Previously:
The Nicean emissary.Canal Distract, Silver Trailings, outside the Realm Below the Mountain
Jyslyn, Wren, and Leomund wound there way through the narrow streets of the Silver Trailings' Canal District. Away from the bustling crowds, the trio took their time, taking in the sights. Jyslyn stopped Wren from staring at daringly dressed women a few times, pulling the young elf away by the elbow.
"What is the big deal?" Wren asked after being dragged for the fifth time. "I've never seen anyone wearing clothes like that."
"You don't need to know," Jyslyn answered.
"Can I ask them?"
"No, Wren. It's not a good idea."
The young elf stopped dead in the street, crossing her arms. "Why not?"
"Kazimier will be upset with both of us." Jyslyn sighed. "It's complicated, Wren, apparently."
"Apparently?"
Leomund laughed. "All those women are streetwalkers." Feeling Jyslyn glaring at him, the squire said, "Kazimier can be upset with me."
Wren added her own glare at Leomund. "What's a streetwalker?"
"They're prostitutes." Seeing the young elf's puzzled expression, Leomund added, "People pay them for sex."
"Really? Lia should come here, then. She'd be rich!"
"No, Wren," Jyslyn said. "It doesn't work that way." The dark elf ducked her head. "These women aren't like your friend. The men aren't interested in them, just the sex. And the women don't really have a choice, unlike your friend."
"That sounds so sad," Wren said. "Why do the women allow it?"
Leomund rubbed the back of his neck. "They might not have the choice. Some don't have any other way to earn money."
"It's not something you want to get involved with, Wren," Jyslyn said.
"But they're wearing dresses like the one you bought."
"The fashion where I'm from is similar." Jyslyn began walking again, hoping the others followed her. "Except, like Wildwood, we have a matrirarchy, so the revealing clothes are for different reasons. Do you understand now, Wren?"
"I think so." Wren hurried to keep up with the dark elf. "Wait, does that mean I interrupted you and Kazimier before you had sex?"
"No, Wren. Kazimier and I were just talking."
"But you were hugging each other and you were wearing a blanket."
"Would you prefer that I was nude in front of Kazimier?"
Wren rubbed her chin as she thought over the question. "That would be awkward."
"Yes it would."
A shout came from an alley. Jyslyn silently gave thanks to the Gods Above and Below for the interruption before running after Wren and Leomund to the source of the call. A man emerged from the alley. "Where's the town guard?" he demanded.
Wren pointed to where she had last seen one of Galan's Shields. "Back there. What happened?" The man ran off without answering.
Jyslyn entered the alleyway. A man hung dead on a rope tied to an overhead beam, his neck broken and a knife stabbed into his heart. "Wren, stay back!"
"What is it, Jyslyn?" Wren came around the corner. Her eyes widened as she saw the corpse. "Is he dead?"
"He is."
"Several days, it looks like," Leomund said. He pointed at the dead man's chest. "There's not much blood from the knife wound. He was stabbed after he died."
Wren squinted as she studied the body. "Isn't that the same type of knife like the one we found with the goblins?"
"Leomund, give me a boost." Jyslyn walked under the body. Leomund cupped his hands to let Jyslyn climb up them. With effort, the two worked together getting Jyslyn up to get a better view of the knife. "It is." She placed a hand on the building, steadying herself, then pulled the knife out of the body. "Let me down, Leomund."
Once the dark elf was back with both feet on the ground, the squire asked, "Do you think this murder is related to the Nicean's?"
"How many other dark elves have you seen in Silver Trailings?" Jyslyn wiped the blood from the knife using the corpse's trousers. "We better get going before the town guard arrives." The sound of running footsteps and clinking armour could be heard approaching. Jyslyn pointed down to the other end of the alley. "That way. Go!"
The trio sprinted away from the coming footsteps and the body. Leomund's long legs let him take the lead. At the entrance, he turned a sharp right, never slowing down. After a few blocks, he checked over his shoulder. The elven women had fallen half a block behind. Leomund eased off his pace, letting the women catch up to him. Jyslyn panted as she joined Leomund at his side, though Wren wasn't even winded. "Too fast," the dark elf gasped.
"You said, 'Go,' ma'am," Leomund said.
"I'm now saying, 'Stop.'"
"Shouldn't we get back to the inn and tell Kazimier and Nyssa?" Wren said.
"I agree with Mistress Wren," Leomund said. "They need to know."
Jyslyn tucked the dagger into her belt. "We should. Dinner would be wonderful to have, too."
Interregnum 3
The Bent Coin, Silver Trailings, outside the Realm Below the Mountain
Sesserine slammed her fist on the table. Mugs jumped; the liquids within sloshed over the rim an on the abused table. "How does a dagger disappear?" Her tone was low but still carried her anger. "It wasn't one of the magical weapons the Accursed use in their home. It wouldn't have fallen to dust in the sunlight. What happened to it?"
"I don't know!" The young man hammered the table, splashing himself with spilt ale. "I stabbed him myself!" He pulled himself to his full height. "I'd like to see you do better."
Sesserine pushed her self up. Her blanket fell, revealing the woman's slim torso, clad in a simple green tunic. She kept rising. Where the tunic ended, her body became scaly, like that of a snake. Sesserine towered over the young man. "You will not use that tone of voice with me. Remember your place!"
The young man stumbled backwards, tripping over his stool. "Wh-what are you?"
"I am your master, whelp. You live only so long as you please me." Sesserine slithered over the table. "Now tell me what happened to that dagger!"
With the snake woman right above him, the younger man laid down flat on the floor. "I don't know!" Memory returned. "Wait! I saw three people near the alley. A human boy, an elf girl, and someone covered in a cloak. They may have gone in and seen him."
Sesserine settled back on the bench. "Are you sure?"
"They were gone by the time the town guard arrived."
"I see." Sesserine covered her snake body with the blanket again. "They must have known about the knife's importance. I want them found."
"Find them?" The young man picked himself up from the floor. "Just where am I supposed to start looking?"
Sesserine smoothed her blanket. "You are part of the thieves' guild. I'm sure you know people who can look for them. Just how many elves could there be in this wretched town?"
Next Week:
Catching everyone up.
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