writing_shadows

((OOC - This is not me writing what I wished had happened, it was a choice I had at the time but one I did not take. I generally steer clear of direct PVP combat, I try and balance character motivations and responses from what impact the action will have on someone else's enjoyment of the game (them having a go at me to start with generally means I don't worry about it). But this was something I was pondering and therefore I wondered what the likely outcome would have been had I done so. I think the end for the character wouldn't have been that different, she would likely still have ended up dead, just more actively done on the end of some angry PC's weapons than being executed.))

The mirrorskin looked at the Other standing before her, trying to display nonchalance and calm, even though a part of her was terrified to be in his presence. She was wearing a different face and clothes, nothing that anyone would recognise if they saw this scene, but still her nerves went deeper than just getting caught talking to him. She was taking a huge gamble with her freedom just being here.

“You owe me a favour for my assistance before. I want you to let Aria off her pledge to you, to release her with no further debt or ties to you.” Velvet said bluntly.

Darken Fel smiled coldly, “I don’t owe you enough for her freedom, you’d have to give me more than that favour to release her.”

Velvet’s heart sank a little, the last thing she really wanted to be doing was trading with one of the Others, but she wanted rid of the favour he owed and she wanted members of her Court free from him as well. Besides, if she didn’t make a deal then someone would probably make a worse one and she didn’t really have any soul left to lose. “What else would you want for her freedom?”

“Someone to replace her, a mortal, preferably beautiful and young.”

Absolute dread filled her then and for a moment that seemed to stretch forever she debated internally what she should do. The word ‘Privateer’ floated into her brain and the thin shreds of her conscience ripped at her and while the larger part of her didn’t really care about the life and freedom of one mortal in exchange for the safety of Spring, one nagging voice refused to go away and she realised that there was no other choice than the one she was reluctant to take.

“No deal. But in exchange for what you owe me I have another offer. You take no deals for Aria’s freedom from anyone and release anyone who isn’t her from any already made with you. The only pledge that stands is the one between you and her for her own freedom, to be completed at midsummer. Do we have a deal?” She asked, offering out one glove clad hand.

He paused for a moment, looking at her intently before he nodded and shook her hand. Velvet felt the seal of the pledge and nodded again to him before turning and leaving as quickly as she could, her heart hammering even from that short contact with one of the Gentry.

* * *

It was dark, but the night was still warm with summer and quite pleasant to be out in. Once again she was wearing the semblance of someone else, though that would be completely hidden soon enough, just as soon as she got somewhere a little quieter.

Pausing in an alley, she blended herself into the background, completely unseen now by anyone going past and she settled down to wait. She had watched her target now for several nights, she knew her routes and foibles, enough to be sure that waiting here would lead her right past and let her take care of business as quickly and quietly as possible.

Time stretched on but the assassin in the dark never moved a muscle or even twitched, her patience the product of years of her Keeper’s vicious training. Finally there she was, the beautiful Fairest woman with her fancy dresses and perfect appearance. The scent of flowers and the fall of petals accompanied her just as it did the woman waiting in the darkness. Just as she moved to walk past the alley there was a sudden pressure on her back as she was grabbed from behind. There was no time to scream as a gloved hand clamped over her mouth as the other hand swiftly drew a knife across her throat.

Aria fell to the ground, gurgling and moaning. Her still unseen killer stood over her and watched her death throes, not enjoying them as much as she usually did. The woman on the floor was her Court, was meant to be someone she protected, but in the end she had felt there to be no other choice.

Should they uncover the truth of who killed her then she would die. The anger of those who loved Aria would follow her until they had their revenge. Not to mention what Darken Fel would do when he realised that she had tricked him into losing Aria and anyone else who had tried to sell themselves or someone else in order to free her from her promise. There would be an ugly price for her to pay for this evening’s work should they find that she was responsible. But in the end she had to do what was required to protect the Court, even if that meant killing one of them to save others.