Alicia Murphy, ageing wife of the Commissioner of Santa Somabra’s police department, sat across from Nyxvira Bloodbloom, taking gentle sips of green tea from her ornate china cup. The pair were seated beneath a humongous ripe-leafed tree which twirled upwards towards the blazing sun above, that Nyx had specifically chosen due to its resemblance to the ancient Bloodbloom Grove back in Ottershaw, as was the case with all of the greenery in her roof-top garden.
The two women could not have looked more dissimilar; Alicia was a cold, hard woman, with sensibly styled grey hair, small lips, dead shark-like eyes, and skin the texture of battered leather, whereas Nyxvira was a soft, corpulent woman, with a huge boulder of a belly, multiple flabby chins, full red lips, pointed ears, and a fiery explosion of scarlet red hair cascading down her shoulders like flowing magma.
“Thank you for meeting with me in person,” Alicia said in a strained manner, her body language tense and reserved “I understand this isn’t how things are usually done in this…line of work, but I like to conduct my dealings face-to-face.”
“I understand completely, ma’am.” Nyxvira oozed in her sweet singsong voice, dripping with child-like innocence “and I hope to make your dealings with my organization as smooth and free of stress as possible.” She reached down to the low wooden table that sat between them, scooping up a mushroom that had been cooked in garlic with her fat fingers, before popping it lightly into her mouth “We are here to serve at your leisure.”
“Everything here seems so…proper; like a real business.” Alicia said with an awkward laugh “you know, like you’d expect from a bank or something.”
“I like to create a relaxed an approachable working environment.” Nyx replied, a slick grin creasing her plump face.
“O-ofcourse.” Alicia stammered uncomfortably “I just…wasn’t sure what to expect, I suppose. Sorry, I’m not really sure how to go about this…sort of thing.” She scratched irritably at the back of her neck, her eyes wandering off into the nearby trees and bushes.
“Why don’t you start by telling me what it is that I can do for you today?” Nyxvira offered up helpfully, her big gold eyes sparkling with warmth.
“Why yes, of course.” Alicia murmured uncomfortably “Dennis wants to run for mayor in the election…once this whole fiasco with the power is cleared up.”
“That’s wonderful news!” Nyxvira exclaimed, clapping her plump hands together “You must be
so proud of him.”
“Quite.” Alicia replied, wincing slightly “There’s just some…issues, a set of problems.” She struggled with her words for some time, before eventually managing “something I’m afraid might resurface, and cause him some trouble down the road.”
“Oh? Do go on.”
“You know how this city is, what these people are like. My husband is a good man. He’s made some mistakes, we all have, but I’ve forgiven him, and we’ve moved past them. Our relationship has never been stronger.” She spoke seemingly as much to convince herself as the Faerie.
“I’m eternally happy for you both.” Nyxvira said in a sweet voice.
“He had some…problems, you see, a while back now. When I was pregnant he was…intimate with some other women.” Alicia screwed up her face, looking as though the words were physically hurting her as she strained them out.
“How many?” Nyxvira asked, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible.
“Is that really necessary?” Alicia snapped back, before softening “Oh, I suppose it is. Sorry, this all makes me rather tense, I do apologies.”
“Please, take as much time as you need.” Nyx soothed in her enchanted tone.
The garden was silent for an uncomfortably long moment.
“Twelve.” Alicia said eventually, muttering into her tea cup.
“I see.”
“He told me almost straight away!” She squawked “the poor man could hardly live with himself. It was a dark time for him…for us both.”
“And you’re worried someone will uncover this information and try to use it to hurt Dennis’ chances during the election?” Nyxvira asked, trying to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand.
“Yes,” Alicia admitted “we…I tried offering these women some money, but one of them keeps asking for more and more, for money we simply don’t have! Ungrateful little harlot. I frankly don’t have the funds to continue paying her, and I refuse to be pushed around by some back alley whore any longer!” By the time she’d finished the old woman had gone red in the face, and her eyes were wide with fervent rage.
“What is it that you’d like me to do, Mrs Murphy?” Nyxvira asked in her sweet, innocent voice. She knew exactly what the old hag wanted, but she enjoyed watching people squirm.
“I…I want you to make them go away.” Alicia wriggled about irritably, her leathery forehead damp with sweat.
“You want me to make her disappear?”
“I want you to make them all disappear! That whole filthy band of disgusting, money-sucking, little parasitic wretches.” Alicia was shouting again, red-faced and flustered. “Could you…could you do that, for me?” she asked softly, lowering her tone.
Nyxvira pretended to consider for a moment, placing one fat hand on her multi-chinned face. “It’s doable. For a price.”
“O-ofcourse!” Alicia nodded enthusiastically “how much would I, ehm, how much would it cost?”
“Twelve girls you say? I’m sure we can come to some kind of, entirely reasonable and fair, arrangement that both parties will agree to be immensely satisfactory. You’ll find me to be far more rational than my competitors.” Nyxvira grinned, showing off rows of ever-so-slightly pointed pearly white teeth.
“You came highly recommended.”
“And with good reason.” Nyxvira boasted proudly “Now, you let me handle all the logistics. I’ll put the hit out, discretely of course –and with all the sensitive information appropriately withheld- , and I’m sure we’ll have plenty of well-trained professionals ready to accept the contract almost straightaway.”
“Oh thank you, Miss Bloodbloom!” Alicia exclaimed cheerily “you truly are a lifesaver.”
Nyxvira smiled warmly “I’m just here to do my part to uphold community values, and to serve good folk such as yourself. Can I offer you some more tea?”
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