Private Tales Hag's Head Intrusion

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Gella was almost giddy with how well it all played out.

Sure enough, the skinny, pompous elves sauntered right into Gella's office and tried to negotiate a price increase for the fourth shipment in a row. Absolute bloodsucking bastards, the lot of them. If it wouldn't cause him such a headache in the future he'd have had them all skinned and hung up outside by now. No, it wouldn't do. This time he had a new ace in the hole. A certain secret weapon he was chomping at the bit to put to use.

Oh, it hurt like hell to wear the sickeningly fake smile on his lips as they talked down to him like he was some fucking child. He couldn't wait to see the dumb look on their smug faces when they left the tavern to find their most precious cargo missing! They certainly couldn't blame him, not when he'd been in their presence the entire time. Gella agreed to a price hike, lying through his teeth as he so gratefully thanked them for their business, and bade them farewell.

Everything happened rather quickly after that.

The small cadre of leaders exited the Tavern, immediately followed by a cavalcade of confused conjecture and increasingly heated words over where the most important wagon had gone.

"It was just here!"

"Did the Emeralds steal it?!"

"No! I saw it! It just drove off!"

Gella leaned against the frame of the open tavern door, the picture of a cat who disemboweled a particularly fat canary on his face as he grinned at the backs of their stupid heads. "Well now, boys. Looks like you misplaced your product. I guess we won't be having a transaction today. A shame." It was all he could manage not to be too obvious in his involvement just by expression alone, but it was obvious that they all suspected him. They were outnumbered though, and picking a fight with the Emeralds in the snowy streets of Osteriam would be a losing battle.

Oh, that Leandra girl would be getting a bonus for this.

"Since you feel so badly for us..." The elf in the lead spat, gaze narrowing at the crime boss. "Maybe you'd do us a courtesy and help us search the town?" It was obvious that they expected him to refuse outright, which made it more shocking that Gella sauntered past them with a light shrug. "If it'll put your mind at ease and get you out of -my- city, then yes."


After several hours, and about a dozen wrong turns encouraged by Gella, the High Tide finally gave up for the evening, wheeling their remaining carts through the gates of Osteriam with sullen and angry expressions. Gella couldn't have been happier. Everything had gone without a hitch, and he had a wagon full of expensive spirits to show for it.

That, and a now-proven new toy at his disposal. Speaking of which, it was time to make a pickup. Leaving his men to watch the gates in the event their friends decided to come back and bug the lot of them even more, Gella wandered off into the alley that wound around the old tavern that hadn't been used in years, bringing his hands up to applaud the sight of a covered wagon and an admittedly bored looking woman waiting for him.

"I have to admit, you actually impressed me a little bit there. Nobody even saw you back there, or if they did they didn't realize it." Leaning on his hands, Gella idly bit at one of his fingers and closed his eyes for a moment, seeming to debate something within his own mind. "Mmm... Yeah, I think you and I will get along just fine, Marin."
 
Leandra knew if was going to be hours before Gella would come to claim what was his. It was fine, it wasn't the first time she had to wait a job out. Still, boredom was an itch that she longed to scratch. With a small huff, she stood and paced the length of the building for a while.

Growing tired of pacing, she decided that perhaps brushing up on some skills may suffice. A simple glance found her the target she needed, a nice thick wooden post. She stood back about ten feet, pulling dagger after dagger from hidden pockets and burying them into the post. They made a neat line down the middle and she nodded to herself seemingly satisfied as she inspected her work.

Leandra had repeated the ritual a few times, before hearing the steps, and then clapping of Gella's hands ringing hollow in the stale air. She quietly gathered her daggers, stowing them quickly. She studied him as he spoke, a sly smile on her lips.

"There is a reason why I say I'm the best, it's not all bluster. Most people are too stupid to realize they're being robbed when I'm involved." She walked towards him, stopping just a few feet away. He seemed to be chewing on a morsel of thought, and she tilted her head. "You mean when we aren't wresting on the floor?" She teased him, gracing him with a small bit genuine smile for the first time.

Lea still wanted to bury a dagger in the orc's back, but she couldn't necessarily hold a grudge against Gella for it anymore. So, she'd do her best to be amiable with the unpredictable leader. "Shall we get this cart home then?" She wasn't going to push for payment, not until the job was fully finished.

Gella Rerra
 
Yeesh, give the girl a bit of credit and she got a big head rather quickly. Her claim of being 'the best' would have drawn a bit of ire from him any other time; He is the best, and that's how it was going to stay. Being that she'd just done a fine job though, he let it slide just this one time. Instead, he partially lifted the cover off of the wagon to inspect the goods.

"Beautiful stuff, this. Elven wines are a rare commodity out this far, you know. There's even a few smuggled cases from Amol-Kalit." Silently, Gella admitted to himself that the price the High Tide had been asking of him was more than fair considering the quality of the goods, but... Fuck 'em. They should be lucky to be on his good side. Reaching in and pulling out a bottle of the Elven, he tosses it to Leandra with a smirk. "Here, consider it a bonus on your payment."

Climbing up into the driver's seat of the cart, he motions her to join and cracks the reins sharply, sending the horses trodding back onto the snow-covered roads leading to the Hag's Head. "You see." Gella mused. "That's how it works here, Marin. You make me happy, you get perks. You make me angry, and I let my men finish what Oalrig started." It was a threat, but he spoke as if it was an obvious, inoffensive fact of life. Although he couldn't deny the idea of a rematch between Leandra and his Orcish bodyguard was an entertaining one. She might actually win.

"At least I know I can take you down if the need arises. You slept like a baby for me." Gella smirks as they pull in behind the inn, hopping off into the snow and pulling the small leather satchel from his side, flipping it open and combing through it until he retrieves a handful of gold from one of the many pockets. A sizable amount in Osteriam. "I think the two of us have come to an understanding now..." Nodding towards the tavern, he continues. "You have my permission to stay in the Bunker. It's the living quarters I had built underneath the Tavern. I don't know what hole you've been living in up to this point, but those rooms have everything you should need."

It was rare for Gella to give such a new recruit a room in the Bunker, but perhaps she'd impressed him more than he cared to admit. The long hallways underneath the Inn were lined with doors, each containing single or double-bed living quarters that beat most of the private residences of Osteriam in terms of quality. Handing her a key with "1G" scribbled on it, Gella spun on his heel and entered through the back door of the Hag's Head.
 
He was the cat, and she was the mouse. At least, that's how he wanted it to be. They were both confident in themselves, and neither one wanted to give the other the credit they were due audibly. Lea had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at him half the time he opened his mouth. He circled the cart and lifted the tarp to inspect it, and she stood silently as he made his observations. She was no stranger to this particular ritual, rarely was a thief trusted in a transaction. Not that she thought that was what he was doing, but it bothered her little regardless.

"It should bring you some nice coin, and it seems enough to last a while before the next shipment." She could appreciate a nice wine, but her preferences tended to reside in stronger substances. Gella tossed a bottle to her and she caught it gracefully. There was that damned smirk again, she didn't know if she wanted to hit him or..

She watched him clamber up to take his seat, and followed suit as he motioned for her to join. She waited a beat to respond to his thinly veiled threat. She figured she ought to curb her tongue and respond in a way that wouldn't cause them to tussle again. "I intend to do the work you give me without issue, if that's what you mean." She paused to wet her lips. "You have heard of my reputation, otherwise that brute wouldn't have gone after me. You know I'm more than capable." She had been a competitor he didn't like, even if he wouldn't admit it.

His next comment had her reacting in a way that surprised ever her, she wasn't one to be much of a flirt after all. "You know, there are other ways to put me to sleep" She laughed quietly and regretted it instantly. What was she thinking, she almost died because of this man. It was bad enough she was working for him now, the internal groan she had was all she could do right now.

Upon reaching the tavern, she slipped easily from her seat. He pulled a sizeable amount of coin, and she took it without a word. She didn't bother to count it, instead making it practically vanish in the folds of her cloak. She gave a nod of her head to Gella at his invitation. He turned on his heel after handing her a key. Before he could fully leave her, she mustered a quiet thank you. She was already a million miles away in her thoughts. The whirlwind of events finally crashing into her.

Leandra wandered into the tavern, almost in a daze. Her fist gripped the bottle he had given her as she made her way to her room. Once she reached it, she unlocked it easily enough and entered. It wasn't the fanciest place, but it would do just fine. She sank to the floor and popped the bottle open with little effort. Her back against the door, she brought the bottle to her lips, drowning her feelings in liquor.

Much later, and much less sober, Lea made her way back upstairs. She was ready to spend more gold for the sake of more booze. She sat at the bar, and was largely ignored. She was starting to feel like the other Emeralds didn't like her very much.

Gella Rerra
 
So incredibly self-centered was the half-elf that even if he was looking at his new hire as she struggled not to outwardly express how ridiculous she found him he wouldn't have picked up on it. No, he didn't care much what she thought of him right now-- He had his liquor and a very talented thief, all in one day! Even an overgrown child like Gella knew not to look gift horses in the mouth, as they say.

Still, her mention of Oalrig's attack on her drew a shrug to his shoulders as the wagon rolled down the empty snow-covered streets of Osteriam. "Oalrig jumped the gun. I wasn't ready for a confrontation with you yet. If I'd had my way, it wouldn't have been a brawl in the middle of the Hag with my Emeralds watching. You wouldn't have had a chance to fight back." He stated simply, not in the least bit ashamed that he'd no intention to giving her a fair fight. What did she expect? A smile crosses his lips nonetheless, that smirk she reviled. "It worked out well enough though. Because of his idiocy, I have a pretty new toy that's very good at her job. Killing you would have been a mistake on my part, I'm man enough to admit that."

To anybody who wasn't named Gella Rerra, it would have sounded incredibly arrogant, but to Gella himself it was a genuine admission of possible fault. He wasn't perfect! Just very close to it! Honestly, it was more of a concession than he'd given to most of his Emeralds in the past. Then, she had to go and make it... strange.

"You know, there are other ways to put me to sleep"

As young as Gella was for somebody with Elf in him, he'd experienced much of what life could throw at you. Being a borderline psychopath with a tendency to kill people he disagreed with though, it didn't make him a hit with the ladies. So, while he would never admit it outright, Rerra was... less than comfortable with flirtation.

The smirk faded from his face, and his eyes tore away from the dimly lit road leading back to the Hag's Head to briefly flitter over to her. His expression wasn't anger like one might expect though. No, there was far more puzzlement on his face than anything else, as though he was trying to decipher exactly what she'd just told him.

They reached their destination before Gella could speak again on the topic, perhaps thankfully for the both of them. He passed her the key to her bunk and her payment before departing without a further comment. That night, just as any other night, Gella slept with terrors plaguing his dreams. Another restless night, and another baleful morning just after.

The telltale stomping of his boots down the steps would tell all the Emeralds lingering in the bar that his arrival was impending, and every back straightened, every voice quieted, and every mug found the table as each set of eyes peered to the doorway behind the bar as Gella emerged, eyes hidden behind a pair of dark glasses as he paid them no mind, heading right for one of the bottles stashed behind the bar to pour himself a glass of last night's prize, along with another.

The mood relaxed; no noise from Gella as soon as he awoke meant no announcements, which usually meant he hadn't found a reason to be angry with anybody today, which also meant nobody was going to be injured or killed. Most returned to their drinks and conversations as was normal.

Gella sat a glass half-full of beer down in front of Leandra, sitting across from her on the other side of the bar, peeking at her from over his glasses with a worryingly unreadable expression on his face.

"Drink. It's evening in Ragash." He mumbled, taking a long sip from the wine he'd procured for himself, shivering as it ran down his throat. The good shit...

"Leandra. I want to ask you some questions."
 
After sating her thirst for a good portion of the night, Leandra had staggered her way back to her room. It was probably for the best that she had drank alone. It would have most likely lead to a fight, or a bedmate she would have regretted. Upon entering the dim quiet of her room, she stared at her face long and hard in the mirror. What was she doing? Did she actually flirt with someone who would kill her the moment he was bored with her? She shook her head and pressed a palm to her head with a groan. She wanted to hate Gella, but he was running a business, and she couldn't blame him for wanting to cut out the competition.

With another groan she turned and flopped to her bed, passing out rather quickly. It was a dream best left in the archives of her mind, she would never admit to another what it had pertained to. She was up before the sun, and already she was trudging upstairs. She resumed her spot at the bar, and rested her head on her hands. She wondered what would be in store today, her mind wandering to their parting yesterday. He seemed to at least like her a little, thought she was useful. Perhaps she wouldn't find a dagger in her back too soon.

The thump of boots on the stairs didn't make her stir or lift her head, though the bar did fall silent. Ah, the Lord Gella had awoken. Lea smirked to herself, still unmoving. It wasn't until he placed the glass of beer in front of her did she lift her head. She met his eyes briefly before taking a swig of the offered drink. "Rough night?" She didn't expect an answer, nor did she really care for one. His next statement made her pause, her glass half raised to her lips. She set it down gently and studied him. Where could this possibly lead? "Ask away, I can't really say no to you." She laughed softly, she was only teasing, but who knew how he would take it.

Gella Rerra
 
The Half-Elf crime lord didn't speak a word to her until she took a drink. The expectation in his eyes, it was almost like he didn't have any intention of speaking to her until she'd done what he'd ordered her to do. She took a swig and asked him about his night, a question Gella ignored in that special way that made you wonder if the question had even been heard.

"You're right. You can't. Can't say you're a slow learner." The faintest hint of a smirk tugged at his lips as the sternness of his expression loosened just a tad. Leandra didn't balk or flinch at him, even when any of his other Emeralds would have. It was refreshing, in a way, but he couldn't tell if she was hardheaded or if she just didn't know any better. Gella felt his smile grow behind the glass as he took another sip of the wine, but he flattened it in time to set the glass down.

Time would tell the cause of Marin's bravado, and Gella always looked forward to figuring out what made people tick.

"You have family here in Osteriam? You don't seem the type who would roam into this shithole on purpose." Gella paid a passing glance to the lot of Emeralds behind her, comprised almost entirely of foreigners who'd come to Osteriam either seeking profit or asylum before being taken into the fold. All shapes, races and backgrounds could be found in the halls of the Hag, but Leandra... Gella had lived in this Tavern for as long as he'd lived and he'd never seen her in person before a couple of days ago. No, she had to be a native. "Color me curious...why haven't you turned tail and ran away from this miserable patch yet? Not much to steal in an old mining town for a thief, is there?"

It sounded like a reasonable observation, but he was fishing for something more, and she'd probably realize it herself. No, Gella wanted to know how much she knew about just how much there actually was to steal here. Is that why she remained? Because she knew about the treasure trove under their feet? Or was it some sentimental bullshit? People could be so stupid when they felt a place was 'home'.

"Have you ever left the city, even?"
 
That smirk, she wanted to wipe that off his face sometimes. As to how? She was disgusted in her gut response, she'd never admit it either, not even to herself. He waited for her to drink, and she made note to make it a much longer affair next time. He could order her around all he wanted to, but she would do it on her time. He had completely ignored her question, but she had expected that anyways. Gella, offer up information? Pigs would fly sooner.

Then, the questions started. Questions she really did not want to answer. She tapped the counter lightly with her fingertips and looked away from the half elf in front of her. Her eyes lost their soft humor and became hardened, angry even. He would not let her refuse to answer him, and it irritated her that she wasn't in a position to deny him.

She slid her eyes back to his, pushing her mug away slightly. A small way to flex her freedom. "Aye, I'm sure at some point I had family here. I have no memory of it, but I've been here as long as I can remember." A horse had once kicked her as a child, her memory of that time was scant. She didn't offer that information up, however. His gaze escaped hers, he was perusing his little kingdom she supposed.

Lea stiffened as he piercing gaze penetrated hers again, her body rigid as if she were about to be struck. His questions were leading, but where was he going with them? He couldn't be that interested in her upbringing or why she was still here. "I had a friend once, he kept me here. Then he died, and I couldn't leave with his business unfinished." She offered up no other information, let him pry. "I did leave, for a time. There were things I needed to accomplish to come back and finish what he started." She raised her gaze to Gella, it was almost heated, daring him to continue. How much would he push to get whatever it was he wanted from her?

Gella Rerra
 
Gella's eyes were almost slits as she spoke, answering her questions to the extent that she was willing to. It was as though he was scrutinizing every word she said, trying to figure out if it was honest, and if he cared. His gloved fingers drummed boredly on the glass in one hand, an eyebrow of interest only raising when she mentioned something to the effect of 'unfinished business'.

But right when she seemed to be getting to what he really wanted to know, she stopped cold. Leaving him on the edge, watching him with a look that challenged him to push her further. What, did she think he wouldn't? Had she not learned who the hell she was dealing with yet? Gella leaned forward, cracking a smile at the fire in her eyes. She was crazy if she thought he wasn't willing to open old wounds if he'd find gold coins inside.

"And what, exactly, had he started?"

Gella nearly purred, excitement barely contained within his voice as though her were an animal staring at fresh meat. Her 'friend' had been up to something, here in this city. Could it be the same thing he'd been planning? Had he made more progress than him? What did this girl know? Unbeknownst to her, at that very moment she was the most important person in Gella's entire gang. There was a chance, however slim, that she had what he wanted.

And he wanted it badly.

"Curious minds, Leandra. I'm practically in charge of the city and I've never heard of something worth staying here for beyond my power over the place." He lied, though with all the confidence in the world. "I can't help but want to know what your friend was getting into..."
 
They challenged each other, it was a back and forth battle of minds. Leandra almost enjoyed it, very rarely did she meet someone that matched her own intelligence and determination. They were playing chess with information, and both wanted the checkmate.

Her small morsel of information was equally chewed and swallowed by Gella. It was enough to get him excited, enough to get him to break a little. He was practically drooling, his questions became tunneled, and she raised an eyebrow at him, a frown marring her delicate features

"He made claims that there was more to this town than was on surface level. He seemed to think there was something so important it was worth sacrificing his life for. He never went into detail, despite our closeness he did not trust me with it. I've been spending my time trying to figure it out."

Leandra paused, there was something she could give him. As much as she didn't want to, he may be able to help her uncover the truth too. She spent several minutes wrestling with herself, letting out a breath of frustration.

"I have a journal of his, all his plans and plots. The problem is that he's written it in code and I can't figure it out..." She let the words hang in the air, her eyes skirting away from Gella, she didn't want to give it up, but she had not gotten any closer in her quest to figure it out.

Gella Rerra
 
Jackpot.

If it were possible, Gella's grin would only widen at her words, his entire body seeming to shift forward over the bar as she spoke, hanging on every word that passed her lips. The shivers up his spine felt like he'd been digging for years and he'd finally hit oil. He'd been sure there was somebody in this damned town who knew more about those caves, but he could never find them. Now it made sense.

That person was already dead.

"How captivating..." It left his throat like the purr of a cat who'd spotted a mouse with its tail caught in a trap. "Your friend was smart and absolutely right about this city. There are things you could scarcely dream about right under our feet, Leandra. I've seen it myself, briefly." The raid on the caves had failed, but not before he'd seen what waited on the other side. It was the most beautiful sight he'd ever laid eyes on, and ever since, it had been the only thing he could focus on.

Now here in front of him was the key! It was too good to be true!

"Tell me. would you let me see that journal of his?" Slowly, Gella slid his gloved hand across the bar, resting it over hers and squeezing down on it slightly. There was fire in his veins. This woman... she was going to make his dreams come true. His gut had been right, this one really was special.

Suck it, Leos.

"We want the same thing. I can help you decipher it, and we can follow it together. Us, and the whole damned army behind me."
 
His reaction was telling enough, he had found what he was digging for. Leandra reflexively leaned back as he leaned in, his unpredictability begging her to be cautious. Gella was practically licking his lips at the mouse caught in his trap. How he would toy with her before the finishing blow remained to be seen.

What could be so priceless that Gella would drop pretense and let her into this tidbit of information. Of course, he needed her for now. At least until he got his hands on the journal.

Leandra frowned and gripped the edge of the counter with one hand, her knuckles white with the force of it. She watched silently as he reached across and took her hand in his, a slight squeeze sending a hiss from between her teeth.

"I bring you the journal, you act like we're in this together, and then what? You put a knife in my back? I can't believe that you'd let me walk away from something as precious as you claim." It would be just like him all over again. She pulled her hand away, though there was a sort of reluctance in the act. "Fine. It's not here, I'd have to go retrieve it from my stash spot." She never kept things of importance where she lived, this would save her more times than she could count.

Gella Rerra
 
Leandra wasn't an idiot, and Gella knew better than to treat her like one. The moment she called him out on his deceptive behavior, his voice went from psuedo-friendly to that sickly sweet glee she was far more used to. He leaned back, a hand under his chin like he was trying to keep himself from laughing.

"Oh come off it, Marin. You know what? Yes, I'm the kind of prick who cares about me and me only. I don't give a damned about what your friend thought, or about helping you get your closure." Gella admitted frankly, bringing one of his rabbit-skin boots up onto the bar and crossing the other over it as he leaned back in his stiil. "But I don't backstab people who are useful, and right now? You're the most useful person to me in this whole city. So yes, I do plan on letting you walk away, with a sizable sack of gold for your trouble."

Of course, if it turned out that this journal was nothing, or it led them to jack-shit down below...

Well, she was a damned good thief. Maybe just a stern punishment, no death needed.

Downing the rest of his drink and throwing the empty bottle, one she'd stolen for him, behind him to shatter on the floor with a noisy clatter, he brought his hands to his lap as she agreed to go and get the journal. There was one little catch that she wasn't sneaking by so easily, though.

"Oh you're very funny, but if you think I'm not coming with you, then maybe Oalrig hit you harder than I thought." He brought his feet down and sprung up, clapping his hands as if a mutual decision had been reached. "Come on, let's go. We're already burning daylight, partner mine."
 
There he was, the pretense of friendly dropped instantly. She shook her head slightly, a soft tch escaping her lips. He was an enigma, she wouldn't exactly say he was crazy. No, he was far to intelligent to be insane. She had to refrain from rolling her eyes at him as he spoke, sometimes she just wanted to reach up and slap his smug mouth.

Closure? She could stop the peal of laughter that escaped her throat. He really thought he knew everything. He put his boots up, crossing them on the counter. Leandra narrowed her eyes stood.

In a fluid movement, quick and deliberate, she was on top of the bar. Knees dug into the rough wood as she leaned over, her nose practically touching his. Her words came out as a hiss, anger dripping from her like venom.

"I don't want your gold, I want revenge. I'm tired of being crossed. I'm tired of being used and abused. I'm tired of having to worry about a dagger being buried in my back." She looked him pointedly in the eyes, then slid herself off the bar with ease. "Promise me you won't kill me. Mean it. I'll work for you the rest of my days quietly, do as you ask. Just don't betray me."

The last words came out as a sigh, almost sad. She wanted to trust him, she wanted someone she could count on. She watched him toss the bottle, watches the pieces shatter onto the floor. No, he'd never care.

The anger receded, deflated, she didn't even have the energy to argue with him about coming. She nodded slightly, turning without a word. "I'm sure you'd find out my secrets whether I willed it or not. Alright, let's go."

She took him outside, falling quiet. She had let her emotions best her, something she seemed to do quite often. Something about Gella dragged it out of her. She equally wanted to fight him and give in to him. She made her way quietly down the street, she was headed to a home that wasn't her home anymore.

Gella Rerra
 
For the first time since she'd wandered into his den of menace with a face full of fire and fists ready to be thrown his way, the half-elf looked somewhat taken off guard by what she'd said. Not wanting gold? Over revenge? Now, Gella liked revenge as much as the next guy, but gold made the world go 'round. Whatever was nagging at this girl, it had her priorities all fucked up.

But then, he'd made that little mental note when she'd tried to flirt with him last night.

The cocky smile on his face shrunk away a bit at the demand of a promise, and the crime boss leaned forward, rolling his eyes to the side as though this were some life-altering choice that needed to be carefully mulled over. "I don't really do promises, Leandra. It's not a very stable currency..." He muttered, voice devoid of the snark he'd so proudly displayed minutes earlier. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed that journal, and Marin had been a good investment so far.

Plus, her terms were vague enough to work around if he needed to, he supposed.

But she didn't wait for an answer before she rose and left the Hag's Head, not waiting for him. Eyes of many followed her, but Gella raised a hand with a glare of warning, and his Emeralds returned to their business as he followed the woman out the front door and down the steps to the main snow-covered streets. The few people who were out and about suddenly seemed to vanish into their homes, just in time to avoid meeting Gella's eyes.

Good.

"You drive a hard one, lady. Real hard." Gella purred like a scheming cat behind her as she led him from streets to alleyways, his hands in the pockets of his coat, peering over her shoulder. "But fine. I accept. I won't kill you, and I won't turn on you." Reaching around Leandra coyly, Gella offers his gloved hand, bringing him close enough to mutter into her ear. "But don't think this means I'll be easy on you..."
 
Leandra hadn't waited on Gella, if he was desperate enough, he'd agree. She was counting on it. She was learning how to read him, and he wasn't as clever as he thought he was. She'd have him pegged in no time.

Snow crunched beneath her boots, and her breath cause little clouds to escape her lips. She heard the footsteps of Gella quickly catching up, she knew it was him based on the swiftness of the departing townspeople.

Lea didn't acknowledge him at first, not until his gloved hand met hers. With a sudden swiftness, she laced her fingers in his, pushing him up against the wall of an alleyway.

Noses nearly touching, a smirk on her lips, she responded, a small laugh escaping her. "Remember how we officially met? I have no desire for you to coddle me, I don't care what you throw at me Rerra. If it's a game you want, then I'll roll the dice."

She released him and spun on her heel, the next few steps bringing her to a dingy beaten down inn. "It's here." She eyed him once and pushed the door open, hinges groaning at the effort as she stepped inside.

The tavern was not well lit, and no barkeep was there to meet them. Instead, a fluffy orange cat greeted them, pacing the counter before seating itself. Leandra gave it a quick scratch behind the ear and reached into her pocket, presenting it with coin.

A soft meow left the cat as it hopped off the counter. It was gone only moments, returning with a brass key. Leandra took it and gestured to Gella to follow her to the back.

Gella Rerra
 
Here he was, being a sweetheart. No, being absolutely angelic! And she had the nerve to jerk him around and slam him against a wall like she was something! In that brief moment, as she met his eyes with that cocky ass smirk, that condescending laugh as though she had some upper hand on him, the only thing he could think of was...

Oddly enough, not how badly he'd like to bury a knife into her neck.

No. Instead, he was enthralled.

"You sure you're a woman? You've got bigger balls than most of my highest-ranking men, Marin." He purred back to her, almost seeming genuine in his admiration. She didn't back down, and matched him when he put the pressure on. It should have infuriated him, but he had to admit a bit of respect for the guts she showed. Rerra only hoped she didn't push it to the point he needed to actually see them spilled onto the ground.

She released him and continued along her ordered path, but Gella raised the hand she'd grabbed and refitted the glove, speaking out as he followed, "That still counts as a handshake though, so I'll take it."

For the rest of the trip to the old tavern, Gella kept his mouth shut. No need to push the poor girl so far she had a conniption. Then she'd look a fool, and he wouldn't get the answers he wanted. That's what he called a lose-lose. Gella was, after all, a businessman at heart.

The smirk never left his face though, even as he slid his hands into the fur-lined pockets of his jacket and stomped into the dimly lit tavern as though he owned the place.

Give it time...

Of course, mental note was taken of the strange cat. An odd choice for a bouncer, but he supposed if only the furball knew the location of the key, it was sound enough. You couldn't well interrogate a cat, could you? Well, not to any real end, anyway. He'd wager he had a large, Orc-shaped key back at the Hag that would work.

"So..." He whistled, following as she led him to the back. "This is where you've been hiding out? Thought we cased this one at least half a year ago..."
 
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Gods he was infuriating, and hypnotic, and infuriating. It obvious he liked to push her buttons, she should try harder not to let it get under her skin, but he was damn good at it.

She scoffed at his comment on her womanhood, her eyes rolling. "Well maybe your higher ups should get their noses out of your ass and grow a pair. They're too afraid to piss you off, I'm not."

She unlocked the cellar with the key, boots thudding loudly on the wooden stairs. It was lined with casks and crates and various other things to run the tavern. Dust and dank filled their nostrils.

"I move my things around often enough, so that regardless if you cased it, my stuff would be safe." She moved to a casks in the corner, and shoved it to the side. It was supposed to be full and heavy, but hidden wheels made it easy on her.

Beneath the cask, a trap door. She used the same key to unlock it, pulling the door up with a soft grunt. "It's down here."

Gella Rerra
 
"And yet here you are now..." Gella purred as he lurked around the cask watching every move she made with a maliciously analytical eye. Of course, he wanted to remember how to get in if he needed to later, under more... covert circumstances. "Opening up to me like an old friend. It's touching, really." The half-elf withheld a snicker as he leaned in closer.

It was smart, hiding your most important possessions under multiple layers of protection. Even if Gella and his men had broken into the cellar, they wouldn't have found the trapdoor without considerable effort, and even then it would have been much harder to get through by brute force alone.

"Looks like you adapted to us fairly well, then. You know most of my men are far more brawns than brains. That's why they have me." He added smugly, practically bouncing on his heels as she clicked open the door and pulled it up. "That's the same reason you got the premium package for joining. I can't have your mind wasted with the simpletons doing smash and grabs, now can I?"

That 'Premium Package' was the only reason she hadn't been dropped where she stood for touching him, or for more or less offering herself up to him the other night after a few drinks of wine. Still trying to figure that one out... The point was, she had some leeway the others didn't. For now.

"Please, ladies first."

Leandra Marin
 
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Indeed, she was being candid with Gella. What was the point in hiding now? She worked for him now, and he'd slowly figure it out anyways. He wasn't dumb, neither was she. If it was secrets or her life? Well, her kept secrets weren't as important.

He was trying to strike a nerve, but she let it go this time. She'd already made her scene in the alleyway. She waved her hand in dismissal, lips a tight line of irritation.

"I've learned how to work around you and your men, yes. You don't have the brightest bunch, that's true. They've even run into me without even knowing." She smirked as she led the way down creaky wooden stairs. It was dark, but she needed no light.

Upon reaching the bottom, it only extended about ten feet and was all dirt. In the middle of the floor, a small box sat. It had layers of dust and dirt from the ceiling.

Leandra tucked the box under her arm, and nodded towards Gella in the dark. "I have it here, but I don't think this is the place to crack it open." She headed back up, and began to retrace all the steps she had to unlock the trapdoor in the first place.

Gella Rerra
 
Leandra's resistance to his efforts to get a rise out of her only made him want it that much more. It was a game now, and if she pushed him against a wall and threatened him again, she lost, and she knew it. So he needled, prodded, and pushed her even as she did what he'd asked of her. Because Gella didn't lose.

"Ran into you? Well, I've praised your work, but I never said you exuded much in the way of presence..." He snickered, looking over her shoulder as she retrieved the box and tucked it under her arm. "You wouldn't come first in a popularity contest, being known as the woman we beat and bound before suddenly being given a job." Gella climbed back out of the hidden compartment as he spoke, his teasing tone turning slightly more severe. "Honestly, might want to try socializing a bit. They're starting to think we're involved, I believe."

Having somebody more dependable and capable close to your hip was one thing, but he couldn't have his men thinking he was playing favorites. One or two disgruntled meatheads were fine, but if enough of them started to feel mistreated, well...

There were some things even Gella Rerra couldn't handle. Not that he would ever admit it.

As they reentered the cellar, he looked incredulously at the box, and then back up to Leandra as she stalled opening it further. Was she being serious? Or was this some ploy to buy time? If so, to what end? "Oh, and pray tell where do you think a -good- place to open it is? The Hag?"

Leandra Marin
 
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Oh did he love pushing her buttons, and he did it well. It was a game, and she couldn't tell if it was something the two of them actually enjoyed or if it was truly a ploy for overpowering the other.

She waited for him to finish, hand on her hip, a smirk on her lips. She didn't reply immediately, letting him soak up his own enjoyment. In just moments her figure would change before him. Where once stood Lea, now stood Oalrig. It was nearly an exact replica of the idiot, only if you were looking closely would you notice slight differences.

She let the illusion drop, turning on her heel as she made her point. His next remark made her laugh. "I'll make an announcement next time, let them know that we're not." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "There isn't a single intelligent thought there, I have no interest in speaking with those that offer nothing to me in return."

She raised an eyebrow at his question, turning to him with a glint in her eye. "Wouldn't that make it seem as if we are involved? Hiding in our private rooms, whispering under our breath?" She laughed softly. "Why does it matter you what they think? You rule them with an iron fist. Unless you have somewhere better, then yes we should go the the Hag's head. I might even let you keep the journal with you."

Gella Rerra
 
"You're a good sneak thief, Marin..." Gella admitted as he lazily trotted back across the rundown shell of a tavern towards the door they'd both entered from, his hands sliding back into his pockets. "But you have a lot to learn before you lead a gang. I could be ten feet tall and breathe fire, there's no such thing as an iron fist. It doesn't work like that." Oh, he held power and influence over them in considerable amounts, yes. But there was a limit to everything. Even Gella for all his ego recognized that.

"Even when I exploit them, I have to make them think they have the choice, that they matter and belong with me more than they would on their own." Hoisting himself up, Gella sits on the dusty old bar while he speaks, idly picking flecks of dirt and dust from the cellar off of his gloves. "You let one person bitch, and it'll spread like a plague. Soon enough I'll have forty unhappy campers trying to mess up what I have going here. Yes, I could kill them, but then I'm down forty good bodies. It's a lose-lose."

Rerra's thoughts seem to taper off, and he shakes his head, sliding from the bar and opening the door leading back out into the cold air outside. "But you have a point, as much as I hate to admit it. Trying to look like we're not rutting every night will just make people think we are, paranoid pricks." It almost sounded like Gella had a solution for that problem, but if so, he didn't offer it. "Come on then, back to the Hag. You're killing me with this suspense, Leandra, I'm practically about to burst."

Leandra Marin
 
Leandra leat him speak of what he knew. She had no desire to lead a gang, but the advice was worthy of her attention regardless. Getting to know him more, certainly gave her more insight on the man behind the curtain. He wasn't as bad as was led to believe. He certainly allowed her to toe the line on more than one occasion. Let her cross the line, actually.

She still wasn't quite sure what her fascination with him was. It was unusual for her to be fixated on something besides her next heist. For some reason there was an underlying attraction, perhaps it was because it allowed her to not have to be in control.

As he sat upon the bar, she set the key on the counter. It was quickly scooped up by the orange puffball of a cat. "It's how people work Gella, everyone talks and comes up with their own stories. It's a never-ending cycle. It's how people pass the time and feel better about themselves." She laughed quietly and followed him as he hopped off the bar.

"You know, you can call me Lea if you want. If I had friends, that's what they'd call me I'm sure." She laughed, but this time it was tinged with a bitterness. "I really don't know what you expect to get out of this, I've been trying to decode it for ages." She shrugged, trailing behind him with an easy gait. She wondered briefly if Gella even had the ability to want to be intimate with someone. The thought made her grin to herself. No, there was likely not a person in the world that was interesting enough to enrapture him in such a way.

Gella Rerra
 
Gella rolled his eyes at her speak of 'how people feel'. That was everybody's damned problem, they 'felt' too much. He'd never let emotion get in the way of his progress, because then there was nobody to blame for failure but himself. No, Gella had gotten where he was by not feeling. He got all of the happiness he needed from recalling the memory of his haggard cunt of a foster mother's head in a blood-filled bucket.

"As long as they do their job, I don't give a damn how they feel about themselves. I just can't have any dissenters." He shrugged off her good-natured response as they left together, reaching out to prod the cat's nose before ducking out of the musty old building. "I am in charge. I am on top. That's how it is, how it's been, and how it's going to be." The half-elf growled as they turned back into the alley she'd pinned him in before. "This is my city, and I'll die before I let anybody here change that."

There was an odd amount of conviction in his voice; Obviously, this meant more to him than simple ego and power. It was a need for control, that ran deep in the young, troubled elf's veins. Whatever he was leaving unspoken, it certainly didn't seem he was eager to share.

Turning back onto the empty, snowy road back to the Hag's Head, Rerra remained quiet for a time, collecting himself after his brief outburst. Something Leandra said had bothered him, he supposed. The 'feelings' line, most likely. It wouldn't do to make it any more obvious, though. Again, Gella's paranoia led him to believe she could use that against him.

"I expect..." Gella slowed to look over at her. "That one of my more knowledgable Emeralds might have an inkling as to how to crack said code. I don't just employ brawn, Lea." He smirked, perhaps unconsciously using the name she'd offered. "Even if they can't, I got to poke around your head for a bit. If everyone is already going to think that I'm bending you over every night, I may as well learn what I can, in case I need it."

Insurance. In case having her around made things go tits up.

Leandra Marin
 
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