A Simple Message

[Alira Drakrul]

"Why is this so important? I understand about the second skins for protection, but this..." he gestured a hand at her, "does nothing to protect you."

Alira looked over at him. He was lounging on the bed in nothing more than a pair of dark leather pants. He'd have been naked if the other girl wasn't present. He hated wearing clothing, even armor was grumbled about. Nudity was natural to him. He wasn't attracted sexually to the human body so there was no sexual overture in nakedness. She spoke aloud as she studied him. "One's clothing can convey a message to others. "

"This says one lacked material to make a complete second skin." he snorted.

She laughed. It was a genuine in its mirth at his statement. "Clothing... " she gently corrected him, "... can convey messages of one's status, their job and their intentions."

"Why not simply speak this information?" he asked.

"Sometimes it is better to not declare such information aloud. Hinting at something can be far more effective than declaring it."

"If one spoke it aloud with words, it could be understood. This..." he gestured at her revealing dress, "... this does not speak clearly."

Nyx was ignoring their conversation, focused solely on checking the fit of the dress. She had become quite used to their odd way of speaking, especially the one called Dar'eka. She reached up and lightly pressed on Alira's hips to turn her.

Alira turned at the silent request, turning her back to Dar'eka. The dress was backless. Thin bands of fabric over her shoulders held it up. The vicious scars on her back and left arm were clearly visible. The silvery surface of the scars on her back were raised. Alira spoke firmly, "This clothing will hopefully convey several messages to the one I intend it to speak to. "

"One doesn't like that it won't allow the skins for protection." He said, eyeing all the bare skin. He looked at her scars that had been made by a vampire who challenged her. "They will see your scars... " his voice trailed off.

"One is aware of that my scars will show. It is intended." Alira said simply.

"What is the message this sk..clothing... supposed to say?" he asked.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him, "That I'm not as weak as I may appear... and I'm willing to renegotiate the terms of our arrangement."

 

[Alira Drakrul]

Alira closed the front door with an amused expression. Her eyes had a lingering trace of predatory intensity in them as she stared off into space for a long moment. She smirked slightly and looked down at herself. Her right arm was cradled against her chest. It was the only thing keeping the beautiful dress she wore from falling to the floor.

She walked barefoot up the stairs towards her bedroom. Each footstep carefully placed and precise, lost in her thoughts. Alira reached out and wrapped her bare hand around the door knob. The glyph shifted from blue to a deep red and a soft click could be heard. She gave the thick door a gentle push and it swung open revealing her private bedroom.

As she stepped inside and the door closed behind her, a large black wolf raised its head. It was laying on a large rug with a cow femur near its front paws. He looked at her for a moment before the familiar voice entered her head. "Did you break your new skin?" he said, amused.

She smirked at him and released her hold on the dress. It slid down her petite body and fell to the ground. She stepped out of it and then bent over to pick it up as she spoke aloud, "I wasn't the one who cut the straps holding it up." She threw the damaged dress on the wolf's face. It shook its large head and the dress fell to the rug.

The wolf looked up at her with its mouth slightly agape. "What did he use to cut it?" he asked mentally.

"A dagger, " she said simply.

"He could have tried to kill you..." Dar'eka said silently as his barrel-shaped chest emitted a low growl.

"Somethin' along those lines... but he didn't try to... nae yet, at least." She slide her underwear off and kicked them over to the dress on the floor.

"This could end with you injured severely or worse. You are playing a very dangerous game..." the wolf warned.

She walked up the stone stairs to her massive steaming bath. She looked over her shoulder at the wolf, "I know I place myself in danger, but... so does he."