The Scales: Talas Marsak

[Pommel]

((A third arc of writing about this character. The first can be found here and the second can be found here.

It forms a short series of connected chapters, each from a different perspective. The main part of the story is set in distant Mulmaster on the Moonsea.

Once again this is experimental, so please be gentle!))

[Glowfire]

A lone woman in a loose white dress sits on a stone bench in the gardens of House of Firehair in Daerlun. Her hand is stretched out, seeds held in the palm. She breathes slowly in and out, watching the yellow feathered canary bird feed. Once its stomach is full it spreads its wings and flies away. Amber eyes follow its movements, the woman's thoughts going elsewhere with it. She did not hear the fluttering of a pair of larger wings that approached but she did feel the embrace given by tiny arms.

"You look sad again." The sylph, Afiida remarks with concern, not letting go of the many times larger woman.

"I was thinking of what I left behind. All what must have happened while I was away," Adelaide's voice sounds sorrowful.

"Adel. You are being silly! You can not be in two places at once. You are here. Now." The sylph spoke as if this knowledge was obvious.

"I am." Adelaide agreed. "I did what I could before leaving. I can only pray and hope those I hold dear are well. I was thinking of Talas just now, and his little boy."

"Are they safe?" Afiida snuggled into Adelaide's lap and sat there like a small child herself, brow furrowing for the moment it took for an answer to be given.

"I do not know." The answer came honestly. "Talas was travelling to Mulmaster to sort things out, after I had arranged for someone to check up on the boy. He is being looked after." She smiles reassuringly and strokes Afiida's pale hair.

The sylph looks relieved. Adelaide continues to speak. "I still worry for my friend, for the man he sought vengeance on for so many years is the one looking after what he treasures the most. It will be a test for him."

"Do you think he will give in to anger..?" Afiida tilts her small head, large round eyes looking inquisitively at Adelaide.

"My beloved sister will look after him. Her peace will bring calm to his storm." The aasimar says this with conviction.

"Then why do you worry?" A tiny hand pats Adelaide's tattooed arm.

"You are right dear. I should have more faith. He will in his heart know what the right thing to do will be." Adelaide smiles with warmth and kisses the sylph's forehead.

They sit together for some time, sharing stories old and new, while watching the many birds fly around them.

Lyrics: Oh Wonder - My Friends

[Pommel]

Chapter 1: Kosev

"I'll catch you!" Kosev cried as Mab raced past yet again, mouth wide open, tongue flailing to the side. Kosev's arm lashed out to catch the terrier, but Mab swerved, running out the bedroom door. Kosev laughed, giving chase. He loved it when Mab got the zoomies. Well, he just loved Mab. He loved Mab, he loved Auntie Katernina and he loved Uncle Evan. He loved that they all lived together now. It was like the time he barely remembered, before Mama and Papa went away.

Mab's body was hunched over in a crouching run, bolting along the landing and down the stairs, claws scrabbling on the hardwood floors. She was far faster than Kosev, but the boy had a determined nature and all the energy that comes in childhood, racing down the stairs in haste. "I'll catch you!" He called after her.

Mab's delirious run came to a halt outside the large oak door in the hall. She stuck her haunches in the air and her nose to the ground, daring Kosev to chase. He knew it would take guile, not speed, to catch the terrier, so when he came close enough, the child lunged forward, grasping at the animal.

Yet Mab darted away, rushing past and back up the stairs. "Aww!" moaned Kosev, panting. That boundless energy of youth only goes so far. It was then he heard the voices behind the door, coming from Uncle Evan's study.

"Please, Semyon. I can't do this anymore." That was Uncle Evan. He sounded upset.

"You've said that already. That's why I'm here personally. Because I really think you can, and should. Speaking as a friend and business partner." This voice, Kosev didn't know, and it piqued his curiosity. He lingered by the door.

It was Auntie Katernina next. She sounded cross. "You heard my husband. He doesn't want to do business with you anymore. People know the kind of stuff you're into."

The unfamiliar voice wasn't cross though it was almost charming. "They think they do, at least. Most people do not know quite as much as Evan here."

There was a silent pause. Upstairs, Mab's paws could be heard thudding on the floor as she galloped about. Kosev fidgeted, he shouldn't be listening.

"What does he mean, Evan?" Auntie Katernina asked uncertainly.

Uncle Evan's voice trembled. "Semyon, please..."

The strange voice laughed. "Calm yourself, Zugowi. I won't tell her if you keep your promises. Although if you do not, know no one will be telling her anything ever again." Auntie Katernina gasped, but he sounded really friendly, everything must be alright.

"I will hear from you about the Dotsk shipment in a tenday." The voice finished, and the door handle rattled as it was turned. Kosev jumped back from the door as it swung open to try and look innocent.

Beyond lay Evan's study, filled with shelves laden with books and scroll cases, and his two favourite maps, one of the Moonsea and the other of Mulmaster itself. The view was blocked by the stranger, a wide, thick-necked man with dark hair and a neatly trimmed moustache. His muscular frame looked wrong in his fine clothes. His great ham fists bore strange runic tattoos.

"Who is this?" He rumbled, stepping out, his thick-set lips cracking into a warm smile. Kosev heard chairs scrape back and hurried footsteps, before Auntie Katernina came out. She was all dressed up smartly, her chestnut hair tied up prettily, but her face was pale and her brown eyes wide.

Uncle Evan followed her with lines on his brow. "He's just a boy, Semyon." It was like he was asking for something. He swallowed, his thin lips a line.

The big man knelt down to get a better look at Kosev, smiling. "You have grown a lot, young man! I knew your Papa, and your Mama. You look more like her than him!"

"You knew Mama and Papa?" Kosev asked, all thoughts about the strange way Auntie Katernina and Uncle Evan were acting, even ignoring Mab panting at the top of the stairs and wondering why the chase had been abandoned.

"Oh yes." Said the big man. "Your mama was a great friend of mine! I knew her from way back. I was even at their wedding. Such a shame what happened. Such a shame. But I know you are well looked after now."

He looked round at Auntie Katernina and Uncle Evan. "You and your Auntie will not ever be parted."

Kosev smiled. Auntie Katernina had been in his life as long as he could remember.

"Come here, Kosev." She said, reaching her hand out to him. He went over, obediently and she clung him close to her as he looked at the big man curiously. It was annoying when grown ups got so cuddly all the time!

The big man fished a coin out of his money pouch and held it out to Kosev. "Here, little Marsak, buy yourself a treat." Kosev snatched it greedily. "Thanks!"

"Be safe, little man." Said the big man, ruffling Kosev's hair as Auntie Katernina tensed up for some reason. "I'll see myself out." And true to his word, he did.

Uncle Evan rushed to Kosev and Auntie Katernina, taking them both in his arms wordlessly. Auntie Katernina clung to Kosev, clung to Uncle Evan.

Why did grown ups want to hug so much?

Lyrics

[Pommel]

Chapter 2: Lucya

As the sun had set the fog had rolled in, covering the dock district in a white, ghostly blanket. Shadows moved through the murk even at this hour, impossible beyond a dozen feet to tell an honest citizen from a footpad. Although this was Mulmaster, and the line between the two could be narrow.

Lucya's hands novered near the two sharp dirks at her side. Her steps were light and her eyes moved constantly. After all, they said these streets were dangerous at night. She smiled at that thought. She smiled quite a bit.

Soon Semyon's warehouse loomed above her, the torches held by the two men at the big double doors were visible before the men themselves. "Whatever ye want, we're not buying." the first one snapped, the scars on his face barely covered by a wiry beard. Contempt shone in his eyes. The other, a lanky youth, grinned. Lucya would wipe those looks off their faces with a word.

"Lucya." She breathed, pulling down her mask, suppressing a smirk as both their faces fell. Her face was forgettable, a good thing in her line of work. Her name, though, not so much. "I'm here to see Seymon. I'm expected."

"Right." The bearded one said, pushing open the entry left hand door wide enough so someone could slip through "Go on through."

The warehouse was a working warehouse, for appearences sake, and Lucya weaved through the lines of crates towards the back, where Semyon's offices were. The warehouse was his palace, and his offices were where he sat enthroned. The open space in front of the door was his audience chamber, and, right now, an audience was being held.

A dozen of Vess' thugs were gathered, some leaning on crates, others sat on stools. Vess was there too, and she tapped two fingers to her temple in greeting as she spotted Lucya. Otherwise there was silence as they watched the show. The door to Semyon' offces was wide open, and his two fighting dogs lounged nearby. The blood in the air had them drooling.

What really stood out, though, was the man strapped to a chair, head bowed and sobbing, and Semyon stood before a table upon which lay a body, a powerful arm holding a cleaver high before bringing it down with a meaty thud. And another, and another. One of the hounds barked. Lucya couldn't see what was going on though, both the seated man and Semyon had their backs to her. She knew better than to interfere.

"Ha. More than one blow. Sloppy." Said Semyon lightly, tossing away the clever as he chuckled to himself and turned. His apron was covered with blood and his eyes were bright. "Vanya, Vanya. What will we do with you?" He sighed.

"Please...." Vanya burbled. "Please..."

"None of that, Vanya. You made your bed." Semyon admonished the seated figure. "And its only fair. I care about my profits like you cared about your Nan. I trusted you, but you skimmed a little off the top." The brute seemed calm, but still, his eyes shone. One reason to stay on his right side.

"How else could I make that right?" Semyon said as the captive mumbled confused denials. "But take a little something off the top of what you care for?" A slab-like hand disappeared backwards, reappearing with an old woman's head hanging from it, dripping blood on the floor. The dogs growled hungrily as Semyon held it before the wailing Vanya. The light in Semyon's eyes managed to make it to his face, his lips curling into an amused smirk.

"Noooo!" The bound man wriggled, turning his head away, tears flowing freely as Semyon finally saw his guest. "Lucya. You are early." Semyon nonchalantly set the old woman's head down on the table, like it was any other tool of trade.

"I got to see the show." She smiled, as Semyon effortlessly tossed the old woman's body onto the floor. The slavering hounds leapt forward and set to work, to some laughter from Vess' thugs.

Semyon wiped his hands on his apron, mirthless and matter of fact. "Vess told you who the targets are?"

Lucya nodded. "You want Ewan Zugowi snatched, and his wife and the kid dead."

"And seen to be dead, so long as the trail does not lead to me. People need reminders that there is a cleaver in the fog..." Semyon glanced back at the sobbing Vanya. "...or bad things happen." He shrugged his powerful shoulders, a glint appearing in his eyes once more.

Lucya smiled again. Best to keep him happy. "I'll make a mess."

"Good." He said, and turned, his hand grabbing Vanya's hair and twisting his head to look towards the growling, the tearing. Not even Lucya felt like looking that way.

"Pay attention, Vanya!" Semyon boomed cheerily over the captive's keening lamentations. Vess and her men laughed. Lucya obliged. He paid well.

Semyon moved around before Vanya and let out a short, sharp whistle. Vess gestured a man forward. "I am surprised you do not ask more for killing a child." Semyon smiled, politely, like this was any ordinary meeting, back to business once more.

"If I was the type to ask for more cash for killing a child, I wouldn't have the job." They were easier, after all.

"Definitely." Semyon acceded as his helper took over holding Vanya's head still. The huge man settled his gaze on Lucya, hanging his thumbs in his belt as he gave her a once over. There was no friendliness in his gaze, now. The way his jaw tightened carried an air of threat. "He gets a tenday to come to his senses. Do it at a minute past midnight." Then he smiled. "Now off you go."He waved her away and took some shears from his belt, his gaze back on Vanya. He rolled his shoulders,
in clear view of his coming victim, the knotted muscles evident under his attire.
"I have a point to make."

"Have the money ready." Lucya said as she turned, as confident as she sounded. Vanya's screams followed her out the doors, but the neighbours never dared ask questions of what happened in Semyon's warehouse.

Lyrics