Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Intertwining Shadows

Niema looked down at the guard who had stopped her. "I think I was clear when I said that my business in Vornak is none of your concern! But if you delay me much longer with your meaningless questions, I'm sure that the people I do this business with will make it their concern to contact your superiors!" The guard, suddenly unsure how to react looked up at the woman. She was riding a tall, perfectly black horse and was dressed in a long silken black robe. She looked down on him with a look that left no doubt of nobility. Although the hooded robe didn't reveal much, black hair with a blue shimmer was visible framing the face and bulges to the left and right of the hood hinted towards horns. She didn't look like your everyday traveller in these lands and unlike the noble women he saw regularly, she travelled without guards. He looked over his should to his colleague for help but he had vanished into the guard's hut. He gave up. "I'm sorry mylady, but I'm just following orders. But of course, a lady like you would only do legit business, so please forgive me for asking! Please do enjoy your stay in Vornak!"

Leaving the gate behind her Niema had to smile. The horse was a good buy. She had found it in the stables of Gilderock and immediately loved its dark black coat. The previous owner needed only a little convincing to make her a good price and was suddenly quite happy to sell contrary to his first comment. An expensive looking horse added to her appearance as a noble woman and definitely had worked on the guards.

She had found out that her travel companions had followed a paladin to take a job guarding a tax cart to Vornak. She just had to arrange to 'accidentally' cross their path again. But first she could focus on more pleasurable encounters. She hadn't been to Vornak in a long time. It was territory outside the realm of her guild and the local guild would not take it lightly if she would conduct business here. Under the eyes of passersby who happily made way to somebody dressed in black, she guided her horse to one of the more expensive inns.

She left the inn by foot when it was already dark and started to walk towards the poorer part of town. She hadn't seen her an years but had heard from a friend that she was in town. After an hour walk, she looked down the dark alley she was in. She knew this passage which was one of the darkest places in Vornak. She chose a dark corner and merged into the shadows. Most of her friends had no fixed address which made surprise visits always an adventure. But she always had stayed in this area, so Niema was confident she would find her here if she really was in town.

Only a few people passed by in the next 3 hours, all oblivious to Niema's presence. She passed the time by opening her mind and reaching out into the shadows. She could feel smaller creatures like spiders and rats around her and was just about to give up when she suddenly could feel another presence coming down the small road. Her hope came back when she could feel the person in the alley slowing down and hesitating just a few meters away. Niema smiled and connected to the shadow link of an unsuspecting spider near her. She moved along the Shadowfell connections until she had reached the presence now hiding and waiting behind a nearby corner listening into the night. She hadn't felt her for a long time but immediately recognised the familiar shadow. Stepping out of it, her dagger connected to the skin at the woman's throat, her mouth next to the woman's ear. "I always wonder how you survived that long with such bad reflexes!" The stranger answered in a surprisingly calm voice considering the dagger. "Maybe because people perpetually underestimate me!" She slowly stepped sideways out of Niema's grapple and Niema noticed that her body and arms were held firmly by shadows that had materialised around her. "I see you improved your skills to forge shadows into form!" The woman turned and revealed the pale features of a smiling Shadar-kai. "A noble woman like you in the territory of a hostile guild should clearly do better homework before acting. Don't they teach you anything in this guild of yours? It must be your alluring looks that kept you alive all this time!" Niema started to smile "Yes, and if you release me I will show you what I've learned about how to use those..."

The shadows started to loosen their grip as the slender Shadar-kai stepped towards her to embrace her. "Come on, I show you my place! It has been too long!"

5 comments:

  1. Oh yeah - we like a good tale of girl-on-girl action ;-)

    Sven's turned into some kind of modern fantasy version of Barbara Cartland.

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  2. Well, I thought: Why shouldn't Niema get some action as well, while you are playing hide-and-seek in the forest?. And who says there is anything indecent going on anyway? Just two old friends meeting again for a chat.....

    What happens in the shadows, stays in the shadows! Or are you brave enough to walk in there and check? ;-)

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  3. I refer you to your post:

    ' ... It must be your alluring looks that kept you alive all this time!" Niema started to smile "Yes, and if you release me I will show you what I've learned about how to use those... '

    I'd like to turn the page but it appears to have become stuck together ;)

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  4. You have a dirty, dirty mind my friend! She just wanted to take her friend to a bar and get the men pay for the cocktails......

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