RP: Birds of a Feather
Summary:Rilla drops in on Magik during a delivery arranged by Iintahquohae. Words are exchanged. Looks are given. Rilla is Marked.
Kelay Way
Kelay: the most famous part of the land. Something is happening. But you don't know what and by the looks of all the villagers around, and their confused expressions, neither dhey. For the moment though it seems relatively calm, whether it is the calm before the storm though is yet to be seen. Perhaps more can be found out in the tavern to the north? Perhaps shelter in the great cities to the east and west could be found as well? You ponder which direction you should take and wonder if it will lead you onto your destiny be that glory, or death.
A horsedrawn cart sits backed up parallel to the side of the Kelay shop that sits to the south. Magik is standing in the road tending to the horse as it waits patiently for it's shipment to be unloaded. He is wearing simple black attire; boots, leather pants, and a simply black short sleeve shirt. Iron clatters about behind the horse as two elven men unload numerous cages full of owls and ravens. One of the men grab a cage but quickly lose grip causing a raven to screech angrily as it's cage is dropped onto the cart bed. Magik peeks his head around the horse to spit at the two workers, "Really guys? Come on. If you can't handle this.." His words trail off. The look on his face would finish the rest of his sentence. The two men were a part of his secret organization and Magik wasn't afraid to pull them out of Kelay and position them in more hostile environments. The Lyastri returns his focus to the horse to give him proper pats and brushings as common patrons simply keep to themselves and walk by the common scene. Just a normal delivery here. Nothing too odd going on. The two men take turns grabbing a cage as they disappear around the back of the shop with the birds. In reality, the men are handing the cages off to a couple more elves below the streets of Kelay through a secret entranceway. The owls and ravens are set up in a hidden armory just almost below Magik's very feet.
It would probably be easier to travel street level for Rilla, but where was the fun of that? Without the threat of a monster she couldn’t name looming over her shoulder she was starting to settle, less cornered-beast and more human – if only in feeling. The young vampire hung on the alley side of rooftops, away from prying eyes as she jumps deftly from roof-to-roof. She slows, eyeing the men ahead of her and their birds. Crouching lower, she watches the strange handoff, and even though it absolutely wasn’t her business she crept closer until she reached the roof of the building they seemed to disappear into. Crystalline eyes narrow, head cocked to one side curiously, a Cheshire-cat smile tugging across rose-tinted lips. “That raven might be smarter than you,” hopping down from the rooftop and into the alley, cocky. Her landing was soft, feet bare and dirty; shoes were just an inconvenience and Rilla wasn’t going to impress anyone with her manners these days anyway. Pushing auburn curls from her face, she sized them up, “they’ve been held up as symbols of prophecy, intelligence, and death.” Normally keeping to herself would have been a better option, but that got boring quickly, and startling some worker-bees was usually a good time regardless of how absolutely non-threatening she would have been in any other context. “A little respect might be warranted.” One brow lofted, tearing her eyes from them to poke her head around the corner, “I assume you’re in charge?” She questions, the one by the horse, long-removed from the politics and going-ons of this place, even if she’d recognized his face, she still wouldn’t have known why it mattered.
After a few more rubs along the horse's narrow snout, Magik makes his way to the rear of the cart to help finish unloading the remaining cages. He grabs the handle at the top of the cage and supports the bottom with the other. As he turns around, his helper appears. Magik eyes the worker carefully, "Grab it just as I have it." The man nods and takes the cage off of Magik's hands. The Lyastri shakes his head but before he can grab another cage, a wild Rilla appears! The elf is caught slightly off guard as he only studies the woman for a split second before looking to the area where the two men disappear to. Magik's eyes grow dark for a second as the flame within intensifies quickly; a signal agreed upon by the trio for today's quick assignment. The elf quickly returns his focus to the vampire suddenly before him. A warm smile grows across his face, "Oh, no doubt about that. I just hope whoever is taking these ravens in recognize their usefulness as much as I do. I believe the respect is there, but maybe not the hand-eye coordination of my friends here." The elf smirks then laughs before giving Rilla a proper look over. He decides to sit on the edge of the cart, "You're a friend of Krice, yeah? Or at least you were there when I ran into him a while back.." Magik looks about the alley then to Rilla's barefeet, "Rooftops are your normal method of transportation?" He chuckles then looks back up to Rilla. His cool demeanor remains as the black fire within his eyes dance about, "We aren't blocking a way to a shop of yours, no?"
A glance towards Magik confirmed that she’d surprised him, almost like it was a game she played. She tilted her head when he spoke, watched him carefully as she fought to place the face. Slender shoulders shrugged, seemingly placated by his answer. Rilla stepped back, hands rested on the back of her hips, bright blue gaze flashed away from him to follow a sound inside - likely just the men inside, she reasoned and refocused. “Maybe it’s time for more coordinated friends.” She half-joked with a laugh, “Krice and I are acquaintances, yes. I apologize, but I don’t remember your name –“ Rilla hinted, shifted her weight foot to foot, uncertain and ready to bolt despite an outwardly calm façade. She was hesitant to give out more information for nothing, “you’re not blocking anything,” she assured him, “just stopping in.” Brows furrowed and then relaxed, unsure of what to make of him. Finally, she moved, closer to the entrance the men had disappeared down, head tilted slightly as the sounds inside drew her attention. “You’ll learn more when no one knows you’re there,” Rilla said finally, licked her lips and refocused on him, "and sometimes an opportunity is just too good to pass up.”
Magik remained seated on the edge of the cart. He didn't worry about Rilla trying to get a peak to where the men disappeared to. Even the brightest light wouldn't be able to penetrate the dense shadows. Now if Rilla had a particular ring she would be able to see through the hidden entranceway that led to a ladder to go below the surface. "I'll definitely try to hire people more suited for the task next time," he says with a smirk. As Rilla moved even closer to the secret entrance she may feel 'something' pushing her away as she got closer to the darkness. To prevent her from getting too close and possibly getting harmed he slowly stands. Her words start to pique his interest. However he was thrown off by her words of opportunity. Was she part of an unidentified rival? Had the Unseen Hand slipped up? Or was she simply as sneaky and mysterious as the Shadow standing before her? Regardless, he offers her a hand as he introduces himself, "Magikrios. I don't believe I got your name during our last brief encounter as well." Was she about to eat him? Let's find out!
Rilla had a very hard time resisting any kind of mystery. Her attention had to be on something, she needed a goal. The strange darkness was likely going to be one of those things, she hesitated at the sensation of being pushed, stepped back with a furrowed brow. Magic was endlessly frustrating regardless of whether she was human or a vampire. She let it go – for now – in favour of focusing on the approaching man. For a moment she considered bolting back onto the rooftops, a passing tension in her shoulders gave her away but her smile widened all the same. She took a silent step closer, took the offered hand in her own calloused one. “That’s entirely possible,” she shrugged and let go, rocked back onto her heels with a little turn of her head. “Rilla,” she finally said, “I probably didn’t give it to you. Nothing personal.” Coming home hadn’t changed her that much, strangers met briefly rarely needed one. "I wasn't sure if I was just passing through."
Magik gave Rilla a warm and firm handshake with a side of a slight grin before returning his hands to his lap, "I don't blame you for not throwing your name about. It can give you a slight advantage at times." There was a devilish grin creeping across his face that only lingered for a short moment. Just a few months ago Magikrios had the upperhand on a necromancer named Xzean because the elf wouldn't give the man his name. The rest is history and the Guardian of Sage came to be. Anyhow! The elven man studied Rilla before looking up to the roof she dropped from,"So, Rilla.." His pitch black yet fire filled eyes look to the vampiress, "It's not often that I am snuck up on and surprised. More times than not I'm usually in your position in these situations." The Lyastri tilts his head to the side, "Natural talent for such stealth? Or..results of effective training?"
“I just prefer to save get-to-know-you’s for places I’m actually staying.” Rilla shrugged dismissively, truthfully already planning her way out when she decided that it was time. His next words made her freeze, crystalline gaze fixed on his and brows furrowed slightly with a little shift of her head to one side. “Maybe both,” she began, a smile threatened to pull across her mouth but she bit it back. “I’d think anyone with good sense wouldn’t go around telling everyone about it.” She shifted her weight, watched him carefully for another breath before deciding – presumably – that he wasn’t out to get her. Silent steps brought her back towards that entrance, just outside of where it had pushed back at her. “So now we’re just using magic to keep things out? People really have gotten soft.” But then, if she’d done the same they probably wouldn’t be here now.
Magik was pleasantly pleased with Rilla's words. However his expression remained neutral. Even as she stepped towards the dark entranceway once again. "It's a deterrent. I pray for those unwelcomed who try to push through into the darkness," Magik smirked. "But I have a good sense about not speaking about what happens to nosey people should they ignore the fair warning." Magik's eyes shift from the entrance and back to Rilla before twisting to grab the last raven cage. The ridiculously tall elf stands with the cage, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get this beautiful creature out of the heat." Heavy footsteps bring the elf passed Rilla and into the darkness. Magik disappears into the building for only a quick second before his eyes can be seen glowing in the darkness towards the exit, "I hope to see you soon, Rilla." With that, a stone slab seems to drop from nowhere to close off the entrance to the underground rooms.
Despite his words Rilla was pretty sure she’d figure out what was down there eventually. She shrugged, but a smile edged across the corner of her lips. “Thoughts and prayers are for suckers.” Her brows flashed up, some unspoken challenge accepted. “And I still think you need more coordinated friends.” Hands fell to her hips and she watched with a tilted head as he stood, openly surprised to find him towering over her even for a brief moment. She shifted her weight, coiled as if she might go after him, but Rilla believed his promise of worse things if one was to test it. “If you can find me.” She shot him the challenge with a smile as the stone dropped. Even expecting the sound given the split second of warning she didn’t like it. Her nose wrinkled and she took a running start towards a corner, pushing herself off the wall and up to the rooftop once more. For another moment she hesitated, waited on the other side of the roof to listen and make sure that door did not reopen before heading on her way from rooftop to rooftop away from prying eyes.
MARKED
A blackened handprint has been scorched into a nearby tree. The palm of the print appears to spiral inward on itself until it forms an eye that seems to follow any movements. The fingers reach into the eye to pull a small note from the pupil and holds it steady for you. Should you read the note it says: I found you. You've been marked. I'll be in touch very soon.