Placeholder Bad Blood [Winter Job Thread 2]

[Infilia Snowsong]

45th of Winter

Walking the streets of Alvadas, it was dark and moody. There was a hint of salt and fresh food that filled the air. Many people were out tonight, but not all of them were. It was still warm for it being Winter. Days passed slowly, and Infilia couldn't handle the long nights, and long days. She missed the snowy weather. Although, it did get really cold back at Avanthal; Infilia had never experienced Winter outside of her home city. Though, migrating to Alvadas wasn't really a choice. She took the first caravan on the way here. She could remember that day as if it was yesterday. She could remember a lot of days like it was yesterday, but some information was misguided so she couldn't remember everything. It was nearly impossible.

Infilia had her hood over her head of brunette locks that was tied into a bun. She was walking aimlessly, but figured that she could find her home soon. She had her key with her, but she liked the mystery of Alvadas. She knew there was much more to discover of this city. So she thought that she could find some more secrets at night. Though, she turned down an alley after awkwardly nodding over to a dark haired man. Her boots tapped against the stone. She could learn against someone's home, as the building looked like it bonged to someone or a small family on her right. The building on her left looked to be like a shop, but Infilia knew that smif she walked in she could have found trouble. She was close that first time when she walked into the Wolf's Cavern. If someone was really aggressive and had a list for money; they would have probably killed Infilia. Like others did when some of the other Vantha were found. There was a bounty for 1000 Gold Mizas. Dead or alive; so Infilia had to be careful where she walked and where she headed. Especially during this season.

Infilia Snowsong constantly swiveled her head through the darkness and she wondered where she was going, but again it didn't really bother her too much. As long as she doesn't come across any bad crowds. She didn't know how bad the city of Alvadas was until this night. She heard voices, angry voices (they seem to be negotiating about something) coming from another bend of an intersection that housed the shop, and a few more residential buildings.

Infilia stopped behind the corner, and slowly peeked her head around the corner. There were two men standing at the far side of the alley. She could turn around, and as she looked back. A wall had taken the streets place. She cursed under her breath and wanted to think about how she would find a way of getting out of here. Though, Infilia wondered as she looked at the wall of the shop in front of her as she leaned against the building behind her. She noticed carvings coming from the wall, and thought of it as an illusion. It was written in common. She can read little common. One of the words she recognized was the word, safe. She could just pass on by, through the intersection. Though, the two angry voices coming from her right, she could hear them getting louder. She wondered if the text in the wall was a trick. But, she figured that she could just take another quick peak before she made her final decision.

581 Words

[Infilia Snowsong]

She peeked her head around the corner and as she did, her heart raced. She silently prayed to Morwen to help her, and guide her as she would make her way for safety. Even though, the voices were louder, the two men weren't there. She frowned a bit, as she knew that this was some trick. More or less, she assumed. When she assumes things, it usually doesn't go very well for her. She hated to assume. Frustration boiled within her, and her eyes swirled a red mist. Her hands traced the hilt of her father's angle-knife. She knew that she needed it, and she still had her hood over her head. She knew that she wouldn't simply pass the two men with her hood down. One of them had a torch, they would know when she was a Vantha. But the other, he had a crate. Or at least, it was on the ground beside him. We're they making a deal of some sort? Something that didn't go through the city legally? Or was it just some private negotiation?

Infilias' curiosity raised, and she wondered how close she could get to them before she could get caught. She inhaled a breath of courage as she turned round into the alley on her right and stayed close alongside the wall on her right side. Her hands rubbed against the wall as she was being as careful as she could be. Though, it was really dark. She tripped over a stone that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and she fell on her hands and knees. The echo of her fall traveled quite far. A few stones scattered from the rock that she had tripped over. The two voices paused, and Infilias' heart raced. She didn't know what to do, and she panicked.

She then heard footsteps coming from down the hall, and Infilia leaned against the wall on her right and pressed her back against the stone. The footsteps came ever so closer and the Snowsong's heart pounded like a stallion beating against the ground, running through the wildlands. She had a feeling, if she screwed this up it wouldn't be too good for her. She didn't know where to go, again she felt stuck.

"Didn't you hear something?" One man spoke, his voice was low, and Infilia could see the two men. How come they couldn't see her?

"I did, someone fell and made a sound, but there's a wall here." A wall? But, it was transparent. See through. How could they not see Infilia? Though, there was something funny about this wall. She was curious, iris' swirled into a purple smoky haze. She wanted to touch the wall; but her superego was telling her that she should stay away from the wall and let the men walk back to where they were before.

"It was nothing then, Ionu must not want us be sneaking around at night. Dealing illegally." One said, the other man nodded and took another look back.

"It must be an illusion. The wall was solid though. Tricky Goddess she can be." The man said, he spat at the wall, though it didn't go through. Otherwise; it might have had hit Infilia and then the men would have discovered her existence. She should run, but the wall wasn't sound proof. The wall could evaporate soon. She had choices, but the Snowsong wanted to make sure to catch these men first before she left. If she caught these men, perhaps she could steal whatever they had.

That's of course; if they do not see her stealing. She felt dirty, stealing other people's property. She wouldn't know what to do with it. She could sell it to other people who would pay good money for whatever they had. What if it was nothing? They could be dealing nothing, perhaps it wasn't necessary to continue? Perhaps she should leave.

"I wouldn't insult Ionu like that Malcom." The older man said.

"Well... she won't let us pass through the barrier. Someone must be on the other side, listening, watching. Someone who we might not want to watch. It could be the guards of Alvadas waiting to catch us at the right moment. We must make haste and leave. We'll make the deal some other time."

"I am not leaving without my drugs." The word drugs had almost panged Infilia. The thought of taking those and selling them to someone else.... it would probably be crazy. She didn't know anyone, and why would people buy drugs from a Vantha? Though, she did hear about someone's name. One of the men, the younger one-time Malcom was his name. It sounded human. They were definitely speaking common. Infilia could only hear a few words spoken here and there. Though, she knew the right word of what the older man spoke of.

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[Infilia Snowsong]

"We can not deal here," the younger man protested. Infilia observed his stance and he was slowly reaching for the inside of his cloak pocket. The older man seemed to be too blind to see what was going on. Though, the older man had already a dagger out. That man could stab the younger man at any time.

Infilia had to do something.

Though, something told her to stay back. She didn't want to hold back, she wanted to help them, but she also knew that she could get hurt doing this. So... the best thing was to wait and see if they would stop before anything goes wrong.

"I have the money right here." The older man continued, he fished a hand into his pants pocket and retrieved a pouch of coins to show the younger man. Infilias' curiously continued to grow. She wondered how much money that man had. It looked a little heavy. So she could make something if she finds s way to steal the pouch, or find something else of value.

"Erg, fine old man. But, you have to be quick Gilmore. Or else we could get killed or worse tortured. I don't want either, and I know you don't want either. I know it's wrong what we do, but this is how a sly fox survives." The young man lectured, he was still quiet, but it was loud enough for Infilia and the older man to hear. Infilia was glad that the man wasn't doing it for the money. Though, drug dealing was still wrong. Suddenly Infilia head footsteps behind her.

"You see?" It was another man's voice and it sounded like two pairs of feet walking through the street. "It's not hard to sheath it back in." Infilia assumed that the man was talking to someone about a sword or something. He sounded like a guard. Though, not all guards and men have deep voice. This man's voice sounded like an average male. It reminded her of someone from Avanthal. Though, she knew better than play with a delusion. That's what it was, a delusion she could be imagining someone that she knew from Avanthal, or had met back at Avanthal. Although, she won't risk it, she could have better chance with the two drug dealers.

"Okay, show me the packages." The older man spoke as he dangled the coin pouch in his hand; almost as if he was teasing the younger man with the money he had. Infilia figured that encountering men with daggers would be better for her than a possible guard with a sword who would probably kill her anyways. Her right hand rested on her father's angle-knife and she hesitated. Though, she charged through the wall, and it evaporated, but reappeared again as Infilia tripped through the two men.

"Oi!" One of them.blurted out, but the wall behind them didn't seem to alert the guards of Infilias' presence.

"See, told ya. Someone was here. Some petching woman." The younger man pointed. He sounded more paranoid than the old man, if he was taking drugs. Infilia helped herself up, and pulled over the hood as quick as she could. She was about to run, before the older man grabbed her left shoulder as he stood up from picking up his coin pouch that slapped on the stone beneath them.

"What do you think your doing? Lemme have a look at you." The older man insisted and turned Infilia. Which forced her to look at him. The younger man scooted towards Infilia, and was rubbing his arse when he fell on the floor. He opened up his cloak and inspected the packages.

"Please, no harm." Good thing that it was dark, and the men can't really see her eyes change color.

"Why should we not hurt you?" The younger man said, "you could have hurt us you know? Why were you running, were you behind this wall?" Infilia shook her head. She could say that she was running from guards, or she could tell the truth. Though, these men could take her somewhere that Infilia wouldn't know of, or something like that. Or they could kill her. She struggled to get free from the older man's grasp. But, he switched shoulders and he was holding onto her left, and the younger man, who was taller and seemed more muscular grabbed onto her right and pushed Infilia against the wall to her right.

She felt her back cramp against the stone building. She felt inflammation rise within her cheeks, and her eyes swirled a mist red. Still, she felt glad that it was still dark. Otherwise, she would probably be dead at this point. No, she wouldn't be walking around during daylight. Since she knew that there were still Vantha hunters running about.

She couldn't flee now. She had nowhere to run to.

"Came to warn you. Guard..."Infilia offered through a shaky and scared tone. Her common was still broken. Perhaps if she helped the two men out. They won't hurt her?

"Guard? I don't remember asking anyone else to keep watch... do you Malcolm?" The older man asked.

"No Matthew," Malcolm replied. "Though, she says there's a guard walking. If she heard us through that Illusion of a wall, than the guards can too. Take her with us. Hurry. Keep her hood up, we don't need to draw too much attention and walk fast, but not too fast and too attentively."

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[Infilia Snowsong]

At least they weren't too rough when the two men were dragging her down through the alleys. They crossed through one of the main streets. Which was still busy, surprisingly, but no thanks to the bystander effect, no one else thought that Infilia was in danger. She thought that everyone else was better off on their own anyways. They didn't need to get into any other trouble. At least, Infilia thought. Probably more people than Infilia could count have probably been in trouble once or twice with dirty jobs.

Her heart still pounded against her chest, she pretty much had forgotten about her father's angle-knife. She was wondering what these men would do to her and where they would go. After they crossed a busy street to another alley, the older man huffed a few breaths. It calmed Infilia down that now they would rest and Infilia would be able to use it to her advantage.

"Please, stop. Sore."She insisted and tugged on their arms as they still held tightly onto Infilia's shoulders.

"Fine we can stop. I need to stop too." Old man Matt claimed and let go of Infilias' shoulders. Malcolm's guard was down, and Infilia tugged her arm out and started running back to the street.

"Hey! Come back! Get back you shyke!" Though Infilia ran as fast as she could and she mumbled a few broken common sorrys as she passed through men and women throughout the busy street. She bothered not to stop for anyone, and the two men didn't even bother running after her.

Good. She thought. Good. She didn't have to worry about doing bad to live. Now she could run free, though she didn't know to where, but she was sure she could find her way back home for now. Away from the night.

2592/2500 Done.