((Good thing i keep reading every day lol, though aparently not well))

Daeman sat up on her bed as she finished some of the food she had when Cain walked in. He told her to help Atticus with his assignment and get if finished by the end of the week. "Yes sir" She said obediently as the powerful man walked out of the room. She finally got her assignment and now she was working with her partner all over again. What fun. She was about to get up when she heard another soft knock on the door. Oh who could this be? She got up quickly and put her shirt back on with her pants in hand. She was jumping into her pants as she went towards the door. Putting her hair up she quickly opened the door and looked to see it was Atticus. Oh great he gets to see me while im battered. Thats a switch. "Atticus" She said with slight suprise that she had tried to hide in her voice. "Is there something I can help you with?" She was a little suprised he wast out hunting for people against Cain at this time. Or even after his old friend. But that didnt matter for he was here now and she would help with whatever he asked.

((:lol: I guess I wasn't very clear on this . . . but Cain stopped in and dropped off the assignment for you. :P))


Atticus blinked a few times before stepping inside, pushing Dae aside gently.
"You're hurt," he said, his deep voice low. "How did it happen?" The half-elf made sure the door was closed, and he eyed Daeman with a strange emotion dancing about his eyes.

((Sorry thats the one part i didnt read but i edited.))

Daeman looked at her friend. "Its nothing" She said as he pushed her aside gently. "My brother found me and decided to steal from me. I had to go after him to get my trinket back from my mom. He still has that one but he left these from my dad as well as plenty of men to play with." She looked into his eyes and saw something strange. She couldnt look away but she knew she needed to. "Oh um" She looked away a little embarressed. She walked over to the bed and sat down.

"Let me help you," the statement sounded like a question. Despite not enjoying the process of stitching up and patching wounds, Atticus felt drawn to aid Dae, just as she had helped him for years. And without her permission, the assassin wouldn't so much as get near her - not if she didn't want him to.
His gray eyes followed her to the bed, and he slowly stepped over to stand before her, hesitant, yet determined to help. "Where are you hurt?"

Daeman was a little suprised as he came in front of her. Then a smile creeped on her face. He was going to help her with her wounds? He hated the stitching process. Noticing that she had let out a smile quickly tried to hide it. "You can help. Its mostly around the back and chest area." She said with certainty. She couldnt help but feel an aura of attraction to him. After all these years and she is now feeling the attraction to him. "But i thought you didnt like the stitching process" She snickered a little bit.

[So where can Veata find Cain? :) If she's to meet him at all today that is. If not then I'll have her move some place else in my next post.]

Veata leaned back into the chair and crossed one leg over the other. She playfully tossed up a small satchel filled with gold in one hand as she looked over the unconscious bodies that lay around the gambling table. Earlier, after leaving the office, she had decided to test out the temperaments of Cain's new subordinates to see if causing a huge brawl would be a good enough distraction for when Will would search the guild. She joined the card game, knowing she and the other guards would be swindled out of their money and faked a rampage after losing, causing a small brawl between the guards, the charlatan and his friends and the other guild members who were in the game.

Coming out at the top was inevitable for the djinn since the other brawlers of elven, drow, human, and other undetermined descent could not match her strength. However, some of their speeds were faster than her body could keep up with and while her heavy armor protected most of her, she still gained some nasty cuts on her face and neck. These wounds have slowly begun to heal on their own but ignoring hits like these wouldn't be wise any longer, especially since she might be going up against Cain face to face. The man was a skilled fighter and he had both remarkable strength and speed, not to mention a sharp mind. She wondered if she would have been able to win against him if their fights were never interrupted by the previous guild master. Certainly he couldn't kill her back then but he might have known how to incapacitate her painfully.
The djinn almost laughed at the thought of herself being decapitated and her headless body wandering around looking for its head. This unfortunate predicament had happened to an uncle of hers once, but he didn't suffer long since his heroic foe quickly tossed his soul's vessel into the fiery magma river that ran through his lair. Her cruel relative melted along with his old lamp.

Looking up at the stairs, Veata reminisced on the offer made by the silver blond assassin from the bar massacre. 'Could she really help me become faster?' she thought, pocketing the gold she had 'won' before getting up. She continued to think about whether she should ask her or not while propping up the bodies of the defeated against a nearby wall and fixing the overturned chairs and tables. No need to leave the guild in an even messier state than it already was.

((Oh, to answer your question . . . I think that the best time to meet Cain will be when he returns to his room. You can talk to him right as he's about to go inside - your timing is great; I'll just reply when you walk up to him.))

Atticus blinked slowly, shaking his head. "I do hate it," the half-elf hissed. "I hate seeing my friends in pain even more than my own unpleasantries." Reaching into a drawer (conviniently, it was just like the one in his room) the assassin withdrew a thread and needle. "Let's get this over with."
Moving to sit beside Dae, Atticus tilted his head slightly, his long hair slipping over his cloaked shoulders. "Where should I start?"

Daeman took off her shirt as Atticus grabbed the needle and thread from her drawer. The rooms were all pretty much made the same so he could definately reach her drawer the way he did as if he was in his own room. "Thanx" She said as she turned her back towards him. She of course covered her top as she took of the bandage to show her back. She looked back at him. "Its worse on my back." She said with a little happyness as she turned back and smiled. She moved her long silver hair over her shoulder as she waited for him to stitch her up. Atticus had said that she was his friend. She couldnt help but smile knowing he thought of her as a friend.

[Alrighty :)]

The djinn stood there, brushing off the dust from her hands and admiring her work. It seemed the guild was looking better already. The tables and chairs were all in order and the thugs were lined up neatly against the wall. A few guild members were sitting at the other tables, having seen the ruckus but not bothering to help their comrades. It wasn't any of their concern unless they got paid to help. Besides, it seems they were used to sudden brawls like this and for now, as long as they didn't cross Veata, she didn't pay them any mind. Picking up her spear, Veata smiled as she took one last look at the fallen before resuming her search for the one who was to pay her. Little did she know she wouldn't have to look far as the sound of the great man walking down the halls reached her sensitive ears. Her body tensed as she shifted from a haughty mood to a defensive manner.

Before Cain was about to enter his office, a bloodied short sword came spiking through the side of his door. It missed his head by a narrow inch, but how Veata wished he wasn't keen enough to have notice the weapon's approach nor fast enough to dodge it. His face was calm. As calm as when she saw him kill his targets when she was but a novice.
"Tch. Still sharp." she said as she approached him. He towered over her as William did. Maybe even more. Veata addressed him as she always had when he had no way of killing her outright. At the very least, she didn't want to show any sign of worry for her relic's well being. The spearwoman did not want to give Cain the satisfaction.

"What kind of leader would I be if I went and got clumsy?" Cain said, his eyes narrowing. His long silver hair shifted about him as he yanked the blade out of his door, holding it before him. "This is?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "William, I assume?" His turquoise eyes moved to Veata, and the guild leader slowly pushed his door open. "What other proof do you bring me of his death? Bloodied blades are not enough. You should know this by now."
Ever so slowly Cain stepped into his office-like room, not so much as motioning for Veata to follow. It was expected; he didn't waste a movement.

Veata followed the man into the room as a small feeling of dread began creeping up her spine. 'No!' she mentally scolded herself, 'Why should I be afraid now? He's just got a fancy new title that's all. He's no stronger or faster than he was last year!' She took out what looked like a tarnished medallion from the satchel on her belt as Cain approached his desk. 'Besides, it's not like he can kill m-...Oh, that's right...' She ended her thoughts there and made sure she looked as confident as she had outside. "Yeah, yeah." she finally said, and tossed the faded trinket onto his desk. "So where's my pay? It better not be less than what I usually get." The djinn kept her eyes on Cain, scanning for any signs of the stone on him while his back was turned.

A blur of movement came from Cain's hand, and a small sack was tossed over to Veata. "Thirty pieces of silver," he said in a low voice, his back still to the djinn. "As always." His eyes settled on the trinket, and he nodded once, picking it up within his pale hand. The guild leader's broad shoulders stiffened a bit as he stepped over to the fire place, throwing the medallion into the flames.
"Darius and the others," he said, his deep voice emotionless. Staring into the burning fire, the tall man slightly turned his head back to Veata. "Have you heard from them recently?"

[Oh, who're the others you're talking about? :eager: I'll make it so Veata knows who you're talking about even if I don't :sweat: But do you mean like Daeman and Atticus and Aries or some other guild members you have in mind? I'll edit this later if I'm wrong]

"Why?" she asked, measuring the weight of the silver in her hand before returning her glare to him. "Got a mission for them or something?" She wondered if he suspected anything of their plan. Maybe he already knew. Not unless the spy had yet to report to him. Until she knew for sure, Veata would act as if there were no such thing just to be on the safe side. Panicking over a 'what if?' was something only an amateur would do. She wouldn't give Darius' and any other comrades' whereabouts so easily either. Anyway, the mission to the north had kept her from the guild for a long time thus preventing her from actually knowing their status, save for Darius' of course. She could only guess that some of them were already dead like her friends. Maybe Cain had killed them and he was just cruelly toying with her lack of certainty.

((Hehe, yes. Dae, Atticus, a few others. :P She would know them, though I'm leaving it very vague. Cain does do that, y'know. Play it vague. . . .))

"Merely pondering," Cain said, his gaze back on the fire. He slowly reached up and stroked a stone that hung from about his neck (which I hope you don't mind, but it's her heartstone. I'll edit if you want it changed) with a contemplative look in his eyes. "Both you and Darius have recently returned from the North, have you not?" The guild leader turned around, his smooth movements making him seem more surreal - like the movements of a large cat. His turquious eyes stared into hers, revealing nothing. "How do you fare? Well, I hope?"
Small talk. Cain did no such thing. Not usually.

[I guess I'll leave my post as it is then for...vagueness' sake? :XP And where the stone is now is perfect :D]

Veata resisted every urge to attack him right then and there as soon as her reptilian eyes met the craggy heartstone. She spat a very lizard-like hiss at him though she knew it would affect him as a drop of water did a burning forest. It seems he knew she wouldn't be able to land a hit on him as long as he kept her life source close. Real close. If she did, that rock would be smashed by her own hands if he didn't do it himself.
"Yeah we did, just a freaking wasteland now. Though I'm sure you've already received the report." Every word was bitter and poisonous. The spearwoman already knew his concerned remarks were false, merely a way to add insult to injury. Unfortunately, it was working. "And me?! I'm just great!!!"

"Apparently," Cain smiled coldly. Turning to move back to the fire, the guild leader chuckled lightly to himself.
The tall man kept his eyes on the fire, it's reflection catching within their depths. His deep voice was sudden when he spoke once more. "You may leave."
Tapping the heartstone as it dangled from it's chain, Cain blinked slowly. "Send Atticus to me when you get the chance."



((Speaking of Atticus . . . *cough* Kinda forgot about him. :oops:))


Atticus reached forward, threading the needle as he pressed against one of the wounds on Dae's back. His touch was intentionally gentle, though ended up being rough. His hands weren't quite meant for careful or comforting movements. Stitching up the first slash, the half-elf frowned slightly. When Daeman tensed up after he moved to the next cut, the assassin paused.
"Am I hurting you?" he asked, his voice a grating whisper. This was something he hated doing - but he'd do it for Dae. She had done it too many times for him to shirk his part of the friendship off. His gray eyes were kept on the wounds that were scattered about the woman's back, ignoring any awkwardness of the moment.

((He's not the most gentle being on the face of the planet . . . but at least he's trying!))

Giving one last growl before turning to the door, Veata swore to herself that she'd slash through the neck her stone dangled around once they met in battle. Now she didn't want to leave the room just because he told her to, but staying out of spite was stupid. The pain that rattled her heart when he tapped the relic abruptly stopped her march towards the door, however, forcing her to listen to his last command. "Hmph." was her contemptuous reply. She emanated an aura of hate as she walked towards the guild exit and truly believed she would rip apart the next person who decided to talk to her. After reaching the cold outdoors, she decided not to head away from the guild. Instead she went around the side and towards the training grounds. The giant wooden dummies were riddled with marks and slashes from the multiple weapons that have touched them since their installment but they remained standing and sturdy. But today would be their last as Veata beat each to a pulp, making sure to think of Cain. When she had finally spent all her rage, Veata just sat under a tree in the slowly rising snow. Try as she might, she couldn't think of what to do next. She knew she'd have to move eventually, but for now, she welcomed the numbing cold.

[I'll move her later on unless someone else talks to her :) For now, I guess I'll leave her here. Ahh, therapy]

((Lol i didnt think he would be but he is Trying... *giggles*))

Daeman flinched as he did the first cut on her back. She had many more but she didnt think he would do all of them. His touch seemed softer than usual though it still struck as a little rough. She curled her bottom lip under her top one and bit onto it for the pain. She also didnt want to show a little smile creep up on her face. She tensed a little after the first cut was done. She knew his hands were more meant for killing than stitching but it had to be done some how otherwise shed be wearing the wrap for a while. Though she would wear it after this anyway. It also didnt seem that he minded the modesty as he paused at the next cut. "Its fine. You know that getting them is worse than tending to them." She said with a little pain in her voice. again she noticed that he kept his eyes on the wounds and not at her. He so hates awkward situations. She thought laughing to herself. She had tended his wounds so many times it seemed that he only wanted to return the favor. "Oh i forgot to tell you. Ive been assigned to help you take care of any and all traitors.... I thought i might let you know now since your here." She said with little emotion. She didnt want to sound eager to work with him again. Then again she also didnt want to sound like she wasnt excited. It just came out that way.

Darius had taken Veata's advice and spent the rest of the day sleep for how many hours he could manage. He had definitely been in rough shape when they met, and Rae, for all he knew, could have been in a somewhat similar condition. He led her to the Guard's house, in a back hallway to find a bunk room warm and mostly unoccupied. "Go ahead and take any of them, nothing's assigned." The rider chose one close to the floor and climbed in, face first. "We'll take a few hours here, then go find people... unless you have the energy to do all that now."

He let himself relax and for a brief while forgot about his bruised esteem. When he woke up he could hear some commotion in the front rooms, but wanting no part of it he made his way out the back door once again. From then until darkness arrived, he wandered the snowy village in his hunt for allies. He couldn't ask for the help of the guards, they would suspect dark things of him and, at best, put Darius on trial. Perhaps another rider? Where was it that his friends had told him they were staying? The human marched to a row of taverns. He would find those rowdy blokes there for sure.

(I'm not sure if Rae is following Darius at this point, so I'm leaving that open ended? I was waiting for her to post.)

[Yeah, I'm waiting for Rae too :D But she's probably busy in real life so we can continue leaving things open ended for her but maybe stop before the meeting :)]

'Well, at least now I know where my heartstone is. I'll tell Will when I see him at the opera house. I hope the others are having better luck at finding allies than I am.' Veata thought as she made her way through a window on the second floor. She didn't want to risk walking into Cain and avoided the first floor but soon realized that the chances of meeting him on the second floor were the same since he did move around the guild. She put a fist to her forehead, punishing herself for not thinking straight. Had the sight of her rock really shaken her up so badly? 'No, that thief'll get it back. Nothing to worry about.' Veata passed many doors before stopping at one and knocking on it.

Earlier she had asked one of her guild mates exiting the guild if they had seen Darius' friend. Luckily for her, he saw him go up. He guessed that he was probably heading for his former partner's room.

"Daeman, I think her name was. I've been seeing them head for each other's rooms a lot lately so maybe their together, if you know what I mean" he said, nudging her with his elbow.

"Haha, yeah. Thanks Marco." she replied, though didn't share his enthusiasm for gossip. More likely they were working on a mission together is what the djinn guessed.

She listened for any sound of life within the room, before knocking again.

[Oh yeah, I forgot to say that I'm not saying Daeman's room was on the second floor. Only that Veata re-entered the guild through the second floor :)]

Atticus nodded. "Darius and the others are gathering forces against Cain," he whispered quietly, wiping a bit of blood away from Dae's back. "Now Cain sends someone to help me." There was a slight pause. "I was wondering if he was going to make me do it alone." The assassin cut the thread he was using again. Moving on to a gash that stretched over one of her shoulders, Atticus sighed quietly. "At least I have you."
A knock on the door made the half-elf freeze, his eyes moving to the door. "Should I answer it?" he hissed gently, his hands still frozen above Dae's wound. Without waiting for an answer, the assassin headed for the door, opening it a small crack; just wide enough for him to see out a bit without anyone looking in. He blinked slowly in surprise upon seeing Veata.
"Yes?" he kept his gaze on her eyes, a bloody hand grasping the door's edge. This was one of his targets. She was standing right before him. Keeping his expression neutral, the Atticus raised an eyebrow.

Veata didn't expect to find Atticus right away but accepted the easy discovery without complaint. Once again, the half-elf was sporting blood which made Veata wonder if he had just gotten in from another assassination mission. She spoke to him casually. "Cain's looking for you."
Although she knew he wasn't going to help overthrow the tyrant, she never would have thought he was ordered to kill them. She tried to get a glimpse of the silver blond before leaving but the gray eyed assassin blocked her view so she couldn't tell for sure if she was in or not.
"If you got a wound, you might want to wait until after seeing him to treat it. He might decide to beat you up like last time." she advised, remembering Atticus' state after he left the office the night of the bar fight. The spearwoman then made her way down the stairs. She stopped after taking a few steps but continued after reminding herself that Cain was most likely still in his office.

Daeman listened to what Atticus said. "Darius I know is. He said it in your room when i brought you food... Im glad he has me helping as well. Itll be like old times right? He also mentioned getting it done by the end of the...." A knock came to the door as she saw him pause at her largest cut. He asked her if he should open the door but she didnt answer for he had already started to head for it. As he opened the door slightly she moved away from it to rewrap herself with new wrap. She put her shirt back on and looked at Atticus. She recognized the voice. That was that woman from that bar fight. Veata I think it is She thought to herself. Did she say Cain was looking for Atticus? How did she know he was in my room or did she need something from me? It seemed the djinn was leaving as she moved closer to the door. She laughed to herself alittle as the djinn thought Atticus was hurt. She looked at Atticus who still blocked the door then grabbed some bread off dresser. She took a couple bites of it.

After leaving the guild, the armored woman made it a point to pass by the inn she had rented a room at to pay for a few more days' stay. She headed off into town, passing the closed pub they had wrecked and weaving through the people going about their daily business. The warrior had met with a few of her friends in town and took the chance to ascertain whether any of them had enough of a dislike for Cain to join in a plot to overthrow him. So far it was a fifty-fifty situation. Veata only shared vital information with those who she could trust and as for the others, she acted unaffected by the change in leaders. After recruiting a few more members to the resistance, Veata hunted for a good place to have dinner before she would meet up with Darius and Rae.

"Cain," Atticus spit after closing the door. "He wants to see me again?" The half-elf shook his head slowly, taking a deep breath. "I should go to him." His words were neutral. He knew what the guild leader wanted - he wanted to see if Atticus had gotten any progress on Darius and the others. "He's too eager for the job to be finished," the assassin said quietly. "He's not giving me the time I need to . . . prepare." It wasn't like he could kill of his old friend, and the people closely tied to him, overnight. It took a certain amount of mental and emotional preparation before Atticus could even set out after them, let alone strike out.
He pushes us too hard, too fast. I can't do this yet. I'm not ready to fight them - to fight him.
The expression on Atticus' face said it all, but he kept his mouth shut. I should go to Cain.