Haya's Reach (Keeva)

[Eir'helm Mithania]

Seventh of Ioannes

 

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A vysstichi in the happy little island was not unheard of, and Keeva knew it. There had been a reason why she’s been sent there. His name was Maris, and he was a necromancer, a male, a vysstichi, and once upon a time he’d once caused a priestess the smallest annoyance. Haya’s, however, have long memories, and the dark faith had a reach that most were unaware of. Information, it flowed like water, secrets moved from the hills of nobles, of emperors, and it always settled in the low places, among the poor, in the dark.

The vysstichi heard many things, whispers, rumblings in the empire, and Keeva, she was their hand in the sun soaked world. She’d been told of the wards that made her human, of the magic and lies that made her dangerous, and allowed to leave the dark place.

Keeva Kaldres had a home among the vysstichi, and she had a job to do on the little island.

A month ago her brother found her. He was hurt, hiding in the home she shared with a dragon. The guard was after him, but he’d been there, with a letter from home.

The temple had become aware of a vysstichi, one that had escaped the city. He was a male, a practitioner of necromancy, and an affront to the faith. It was all outlined by her mother, along with news of home. Her sister was pregnant, with some filth half breed child. Her mother had been honored at a mass, a service dedicated in her name.

She wished her youngest could have been there. Love was wrong, or so the faith claimed, but there was respect in the few pages, and a hope that the girl would take care.

Take care and send back Maris’ violet eyes. Priestesses had long memories, and with Keeva, they had a slightly longer reach.

All the young woman had to do was kill the males and end their wrongs.


(ooc: Posting with Ragman's okay... i think...)

[Keeva Kaldres]

Keeva's duty as Haya's servant on the surface world had fallen secondary to finding a place to rest, and to visit the art gallery the brightening before. It had been the primary motive behind her visit, however, and one which she would not spurn for a second day in a row. A vysstichi on the island should not have been difficult to find; the guards at the docks monitored those who went and came reasonably well, and surely they would remember, or keep note of those who had passed.

The docks, therefore, were the young "human's" first port of call. There were always guards on duty there, and all it would take for her at first was to ask if they had seen anyone of the dark elf's description. Such a personage would not be so difficult to recall, unless the guardsmen happened to be blind.

Finding her way back to the docks, Keeva would hope for a moment of their time, waiting for a break in arrivals before approaching one of the guards.

"Serale. A moment, if I may?" She asked, politely, her tone pleasant and soft as she sought to garner their attention.

[Eir'helm Mithania]

The guard on duty at the moment was a young human man. He had the start of a beard on his chin, in part covering a scar that clipped his jaw. His eyes were green, and as Keeva went to ask of her prey, those green eyes were very firmly set on her.

He glanced down, trying to trace her form under her clothing. Perhaps he would’ve claimed it was a check for weapons, or a study of her manner of dress, but the young Hayan knew better. The male, he smiled at her.

“A question?” His smile widened a hair with the prospect of what she could want. “I have a break I can take. I can answer your questions.”

Waving to the other guard he started back towards the guard house, inviting Keeva in for a drink.

[Keeva Kaldres]

Keeva returned the guardsman's smile with a charming little one of her own. The check for weapons was to be expected, she supposed, given the great amount of security that the island seemed so set upon, but then there was something else to him, too. He liked what he saw, she could see that, plain as day. Her curves were still young, her body beautiful but slight. The Hayan allowed him his little pleasures in studying her, though she hesitated as he beckoned her to follow him back.

"I shouldn't...I would not want to take too much of your time, sir." She spoke, though the words were a well spoken lie. Keeva needed this man's help to find what she sought, find the worthless vysstichi male whose hide would soon be her own. The dark elf was an affront to their people, and she would find no qualms, no moral conflict, in bringing him to his end.

"I am looking for someone. Perhaps you could help me? He is a known necromancer, and he has wronged a number of people. I have work with the Prefecture in Vortex- a lead of mine has brought me here." Not that she really looked all that much like a law enforcer, but then she had worked in law before, in numerous places, as well as in other offices of government to boot.

"The person I am looking for is vysstichi." She finished, then, hoping that the man would just give her an answer and not think her to be all that strange. Evidently the people of Secylion were oblivious to the fact that they had not one, but two vysstichi in their midst, though the arcane magicks placed on her would ensure that no one figured that out.

[Eir'helm Mithania]

The man should have asked to see some paperwork to justify Keeva’s claim that she was there hunting a known necromancer. He should have asked for some identification confirming that she was tied to the prefecture in Vortex, but he didn’t. The human was partially stunned with the suggestion, that she had come here, come to Secyclion hunting such a vile soul. He was also partially convinced by the ease at which the small lie, or select truth, came out. The fact that Keeva was a beautiful young woman that gave him a charming smile, that turned him to her favor as well.

Men would often do what they could to help an attractive woman.

His color faded a hair with the thought of the walking dead wandering through their city streets, and the male went to work. Running off the check the log, he came back a few minutes later. Within the pages were notes from guards from their duty shifts on any unusual characters that passed through. There was a note of a few vysstichi, three had come, and one had left again, likely finding the small island to have far too much sun for its liking. He showed Keeva the entry, placing it at her side on a counter.

“Seems only two Vysstichi came through here in the last month or so. We don’t see many of them this way. The person you’re looking for, they could’ve been either one… couldn’t they?”

"Did you need help finding them? Searching the inns perhaps, looking into the purchase of new homes?" He gave Keeva a little smile, hoping to be used by her.

"But I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Russel."

[Keeva Kaldres]

“They could have been either one, yes.” The woman replied, placing a finger beneath the entry shown and reading it across. It could not have been too difficult to pinpoint the right one, though before such could even happen she would need to track them down. The guard’s offer of help brought a smile to her face, a picture of nobility in softness and grace.

“Perhaps you could, but I would not want to take you away from your work here. It would be terrible for you to get into trouble on my behalf.” There was an honesty there, accentuated further still by the look in her eyes as she locked them with his. Keeva’s grey eyes were innocent, gentle, though only on the surface as it seemed.

His introduction was met with something warmer still, the young woman maintaining her civil nature in face of the fact that she had a task to attend.

“A pleasure to meet you, Kirio Russel.” She told him, before responding with an introduction of her own. “Keeva Kaldres.”

Her smile was allowed to linger a moment more before vanishing, slipping away, her mind falling back unto the task at hand, the elf she yet needed to hunt.

“Is there anything else you could tell me about these two vysstichi? Perhaps the guards who permitted them into Secyclion?” She queried, before falling silence as she awaited his response.

[Eir'helm Mithania]

“Trouble?” The young man said, with a hint of surprise “I doubt I can get into trouble helping an associate of the prefect of Vortex in my off hours hunt a dangerous criminal.” He was moved by her concern for his wellbeing and gave Keeva another little grin.

“Ms. Kaldres, I assure you, I’d feel better knowing that you’re not hunting these villains on your own. As for these two, I doubt there is much you could gather from the guards’ cycles after the fact. If you wish I’ll take you to find the men, but perhaps we should check to see if there are any homes sold to dark elves of late, or any staying in local inns?”

The young man had to pause a moment as he considered the current line of thought. To him it seemed reasonable to lead Keeva to an inn, to be sure she had a suitable place to stay.

“Speaking of Inns, have you sorted one out Keeva, or are you staying with friends?”

“If we go check the locals we might find your elf, and if not I can buy you something to eat.”

[Keeva Kaldres]

The man was a chivalrous sort, that much seemed certain, and the young woman’s smile remained as he insisted on aiding her with the task, in ensuring her safety in apprehending this most vile of vysstichi sorts. Of course, he could not have known that she was one, herself; he was as much a slave to the magic as the rest of them. She would continue on, disguised in this form, whilst the others around her would go on with their lives, content and at ease in the knowledge that she was one of them; safe, and not to be reviled.

“I thank you, Kirio Russel. If only I could express my gratitude for your help in more than simply words.” She smiled, deeply, though there was nothing inappropriate there. Keeva Kaldres was an innocent, harmless, and had the appearance to match.

She also already had an inn, at which she was staying with her friend, the draconess. The simple thing, therefore, would have been to tell the guard this, though she did not. It was not as though Russel really needed to know of the arrangements which had already been made, and she would not be lying to him- simply omitting some selection of the truth.

“If you could take me to an inn, that would be wonderful. I do not know your island very well at all.” The woman confessed, “With fortune we can find who I am looking for there, or at some other similar place.”

[Eir'helm Mithania]

The male smiled at Keeva as she thanked him for his help. He wasn’t an unattractive creature, and he seemed to be well aware of that, so gently he took the young woman’s hand and raised it to his lips. He was the chivalrous sort, but as Keeva admitted that she wished she could thank him in some other way, in something more than words, his smile widened. He wasn’t the innocent that she was. He had a darker side, but it subsided after a moment. Russel looked away, hiding something of the look in his eyes. He nodded, seemingly having the perfect place in mind.

“I have the perfect place in mind. Some old friends of mine rent out rooms in their home. They’ll assure you privacy, and it’s not the sort of place someone would go looking at you for… if this vysstichi could catch wind of you coming. It’ll be safer.”

“I’ll also take you past the city administration, to see if any properties were sold to vysstichi as of late. I’m sure they’d recall such a transaction. First the inns. Hopefully you’ll find the person you’re after.”

He gave her another smile, and offered his arm, all the while unaware of what hid under her surface.

[Keeva Kaldres]

The woman’s smile remained as the guardsman took her hand, and bestowed upon it a soft kiss. Her intentions were innocent, perhaps, but even in spite of this Keeva found herself enjoying the conversation to be had. The man was pleasant, and polite, and she in turn was more than happy to be having his help with the task to come. Searching an entire island by herself would not have been an altogether satisfying thing. Having someone else to do most of the work for her, however…Now that was a different kind of story.

“Again, you have my thanks.” She spoke, whilst graciously taking to the guardsman’s arm. Keeva rested her hand at the crook of his elbow, softly, as though hesitant to commit to such closeness in between.

“Let us go then, Kirio Russel. I shall follow where you lead.”

She was smiling up at him still, though she waited for him to move first, before subsequently, she followed.

[Eir'helm Mithania]

The young man led Keeva though the town. He took her to see what sights the island city had to offer, the beautiful city squares, and the quainter nooks and crannies. He brought her to the small, homey inns, were families managed the day to day business and guests were treated as just another member of the family.

They didn’t discover a thing. Most had rarely seen a vysstichi, let alone played host to one of their kind, it was in one of the larger inns though that a hint surfaced. It wasn’t from any of the staff, but a curious third party who could help but thrust themselves into someone else’s business.

A small woman, of some elderly years hobbled up to Keeva’s side.

“I hear you’re looking for some of those dark elves. I know where you can find some.”

He aged smile widened as she scanned Keeva’s face for some sign of approval for her knowledge of her target.

Russel, however, tried to step in.

“Now, it’s official business that has us looking for this elf. If you have any informati…”

“Listen here… I was talking to the lady, and it’s wrong to use such a tone on your elder. All I want is a little something for my bother, and I’ll share what I know and be on my way. Shouldn’t cooperation have some reward?”

[Keeva Kaldres]

Keeva was not about to question how some old woman would know where to find dark elves, even though the matter was curious unto itself. She remained gracious, paying attention to her elder with all of the respect which was required. Russel’s verbal intrusion for the most part was left ignored. Keeva wanted this information, to serve her family, and her people; she was not about to let this man get in the way of all of that, now.

Touching his arm, lightly, as though to draw him back, the girl excused him the need to further dissuade the old woman, only source of real information thus far that she was. Real information, that was, if she did not happen to be addled in the head.

“What is your price, ma’am?” She queried her elder, calmly, serenely. Whilst she did not overmuch relish the prospect of trading information for solid coin, it seemed that this was all that they had to go on, for now. Besides which, if the woman was not reasonable in substantiating her cost, Keeva would simply have to poke around within that little head of hers, instead.

[Eir'helm Mithania]

The old woman wasn’t the sort that was going to rob Keeva over something she’d heard in passing. She simply wanted a little something for the effort of hunting her down. The price that was requested was reasonable.

“Fifteen crowns and I’ll tell you what I know young lady.” was all she had left to say, but assuming Keeva could afford to part with the coins, her slight tale would begin.

“My sisters boy, Aaron said he’d seen a dark elf once, down in the Neos Megalis. There’s a warehouse down there, towards the Templum of Markalin.”

“You can’t miss it, big red door in the front.”

Russell, however, wouldn’t have it.

“Keeva, there are some dangerous people in that part of town; pirates, slave traders and the like. It’d be wiser to avoid a conflict. Perhaps if we just keep an eye out for a few days, watch who comes and goes?”

His hand gently rested on Keeva’s trying to show some degree of concern. He didn’t want her rushing head first into anything as dangerous as this.

“Why don’t we eat, and we can talk about it more during the meal?”

[Keeva Kaldres]

Fifteen crowns mattered little to the girl, and she offered the old woman such without thought. It was worth it in exchange for information, especially given that they had found nothing else thus far. Keeva canted her head, was polite, and thanked her elder with a smile. Russell’s reaction, however, was something which pulled the tone down. He was uncertain, it seemed, and fearful for her safety, and whilst such was flattering, charming, to say the least, it was incredibly unnecessary as well.

The girl was not afraid, whether that was for better or for worse, and she shared such sentiments with her companion readily enough. He had volunteered to be with her in this, after all, and she was not about to keep him in the dark, just yet.

“It will be a difficult task to dissuade me, Kirio Russell,” She spoke, ever softly, with a smile. “If you wish to try, however, I will allow you the time over a meal.”

Given that he was to be the one paying, the man had a date, so it seemed.

[Eir'helm Mithania]

The elderly woman didn’t bother the pair any more than to offer her thanks as she escaped off into the day again, her small wealth in tow. She was gone quickly enough, much to Keeva’s disadvantage.

For the moment she had other things to occupy her time. As she accepted the invitation to sit and eat with him, Russell allowed himself a small smile. He was almost sweet, though his intentions seemed clear enough. He wanted her, and like most men, he was willing to pay.

“I know the perfect place.” He said with a smile, turning back to the entrance and guiding the way for Keeva. She seemingly knew where the vysstichi hid. Was there any hurry to catch them?

It wasn’t far for the pair as they walked the city streets. Soon they came upon a small set of tables around a quaint little stand. There was a small sign that read, Shei-Balls of Medonia, and people were all eating a food of packed rice. It was curious to be sure, but it was a fine day.

Russell pulled a seat out for Keeva, still playing the gentleman, and went to collect something for them to eat.

He came back only a few minutes later with a plate of the round morsels, and a question on his lips.

“How do we know the woman knew what she was talking about? We shouldn’t rush into anything in a hurry. If we’re not sure, wouldn’t it be a foolish mistake Keeva?”