Staring silently at the puffy little insect making his way up the worm-holed wall, Isuelt drummed a finger on the table. A note had been left for her at the bar; usually this sort of thing did little else but annoy her, however the contents of the script were intriguing. The author spoke of a meeting of the utmost importance and had addressed her by her formal name, a name she had not gone by for a number of years.
She leaned back in her chair and forced an exhale from her lips, her patience waning by the minute. ?Nice...I see that punctuality has ceased to be a member of the house of manners,? she thought. Another glance to the wee bug on the wall caught him turned around and now working his way in the directing from which he came. Isuelt?s brow furrowed as she watched the ignorant, lower life form thinking that she felt a bit like she was running backwards, herself. It was then that she heard footsteps approaching her.
She blinked and looked up to the wiry man standing a few feet from her; he was greasy and unkempt, and in Isuelt?s opinion he bore a striking resemblance to the bug on the wall. His sharp gaze met her large brown eyes and a smug smile washed over his ruddy features. Isuelt immediately felt this was a mistake.
?You Illea?? the stranger asked with a nod of his chin as he approached the table.
Isuelt swallowed at the sound of her Scathachian name, not having heard it spoken since she left the Island of Shadow years before. Shifting her jaw, her voice emerged low and husky, ?Maybe...who are you??
The stranger shook his head, ?That?s not important. I have an offer for you.? He spoke plainly, almost sternly; a merchant or some tradesman Isuelt thought. Although his tone would have supported a commander or a lord, his physique failed to hold that impression.
Isuelt shrugged lightly and glanced at the wall, the insect was nowhere to be seen. ?I?m retired.?
Conveniently ignoring her answer, the stranger continued, ?I know your work, you?re clean and you?re quick. Now, I have a job for you. There is a man, he used to work for me, but he stole from me as well as compromising my wife. I could have lived with those monstrosities, but he has now performed an act which I cannot forgive.?
As the man paused, Isuelt?s features flinched. She waited for him to continue, but he did not. She shifted in her chair, crossing her arms across her chest. ?What he do?? A light smirk touched her lips.
?You don?t need to know that to kill him,? stated simply, flatly and so coldly that Isuelt?s spine shivered. Her fingers dug into her arms as she inhaled.
?I told you...I?m retir?,? before she could finish her sentence, the foul stranger pulled a pouch from his doublet and tossed it heavily onto the table. Isuelt?s dark gaze was gripped by the sound of money, she stared at the clean leather pouch, then flicked a glance back up to the man before her. She leaned forward and pulled the bag toward her. Opening it, she saw an immense grouping of gold coins. Her bare hands released the pouch and through narrowed eyes she looked back up to her would-be client.
?Half now...half when the job is done,? he stood there waiting, watching her, nearly having the upper hand. Isuelt looked back to the pouch, thinking of how she needed funds.
Running her tongue along her teeth, she lifted her chin and offered a single word, ?Accepted.?
She leaned back in her chair and forced an exhale from her lips, her patience waning by the minute. ?Nice...I see that punctuality has ceased to be a member of the house of manners,? she thought. Another glance to the wee bug on the wall caught him turned around and now working his way in the directing from which he came. Isuelt?s brow furrowed as she watched the ignorant, lower life form thinking that she felt a bit like she was running backwards, herself. It was then that she heard footsteps approaching her.
She blinked and looked up to the wiry man standing a few feet from her; he was greasy and unkempt, and in Isuelt?s opinion he bore a striking resemblance to the bug on the wall. His sharp gaze met her large brown eyes and a smug smile washed over his ruddy features. Isuelt immediately felt this was a mistake.
?You Illea?? the stranger asked with a nod of his chin as he approached the table.
Isuelt swallowed at the sound of her Scathachian name, not having heard it spoken since she left the Island of Shadow years before. Shifting her jaw, her voice emerged low and husky, ?Maybe...who are you??
The stranger shook his head, ?That?s not important. I have an offer for you.? He spoke plainly, almost sternly; a merchant or some tradesman Isuelt thought. Although his tone would have supported a commander or a lord, his physique failed to hold that impression.
Isuelt shrugged lightly and glanced at the wall, the insect was nowhere to be seen. ?I?m retired.?
Conveniently ignoring her answer, the stranger continued, ?I know your work, you?re clean and you?re quick. Now, I have a job for you. There is a man, he used to work for me, but he stole from me as well as compromising my wife. I could have lived with those monstrosities, but he has now performed an act which I cannot forgive.?
As the man paused, Isuelt?s features flinched. She waited for him to continue, but he did not. She shifted in her chair, crossing her arms across her chest. ?What he do?? A light smirk touched her lips.
?You don?t need to know that to kill him,? stated simply, flatly and so coldly that Isuelt?s spine shivered. Her fingers dug into her arms as she inhaled.
?I told you...I?m retir?,? before she could finish her sentence, the foul stranger pulled a pouch from his doublet and tossed it heavily onto the table. Isuelt?s dark gaze was gripped by the sound of money, she stared at the clean leather pouch, then flicked a glance back up to the man before her. She leaned forward and pulled the bag toward her. Opening it, she saw an immense grouping of gold coins. Her bare hands released the pouch and through narrowed eyes she looked back up to her would-be client.
?Half now...half when the job is done,? he stood there waiting, watching her, nearly having the upper hand. Isuelt looked back to the pouch, thinking of how she needed funds.
Running her tongue along her teeth, she lifted her chin and offered a single word, ?Accepted.?