Solo Curious Courtesans

[Alric Lysane]

55th Fall 521 AV – Ruby’s Scarlet Sanctum The season had been one filled with all sorts of revelations and new things, including his employment at Ruby’s. As he paced around the central stage area he reflected that someone, somewhere, was messing with him. He’d have said it was Lhex but everyone said he didn’t really care about mortals. No, it was some other private joke upon him he thought as his eyes searched the crowds, seated and standing, for any signs of untoward behaviour. So far nothing had happened this night. Every dozen days or so it seemed that something would happen – a brawl or someone trying to skip out on payment. Mostly, though, it was reasonably easy money. Lacks the thrill of a good bit of thieving or sneaking but miza is miza and at least it’s warm in here he told himself. Not to mention the other things you got to see. It wasn’t even that half of it was scantily clad women, he had come to see that the performers were possessed of all sorts of skills. Dancing, singing, music were plentiful. Some had strength that he wasn’t sure he could match pound for pound either. He had watched many an act suspend themselves on wires or similar, contorting themselves in ways that seemed painful but also quite sensual. As he circled the room he saw a couple of men who’s tempers seemed to be fraying by their body language. He stepped in quickly to dissipate whatever it was. “Evening lads, there a problem? Something not right with the ale perhaps?” “No…no…it’s fine, honest. Just…lost something” “See that you don’t lose anything else. Perhaps it’s time to go, no?” It wasn’t a suggestion and he had started to master the art of the question that wasn’t a question. He had never thought that he was particularly persuasive, but he was starting to see the value in being able to talk people into the right choice – or rather the right choice at that specific moment – rather than fight. He was not sure that he would be as successful without the authoritative backing of Ruby and her establishment. As well as the other guards. But he liked learning new things and it felt good to talk in his ‘proper’ job. He had enough of fighting in his other activities. Already some of them had picked up on the fact that he had turned up with random bruises and cuts, sometimes a slightly pained ankle or wrist. He managed to perform his duties regardless, but he knew there was speculation. He didn’t really like it but there was little he could do to stop it. He had heard that Ruby could be as jealous as she could be seductive – giving and taking her favour as her whims suited her. She had a rivalry with Brega and he knew that, sooner or later, he would face some questions about his alternate activities. So far he had managed to avoid it. “Ruby wants to see you” “You read minds now?” he said to Garth. “Shut up don’t say that kinda shyke! Don’t go getting me killed!” “Alright alright, what does she want to see me about?” “Dunno, probably wants to give you a task or something. Happens every so often” “Task? This isn’t going to be a…bedding thing is it?” “Go and find out” the man winked at him and Alric swiped at him, slowly enough that he ducked out of the way and laughed as he started patrolling the entertainment area in Alric’s place

[Alric Lysane]

It was with no small amount of caution that he stepped into the ‘office’ that belonged to Ruby. To call it an office though would be to compare a pigeon to an eagle. There was a desk, chairs and the like but there was also a lavishly huge beg with posts and veils, carpets and skins of various animals draped over exquisite divans, low couches and more than he could hope to take into account for one visit. His eyes darted around nervously as he entered and was pushed into a chair by a very large and dangerous looking guard that he knew was one of Ruby’s personal shadows. Well that bodes well he thought to himself, his stomach sinking slightly. So preoccupied was he with what terrible thing this was going to be that he didn’t notice the fact that the bed was being used even as he was sat down. Ruby was writhing quite slowly and purposefully atop a man who appeared to be chained to the bed posts. He looked away quickly, his gaze going into the top corner of the room that was furthest away from the display. He tried to block out the noises that now reached his no longer preoccupied brain. His fingers started tapping upon his knees in a random rhythm, until he realised it was the same rhythm as the lovers and so instead bunched his fists. “Its okay, he does like to be watched. Filthy scoundrel!” Ruby said, suiting her words with a slap to the man’s face, “come mow Alric, you’ve been here a while now, you know what we do….if it helps you I can make it an order, he likes orders too” Dying inside slightly he forced his gaze back to the scene and caught the tail end of the exhibition before Ruby slipped off and wrapped herself in something large, furry and not familiar. Whatever it was it seemed a warm gown that now covered her entirely, taking away the beauty and leaving the beast and her hard gaze as she sat opposite him. “You wanted to see me?” “Yes, yes I did. I like to know who works for me, what is happening with my business. This is a lovingly crafted enterprise, much better than that spit of a building across the city,” there was a bitterness an acidity to her voice then, “which brings me to you my sweet, dear Alric. The girls love you so this sordid business is not to their tastse but they do as I say” “I…don’t understand” “I have been told that you get up to…activities…outside of my employ. You turn up with bruises and scrapes and…whatever else I might find if I were to strip you of your…clothing,” she told him in an imperious tone now, “and so you will tell me what you get up to. I will suffer no treacheries” “Treacheries? What? I just guard the associates” “But for whom? Me…or that spiteful bitch of a not-a-proper-woman Brega?” her voice rose then and a sword appeared upon his shoulder. He suddenly became very still and tried to control his breathing and prevent panic from getting him cut by mistake. He looked her in the eyes and saw not madness but steely determination. A protective mother, of a sort, willing to do anything to protect its child. “I don’t even know Brega, beyond the name. Never even been in the place” “Then you meet someone who know them?” “Do I look like I have had much to do with…inferior associates? I can barely look at the lovely ones here without blushing”

[Alric Lysane]

“Hmmm,” she leaned back into her chair and the atmosphere seemed to ease of a bit though the blade did not, “yes I seem to recall the gossip being that none of the girls had managed to snare your undergarments just yet. Surprising, I do not stop it from happening so long as it’s paid out of your wages. You say they are lovely, but you do not partake? Someone is telling me sweet stories” “No! Nonononon – I just…I do-“ “Don’t like the girls? Perhaps the boys are more for you then? Come now don’t be shy” she said, there were some chuckles behind him before her gaze cut them off quickly. “I just…find it…I don’t really get much chance to…” and then there were chuckles and even Ruby smiled at that. “Well…certainly not a lie. No man lies about that sort of thing in my considerable experience,” she tutted, “very well. Take that thing away from the poor boy Derrel! So what is it that you do then? Outside of here?” “I steal and sneak and whatever else gets me some miza that’s easy. Small time gangs and idiots mostly. I’m no spy, wouldn’t even know where to start. Can barely sweet talk as it is” “Indeed? Perhaps I was a bit…overzealous. No apologies Alric, for I take my darling Sanctum seriously. But do please do me a favour…do try to do some of the things in the Sanctum. We can hardly have a guard who doesn’t know how to use his sword. Go one then…let him go. Let him go!” Alric didn’t have to be told twice and regardless of his crimson skin and the laughter he made his way out of the room and out of the back to take in deep gulps of fresh, cold night air. He felt the cold burst across his skin and leaned against the wall with both hand, trying to stop himself having a heart attack before laughter came from his side and he looked up to glare at it. It was Garth. “You…bastard” he hissed as he grabbed the man’s jacket and pushed him up against the wall. “Now now…it happens to us all. Though I’m told yours was one of the more…amusing ones. Believe me when I say that they aren’t all amusing. Put my down lad, come on,” he said gently, which was enough of a surprise that Alric complied and Garth put his arm around his shoulder and led him down the side alley towards the front of the Scarlet Sanctum. “Why did she say I worked for Brega?” “Because they are rivals and they are both envious of the other, though don’t say that in earshot. No, she always picks a time to make sure her workers are loyal. Or at least not on the take. Yours came earlier than most because she told the truth…strangely. The girls like you. Which makes what you said in there even more amusing” “Can we just go back to work now?” Alric sighed in frustration. “Sure, but we’ll see about getting you something at the end of your shift. My treat” “Garth…shut up”

[Alric Lysane]

They were back at the entrance now and Alric studiously avoided meeting anyone eyes if he knew they worked at the Scarlet Sanctum. He was, instead, the most professional guard that they had. All the while he needed to be because Garth kept taking more interest in Alric’s recreational activities than in doing his job. As he got finished taking a cudgel off of a spirited young customer and placing it into the locked chest it was starting to get a bit too much. “Perhaps Ruby can let Yolanda and Jessie make good on that offer? I mean you passed the test so I think she’d be okay with it. And you already know what they can do. Well, half of it, you see Jessie does this thing where sh-“ “Will you please shut up” Alric sighed and grit his teeth, distracting himself by looking over the crowd. As he sought out anything that could put a stop to his torture, he saw a cutpurse slipping through the crowd. He didn’t dislike their operating in principle, but this was not the place, not when he was hired to make sure everyone was safe, the patrons included. He shushed Garth and slipped down the steps, tracking them with his eyes as he moved through the crowd, trying to anticipate where they would go next. They seemed to be working a square sort of pattern around the edges of the crowd and so his mind worked quickly and he headed to the likely next point just in time to grab them by the scruff of the neck and march them off. The writhed in his grip and he gave them a clip around the head, they were light and two thirds of his size so he wasn’t overly rough. “Go on, get out of here” No thieving around here and don’t think I don’t know it when I see it” he said, taking the purse they had been carrying and tucking it behind his belt. “Alric?” “Lys!? What in the…no…get out of here now. We’ll talk later” “What am I doing here? What are you doing here?” “working. Tell the others never to come here. Later, we’ll talk later” “But” “Later!” With that he turned his back and shook his head, the last thing he needed after today was for people the knew him to start coming to steal att he Scarlet Sanctum. He felt pretty sure he’d definitely not leave that conversation alive. Or probably whole to begin with. As he returned he threw the purse at Garth who caught it with a quizzical look. “My birthday?” “No, cutpurse” “Little shykes” “They’re gone, they won’t be back. Suppose we won’t know who that belongs to. So goes to Ruby I guess” “Or…Yolaaaanda” “For the love of the gods if you don’t stop I’ll choke you out myself. At least it will bring me some peace” he said sullenly, leaning against the door frame with crossed arms now. He looked around, this time daring to meet the eyes of some of the girls and though not all of them seemed to be taking note of him there were a few who looked at, him, giggled together and then gave him longer looks. He sighed and hunched his shoulders against the world in general.

[Alric Lysane]

“Yes sir, there are still performers to go. I believe there will be a wire act by one of our exotics. She apparently has hips you’d be happy to take some slab off of” he said, there was a chuckle from the other side of the door. After letting the man in, who appeared to be a veteran mercenary by his bearing and walk, he felt sure that they would be looking for something a little less delicate than a Symenestra. Beautiful she was, in an unknown way, but Alric couldn’t stand they way she talked. As if looking down her nose at him and judging him to be less than the soles of her boots, or whatever were on them. Not that she wore boots that often…or anything at all ne noted to himself silently. The evening was winding down now, the twilight hours giving way to the beginnings of earliest morning. Most of the crowd had moved inside or begun their journey home. That didn’t change the fact that there would be partying until just before dawn within the Sanctum and then a short rest for sleep of the required kind before the day shift would begin. Alric didn’t understand why some people apparently couldn’t wait until the evening for their release. He supposed that it was something to do with their working patterns…or obsession perhaps. “Looks like that’s about it I suppose. Not been too bad” he said, pretending as if the start of his shift had not happened. Garth merely grunted in response, his eyelids closed as was what happened often towards the end of their shifts together. The man knew a lot and had worked many years at Ruby’s it seemed, long enough that he was getting older and perhaps less energetic than years gone by. Alric simply let him half-sleep until the inevitable snores came. How the man slept standing up he did not know, perhaps he had some sort of wire contraption himself. He sighed, pulled his cloak around himself and stared into the darkness to see nothing much happening. Time passed as the sky grew lighter, patrons left and he handed over their weapons if they had had any confiscated – turned them away if they were chancers. After a while he lit his pipe from a lantern by the door and puffed away. “He snores like a dog” the voice came, cold and acidic from behind him. He refused to jump as she had tried doing when he had started, though he never really heard her coming for some reason. “He is a dog. Faithful little hound,” Alric said around his pipe, “make good tips Nessilie?” “More than the human women…though that is to be expected” “Isn’t Ruby human?” “She is Benshira, they are different” “Take your word for it. Come to talk? You’ve usually insulted me a few times by now” “It would seem redundant given earlier” “Ah…yes…your compassion is duly noted” “I didn’t give any” “I know” There was a silence then, one which she broke eventually by coming to stand just in front of and to the side of him, looking up into the night sky. He looked her up and down, she was more clothed now that the temperature was cooling but even so what she wore clung to her purposefully. It left little to the imagination and despite the fact he knew she hated him he still silently appreciated for a few moments before following her gaze up into the sky. “You know they used to talk that way about me to begin with” “What way?” “How can she hope to get many customers, she barely has anything to her” “Hmm, well this is a hard business. Proved them wrong I suppose” “Yes. Humans often do not know what they are talking about” “Thank you” “For what? I just commented upon the weakness of your kind” “Just so” There was another silence and she went to go back inside but hesitated by the door for a moment before continuing onwards, leaving Alric baffled. She was usually spiteful to the borderline on hateful. What possessed her to show any half-assed version of compassion he had not idea. He shook his head and shrugged, waiting for the end of the shift as he puffed away. When it came he smacked Garth on the chest to wake him and walked out into the streets to go home and wonder how one day could bring so much embarrassment.

[Alric Lysane]

Your Grades Alric Lysane Skills Intimidation – 2 Investigation - 1 Observation – 3 Persuasion - 2 Socialization - 3 Lores Garth: Amused By Alric Garth: Sleeps Standing Up Lys: Young Cutpurse Nessilie: Surprisingly Kind Nessilie: Symenestran Seductress Ruby Demoya: Benshira Ruby Demoya: Her Figure In Glorious Detail Ruby Demoya: Has A Jealous Streak Ruby Demoya: Twisted Sense Of Humour Scarlet Sanctum: Associates Like Alric