Alira heard a firm, urgent knock on the door. She looked up from her book towards the door. "Who is it?" she inquired.
"Who else would it be? " came the snarky reply from the familiar voice.
Alira smirked slightly, "Come in, Cirilia."
Cirilia opened the door, stepped inside and quickly shut the door behind her. Alira was propped up on a couple down pillows with a book in her hand. The book appeared to be made out of some sort of leather and was covered in runes. Alira put the book on her lap, "What is the matter? You seem agitated."
"We got a problem." Cirilia responded.
"We 'ave lots o' problems. Elaborate " Alira responded.
"Look! I don't know what happened, but I was doing my job following the lady around... being good... and we went a lot of places that were -so- boring, you have no idea... Anyways, the boss lady ordered us to take this broad..." Cirilia said.
"Which... broad? An' who is us?" Alira asked, hesitating at the use of the slang term.
"Us is the boss lady, some cloaked guy with a stutter and myself. An' damn if I know the broad ... I don't remember the name they called her. So they were talking for a bit..."
"Who?"
Cirilia looks exasperated at being interrupted again, "The boss lady and the broad. Anyways, the boss lady said to take her, so I did what you said and followed orders. We knocked her the hell out. The we dragged her back to some keep... " Cirilia exclaimed, "They didn't even check if they were followed, grandsire!" Alira arched an eyebrow briefly as if in inquiry, "Don't worry, I kept my mouth shut like a stupid little human, and didn't let on... so we get upstairs... creepy guy got upset with the boss lady when she told him to search and left. So I said -FINE-, I'll do it. I grabbed her by the hair and shoved the broad against the wall and held her like I was taught. Every time she talked, I used my grip to push her face harder against the wall... but she wouldn't stop laughing or talking. "
Alira closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again slowly, "A few head slams should 'ave resolved t'at. What was the problem?"
"She got off the wall..."
"Ye should 'ave used yer vitae..." Alira started to say.
Cirilia looked Alira in the eyes and with a grit of her teeth, "I did."
Alira paused and studied her grandchilder's face. There was no sign of deception in the young girl's expression or body language. Alira's face suddenly took a more tense expression as she sat up fully, "Was she kindred?"
".. I don't think so... I don't know what she was. She was strong, seemed immune to pain and was quick like me. I didn't get that feeling we get meeting another of our kind. Whatever she is, I couldn't seem to control her... and she seemed to know what I was." Cirilia said.
Alira's forehead creased slightly as she considered Cirilia's report. "Do ye remember w'at it was they wanted with her?"
".. Something about a book and a sword... least that was what they yammered on about. "
"An' ye've never seen her before this?" Alira asked.
Cirilia shook her head, "Not that I can recall. She had lighter hair if that helps and there was a strong smell of dog or something dog-like in the shadow tagalongs. "
Alira nodded, "I may recall someone I met briefly in a tavern a couple weeks back. " Alira slowly drummed her manicured nails on the pages of the book in her lap. "I want ye t'send in yer regret and resignation t'the leader o' the Hand. Tell them yer grandmother requires yer services and ye will be required to take yer leave much t'yer regret. " Cirilia opened her mouth briefly to object to her orders. Alira's eyebrow instantly raised and Cirilia slowly and wisely closed her mouth. "My granddaughter... " Alira said letting her tone softly, "... we cannae' take chances. If this lady was as powerful as ye said she was... a' I believe ye... then we would be foolish t'expose either of us so openly. Whatever business they 'ave with this lady is far from concluded and I value yer life more than the deal we made. "
"And what about Yew?" Cirilia asked.
"We will keep our presence there, but try to keep it subdued for now. I want you to move your resting place out of the city boundaries. If this lady figured out what you are, they could come looking for you and eventually me. Much has changed while we slept and it would appear our kind is no longer at the top of the food chain."
Cirilia gave a nod and then bowed from her waist, "As you order." She turned and quickly left the room to go write the resignation her grandsire ordered. Alira slowly leaned back on the pillow, her nails still slowly drumming in contemplation.
"Who else would it be? " came the snarky reply from the familiar voice.
Alira smirked slightly, "Come in, Cirilia."
Cirilia opened the door, stepped inside and quickly shut the door behind her. Alira was propped up on a couple down pillows with a book in her hand. The book appeared to be made out of some sort of leather and was covered in runes. Alira put the book on her lap, "What is the matter? You seem agitated."
"We got a problem." Cirilia responded.
"We 'ave lots o' problems. Elaborate " Alira responded.
"Look! I don't know what happened, but I was doing my job following the lady around... being good... and we went a lot of places that were -so- boring, you have no idea... Anyways, the boss lady ordered us to take this broad..." Cirilia said.
"Which... broad? An' who is us?" Alira asked, hesitating at the use of the slang term.
"Us is the boss lady, some cloaked guy with a stutter and myself. An' damn if I know the broad ... I don't remember the name they called her. So they were talking for a bit..."
"Who?"
Cirilia looks exasperated at being interrupted again, "The boss lady and the broad. Anyways, the boss lady said to take her, so I did what you said and followed orders. We knocked her the hell out. The we dragged her back to some keep... " Cirilia exclaimed, "They didn't even check if they were followed, grandsire!" Alira arched an eyebrow briefly as if in inquiry, "Don't worry, I kept my mouth shut like a stupid little human, and didn't let on... so we get upstairs... creepy guy got upset with the boss lady when she told him to search and left. So I said -FINE-, I'll do it. I grabbed her by the hair and shoved the broad against the wall and held her like I was taught. Every time she talked, I used my grip to push her face harder against the wall... but she wouldn't stop laughing or talking. "
Alira closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again slowly, "A few head slams should 'ave resolved t'at. What was the problem?"
"She got off the wall..."
"Ye should 'ave used yer vitae..." Alira started to say.
Cirilia looked Alira in the eyes and with a grit of her teeth, "I did."
Alira paused and studied her grandchilder's face. There was no sign of deception in the young girl's expression or body language. Alira's face suddenly took a more tense expression as she sat up fully, "Was she kindred?"
".. I don't think so... I don't know what she was. She was strong, seemed immune to pain and was quick like me. I didn't get that feeling we get meeting another of our kind. Whatever she is, I couldn't seem to control her... and she seemed to know what I was." Cirilia said.
Alira's forehead creased slightly as she considered Cirilia's report. "Do ye remember w'at it was they wanted with her?"
".. Something about a book and a sword... least that was what they yammered on about. "
"An' ye've never seen her before this?" Alira asked.
Cirilia shook her head, "Not that I can recall. She had lighter hair if that helps and there was a strong smell of dog or something dog-like in the shadow tagalongs. "
Alira nodded, "I may recall someone I met briefly in a tavern a couple weeks back. " Alira slowly drummed her manicured nails on the pages of the book in her lap. "I want ye t'send in yer regret and resignation t'the leader o' the Hand. Tell them yer grandmother requires yer services and ye will be required to take yer leave much t'yer regret. " Cirilia opened her mouth briefly to object to her orders. Alira's eyebrow instantly raised and Cirilia slowly and wisely closed her mouth. "My granddaughter... " Alira said letting her tone softly, "... we cannae' take chances. If this lady was as powerful as ye said she was... a' I believe ye... then we would be foolish t'expose either of us so openly. Whatever business they 'ave with this lady is far from concluded and I value yer life more than the deal we made. "
"And what about Yew?" Cirilia asked.
"We will keep our presence there, but try to keep it subdued for now. I want you to move your resting place out of the city boundaries. If this lady figured out what you are, they could come looking for you and eventually me. Much has changed while we slept and it would appear our kind is no longer at the top of the food chain."
Cirilia gave a nod and then bowed from her waist, "As you order." She turned and quickly left the room to go write the resignation her grandsire ordered. Alira slowly leaned back on the pillow, her nails still slowly drumming in contemplation.