Post by moralhazard on Mar 16, 2019 16:14:50 GMT
Yallasch
Honestly, the first day had been almost as good as promised. It had been a long hard slog to get there, with barely any stops; the monotony of the nights were broken only by the startlingly attractive caravan guard who’d joined them a tenday ago. Evy had spotted him first, but, then, her tastes ran generally in a different direction, and Miri had beaten her out in a best three of five card game for the honor. He had started to get clingy, though, and Miri had been a bit relieved to leave him behind at Theymarsh and for her and Evy to journey the last few days alone.
Evy seemed to be enjoying Yallasch as much as promised, a permanent smile practically engraved on her face as the two women explored.
That was why it was something of a surprise when Miri woke in the middle of the night to find Evy leaning over her, one finger on her lips.
Miri shifted, letting go of the dagger beneath her pillow, and raised an eyebrow.
Evy grinned, a little too enthusiastically for the hour. ‘ Three men in the hall and another on the ground below the window.’
Miri reached for the dagger again, rising. She didn’t bother with more than a breastband and panties when she slept, but it was the work of moment to pull on the clothes she’d discarded on the floor the night before and her boots.
‘ Ready?’ Evy crept to the window.
Miri followed silently behind her, adjusting her bracer and checking to make sure both of her daggers were in place. She slung her quiver over her shoulder and snapped her shortbow into it.
Evy eased the window open, slowly, edging out onto the sill and turning back to the roof. Her hands reached up, and she pulled her body up slowly and almost effortlessly, rising seamlessly onto the roof above.
Miri followed her out onto the narrow ledge, easing her feet down to keep the stained, warped wood from cracking beneath her feet. She eased the window back down with one hand, practically holding her breath until it settled into place.
Evy reached down and Miri clasped her wrist, one foot gently pressing against the wall for the inn for leverage as she and Evy worked together to pull her up onto the roof.
There was the sound of shattering wood from below, and an angry yell.
‘ Go!’ Evy mind-whispered. ‘ Meet at the southern gates at sunrise!’ she didn’t actually wait for Miri to acknowledge the suggestion, taking off full speed and still somehow practically silent along the roof, leaping off of it onto the one next door.
Miri ran straight back, climbing over the point of the roof and sliding down the other side. She bounded the few feet from the main roof onto the roof of the inn’s back building, a sturdy little kitchen shack.
“There!” There was a shout from the back yard of the inn. “It’s gotta be her!”
Of course, Miri thought with a sigh - Evy couldn’t have known about the ones at the back. She could hear more shouting from the front and guessed the half-elf had been spotted as well.
Miri slid down off the rooftop, landing in a crouch on the ground, rising easily and sprinting down the street. She took a hard left at the first alleyway, stepping off a pile of crates into a barrel and pulling herself on to another rooftop, lying flat against the edge.
Footsteps pounded along the street outside, and Miri could hear two voices in the alleyway below.
“She can’t have vanished!” One man said, kicking viciously at one of the crates. “We’ll split up - I’ll search the alley, you try the street.”
Miri smiled.
She heard one set of running feet, softer and softer as they left the alley. The second person was walking, slowly, with a loud clatter that suggested he was checking behind barrels and under crates.
Miri waited - listened - listened - and eased herself slowly up onto her side, very, very quietly, dagger grasped in one hand. When she judged the footsteps were just below, she rolled over and off the rooftop, twisting in midair and landing on the man with both feet, slamming him face up into the ground. The dagger flashed down and ripped across, and Miri took off running without bothering to confirm the result, a strangled gurgle behind her all the proof she needed.
“There!” Miri heard another shout from the next street as she left the alley. Two men, charging down the street at her. Up on the rooftops, Miri caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair reflected in the moonlight as Evy raced cheerfully away.
Miri dropped to one knee, shooting off an arrow at the two men. It missed, but they stopped short anyway. Miri turned and ran down the street, glancing from side to side.
There was a glimmer - an open door. Miri turned on a gold piece and darted inside, slamming the door shut behind herself and jamming the only chair in the room beneath the handle.
“Hey... what’s...” a disheveled looking woman blinked up at Miri from the floor, an empty syringe lying next to her.
Miri blew her a kiss. “Some men coming, sweetheart. Be careful,” she paused, glancing at the silvery traces in the syringe. “Try to get purer stuff next time. That magic shit they cut it with can make you pop.”
There was a loud banging and furious yelling at the door.
Miri took off down the hallway. Two rooms at the end - she closed the door of one, giving it a good shove to jam the warped door in the frame, then turned and sprinted through the other side, leaving it wide open behind her. She climbed out the window, into a warren of footpaths that connected this house to other slums. Yelling echoed from the house, two male voices and one female one. There was a silvery flash of light and a muffled boom. Miri winced.
She took off along the paths, twisting right then left. A sewer! Miri eased the grate up and climbed down the first rungs of the ladder, easing the grate into place behind her and wishing she’d thought to pick up a few of those no-smell drops.
Miri climbed the rest of the way down the ladder, slowly, trying not to make a sound. She heard footsteps above - only one set, she thought, and they didn’t seem to pause at the grate.
Miri glanced down at the murky sludge floating at the bottom of the sewer, then at her favorite leather pants. She sighed, slipping her boots off and slinging them over her shoulder. After a moment, Miri wriggled out of her pants as well, hanging from the ladder with one hand, tying the legs like a scarf around her neck, and made her way bare-legged along the sewer.
“Miri?” Evy’s voice echoed, soft and cautious, the half-elf reaching the southern gates just as the sun rose up over the horizon, the sky shifting from dark blue to pale pink-gray in front of them.
“What took you so long?” Miri sat up from the pile of hay next to the gates, yawning and stretching.
Evy laughed, plucking a few strands of straw out of Miri’s hair. “Where are your pants?” Evy asked, then paused. “What’s that smell?”
“It’s not you, Miri,” the dwarf glanced from side to side across the Slaken Thirst, then pulled his hood up over his head, hunching on his stool. “At least it wasn’t you. Now? I shouldn’t even be talking to you. At least they don’t know your name. Yet.”
“The sooner you tell me what’s going on, the sooner you don’t have to be talking to me,” Miri said, cheerfully, full-voiced. If anything, she sat up a little straighter on her stool.
The dwarf scowled, pulling a scarf out of somewhere and wrapping it around his face. He mumbled something inaudible through the thick fabric.
“What’s that, Stefan Olafson?” Miri raised her voice. “I can’t hear you.”
Stefan hissed. “Cut it out!” He growled, just audible through the scarf.
“Sorry, what was that?” Miri raised her voice a little more, smiling guilelessly.
Stefan snatched the scarf away, grumbly audibly about obnoxious bounty hunters who thought they were cleverer than everyone when they were actually just annoying.
Miri grinned, sliding the ale she’d gotten for Stefan before he’d sat down. “Can’t drink with that thing over your mouth anyway.” She pointed out.
Stefan snorted, but picked up the ale and took a long drink.
“So if it wasn’t me...” Miri said, encouragingly.
“Seems your girlfriend made a bit of a name for herself last time she was here,” the dwarf glanced sideways at Evy, as if looking at her directly might be too dangerous.
Miri glanced over at Evy, who was chatting enthusiastically with the tavern’s very pretty halfling waitress. Miri watched as the halfling leaned her head back and laughed at the blonde, thick brunette hair gleaming in the dim light.
“What kind of a name?” Miri raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Stefan scowled. “Something about collecting a bounty? Happened to be on the head of the son of the leader of the biggest criminal syndicate in the city? Also just so happens that the kid passed away in prison recently.”
“Very sad,” Miri paused. “Hardly Evy’s fault.”
“Yeah?” Stefan huffed. “You wanna be the one to tell Stronghold senior that, you go right ahead. Me, if I was you? I’d be out of here. Yesterday, if not sooner.”
“I’m just saying - we should go.” Miri raised an eyebrow at Evy. They were crouched in the attic of the Slaken Thirst, where the helpful halfling had led them after the arrival of two very, very angry looking men. Stefan slithered off his stool and did his best the moment they entered, a clear enough warning, leaving Miri just enough time to snatch Evy and hide in the kitchen. Five minutes later, the halfling had led them to the attic - and there they crouched still, nearly two hours later.
“I don’t want to go,” Evy grinned at Miri. “I like Yallasch. Plus, Lorelei has the night off tonight.”
“Where at you going to go, exactly?” Miri raised an eyebrow. “Somehow I don’t think getting her stabbed would make for a great first date.”
“It’s not a date!” Evy objected. “We’re just getting drinks.”
Miri sighed. “I think you’re missing the point.”
“No,” Evy said, cheerfully. “You are. I didn’t do anything except carry out a bounty. I’m not going to be forced out of a city for that.” She paused. “At least not before my date.”
Miri started to grin despite herself. “That sounds like you have an idea.”
“Do I ever,” Evy agreed, happily. “I’ll owe you, Miri. I promise. A huge favor.”
Miri began to laugh, understanding almost immediately as Evy began to explain. “Will you ever! All right. This once!”
Miri’s normally thick and curly black hair was flattened with a number of pins and an absurd amount of hair gel - courtesy of Lorelei - to her head. Evy had somehow procured a wig of long blonde hair, and she settled it carefully over Miri’s head, tucking it into place.
“You look ridiculous,” Evy beamed.
Miri paused. “Of course I do,” she touched the wig and grinned.
“No, it’s not a bad color!” Evy tilted her head to the side. “I think you could pull it off!” She insisted, over a loud snort from Miri. “It’s more the whole... ummm... effect.”
Miri was wearing her full-body leather armor, with a high collared shirt beneath to cover her neck, and thin gloves which molded to her fingers, leaving her hands covered but mostly useable. Just getting their trunks from the inn had been an enormous hassle; Stronghold wasn’t entirely stupid and had left guards at the front and back.
Luckily, the one at the back had left his drink unattended, and Miri had somehow - accidentally - sprinkled a little sleeping powder into it. Miri’s daggers were strapped in place, rapier hanging from one hip, and her bow and quiver slung across her back.
Miri snorted, taking the scarf from Evy and wrapping it around her face, leaving just a little exposed slit for her eyes.
“Perfect,” Evy beamed. “Now, let me just...” carefully she teased the blonde strands of the wig out of the opening in the scarf, leaving Miri utterly unidentifiable except for her long blonde hair.
“Are you sure this will work?” Miri asked, enunciating carefully through the scarf.
“Sorry, can’t hear you!” Evy beamed. “Just, um, try to stay mostly out of sight.”
Miri snorted. “Good luck tonight.”
“You too,” Evy grinned.
“You are really, really going to owe me,” Miri threatened.
“Sorry, it’s really hard to hear you through the, um,” Evy gestured at Miri’s face and smiled.
Just as Evy and Lorelei walked into a little guard-favored bar across town, Miri stepped directly into the bar owned by Stronghold Senior. She froze upon entry, very dramatically, pausing just long enough that almost every eye in the place was on her. Then she spun, carefully flicking her head to create a sheen of blonde hair and sprinted back out the door. Loudly.
“It’s her!” She heard someone cry from inside. “It’s Evy!” A second voice shouted.
Miri paused just a heartbeat outside, waiting until she heard the scrape of chairs against the floor and the rasp of swords against scabbards. Then she took off in earnest, sprinting straight down the street.
Loud cries echoed from the bar as easily half a dozen men poured out after her, chasing her down the street.
Miri darted around a pyramid of convenient barrels (placed there by her, several hours earlier), and shoved them back onto the street, smiling at the shouts and loud sounds of falling from behind her. She turned right into a nearby alley, stepping from a crate into the last of the barrels she’d set up that afternoon, and levered herself up onto the roof. There, she posed, hands on her hips, fake blonde hair flapping in the wind, visible even in the low evening light. She held the pose, for what felt like a very long time.
Finally – finally! – there was an exclamation from the street. “She’s on the roof!”
Miri turned and jogged lightly along the edge of the rooftop. An arrow twanged past her shoulder, and she ducked, just in time to miss a second.
No, Miri decided, she was not willing to get shot for Evy’s date.
Miri turned, climbing the steep peak of the roof, and slid down the other side in a crouch, leaping from it onto the next set of roofs and running along those instead. She heard a lot of loud and confused yells from behind her, as those on the ground did their best to follow the right streets to reach her.
Miri ran and ran, doing her best to avoid having to actually leap between roofs – always risky – and trying to find shifts where she could either climb up or jump down. It was a little limiting, but failing to clear a jump might well kill her. Finally, she was at the edge of what she could manage, a big street below, three of her pursuers yelling up at her from below.
Miri glanced down, then at the far roof. She backed up as far as she could manage, sprinted towards the edge, and flung herself at the distant roof, sailing over the gap as a hail of arrows arced through the air. She landed hard on the edge, scrabbling at the tiles with her gloved fingertips, and just barely managing to hang on. Slowly, she pulled herself up – why they didn’t shoot her while she was dangling from the rooftop, Miri honestly had no idea – and yanked the gloves off, leaving them behind on the roof. Not worth it!
By now, the continual effort of running was starting to get to her. Miri glanced around, then took off along the rooftops. Abruptly, at the next transition up, she froze, scooping up a handy nearby rock and chucking it along the roof so it skittered and clattered over the tiles. The men on the street below kept running without even looking up, and Miri sat back against a nearby chimney, sighing in relief and unwinding the scarf to take a few deep breaths. The night air reeked of smoke, garbage and ale, but being able to breathe without sucking in the fabric of the scarf was well worth it.
Miri leaned her head back against the chimney, squinting at the sky to try and gauge the position of the moon. What she could see of it through the lights of the city told her less than nothing. How long would Evy and Lorelei need at the bar, exactly? Once they went in for the night, Miri could find somewhere to bed down until dawn. Knowing Evy, she was probably taking her time with great enthusiasm.
“Where did she go?” Miri could just hear distant voices.
“We’ve lost her! Stronghold’s going to – ”
With a faint groan, Miri struggled back to her feet, shaking out her aching legs. She hopped down to the edge of the roof, glancing up and down the street. Finally, at the end of it, she spotted a little huddle of pursuers.
Miri leaned forward over the edge of the roof, grabbing her bow from her back and drawing back an arrow. She loosed it, sending the shot skidding into the cobblestones near the little huddle.
Nothing; it was like they didn’t even see it.
Miri took a deep breath, and fired another shot, this time straight into a barrel next to the men.
“Hey!” Finally, one of them glanced up, grabbing hold of the arrow and looking up and down the street.
Miri realized abruptly that she hadn’t recovered her face. She tilted her head, scooping the long sheath of fake blonde hair over her shoulder, waiting – waiting –
“It’s her!” Someone yelled.
Miri slapped her bow back on her back, covering her face again, and slid down off the roof, landing in a crouch on the street. She waited, one beat, until the pounding of footsteps was a little too close for comfort, and took off again. Evy was really going to owe her for this one.
Miri was woken up by Evy’s hand on her shoulder, gently pushing.
“Go ‘way,” Miri groaned, rolling over and burying her face in – straw? She sat up, blinking blearily, and remembered that she was waiting in a straw pile outside of the gates for Evy, not in a comfortable bed like she very, very much would have preferred to be.
Evy had the world’s widest grin on her face, and a very distinctive and irritating skip in her step. “Ready to go?” She beamed.
Miri groaned louder, flopping back into the straw.
“We shouldn’t dawdle,” Evy beamed. “Stronghold has a lot of friends between here and the Misty Vales – we should head straight for Kormul.”
Miri slowly, slowly pushed herself to her feet, brushing straw off of her armor. “Fine.” She paused. “Tell me you’ve never been there before.”
If possible, Evy beamed wider.
Miri squeezed her eyes shut.
Evy began to giggle. “No, never! It will be my first time too. I hear it’s super weird!” she slung her arm over Miri’s shoulder. “Where are the trunks?”
“Wagon off in the woods,” Miri rubbed her face.
“Where’s the wig?” Evy asked, turning and leading Miri towards the nearest stand of trees.
For the last half tenday, all Evy had talked about was how excited she was to see Yallasch again, how it was a gem, way better than the other little fake-glass cities studding the lake of steam. It had gotten to the point where Miri was actually a little excited herself.
Honestly, the first day had been almost as good as promised. It had been a long hard slog to get there, with barely any stops; the monotony of the nights were broken only by the startlingly attractive caravan guard who’d joined them a tenday ago. Evy had spotted him first, but, then, her tastes ran generally in a different direction, and Miri had beaten her out in a best three of five card game for the honor. He had started to get clingy, though, and Miri had been a bit relieved to leave him behind at Theymarsh and for her and Evy to journey the last few days alone.
Evy seemed to be enjoying Yallasch as much as promised, a permanent smile practically engraved on her face as the two women explored.
That was why it was something of a surprise when Miri woke in the middle of the night to find Evy leaning over her, one finger on her lips.
Miri shifted, letting go of the dagger beneath her pillow, and raised an eyebrow.
Evy grinned, a little too enthusiastically for the hour. ‘ Three men in the hall and another on the ground below the window.’
Miri reached for the dagger again, rising. She didn’t bother with more than a breastband and panties when she slept, but it was the work of moment to pull on the clothes she’d discarded on the floor the night before and her boots.
‘ Ready?’ Evy crept to the window.
Miri followed silently behind her, adjusting her bracer and checking to make sure both of her daggers were in place. She slung her quiver over her shoulder and snapped her shortbow into it.
Evy eased the window open, slowly, edging out onto the sill and turning back to the roof. Her hands reached up, and she pulled her body up slowly and almost effortlessly, rising seamlessly onto the roof above.
Miri followed her out onto the narrow ledge, easing her feet down to keep the stained, warped wood from cracking beneath her feet. She eased the window back down with one hand, practically holding her breath until it settled into place.
Evy reached down and Miri clasped her wrist, one foot gently pressing against the wall for the inn for leverage as she and Evy worked together to pull her up onto the roof.
There was the sound of shattering wood from below, and an angry yell.
‘ Go!’ Evy mind-whispered. ‘ Meet at the southern gates at sunrise!’ she didn’t actually wait for Miri to acknowledge the suggestion, taking off full speed and still somehow practically silent along the roof, leaping off of it onto the one next door.
Miri ran straight back, climbing over the point of the roof and sliding down the other side. She bounded the few feet from the main roof onto the roof of the inn’s back building, a sturdy little kitchen shack.
“There!” There was a shout from the back yard of the inn. “It’s gotta be her!”
Of course, Miri thought with a sigh - Evy couldn’t have known about the ones at the back. She could hear more shouting from the front and guessed the half-elf had been spotted as well.
Miri slid down off the rooftop, landing in a crouch on the ground, rising easily and sprinting down the street. She took a hard left at the first alleyway, stepping off a pile of crates into a barrel and pulling herself on to another rooftop, lying flat against the edge.
Footsteps pounded along the street outside, and Miri could hear two voices in the alleyway below.
“She can’t have vanished!” One man said, kicking viciously at one of the crates. “We’ll split up - I’ll search the alley, you try the street.”
Miri smiled.
She heard one set of running feet, softer and softer as they left the alley. The second person was walking, slowly, with a loud clatter that suggested he was checking behind barrels and under crates.
Miri waited - listened - listened - and eased herself slowly up onto her side, very, very quietly, dagger grasped in one hand. When she judged the footsteps were just below, she rolled over and off the rooftop, twisting in midair and landing on the man with both feet, slamming him face up into the ground. The dagger flashed down and ripped across, and Miri took off running without bothering to confirm the result, a strangled gurgle behind her all the proof she needed.
“There!” Miri heard another shout from the next street as she left the alley. Two men, charging down the street at her. Up on the rooftops, Miri caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair reflected in the moonlight as Evy raced cheerfully away.
Miri dropped to one knee, shooting off an arrow at the two men. It missed, but they stopped short anyway. Miri turned and ran down the street, glancing from side to side.
There was a glimmer - an open door. Miri turned on a gold piece and darted inside, slamming the door shut behind herself and jamming the only chair in the room beneath the handle.
“Hey... what’s...” a disheveled looking woman blinked up at Miri from the floor, an empty syringe lying next to her.
Miri blew her a kiss. “Some men coming, sweetheart. Be careful,” she paused, glancing at the silvery traces in the syringe. “Try to get purer stuff next time. That magic shit they cut it with can make you pop.”
There was a loud banging and furious yelling at the door.
Miri took off down the hallway. Two rooms at the end - she closed the door of one, giving it a good shove to jam the warped door in the frame, then turned and sprinted through the other side, leaving it wide open behind her. She climbed out the window, into a warren of footpaths that connected this house to other slums. Yelling echoed from the house, two male voices and one female one. There was a silvery flash of light and a muffled boom. Miri winced.
She took off along the paths, twisting right then left. A sewer! Miri eased the grate up and climbed down the first rungs of the ladder, easing the grate into place behind her and wishing she’d thought to pick up a few of those no-smell drops.
Miri climbed the rest of the way down the ladder, slowly, trying not to make a sound. She heard footsteps above - only one set, she thought, and they didn’t seem to pause at the grate.
Miri glanced down at the murky sludge floating at the bottom of the sewer, then at her favorite leather pants. She sighed, slipping her boots off and slinging them over her shoulder. After a moment, Miri wriggled out of her pants as well, hanging from the ladder with one hand, tying the legs like a scarf around her neck, and made her way bare-legged along the sewer.
“Miri?” Evy’s voice echoed, soft and cautious, the half-elf reaching the southern gates just as the sun rose up over the horizon, the sky shifting from dark blue to pale pink-gray in front of them.
“What took you so long?” Miri sat up from the pile of hay next to the gates, yawning and stretching.
Evy laughed, plucking a few strands of straw out of Miri’s hair. “Where are your pants?” Evy asked, then paused. “What’s that smell?”
“It’s not you, Miri,” the dwarf glanced from side to side across the Slaken Thirst, then pulled his hood up over his head, hunching on his stool. “At least it wasn’t you. Now? I shouldn’t even be talking to you. At least they don’t know your name. Yet.”
“The sooner you tell me what’s going on, the sooner you don’t have to be talking to me,” Miri said, cheerfully, full-voiced. If anything, she sat up a little straighter on her stool.
The dwarf scowled, pulling a scarf out of somewhere and wrapping it around his face. He mumbled something inaudible through the thick fabric.
“What’s that, Stefan Olafson?” Miri raised her voice. “I can’t hear you.”
Stefan hissed. “Cut it out!” He growled, just audible through the scarf.
“Sorry, what was that?” Miri raised her voice a little more, smiling guilelessly.
Stefan snatched the scarf away, grumbly audibly about obnoxious bounty hunters who thought they were cleverer than everyone when they were actually just annoying.
Miri grinned, sliding the ale she’d gotten for Stefan before he’d sat down. “Can’t drink with that thing over your mouth anyway.” She pointed out.
Stefan snorted, but picked up the ale and took a long drink.
“So if it wasn’t me...” Miri said, encouragingly.
“Seems your girlfriend made a bit of a name for herself last time she was here,” the dwarf glanced sideways at Evy, as if looking at her directly might be too dangerous.
Miri glanced over at Evy, who was chatting enthusiastically with the tavern’s very pretty halfling waitress. Miri watched as the halfling leaned her head back and laughed at the blonde, thick brunette hair gleaming in the dim light.
“What kind of a name?” Miri raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Stefan scowled. “Something about collecting a bounty? Happened to be on the head of the son of the leader of the biggest criminal syndicate in the city? Also just so happens that the kid passed away in prison recently.”
“Very sad,” Miri paused. “Hardly Evy’s fault.”
“Yeah?” Stefan huffed. “You wanna be the one to tell Stronghold senior that, you go right ahead. Me, if I was you? I’d be out of here. Yesterday, if not sooner.”
“I’m just saying - we should go.” Miri raised an eyebrow at Evy. They were crouched in the attic of the Slaken Thirst, where the helpful halfling had led them after the arrival of two very, very angry looking men. Stefan slithered off his stool and did his best the moment they entered, a clear enough warning, leaving Miri just enough time to snatch Evy and hide in the kitchen. Five minutes later, the halfling had led them to the attic - and there they crouched still, nearly two hours later.
“I don’t want to go,” Evy grinned at Miri. “I like Yallasch. Plus, Lorelei has the night off tonight.”
“Where at you going to go, exactly?” Miri raised an eyebrow. “Somehow I don’t think getting her stabbed would make for a great first date.”
“It’s not a date!” Evy objected. “We’re just getting drinks.”
Miri sighed. “I think you’re missing the point.”
“No,” Evy said, cheerfully. “You are. I didn’t do anything except carry out a bounty. I’m not going to be forced out of a city for that.” She paused. “At least not before my date.”
Miri started to grin despite herself. “That sounds like you have an idea.”
“Do I ever,” Evy agreed, happily. “I’ll owe you, Miri. I promise. A huge favor.”
Miri began to laugh, understanding almost immediately as Evy began to explain. “Will you ever! All right. This once!”
Miri’s normally thick and curly black hair was flattened with a number of pins and an absurd amount of hair gel - courtesy of Lorelei - to her head. Evy had somehow procured a wig of long blonde hair, and she settled it carefully over Miri’s head, tucking it into place.
“You look ridiculous,” Evy beamed.
Miri paused. “Of course I do,” she touched the wig and grinned.
“No, it’s not a bad color!” Evy tilted her head to the side. “I think you could pull it off!” She insisted, over a loud snort from Miri. “It’s more the whole... ummm... effect.”
Miri was wearing her full-body leather armor, with a high collared shirt beneath to cover her neck, and thin gloves which molded to her fingers, leaving her hands covered but mostly useable. Just getting their trunks from the inn had been an enormous hassle; Stronghold wasn’t entirely stupid and had left guards at the front and back.
Luckily, the one at the back had left his drink unattended, and Miri had somehow - accidentally - sprinkled a little sleeping powder into it. Miri’s daggers were strapped in place, rapier hanging from one hip, and her bow and quiver slung across her back.
Miri snorted, taking the scarf from Evy and wrapping it around her face, leaving just a little exposed slit for her eyes.
“Perfect,” Evy beamed. “Now, let me just...” carefully she teased the blonde strands of the wig out of the opening in the scarf, leaving Miri utterly unidentifiable except for her long blonde hair.
“Are you sure this will work?” Miri asked, enunciating carefully through the scarf.
“Sorry, can’t hear you!” Evy beamed. “Just, um, try to stay mostly out of sight.”
Miri snorted. “Good luck tonight.”
“You too,” Evy grinned.
“You are really, really going to owe me,” Miri threatened.
“Sorry, it’s really hard to hear you through the, um,” Evy gestured at Miri’s face and smiled.
Just as Evy and Lorelei walked into a little guard-favored bar across town, Miri stepped directly into the bar owned by Stronghold Senior. She froze upon entry, very dramatically, pausing just long enough that almost every eye in the place was on her. Then she spun, carefully flicking her head to create a sheen of blonde hair and sprinted back out the door. Loudly.
“It’s her!” She heard someone cry from inside. “It’s Evy!” A second voice shouted.
Miri paused just a heartbeat outside, waiting until she heard the scrape of chairs against the floor and the rasp of swords against scabbards. Then she took off in earnest, sprinting straight down the street.
Loud cries echoed from the bar as easily half a dozen men poured out after her, chasing her down the street.
Miri darted around a pyramid of convenient barrels (placed there by her, several hours earlier), and shoved them back onto the street, smiling at the shouts and loud sounds of falling from behind her. She turned right into a nearby alley, stepping from a crate into the last of the barrels she’d set up that afternoon, and levered herself up onto the roof. There, she posed, hands on her hips, fake blonde hair flapping in the wind, visible even in the low evening light. She held the pose, for what felt like a very long time.
Finally – finally! – there was an exclamation from the street. “She’s on the roof!”
Miri turned and jogged lightly along the edge of the rooftop. An arrow twanged past her shoulder, and she ducked, just in time to miss a second.
No, Miri decided, she was not willing to get shot for Evy’s date.
Miri turned, climbing the steep peak of the roof, and slid down the other side in a crouch, leaping from it onto the next set of roofs and running along those instead. She heard a lot of loud and confused yells from behind her, as those on the ground did their best to follow the right streets to reach her.
Miri ran and ran, doing her best to avoid having to actually leap between roofs – always risky – and trying to find shifts where she could either climb up or jump down. It was a little limiting, but failing to clear a jump might well kill her. Finally, she was at the edge of what she could manage, a big street below, three of her pursuers yelling up at her from below.
Miri glanced down, then at the far roof. She backed up as far as she could manage, sprinted towards the edge, and flung herself at the distant roof, sailing over the gap as a hail of arrows arced through the air. She landed hard on the edge, scrabbling at the tiles with her gloved fingertips, and just barely managing to hang on. Slowly, she pulled herself up – why they didn’t shoot her while she was dangling from the rooftop, Miri honestly had no idea – and yanked the gloves off, leaving them behind on the roof. Not worth it!
By now, the continual effort of running was starting to get to her. Miri glanced around, then took off along the rooftops. Abruptly, at the next transition up, she froze, scooping up a handy nearby rock and chucking it along the roof so it skittered and clattered over the tiles. The men on the street below kept running without even looking up, and Miri sat back against a nearby chimney, sighing in relief and unwinding the scarf to take a few deep breaths. The night air reeked of smoke, garbage and ale, but being able to breathe without sucking in the fabric of the scarf was well worth it.
Miri leaned her head back against the chimney, squinting at the sky to try and gauge the position of the moon. What she could see of it through the lights of the city told her less than nothing. How long would Evy and Lorelei need at the bar, exactly? Once they went in for the night, Miri could find somewhere to bed down until dawn. Knowing Evy, she was probably taking her time with great enthusiasm.
“Where did she go?” Miri could just hear distant voices.
“We’ve lost her! Stronghold’s going to – ”
With a faint groan, Miri struggled back to her feet, shaking out her aching legs. She hopped down to the edge of the roof, glancing up and down the street. Finally, at the end of it, she spotted a little huddle of pursuers.
Miri leaned forward over the edge of the roof, grabbing her bow from her back and drawing back an arrow. She loosed it, sending the shot skidding into the cobblestones near the little huddle.
Nothing; it was like they didn’t even see it.
Miri took a deep breath, and fired another shot, this time straight into a barrel next to the men.
“Hey!” Finally, one of them glanced up, grabbing hold of the arrow and looking up and down the street.
Miri realized abruptly that she hadn’t recovered her face. She tilted her head, scooping the long sheath of fake blonde hair over her shoulder, waiting – waiting –
“It’s her!” Someone yelled.
Miri slapped her bow back on her back, covering her face again, and slid down off the roof, landing in a crouch on the street. She waited, one beat, until the pounding of footsteps was a little too close for comfort, and took off again. Evy was really going to owe her for this one.
Miri was woken up by Evy’s hand on her shoulder, gently pushing.
“Go ‘way,” Miri groaned, rolling over and burying her face in – straw? She sat up, blinking blearily, and remembered that she was waiting in a straw pile outside of the gates for Evy, not in a comfortable bed like she very, very much would have preferred to be.
Evy had the world’s widest grin on her face, and a very distinctive and irritating skip in her step. “Ready to go?” She beamed.
Miri groaned louder, flopping back into the straw.
“We shouldn’t dawdle,” Evy beamed. “Stronghold has a lot of friends between here and the Misty Vales – we should head straight for Kormul.”
Miri slowly, slowly pushed herself to her feet, brushing straw off of her armor. “Fine.” She paused. “Tell me you’ve never been there before.”
If possible, Evy beamed wider.
Miri squeezed her eyes shut.
Evy began to giggle. “No, never! It will be my first time too. I hear it’s super weird!” she slung her arm over Miri’s shoulder. “Where are the trunks?”
“Wagon off in the woods,” Miri rubbed her face.
“Where’s the wig?” Evy asked, turning and leading Miri towards the nearest stand of trees.
“I burned it.”
((Word count: 3351))
