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AparinaAkumu

AparinaAkumu

Super-Earth
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Location
United States-East Coast
After she pulled on her tavern clothes: a white dress to her ankles with off-shoulder fluffy sleeves, a brown skirt over that and a cincher tied tightly around her waist under the knot of a legs-only apron, she slipped into her shoes and headed to town. Her blonde hair was wavy in the front, having bangs to about her cheek on one side with the rest pulled back. It reached her shoulders and was in pin curls that were all held together at the top by a ribbon the same emerald color as her cincher.

"Annika, you're early," the tavern keeper called when she walked in. "Yes Sir," Annika responded before getting to work. They spoke a bit, having a little while before the tavern would be filled with the usual evening and early night crowd. Annika worked at the bar, and smiled as the first of the nightly regulars waltzed right in. "Guess what day it been 'Nika!" She giggled and got out two mugs, ready for their usual to be served. "Pay 'ay," she asked in a mocking tone of his voice. To that question, the answer was "Pay 'ay it twas!!!" and a hearty laugh from the two men. She just rolled her eyes and got their mugs filled and given, taking the money and putting it in the box for the boss.

At the end of the week there are usually a few more people, but no one ever gets too out of it except the regulars. She had only seen one fist fight in her couple months of living and working here. Of course, she also didn't work late she left once it got quiet around town. She had other important business to take care of.
 
The Randy Rooster wasn't the worst of taverns, nor was it the best. It simply happened to lay between his flat and the guardhouse, where Derek Jacobson earned his coin. He was a tall man, tightly woven and strong, and the scar that ran from the left side of his forehead down to this chin, and another across his lip, did nothing but add a shadow of fearfulness to his already imposing form. He didn't care, though; the scar had been hard-won and his companions often called him Beorn and joked that he had taken the bear's soul when it took his comeliness.

He stopped in at the tavern not to wet his lips before his shift or to toss a plump and pretty girl with the money he had earned, but to pick up a meal to keep himself company; a sliced roll stuffed with whatever meat was available was his usual fare. He lived simply. More notably, he lived alone.

That evening the Randy Rooster was seeing more customers than usual, probably because the dock had just paid the workers and most headed here to drink their earnings. Bjørn waited for the lady at the bar but she seemed overwhelmed, so when a pleasantly pert, blond waitress passed by he caught her arm to gain her attention. "Excuse me," he glanced up and his green eyes met hers. "Do you serve people who didn't come here to drink, or do I have to buy an ale to get a sandwich?"
 
Annika was serving her usual customers, and while she typically stayed behind the bar today she left to waitress. Too many men at tables tonight, and she spoke to a few about the shipments to the king. He had received a lot of things today. Makes tonight a good night then, she thought as she went to take some plates back. She jumped a bit when a man grabbed her arm, he looked frightful, and her eyes met his as she turned her gaze to him. She smiled a bit, not one to blush in front of others. "You don't have to," she told him in rather smooth speech for a barmaid, "but the bread and almost anything that comes out of the kitchen is dry as sand. You might need something to wash it down."

She gently pulled away from him and waved the full tray slightly to show him her hands were full. "I'll be right back, let me put these down," she softly told him with a smile before she left. She came back a little later and asked, "What would you like? Mainly fish in the kitchen, but we have chickens and turkey too." Her blue eyes were looking at his scars, an obviously curious look on her face. He looked so familiar, but not from here. She was certain she hadn't seen him in the bar before, however...he was oddly familiar.
 
He pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Just the food. Please." Then he released her to deliver her dishes to the other customers. The man continued to gaze across the tavern, counting heads, noting who was with whom, and where the exits were. A group like this was friendly for the moment, but at any time they could break out in a spontaneous bar fight and daggers and blood would fly.

Derek watched the blond navigate the sea of pinching fingers and slapping palms. She had obviously been working here long enough to not take any of it seriously, though she did get her share of attention compared to the other girls who worked the floor. Perhaps it was her hair, or the way she had taken time to match her corset to her ribbon. Whatever it was, the increased touches to her rump seemed to coincide with increased tips as well.

"Turkey," he answered, his eyes flicking back towards the kitchen. "Cheese, if you have it. And radishes." He turned back to look at the waitress. "You're new here, aren't you? Normally you pour beers and water down the wine."
 
She nodded and got his order, returning and handing it to him. She rolled her eyes and folded her arms, "I'm not new, I've been here for a few months." She began to walk back to get his radishes but paused when one of the men audibly slapped her butt. She turned and just sighed, continuing her walk anyway. Whenever she got tips, she was quick to move the money into a secret pocket she sew into the inside of her cincher.

"Here's your radishes," she told Derek when she put the plate down, and smirked a bit. "It's nice to see one non-drunk in this place. Though, you don't look much like a lady's man," she told him as she decided to take from her knowledge. She watched the other barmaids flirt all the time, with everyone. Unlike them, she tried to keep her visage as alone but taken care of.

"You must live around here, you wouldn't happen to know Mrs. Myllingmer down the road a ways?" she asked curiously. Mrs. Myllingmer was the one who rented Annika her housing.
 
When she innocently commented that he didn't look much like a ladies man, Derek's mind jumped to the worst conclusion. He immediately assumed that she meant that no woman would be attracted to him because of his scars. He blinked rapidly and silently took the radishes from her. "Uhm... yes." He frowned. What kind of thing was that for a barmaid to say?

He almost turned to leave when she asked him if he knew Mrs. Myllingmer. Derek paused and looked over her for a long moment. "It's a busy night," he observed. "Shouldn't you be working?" He dropped the coins into her hand and then nodded his thanks before leaving the Tavern. As he walked towards the guardhouse he mentally tallied the number of men in the Randy Rooster that he remembered arresting. Most were for drunkenness or getting into fights. A few had overpaid bills. One or two had beat a woman so badly she nearly died.

Derek shook his head. The town used to be such a nice place to live; a virtual paradise, but the increase in ship traffic had brought more people into the land. And more people meant more trouble.
 
She was a bit offended he left so soon, but she didn't mind it. "Definitely not the dating type," she giggled, before continuing working. She only stayed for hours longer, when the moon was about as high as it could be in the sky, she clocked out and counted her tips in the back before leaving.

A man tried to snatch her on the street, she quickly stomped that out by giving him a swift kick to the groin and sending him on his way. She got to her apartment, where she decided it was show time. Before long, she was finishing wrapping herself in the leather straps she wore when she went on her self-inflicted missions, her body from neck to wrists and ankles covered in the thick yet flexible coating. It hugged like a second skin, and she wrapped it multiple times over her hips and chest for protection.

She looked in the mirror and changed her eyes to a bright crimson, her hair straightening by itself, shortening to her shoulders, and turning charcoal black. Within just a few more moments she had her boots on and was tying on a lower-face mask before she snuck out the window of the apartment. It wouldn't be long before she arrived outside the entrance to the King's stronghold, where she'd make quick work of stealing just enough to notice but not enough to cause harm to anything except the king's pride.
 
Derek shrugged on his guard uniform over his chain mail. He was trying to ignore the chatter among the other guards. Some were coming, some were going. They were all loud, though.

"Beorn!" One of the others called out. "You've got the upper East side tonight!"

The scarred guard looked up and grunted in acknowledgement. Damn it. The upper East enclosed the king's stronghold. He'd have to deal with heckling from the royal guards, those arrogant bastards. They enjoyed taunting the city guards, like some rival faction with no clue that they were supposed to be on the same team. This city, the castle, the docks... they were all connected.

Derek tightened his sword belt and took one of the halberds leaning against the wall. "Who's my partner tonight?" he asked the sergeant.

The older, grizzled man sucked at his pipe and then let it out in a foul, thick cloud. "Ye ain't got a partner, Beorn. Yer already gots too many ov 'em spooked."

"Everyone works in pairs, Sarge. It's the rules - "

"Not yer." He used the end of his pipe to point at the guard. "Yer 'ave a way of attract'n trouble. Yer patrol alone."

Derek drew back and narrowed his eyes. He hated anything that wasn't by the book. Wordlessly he picked up the rest of his gear and went out into the night.
 
Annika did love one thing about her limited magic, even if she did come across it accidentally, and that was how she could change her human form and into a couple animals. She reached a dark alley, knowing it would be faster to travel by rooftop, and she looked around before changing into a raven and quickly flying up to the roof of the building. Instead of stopping there, she flew over to the East side and turned human again once she was a few buildings from the gates. She made sure she wouldn't be seen, then slipped down to the ground and changed into a black and while, harmless looking long haired cat.

As she trotted around, looking at guards and figuring out her plans, she noticed the man from the bar. Ooh, so that's where I've seen him...maybe I should mess with him on the way out...well, I have the time...why wait? she thought before she trotted over to the guard and meowed at him. Her tail was up as she rubbed against his legs, purring. She knew he would be walking over to the royal guards, last night two men were at a shift there.
 
He was fuming as he walked to his patrol area. Everyone knew that he hated the royal guards more than anyone else. He had been one; on his way to a good career and promotions for his work, when one of the young princesses accused him of accosting her. In truth, he had rebuffed the girl's advances, and she had sworn to make him pay. He was lucky that he wasn't exiled or executed, he supposed, but the guards who knew him took great pleasure in taunting him when the chance arose.

As Derek was contemplating his situation, a long-haired cat began to rub on his legs. He stopped and looked down at it, then knelt and picked up the cat. "What are you doing here?" He asked her quietly. "Are you hungry? Hm?" He leaned his halberd against a wall and reached into his satchel, pulling out a small morsel of turkey and offering it to the feline. He rubbed the back of her neck for a few minutes before placing her back down on the ground. "Now go hunt, Kitty. You're cute, but... I have work to do." With that he retrieved his staff-like weapon and continued on his way to the gate where the royal guards were.
 
Annika clawed at him when he picked her up, but relaxed. He was very gently, and she happily ate the food he offered. As soona s she got comfortable, he had the nerve to put her back down. She flicked her tail and trotted after him, before stopping herself and decided she had wasted enough time.

She continued around, passing a few guards in the same manner she had passed him. Cute, innocent little cat with clean fur and obviously house trained. She finished her circles however, and noting how tight security was she figured it would be best to fly in, then leave human to taunt the guards.

She made her way up to a building with a slanted roof that fed off to some shorter buildings. Her escape plan took but minutes to make, fully easy by human means, and then she tied a thick yet dark chord to the roof. She took the chord in her beak once she was a raven and quickly flew across the sky, the chord practically invisible with how dark the sky was. It would take a careful eye to see it and follow where it was heading.

The royal stronghold was very well protected from the outside, but the inside was rather open. She found a window with easy access to much of today's shipment and turned human once more. It was so much fun, her job. She only kept a small fee of what she took, enough to pay her rent and buy food, but she gave most of it to the people outside of town. Though the guards never seemed to find that part out.
 
The royal guards were, as usual, dismissive. They only shared the answers that were necessary to do their job, their derision of the city guards, and especially Beorn, obvious. He had to swallow his pride and anger at them and simply make his rounds. It didn't matter what they thought...

...but it did.

It mattered because it caused Derek his job. It cost him his pay. And it blemished his name. The worst part was that there was no way for him to ever prove that the girl had lied. It was just her word... and his. The word of a non-noble meant nothing compared to the lies of the noble born.

Most of the night was spent roaming around that quadrant of town. Towards the end of his shift he'd be back by the guard gates again to give his report, and then home to his small flat for a well-deserved rest.
 
Annika made quick work of refilling a few sacks and tying them to the rope before pushing them down and across to the end. She finished the last one, enough for her to carry, and decided to make a show of it. She climbed into the other window and beamed as she saw Derek again, walking over towards the guards. This would be so much fun!

"Yoo hoo!" she called, whistling and waving to the guards from her perch on the window. "Ay knew yer slow but ain't tis a bit silly even for you blokes?" she added with a cackle. She always slipped into poor English for this job. She was quick to slip down the wire and when she landed she cut it, letting the rope fall to the ground before she gathered up what she had and hurried by roof top. She did pause a moment, after she was fairly far away, just to see if she'd be partaking in a chase or not.
 
The royal guards looked shocked at her sudden appearance. They seemed to sputter at her taunt, and even to consider chasing her, but their girth and her location on the rooftops stilled their feet. Instead they looked at Derek, who was watching the entire exchange with a smirk on their lips, and had an idea.

"Oi! Beorn! Go get her!" One of the guards waved his hand towards the rapidly disappearing form of the thief.

"What? She stole from the castle - she's your responsibility!"

"We outrank you!" The royal guard screamed at him. "Go or we'll report you!"

Derek snarled in frustration and then took off after the thief. Within a few seconds he had scaled the wall, leaped onto the roof, and was sprinting after the wayward thief.
 
Her waiting had paid off, just as she was about to mosey on down she watched the guard climb up. "Yei 'ello der Sir," she smiled, grinning as she quickly jumped from roof to roof. "Nice night eh?" she called, as if it was just an average meeting. She honestly felt confident in her ability to escape, with at least a bit of what she stole. She always took too much, knowing she'd leave a little for the guards to find and make those wankers feel successful.

"I'll call ye Scarface!" she cackled, stopping after swiftly reaching a higher place, one sure to take guards a moment with all their armor on. She even leaned against the pipe chimney and flipped a few gold pieces in her hand while she waited.

"I'm sure ye want ta catch me, but me's got teh get gone," she told him before dropping a couple of the bags, still having two which she was quick to tie around her waist, then scramble up the side of a building. She smiled down to him from the top and waved as she made a show of backing up to the edge of the roof.

"Meet ye again Scarface!" she promised, before stepping off and 'vanishing'. She slipped into the window of the mostly empty building before going out of the room, down the hall and out a window far behind the guard before hopping a few roofs and descending to the streets, taking off in a completely different direction than she had been heading the whole time.
 
Her taunts were a bit juvenile; she could at least have said something more original, but Derek didn't care much what she said as long as she was caught. Had she not 'dropped' the two bags of loot he might have caught her too, but as he sprinted past them he knew that the royal guards would rip him apart if they knew that he left the loot in lieu of the thief.

The thief moved like a friggin' cat! She scrambled up a wall as quick as a lizard and then the flew over a rooftop and disappeared. As he stood on the edge of the roof and looked over, he fully expected to see her dead body sprawled far below him. There was nothing though, making him wonder if he had seen her at all.

The guards took the 'recovered' sacks with not even a thank you, and sent Derek on his way. Once he reported back to his commander and gave them his findings for the night he pulled off his tabard. He earned his sleep. Soon he was trudging back to his flat, the only thing on his mind was cool drink of water and a long, dreamless sleep.
 
After she made her escape, she reached the town the delivery was for today, evenly dispursing the loot between the people and keeping the left over amount for herself. She would get more if she added herself to the person count, but this way she felt it was a better deal for the others.

She got home with enough time to get a few hours of sleep before daylight, and when the morning came she stretched and put a little money in a small bag, before tying it to a rope and turning into a cat. With ease, she slipped the noose she had made around her neck, the difficult part being tying it once more around itself to keep it from loosening or tightening. As a fluffy cat with a tiny bag around her neck, she wandered the streets to look before she would return to buy things.

She hardly noticed where she was as she wandered, if there was a vendor she was looking around the place as a cat. Housing developments and shops rolled by as she browsed.
 
The day was already promising to be hot. Derek opened his window towards the sea and let in the delta breezes. Then he stripped off his clothing to wash down before collapsing on his thin mattress to rest. It didn't take him long to drift off into sleep, especially since he had that short run in his chain mail across the rooftops earlier.

Down on the streets below his small flat merchants and vendors were opening their carts. People would be roaming the streets soon, trading coin for turnips and potatoes. A few merchants sold fresh fish or other meat, and some sold fabric, baskets, or other fare that people might need. Some even sold live chickens.

Derek was used to the sounds of the city. The hustle and bustle of the busy street was almost soothing to him as he slept off the night, and it was the change in the sounds that usually woke him in time for his next night shift.
 
She didn't see anything she needed, so she began to look around the town a bit. Soon, it was beginning to get darker out and she got back to her home. After removing the coin bag and rope, she turned human and brushed her blonde hair before getting dressed for work again.

She stopped to get some food on her way to work, she wanted to show the cook a new recipe. She got there a few hours early again, showed the cook the cheap but beer-matching drink, and smiled as they talked the man in charge to adding it.

Then, the tavern opened again and Annika returned to her place behind the bar. She cleaned glasses, and poured drinks. Not as many people were in tonight, many of the men had shipped out today, returning on the boat they came in from.
 
Derek leaned out the window and took in the cooling early evening air. The rooftops looked forlorn, distant and lonely. It was promising to be another long night.

He shut and locked his window and then pulled a thin cotton undershirt over his lean torso. Over this he pulled on the chain mail, and then a light, long-sleeved shirt. He wore a simple sword strapped to his belt an his pants were linen with patches of leather to protect his knees and thighs. It was the clothing of a man who had once been a soldier but now... he was biding his time.

Once he was done he walked the three blocks to the Randy Rooster again. Was this all there was to life? The same routine, the same streets... nothing to look forward to but his one meal a day and the small accumulation of coins hidden in his flat. One day he hoped to have a small home and piece of land away from the city. Someplace where he could grow a garden and raise animals, and not have to worry about who was reaching into his pocket on the crowded city street.

He pushed open the door and saw that the tavern was much emptier than last night. A quick scan found the girl who had helped him yesterday, but she was busy cleaning tables. He walked up to the bar to order his usual meal.
 
While Annika was at the bar a few men made a scene and had to be walked out, so she went to clean their table and so her co-worker took the order of the man. Annika soon finished and returned behind the bar to help another man who came in and sat down without so much as a glance to the other patrons.

" 'Ey 'Nika!" he called, the blonde stopping and smiling to him. "Yes 'Erald?" she asked, mocking his speech. The man just smirked, missing a couple teeth, and told her, "Madrina tol' me te tell ye 'at your friend was by. Said tell 'er thanks and give ye dis." He put a small pouch on the table, it was obviously hand made by a woman from outside the city.

Annika smiled a bit and shook her head, "I can't take that, she just helps people when she can. Although, if you really want to thank her the next time she's around, she wanted to show Allison a few tricks after what happened to Rosette..." she explained. Herald nodded and smiled to the blonde, "Eiright, 'ow 'bout fetchin' me me usual den, 'uh?" She nodded and went back into the kitchen to get it for him.
 
Derek noticed a bit of traffic, and that it looked like someone was paying off a small debt. He noted the cute, er... yesterday's tavern wench refusing a small pouch from a patron. He wondered what had happened to a woman named 'Rosette' and what Allison was going to show her.

He waited until his basic lunch was handed to him and then he paid, giving Annika a nod of remembrance when she looked his way. Once he had what he wanted, though, he had no reason to linger, so Derek walked out and began to make his way to the guard house. Hopefully he'd pull a different location that night; he was tired of dealing with the royal guards and their royal thief.
 
Annika looked over at Scarface, as she wanted to call him since he never told her his name, and nodded back before she went to the other guests. Herald lingered for a while until the end of Annika's shift, when he paid and then followed her. He began to ask about when her friend could show up again, and Annika hummed. "Well, if I see her I'll ask her to go tonight, and she'll bring food this time," she basically promised. With that, Herald left and Annika went home.

She changed herself once more, clothes and all, before changing into a cat. This time, she wanted to mess with Scarface before she went on her adventure and so she went to the guard house, noticing how most of the guards were just arriving and realizing her shift had been cut rather early. She left not long after Scarface left actually, probably only an hour. She padded around the place until one of the men scared her and she hissed at them. She retreated to the outside of the building but lingered around so she could bother the man.
 
"Heard you got outrun by a woman," one of the other city guards teased. Several of the others laughed at Derek's expense.

"Yeah... well you take the upper east then. I don't want it." He pulled off his cloak and slipped on the city guard tabard they were required to wear. He eyes the one who had been laughing at him. "If you can catch her I'll buy you a beer."

The others chimed in, wanting part of that bet. Soon they were all challenging each other, claiming that they'd not only catch the elusive female thief but also get her to do other extra-curricular activities, their boasts growing as they grew bolder. Derek shook his head and strapped on his sword before reporting to be told his assignment. He passed by the door in time to see one of the guards kick at a cat. "Hey, what'd tht cat ever do to you?" he called out.

The other guard stuck a pipe between his teeth. "I hate pussy. Except the two-legged kind." He chuckled. "Use cats fer target practice. That's all they're good for."

Derek shook his head and went to see the sergeant. Again he was assigned the Upper East. Derek tried to protest, but the sergeant was adamant. Since he still had a few minutes before the bells tolled, Derek went out to the water barrel and dipped himself a cup of water. It was already a long night, and his shift hadn't even started yet.
 
Annika trotted over when she saw Scarface, and purred as she rubbed against his legs. She wondered if he'd recognize she was the same cat or if he would just think she was another cat. She flicked her tail as she meowed and played the perfect little cat.

He was working with the guards again, and that settled it! She'd make another show tonight and, since she heard the little wager the men had going, she was already planning how to mess with all of the other guards. Tomorrow, she'd have to see what was around the city and choose a place from each section to break into.
 
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