#( intiative: 12 (Ash) and 7 (mercenaries) )

[swords-and-lutes]

A Blade’s Dilemma

Date: May 21 Time: Late evening Location: Sideway street in Khaggon

@efraincrayhorn​

It appeared to be a common occurence to have more shadow than light in a city like Khaggon. Especially in the less affluent parts of town, where the workers resided and the streets were less likely to be overrun with guards and other martial representatives of the law. Ash had seen more of the king’s soldiers lately on her journeys back and forth between Myrefall and Khaggon. It was the sort of travel that allowed her plenty of time to experience the goings-on that the cities and settlements might not be the most privy to.

Clad in simple street wear and a dark cloak, Ash had been meeting with a new acquaintance over a few drinks, and she may have overdone it on the drinking part of it. She wasn’t too bad off, just a little off-balance and... Oh, who was she kidding, she was obviously past the point of tipsy by now. 

“You know...” Ash froze at the sound of an unfamiliar voice nearby. She turned around to see a pair of humans walk towards her, a man and a woman. “I was expecting the Liberator to be a bit tougher-lookin’ than this.”

The woman let out a dark chuckle. “It’s always the ones you least expect, isn’t it? Just ‘cause you look sweet and innocent like this doesn’t we don’t know what you’re really all about.”

Ash stopped herself from swaying too much and adopted as much of a confused face as possible. “I’m sorry... Do I know you?” She looked from the woman back to the man, playing the part of confused passer-by like she’d done plenty of times before. The Liberator... That was a new one.

The man seemed to buy it as he looked towards his partner. “Did... Do we have the right one?”

“You know those shapechangers.” She brandished the longsword at her side and threw Ash a stone cold stare. “Whether or not she’s the one, there’s no need to go back now.” The sword came out of its scabbard, pointed towards her. “You’re coming with us, or you die at our hands.”

“I... Please, I’m not who you think I am...” Her voice was shaky, partly from fear and partly to keep up the innocent act, but it seemed like they had made up their mind. “Help! Someone, please help!”

She really didn’t want to fight them and blow her cover like this, but that seemed to be what was happening here.