Elves and Clockwork

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"Not a date. Just enjoying that we're free. Neither of us got arrested, you didn't fall off the side of an airship, I'm getting away from the crown...doesn't any of that deserve a celebration? Besides, the brothel I go to is really nice. There's no rats or diseases or anything." He grinned, remembering a tall, handsome man who worked there that he had spent time with.

"Or we could just go get drunk...or both..." He grinned. Oriske loved to have a good time, especially after he risked life and limb all day. He wanted to enjoy himself, to celebrate life. And if Tiris would join him, the more the merrier.
 
Tiris watched the man for a long moment. He did have very valid points though and the thought of the man being right annoyed him. Neither of them did get arrested and he was not a smear miles below the ground. After he'd been through he did need a stiff drink, or two. And a passionate night with a willing young man sounded like a perfect night. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd gone drinking and ended up in bed with a stranger but... He always went alone.

"I usually go to brothels alone..." He didn't protest seeing as Oriske had the same preference as he did but the other man didn't know that. "Fine, I'll go... I could use a few drinks after what you've put me through." He grumbled as he crossed his arms. "But why do you assume we have the same tastes?" He said meaning him favoring men rather then women.
 
Oriske rolled his eyes, grinning I the semi-darkness of the closet. "Please, Tiris," he said, laughing to himself. "A man wouldn't chase another man across the country risking life and limb unless he fancied him, no matter how much he was being paid." He smirked, running a hand through his hair.

The airship gave a pitch again, throwing the two elves in the closet against the wall. Grunting, he pushed Tiris towards the door, saying, "Come on! Get out, I wanna look around the warmarshal's cabin before we gotta leave. I want to know if he kept the same bed or not," he added with a grin, trying to reach around Tiris and open the door to the closet.
 
Tiris' question roused a grin from the other man. One the simply did care for. It made him furrow his brows and look at the man untrusting eyes. Then his jaw dropped at the response, an appalled scowl jumped from his throat. "Fancy you!? You conceited prick! I don't fancy you! You're worth a lot of money! Money that I could use to buy my own place with!" Then suddenly the airship shifted and threw him into the thief. He frowned even deeper at their current position. "Then I had no choice but to go with you just to save my own ass!" He said with his teeth gritted. The nerve of him assuming he thought something more of their relationship. Sure he thought Oriske was handsome but that wasn't the point.

Then he was pushed off the man and towards the door. Glaring incredulously as he was pushed. then his brow and voice raised more when he heard the reason. "You what?" He staggered from the room and turn to look at the other again. Was he serious? "What? You want so see if your exlover still has the bed you spent many a passionate night on? What is that some code for has he forgotten you?" He grumbled as he followed, having little other choice.
 
Once thy were back in the cabin the closet was in, Oriske walked into the hallway. The airship was still slanted, though not as badly as it had been. Walking down the hallway, he quickly found the captain's cabin that was on the top floor of the airship gondola. It had large windows from floor to ceiling towards the front of the airship and had a massive bed in the center of it that was covered in plush royal blue blankets. Towards the back were various tables and chairs, even the odd book or so. It was much larger than the other cabins, covering the entire top floor. It was going to be Oriske's bedroom, had his and Dimaethor's plan gone through. Oriske strolled to the bed, which could have fit eight people. Running his hand along the blankets, he sat down on the edge and lied down. Pulling a pillow to him, he held it to his nose, murmuring, "It smells like him...gods above, I miss this bed so much..."

He stared up at the ceiling, a tiny smile on his face. "Wonder what he would say if he found me lying in his bed when he finally got back..." He sighed, his golden eyes taking on a sad light. Before he could begin crying, he sat up and walked towards a large wardrobe. Upon opening it, he revealed serveral shirts and coats. He took out one, shrugging off his own coat and putting the other one on. "He still cares for me," he said, smirking. "This was the coat I wore the night we were found out...the fact that he kept it these past years means that he still cares about me..." His smirk turned into a gentle smile as he buttoned the jacket, feeling where one button was coming loose. Dimaethor had been too eager that night and had ripped some of the thread holding the silver button to the blue jacket.

Folding the other jacket, he said, "Come on...we'd better leave now..."
 
With a grumbled sigh and some reluctance Tiris followed Oriske. Happy that the ship for the most part was corrected and allowed him to walk almost normal. Although there was a slight tilt, it was nothing he couldn't walk with out looking like he was three sheets into the wind. He was led to the upper deck, which was apparently all for the owner of the ship. It was crazy nice, all filled with the finer things in life and huge wide open rooms. Tiris nodded as he looked around. He could see himself living in a space like this, that is if it wasn't a floating death trap.

As he watched the other man his demeanor changed, sorrow and sadness crept in and he seemed to mourn the lost relationship. He was weak in this moment but for all Tiris' aggressiveness, he couldn't bring himself to be a jerk and stab at the situation. He watched as the other man somberly walked to the bed and remembering the old times. He looked at the coat mentioned and Tiris slid his hands in his pocket. In a much more gentle tone he replied. "If he really missed... Really loved you, he'd say the hell with his royal duties and protect you." He slowly walked to the side of the bed to stand beside Oriske. He didn't know what the loose button meant but he did understand the significance of this room and the passion that might have happened here.

"I'm not saying he doesn't miss you. But I don't think he honestly loves you. Because if I were some royal twit I'd say fuck it all and be with the person I loved." He said patting Oriske on his back comfortingly but also urging him to go. "Then again I tried that before and it ended horribly bad.." He mumbled although it could still be heard.
 
"I don't need protection!" Oriske said angrily. "I can protect myself!" Still, Tiris's words hurt. He had always hoped that sometime Dimaethor would contact him and try to rekindle their relationship, that they could go back to how things used to be. Like a child, he had hoped that his 'true love' would come save him and they would live happily ever after.

Tugging at the loose button, he sighed softly, looking away from Tiris. Now, Dimaethor was married to a lord's pretty daughter. Glancing back up as Tiris said that he had tried being true to someone he loved and that it ende badly. "How'd you try?" he asked, brushing back his golden hair and tucking a few strands behind his ears.
 
Tiris sighed softly and rubbed his temples as Oriske had his out burst. Though he didn't take offence to it. Hearing the truth was never easy to sollow and Tiris himself hand many an out burst before the truth stabbed him in the back... Literally. But he kept his hand on the other man's shoulder, even as he glared at him. He didn't respond to his words but stood in silence. Then the question was posed back at him. Tiris removed his hand from the other man's shoulder as he tensed up. "How'd I try what?" He asked, trying to feign ignorance. But it was no use, damn thief could see through it.

He grumbled and coiled his arms around his chest as his eyes shot to the floor. His past lover, a fellow elf named Illithian. Illi was a noblemen though not royalty like Dimaethor but he still belonged to another class of people than Tiris. His family built air ships and held patients to many of the designs currently in use today. But unbeknownst to Tiris, Illi was also an assassin. They once shared a tender yet passionate romance. Tiris shifted his weight as he remembered his past and that night. Nightmarish memories made an old wound on his back ache.

"I'd rather not talk about it. Painful memories and all." He said as he looked at Oriske.
 
Oriske sighed at Tiris's dodgy answer. Getting up, he brushed Tiris's hand off of his shoulder and moved to a chest of drawers. Opening a couple drawers, he took out several jeweled rings and pins. He put on all the rings, having one for each finger, and pocketed the pins, saying, "He won't miss these. Besides, I need money for keeping low."

With that, he went to the large windows, examining the view. It would be too high to jump out of the window, but they might be able to climb down. Though, with Tiris's fear of heights, that might be a problem. Sighing, he said, "How do you want to do this, the easy way or the hard way?" He decided not to tell Tiris which was which, knowing which he would choose. "And hurry it up, 'cause we don't have that much time left."
 
Tiris frowned when his hand was pushed away but he simply watched him. Crossing his arms over his chest as Oriske began to riffle through the dresser. He opened his mouth to ask what he was doing but it quickly became clear. Tiris scoffed and chuckled, shaking his head as he walked slowly towards the door. "Why am I not surprised that your stealing his things. Well I guess he won't." He added with a chuckle. Somehow he didn't think much of the theft. After all the other man had broken Oriske's heart and used him. "I suppose we will need the money. I was counting on turning you in for cash. I'm broke." He said leaning on the door frame waiting for the pillaging to be done.


Tiris expected Oriske to follow him because normal people left a ship out the doors. But no the man walked to the window, which made Tiris scowl tentatively. "What-oh no. Don't even THINK about it!" He said jerking off the frame defensively. In no way in hell was he going to dangle out a window waiting to fall to his death again. "Absolutely not! We are choosing the option that doesn't require us to jump out the damn window." He crossed his arms, trying to make it clear that he wasn't going to hang near death again.
 
Oriske sighed at Tiris's words, running a hand though his hair. "Fine. But if we get caught, I will dump your ass the moment I can." He went to the door, buttoning up his jacket as he walked towards it. "Let's go." What Oriske had failed to notice as he had plundered Dimaethor's room was a small mechanical spider in the corner of the room, recording everything that had transpired between them.

Through careful sneaking and some more hiding in broom closets, Oriske was soon leading Tiris towards the slums of Ashanti. Gradually, the buildings, which were, by default, grand in the city, became run-down, broken-into houses that looked no better than the shacks and tents that lied at its outskirts. "We're seeing my fence, first," he explained, the jeweled rings on his fingers sparkling in the light. Soon, a couple young, dirty orphan children approached him, searching through his pockets and asking if he had any sweets or toys for them. Smiling, he knelt to their level, hugging and tickling each one before handing them a couple coins and saying, "Go buy a pie from the stand down the road, alright? I'll see about getting you two some toys, maybe." As he spoke, he had taken on an accent that was more common on the streets. Instead of sounding like a noble, he now sounded like a common street thief. Straightening, he strolled into a house that looked more dilapidated than the others.

Oriske led Tiris to the back room, where an older elf was examining a pair of pistols. Even from a distance, Oriske could tell they were Grund pistols, some of the best ever crafted. "Hey, Falain," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I've got ten jeweled rings that I need to get rid of discreetly. And those pistols look damn fine..." He grinned, taking his hands from his pockets and showing Falain the rings.

"We got a deal?" he asked, slipping them off his fingers. "I'll give you these five for the pistols, and the rest I'll sell to you..."

The older elf examine each of the rings, making sure they were genuine. "Sure, Ori," he said, handing over the pistols and standing. "Ten thousand sound good?" Oriske nodded, readily accepting the money from the man's own pocket.

Turning to Tiris, Oriske handed him one thousand marks, saying, "You're my bodyguard, now, alright?"
 
Tiris' tense stance relaxed as Oriske conceded to his demands of not jumping out the window. A sigh rolled from his lips as he was visibly relieved. He moved aside to let Oriske pass before he followed him out off the ship. The bounty hunter had failed to notice the mechanical watch 'dog' recording their every move. He spared not a glance towards the flying death trap as they left it behind. Instead he high stepped it, eager to get his feet on terra firma. He followed the man into more familiar feeling territory, despite never been in this city before. Back alleys and slums where of course where he picked up most of his business. He was unalarmed when the children ran to Tiris although he did sternly shoo them away should they try to rifle through his pockets.


The way he spoke to them suggested to the other elf that he knew these children. They certainly seemed to know him or at least know he'd give them a bit of coin. Tiris gave a curious look over at Oriske. Where did that accent come from? He'd never been good at feigning any accent not his own but he supposed it was a good tactic to have when trying to blend in. "I take it you know those children?" He asked with genuine curiosity as he continued to follow the other man. He was led into a building. Or rather Tiris gathered it was the remnants of one. No way did someone live or do business in here. He was a bit surprised that it did in fact have an occupant. With some very fine Grund pistols. Weapons that Tiris could normally only dream of affording.


He remained quiet as he watched the transaction take place. It was quick with no bartering. Rings for guns just like coin for food, plus change. Tiris scowled at the easy and quick exchange of the very fine weapons but his furrowed brows lifted as money was handed to him. Unsure he took the marks, eyeing Oriske in confusion. "You paying me? …" He scoffed but still took the money. "Your body guard? Ha! You don't need one. You're slippery as hell. I couldn't properly catch you I doubt anyone else could." He said shoving the money into a well protected chest pocket. "Fine. I'll watch your back long enough to get out of this city. Then we're parting ways. Any longer around you and I'll either punch you or shoot myself." He snarled in reply.
 
"Yes. I try to help them out...I'm the closest thing to family they have," he said in answer to Tiris's question. Walking out of the building after he made his transaction, he said, "There's another stop I have to make before we can have our night of debauchery." He hooked his new pistols to his belt, muttering, "I'm going to need to get a new hardness for these..." Fingering the handles of the pistols, he smiled to himself. He had only had Grund pistols once before, when he had been with Dimaethor, and they were the finest he'd ever handled.

"Tiris," Oriske said airily, "your mistake when you tried catching me was that you are only one person. If you were five men, I would have been caught and in the King's dungeons." He shrugged, beginning to walk towards a bridge that spanned across the large river that divided the city.

Jumping down onto the river's banks, Oriske walked underneath the bridge, where a small camp had been set up. This was an area for the poorest of the poor, where the people dressed in tags and lived in tents made of ragged sections of cloth. Oriske approached a tent near the water, where a figure was visible within, lying on a mat. Oriske knelt at the entrance, taking out several hundred marks.

"Talen," Oriske said, his voice soft and caring. "I brought the money for the medicine you need. Where's your daughter? I can send her to the doctor's..." The figure inside began coughing, but eventually he was able to say, "M-market..." Oriske nodded, bowing his head and answering, "Thank you, Talen. I will visit soon."

He stood, turning to see a young woman in a tattered dress standing before him. Even though she was unwashed and had short, messy hair, she was beautiful underneath the grime. "Ori!" she exclaimed, moving and wrapping thin arms around him. "You came back! Father...he's...he's gotten worse, and I feared that you wouldn't come back."

Oriske smiled, and as she pulled away from him he handed her the money. "Here. I hope that that's enough for the medicine and some good food for you two...if you need more medicine for him, you know here to find me." He embraced her before waving goodbye and heading toward the artisan district of the city.

"Come on, Tiris. I've got to stop at my place..." he said, fingering the loose button on his jacket.
 
Tiris of course scowled as Oriske mockingly told him that if he were five people he would have caught him. Tiris was usually good enough to solo catch his prey so to hear that, although it was the truth, stabbed at his ego. He thought about punching Oriske but sadly, he was right. Tiris settled for crossing his arms across his chest and frowning instead. As he followed Oriske about for his various tasks he began to see the real picture. The other elf cared about children, enough that they almost depended upon him. He also realized that what he had assumed was a lie was in fact the truth. Oriske really was trying to bring back money for medicine to a sick friend. He'd not believed him when he was told this information but now he almost felt guilty for his disbelief.


The man was truly and honestly sick. And his daughter seemed to be the only one trying to support the family. Her dress and his weakened voice hit Tiris in a tender place he was unaware still existed in his heart. The thief stole from the rich to give to those who could not afford it. Thinking this over, was what he did really so bad? Tiris usually dealt with shady people of the slums, never did he see the people who lived here. Those who fought every day just to survive. He suddenly saw Oriske not as a slippery thief but an honorable savior. He remained quiet as he followed him around.


"Stop at your place for what?" He grumbled in his usual way, although this was more reaction than anything with true meaning. "You should make me a sandwich if we stop there. I'm starving." He said with a sigh.
 
Oriske rolled his eyes, stating, "You'll make your own sandwich." He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket. It wasn't far to the artisan district, and soon Oriske was adopting the accent of a noble. Here, less people recognized him, but he received appraising looks thrown at the guns on his hips. Oriske was soon opening the door of a nice, two-story house which had been a tailor before Oriske moved in.

Inside was a finely decorated home, with a work area on one side of the sitting room and a grouping of couches on the other arranged around a fireplace. "Kitchen's that way," Oriske said, pointing towards a doorway. He went to the work area, picking up a mechanical spider made of sewing needles and thread. It skittered around his hand a bit before crawling underneath his jacket's sleeve and making its way towards the loose button.

Expertly, the tiny spider sewed the button back onto his jacket before crawling all over his clothes and repairing any tears in the fabric. Setting it down afterwards, he called to Tiris, "Don't touch my rye bread! It's expensive! Just eat your sandwich with the wheat!"

He signed a couple papers with an ink pen, folding them and putting them into his jacket pocket before shouting at Tiris, "Make me coffee, bodyguard! There's grounds in a jar on the counter and water in the pipes!"
 
Make his own sandwich? Tiris frowned deeply at the remark but he was trying to be lazy after all. "I'm the guest in your home. You should be a good…" He paused unable to think of the proper word. "Whatever it's called and offer me a sandwich." He pouted but that was the extent of his complaining. He was surprised again, although he shouldn't have been, that Oriske lived in such a nice place. It was a cozy little place on the cleaner more noble side of town. With this change of scenery came a change in his accent once again. He sighed as the other nobles noted his new pistols. Such high grade well crafted guns were something that Tiris coveted. Maybe he should become a thief so he could have nice things… Bounty hunting wasn't working out so well as it were.


He looked around the living space with an appreciative nod as a flippant hand motioned towards the kitchen. Tiris was legitimately hungry and followed the directions to the kitchen. He searched a moment in the cold box, seeking out ham, cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. Piling these things on the counter he looked over the bread choices. "Oh rye bread!" He joyfully mumbled to himself. It was the first bit of good that had happened upon him in this misadventure. Grabbing the loaf he started opening when Oriske's voice came to prick him with annoyance. "Damnit Oriske!" He barked defiantly, although that was the only protest he put up. Cursing under his breath he aggressively closed the loaf and hastily opened the wheat loaf.


He slapped the produce and meats on the bread when a demand hit his ears. So appalled by it he paused and leaned over the counter slightly trying to give Oriske an incredulous glare. "Who do you think you are? I'm not your bitch. I'm your bodyguard…" He yelled back as he finished making his sandwich. "You wouldn't make me a sandwich!" He added as he stuff the food in his mouth. "Make y'own damn c'ffe!" He yelled back with his mouth full.
 
Grumbling to himself as Tiris told him that he would have to make his own coffee, he promptly left the house, walking across the road to another house. There, a young woman was watering her garden in front of the house. Oriske leaned over the fence, putting on his most charming smile.

"Good morning, my lady," he said, catching her attention.

Three minutes later, he was walking back into his own house, a cup of coffee in his hands. He smirked over at Tiris once he saw the cup and took a sip. Walking over to Tiris, he grabbed the half-eaten sandwich from his hands and took a large bite out of it. Handing it back to him, he nodded his thanks before taking another sip of his coffee.

"Hurry up and finish that," he told him. "It's getting dark out, so we should be going soon. The Pleasure District isn't very safe once the sun goes down, even if we're going for debauchery." He drank the rest of his coffee before rinsing out the cup in the basin in the kitchen. "I'll be right back," he said.

He returned to the house across the street, thanking the woman graciously for her coffee. Kissing her fingertips and bowing, he left and went to his own house, seeing Tiris there. "Come on, let's go."
 
Tiris paid the man no mind as he continued to eat his sandwich. Savoring the taste of food while he could. All those hours on the airship left him starving. He gave another glance to Oriske as he walked in, again paying little mind to the man. Although he did do a double take on the cup of coffee he now had. "Did you just mug someone for their coffee?" He said as he went to take a bite of his sandwich. Although must to his annoyance it was taken from his hand before it touched his mouth.

"Hey!" He wined as Oriske took a bite out of his sandwich. He eyed it with mild disappointment as it was handed back to him. The though crossed his mind to throw away the food since Oriske's saliva was now on his food but he was too hungry to properly care. "That's rude you know." He complained as he finished the last bites, following the other out the door. Scoffing lightly as he mentioned not being on the streets after dark. "Isn't that why you hired me? To protect you?" Although he wasn't taking in effect that he might be too intoxicated to defend himself, let alone someone else.

As they moved through the streets they slowly began to enter back into the shady part of town. Not even dark as of yet and the 'goods' were already on sale. Various scantily dressed women walked the streets, trying to catch eye contact with anyone passing them by. As the sun dipped behind the horizon the lanterns were being lit. Although the light did little in the dark alleyways. Tiris turned to Oriske for a moment before returning to scan the streets for shady character or possible pick pockets. "Alright. So where is this place? I'm tired of walking." He said with a sigh.
 
Oriske pointed. "Just over there," he said. "I'm a special guest there." The Moonlit Mansion was indeed a mansion, and the nicest building in the pleasure district. It was three stories tall, and the outside was well lit and decorated. Oriske led Tiris to the entrance and was waved through by a guard, who threw a warning look at Tiris. He recognized Oriske, but didn't know who Tiris was, and therefore was suspicious.

Inside, Oriske was greeted by a pair of men dressed in only thin, lacy underwear. "Hello, Mr Oriske," they said in unison, bowing towards Tiris, "and guest."

"Hello, Sae and Dae," Oriske said, letting one take his coat and the other drape his arms around him. "We'll be using the Blue Lounge tonight, loves...and, please escort any other guests out before we arrive."

"Of course, sirs," one said, bowing before heading up a flight of stairs. The other led Oriske and Tiris to a room decorated in navy blue and silver. It was a sitting room, with several couches and sofas arranged. There were more than a dozen handsome young men also in the room, dressed as sparsely as the greeters.

Oriske sat down in a large sofa, and was soon flocked by various men, most of whom knew him by name. Oriske smiled as one climbed into his lap as the others gently caressed his cheek and ran their fingers through his hair, pressing close to Oriske.
 
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Special guest? That comment made him scoff and shake his head. But he didn't comment further seeing as he didn't care where they went as long as there was ale. He looked over the building which was far nicer than he expected although the bouncers outside didn't look so nice. Oriske greeted one and although they were both let inside Tiris was unscrupulously scowled at. He mere returned the look with his own scowl, though it was far less intimidating than the guards. When he looked back in front of him he was greeted with a pleasant sight.


A pair of rather attractive men, scantily dress at that. The inside was dark and seductive with soft alluring lighting and sensual music playing in the back ground. Tiris' scowl dropped from his face and his brow rose in mild interest of Oriske's new escorts. "You've only been here once or twice I see." Tiris remarked sarcastically as the pair darted off to fill the thief's wishes. He followed them to a private room where they seemed to be alone. Well except for the various half naked men that were there to fill their desires. This was a little more than Tiris wanted to be honest. He had planned on a strip club setting and mere watching while he drank the past events away.


But he wasn't going to complain.


He slumped himself on the sofa a small distance away from Oriske to give him his space with his… harem. The men were not as friendly with him although they still gave attention to him. A pair sitting on either side of him, leaning seductively close. "And who might you be? A friend of Oriske's is a friend of ours." He cooed. Tiris' lips twitched as a smile threatened to spread on his face. "Tiris. And I need a lot of ale after the past couple of days." One of the men nodded and left to stop by Oriske's side, petting his shoulder as he spoke. "Would my lovely Oriske want some of his favorite drink?"
 
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