Closed Damsel in Distress?

[Alva Marek]

18th of Fall 513 AV

Another wasted night searching for the perfect victim. Alva needed to find a real job. Her current lifestyle barely kept her fed and clothed. By Akajia and Ovek, one day she would conduct the biggest scheme and get the petch out of this place. One day...

Alva had been wandering the city of ruins, looking for travelers and the like who were clueless about the way Sunberth functioned. Unfortunately most travelers looked as if they could crush Alva, or just weren't worth scamming at all. The air was getting colder and there would be less travelers if any in the upcoming season. Slipping through the shadows and the abandoned alleyways, Alva began her nightly walk home just as the sun began to rise above the dull horizon. She was almost home before she noticed a set of footsteps echoing her own. She was not in the mood for this. Not tonight.

"Alright, what the hell are you--" Before she could finish her question, she was pinned to nearby building by a rather large figure who reeked of alcohol and body odor.

You have got to be kidding me....Again?

[Kai Spyridon]

Wandering around Sunberth for what seemed to be the 10th time since arriving, Kai Spyridon was bored, looking at the crumbling buildings was enough to bring a slight sorrow to his eye while he thinks to himself Why did I even come here, to this broken city? I suppose it's because I made a promise to my dying mother that I would visit every major city at least once. Scanning the streets with a determined look on his face trying not to attract a lot of undue attention, because although he looked like he knew what he was doing, Kai didn't really have a clue, he had been told to go to an address, designated as 'sleeping quarters', but in reality was a box of plaster and stone masonry which was missing portions of the roof and had what looked like dark stains on the wall, which looked suspicious to Kai so he grabbed his backpack and went looking for another place to stay, but a night without sleep was not unexpected... While wandering the streets for somewhere to stay, Kai notices that the sun is rising above the battered town's horizon and is about to head back to the dejected box when he notices something out of the ordinary, first Kai hears an echo of a shout cut short "Alright, what the hell are you..." before looking down a nearby alleyway to so the figure of a female being forced into the wall of a nearby building by a larger male. Not pausing to think, Kai draws his Short Sword as quickly and quietly as possible to get into position behind the figure before calling out to him in a calm yet resolute voice "I do believe you are making a grave mistake, please step away from the lady and go your own way, and you shan't get hurt." Awaiting the man's compliance Kai calmly stares at him with disdain, after a short while the man complies and steps away from the woman, turns around, notices Kai's sword, glaring with an almost palpable venom at the person who interrupted his 'fun', Kai just looks back at the man calmly, as the man walks away muttering under his breath Kai is sure he heard the man say something about him "fetching himself because he is a piece of strife." Walking over to the woman, Kai simply asks "Are you alright? Your not hurt are you?" and without saying anything more gives her 3 Gold Mizas.

[Alva Marek]

Alva didn't trust this guy. She could have easily taken that drunkard. Hell anyone could. She dropped the mizas and slammed her shoulder into her “saviors” chest pinning him against the wall across from them. Holding the dart from her weapon against his throat and aiming her knee at his groin, she whispered a warning she often gave to men who tried to “save” her to get in her good graces.

“I don't need your charity traveler. If I wanted anything from you I could easily take it. And don't think you can do what you want with me.”

She was trying her best to be intimidating, especially since she was lean and had a petite build. Most of the time people laughed at her, until they were on the ground bleeding from her blade or in agony from a strong kick. The sun was already mostly over the horizon. This man wasn't worth it. But she refused to let her guard down in front of this guy. He wanted something. He had to be in want of something. Most pigs were.

“What were you doing out here at night? Speak!” Only thieves, and the ill informed travelers were ever out at night wandering the streets like this. Anyone else that wandered the filthy city made sure they were unseen. She assumed he was a traveler because of his gear and clothing. But he was still a fool nonetheless and she had been proven wrong many times before.

This man had a calm look on his face, it was disturbing and it annoyed her.

[Kai Spyridon]

After saving the mystery woman, Kai was about to turn around to walk away when he felt a pain in his chest, looking down he notices that the woman he saved dropped the Mizas he gave her and was charging him into the wall opposite where she was pinned against, barely 10 seconds ago. When he was slammed against the wall, Kai gave a slight sound of surprise. She whispered a warning into his ear "I don't need your charity traveler. If I wanted anything from you I could easily take it. And don't think you can do what you want with me." While her weapon, a dart which had seemingly appeared from nowhere was held against his throat and what appeared to be her knee aimed at his groin. Kai, uncertain what she meant by this just kept his expression calm and collected while, looking towards the sunrise Kai notes that the sun in almost over the horizon and thinks to himself She is certainly strong. I suppose she mustn't really trust me, after all I haven't given her reason to. That must be why this is happening. So much for finding accommodation tonight. Returning his attention to the woman, Kai hears confidence and fatigue in her voice as she demands "What are you doing out here at night? Speak!" Keeping his expression calm Kai replies honestly in a quiet but sincere voice "Honestly? All I am trying to do is find some accommodation because I am tired and new to this city, the last place I went to was too open for my liking so I began walking about the city in hopes of finding another place to stay." Sighing as though it was a resignation Kai keeps his expression calm, closes his eyes and tells the woman in a resigned voice "I understand you don't trust me, so, if you wish to kill me, I will not stop you."

[Alva Marek]

Alva smiled darkly. The chance to kill rarely presented itself but when it did, it was a glorious moment. But it was too easy. And she didn't feel like killing this man. Yet.

Alva backed away slowly, only giving him a few inches to move, just in case he attempted to harm her. Still holding her dart, she nodded as if acknowledging that his reason made just enough sense to be acceptable.

"If you're looking for a place to stay, Sunberth is the worst place to look. What is your name stranger?" Her voice was kinder now even though she was still on her guard. She checked his throat making sure she did not spill any blood. Alva didn't want to get any on her favorite shirt. She then knelt down slowly to pick up the gold mizas he gave her watching his every movement from every breath he took to the slightest twitch.

You can never be too careful in Sunberth.

[Kai Spyridon]

With his eyes closed, Kai waited for the dart to pierce his throat and end his life but it doesn't happen, instead he feels the pressure disappear. Opening his eyes, Kai sees the woman has given him a little room to move around, and seems to accept his reasoning as she nods, but is still holding the dart, if not as menacingly. The woman tells Kai in a kinder, but still reserved and fatigued voice that "If your looking for a place to stay, Sunberth is the worst place to look. What is your name stranger?" After asking this she looks at Kai, as though to confirm he is uninjured before kneeling slowly to pick up the Mizas she dropped before. Reasoning that it is only sensible to answer, Kai replies in a quiet but silvery voice "My name is Kai Spyridon. Might I know your name please, ma'am?" While saying this Kai replaces his Short Sword and leans against the wall, arms crossed, watching the woman and the rising sun and muses on what he will end up doing on this day, while waiting for the woman's response I think I will probably just find somewhere to stay or go outside the city and set up my tent and get some rest.

[Alva Marek]

Alva relaxed a bit more. This person seemed harmless so she did not fear for her immediate safety. Something told her that this traveler was something special. And he was kinda cute so that was a plus. The city was full of eyesores.

The sun was completely above the horizon, and the early birds were rising. "We can't talk here. People around here are a bit...nosy. If you want a safe place to stay you should follow me. For now just call me Marek." Alva readjusted her cloaks hood making sure she was still hidden from the harsh sunlight and the unwanted stares she often got walking the run down streets. She could never express fully in words how much she hated this place. As she returned her gaze to Kai, she couldn't help but smile. He radiated kindness.

"If you trust me follow me. And you better keep up." Without waiting for an answer, Alva sprinted down the alley, jumping and flipping over debris of abandoned buildings and garbage. She stumbled and fell quite a few times but immediately got right back up and kept running. The alley she had been in was about half a mile away from her home, and she could already see her barely standing house. She turned around to see if Kai had followed her. Unfortunately at that very moment, she tripped over her own feet and tumbled painfully landing in the middle of the street.

"Petch my life.*

[Kai Spyridon]

Looking up, Kai sees the sun fully above the horizon and hears the early morning birds awakening from their slumbers, beginning their songs. Returning his gaze to the woman he listens to her as she says "We can't talk here. People around here are a bit...nosy. If you want a safe place to stay you should follow me. For now just call me Marek." Marek... a nice name Kai thinks to himself as Marek adjusts her cloak hood and looks back to him and smiles. Kai smiles a little in return before noting that Marek is still talking telling him "If you trust me follow me. And you better keep up." and without further ado she sprinted off, Kai quickly burst into action, following without hesitation, regardless of how tired he may be, the ability to shake off tiredness came with the job and was a life skill to Kai, following the jumps and flips Marek makes with relative ease, falling a little less often then Marek because she pointed out some hazards by falling over them herself. Continuing on as well as he could, Kai notices Marek is turning around Perhaps to see if I am following? Kai thinks to himself as he looks slightly ahead and sees a hazard she mustn't have noticed, as he is about to call out to warn her, Marek trips and tumbles into the middle of the street. Because he is travelling at a full sprint Kai can't stop normally and flips over Marek before coming to a complete halt barely 2 meters away from her, walking over to Marek, Kai offers his hand to Marek to help her up, with a look of concern on his face. "Are you OK Marek? That looked painful, if you need support feel free to use my arm." He asks with concern and a little worry in his voice.

[Alva Marek]

Alva was in a pained daze. It was frustrating when she fell, and even more so in front of people she hardly knew. Her pale cheeks flushed a bright pink as she quickly got up and brushed herself off.

"I'm fine. Lets keep moving." The citizens were starting to wake and resume never ending daily routines. Kai and Alva were only a block away from her home and she desperately wished to get some sleep. She sprinted off again and managed to reach her home within a few chimes. The building was bland and had the faint scent of decay but she welcomed it. Old dark sheets covered the windows and the front door was barely hanging on the hinges.

Home sweet home. Alva looked around making sure they weren't followed before rushing inside holding the door open for Kai. The house was just as cold as it was outside and she enjoyed it. Fall and Winter were her favorite seasons. Better than being drenched in sweat the majority of the time.

Without really caring whether he saw her naked or not, Alva began to change out of her travel clothes and into her normal sleeping gown.

"Welcome to my humble abode. You can sleep on my bed." Alva expected Kai to have tons of questions, so she sat on a chair next to a broken window watching him carefully.

[Kai Spyridon]

Marek got up quickly, with a slight flush on her cheeks, as though nothing had happened, and brushed herself off simply saying "I'm fine. Lets keep moving." Kai didn't know, but suspected that Marek didn't want to be out when the citizens of Sunberth awoke, for some reason or other, and Kai didn't have any objections to that. After running after Marek for about a block, she stopped in front of a bland building, which had a slight smell of decay, and it's windows were covered which Kai didn't mind because he often slept out in the wild, where such a smell occurred often. After Marek looked about for what Kai thinks of as something while he watches her, she then rushes up to the house and opens the door, holding it for Kai. Not needing any further invitation, Kai enters the house, looking around the interior as he goes. To Kai it seems cozy but a little gloomy, as he walks to the nearest wall to lean against it, so he could rest after sprinting in the cold morning. Autumn and Winter... my two favourite seasons. Kai thinks to himself when he realises that the temperature is roughly the same as outside, making it easier for him to stay awake, as he wants to avoid sleeping during the day. After taking in his surroundings, Kai focuses on Marek for a moment before turning around when she starts to get changed only turning back once he stops hearing the sound of material rustling. After turning around, Marek tells him "Welcome to my humble abode. You can sleep on my bed." Not really concerned about getting sleep until night, Kai just leans on the wall, looking at Marek with two questions on his mind Why trust me and does that sort of thing happen often? Trusting his instinct he asks Marek "Does that sort of thing happen often to you, being attacked by random men?" Adding on the last part to clarify what he meant just in case Marek didn't understand his vague question.