The Haunting (Open)

[Deleted]

Aria looked on with interest as this new blondie talked; her eyebrow raising when he mentioned that these where his catacombs. Well then; she would need to formally meet this man….he could be useful. That was if he didn’t get himself caught. As the person who was supposed to scout ahead got called out Aria winced in sympathy. She did not want to be that guy….though he did do his job horribly. A failed scout could be death or capture on the job. It was something that no leader could take lightly.
Aria could only smile at Claires cover up; personally she found it amusing. She never really even had a first kiss yet never mind sleeping around with multiple men that would earn her the title of whore….So the statement amused her. There little get together didn’t last very much longer when two others joined their party.
At the site of more back up, Aria scooted around Claire and walked up to Madoc. She ungloved one of her hands and shoved the spare into her pocket. Aria popped a finger into her mouth, and promptly shoved the wet willy into Madocs ear. Aria skipped off to the side quickly and went and jumped up onto the carts, her transformation and invisibility dropping as she sat on whatever it was.

”So what is this blondie haulin over here to get the Royal Guard involved”

Aria waved to Ilta and looked over at Claire who was given her dagger.

”Mind tossing that back here please?”

[Madoc Crewe]

If Madoc doesn’t believe Claire, he certainly doesn’t show it. He continues smiling, “Well, if you are lost, may I escort you someplace safe. These tunnels are full of dangerous things and people.” Looking at her sword, he adds, “You really ought to relax a little. Some men would have drawn their blades the moment that they saw you touch yours.”

A clash followed by footsteps.  Madoc looks at the sudden source of sound to see the Mage Hound of the guard. “And if it isn’t Roland Walker. You certainly do have impeccable timing.” He stares down at the two men bound up in silk rope. “And excellent choice in bindings, might I add. It looks so soft.”

Madoc shakes her head as the cat lady comes out of hiding. Looking at the armed woman, he says, “She doesn’t appear to be a whore at all. Not that, it isn’t a perfectly respectable profession. But you shouldn’t be so rude to your friends.” He smiles at the cat lady. “You have nothing to be sorry for, my lady. But I believe I have put you in a horribly awkward situation here,” he says, gesturing to the guards in front of him.

Madoc can feel a presence next to him before the finger even goes into his ear. The delicate slide of a glove over a hand. Where was this woman? When a sudden wet hand goes inside Madoc’s ear, he gently grabs the hand and kisses the top of it. The contact is only brief as he quickly lets go. “If you wanted my attention, you need only ask."  He shakes his head when the redhead asks about the contents in the carts.  "I'm afraid that is something shared only between me and my clients.  However, if Mr. Walker knows, I would be interested in knowing how."

Looking back at the bound men, he points to the one he sent back, “I believe that one is mine.” He moves his finger in the direction of the other one, “But you can take, Mr. Cardas over there.” Looking back up at Mr. Walker and his subordinate, he asks, “So I don’t suppose that there is some amount of gold that I can give you to get you two to leave with just Mr. Cardas?”

[Claire]

“Not lost, I can turn around the way I came.” So far it looked like the man was buying her excuse. While she liked a fight, one on five wasn’t great odds, especially in a cramped space. But she could make it work. She scoffed a little at his suggestion to relax, clearly not about to do so. She was about to open her mouth in reply when that feline girl came slinking out from around the corner.

Claire looked in her direction sharply, startled. What? Why the hell would she give herself up, it was dangerous! She could have hid or ran, how stupid could this girl be? Before she could say anything, another noise reached her ears and she looked back down the hall. When Roland and Ilta came out of the darkness, she locked eyes with the dark man and swore. Loudly.

“<Goddess save me from these stupid sacks of shit I should have just stayed in Verdon.>” Claire locked her hand harder on her sword, shooting Ilta a less than kind look.

“Fine.” she muttered back, looking back towards Madoc. “Dealing with these <screaming infants>.”

Then Aria reappeared. And Claire stared at her. She had to be fucking kidding with her. What was this girl trying to do? Was she that stupid? She suspected it, but it was now painfully obvious that she could be mentally deficient. Why on earth would she think this was a good idea otherwise. All she could do was shake her head no, clearly furious.

[Roland]

As Aria appeared and stuck her finger in Madoc's ear Roland cracks a smile. He did not like Madoc and watching him get screwed around with was amusing. Maybe I really do have a bad personality He realizes as he's thinking about this, but his smile quickly returns to a frown and he takes another step towards Madoc. "This man is Madoc Crewe, he's a smuggler and a criminal," Roland narrows his eyes.

"Well if you're completely above board Madoc I am sure you won't mind me looking through your goods." He says with a suspicious scowl. "Ilta, be careful these men can be dangerous, though I'm sure you have something to cover your ass Madoc." he says and then looks back at the men, though as he hears Madocs final comment he looks at the man with cold hatred and raw anger in his eyes.

"Madoc I don't take bribes, if I wanted money I sure as hell wouldn't be working for the crown." He says with a voice tinged with venom. "I caught this man assaulting the other he is under arrest, and I will be leaving you to your work as soon as I have a chance to check that cart." He says as a dull violet glow emits from underneath his hat. Roland had prepared several spells in case this got ugly.

[Deleted]

Ilta is fairly confused as another woman shows up and hands Claire a dagger. From the outfit, the cat woman was some kind of exotic dancer. Claire must lead some kind of wild life. Just what were they doing down here? Hell, Ilta didn’t even know exactly why she was here. That was Alex’s dagger too. Where was that woman?

Claire seemed pissed at the entire world at the moment. Ilta isn’t even sure what she did to deserve that look.  She looks away and turns her attention back to Madoc.

She shakes her head as Alex wet willies the man that they were presumably supposed to apprehend.  However, she does return the wave.  That answered one of her questions, but damn this whole situation was strange.  Of course, it was strange.  Alex was here.  Madoc seemed to be taking this all in stride somehow.
 
Ilta nods as Roland says these men were dangerous. “I figured, sir. They are armed.” She liked to believe no one was that dumb to think that everything was perfectly safe. Everyone, except for maybe the dancer, had some form of weaponry on them. In addition, Madoc’s people seemed capable enough to put up a strong fight.

As Madoc offers the bribe, she looks to Roland to see what he was going to do. What would she do if he took the bribe? She could just take it too. However, she doesn’t have to have that dilemma as Roland declines.  Roland seemed to take his job very seriously.  Well, he seemed to take everything extremely serious.  

[Deleted]

Amiee did her best not to blush at the man's compliment. Then again with an angry Clarie beside her for one reason or another. Looking up, tucking her hair behind where her humans would have been, she looked at the people who filled the little area. A smuggler, two strange women, a member of the royal guard and maybe his lieutenant.

The reason she gave Clarie the dagger was because she wasn't comfortable with it, it sadly wasn't the type of weapon that she would use if it came to a fight. Flexing her claws at her sides, as the fur on her neck started to end on end. Taking small steps back not wanting get into a fight, she could handle herself but when facing someone with a sword she didn't think that she could come out okay.

[Deleted]

She was amused as Madoc placed the fault in himself, really any fault in awkward situations belonged to the three who saw an open grate with free light sources and decided it would be a good idea to go exploring. Because nothing shady could possibly going on in a recently opened grate leading into smelly underground tunnels. Aria hid her surprise well as she felt lips briefly brush against her hand. She was expecting a stabbing or some violent reaction. She did however have to admire is ability to keep a straight face and continue acting as though it was a normal meeting. After all she just wet willied him in front of his underlings. That would tweak most leaders out. The man certainly had a silver tounge on him, one that could put most people at ease. It would seem Amiee fell for it like no tomorrow, but she couldn't blame the girl to much he was a pretty face with kind words. Charming really, like a snake in the grass. Aria watched the girl curiously for a bit be for turning her attention back to the matter at hand. Madoc had generously placed some suspicions off of her by clearly stating that she had no business in poking around at his transported goods. Really it practically screamed look at me I'm secret!

Claire did not seem to be taking this well at all: she looked like she was about to blow. It would seem she did not take plans changing in stride. Really she had forgotten the cardinal rule, if someone had the potential too act like an idiot then of course they would. Aria grinned from atop of her place on the cart and blew a kiss towards the older woman like the buttmunch she was, knowing full well that might be what sent her over the edge. Aria was glad she was out of arms reach, she knew that gi could punch. Aria might have stayed hidden if Roland and Ilta hadn't shown up. But they had and now Aria had multiple reasons of showing herself. First she made a new potential contact, and in a way that seemed to amuse the grumpy guard. Roland did not seem like the type who you wanted as an enemy. Plus dumber she appeared the better, wasn't good to have the guards get the right ideas. Third well the third was obvious , with just Claire , Ilta, and Roland the prospect of fighting ones way out didn't seem to horrible, with two extra bodies to worry about the prospect seemed less promising.

Roland however did not seem fooled by Madoc and warned them to keep on guard. His words at least seemed to put Amiee back in place; she was glad to see she was ready to use those claws if she needed to. Then Madoc offered a bribe, Aria shook her head knowing the answer even before he said it. Even if Roland was the type to accept bribes, he had an underling and three potential people who could report him. He had no option but to refuse, much better to have previously bribed a jailer or a higher up in the system before hand in case a sitiation like this arose. Though if Madoc was as accomplished as he seemed to be he probably had something like that in place. Though she supposed him offering was a show put on for his underlings. They would at least need to seem him try if he wanted to keep their loyalty if they had any.

[Madoc Crewe]

Madoc sighs as Roland introduces him. “I do a lot of legitimate transportation contrary to what Mr. Walker would have you believe.” Which was true. Occasionally, Madoc did do things legally. Occasionally.

Madoc gives Roland an insulted look as he calls him and his people dangerous. “What have I done to upset you so?” He folds his arms in front of him, and says, “I don’t think I’ve even threatened anyone this evening.”

The sad and hurt look that Madoc gives Roland as he refuses his bribe is probably comparable to someone having been smacked in the face by a loved one. He then looks down at his bound and arrested subordinate, “I am sorry about this.” He did try to get him out.

Madoc gestures to his carts. Inside the carts are multiple closed boxes. “I suppose there is no way around it. One of the tailor’s guild told me no one gets a look at these. Evidently, creating fashion among nobility is quite competitive business. Who knew. Also, everyone wants to impress that foreign princess who came in recently. The silks are from Oroun. Yes, they went through the port. Yes, I paid all relevant fees. Yes, I have proof,” he says, producing a few papers from his coat pocket. If Roland should look at the boxes, there would be long yards of colorful silk, neatly folded and bundled up. The papers would seem to check out any initial inspection.

[Roland]

Roland's scowl deepens and Madoc begins talking again. "You don't get a pass on being a criminal because you only break the law "some of the time" that's not how it works." Roland growls as he walks up to Madoc and takes the paper then glances at them briefly, making sure to not let down his guard. He was actually quite good at spotting forgeries, but unfortunately it would be difficult to do so in this dim lighting and under these conditions.

"Ilta, you were some kind of craftsman before you joined up right? Take a look at the cargo." He tells her before turning his attention to the others. "I am curious what you three are doing down here, but I suppose I will need to put that on the back burner at the moment." He says to Aria, Claire and Amiee before turning his attention back to Madoc and his men. "These papers at first glance seem fine, but I will need take them for closer inspection.

Rolands lets out a shrill whistle and the stone lion that several of them had seen before, and what appeared to be Roland's favorite of the things he had a tendancy to animate laboriously plods over to them. Roland waits for Ilta to get to the wagon. Then, slipping the paper into a pocket sewn to the inside of his coat he inhales deeply and the animated ropes binding the two henchmen stop moving and return to being normal, but firm restraints. Rolands eyes begin to glow and he says "Well Madoc, you won't have to worry about your man here being alone, attempting to bribe an official of the crown and accessory to an attempted violent crime is at least enough for me to keep you overnight."

Roland smiles and takes out another length of silk rope. Though he does not approach Madoc or his men. "Drop your weapon, turn around, and put your hands behind you back." he instructs in a businesslike tone.

[Deleted]

Ilta walks over to the cargo. Yes, those were silks alright. She isn’t sure exactly what she is looking for. Why did Roland think she would be able to spot counterfeit women’s fashion? Hell, she wore men’s clothing pretty much every moment of her life from the time she could dress herself. “Sir, I was a blacksmith,” she says, hoping that she can get across the fact that she knew probably about as much as Roland in this instance. She picks up one of the yards and carefully unravels it a bit. Yep, it still looked like silk.

She picks up a few others for good measure, but they seem the same as the first. Shaking her head after finding nothing incredibly peculiar with them, she says to Roland, “As far as I can tell, they appear to be normal, sir.” She wasn’t an expert on this by any means, but she had no reason to suspect anything abnormal with them.

The stone statues still freak her out a bit. It definitely seemed like dark magic. Yet, that didn’t much fit with how she see Roland. She watches the lions trod along for a bit before going to the wagon. One of these days, she would get used to that. She keeps her eyes on the other men as Roland asks for Madoc to willing submit to arrest. This was going to end in a fight probably. Two against Five. Unless the other three joined, then they would be even.

[Deleted]

Not following the conversation, she tilted her head and look at the boxes. Her ears picked up the words silk, that quickly snapped her out the blushing cat mood quickly. Surely if one was Transporting something as precious as silk they wouldn't be doing it down here, in the tunnels. What if one fell into the water or rats and other things started to get to them.



Her paws moved on they slowly heading toward the woman with the horns. It was almost as if she was in a trance of kind. Stopping, she looked at Roland then Ilta, as her paw reached out to touch the silk. "May I?" She had only felt the touch of silk a few times in her life, mostly the richer client.



Once one of the girls had gotten a silk scarf as a present from one of her client's. She still remembered the touch of it under her paws, how soft it was comparable to a cloud even. Not waiting for an answer, being careful of her claws she touched the silk. It was soft under her paws, rubbing it together it was the same as before. She whispered softly barely audible unless a person was standing close enough to hear her or had ears of a bloodhound. "It's real."



Amiee jumped snapping out of whatever trance the pretty fabric had cast over her. Her eyes landed upon the stone lion, it might had seemed scary but to her it was calming almost friendly reminder that the lion even made out of stone was still a cat. Eye landing upon Roland, she didn't know for sure but now she knew that he could be trusted.

[Deleted]

Aria really could care less if it was illegal or not, back at home the illegal means were the only way common folk could get anything decent. In the third district the thieves ruled the streets; crime ran rampant anyways...it was simpler to live with them then to fight it…plus more than likely if you were a third district person it was more than likely that at least one or more of your relatives were in the shady business. Now Aria herself wasn’t one to steal…not often unless she needed it to survive. To her it still felt morally wrong just to swipe something out of pure greed; however even before her morals became as laxed as they were now she wasn’t above helping a thief out of a jam. She knew the tunnels back home in fey better than almost anyone else in the city; she acted as a guide more often than not. It was what had fed her all those years before she was able to hunt.

Although when Madoc claimed to not have threatened anyone this evening, she was pretty sure the termination of employment was just a bit more than just a threat. Aria let out a snort when he said he was transporting silk for upscale fashion.

”I never understood the appeal of that; if it covers all the lumps that it’s supposed to then any garment is fine. Personally I’m fine with wearing a potato sack…”

Aria watched with amusement as Ilta came over to open one of the boxes, her attention turned to Roland when he mentioned he was curious to why they were down here. Aria was going to take a wild guess to why Claire was down here by the timing of the scents that she smelled around the grate.

”For an all quite innocently stupid reason really; Claire here I assumed saw something that led her down here. There was an open grate, and I think its safe to assume Claire probably heard that man when he was sent to scout ahead. I happened to fallow miss Amiee down after she went down after Claire….so really I believe all three of our reasons had to do simple curiosity. So unexciting reason, interesting results.”

Aria conveniently left out she had fallowed Amiee down with the fear that she was after Claire…and proceeded to bag the cat and hold the knife to her throat. As Ilta and Amiee went threw the silk Aria itched her nose while looking at Madoc with a raised eyebrow. She stood up from her position from the crates and hopped down, since they were being searched she might as well go stand by Claire once more. Really it was smarter to keep the numbers of people even on each side. With Amiee and Ilta moving over to the crates seemed silly for her to hang there.

Things went south again when Roland seemed to at least want to arrest them for something.

”Does that include us who happen to be here at the wrong place and wrong time? Or are we free to keep our weapons”

[Madoc Crewe]

As Roland growls at him, Madoc continues looking sad and hurt. “I really don’t know what I have done that’s given you such a poor opinion of me and my work,” he says, innocently. “I’ve been nothing if not respectful and cooperative this evening.” Madoc crosses his arms and waits for the guards to finish the inspection of his carts. “Can you fold that neatly when you are done?” he asks Ilta. “Presentation is important after all.”

He smiles at the Amiee as she confirms that it is real. “A high class woman always knows her silks.” Seeing her entranced by them, he adds, “Perhaps, I can convince my client to give you a discount. They would look good on you. There is a blue in there that matches your eyes.”

He looks back at the redhead who seemed to know less about the silks. “Well, with someone of your beauty, I think you would look wonderful anything. Even a potato sack. Or nothing.”

Madoc looks down at the silk rope. “I suppose I can spend the evening with you, bound up. How could I possibly refuse?” He turns to one his men and hands him his sword. A shortish man with a broken nose. He then points to the carts. “Mr. Vesli, please lead the others and make sure this gets to its intended recipient. Hopefully, I will see you all in the morning after Mr. Walker has had his way with me.” He gives a nod, “Yes, sir.”

He then fully turns his back to Mr. Walker with his hands behind him. “Shall we go for the evening then?”

[Claire]

Claire listened.

Stolen goods, foolish girls. She should have the sense to simply turn on her heel and leave, and frankly she was considering it until her dark-garbed acquaintance made his intentions clear. Despite Aria prattling in her direction, she kept her focus on Madoc and Roland. A wrong move from either of them could lead to a close-quarters brawl. Her shoulders relaxed slightly when it looked like Madoc was giving himself up, but it could be a trick. Especially with his men so close. Her fingers did not relax on the pommel of her sword but she did lower her torch, the light changing subtly in the passage. She remained silent, tense. Ready for what could become an inevitable bloody brawl if Madoc had some sort of trick up his finely tailored sleeve.

[Roland]

When Ilta says she doesn't have much experience with this kind of thing he nods. "Unfotunately I do not either." He admits in thought and then thinks of something. "Ahh~ well then I have an idea." He says with a smile as the silken rope in his hand suddenly slithers across the floor and binding Madoc's hands behind his back in a very uncomfortable fashion.

"Alright Madoc, you can come with me and these other two," Roland instructs, a coldness in his glowing eyes that would chill to the bone as he. The Lion, rope and final animated piece he hadn't revealed yet were taking more of his energy than he would have liked, though the lion was not particularly difficult to maintain in comparison to the other two.

"Since I am bringing Madoc with me, Guards woman Ilta I would like you and my stone friend here to escort the caravan and make sure it gets to the people who ordered the goods." He instructs as the lion lopes over next to Ilta. Though his his head turns to Aria as she asks if they had to put down their weapons as well and he looks at her and shakes his head.

"No, you are all fine." He says "Come on Madoc."