"You'll be scarred forever if you go through with this plan of yours, " Lilian said.
"That's the idea. " Alira said, her eyes focused on the contents of her desk. A thick leather bound ledger bore the heavy weight of her attention. She jotted a few numbers in one of the columns.
"Doesn't that bother you?" she asked quietly.
"Why should it if it serves my purpose? I already 'ave scars on my back, why should a few more matter? Pain is only a temporary affliction." Alira stated flatly, no emotion in her voice.
"But..."
Alira smirked as she looked up at Lilian briefly. "I don't forsee -that- bein' an issue. I think the whole being dead thin' will rank higher in complaint t'an perfect skin." She looked back down at the ledger, "Besides, these scars will 'elp ensure my safety from any lookin' t'accuse me. They and history will be my armor against any kine t'at threatens t'reveal me. "
"How?" she asked, folding her arms.
"It will be done in public. The townsfolk of Moonglow will gossip as townsfolk always do and the stories will spread like wildfire. Any rumors that stir that I have an alliance with Merek and his people will be left in doubt. "
"The whole vampire thing is still an issue."
"Is it? There are medical textbooks of humans with pale skin who suffer burns from mere sunlight. This will reinforce and solidify my facade of humanity. I will bleed. An' due to the hidden nature of the weapon to be used, I will heal as slow as a human... and I will scar as a human would. Moonglow has publicly and violently put vampires to death and they have laws about their mere presence in their city. I will be in their lands as I have many times before, but this time at their mercy. If I was a vampire, they would surely act."
"They do know what you are..." Lilian asserted.
"Aye, they do, but no one else knows that."
Lilian sighed, "I will never understand you, Alira."
"Most don't."
"Wow, most? Not all this time?" Lilian said sarcastically. "So this has nothing to do with the actual slave girl's well-being?"
"No. Arkon was concerned for the girl, so perhaps it will bring him comfort when he returns."
"I doubt he will be pleased you consented to being whipped like a slave yourself."
"He can be displeased. I don't expect him t'understand my reasons so I won't burden him wit' them. Hopefully the whole situation will be concluded before he returns from his voyage, " Alira said as she waved Lilian off dismissively with a hand gesture. "Ye may go." Lilian smirked, but turned obediently and left Alira to her business.
"That's the idea. " Alira said, her eyes focused on the contents of her desk. A thick leather bound ledger bore the heavy weight of her attention. She jotted a few numbers in one of the columns.
"Doesn't that bother you?" she asked quietly.
"Why should it if it serves my purpose? I already 'ave scars on my back, why should a few more matter? Pain is only a temporary affliction." Alira stated flatly, no emotion in her voice.
"But..."
Alira smirked as she looked up at Lilian briefly. "I don't forsee -that- bein' an issue. I think the whole being dead thin' will rank higher in complaint t'an perfect skin." She looked back down at the ledger, "Besides, these scars will 'elp ensure my safety from any lookin' t'accuse me. They and history will be my armor against any kine t'at threatens t'reveal me. "
"How?" she asked, folding her arms.
"It will be done in public. The townsfolk of Moonglow will gossip as townsfolk always do and the stories will spread like wildfire. Any rumors that stir that I have an alliance with Merek and his people will be left in doubt. "
"The whole vampire thing is still an issue."
"Is it? There are medical textbooks of humans with pale skin who suffer burns from mere sunlight. This will reinforce and solidify my facade of humanity. I will bleed. An' due to the hidden nature of the weapon to be used, I will heal as slow as a human... and I will scar as a human would. Moonglow has publicly and violently put vampires to death and they have laws about their mere presence in their city. I will be in their lands as I have many times before, but this time at their mercy. If I was a vampire, they would surely act."
"They do know what you are..." Lilian asserted.
"Aye, they do, but no one else knows that."
Lilian sighed, "I will never understand you, Alira."
"Most don't."
"Wow, most? Not all this time?" Lilian said sarcastically. "So this has nothing to do with the actual slave girl's well-being?"
"No. Arkon was concerned for the girl, so perhaps it will bring him comfort when he returns."
"I doubt he will be pleased you consented to being whipped like a slave yourself."
"He can be displeased. I don't expect him t'understand my reasons so I won't burden him wit' them. Hopefully the whole situation will be concluded before he returns from his voyage, " Alira said as she waved Lilian off dismissively with a hand gesture. "Ye may go." Lilian smirked, but turned obediently and left Alira to her business.