[center][u][h1]Cold Comfort[/h1][/u][/center]
[b]Location:[/b] the church 

Roslyn ate very little that morning. As much as she tried, she couldn't stomach much. Nazih's dead, sightless corpse stared at her through vivid memories. All she could do was stand there. While the other students prepared his body, flashbacks of her mother's funeral surfaced. The pain from five years ago came rushing back. Her eyes closed. The lump in her throat suffocated any words she might say, leaving her to sink into the familiar numbness. It spread across her veins and weighed her in place. It was like an old friend from those times had returned to help her endure it.

Did this pain ever go away?

She knew the answer as it brushed her core now. Why did it have to be her to find him? Her thoughts chided fate and the gods with childish bitterness. Why? Her thoughts never reached the air as she stood in silence.

The memory scattered to the wind when Yuliya's words caught her attention. It took a moment for Roslyn to identify her location: the rear pews of Dami the Shrewd. While she had followed the others easily, she hadn't been paying much attention until now. It explained her brief disorientation as it faded. She didn't think the plan was going to happen the exact way they wanted, but she couldn't offer a better plan. She did feel the hairs on her neck rise when she saw how heavily armed some of them were. Needless to say, their trip toward the town's market was... uneventful until the gates. Then they had to relinquish any weapons to the guards.

Based on Yuliya's and Yvain's story, they had caused a bit of trouble with the locals. Another rotten feeling churned in her stomach at the difficulty added to their task.

Deep down, she hoped to find Marz then return to the academy safe and sound. She had finished her task already, leaving her useless now. As they moved past the guards, Roslyn's breath stilled in her throat. Her eyes kept tabs on the men's behavior until all of them had entered. Her eyes widened at the sight laid out before her. Shops clustered against the tower's wall, filled with various goods and trinkets. Some shopkeepers shouted to passing customers as they stood in the corner.     

Even though she grew up in a decent town, she didn't know what to make of this set up. Before she could speak to anyone, the students scattered. Roslyn sighed as she hoped they didn't lose track of their primary goal.

[hr]
Location: Blowback, second floor 

Once she completed her shopping, Roslyn stashed her stuff safely with Sven. She promised him a bottle of beer next time her father sent her some. The girl immediately vanished in search of the local gossip hub. After some effort, one place's name kept surfacing: The Blowback.

It was a local club where the townsfolk hung out and relaxed. Recalling her grandfather's warning, she sought out someone to go with her. In her head, she ticked past the available candidates among her group. Yuliya and Yvain were out due to their prior hostilities. Sven kept her stuff safe. Khaliun and Esmii were nowhere to be seen. Feeling her options dwindle, Roslyn spotted Penny coming out of one of the shops.

It didn't take much to convince her to come along. Quickly, both girls darted off to the bar and fell into the shrinking line leading to the door. Each paid their entrance fee as they disappeared into the club.

Beyond the door, a wall of tobacco, bakeleaf, and shisha hit Roslyn's nostrils. A dizziness stirred in the back of her head. Shaking past it, she kept moving and followed Penny's wake to the bar. The haze drifted about the dancing bodies on the floor. Their movements filled with a drunken care-free energy. Roslyn's envy stirred, but she pushed herself to focus on finding Marz.

The girls arrived at the barkeep.

A young man stood behind the counter. He poured out the golden liquid into a glass. Once it neared the rim, he slid it down the table's length and into a waiting customer's hands. His attention turned to Penny. Her request for a booth rose above the clash of music and conversation.

Nodding, he took the money before guiding them to the first free booth. Relieved to rest her feet, Roslyn lowered down into the seat. All the walking had started to take its toll as she discreetly rubbed her calf through her skirt. Despite how much she wanted to end this mission, collecting information required time.

Time they didn't have if Marz was still alive.

Penny suggested speeding it up by purchasing drinks to gain attention. They split the cost. A short time later, men began to break off from their seats and approach them.

Before Roslyn could dismiss them, Penny invited them to stay and they accepted the offer. Forced to bite her tongue, Roslyn endured in silence and defeat. She put on a smile that didn't reflect in her eyes. The subtle flirting went over her head, but Penny caught their compliments. Conversation turned to her boyfriend, Ashon, across the sea. Her words made it clear she wasn't interested in anyone else. Left disappointed, the men departed and returned to the bar. Relieved to not have to suffer through the men's hungry stares, Roslyn’s mind debated on entering the dance floor and seeking out information there. She leaned her chin on her hand.  

Mistaking her look for boredom, a burly older Vossoriyan meandered over. He gave a polite bow then spoke in semi-decent Avincian. Roslyn could tell he still struggled with it as he introduced himself.

"Hello, name is Dmitry." A thick tone entered his words.

Roslyn spotted the hint of gold beneath his shirt collar when his form slid into the empty seat. If his clothes didn't betray he was someone important, the decoration did. Taking a chance, she slipped into casual chatter. She began to touch on alcohol, noticing his smile brighten and his own questions turned upon her.

"Let us see how much you can drink."

[color=#ebe7a3]"Excuse me?" [/color] Roslyn asked, her right eyebrow raised.

"I watch you. You drink about half that bottle, but it is weak stuff. Can you handle good vodka?" He boasted, summoning the barkeeper to the booth to order something.

[color=#ebe7a3]"I'll admit, it's not Firetail whiskey... but I've had worse. [/color]

The man scoffed. Moments later, the barkeep came back with a large order of clear liquor and two shot glasses. Gripping the bottle by the neck, he popped off the top. He smoothly filled each shot. One shoved at her while he gripped the other.

"Ready?"

Roslyn held up the glass and studied the 'water' within it. It sloshed with a faint heat from the top. [i]I hope I don't regret this,[/i] she thought.

[color=#ebe7a3] "Yeah, on three. One...two... three." [/color]

After the last word, both of them tossed back the vodka. Roslyn didn't expect the burn that followed. Her eyes widened and the burning sensation rose in the back of her throat. When the liquid disappeared, forced down by her swallow, the girl erupted into a small coughing fit. Her ears caught Dmitry's deep belly laughs at her surprise.

"I warned you, da?" His sentence slipped into Vossoyian at the last word.

Once the choking had faded, Roslyn nodded. [color=#ebe7a3] "I didn't expect the burn immediately." [/color]

"That is sign of good vodka. Burns on the way down before you know it."

Seeing her collect herself, Dmitry smirked.

"Give up?"

Roslyn shook her head.

[color=#ebe7a3]"Let's keep going. About seven more rounds? We'll see who can last the longest."[/color] It was a bold suggestion, but she had grown up on strong stuff and knew her limits. She could do this.

"Yes. Ready? One...two...three!"

[center]~*******~[/center]

The rounds flew by in rapid succession, each better than the last. Roslyn banged down the shot glass when she finished the last one. She mumbled something in her native tongue. Her mind buzzed with the intoxication taking grip in her head and threatening to bring her down. It didn't help that her stomach lacked food to buffer it. Her dull eyes took in Dmitry's condition. The man's form wobbled, but held firmly in the seat.

[color=#ebe7a3]"Another round?" [/color]Roslyn held back a hiccup as she waited.

The man shook his head, his hand raised in surrender. "No, no more. Should know better. You mercenaries are big drinkers."

A soft gas bubble escaped his lips causing him to tap his fist against his chest. He didn't notice Roslyn flash him a confused look at his assumption.

"You know, since you’re in this business, I share information. The blacksmith needs someone for a job. Name is Vladimir. You go to him."

Edging past the part of complicated thinking, Roslyn didn't correct him.

[color=#ebe7a3]"I am new to town. Where do I find him? [/color]

He took a moment to process before replying.

"Near the collapse. You..." He blinked and settled deeper into the chair.

"You hurry. You are not alone in town. A pair of masked men showed up before you. They might be Volti, not sure."

[color=#ebe7a3]"Can you tell me more about this job? Any details?" [/color]

Dmitry narrowed his eyes upon her. His lips thinned out into a line, the debate strong in his expression. Moments ticked by before his eye shifted to the bar. Roslyn followed his gaze. Penny stood by the bar now and was seemingly harassed by two men. She started to rise only to have Dmitry warn her against it.

"Stay in seat."

Surprised by Dmitry's statement, she fell back into her seat. She noticed the men turn and look back at him. A silent understanding passed before Dmitry spoke in Vossoriyan, his tone clearly displeased. Swiftly they moved to the exit like dogs with their tails tucked between their legs. The sounds of his form awkwardly rising caught her attention. 
Her eyes snapped to him.

[color=#ebe7a3]"W-wait." [/color] Her words stumbled out as Penny returned to their booth.

Dmitry studied her, pausing in his movement.

In a sloppy attempt, Roslyn tried to bribe him. She slipped out a sizable amount of coin within his line of sight and continued.

[color=#ebe7a3] "Are you sure... you don't know more?" [/color]

The man shook his head, clearly uneasy. Spotting her struggle, Penny wandered into his path, ‘accidentally’ bumping into him. [color=F7976A]“Well that’s disappointing,”[/color] she pouted, stumbling backwards [color=F7976A]“My friend was really hoping for more.”[/color] 

She reached into her coinpurse and rolled a few ten-ouble coins between her fingers. Outside, she could see Sven approaching, with Yvain and a couple of others. Her eyes pointedly wandered their way. 

[color=F7976A]“So were our [i]other[/i] friends. We’re all going to be working in this town for a little while.”[/color] It was perfect timing, really, and she was quick to leverage it. Penny smiled sweetly, hand brushing his chest and fingers momentarily hooking the golden chain. 

[color=F7976A]“And we’d love to get off on the right foot. You [i]sure[/i] you don’t know anything else?”[/color] Roslyn’s mind barely registered the threat through the fog in her brain as Dmitry’s large frame tensed. He licked his lips in response. 

"I think... something about missing Hegelans. Now, please… excuse me."

Penny slipped some cash into his shirt pocket and stepped out of the way. Roslyn watched him until he disappeared behind the other two. Needing to keep her emotions steady as her remaining peers approached, she poured herself one last shot and let the sensation dull her stress.