin. Killing was in her blood in and the spilt blood of others. Those men were going to die today. That was a fact. And they could either water the earth uselessly with their sanguine essence... or it could be put to the task of fueling her. It could be wasted or made useful. The vampire chose "useful".

She wasn't normally one to indulge, especially not while she wasn't even truly "thirsty" in the sense she'd come to know these past few years... but the bodies were [i]right there[/i]... with no-one watching... Really, how could she [i]not[/i]. And refill her waterskins while she was at it to boot. So it was that she returned to the group all but buzzing internally with energy, a full meal twice over suffusing the undead fibers of her being. Her senses felt that much more acute, and at times, she could almost swear her darkvision was honed enough to make out the barest bits of color even under the shroud of night.

She raised a single brow at the babbling of the captive... mercenary? Hmmm, that made enough sense. Deniable assets. As Yvonne had conveyed, they weren't learning much... but "much" wasn't "nothing". [color=ed1c24]"Well now, that's got me curious about just who this client of theirs is. I wonder if this guy's boss would know,"[/color] Veronica mused aloud, eyes squinting in consideration. [color=ed1c24]"Seems like something to bring up with them, eh, Captain?"[/color] she asked Matilda.

Her gaze turned back to the captive guard, almond-shaped pupils momentarily narrowing to harsher slits. The panic sounded genuine enough, but perhaps torture would loosen his- [i]No[/i], torture was unreliable, no matter what adventure literature would like to convey. Veronica knew, from personal experience even, that when it came down to it, the animal instinct for survival would focus on what the victim [i]thought[/i] the tormentor wanted to hear... and not necessarily the truth. The guard could be lying to them, have excellent acting skills and/or be just plain loyal enough to take his secrets to the grave in spite of everything, for professional pride even. No, torture was often just as liable to get you lies than truths, and it got especially dicey if your subject didn't think you intended to leave them alive. They might resist solely to gamble on the idea of being kept around because they judged their own worth alive and in possession of the information they owned to be great enough to stave off the final blow.

He wasn't worth tormenting. Hell, under most circumstances, he'd not even be worth killing... But Veronica wasn't generally in the habit of disobeying the letter of her missions, and the King had said to be clandestine. Could they really afford even [i]more[/i] witnesses? [color=ed1c24]"Captain, I think she's got the right of it,"[/color] Veronica nodded to Yvonne. [color=ed1c24]"I doubt we'll learn anything else useful from him. If we question anyone, I'd say the head of this 'merry little band' is our best bet for answers of actual substance."[/color] She gave a knowing glance to the captive and then the orc. The intent was clear. Kill or spare? The vampire had no emotional attachment one way or- No, that was a lie. She didn't relish killing the helpless, even her enemies. The guard was a security risk, but little more. Veronica's anorexic morals said "no", but she was more than capable of killing her capacity to care for a "yes".

[color=ed1c24]"We shouldn't dally too long,"[/color] she exhaled sharply. [color=ed1c24]"We need to get into that barn."[/color]