A chance meeting (Eris)

by **Nyahna Sasin** on April 24th, 2010, 12:10 am

He grimanced inwardly. Evading his questions. She had something to hide. He dropped it. It was none of his business. He turned a right. The Rearing was just up ahead.

He shrugged. "Me? Not much to say. I was a kid, I got bored, and left the nest. Wandered a bit, ended up here. No real reason." He said. "What do you do around here? I know there's not much demand for what we do. " He commented.

He sighed. "Do you have any family?" He asked all of a sudden. "Do they know you're doing this?"

by **Eris** on April 24th, 2010, 12:29 am

“I’ve only been in Syliras ten days or so. And I do not know as of yet whether I will stay. I do most of my work on the road, where there is more need for our kind of work,” Eris replied nonchalantly.

A dry humorless laugh escaped her. “No family to speak of. But I do believe that if my mother were alive, she wouldn’t care very much what I did with my life.” My father might have approved – following in his footsteps and all that. But she didn’t wish to speak about her father. That would entail delving into her reason for coming to Syliras and Eris didn’t want that.

Eris realized that she had never given much thought to what Arlaine would say if she saw what her daughter was doing. She didn’t like to think about her mother or whether her approval would matter to her. She had always tried to convince herself that the woman’s opinion didn’t matter, that she didn’t have the right to judge what Eris chose to do. But mayhap that wasn’t entirely true…

“What about your family? The Dhani have a different opinion on killing than most humans, do they not?” she inquired.

by **Nyahna Sasin** on April 27th, 2010, 3:44 am

No family to speak of?!! That was...that seemed....unbearable. His shock showed in his eyes. He couldn't imagine not having his family there to support him. They had a funny way of showing it, but he knew they approved, or at least, didn't mind. If he lost that...he didn't want to think about it.

“What about your family? The Dhani have a different opinion on killing than most humans, do they not?”

He smiled a little. "Indeed, we do." He said. "We don't really mind killing. You might have heard that we have a mean streak." He glanced around. They were at the entrance of the rearing.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to continue this conversation sitting down. Unless you have some other pressing engagements?" He hoped not. He found this woman intriguing.

He opened the door, extending his invitation.

by **Eris** on April 27th, 2010, 10:59 pm

Eris realized that she wouldn’t be able to sleep after that display at the huntress’s house. And – she grudgingly admitted to herself – she was interested in the Dhani despite her better judgment. Growing up, she had borrowed books from the scholarly woman next door – devouring them one after the other on cold winter nights. The books she found most interesting were always ones about different races and their cultures. Now she had the opportunity to converse with a representative of those races – she would not pass that up.

Eris nodded, accepting his invitation, and walked through the door of the Rearing Stallion. The place wasn’t too busy – with only a handful of regulars sprawled over barstools and tables. When she was little, she would come to the local tavern to hear any stories passing travelers might have to tell. Years later, she walked into bars looking for information and contacts. But never for drink. Eris despised drink.

by **Nyahna Sasin** on April 30th, 2010, 2:31 am

Sasin smiled, and walked with her, leading her to a table with a clear view of the door. He made it a habit to keep his eye on the door. He never knew when he might see an enemy.

Ordering a glass of port, he eyed the label. 498 AV. A good vintage, but pricey. He turned to Eris in askance. He was willing to pay the bill if it meant good company.

"No family? Seems pretty harsh." He remarked. "You said that your mother wouldn't have cared? How about your father?" He asked curiously. He couldn't imagine a mother not caring, but then again.... "In human families, the father is usually dominant, is he not?"

by **Eris** on May 2nd, 2010, 1:31 am

Eris followed him to the table, scanning the rest of the bar’s patrons before sitting down. Satisfied that the surrounding people presented no danger, she eased her body into the chair, feeling surprisingly tried.

She shook her head at his questioning glance, “No drink for me.”

"No family? Seems pretty harsh." He remarked. "You said that your mother wouldn't have cared? How about your father?" He asked curiously. He couldn't imagine a mother not caring, but then again.... "In human families, the father is usually dominant, is he not?"

“I wouldn’t know,” she said, unconsciously letting some bitterness slip into her voice. “I have never met my father, though I have heard about him from a…colleague of his. He did the same job I do now, so I believe he would have approved. But for all I know, he may be dead or alive, travelling only a few miles away from here.”

by **Nyahna Sasin** on May 4th, 2010, 10:02 pm

(Tests. Stress. Sorry.)

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't know where he is? So he just left you?" He asked incredulously. This was, yet again, a huge shock to him.

As surprised as he was, even he could tell that this was a sensitive topic. One he might want to back off on.

Time to shift topics. "So, how did you get into this job? I mean, you can't exactly go to a person and declare your intentions to get a job."

by **Eris** on May 8th, 2010, 12:08 am

Eris’s eyes narrowed briefly as the Dhani continued to ask questions about her father. She disliked talking about the man she’s never met. Actually, she disliked talking about herself in general. It was a habit picked up from years of associating with shady characters, who revealed little more than their names. She was glad when the man wandered off the topic o her family and into her career choice.

“I was taught the skills necessary for mercenary work by a friend. He took me on as an apprentice when I was young and I seemed to have an aptitude for the field,” she said with a noncommittal shrug.

“What of you? I don’t imagine all Dhani are in the assassination industry. You must have had a special zest for blood,” she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

by **Nyahna Sasin** on May 10th, 2010, 1:27 am

He raised an eyebrow. "So you've been doing this for a while?" It was clear he had his doubts. "I still say squeamish." He said jokingly.

You must have had a special zest for blood.

He shrugged. "Not really. We're all bloodthirsty. It's just that I didn't have anything to contribute to the nest, so I left. One less mouth to feed, and I can make a good living out here."

by **Eris** on May 13th, 2010, 2:33 am

Her lips quirked up in a slight smile, but otherwise, she made no response to his comment. She surveyed the bar around them with a practiced eye. Tonight was obviously a slow night, devoid of the usual bustle of drunken customers and screaming barkeeps.

She was feeling a bit at odds with herself. She had been feeling restless as of late – uncomfortable in her own skin, in a way. She had begun to doubt her own actions, the motives behind them…

Suddenly, she leaned forward, her eyes filled with burning intensity. “Do you ever feel any… any guilt after killing? A twist of the gut, a voice in your head telling you did something wrong?”

She wasn’t sure what she was trying to say – unsure even if she really wanted to hear the answer. But she knew that she had to understand the way the minds of other killers worked, if she were to ever gain any insight into her own.