So far so good, the arrival was honest enough in their dealings and truth be told she had expected no less. The smart thieves always waited until the markets had truly begun to bustle, it was far easier to hide their actions. Zandelia was not a thief, had practices little larceny in her time - petty larceny at least - but she considered herself intelligently equipped enough to discern and understand the methodology. Logic was a very undervalued thing these days she had found, few appreciated that you could deduce much purely from observation and application of tuned mental processes. Still, she did watch them as they came and went, it was her job for the day after all and it would not do to be careless. Not so much because she cared for the shopkeeper, belligerent fool that he was, but because a poor reputation was more damaging than poison in Sunberth. She would not allow hers to be ruined on this watch, much less Fallon’s and Kaie’s.
I can just claim it was because I am a web weaver not a mercenary. They have no such luxury, unfortunately. Failure is not an option she thought to herself firmly as a stony set came to her face.
“Oh, the hungover barbarian told a joke! Yes an…eye…for such things. If only I had your ability with humor,” she stated airily, she did not find insult from someone she called an ally but she still disliked being reminded of her disability and so affected a lack of concern, “of course I’d make the observation, for now, that I am still twice as good looking. Though less exotic perhaps. Do you know Brega‘s? We should go test that observation one day” she continued smoothly as she flicked a warm gaze at the woman, she was merely playing to pass time of course.
There was also the age old observation that Sunberth was a city of surprises and, as she was about to continue with a small game of her quick invention, it proved itself to be worthy of such a title. The mob closed in quickly, though in truth is was not so large as it at first appeared she noted with a quick shifting of her gaze across the numbers. Noting the noose and linking it with the rising anger at the phantom menace of the magi her mind had made its conclusion before the words were even spoken. They were facing down a damned lynching party, though she presumed there would be a burning too. The populace believed in making sure a magic user could not return to life after their ‘punishments‘. Immediately she knew the danger, it was obvious enough. Stand in their way and they would be considered enemies, or at least friends to mages if not mages themselves. Her gaze flickered to Fallon briefly, she new her feelings upon such things and shared them but it was dangerous here, to express them and defend them in the open.
Then Kaie stepped in smartly and made the decision for them, the smarter one to be sure if not the most empathetic and decent one. It was good to know that she held a decent mind behind those strong arms, hidden surprises indeed. Or prejudice, she could not be sure. Many hated magic users - mostly because they didn’t have their powers and feared them. Rightly so given the fact that mages had not exactly helped their position across the lands of Mizahar. What was that phrase about bad apples? They ruined the bunch. Mages were tainted in Sunberth, worse than vermin and far more likely to plague the populace - in the people’s minds at least. A breath she had not noticed she had held seeped out of her throat in a sigh. She eyed the mob and then Fallon, fists clenched tightly against such a criminally immoral act about to be stepped into.
“Aye, let her go,” she stated firmly, voice strong despite her misgivings as she looked away and nodded silently, “no reason to get involved with a mob now. Go on girl, there is no sanctuary for you here. We guard a stall, we do not guard everything” she finished darkly.
"That's right mage! We're going to show 'em what we does to yer inds round here!" the one who supposed leadership growled with clear enjoyment.
"Sure she's a mage?" Zandelia asked with interest lacing her words, conspiratory camraderie feigned.
"Damn right! Says she burned down a house with a family that discovered her so she did"
"A fire? Really?" she puffed out her cheeks and blew hard and long, consideringly.
"So they say"
"Ah yes, they. Strange though I reckon friend, burns down a house but don't burn all of us right here and now"
"Don't give 'er ideas! Prolly just too scared to do it right" he snapped at her, she gave him a long look as the mutters spread she thought, logic perhaps speaking some sense of reality to them. Still she was wary, she had planted a seed of doubt that might lead to their disbanding but to stand in their way would surely unite them now with a new common enemy. She looked away before looking back down at the woman.
"Fair enough, who am I to argue with an expert mage hunter friend. Must now a lot about magic yourself then I expect. To know them from us normal people. Go on then, grab the bitch" she planted the second seed in a friendly manner, glowering down then at the woman with a hate she did not feel.
Fingers unclenched and wrapped around the handles of weaponry at her thigh and the small of her back, daggers ready to un-sheath if required. It was not the girl that she was fearful of using them on though, it was the mob. Dangerous and fickle beasts at the best of times. What would stop them from just trying to kill them too, simply because their ardor for destruction was well and truly stoked into a bonfire. She had done what she could to plant rationality to them, she could do no more without risking all of their lives. Two quick deaths she could deal before having to reposition herself if a fight was given. Her gaze was fixed upon the captive but her peripheral awareness was firmly watching the others.
“We’ve got goods to take care of" she spoke to Fallon then, truly hoping she would not put a moral compass above their lives.
A trying test indeed, even at the best of times. She waited.
I can just claim it was because I am a web weaver not a mercenary. They have no such luxury, unfortunately. Failure is not an option she thought to herself firmly as a stony set came to her face.
“Oh, the hungover barbarian told a joke! Yes an…eye…for such things. If only I had your ability with humor,” she stated airily, she did not find insult from someone she called an ally but she still disliked being reminded of her disability and so affected a lack of concern, “of course I’d make the observation, for now, that I am still twice as good looking. Though less exotic perhaps. Do you know Brega‘s? We should go test that observation one day” she continued smoothly as she flicked a warm gaze at the woman, she was merely playing to pass time of course.
There was also the age old observation that Sunberth was a city of surprises and, as she was about to continue with a small game of her quick invention, it proved itself to be worthy of such a title. The mob closed in quickly, though in truth is was not so large as it at first appeared she noted with a quick shifting of her gaze across the numbers. Noting the noose and linking it with the rising anger at the phantom menace of the magi her mind had made its conclusion before the words were even spoken. They were facing down a damned lynching party, though she presumed there would be a burning too. The populace believed in making sure a magic user could not return to life after their ‘punishments‘. Immediately she knew the danger, it was obvious enough. Stand in their way and they would be considered enemies, or at least friends to mages if not mages themselves. Her gaze flickered to Fallon briefly, she new her feelings upon such things and shared them but it was dangerous here, to express them and defend them in the open.
Then Kaie stepped in smartly and made the decision for them, the smarter one to be sure if not the most empathetic and decent one. It was good to know that she held a decent mind behind those strong arms, hidden surprises indeed. Or prejudice, she could not be sure. Many hated magic users - mostly because they didn’t have their powers and feared them. Rightly so given the fact that mages had not exactly helped their position across the lands of Mizahar. What was that phrase about bad apples? They ruined the bunch. Mages were tainted in Sunberth, worse than vermin and far more likely to plague the populace - in the people’s minds at least. A breath she had not noticed she had held seeped out of her throat in a sigh. She eyed the mob and then Fallon, fists clenched tightly against such a criminally immoral act about to be stepped into.
“Aye, let her go,” she stated firmly, voice strong despite her misgivings as she looked away and nodded silently, “no reason to get involved with a mob now. Go on girl, there is no sanctuary for you here. We guard a stall, we do not guard everything” she finished darkly.
"That's right mage! We're going to show 'em what we does to yer inds round here!" the one who supposed leadership growled with clear enjoyment.
"Sure she's a mage?" Zandelia asked with interest lacing her words, conspiratory camraderie feigned.
"Damn right! Says she burned down a house with a family that discovered her so she did"
"A fire? Really?" she puffed out her cheeks and blew hard and long, consideringly.
"So they say"
"Ah yes, they. Strange though I reckon friend, burns down a house but don't burn all of us right here and now"
"Don't give 'er ideas! Prolly just too scared to do it right" he snapped at her, she gave him a long look as the mutters spread she thought, logic perhaps speaking some sense of reality to them. Still she was wary, she had planted a seed of doubt that might lead to their disbanding but to stand in their way would surely unite them now with a new common enemy. She looked away before looking back down at the woman.
"Fair enough, who am I to argue with an expert mage hunter friend. Must now a lot about magic yourself then I expect. To know them from us normal people. Go on then, grab the bitch" she planted the second seed in a friendly manner, glowering down then at the woman with a hate she did not feel.
Fingers unclenched and wrapped around the handles of weaponry at her thigh and the small of her back, daggers ready to un-sheath if required. It was not the girl that she was fearful of using them on though, it was the mob. Dangerous and fickle beasts at the best of times. What would stop them from just trying to kill them too, simply because their ardor for destruction was well and truly stoked into a bonfire. She had done what she could to plant rationality to them, she could do no more without risking all of their lives. Two quick deaths she could deal before having to reposition herself if a fight was given. Her gaze was fixed upon the captive but her peripheral awareness was firmly watching the others.
“We’ve got goods to take care of" she spoke to Fallon then, truly hoping she would not put a moral compass above their lives.
A trying test indeed, even at the best of times. She waited.