Feychild

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

“I highly doubt he’d even answer the door if you knocked with anything less than a siege battering ram”

“Extremely lonely….admiration of the secret legacy of the Kaledorei….”

Liaena muttered slowly after Rithrynn while staring up at the ceiling, before turning to give the Night Elf an extremely weird look. “What is that even supposed to mean…..Rithrynn, are you sure he didn’t do something to you….”

“….Well I wasn’t planning to go as me” the girl remarked carefully at the ceiling after a long pause. Reaching into one of her pockets, she produced a little vial and shook it between her fingers to illustrate her point. “That house has to have servants, someone who can go around the house without raising any eyebrows. I might even hear more of his plans, if I’m lucky….You didn’t hear any of his…?”

“….”

“….What did you even do while being this ‘secret agent’ thing!?”

Liaena demanded finally in exasperation. Rithrynn proceeded to once again look both coy and uncomfortable at once, and mumble evasive things. “Ahhh, well…..secret agency things. You know?”

“….no”

“Well like I said, I needed to improvise!”

“So what did you ‘improvise’!?”

“Light, can’t she remember?”

Studying the Night Elf for a moment longer, Liaena finally swung her legs off the bed to sit up on the edge of it. Glaring up at Rithrynn, the look she gave her was mingled frustration, anger and a significant trace of fear. “Sherpa isn’t stupid, Rithrynn, and you can’t lie for shit. For all you know, he’s playing you for a fool and this is all part of some horrible scheme of his. Which means, you need to tell me what happened, idiot. NOW.”

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

“I still…it still doesn’t make any sense. How could I have been so wrong…? …”

Initially freezing up as Rithrynn reached out an arm to pull her close, Liaena’s arms eventually curled around the Night Elf to return the embrace. “…I’m an idiot”

“Wanna burn down his house….together?”

Face remaining buried in the elfs dress for a moment, Liaena looked up to first give Rithrynn a confused look, then frowning and shaking her head decisively. “No. That would just let him know we are onto him”

Letting go of Rithrynn finally, Liaena wandered over to the bed to flop onto it, resting her back on the pillows and carefully avoiding Naliyah sprawled over the other end of it. “Sherpa has his own castle and mercenary guild to protect him, this band of thugs called the ‘White Hand’. I’ve not seen this castle yet, but I’m getting the idea it’s quite impressive. So, we need to get him while he’s at the house. That’s when he’s most vulnerable”

The girl had clearly entered ‘vocalise interior monologue’ mode, regardless of any attempts from Rithrynn to enter the conversation as she continued. “Sharon is going to speak to Serphia when I give the go ahead, and try and organise a plan of attack. You can help with details of their defences, the general layout of the house inside. How many guards are inside? There’s not a way into the sewer, is there?”

“Uhm, I’m not reeeally sure….”

“We still need to have a spy inside, or it’s too easy to miss him. I was going to do that” Liaena mused, mostly to herself. Pausing at her last comment, she turned her head to give Rithrynn a penetrating stare. “Though…”

“….”

“She really convinced Sherpa that she was on his team? I remember him being smarter …”

“….I should still do that.” Liaena announced to the ceiling finally. Still giving Rithrynn that quizzical look, she raised an eyebrow at the worried looking elf. “….so, how did you manage to do this ‘secret agent’ thing? Exactly?”

---

"What kind of fool jumps from the second story anyway?"
"One who's mad enough to infiltrate Alfidious' mansion in the first place!"

“…I was invited” Kathlin observed quietly from the flower-bed. One of the guards pointing the muskets at her looked confused. The other one looked annoyed.

“What?”
“Shut up! No talking!”

“….”

“….Better”

Turning her head slightly, Kathlin gauged the distance towards herself and the edge of the property to be approximately 50 yards as the bird flies, leaving aside all of the flower beds, gardening equipment, benches and assorted garden paraphernalia that she would need to jump over, walk around or otherwise circumvent to reach the boundary wall. Coming to the depressing realisation that she would likely be sporting several bullet holes before she made it halfway, she instead glanced up at the window she had come from. The creature that had been pursuing her had disappeared as if it never had existed.

Speaking of never existing, there was absolutely no sign of a white little owl and as yet no cries that the wards covering the house had been broken.

“That was for both of us, Ragnar. Light take you”

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

"He thinks I will help. What he does not know is that you know that he does not know, since I know that he thinks he knows me but does not know that you know!!”

“What?”

Liaena looked like she was struggling under the weight of all the double negatives packed into that sentence as she tried futilely to decipher it, before narrowing her eyes at the Night Elf. “…That makes no sense”

“Then again, when did Rithrynn ever make sense?”

“…but…you’re…you’re a double agent?”

The human finally said hesitantly as she tried to align the information with all the other evidence she had stacked up in her head. The concept was a very inviting one, but it just kept colliding with niggling points that just wouldn’t go away. “…then why did you lie to me earlier….?”

“Because then I wouldn’t have been a secret agent anymore! SECRET! Li. Duh!”

“but that’s….”

“Besides, you lie all the time”

“….”

“…not that much” Liaena muttered defensively at Rithrynn’s last comment. Looking up, her grip on the dart-gun was wavering as she studied the Night Elf, who proceeded to grin even more widely and open her arms in an innocent ‘who me?’ sort of way.

“It sounds crazy…but it’s the only thing that even begins to make sense. This is Rithrynn. She’d never betray me. Light, what was I even thinking?”

“I’m sorry” Liaena mumbled finally. Lowering the dart gun, she held it loosely in one hand as she looked up to give Rithrynn a hopeless look. “I….I just saw you come out of his house, and….I jumped to conclusions, I guess. It’s been a crazy few days”

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

“…I think he might be attracted to me”

“…”

Rithrynn received a completely blank look from Liaena at that last line, who appeared to be waiting hopefully for the Night Elf to say something that wasn’t completely insane. It was only after the silence stretched horribly on for several seconds; that she finally realised that the current explanation was intended as the only one that was forthcoming for the moment.

“…But that…doesn’t make sense” Liaena protested hopelessly. Scanning the Night Elf up and down, she searched desperately for any sort of clue, maybe a dart stuck in her ass with ‘EVIL-INDUCING-TOXIN INSERTED HERE!’ written on the tag. Unsuprisingly, the form-fitting silk dress Rithrynn was wearing left very little to the imagination and so that theory had to be escorted out of the door. “Did he cast a spell on you?”

“Well, uh…”

“Drug you? ….Threaten you?”

“Uhm”

“….well there must be SOME REASON!!” Liaena screamed finally, brandishing the gun wildly at Rithrynn as her finger trembled dangerously on the trigger. The sudden burst of the rage appeared to wash away as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving the girl simply looking ill and exhausted as she gave the elf a pleading look. “Why...why were you with him? Are you planning something? Why didn’t you kill him?”

---

Kathlin stalled in the corridor, staring up at the man who was now walking towards her with his sword bared. “I’m reasonably sure it’s not anatomically possible for his midriff to bend in like that”

“….”

“I don’t think he cares”

Whipping around, the girl burst into a run as behind her the paces of the Chevalier picked up speed. Yanking open the door of a room and diving in, Kathlin slammed the door and turned the key just as what felt like a heavy body crashed into it from the other side. Thankfully, the door was made of a sturdy oak like most of the mansions fittings, although hardly on the scale of Alficious’ study as far as security was concerned. “I think the ‘zombie’ theory is gaining points at this stage. Oh dear”

The girl grimaced as she turned around to study her surroundings quickly, the sound of the creature trying to get through the door still entirely audible. She found herself in a living room/study sort of area, featuring easy chairs, more book cases and a writing desk. The curtains were drawn to let in the sun, and the only door in or out of the place was the one that had a chevalier of questionable deadness on the other side of it. As the only alternative available to her, Kathlin headed to the window, Hester landing on her shoulder.

Peering out through the glass, the gardens of Alficious’ mansion seemed to stretch for miles before finally meeting the boundary walls and the quiet street beyond. If she looked at the sky in exactly the right way, the girl could make out the thin mesh of spells that warded the house – before looking down to the garden, where she could see the White Guardsmen patrolling. “Even if I escaped the guards, the spells wouldn’t let me out. I don't know how to break past all those spells….”

….

The girl frowned as something struck her, before giving the bird that was roosting on her shoulder, a very pointed look. Hester opened an eye to stare at her in a way that clearly said: ‘what?’

“You did though”

--SMASH—

A horrible sound of splintering wood sounded behind them as the thing mocked up in armour managed to ram a plated arm through the door and started grabbing for the key. Kathlin snatched a pen off the desk, opening the cover of Alficious’ diary to scrawl across the inside cover: ‘HELP. HONOUR POINT’ before shoving the book at Hester. The owl gave her a dubious look, before clamping it in her talons. “Take this to Li. If you do, you get so much chocolate…and I get to not die, hopefully”

The catch on the window was locked shut, as she soon found out as she fiddled with it. Removing a heavy paperweight off the same desk, Kathlin slammed it into the glass and wooden frame as it shattered everywhere. An alarm started ringing somewhere faintly in the building as a couple of the guards in the garden turned to look up at her. The girl forced the window open to push Hester outside and let her take flight. “Just make sure she hurries up, okay? I think I need backup here”

“Always assuming I survive the next five minutes”

Turning back for a moment, Kathlin took one look at the door that was so much broken sticks at this point before hooking a leg over the sill herself, irrespective of the many cuts that were raked across her skin from the broken glass. Grabbing for a drainpipe to swing herself out of the way as the creature charged into the room, she hung there for a moment before falling into the garden below.

Thump

Despite the fact she had been two stories up, Kathlin appeared to have taken no more damage than if she had simply fallen a couple of feet, landing in an awkward heap in a flowerbed of early violets. Dazed for a moment as she started to sit up, the girl simply stared into the blue above her with Hester no longer anywhere to be seen.

“Ahh…Current score: Me – 0, Adolph – 0, Floor – 1. Owhww”

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

Posted. I don't think that the battle is entirely over just yet, Sharon ;)

And in other news, Rithrynn! How's your diplomacy skills?

Think of it as bomb-disposal training :p

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

“But, I think I'll just let her go...I don't want to risk waking her up”

“Fair enough” Liaena said completely flatly as she finally jammed the replacement vial into the dart gun and clicked the barrel into place once more. Rithrynn was still studying the sleeping Naliyah as she levelled the weapon at the Night Elfs back, mumbling a fleeting comment under her breath. “Mebbe should just get her out to feed her a rage potion....she's not doing nearly enough to calm Nali so far as I'm concerned...”

“.....”

“....Or mebbe she just likes more than one. I could bring Ani up...”

“Shoot her! Just shoot her! She lied, she met Sherpa, she's under some sort of spell, some poison, she's dangerous!”

But she seemed so normal. Everything she said and did screamed of Rithrynn, from the awkwardness around Naliyah to her inability to lie for shit. Liaena hesitated, certain lurking dark parts of her mind screaming at her to attack from surprise, while other cowardly parts desperately wanting Rithrynn to suddenly turn around and explain away everything before giving her a hug. “But she's my friend”

“Soooo anyway, Li, what was it you wanted to show....me?”

The elf unexpectedly and very suddenly sliding off the bed to turn around and rear up, Liaena backed off a step, eyes widening, to again level the dart gun at her chest. Rithrynn looked down at the little girl, initial confusion showing in her eyes. And did not attack. “...Li?”

“.......”

“I-I....I don't understand” Liaena said weakly, after a long pause. In a very cowardly sort of way, she was glad that the choice had been taken away from her, even as her plan lay in tatters around her. “What's going on, Rithy?”

---

Striding down the corridor in Rosemarys mansion and propelling an unwilling extra between them, it was quiet save for the girls rapid breathing and occasional muttered exchanges between the two men.

“Give her to group diamond, they can take it from there...”
“We should search her first though”
“Get the cuffs.”

Having walked a short distance from the study, the two men paused for a moment. One chevalier forced Kathlins arms behind her back as the other stepped back and started patting down his uniform.

Eyes glinted in the high ceiling above them. A quiet rustle of feathers was the only warning as a small owl fluttered down to land on the mans steel helm, before bobbing forward to deliver two smart pecks, one in each eye socket.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGHHH!”

“WHAT IN THE LIGHT!?” The other chevalier screamed as the man holding Kathlin released her to claw blindly at his face, thinking of nothing but attempting to end his torment. Hester cooed as she hopped around on his helm to avoid the wild flailing, occasionally delivering additional bonus pecks to his face and neck. Kathlin stumbled forward as the other man raised his pistol, before driving her elbow as hard as possible into his nose as he attempted to aim at the bird on his partners face.

“AHHW!”

*BANG*

The quiet crack the chevaliers nose made was drowned in the sound of the pistol going off, the bullet going hopelessly awry and burying itself in a portrait of Lord Alficious himself this time. Kathlin snatched the Lords diary out of the mans hands as he staggered back, before turning to flee down the corridor as if all the hounds of hell were behind her. Which, given the howls and bedlam echoing down the corridor as Hester chirped, soaring away from her victim to follow, they might just as well be.

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

Li is not having the best luck with friends recently.

And let's not forget about that nice incriminating note she sent over earlier. Just to improve matter even more. :-P

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

I did actually see that one coming :-P

Too bad kathlin didn't.

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

"Search the room. Turn it upside down if you have to. And have group Sapphire, Crystal and Emerald set up parameters around the house. No one gets in or out without my blessing."

“This could be a problem”

Squinting through the keyhole, Kathlin exhaled a breath as she sat back on her heels. “I don’t suppose it’d be too much to ask they’d just forget to check the wardrobe. Hrm. What would Li do in a situation like this?”

….

“Check it! With my ultra-super-acid, I’ve just burned a hole through the wardrobe base AND the floor AND the floor below, and dropped through to safety!”

“I know I never mentioned it earlier, but I’m an ultra secret member of the White Hand and actually on your side. Bullshit blah blah Bullshit blah. You should totally let me go”

….

“…I don’t think this line of speculation is that relevant to my situation”

“Is discharging firearms inside the very house protocol by your standards!?”

Upon hearing the new voice, the girls eyes widened as she bent over to squint through the keyhole again. Lady Rosemary was not visible to her, the corner of the living area alcove separating the two of them. However, that particular imperious tone was difficult to miss. “If I could just speak to her…”

The idea of going up against the cool-as-cucumber, slimy Adolph made Kathlin shrivel up a little inside as she contemplated the prospect. Then again, what were her alternatives? Wait until the Lady had gone off in a huff and then get discovered by angry White Hand militants?

“…well, here goes nothing”
Cracking the wardrobe door open to slide out and land neatly on the floor, Lady Rosemary was still not visible to her as she turned to neatly close the door behind and smooth the mahogany finish. What was clearly visible however were two White Hand mercenaries, who spotted her at the same moment. Rather than waiting for them to close in on her, Kathlin headed quickly towards them and the sound of voices as she emerged into the main body of the study. “Uh…Lady Rosemary? Excuse me?”

“Don’t move! You’re under arrest—“

As the first mercenary got close enough to reach out and grab her by the shoulder, Kathlin grimaced and mumbled a few words under her breath. A glimmering shield flickered into life, knocking him back as she turned to give him an apologetic look. “Please don’t do that.”

“What is the meaning of this!?”

Kathlin gulped as she turned quickly back around to look at Lady Rosemary. Several White Hand guards had placed themselves between herself and the Lady as she took a step forward, however the lady was holding her ground. Several of the aforementioned guards looked as though they were on the verge of rugby tackling her if only someone would go first. “L…lady Rosemary. I’m really, really sorry about all of this, but I think I’ve found something vitally important to the investigation, if…if I could show you?”

“I am so sorry for the intrusion Lady Rosemary -- you’re trespassing, girl.” Captain Adolph had moved forward to speak, his eyes as dark as little flints as he looked at her. “If you have anything relevant to the investigation, I suggest you pass it on to our Mage as I’ve already said, and get out of here before my lady decides to press charges”

Kathlin felt as though her knees were about to buckle underneath her as she turned to look at the man. “…I don’t think that would be appropriate, Captain Adolph”

The man raised a casual eyebrow at her, although his eyes remained as hard as stone. “Oh? And why would that be?”

“Because it says here that Lord Alficious was planning to order a formal investigation on your White Hand and one of your favoured partners, on suspicion of failing to declare financial assets, use of unpaid or black labour, and potential cooperation with the Horde” The girl said very carefully and matter-of-factly. Opening the diary, she skimmed through the pages to poke at the relevant parts.

“He also was concerned about inconsistencies in your budget, and the apparent disappearance of two dwarves from Stormwind – it’s very extensive research actually. That’s why, Sir. Sorry Sir.”

"Shadows of the Past", a Warcraft Roleplay

Liaena merely gave the Night Elf a blank stare in response to her pleading look, as she studied the limpet that was Naliyah. “My room. Come on then, if you’re coming”

Turning to walk toward the door to the living room, Naliyah unwound herself from Rithrynn’s neck at the prospect of getting her own way and instead clamped her arms around the latters midriff in a big loving, clingy hug as Rithrynn struggled to follow the little girl.

The walk up to Liaena and Sharons room on the first floor was uneventful, save for encountering a few watchers who could be heard breaking out into sniggering after spotting Rithrynn and Naliyah. Keeping a few steps ahead of the uncomfortable Rithrynn at all times, Liaena pulled open the door to allow Rithrynn and Naliyah inside the quarters she shared with Sharon, the latters attention being immediately taken by one specific item of furniture.

“Ooooh look Rithy – doesn’t that bed look comfy!?”

“Wut?”

And with that, Naliyah took a flying leap at the bed that had been immaculately made by Fredrick earlier and dragging the unwilling Rithrynn along with her. The sound of giggling filled the room as she cuddled up to Rithrynn affectionately, as Liaena quietly locked the door behind them and pocketed the key.

“I was sooooo lonely after Captain Serphia took you away earlier, Rithy! We’ve got so much catching up to do, ehheheh”

“Uhhhh, Nali –“

Completely oblivious to everything but the elf she was effectively straddling at that point, Naliyah utterly failed to notice Liaena step up behind her, level the small dart gun inches from one fat buttock and pull the trigger. “Ooh Rithy, I do love it when yous play hard to get – zzzZZZZzz”

“That isn’t going to last long on her, as I recall” Liaena remarked lightly into the room, silence having fallen save for Naliyahs rumbling snores. Eyes fixed on the Night Elf for any sudden movements or indications for an attack as she slowly and casually reloaded the dart gun, Liaena raised her eyebrows as Rithrynn looked up at her. With the sudden quiet, it was remarkable to her that the elf couldn’t hear her heart thudding away in her chest. “How long have you two been working together, exactly? And you haven’t figured out a way to deal with her yet?”