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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2007 10:03:35 GMT -5
Aranya, Aerie, Ser Haviland and Aranya's twenty men-at-arms followed the would-be assassins to the dark little storehouse. It was long past three in the morning and the streets were empty - and if anyone saw them, nobody molested their party. Once a watchman in a gold cloak tried to bar their way, but Aranya stared him down, and they rode passed him in silence.
Leaving their horses outside with two of Aranya's men, Aranya led the others into the storehouse. In a backroom there was a chair with it's back to them. It was at an angle, though, and Aranya could see the sleeve of the man's tunic as he reclined in the chair. He had the colors of House Glover.
She signalled to her men, who fanned out about the storehouse silently, watchful for attackers. If any tried to spring a surprise, Aranya would spring her own.
"You will turn around," Aranya said coldly. "We have some questions for you, Glover. If you answer them, your death will be swift and relatively painless."
Glover ignored her, and did not turn around.
Aranya stood silently for a moment, then strode over and yanked the man out of his chair. He was rigid and yet limp, and when she pulled him out, he fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
Some of the men shouted in alarm.
"Someone already killed Lord Glover," Ser Haviland said with satisfaction, over the alarmed cries.
Aranya's eyes were glinting, but she held up a hand for silence as she examined the stiff, cold face. She raised her head and looked at them.
"This man is not Lord Glover. They stuffed some poor ass into his clothes." Her saber was out again, and she was watching the house warily. "Get out! If this is a trap, I'll be damned if I'll be taken by a bunch of lousy assassins." She herded them out the backdoor, and they took up positions, watching.
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Post by Teirney Lannister on Sept 2, 2007 10:41:56 GMT -5
Aerie growled her frustration at the gaping corpse that was not Glover, knuckles white on her sword. Why did he want Blackwoods dead? Where was the bastard now? She thought of Horas, the Master of Whisperers, and wondered if he would have any information on the man. Should I ask him for help? He is as much Blackwood as I… She stepped lightly through the storeroom door, casting resentful eyes at Aranya, who seemed to think she had taken command, or something ridiculous like that. “I wouldn’t mind have one of Glover’s idiots fall upon us. Loosening tongues isn’t so hard,” she said coldly.
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Post by Teirney Lannister on Sept 2, 2007 10:55:33 GMT -5
The quiet was broken by a door opening squeakily, followed by almost two dozen swords darting hungrily towards its wielder. It had not been heard. Alyssa’s blonde head appeared, jerking back warily from the blades in her face. “Alyssa,” Aerie said, motioning the men’s weapons away and the woman to her. “What did you find?”
“Nothing good,” she woman admitted unhappily, meeting Aerie’s gaze with hesitance. “Taria has been taken only a few hours ago. Her assailants bodies have been found, but she is nowhere to be seen. It would seem someone holds a vendetta against the Blackwoods. They were probably the ones sending the daggers, maybe to get you alone. You’d be easier to abduct that way.”
Aerie shook her head, fear and rage washing over her once more. “Where is Jonw hen you need him,” she snarled, thinking of the audacity of the man to leave his wife alone in a city of ownerless daggers. “Where will Glover stop? At least Graham and Horas are capable of taking care of themselves. We must tell Horas who is behind this. He should know, and we could use his help. Will you carry my message?” Alyssa nodded and slipped away.
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Post by Teirney Lannister on Sept 2, 2007 11:14:48 GMT -5
When Alyssa left, Aerie turned her attention to their hostages. We strode over to them, pulling a simple dagger from her twisted silver belt, ignoring Aranya’s existent explicitly. Time to test Alyssa’s theory. “Does this look familiar to you by any chance?” she asked silkily, displaying the dagger under their noses collectively as their eyes darted about whitely in fear. “Someone had forgotten it by my pillow, or gifted it to me perhaps, and I would so love to return the favor.”
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Post by The Smith on Sept 2, 2007 12:29:56 GMT -5
The captured assassin looked at the knife and whimpered, "I do not know. Please don't skin me."
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Post by Teirney Lannister on Sept 2, 2007 12:51:56 GMT -5
Aerie wrinkled her nose in disgust. These were the men sent to finish her off? “There are two ways we can do this,” she said sweetly, twirling the dagger between deft fingers. “You can either answer my questions or answer my questions without hands. I’d like to say that anything your master would do for running at the mouth could not be worse than what I have in store for you, but, unfortunately I don’t know who you work for and the truth of my statement would depend on that. Perhaps I can promise a nice safe cell for your cooperation with me? How does that sound?” She patted the quailing man in mock soothing gesture. “Now, other than Glover, for whom do you work? A gang, probably. And are you sure this dagger doesn’t trigger anything in your memory? I would hate to have it slip from my clumsy fingers and hurt one of you.”
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Post by The Smith on Sept 2, 2007 13:00:39 GMT -5
"Me and Jaeryn worked for whoever paid us the most. We never were part of a gang. We only worked for Glover this time. He hired us to attack you. I swear I have never seen that knife before. I have seen a lot of blades though maybe I am just misremembering it." He was sweating and whining like a pathetic fool, drool leaked from his mouth in long strands.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2007 13:18:02 GMT -5
Aranya looked at Aerie coldly. "We can't hope to catch these people if you tell everyone and their mother where we are." Ser Haviland and his men still surrounded them.
She glanced at the dagger in Aerie's hand. "Someone's been sending you presents, girl? And what is this about your insipid sister?" Were these Blackwoods as weak as fruit flies? Apart from strange, blue-lipped Horas, Aranya couldn't stand any of them.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2007 14:06:08 GMT -5
Aranya looked coldly at the shaking man and considered how easy it would be to get the information out of him, but decided against it. She was not going to do the dirty work for that ungrateful little chit of a girl. She had already given her more help than she deserved.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2007 14:14:56 GMT -5
"It looks like Aerie has a handle on things," Aranya said coolly. "We needn't stay here anymore." She was suddenly sick of Aerie, sick and furious. She had a little boy at home, and visions that plagued her every night, and the swords waiting to be lit with flame, and Emelia, and the horrible nightmares...she did not need this too. If Aerie Blackwood was so ungrateful and arrogant, she could tend to her own nightmares. Aranya had done enough.
At Aranya's glance, the black courser came forward. She mounted him, and signalled to Ser Haviland Ashby and his men, who also mounted up. Without a glance back, Aranya drummed her heels against the black's sides, and the stallion leaped forward, her men riding close behind. In a second, they had vanished into the night.
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Post by Lord Rhodri Arryn on Sept 2, 2007 18:36:52 GMT -5
--Lord Jon is going to show up here with a handful of men, but Aerie should have some time to continue questioning before he'd arrive.--
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Post by Teirney Lannister on Sept 2, 2007 22:26:45 GMT -5
Aerie ignored the woman’s blathering—let her think what she wished. Aerie knew she should be grateful, but something in the back of her mind kept her from it. She was not certain what it was, only that it resembled a vague feeling or notion. It almost seemed like Aranya did not help to help, but rather acted for her own reasons, more specifically for her own self-aggrandizement. That was the prickling that kept Aerie from gratitude; it was also the thing that kept her dislike. She could see Aranya was upset, but what did the woman want, for Aerie to lick her shoes?
As the wildling left with her entourage, Aerie called out a distracted thank you, turning her attention back to the men. Yes, thank you Aranya, for leaving me alone with four would-be assassins, tied up or not. That was what Aerie did not understand about her, but she shook the thoughts out of her head.
Aerie grabbed the man’s face and jerked it slowly back and forth between iron fingers. “Tsk tsk, you are the sort I despise the most: loyal to no one but useless hides. Now then, were you specifically sent out to kill me, or anyone of the Blackwood family? Who else has been assigned your lovely mission?” She wiggled the dagger. “Be truthful now or I’ll have to stop being so nice.”
ooc: Okay. Jon can come whenever, I'm close to being done.
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Post by The Smith on Sept 2, 2007 22:33:10 GMT -5
Looking at the solitary women some of the courage pumps back into the man, "I will tell you but only if you swear to let me go." All of the men begin to stretch and shift against their bonds.
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Post by Lord Rhodri Arryn on Sept 2, 2007 22:34:36 GMT -5
Lord Jon Royce, Ser Martyn Tully and several knights of the Vale Watch enter the storehouse. The knights fan out, looking around, while Jon and Martyn approach Aerie.
"Mi'lady...I had heard you had made some...progress," Jon says, looking at the captive men. One of the daggers is prominently carried on his belt.
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Post by Teirney Lannister on Sept 2, 2007 22:36:55 GMT -5
For a second, Aerie thought she would have to plant the dagger in one of the men to make an example for the restive group—what a waste—, but, suddenly, Jon was there with a handful of men. The man approached her with…Tully. Well, this would be a nice conversation. "Not really," she replied to Jon, kicking in the ribs the man who had tried to bargain with her. "Mmm, I think not, hon," she smiled to the nauseating killer.
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Hope you all are well and happy.