RP:Escape at the Cove
Synopsis: Finn comes out of hiding and runs into Ralien, a Cenrilian criminal boss, on his way to rendezvous with Kirikae for private transport back to Rynvale. The meeting breaks up when the rogues are interrupted by the arrival of the watch.
Characters: Ralien, Finn, Kirikae.
Location: Cenril; Cove
Ralien 's eyes almost fell from his head when the piratey-looking fellow heaved open the heavy lid of the gold-studded wooden chest it had taken three men to carry from the intimidating ship anchored near the shore. It was currently being loaded with a variety of barrels and crates with a joint effort of those in the Fennec's own employ and those under the captain with whom Ralien interacted. An eyeglass was removed from the depths of his velvet greatcoat as the other hand reached forward to snag one of the uncut sapphire stones that filled the chest to the near brim. "It's genuine," elven lips breathed in satisfied surprise after the gem and examining apparatus were lowered from his oceanic eye, in response to which, the captain laughed. "No use to us," the nameless pirate grunted, "none on 't'island gonna pay fer uncut stones." At this the lowborne elf gave a chuckle, "you'll find quite the opposite of my wares." Not one for casual conversation the captain simply grunted and turned to trudge back to his boat. Ralien casually sifted through the arm-deep collection of sapphires, emeralds and crystals, saddened that some of the more valuable stones were not present in the collection, but pleased with the trade none the less. The crews were almost finished with the loading, the last of the crates in the process of being dragged along the gangplank. Ralien smirked to himself, and reached down for a celebratory cigar.
High on the trailhead, a man on a horse shifted his weight in his seat, hazel gaze narrowing thoughtfully as he took in the scene unfolding on the beach below. Near the edge of the cliff face and sheltered by the overhang of the sprawling branches of one of the many trees that lined the coastal road, the runner would be difficult to spot without those below obviously craning their necks and bodies to look up and out. He felt fairly assured of his security. Locks glowing, finally, in burnished hues of auburn once more-it had taken three days of washing to get the stain out- the runner had opted for the least public ride home that he could get. Kirikae and the Chaser should be rounding the curve of the coastline and into the bay any moment now. Which could prove..problematic. The smuggler's gaze shifted to the sails fluttering on the pirate ship that rested in the shallows, before returning to the surprisingly refined appearance of the male on the sands below, elbow deep now in a box that winked in the rising moonlight. How.. interesting. Someone was moving goods in Cenril? He had given up the city for lost on the dungheap of history. It bore.. investigating. A soft cluck of his tongue to the black stallion, and Finn would begin his slow progress down to the beach. He was quiet, but not silent, making no effort to hide his approach. The man’s reaction to the intrusion would tell much about the nature of his operation-if he dealt openly, or felt the need to hide from the law, which he could well be. The runner’s lazy drawl would float down the trail ahead of him. “ And here I thought I’d have the beach to myself this time of night..”
Ralien sighed in comfort. Jewellers all over the mainland would be game for purchases. Buyers would be plentiful in Larket and Craughmoyle, and even the tree-huggers in Sage took a liking to emeralds. Grinning at the foreseeability of extensive sales the brown-haired, blue-eyed male opened his mouth to clamp the end of the cigar between his teeth while he set about removing a match from its box. And with potential deals for goods coming from Trist'oth... Oh, it was good to be financially secure. An amber glow illuminated the sharp features of the (as dubbed by Aiya) syndicate leader, caused by the end of his cigar flaring as it caught the flame held up to it. Smoke drifted from between his lips as he gave an ecstatic exhale, looking around to note the stream of his own men removing themselves from the pirate vessel and the Fennec delivered a swift kick to the gem-filled chest, causing the lid to drop closed of its own accord. "You," Ralien barked the word a total of four times, indicating with a point finger the underlings which he addressed, "carry this." He tapped the chest with his foot, eliciting a chorus of groans from the unfortunate men cursed with the burden of carrying the heavy thing through the sewers on their trip back to the House. Ralien, meanwhile, had caught a voice he didn't recognise from further up the trail, his sharp turning of the head also attracting a few of those nearby who noticed the movement. They followed cautiously in the wake of the coat-clad rogue who strode boldly forward to meet with the oncoming rider, a sharp puff of the cigar in his hand sending out a trail of smoke over his shoulder. "You're in luck," Ralien addressed curtly, knowing the men stood a few feet behind were eagerly fingering their crossbows, "we were just finishing." For this red-headed male's own sake, he better not be from the watch.
Finn’s eyes dragged over the man..elf?.. flickering from the tipped ears into the shadows behind him. He’d been standing just where Ralien was, involved in too simlilar an activity, not to know that any number of weapons were pointed his way. The irony was appreciated with an internal laugh. He knew this cove intimately, as did any in his trade, as did the law. It was the safest place to drop anchor away from the harbor inspectors, though he was only too certain that the runners the watch had posted on the cliffs were already well on their way to port to inform of the activities of this night; an unfortunate inconvenience. Having the watch turn up just when the Chaser dropped anchor was not something he had prepared for. A half smile tugged at the lips of the smuggler. “Don’t reckon I factor luck into much of my dealins mate. She’s a fickle lady. An’ it seems she’s not on my side tonight. Your little business deal here has about thrown a blade into my wagon wheel.” The red head shifted in his saddle, a nod offered toward the topside. Seems my ride will have to be postposed..if I take it at all. Figure we’ll all be havin’ company of the sort most don’t prefer soon enough..” he said idly. Rali might assume, of course, that he spoke of riding his stallion, the Chaser not having rounded the cape just yet.
Ralien repressed an irritated sigh, or maybe hid with the next thick exultation of cigar smoke, the cause of which was then dropped into the sand beneath their feet, and crushed beneath the toe of an exquisite black boot. "Right you are," the Fennec replied as his lips spread into a charming smile, arms lifting and widening in an almost welcoming, respectful gesture, or so it might be perceived were it not marred by the dangerous, cautioning glint in an oceanic eye, "so you better be leaving then... Yes?" His arms fell to go behind his back, one hand cradling the wrist of the other, which was arched backwards and upwards, fingers poised to snap downwards and deliver a gesture for a warning shot, hidden from the horse-mounted privateer, "wouldn't want to still be here when they arrive, would you?"
The Black danced a side step in response to some unseen pressure from the runner’s knees, a soft, cold chuckle floating down from some distance above the Fennec’s head. Finn was far from fooled, he had spent his life dealing with the criminal’s kind, with some considerable success it might be noted. “Aye..” he said idly, looking for all the world as if he planned to linger in his post all night. “That’s the plan.. but I reckon you’ve got a mite more than I do to worry about on that front. There’s not a watch mount been bred that can take Rekkur at full gallop if it comes to that.” The runner’s gold flecked gaze fell to the gilded trunk once more, his arrival it seemed, having for the moment prevented its instantaneous removal as directed. “But good luck to you…” the questioning trail of his inflection, and the open curiosity that sat on his rugged face finished the unspoken question. Who-was- this elegant elf, found in the most unexpected of places with a band of men at his beck and call? “I can appreciate the challenges faced by..a business man, bein' one myself..” Offer a little, gain a little, it was the way of the brotherhood. He would not go so far as to offer his own alias however, before hearing the elf’s.
Kirikae stood upon the decks of the Chaser, not at all quietly. The captain had been barking orders left and right since his return to the vessel had led to the discovery of a.. lacking crew. A night spent rounding up his men had left the Halfling in a not so pleasant mood, and the blonde tree-born had accepted little less than perfection from his crew. At least, there were not any drowning women to hinder progress from Rynvale to Cenril- though given Kae's current temperament; it might have been their luck that they were not flopping in the waves. He did not seem so inclined to stop the ship to haul them aboard. "Hard to port!" Harsh tones broke across the quiet din of hustling sailors as the captain stalked through their numbers. Both hands had long since slipped into his pockets, save for the occasional adjusting of his bandanna as sky-blue eyes darted this way and that. "Get off'yer damned arses-" A pause, worn boot kicking against a pile of rope left by a careless crewman, and Kae's gaze darkened dangerously. "N'who tha' bloody 'ell left this?" Someone, at least, was already hopping forward to take care of it, before a threat could even be completed. Blonde brow knotted with his frown, the captain continued on his path to the bow, gaze roving the line of the cove as the Chaser curved 'round into view. It was almost too much a surprise to find another ship already anchored in its shallows, and fingering the string of the bow strapped to his back, the tree-born's sharp, elven gifted gaze drifted across the shadows upon the beach.
Ralien closed his eyes for a moment, letting the withheld sigh slip from his mouth with all the notable irritation one could squeeze into a simple exultation. "I'm sure you do," Fennec replied, his tone dull and bored, "now if you're quite done, I would request you leave. As delightful as it is to trade idle words while waiting for the watch, I'm afraid there are other things I'd much rather be doing." Narrowed gaze looked the smuggler up and down, eyes lingering for a moment on the mountainous horse before glancing distractedly off into the distance, "perhaps, if you've turkey to talk, you might see fit to ask around the docks and slums for the Fennec. But the problem I have now is that, if you don't high-tail with utmost haste, one of these fine gentlemen," one of hand hands came from behind his back, arm spread in a gesture indicating the three fellows who stood to Ralien's rear, "might somehow be given the baffling idea that they're supposed to kill you." Sharp ears twitched as they were invaded by a series of nearby shouts and whistles. Ocean-blue eyes rolled in their sockets before the finely-dressed lowborne turned on his heel, hands coming forward to be brandished as fists. "We're out of here!" Ralien barked, striding purposefully towards... The back of the cove? Men rushed to help their fellows with the burden of the gem-filled chest, others hurrying past them to enter a shadowy portion of the horseshoe-shaped cove. Ralien followed at a brisk trot, estimating only a minute or two before the arrival of the law.
Finn was not unaware of just how irritating he was being, holding the Fennec hostage with his attention, as it were, knowing that the watch was approaching. Hell, if his plans were to be run amuck, why shouldn’t someone else share the experience? His grin was a slash of white in the shadowed darkness above the criminal’s head. “Reckon we wouldn’t want your pals here gettin’ the wrong idea..” he murmured, Rekkur dancing another few steps back and around the male where he stood. Some instinct, or was it the flashing of moonbeams upon the snowy sails of the Chaser, caused eyes to lift to the horizon, a grim smile settling onto his rugged features. It was about bloody time. Eyes darted down the beach to the spot where a natural peninsula jutted out into the waters. Under the cover of the shrubbery there, the row boat kept in waiting for emergency escape was tied up. It was usually unnecessary, the crew using the life boats of the Chaser itself to ferry to and fro in the general line of business. Finn had a feeling it would find use tonight. “Especially as my partner there might take offense to them putting quivers in my heart,” he added dryly, offering a nod behind and to the shoreline. Whatever the Fennec might have said in reply however, was lost to the whistles that signaled the watch, and Finn’s own soft curse was lost to Rekkur’s snort as he nudged the stallion into action. “Maybe I’ll just do that, Fennec.. and I figure a message left for Red on the shores would find me, if you’re interested.” Astute eyes noted the direction the criminal’s men moved with narrowed, slightly puzzled gaze, and then, there was no time to think as he lowered himself over the neck of the Black and pointed Rekkur’s nose to the peninsula. Kae would be able to hear and see the ruckus from across the water, and might offer him range cover in the event of pursuit. The runner hoped to gods that the Halfling captain could remember the plans that had been set up in the event of just such a happening.
Kirikae had already drawn the bow free from its confinement against his broad back. He had yet to nock an arrow of his own, rather, one hand delved into the shadows of his duster. His fingers had only barely wrapped about the spyglass hidden there before the sudden scattering of the shades upon the beach caught him in pause. From the Chaser, the whistle of the watch only barely reached the halfling's sharper hearing, though the sound was enough to cause a twitch in his jaw. In his opposite hand, his grip upon the neck of the bow tightened with a sudden stab of anticipation. As the unfamiliar pirate's vessel began her own pull from the cove, Kae was turning extravagantly upon his booted heel, calling orders for a turnabout to the peninsula. The Halfling captain had hardly forgotten the plan prepared, and hurried strides were taken to the mainmast, where skillful step would find him climbing quickly upon the ratlines, bow in hand. "Quiggens!" A sharp shout directed toward the quartermaster was enough to grasp the older man's attention, and cracking a grim smile the tree-born captain continued his climb to the crow's nest. "Ge' ready ter grab Red and go, 'fore the law gets here!" And if they did. Feet planted themselves firmly upon the planks that created the nest, bow drawn and arrows knocked. "G'th' powder monkey on the bloomin' cannons!" Though, as the Chaser began her short voyage to the natural protrusion of rock, Kae could not help but think that his arrows might be all the cover the runner needed. Yet that might have just been arrogance on the captain's part.
Ralien shot a glance over his shoulder before breaking into a jog, the tail of his greatcoat fluttering and fanning in his wake. The figures of the approaching watch could be seen coming from further along the beach, and the Fennec prayed that he was already deep enough in the shadow of the cove to have eluded being spotted so far. He happened across his destination to found it crowded with his team, eight in all, some crouched to the floor and others sliding crossbow bolts into place, standing in a tight formation around the chest, which had already been securely locked. "Shift," Ralien growled, elbowing his way through his men to reach the circular metal disk around which the others were poised. One man, smaller than the others, toyed deftly with a lock-pick inserted into a fat padlock that prevented the grate being pulled open, the sight baiting a growl from the lowborne rogue. "Which bloody idiot locked the damn grate?" he quizzed, shooting glances to each in turn before being alerted to the pick-lock's success by series of loud clicks. Ralien lowered to grab one of the handles on the grate, followed by three others, and with a collective effort they heaved the manhole open. "Chest," the Fennec commanded as he rose, reminding the others of priorities, though the sturdy casket was simply pushed and thrown into the torch-lit tunnel beneath, followed by Ralien, whom swiftly descended a rickety ladder set into the wall. Gaze swiftly discerned the state of the chest before he reached out to pull one of the torches from the wall, glancing back a moment to watch the rest of his team descend. "Leave it open." There was no time to busy themselves with the closing the manhole. The watch could try to follow, but it wouldn't do them any favours to traverse the rigged tunnels and corridors that lead back towards the underground entrance of the House.
What was left of the Cenrilian watch spilled down on to the beach, and at first they might seem a laughable bunch. Their horses were nags, their uniforms worn and in some places patched. The blades that hung at their sides were dulled with over use but they were as driven and focused as they ever were. Ironically, more so. Whereas in the past, confiscation and capture had been enacted for honor and the greater good, war, invasion and chaos had driven those with the resources to do so, to prey upon the very criminals they once despised. Confiscated goods could be sold, traded for gold that would keep families going for a month. The watch was not a job, it was survival, and they were ruthless in the keeping of their duty. “There, along the beach!..” barked a captain, kicking his nag into what would pass for a gallop on the sand in the direction of Ralien’s men who stood huddled in the shadows. “Jenkins..take the horses and ride the other to ground. He’ll run out of dirt soon enough. The rest of you scour the beach for leavings..”|| Finn had had a head start, but the thunder of hooves against the ground, and the loud cries of “Halt..in the name of the law!” belied any hope he might have of remaining undiscovered. “S’blood..now we’re in it..” he muttered into the horse’s ear, urging the black faster along the beach. They were right though. Barring him leading the pursuit directly to his intended means of escape, some kind of diversion would be necessary. “Sorry mate. I’ll be back for you.” The runner slammed his knees into Rekkur’s ribs, drawing back hard on the reins until the Black all but pawed the sky with a whinny of irritation. The smuggler used the vertical incline to slip off the back of the horse and drop to the sand below, a round slap to the rump of his mount sending the horse off at a run again, in a direction that pointed away from his intended destination. Crouched low to the sand Finn moved along in the shadows towards the outcropping of rock and the boat tied off there. In the distance he could hear the watch take the bait, veering off course to thunder after the stallion running riderless on the beach. “ You better be there Cap’n,” he growled to the Halfling who was likely approaching hard and fast. Some thought was spared for the Fennec, and what his own fate might be.
Kirikae || Cutting easily through the waves, the Chaser was not long in nearing the peninsula, and her crew was abuzz with commotion. "Anyone see Finn yet?" questioned one to the quartermaster, interrupting his own orders. His eyes still upon the beach, Kae did see the Runner.. and the guard galloping behind. Sky-blue gaze narrowed upon the only rider that had not taken the bait, before his head tilted into his line of vision. In the darkness, only the whipping sound of the arrow slicing through the air and the last reverberating twangs of the captain's bow would have led any to know of its release. Even the guard was unaware. Jenkin's curse was clipped short, and very quickly filled in by the sounds of a gurgling choke. His fellows had but a moment to glance forward, if they thought to, before his slackened body dropped groundward upon the sand; the black feathered plume of an arrow blooming from his throat. His own riderless nag continued its own gallop for a few paces more before slowing to a sweat lathered stop, glazed eyes carelessly following the runner. From his perch, Kae withheld his own growled chuckle, nocking another arrow, in case. The Chaser was all but out of sight for those upon the cove, but well within reach of the one rowboat Finn was headed for. "'Urry th' bloody 'ell up, mate." Above the flurry of activity upon the ship's deck, Kae lowered the bow and took a step back down upon the ropes. He'd ponder the other ship and crew at another time.
Finn was aware of the silent death that winged its way from the darkness of the water, and a grim smile of appreciation broke the intense planes of his face for a brief instant before focus was regained. The hesitation and temporary shift in focus of the fallen captain’s underlings would buy him the time he needed. The smuggler slid into the row boat, eyes lifting to peer intently into the night for the familiar curve of the Chaser’s hull. There. Head low in cause anybody else figured to put their bows to work in his direction, Finn wrapped his fingers around the leather bound handles of the oars and made the first, swift deep cut of the objects into the water. His splash was minimal as the boat leapt out across the surface of the waves, and for a few precious minutes, he was a wide open target as he made his way portside. It would seem that the watch had lost all desire to pursue however, as the dark bodies huddled on the beach cast not even a look his way. Drawing abreast the merchant vessel, Finn reached out and pounded a fist twice against the prow in prearranged signal for the rope ladder to be dropped over the edge of the deck, and the runner would waste no time in clambering aboard.. The vehicle would also be hoisted aboard once he’d made his way on deck. No trace of the means of escape would be left behind. A wolfish grin would greet his partner, unseen in over one long month. “Reckon I’ve never been as happy to see a fairy boy mate..” he drawled, eyes shifting over the Halfling’s shoulder, shore side again. “Prance us to hell outa here aye? I need a real drink..” A mistake, perhaps, to think that Kae would not take advantage of his momentary distraction to offer a greeting of his own. The Halfling was rather biased against the pointing out of his more fragile tree-born heritage.
Kirikae watched the scene upon the beach for a moment longer, his lips curved into a grin of grim amusement. The bow was put back to place against his back, and the arrow dropped into his quiver before the captain began his swift descent back to the deck below. Elven heritage lent him speed in scaling down the main mast before he landed heavily upon the quarterdeck. Lifting one hand to run a thumb beneath the fabric of his bandanna, the captain strolled betwixt the hub of commotion. "Port ter Starboard," he shouted, as Finn was beginning his clamoring aboard deck. "Back ter the Shores, laggies!" Dropping his hands back to the side, the blonde would be quick in closing the distance between himself and Red. "'Bo' bloody time, mate," he grunted his greeting, sky-blue eyes flickering from the runner to the shoreline. His focus might have remained there for a moment later if it had not been for the man's return of greeting. It was sheer luck, perhaps, that the runner had looked away. Kae himself wasted not a moment in curling his own fist to take a swing at Finn's jaw open jaw, enough force behind it to knock the Runner on his arse if he was caught unawares. "N'welcome bloody 'ome, partner." Came the final grunt, as the Chaser began to pull away to the shores of Cenril for her return to the island.
Finn was rarely, if ever caught unawares, but in this instance peripheral vision only alerted him of the incoming fist an instant before crunching contact was made with his jaw line. It was just enough notice for the runner to grab hold of the closest solid support that would prevent his journey to the solid wood of the deck. The metallic taint of blood on his tongue confirmed that the captain had found his mark, and the runner shook his auburn head in attempt to clear momentarily bleary vision. “Aye..” he grunted softly, the back of one dark sleeve wiping a trickle of the red vitae from where it smeared his mouth. Tongue tested the security of his teeth before they flashed again. “S’good to be back.” He had unfinished business waiting of the Southern Shores, on any number of fronts. Going to ground could not have come at a worse possible time. “Fill me in mate..” Falling into step beside the captain, the runner’s tone was all earnest business. There was a lot that could go wrong with a ship that had no clear captain at the helm, as the Halfling would well know, and his assets had been left unsupervised for some time. The muttered conversation of the duo as they disappeared into the captain’s quarters would be lost over the noise and bustle of the vessel being brought to full sail as the Chaser found open water. Yes. It was good to be back.