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Description

    The sun came in from the east and Malstromeda rolled over. She was laying on her clothes that made up her makeshift bed. She looked over, her mind hopeful to see Sila where she had left her but was disappointed to see her gone. Malstromeda sat up and looked around, confirming the enigmatic woman was indeed gone. It was not too far out of the ordinary, it was a chance encounter and a fling but the disappointment she didn’t get to say goodbye hung in Malstromeda’s heart.

    Malstromeda dressed and headed back home to bathe. She had a shift in a few hours and wanted to be ready. She didn’t know how she was going to keep Sila out of her mind, already she was l in her head how she might find her again. She pushed such thoughts to the back of her head and focused on what was ahead of her and the idea of finding some breakfast.

    For her shift, Malstromeda was put on southern gate duty. This was a trade gate and filled with people coming and going. They were mostly looking for some noted criminals and to make sure nothing illegal came in or went out through the gate. Malstromeda stood near the inner gate, keeping her eyes open while making herself be seen by the crowd. It was nearly impossible to stop and check everyone so sometimes just the visible presence of security was enough to turn the tide against the unknown.

    Garran moved around in the crowd, flanked by two of his most trusted assistants. The blond guard carried himself as if he were royalty and the two men that followed him seemed to be somehow believing it was well. Garran was randomly stopping and searching people, which was the job but the fact that he only seemed to stop Thersians was what wasn’t. Normally Malstromeda would confront him on such things but today her heart was not in it. She wasn’t sure whether it was the distraction of the night before or the fact that such challenges rarely bared fruit. Either way, she decided to focus on watching the crowd and would let what happened happen for the time being. She hated that she lived in such a society that allowed such discrimination but had learned that they wanted people to raise a stink about it. Garran would likely want nothing more than for Malstromeda to grow angry so he could prove to her what a primal Thersian she was. As much as it stung to let him get away with his shit, she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her angry again. She just hoped that one day he would meet his match and see the consequences of his hate.

    Before Malstromeda could think too much more on the issue she was alerted to something strange going on in the crowd. Near the gate a small group was coming through and the people coming in or going out were giving them a wide berth. Malstromeda moved in closer form one side as she saw Garran and the others going from the other.

    At the lead was a tall woman in a dark green robe. She was porcelain white skinned with massive blue horns Malstromeda had never seen the like of. She had long black hair with blue braids framing her face. She walked with confidence; her arms crossed behind her as she moved on tall platform sandals. Her long spiked white tail flowed behind her as she moved gracefully despite her height and size. At either side were cloaked figures in brown robes. They were difficult to identify as they wore ceramic masks and betrayed no details of their races or bodies. Behind them were six armored soldiers. Their armor was worn beige like bone and their helmets were closed with horns models onto their heads. They carried large knives on their belts and had strange packs on their hips that hid the nature of the weapon inside.

    They clearly were a mercenary group or bounty hunters of some kind. The sophisticated armor and precision of their formation showed that they likely were well trained. They were definitely not a group that was from the area of belonged in it.

    “Halt right there.” Garran said as he approached the tall white skinned woman at the front of the group. “I will need to know your business before I can let you into the castle grounds.”

    The tall woman stepped forward, towering over Garran by a head and a half. Malstromeda instinctively put a hand on her sword, feeling like the woman could dismantle him in a second even if she did not have her guards with her. She slowly looked down until she was looking at Garran.

    “My name is Yarna Fey.” The woman replied, her voice surprisingly polite and soft. “I am looking for a dangerous criminal and will not be long in your…kingdom.”

    “Well…” Garran replied, clearly fighting to keep his composure. “I cannot let you in without searching you and your companions.”

    “Is that truly necessary?” Yarna asked with a smile dripped in mock friendliness. “The sooner we find who we are looking for the sooner we can be out of your hair.”

    “Well, it is policy for us to do such things.” Garran retorted. “Especially for Thersians.”

    “Thersians?” Yarna replied with a perked eyebrow. “You are judging me by the broad strokes of your kingdoms prejudices?”

    Two of the bone guards went to step forward as if answering to the slight but were stopped as Yarna raised a hand to stop them. They froze as if statues, not acting unless bidden to do so.

    “It is well within my purview to search you.” Garran added. “It is just the way things are done here.”

    “I see.” Yarna said as she stepped even closer to Garran, looking down at him with her vibrant red eyes. They were surrounded by black sclera making it look like her eyes were twin stars in a dark night sky. “First off, I am not a Thersian and I would thank you not to confuse me as such. Second, we will not be searched and none of your kind will lay hands upon us lest they lose those hands. Third you will say what I am going to tell you next after I stop talking. Anything else or more out of your pathetic mouth will be the last thing you ever say. You will bid me welcome to the castle and wish me good luck in finding who I am looking for.”

    Garran paused for a moment, all color draining from his face. He then suddenly stepped aside. “I bid you welcome to the castle and wish you luck in finding who you are looking for.”

    “Why thank you.” Yarna said, gesturing for her companion to follow her and she continued inside. “So glad we could have this conversation.”

    Malstromeda watched her pass by, awestruck on how the normally stubborn to a fault Garran folded so quickly. There was something sinister going on with this woman and Malstromeda wanted to figure it out.

    After Yarna Fey and her companions moved deeper into the castle grounds Malstromeda went to talk to Garran. He was still standing where he had been when Yarna had talked to him and he looked dumfounded almost as if he was in a trance.

    “What was that all about?” Malstromeda asked, looking at Garran who did not respond. “Garran?”

    “Oh sorry.” Garran said as he looked at Malstromeda. “What were you saying?”

    “That woman, I think I heard her say her name was Yarna.” Malstromeda asked. “Why did you back down so easily. I have seen you less forgiving with injured orphans coming through the gate.”

    “I-I don’t know.” Garran replied, his face pale and still. “Her eyes, I just felt like it would be bad to refuse her, very bad.”

    “What about you?” Malstromeda said as she turned to his cronies. “You didn’t see anything wrong with what happened?”

    “Seemed all right to me.” One of the other guardsmen replied, his stare as bank as Garran’s. “Best she finds who she is looking for and…gets out of our hair.”

    Malstromeda shook her head, unable to reconcile the strange behavior, seeing that all three of them seemed like they were drunk or had been hit in the head. “She’s like some sort of bounty hunter on a personal mission. You know we don’t allow that here…at least without paperwork or a lot of questions.”

    “What are you going to do?” Garran shrugged as he headed off back toward the gate. “Back to work boys.”

    Malstromeda looked back at the way the strange group had gone and an anxious realization came into her mind. They were looking for someone, she had no way of knowing if it was Sila but she could not shake the idea that it was.

    She followed the group, keeping an eye on their earth tone armor as they moved as a group and moved through the crowd. She had every reason to be following them, being a town guard but she felt like she had to keep unseen. Whatever Yarna had done to Garran was unnatural and Malstromeda wanted to know what but not the hard way. That was when she noticed that something was wrong, though she could see the soldiers and robed figures, the white skinned woman in blue was not with them.

    “You must be one of these Thersians he was going on about.” A polite but sinisterly creepy vice said from behind Malstromeda. “I wonder if we may talk a moment.”

    Malstromeda turned on a heel to be face to face with the enigmatic woman. She was slightly taller, her blue horns rising up and out from her head toward the sky. Malstromeda prided herself of being aware of her surroundings, especially on home turf. However, this woman, dressed in such strange clothing and so out of place not only managed to slip away from her guard without her noticing but had doubled back and gotten the drop out of her. She kept her surprise in and faced her with as much professional indifference as she could. “What can I do for you?”

    “I am sure that you heard what I said to you comrade.” Yarna Fey recounted. “He was not of much use to be honest but you seem to be someone more in the know about what is going on in your kingdom. What is your name?”

    “Malstromeda.” Malstromeda replied simply. “Garran is an effective guardsman but you are right, he can be oblivious.”

    “Well then hopefully you can be more helpful.” Yarna replied with a smile. “I am looking for someone. An adult woman about your age, athletic, with auburn hair and a strange black facial marking. She has…features that are much different than what you likely have seen…around here.”

    “Features?” Malstromeda replied, trying her best to sound genuinely surprised. “I don’t understand.”

    “She has a tail and ears like an animal.” Yarna admitted. “She is from far away.”

    “I think I would remember such a thing.” Malstromeda admitted. “I cannot say I have seen anyone like-“

    “Think hard.” Yarna said as she took a step closer to Malstromeda, a normally simple act that now felt like an act of aggression. She stared deeply into Malstromeda’s eyes, her red irises making Malstromeda want to flinch as if she was looking into the sun but found she could not will herself to do it. She felt as if something was crawling into her mind, like a frost coming in under the door and crawling across the walls and floor. She felt a darkness, a sinister will that was unlike anything she had experienced before. Malstromeda felt disarmed, like she was naked against a storm and she would get blown away unless she submitted or hid. She felt the urge to tell Yarna everything, to describe Sila and all that she knew. Yarna just stared at her, unmoving, her gaze penetrating everything.

    “I think…” Malstromeda managed, fighting not to give up what she held guarded. She had never felt a presence like Yarna was exerting on her and knew that she could not stand up against it. She thought back to something one of her sword trainers had once said. It was the idea that you cannot always block the powerful swings of an opponent’s, sometimes you need to deflect. “I think I would need to know a bit more about the situation. Why do you seek her?”

    “She is a traitor and a danger to those around her.” Yarna Fey replied. “I have been hunting her for some time.”

    Malstromeda felt a little of the pressure come off Yarna’s gaze and realized that it wavered as she seemed frustrated her question was dodged. Perhaps if she angered her further, she might throw her off more. “She must be quite formidable. You are here with a small army and she has thus far eluded you?”

    “Her time is numbered!” Yarna Fey snapped, her tone showing genuine anger that stood out from the façade she maintained. “She has been riding on luck and has been fortunate thus far. However, I know she is cornered here and she will be found. You will tell me all that you know!”

    Again, Malstromeda felt the compulsion come over her but this time she could feel a small space within it where she could resist and guard her thoughts. She realized that if the woman was asking, she could not in fact read her mind. She would have no way no knowing what she was told was real or not. She would give her part of what she wanted and keep part of it carefully aside. “There was an incident with some thieves here. We think they robbed the wrong person and suffered for it. I cannot say for sure who they encountered but I hear rumors of someone skulking around in the farms to the north.”

    Everything that she told Yarna was in fact true. The altercation with the thieves had happened, she didn’t technically know where Sila presently was and she did read about someone skulking in the farmhands. Malstromeda had to hope that it was enough truth that what she held back wouldn’t show and Yarna would put together the pieces in the way she needed her to.

    “Thank you.” Yarna Fey said with a smile, her fake composure returning. She turned to the others in her party who had rejoined her. “We go north to search the farmlands.” The soldiers were quick to action, followed by the robbed figures. Yarna took one step before turning on her heel. “You have been most helpful, but if I discover you have sabotaged me in any way you will not like the consequences.”

    Yarna Fey moved quickly after the others, soon going back out the gate they had come in through. Malstromeda could not help but feel as if she had been through a battle, though no weapon was drawn, no strikes were thrown. Whoever this woman was however, she did not much enjoy the idea of fighting her for real.

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Description

    The sun came in from the east and Malstromeda rolled over. She was laying on her clothes that made up her makeshift bed. She looked over, her mind hopeful to see Sila where she had left her but was disappointed to see her gone. Malstromeda sat up and looked around, confirming the enigmatic woman was indeed gone. It was not too far out of the ordinary, it was a chance encounter and a fling but the disappointment she didn’t get to say goodbye hung in Malstromeda’s heart.

    Malstromeda dressed and headed back home to bathe. She had a shift in a few hours and wanted to be ready. She didn’t know how she was going to keep Sila out of her mind, already she was l in her head how she might find her again. She pushed such thoughts to the back of her head and focused on what was ahead of her and the idea of finding some breakfast.

    For her shift, Malstromeda was put on southern gate duty. This was a trade gate and filled with people coming and going. They were mostly looking for some noted criminals and to make sure nothing illegal came in or went out through the gate. Malstromeda stood near the inner gate, keeping her eyes open while making herself be seen by the crowd. It was nearly impossible to stop and check everyone so sometimes just the visible presence of security was enough to turn the tide against the unknown.

    Garran moved around in the crowd, flanked by two of his most trusted assistants. The blond guard carried himself as if he were royalty and the two men that followed him seemed to be somehow believing it was well. Garran was randomly stopping and searching people, which was the job but the fact that he only seemed to stop Thersians was what wasn’t. Normally Malstromeda would confront him on such things but today her heart was not in it. She wasn’t sure whether it was the distraction of the night before or the fact that such challenges rarely bared fruit. Either way, she decided to focus on watching the crowd and would let what happened happen for the time being. She hated that she lived in such a society that allowed such discrimination but had learned that they wanted people to raise a stink about it. Garran would likely want nothing more than for Malstromeda to grow angry so he could prove to her what a primal Thersian she was. As much as it stung to let him get away with his shit, she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her angry again. She just hoped that one day he would meet his match and see the consequences of his hate.

    Before Malstromeda could think too much more on the issue she was alerted to something strange going on in the crowd. Near the gate a small group was coming through and the people coming in or going out were giving them a wide berth. Malstromeda moved in closer form one side as she saw Garran and the others going from the other.

    At the lead was a tall woman in a dark green robe. She was porcelain white skinned with massive blue horns Malstromeda had never seen the like of. She had long black hair with blue braids framing her face. She walked with confidence; her arms crossed behind her as she moved on tall platform sandals. Her long spiked white tail flowed behind her as she moved gracefully despite her height and size. At either side were cloaked figures in brown robes. They were difficult to identify as they wore ceramic masks and betrayed no details of their races or bodies. Behind them were six armored soldiers. Their armor was worn beige like bone and their helmets were closed with horns models onto their heads. They carried large knives on their belts and had strange packs on their hips that hid the nature of the weapon inside.

    They clearly were a mercenary group or bounty hunters of some kind. The sophisticated armor and precision of their formation showed that they likely were well trained. They were definitely not a group that was from the area of belonged in it.

    “Halt right there.” Garran said as he approached the tall white skinned woman at the front of the group. “I will need to know your business before I can let you into the castle grounds.”

    The tall woman stepped forward, towering over Garran by a head and a half. Malstromeda instinctively put a hand on her sword, feeling like the woman could dismantle him in a second even if she did not have her guards with her. She slowly looked down until she was looking at Garran.

    “My name is Yarna Fey.” The woman replied, her voice surprisingly polite and soft. “I am looking for a dangerous criminal and will not be long in your…kingdom.”

    “Well…” Garran replied, clearly fighting to keep his composure. “I cannot let you in without searching you and your companions.”

    “Is that truly necessary?” Yarna asked with a smile dripped in mock friendliness. “The sooner we find who we are looking for the sooner we can be out of your hair.”

    “Well, it is policy for us to do such things.” Garran retorted. “Especially for Thersians.”

    “Thersians?” Yarna replied with a perked eyebrow. “You are judging me by the broad strokes of your kingdoms prejudices?”

    Two of the bone guards went to step forward as if answering to the slight but were stopped as Yarna raised a hand to stop them. They froze as if statues, not acting unless bidden to do so.

    “It is well within my purview to search you.” Garran added. “It is just the way things are done here.”

    “I see.” Yarna said as she stepped even closer to Garran, looking down at him with her vibrant red eyes. They were surrounded by black sclera making it look like her eyes were twin stars in a dark night sky. “First off, I am not a Thersian and I would thank you not to confuse me as such. Second, we will not be searched and none of your kind will lay hands upon us lest they lose those hands. Third you will say what I am going to tell you next after I stop talking. Anything else or more out of your pathetic mouth will be the last thing you ever say. You will bid me welcome to the castle and wish me good luck in finding who I am looking for.”

    Garran paused for a moment, all color draining from his face. He then suddenly stepped aside. “I bid you welcome to the castle and wish you luck in finding who you are looking for.”

    “Why thank you.” Yarna said, gesturing for her companion to follow her and she continued inside. “So glad we could have this conversation.”

    Malstromeda watched her pass by, awestruck on how the normally stubborn to a fault Garran folded so quickly. There was something sinister going on with this woman and Malstromeda wanted to figure it out.

    After Yarna Fey and her companions moved deeper into the castle grounds Malstromeda went to talk to Garran. He was still standing where he had been when Yarna had talked to him and he looked dumfounded almost as if he was in a trance.

    “What was that all about?” Malstromeda asked, looking at Garran who did not respond. “Garran?”

    “Oh sorry.” Garran said as he looked at Malstromeda. “What were you saying?”

    “That woman, I think I heard her say her name was Yarna.” Malstromeda asked. “Why did you back down so easily. I have seen you less forgiving with injured orphans coming through the gate.”

    “I-I don’t know.” Garran replied, his face pale and still. “Her eyes, I just felt like it would be bad to refuse her, very bad.”

    “What about you?” Malstromeda said as she turned to his cronies. “You didn’t see anything wrong with what happened?”

    “Seemed all right to me.” One of the other guardsmen replied, his stare as bank as Garran’s. “Best she finds who she is looking for and…gets out of our hair.”

    Malstromeda shook her head, unable to reconcile the strange behavior, seeing that all three of them seemed like they were drunk or had been hit in the head. “She’s like some sort of bounty hunter on a personal mission. You know we don’t allow that here…at least without paperwork or a lot of questions.”

    “What are you going to do?” Garran shrugged as he headed off back toward the gate. “Back to work boys.”

    Malstromeda looked back at the way the strange group had gone and an anxious realization came into her mind. They were looking for someone, she had no way of knowing if it was Sila but she could not shake the idea that it was.

    She followed the group, keeping an eye on their earth tone armor as they moved as a group and moved through the crowd. She had every reason to be following them, being a town guard but she felt like she had to keep unseen. Whatever Yarna had done to Garran was unnatural and Malstromeda wanted to know what but not the hard way. That was when she noticed that something was wrong, though she could see the soldiers and robed figures, the white skinned woman in blue was not with them.

    “You must be one of these Thersians he was going on about.” A polite but sinisterly creepy vice said from behind Malstromeda. “I wonder if we may talk a moment.”

    Malstromeda turned on a heel to be face to face with the enigmatic woman. She was slightly taller, her blue horns rising up and out from her head toward the sky. Malstromeda prided herself of being aware of her surroundings, especially on home turf. However, this woman, dressed in such strange clothing and so out of place not only managed to slip away from her guard without her noticing but had doubled back and gotten the drop out of her. She kept her surprise in and faced her with as much professional indifference as she could. “What can I do for you?”

    “I am sure that you heard what I said to you comrade.” Yarna Fey recounted. “He was not of much use to be honest but you seem to be someone more in the know about what is going on in your kingdom. What is your name?”

    “Malstromeda.” Malstromeda replied simply. “Garran is an effective guardsman but you are right, he can be oblivious.”

    “Well then hopefully you can be more helpful.” Yarna replied with a smile. “I am looking for someone. An adult woman about your age, athletic, with auburn hair and a strange black facial marking. She has…features that are much different than what you likely have seen…around here.”

    “Features?” Malstromeda replied, trying her best to sound genuinely surprised. “I don’t understand.”

    “She has a tail and ears like an animal.” Yarna admitted. “She is from far away.”

    “I think I would remember such a thing.” Malstromeda admitted. “I cannot say I have seen anyone like-“

    “Think hard.” Yarna said as she took a step closer to Malstromeda, a normally simple act that now felt like an act of aggression. She stared deeply into Malstromeda’s eyes, her red irises making Malstromeda want to flinch as if she was looking into the sun but found she could not will herself to do it. She felt as if something was crawling into her mind, like a frost coming in under the door and crawling across the walls and floor. She felt a darkness, a sinister will that was unlike anything she had experienced before. Malstromeda felt disarmed, like she was naked against a storm and she would get blown away unless she submitted or hid. She felt the urge to tell Yarna everything, to describe Sila and all that she knew. Yarna just stared at her, unmoving, her gaze penetrating everything.

    “I think…” Malstromeda managed, fighting not to give up what she held guarded. She had never felt a presence like Yarna was exerting on her and knew that she could not stand up against it. She thought back to something one of her sword trainers had once said. It was the idea that you cannot always block the powerful swings of an opponent’s, sometimes you need to deflect. “I think I would need to know a bit more about the situation. Why do you seek her?”

    “She is a traitor and a danger to those around her.” Yarna Fey replied. “I have been hunting her for some time.”

    Malstromeda felt a little of the pressure come off Yarna’s gaze and realized that it wavered as she seemed frustrated her question was dodged. Perhaps if she angered her further, she might throw her off more. “She must be quite formidable. You are here with a small army and she has thus far eluded you?”

    “Her time is numbered!” Yarna Fey snapped, her tone showing genuine anger that stood out from the façade she maintained. “She has been riding on luck and has been fortunate thus far. However, I know she is cornered here and she will be found. You will tell me all that you know!”

    Again, Malstromeda felt the compulsion come over her but this time she could feel a small space within it where she could resist and guard her thoughts. She realized that if the woman was asking, she could not in fact read her mind. She would have no way no knowing what she was told was real or not. She would give her part of what she wanted and keep part of it carefully aside. “There was an incident with some thieves here. We think they robbed the wrong person and suffered for it. I cannot say for sure who they encountered but I hear rumors of someone skulking around in the farms to the north.”

    Everything that she told Yarna was in fact true. The altercation with the thieves had happened, she didn’t technically know where Sila presently was and she did read about someone skulking in the farmhands. Malstromeda had to hope that it was enough truth that what she held back wouldn’t show and Yarna would put together the pieces in the way she needed her to.

    “Thank you.” Yarna Fey said with a smile, her fake composure returning. She turned to the others in her party who had rejoined her. “We go north to search the farmlands.” The soldiers were quick to action, followed by the robbed figures. Yarna took one step before turning on her heel. “You have been most helpful, but if I discover you have sabotaged me in any way you will not like the consequences.”

    Yarna Fey moved quickly after the others, soon going back out the gate they had come in through. Malstromeda could not help but feel as if she had been through a battle, though no weapon was drawn, no strikes were thrown. Whoever this woman was however, she did not much enjoy the idea of fighting her for real.

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