Reviewing the Situation.... (Dimitri)

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

TS: Late Afternoon, First Day of Imperos, Autumn, XIV (pf)

Avrie had to get out and wander. That was all there was too it. After the busy summer, the overwhelming situation in Acumin, and then having to travel northward to bury a real mother she'd never even gotten to know.... it was a bit much, all of it. Moreso than anything, she was worried her fidgeting and restlessness was going to drive Venn nuts. Dimitri and Anora had not invited them back to Dimitri's home, and that had worried Avrie to no end. She'd protested. The bardess had a right to see where her sister was living. Was she being somehow coerced? Being put up and an Inn rather than in Dimitri's home wasn't right. And so, Avrie, being stubborn, wondered if she couldn't in fact find the home anyhow... perhaps walk slowly by. See it from a distance. The bardess had no idea about the subterranean city below, or that Dimtri's home was completely unaccessible. If she had, she'd have been catapulted instantly into a panic about her sister's safety. The Clerk at the Golden Dragon had claimed it was safe enough to take a walk, and so while the others were unpacking, settling in, and Venn was seeing to the horses... she'd slipped out.

Stubborn. Angry. Wanting answers.

Anora had patiently stared Avrie down when she'd asked, neither giving in to her questions or seeming particularly upset by them. Avrie knew better than to try and pry the truth out of her. She'd talk when she was ready, if ever. But it was still... it was still as if they were children again. Anora reminding her that by birth order, she was the boss. Avrie's irrational behavior, elevated moods, and borderline snarky attitude wasn't normal for her, not at all. Nor was wandering away from her family for the sake of answers.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

They were all smiling so much. That was the first thing she would notice, all three of them. One human man and two orcs that surrounded her as she moved down the alleyway. The human was evidently the talker, in a voice tinged with the harsh accent of Vortex but with the cheeriness of a baker of local innkeeeper he spoke thus, "Miss Eventide I apologise for this, I really do." He smiled and then rolled his eyes, "i forget myself." He removed from his pocket a small peice of paper, "I am employed by the city guard which his grace Lord Wladisyaw heads, he has reviewed this and said we must be extra nice with you but I am afraid there was a small problem with your visa." The man smiled, "Really nothing large at all, but still we need to check it out you see, the gaol is not far from here and the clerk there can resolve this quickly I assure you."

He smiled and replaced his papers putting his hands in his pockets, it drew back his cloak and revealed a carefully curved sword concealed there. The two orcs seemed to move a little closer and the man gave Avrie a careful nod, would the ever adventurous one fight or be taken safely for once?

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

Avrie was startled that they detained her. What? Trouble with her Visa. "There must be some mistake. It was checked at the gate. The guards allowed me to pass." She said, automatically digging into her leather beltpouch to retrieve the document. "I've been using it for years. It's never been an issue." She said quietly, confused more than anything. The Orcs didn't threaten her really, though she wasn't used to their strange appearance. And the man, the human, was soft spoken and gentle. She didn't trust him, however, not at all.

Irritation flashed through her. Just one of the many sudden acute emotions she'd been feeling lately. Definitely irritation. "Dimitri should know better. I'm his Lady's twin sister. There's no problem with my Visa. And why do we have to go to the Gaol to find this out? How about the Aedile's Office instead?" She said, her voice on the edge of irritation and something akin to being disturbed. "I'm not being arrested am I?" She said, glancing around. Avrie was alone, and had left her group at The Golden Dragon... needing some time and space...wanting a walk. The Innkeeper had said it was safe... he'd promised.

There was nothing she could do though... but go with them. Not with the Orcs here.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

"We know well who you are." He smiled carefully, "Vortex is rough, people are bundled to the gaol or wherever usually, I am asking you nicely because his grace Lord Wladisyaw was so careful to assure me you were to be treated well. He apologises for this, but the law remains the law, and you are nor under arrest, we just need you briefly."

The man smiled and began to walk away, if Avrie did not follow an orc would soon take her in hand and lead her where the man wanted her to go. He walked slowly keeping to the alleyways like many guardsmen, they seemed to be able to navigate the twisting streets well and the people passing nodded often showing his familiarity with the land.

The gaol was soon reached, a strange building, below the ground they kept the prisoners and above were special cells to keep political prisoners or special guests of the Thane or sometimes the Duke. The middle was an administration center and true to his word the man led Avrie here. Into a small side room they went, the orcs followed into the room and stood by the door whereas the man went and sat behind a big desk, he motioned Avrie down to the chair on the other side.

"Take a seat."

He spoke with a smile still but it was becoming clear she was to listen to what he said without fail, "If you would hand me your visa I shall do the inspection." Strange had he not said another would do this task? Still he picked up a magnifying glass and held out his hand. Behind her would Avrie see the orc rumage carefully in his pocket and finger a pair of gilden golden cuffs and shuffle impatiently from foot to foot.

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

The youngest Eventide followed the man. She wasn't stupid, nor did she need to be lead by the hand like a child. Especially, not by an orc. Avrie had a suspicion that this was Dimitri's doing, and a ruse at that. The man had serious problems, especially emotionally. And for the life of her, she couldn't see what her twin was so enamored of him about. The man was vile, and as far as Avrie was concerned, a total snake. But she'd go, talk to him, remind him of his promise to Anora, and then threaten him within the edge of his life if he so much as looked at her the wrong way. Because, in some weird twisted way, Avrie thought perhaps Dimitri did care for her sibling. She hoped so, at least... Anora deserved love, even if it was someone like Dimitri.

One thought did comfort Avrie. She'd be missed... if not by now, then very soon.

Her mood, however, was still steadily growing fouler. The bardess wasn't prone to dark swings nor ill temper. In fact, Avrie was notoriously always looking on the bright side and doing what she could do cheer people up and comfort them. And yet... it gave her some sense of satisfaction to know that at least if this was one of Dimitri's tricks, he was showing his true colors. And he was doing it before Anora got to close.

Or so she hoped.

The bardess alighted the steps and entered the office, taking her seat as instructed. She handed over her Visa yet again. "I'm sure there's no problem. Its completely authentic. I've had it since the day I was born." She said firmly, glancing around. Where was Dimitri? Already her mind rehearsed her outrage, and what exactly she was going to say to him.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

The man looked over the visa scrutinising it carefully with his magnifying glass, gently he sucked his teeth as he went over it looking for every small detail. Eventually he looked up and smiled, "I had to bring you in because we had reports of an Avrie Eventide performing banditry in the hills, of course we knew it was rubbish but you understand for our records we need to check these things."

He stood carefully and smiled, "Of course you are free to go." Although perhaps not.

With a subtlety entirely lacking in their race the orcs had silently moved just behind her. A sharp pain would travel Avrie's back as an orc twisted an arm behind her and slipped the cuff over it and clicking it shut. Any sudden cry would soon be muffled however, a snug black velvet bag was deposited over her head and sinched tight. Air was a luxury inside and it generally discouraged shouting or noise of any sort. With practiced ease the other cuff was about her arm and soon they were both restrained behind her back.

"Your visa is fine Miss Eventide." The voice was muffled but still there, "But still I will send you upstairs just to make sure everything is ok." Perhaps Avrie had always dreamed of flying, riding an orc's shoulder was a somewhat similar experience but rather more bumpy. They certainly went upwards and along a little. Before long however she would hear the muffled grating of iron upon iron and then she was put down and allowed to move freely for a few moments.

The moments were brief the bag was yanked from her head and Dimitri of course stood before her with a smile on his face. If she cared to look around she would see they were in a cell, a rather nicely furnished cell however, a soft bed and a few chairs and even a table, still they were enclosed together and more worryingly an interesting torture device had been wheeled into the room. It was some sort of set of stocks only with a board allowing the victim to lie down on their front before being strapped in, a large pale of water was under the stocks leaving little mystery as to its purpose.

"Why Avrie my dear so nice to be alone with you again, it rarely happens these days does it?" He wore a black silk shirt open revealing his chest hairs that wove together like a thick Daltinan hedge, dark breeches and a black silk eyepatch, his hair hung free and his grin had become cruel and wide. "I apologise for my tratment getting you here, but sometimes I rather like to show people that I can exert some influence in these parts." He paused, "And please try not to scream or shout at me, such effort would be pointless and would displease me, I wish to talk to you, but first how are you?" His face was the face of a man in control and his left eye narrowed as it sized her up greedily.

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

She wasn't faint of heart. Nor was she stupid. Her mistake of deciding to take a walk alone in Vortex to clear her mind of anger had her decidedly at a disadvantage. Dimitri's realm was here, and so it seemed was his true colors showing. When the orc grabbed her, she didn't struggle. When he cuffed her and tossed the bag over her head, she didn't struggled there either. She lay limp over the orcs shoulder, because there was no reason to fight. The bard couldn't win free of the big creature, nor did she have anywhere to run. Instead, she reached for Clara, for that calm within her on the ride up. She hoped there would be enough time for her to find it on the ride, but facing Dimitri or whomever was upstairs, if she could keep him talking or they delayed enough in joining her, she'd have her vis and something she could fight with. Thats all that mattered to her.

Avrie was dumped unceremoniously onto her feet, and the bag was removed from her head. Dimitri. Avrie didn't give him time to think, nor did she really hear what he had to say. She didn't need too, and she was far too pissed for words anyhow. Glad her feet were soundly shod in her riding boots rather than her usual naturan bare feet, she cowkicked forward, aiming a nice reinforced toe directly into his crotch. It was a fitting enough answer for her anyhow, directly conveying what she wanted to say without bothering with words.

"Fine." She snapped, regardless if the kick had landed or not, she was ready for round two. Regretful that she hadn't learned Ataa from Beatreaze when it had been offered, she decided she'd remedy that immediately upon returning home. "I hope your having a bad day." She snapped, going for another kick, hoping he'd lean down to either grab his wounded gems or otherwise protect them, putting his head in her range.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

Perhaps he thought she would be awed by his plan or fearing him. Instead he found himself on his knees clutching his groin and sucking in deep breaths of air. His wits did not totally desert him however, a hand was ready to block her second kick. "Bitch." He snarled ruefully. "I should have trussed you up tighter." Despite his impediment he still backed himself against this girl with her arms behind her back.

He knew for now he had to stop her moving somehow, he stood and mustering any concentration he could get he aimed a backhanded blow at her face hoping to knock her over. If not then a good old fashioned lunge to knock them both over would have to do, regardless he refused to be bsted by this girl and thus refrained from calling his guards....yet.

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

It was a satisfying thud, that was for sure and she was proud he went down. If he had any designs on taking inappropriate actions on her, at least his gems would be inoperable for a while. But she didn't get the second kick in... disappointing really... even more disappointing when he managed to slam her up against the wall and pin her to stop her second kick. Feth it. "Don't you have anything better to do than cuff people and rough them up for no reason whatsoever? Anora would be disappointed in you, Dimitri. Seriously... its also a shame you have to tie up little girls in order to control them. Somehow I thought you were more of a man than that. Take the cuffs off and I won't hurt you. I promise." She said, then smiled sweetly. If he got any closer, she decided she'd bite.

Lords but he was pushing her buttons, making the anger and annoyance rise within her. She had no consideration of her safety. Dimitri had promised Anora he would leave her and Venn alone. But by Carmelya, if she got loose, she'd make sure Anora knew just what kind of filth she was associating with.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

Dimitri's voice still came thick and slowly due to his slow recovery from her first kick, he managed a smile, "Feth you may have just reduced your chance for a bountiful crop of neices and nephews." He thought referring to her sister in this current state would annoy her and he needed to probe and press her buttons to see if he could work out what made her tick.

He moved up pressing his body to hers and keeping her trapped, he was ready now though, he kept her legs pinned with his thighs so no knee could hit him in the groin and despite his closeness he kept his exposed flesh well away from her mouth, his face was just far enough away from hers to avoid a nasty headbutt. Clealry he had done this before.

"I had hoped to chat to you in a nicer fashion but you have made your feelings clear." He paused and winced gently as feeling came back to his manhood, "I am taking a risk, your sister loves you more than I and you could take her from me, though I suspected you would in time anyway." He grinned, "There are things she does not know Avrie Eventide, Dimitri Wladisyaw, I may be an Imperial criminal would you cousin appreciate this? Would she tell her good husband the regent and would my perfect happiness married to your sister work that way? I think not." He sneered carefully and licked his lips with his slippery tongue, "We will come to an agreement about such matters and much more before you leave this room miss Eventide, I promise you that."

On an unrelated matter he smiled and his breath smelling of sickly sweet cinamon was hot on her face, "It was easy for me to love your sister, I had developed my affections on you already and shifted them easily. Do you ever think we are muddled, Anora the pristine lady and Venn the perfect Paladin, then Dimitri and Avrie the free-spirits, what might have been I sometimes wonder." He smiled in a softer fashion and spoke more, "Now an agreement is needed, tell me how is Venn these days?" It was an innocent question with gloriously macabre implication.

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

Avrie gritted her teeth. She didn't like his hands on her. She didn't like him being this close. And, she decided, she wasn't going to take it for long. "What's between you and Anora is between you and Anora, Dimitri. It's none of my affair. If you make her happy, thats all I care. But you will take your hands off me. If you want to talk, lets talk. Remove the cuffs, reach deep down and find your civility, and I'll be glad to talk. " She paused, trying to get her rage under control... and reiterated. "But first... get your fething hands off me, and give mine back." She said dangerously, her blue Eventide eyes flashing.

He prattled on a bit more. Not much of it made sense. Nothing about Dimitri made sense to Avrie. His logic, especially, wasn't in the right place. "As for how Venn is.... If what I smashed with my toes was any indication... hes at least twice the man you are... maybe three times." She smirked, her ill temper reaching a pinnacle. He was right to stay out of head butting range, and wise too avoiding her teeth. She'd use both, in a heartbeat... in fact, in his grasp she felt a wildness in her, something that welled up from deep down. It almost caused her to growl.... threateningly. She wanted too, even with her hands bound behind her back in cuffs, her fingers clenched claw-like.

"I picked Venn for a reason... he needs me more than he knows, and he allows me to be who I am. I couldn't love deeper or want anyone more than him. But your a fething idiot if you think Anora is anyone's second choice. She's stronger, wiser, and far more than I could ever be. I'm sorry you're blind and can't see that." She said, twitching against him in protest, and finally stomping a booted foot, aiming for his instep finding that the only target available... even if his feet were as protected in boots as hers were.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

He carefully moved away from her stamping feet and laughed gently, "No the cuffs stay for now Miss Eventide, though I shall take my hands off you...if you wish it." He smiled and moved away from her gently tapping the bars of the cell with a hand bringing the two orcs to the side, they opened the door but stood in it looking fiercome. "Protection, just in case you have learnt something new since we last met." Dimitri prided himself on his control in Vortex, he was not a master of combat nor a mage of renown but he used people in a grand game and was almost never left weak in this regard.

"I do not view Anora as a second choice Miss Eventide beleive me, she allows me to be who I am. Which is rather more interesting than Master Drega, though I am sure he ecclesiastical intellect known no bounds, I find more refined and dangerous vintages to mt taste." He smiled and walked over to his torture device and smiled, "This device is a variation of an Arakmatian machine, they are macabre torturers though I do not intend to use this one you, do not worry." He smiled and tapped his lips carefully, "So we reach an impasse." He nodded carefull to himself, "I could have left you Miss Eventide to walk around my city and snoop in your own special way but I have always been one to strike quickly at difficult matters, I decided that you will one day turn her against me." He stuck an accusatory finger at her and grinned, softly he waggled it back and forth.

"If not you then that man of yours anyway, you could never allow us to be happy." He grinned as though he had found a great truth and his normally rational mind had perhaps worked on a higher scale than usual. "Thus we can barter, if you could have anything in the world Avrie Eventide what would it be?"

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

Avrie smirked slightly as he released her and then called his thugs. Afraid? Of her? The bard almost laughed outright. She couldn't concentrate to gather vis, had no weapons on her, and the only way he'd be truly in danger is if ill will or dirty looks could kill. And well, then, the problem would have already sorted itself out.

"You sound like a parrot." She said casually, remarking on his use of her own words. Avrie had just got done telling him why it was she so cared about her life-mate. It was truly too bad he wasn't more original. Anora could verbally fence circles around him. Avrie wondered if they'd already gone a round or two. If not, he'd be in for a wicked surprise. That caused her lips to curl, and her mind to snap back to the present. His torture device... nice. If he wasn't man enough to stand in a cell alone with her WITH her hands cuffed, he certainly wasn't man enough to use the device. He probably sat back and let others do his diry work.

Avrie looked thoughtful at his question, and then laughed wholeheartedly, no longer able to contain her mirth. "As if you could give me anything I wanted, Dimitri. That's the saddest most arrogant thing I've ever heard anyone make claims too... even if you are just simply hinting. My life is full. I have everything I need. And the one thing I don't have is best left up to her own devices for now because she needs to figure out who she is. Your question reminds me of some silly gardener asking a flower dripping in morning dew and basking in the cool morning sun if it wanted for anything. " The bard said, leaning a shoulder and hip against the stone wall of the cell now.

This was getting old fast. Something moved within her, something feral and dangerous... something that required her to get free.. and quickly..

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

"I learnt long ago that man....however great can never be happy Miss Eventide, it saddens me that we differ in this perspective." He smiled ruefully for a moment and nodded carefully only to himself, "It saddens me greatly, you cannot see that all delight is tempoary and pain is forever!" He smiled and looked at her, "Do you think your happyness will last forever and is your ambition so reduced that you crave nothing, gold, power, pretty dresses, anything is possible and everything is craved by man." His smile matured into a wide grin and his hair swung around his shoulders as he spoke working himself into a rant.

"What might you want, perhaps you dont want me to send my men out and enslave a few of your gypsy friends, I am sure their visa's are lacking and my men like good sport." He smiled and admired his carefully groomed fingernails for a moment staying well away from her, "Perhaps I shall finally move my gaze to pretty Natura and work wonders with the place, the forest shall make way for commerce and the people taught how to live in the new world we have!" He laughed as loudly as she did, "You stupid little girl, you think you are happy, you doom yourself to quiet contentedness while your stability crumbles." Dimitri nodded, "Your brother and that woman with the hound, A virkyn do you know, an intelligent hound who accompany women who have something to hide." He nodded, "Master Drega with such talents he could have been prelate and instead he duels dandylions and reads sonnets to the air!" He cackled gently and held up his hand showing his engagement band, "And Anora Morwen Eventide who will one day be my wife, she is unlike you now Avrie, she is becoming a perfect Duchess to this city, learning the arts of the necromancer.....the skills of the adjurer, ghost and zombies abound." Dimitri nodded sagely and spat out his words, "Secrets and lies Miss Eventide, they will make your sibling relationship now......perhaps in the end, man can never be happy."