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Post by Horsie on Jan 6, 2015 19:16:14 GMT
Ayzebel didn't thank Cyprio just yet, she immediately checked Elyssa's pulse. It was very slow. She immediately set about taking in what had done the damage.
Elyssa was battered, she'd been hit by something blunt a few times, there was already swelling. She was also bleeding from many small cuts all over her body. Ayzebel was entirely confused until she notices the shattered glass lodged in some of the wounds. Ayzebel even had some in her from pulling Elyssa up. But the biggest wound was deep cut to Elyssa's left thigh. It was bleeding pretty badly.
Ayzebel did not, for once, freeze up and become useless. She panicked, but it was the type of panic that got her moving and doing something useful. Elyssa was unconscious, probably from blood loss, so Ayzebel began making tourniquets out of whatever she could and wrapping them around the wounded thigh.
"Cyprio! There... there has to be some way they get to the city and back! They have to have Suss birds! Or Hanups at least! I need to get her to a surgeon as quickly as possible!"
"Uh, right. Right." He nodded. "That! That looks like a stables over there." He pointed to another building a little ways off.
Ayzebel, instead of doing the sensible thing and letting Cyprio carry Elyssa, picked her up and charged right into the stables. The trip didn't take long, mostly because Ayzebel's blood was still pumping really strongly and she felt as if her heart was about to pop. Once inside she lay Elyssa on some of the hay and began getting one of the hanups ready to go.
"I'll go as quickly as I can, you... I don't know what you should do! Just-"
"Ayzey?"
Ayzebel spun around and Cyprio seemed to jump in shock. "Elyssa?! You're conscious?! Alive?! I mean, I knew you were alive but I meant that, well, less close to not being alive than I had, well, you-"
"I'll be fine. Heh, you sounded like your mother there for a moment." She looked down at herself and tried to stand up, but fell over again. "Oh drat. And look at that, Ayzey, you've got my blood all over your pretty white fur..."
"But... you were unconscious... and your heart..." Ayzebel slid down to the ground besides the gate to the hanup's pen and sat.
"Gwes venom, he had poisoned his sword and daggers with it. I tried to avoid them, but at the end he managed to get me," she looked at her wounded thigh, "as I was on my way up out of the pit. He couldn't manage to get out, of course, because his armour was too heavy."
"Thank the All Mother..." Ayzebel let out a relieved sigh.
"Still hurt like all hell though. Thanks."
"Okay you two." Cyprio cut in. "I'm really glad you're alive, Elyssa, but I'm going to go make sure Thurfric is doing well and the prisoners are secured."
"Thanks Cyp!" Both Ayzebel and Elyssa called after him as he left.
Then Elyssa chuckled. "I'm keeping the prisoners alive for questioning. They probably don't know too much, but what they do know might help. And... just for you I won't have their throats cut afterwards. They might be a minor annoyance... but... only minor."
Ayzebel was relieved. "Really? Thanks Elyssa. I was worried for a moment. If you don't need to kill them..."
"Yeah, precisely as you say..." Elyssa groaned. "Ayzey... you can guess about how well this went. He wanted what he wanted before, and I told him the same thing. He didn't really seem to mind you weren't here. He was also well aware of who I work for, that is why he attacked me once I turned him down. He has been a really naughty boy. Heh."
"But you knew that."
"I did indeed." Elyssa tried to get up, but failed once again. "Venom still wearing off, evidently. Oh! You might want to know. The reason he wasn't dead? He can swim very well and has built up a tolerance to gwes venom. And of course, he was the one who sent the assassins..."
"As much as I had been wondering about all that, it probably isn't important right now." Ayzebel got to her feet and walked over to Elyssa. "Are you comfortable there? Anything I can do?"
"Yes dear Ayzey. Sit down next to me, I've some bad news." Ayzebel did so, cautiously. "That is the last of Patches... but I'm afraid maybe not the last of this mess. He mentioned having a powerful mother. I don't know who, but, well, she might know about this. We could be in more danger."
Ayzebel felt her face go cold as blood rushed away. "B-but I wasn't there! He could have been lying, right? But no, of course not, he's almost certainly not lying!" She began to hyperventilate. "I mean, she's probably a big time matriarch! And that means assassins and everything! This is... this is-"
Elyssa grabbed her, pulled herself up to Ayzebel's level, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Ayzey, I knew you'd react like that. We'll be fine." She chuckled. "Remember, my mother is a, aheh, big time, matriarch too. Relax."
Ayzebel felt the heat return to her face and she was now feeling something similar to, but different from, panic. "Oh! Okay then!"
"Great. Now." Elyssa managed to stand up properly, so Ayzebel followed her to keep her steady. "You help me over to the main building, I'd guess that is where Thurfric and Cyprio are keeping the prisoners. Then you do your thing, and we can go home."
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Post by Horsie on Jan 6, 2015 19:16:29 GMT
Epilogue
Things proceeded apace. Ayzebel and Elyssa had further adventures, but nothing so inherently life threatening, though the incident with the crazy uggle man was... interesting to say the least. Flying spiders are bad enough, but swarms of them? Madness. Though they aren't really poisonous enough to cause harm to most people.
Their relationship also proceeded handily, both being rather interested in the other. Ayzebel, for her part, eventually began to think of the future in more concrete ways. She didn't say she was contemplating marriage, but Elyssa had probably figured it out. Elyssa has a tendency to figure things out. They also knew each others business quite well.
So, as the months passed, things were looking good. Looks, though, have a remarkable tendency to be deceiving. There were two main occurrences that lead to things taking a nosedive for the worst, both of which were bad enough on their own, but only together could they have succeeded in wrecking everything so spectacularly.
And as is often the case for the little people, Ayzebel this time, the problems originated with matriarchs. In this case, two of them. The first matriarch was Ahiradah, Elyssa's mother
Ayzebel was on her way to Elyssa's sanctum, taking her time and walking leisurely. Upon arrival, though, she heard two female voices. One she immediately recognized as Elyssa, but the other took her a moment to recognize as Ahiradah.
"...Elyssa, I'm simply concerned. She's a weak point, and she's too close to you. Everyone has their price, and with enough coercion she'll tip. And she'll tip willingly."
"I trust her implicitly."
It took Ayzebel a moment to realize that they were talking about her. She immediately activated her truth detection ability and settled in to eavesdrop.
"You shouldn't trust anyone implicitly. I raised you to be smarter than this. Acknowledge that she could betray you."
"Ayzebel wouldn-" There was a slapping sound.
"Pay attention! I told you she would. How often have I been wrong?"
Elyssa didn't answer at first, which gave Ayzebel time to feel her hackles rise in anger. When Elyssa did answer, she was slightly more subdued. "She saved my life-"
"Oh yes, I'm sure. And you love her too, I suppose? And she loves you? Of course she does. And she's a Truth Sayer, and they never lie, yes?"
Ayzebel knew, just from the pause, that Elyssa was giving her mother the glare.
Ahiradah continued. "Oh yes, you think things are so wonderful. That family, though, daughter, they're slippery. You know I know that from experience. Don't even try." Ayzebel presumed that Elyssa was about to talk back, but had been cut off. "Besides. Even if she wouldn't intend to turn on you, she can be made to easily enough. She's a Truth Sayer, they have to speak the truth. Torture one enough, and they'll talk."
At this point, Ayzebel felt herself shudder. Ahiradah sounded, almost, as if she were talking from experience.
"I'll keep that in mind." Elyssa replied.
"Don't think your enemy would balk from such a thing, either. You might be expecting assassins, perhaps? That is how men think. She'll come at you from odd angles. Many at once. You do not have the advantage here."
"I am aware of that."
"Good. I bred you, from the beginning, to succeed where I cannot. You will be on the Shadow Council. You will be a force to be reckoned with. You are the centre of all your family's hopes. Don't you dare forget that."
Elyssa seemed to growl. "How can I?"
"It seems clear to me how you might. Let this be a warning to you. Tell her no more about your business, or your weaknesses. She knows too much already. Oh, I know that you won't get rid of her. You're too stubborn for your own good. Too stupid and young. I, on the other hand, am not. If I think you go to far with her, if she becomes more than the distraction she already is, I will remove her."
Ayzebel suddenly felt very cold, like the jaws of terror had engulfed her. She knew very well what Ahiradah meant by 'remove.' It was all made stunningly worse by the fact that neither woman had once uttered a lie. Ahiradah meant what she said.
Elyssa gulped. "I- I understand."
"Good."
Ayzebel stumbled away as Ahiradah left the building. Despite her fear, Ayzebel was able to compose herself to appear as if she had not just been eavesdropping. Ahiradah barely spared her a glance, though, so it was impossible to tell if the matriarch believed the charade or not.
Later that night, after dinner, Ayzebel confessed to Elyssa that she had overheard the conversation. "I... I really... if at all possible, I assure you, Elyssa, I wouldn't..."
Elyssa just nodded. "I know, Ayzey, I know. We'll be fine."
Ayzebel nodded. "I hope so." For although Elyssa had truthfully acknowledged Ayzebel's reassurance, she hadn't truly been certain that all would turn out well.
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Post by Horsie on Jan 6, 2015 19:16:48 GMT
Some time after that mess with Ahiradah, Ayzebel was called in to a meeting with Jrinni, only to find several other Truth Sayers in the room as well.
"Ayzebel." Jrinni sounded less than pleased.
"Yes?"
"We have been given a suggestion that you have been lying to further the business of your friend Elyssa. Now, it could just be someone jealous of a negotiation that didn't go their way. You know how some people react to not getting what they want. But, we still need to check, we've a reputation to uphold."
Ayzebel gave Jrinni a confused look. "Excuse me? Well... who? No, nevermind, I think I know who. Not that you would tell me anyway." Ayzebel's immediate suspicion was Ahiradah. After all, who else would try this?
"Quite so. Have you lied?"
"No, I have not lied." Ayzebel paused to think about it. "The closest I came to lying was omitting some information that was not asked for, and that was not in a formal business evaluation, but a more... personal exchange. It was best for both parties involved, I think."
"Hmm." Jrinni frowned. "You are telling the truth." The other Truth Sayers in the room were glancing at each other, clearly none of them disagreed with the diagnosis. "But... and I ask this out of concern for you... would you lie for her?"
"No. And she does not expect me to."
"Well then..." Jrinni relaxed, sounding much more pleased. "I'm glad that such an ugly rumour has been squashed. You're a good girl, Ayzebel. Still, I think you should start taking more jobs in addition to the ones for Elyssa. These kind of relationships tend to put certain... pressures on you, you need to be careful. If she ever tries to pressure you into lying, tell one of us."
"You might be right. I mean, I don't think she'd expect me to lie for her, but..." Ayzebel was also not entirely surprised about Jrinni noticing her relationship with Elyssa. After all, Ayzebel had nearly paid off her debt by now and Jrinni almost certainly knew the source of that money.
"Yes, being part of a family and being a Truth Sayer is difficult work, I empathize, but certainly worth it." Jrinni dismissed her after that, but the issue didn't go away so easily for Ayzebel, who fumed about it for the rest of the day and later confided with Elyssa.
"Hmm. Probably someone jealous of your success, or my success..." Elyssa hugged her. "You'll be fine, dear, it may be a problem later but... hmm. Actually, it could be someone worried about dealing with me. I'll keep an eye out, as your reputation is now clear, I'm sure that if someone had been concerned about dealing with me they will now do so."
"What do you mean?"
"You're a Truth Sayer, Ayzey, you're a wonderful ally to have for a powerful woman... use your truth power." Ayzebel did so and Elyssa continued. "But that isn't the only reason I keep you around." She winked. "What I meant was, though, that someone might be trying to weaken my position before attacking."
Ayzebel smiled, despite herself. "I don't know, I thought it could be your mother..."
"Heh, could be. But either way, leave it to me. Just be careful."
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Post by Horsie on Jan 6, 2015 19:17:01 GMT
Once things had settled down a little bit, and Ayzebel had gotten a bit less jumpy, the second matriarch struck. It began with Jrinni bringing her an assignment.
"Here you go, dearie, this is the only one for you today." Jrinni handed Ayzebel a contract.
"Odd, I was expecting something from Elyssa."
"Well, that is the only one I have for you."
"Very well. Oh my. This is a large commission."
"Yes, I had noticed that."
"My commission more than covers my last debts... and... the Temple gets a good chunk too..." Ayzebel blinked.
Jrinni, seeing this, nodded. "Indeed. They seem quite pleased about it generally, and definitely want you to take it."
"Want or command?"
"Well, you know how it is..." Jrinni shrugged.
"I mean... I don't know though... I'll do it as ordered, of course, if they can't find anyone else more qualified..."
"You're perfectly qualified, Ayzebel. That and I've nobody else I can get to do it in time." Jrinni said encouragingly. "I've looked over it, and it seems like a mostly normal job. Clearly, though, the people involved are rather desperate."
Ayzebel began to read it. "Why do you say that?"
"Non-disclosure for a period of several months. That could explain the extra money." Jrinni pointed to a line near the bottom.
"Huh, they almost tried to hide that." Ayzebel mused. "But isn't that normally standard?"
"Well, normally it is assumed." Jrinni shook her head. "People doubting the discretion of Truth Sayers, what is the world coming to?"
"I don't know Jrinni. I've not seen much of it..." Ayzebel continued reading. As Jrinni had said, it seemed very much like a normal job, excepting the harsh non-disclosure.
Jrinni was reading over Ayzebel's shoulder. "Oh, look at that," she pointed to another line. "It seems like you're over qualified."
Ayzebel muttered the line out loud. "Will answer all questions posed to her, truthfully and without delay."
"See?"
"Seems strange..." Ayzebel gave Jrinni a look of slight confusion. "I don't quite understand... It seems like they only want me to answer questions they ask me, not to automatically say when one party is lying?"
"Yeah. I mean, Ayzebel, a barely trained novice could do that."
Ayzebel hesitated. It seemed legitimate, almost too legitimate. But, for once Ayzebel was not paranoid enough. And even if she had been, Jrinni had made it clear to her that the Temple wanted this done, and Ayzebel was still in their debt. She sighed. "I suppose I have to, don't I? I mean, it starts really soon, and... oh... that's it!"
"What?"
Ayzebel explained her reasoning. "It must be the secrecy and the sudden timing of this, it starts in the next hour. I'd expect that from a minor deal, but if it is something so big... of course they are paying more to grease the wheels of the bureaucracy... no offence."
"Hah! None taken, Ayzebel. That makes sense, I wonder why I didn't think of it? Maybe I should consider retirement... or at least not mucking about with your jobs... but yeah, you're the only one of our debtors available. And we do like hitting two vasps with one arrow, you know?"
"Yeah. Thanks Jrinni." Ayzebel signed it.
Biggest mistake of her life. Up to that point, anyway.
Ayzebel did as she was bid, and the Zadakine woman she met there seemed nice enough at first. Then she started asking questions, plenty of questions, some about Ayzebel herself. She had no trouble answering them until the woman, named Katara, started asking all the details about Elyssa's business and securities.
Ayzebel's reaction was shocked. "What? I don't have to tell you anything abou-"
Katara smiled and tapped her finger on the contract. "You do, actually."
"What?"
"It says that you have to answer all my questions, truthfully and without delay."
"But... that is about... the..." But it wasn't about the business deal. Nothing around that line mentioned the business deal. There was going to a business deal, and Ayzebel was to be present for it, but that line didn't apply to it. She had been fooled. "Oh Goddess."
"She won't be helping you. I know as well as you do that the contract is entirely binding, especially for a Truth Sayer like yourself. And my contractors were very... assuring it would hold up if you wish to dispute it?" Katara wasn't lying.
"Y-you're..."
"Yes I am. Now, you've been dancing around that question long enough, I suggest you answer it. You are perilously close to breaking contract..."
Ayzebel gulped. She had no choice, she told everything she knew. But... she took comfort in the fact that she suspected Elyssa had, after that talk with her mother, started making other contingencies Ayzebel didn't know about. And this? This Ayzebel didn't have to tell Katara.
The day, however, only got worse.
The negotiation Ayzebel ended up assisting with was between Katara and Elyssa, which involved the older matriarch essentially flaunting a good deal of her advantage and how she had gained most of it. Why, Ayzebel didn't understand, but it ended with Elyssa storming out in a rage. War had been declared.
As Elyssa was leaving, Katara stood up and rested her hands on Ayzebel's shoulders from behind. "Ah. You know, sometimes patience really does reveal the best routes for revenge. With what you've told me, your friend is as good as dead. I give it a few weeks."
Katara wasn't lying.
As Ayzebel stood up, meekly, and sloughed out of the room, Katara called after her. "Remember, no telling her what else I asked. Do not forget the non-disclosure agreement." She then laughed, a screeching, painful, laugh, loud enough to make Ayzebel cover her ears and run.
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Post by Horsie on Jan 6, 2015 19:17:15 GMT
Elyssa was enraged, calmly enraged, when they talked next in her sanctum.
"I can't say! The contract had a non-disclosure portion. I'll tell you when the period is up, but I can't tell you now." Ayzebel cried. "I can't tell you precisely how it all happened... I can't tell you how much I told her, so assume the worst." Ayzebel winced. That had been close to contract breaking, but not quite, at least as far as she was concerned.
"I see. And why you picked her contract over mine? Can you tell me that?"
Ayzebel thought about if she could answer that, she figured she could. "I... I didn't get yours... there is slightly more to it, but I-"
"Can't tell me, yes, I know." Elyssa snapped, angry, but then she made a show of calming down. "I'm sorry Ayzebel, I shouldn't be shouting. On a brighter side, you're debt free now, yes? I talked to one of the priestesses."
"I didn't have that much left." Ayzebel tried to defend herself, but the non-disclosure segment of the contract was really limiting her ability to do so. Upon remembering the wording, it had been a rather broad clause. But at least she was able to mention a non-disclosure agreement. Still, her state of mind was not much help either.
Elyssa sighed. "Very well then." She got up to pour them both a drink. "I need this pretty badly right now."
Ayzebel groaned. "I'm sorry. I..." Shifting that train of thought to something more practical. "You have found out who she is, right? I can't tell you but..."
"The mother of your 'Patches.' Yes Ayzebel. I figured it out. I'm not in good shape here. She'll attack both my person and my family's businesses, at the same time, thanks to the information you gave her. With what you know about, my position is now very untenable."
"I suspect there is stuff you didn't tell me. I am desperately hoping you listened to your mother's advice."
Elyssa paused for a moment, almost as if she were slightly confused. "Yes, well, I'm not telling you if I have or haven't."
"Oh, right, yes... good idea..."
As Elyssa slid Ayzebel's glass over to her, she said, "unfortunately... this is pretty bad overall."
"I'm sorry..." Ayzebel went to drink before pausing to remember her usual custom. "The drink isn't poisoned, is it?"
Elyssa scoffed. "Of course not." She took a gulp. "I'm drinking it."
It rang true for Ayzebel, but then something about the response made her even more worried. "Not at all? The glass, for instance?"
"Of course not." Elyssa lied.
Ayzebel slowly put the glass down. "I... I see."
Realizing Ayzebel wasn't drinking, Elyssa sighed. "It is for your own good. If I don't do it, mother will, and it needs to look like suicide. Better, in fact, if it were..."
"But... Elyssa..."
"No. She was right. You're a huge liability. I... I can't keep you around and now you know far too much. And you betrayed me. You and this... Katara... probably engineered this damn non-disclosure agreement in order to prevent you from lying. You don't need to like that. It is precisely what I would do if I had to."
Ayzebel blinked in surprise.
Elyssa continued. "Oh, and even if you didn't, willingly betray me. You've done enough damage. I simply can't risk it."
Though shaking, Ayzebel considered the glass again. "I... love you Elyssa..."
"I loved you, but I don't anymore." Lie. "Because I can't." Lie. "I can't have both you and what I have to have." Truth. "But if you do, as you claim, love me, you'll drink that."
Ayzebel stood up. "No... I'm not... I still have debts to be paid." Katara had to be beaten, and Ayzebel killing herself wasn't about to make that happen.
"Hmm. I see. Well, hurry with those debts. I'm going to deal with Katara first. When she's done with, you're next."
Ayzebel ran.
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Post by Horsie on Jan 6, 2015 19:17:30 GMT
Ayzebel made it back to the Temple, obviously distraught. She knew she had to leave, get out as quickly as possible. Thinking that she would write her grandparents for help later, she took papers and her writing utensils. She packed a nice dress or two, just because sometimes blending in requires looking pretty, but otherwise everything was pretty bare bones. She threw on her tougher travelling clothes, which wouldn't protect her to a huge degree, but enough to be of some use and at least she could run in them. Then over top of that a cloak with a hood she could use to make her being a Truth Sayer slightly less obvious.
Her hunting bow and arrows went under the cloak. It would be tough to draw those out quickly, but starting a shooting war in the middle of Utopia City didn't strike her as particularly smart. Her sword she kept on her side. Not having one was probably more suspicious than having one.
And with all that she left her room in a rush and was on her way out of the Temple when Jrinni caught up to her.
"Ayzebel? What is going on? You look... well... rushed."
"Oh, Jrinni, I'm... I can't say much, non-disclosure agreement and all that, but..."
"You're in trouble? Look, you can stay with me or... at least keep in contact... You'll pay me back later, I'm sure."
Ayzebel paused for a moment and considered it. The more she considered it, the more she came to a rather sour conclusion. "Jrinni... you work with Katara, don't you?"
Jrinni blinked, but said nothing.
"I thought so. You kept Elyssa's request from me. You arranged everything so I would take that job."
"I am sorry you got involved, Ayzebel. I told you from the beginning that Elyssa was bad news and dangerous, but you persisted. I would have much preferred for things to not turn out as they did."
Ayzebel, on a long shot, turned on her truth sensing abilities and asked: "You haven't even lied either, have you?"
"No I haven't." Truth. "I've been deceptive, but we both know that doesn't require lying." Truth.
Ayzebel sighed. "Well then, you win, don't you? But I'm not telling you where I'm going."
"Listen, Ayzebel, going to Katara is your best chance..."
Ayzebel said nothing, she just turned and left. So now she had two people to revenge herself on somehow. Jrinni and Katara. She knew that she should also be looking to deal with Elyssa, but that was furthest from her mind at the time.
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Post by Horsie on Jan 6, 2015 19:17:48 GMT
After wandering through the city and picking a room to rent virtually at random, Ayzebel settled down to try to rest. She couldn't really, instead she cried and curled up. Just too scared, worried, and confused to sleep at all.
She knew she couldn't write to her grandmothers in that state. She'd let something slip or fail to mention something important.
Ayzebel's musings and frustrations were interrupted by a Zadakine appearing in the centre of the room in a puff of dark smoke.
"Cyp?" She asked, shocked.
"No." A female voice replied as the figure pulled out a knife.
Ayzebel scrambled for her sword.
"Do it with a dagger, they said." The assassin complained out loud. "I'll have blood all over me. If you just lie still I'll make it quick."
Ayzebel drew her sword and, shaking, pointed it at the woman.
"Of course not. They never make it easy." She shook her head. "I'll just have to-"
Pssst. The assassin clutched her neck. Thunk. The assassin fell over. Another assassin revealed himself, appearing out of the darkness of the corner of the room.
"Cyp?" Ayzebel repeated her previous confused statement.
"Yes." He looked at the body of the other assassin. "Oh well."
"Are... you here to kill me too?" Ayzebel focused with her truth detection.
"Maybe. I was earlier, after Elyssa told me about what happened, now I'm not so sure." He searched the dead assassin, taking the dart from her neck and any items of interest she had on her.
Ayzebel winced. "What has made you not so sure?"
"Some colleagues were hired to kill you and make it look like Elyssa did it."
"How'd you figure? I thought it was Elyssa who..." Ayzebel trailed off.
"No. She isn't dumb enough to just straight up kill you like that, your family would be easily incited against her. This one was trying to kill you with a dagger, just like what Elyssa might do."
"So someone straight up told you?"
"Partially. I put it together, but I wanted to test it first."
Ayzebel mustered up the courage to glare at Cyprio. "How long have you been sitting, invisible, in that corner? Using me as bait?"
"Since you chose the room." He chuckled, his first show of humour so far.
"Of course. So that means what... Katara is trying to get me killed so my family attacks Elyssa's, allowing Katara to clean up. I see..."
"I thought something similar. Plus, the Temple wouldn't be pleased either. It would take Katara doing some persuading, but it could be done."
"You're right. But this isn't covered in the non-disclosure agreement. I can tell my grandmothers that Katara is sending assassins after me and wants me dead. If they can help get me out of the country for enough time the agreement will end... and deprive Katara of an advantage against Elyssa... Perhaps even bring my family in on Elyssa's side... It isn't a stretch to imagine that they might also be endangered."
Cyprio interrupted Ayzebel's musings. "Ayzebel." She looked up at him. "Write that letter now and I'll be convinced to not kill you. And better, you can trust me to deliver it." It seemed like truth.
"You will deliver it immediately? And not just kill me after?"
Cyprio looked confused at the need for followup questions. "Didn't have your ability focused on me? Yes, immediately. I can even play courier as I'm pretty sure I can find you again. So no, I'm not just going to kill you after."
All appeared true. "Very well. I'll write it now." Ayzebel relaxed a little. "Thanks Cyp."
"I'll tell Elyssa too..."
"No! Not yet."
Cyprio raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"
"Wait until she has won. She'll need you for this, and if you start taking my side, she might not trust you. You know how she is..." Cyprio nodded reluctantly as Ayzebel continued. "If I'm still alive when the non-disclosure agreement ends, I'll write to her and explain everything.
"Fair enough. And Ayzebel, I've got something for you." He turned to a bag he had put on the floor. "You'll need a better cloak, something to hide your features properly. And this." He reached in and pulled out a bottle of dark liquid. "This will turn your fur dark, make it hard to see you're a Truth Sayer. Use it until you've got a good way out of here."
"I... see... deceptive, but we are allowed to be deceptive if necessary, aren't we?" She sighed. "Oh, and somehow make sure Elyssa knows that Katara has a Truth Sayer named Jrinni in her pocket. I'll tell my grandparents in that letter too."
Cyprio cocked his head. "I would have thought the non-disclosure-"
"Oh no, I found that out separate from the context of the contract."
"Heh. Okay."
Ayzebel realized something, and it made her heart plummet. "Cyp... I uh, how am I going to repay you for this?"
"I consider this me repaying some of the debts I owe you, Ayzebel."
"I... I don't... I don't think you have any debts to me?"
"Says you. You and Elyssa have been pretty much my only friends. I know I was a bit pointless to have around sometimes. But you put up with me. Besides, this means I'm helping Elyssa as well. And, uh, you lent me some money five days ago, remember?" He smiled. "Debt paid."
"Oh... okay. I had forgotten about that one... Thanks Cyp."
He disappeared into smoke and Ayzebel finally forced herself to get some sleep.
*******
Later, in her personal little sanctum Elyssa dried her eyes. She then took out the three boxes of names. One labelled 'Unknown', the other two labelled 'Liked' and 'Disliked.' She opened those last two and took Ayzebel's name from the 'Liked' box and moved to put it in the 'Disliked', but she stopped.
Instead she used her dagger to cut the paper in half, bisecting the first 'e'. She then put the 'Ayz' half back in the 'Liked' box, and the 'bel' half in the 'Disliked.'
She then took Katara's name from the 'Unknown' box and pinned it to her brainstorm wall with a throw of her dagger. "You first, Katara. One piece at a time. Bit by bit until I've left you penniless on the streets. Then, when you are friendless and suffering... then..." She grimaced. "You may be on the Shadow Council, you may not, I don't know. But either way, you've never ever had an enemy like me before."
Then she got to work.
The End
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