The Tattooed Woman Pt. 24

THE TATTOOED WOMAN - Chapter 24

I hope folks are enjoying the story so far. Please leave comments, as criticism both positive and constructive is inherently useful. Plus, I like reading comments, so that's cool.

The Tattooed Woman Volume 2 - Chapter 10: Evil is as evil does.

The bitter rain hissed against the cobbles, driven by an angry squall that compelled most sensible folks to seek what shelter they could, and so the three figures walked almost alone along the poor streets, through gloomy close and down darkened lane as they made their way towards unknown rendezvous. Here and there a shadow would move as the most desperate doxie or poorest urchin huddled into doorways and alcoves looking to escape the chill as they searched for custom or begged for coin.

At times here and there, furtive figures, oft with dagger in hand and larcenous intent in heart, would spy them as they made their way, but something about the trio gave them pause, some sense that there would be no profit in making an attempt of robbery, no coin to be filched, only death, cold, certain and bloody would be their reward, and so they stayed their hand and melted back into the shadows, seeking softer, less hazardous prey.

The two rogues led the way but for all intents and purposes Adair may as well have walked alone, for scant attention did she pay to them, walking in their shadows but otherwise seemingly lost in thought. Silent as the dead she was yet her anger did not go unnoticed, dogs howled in distant lanes, cats squealed, and even rats scurried from their path while overhead ravens and crows hopped and jostled from perch to perch as they watched with dark anticipatory glee.

The more furtive of her escorts, a weasel-faced lout of a man, prattled on with wheedling excuses of "It's nothing personal," and other irksome platitudes, little knowing that each word he spoke only made the woman's desire to splatter his body all about her and cavort in his blood burn the brighter.

Her long dark hair was soaked by the rain and hung about her face like a funeral veil, but even so, the larger of the two men still glimpsed the burning feral gleam of her eyes as she looked up from under furrowed brows and with a shiver, he surreptitiously gripped the sleeve of his companion and muttered, "Shut. The fuck. Up."

They passed under the unfurled cloth bolts hanging on the street of dyemaker's and were approaching the entrance to an alley that ran between a lewd brothel and the rear of a glassblower's workshop when Adair stopped in her tracks. Her eyes flicked to either side as she looked into the gloom and she tilted her head slightly, listening to the raucous cries and grunts emanating from the shuttered windows of the bawdy house, and the hiss and hammering from the glassblowers.

With their heads down to shelter from the drizzle the two ruffians had walked on a pace or two before noticing their charge had halted and they looked back at her quizzically. The smaller of the men snarled, "Come on for fuck's sake, I'm already soaked, and I don't want to be out here all fucking night."

Her eyes flicked to the man, "I fear you may be out here longer than that," she indicated forward with a jerk of her head, "your fairweather friends lurk yonder."

At her words four figures emerged from the gloom, slipping from the murk and shadows almost like chameleons or wraiths, and the rogues made to grip the hilts of their blades.

They were lean and swarthy men, wearing dark hooded cloaks that protected them both from the elements and the scrutiny of prying eyes and they slinked forward with all the guile of stray cats stalking a rat.

Adair eyed the new figures and nodded, "Drow," she sniffed the air, "but not the one I seek it seems."

One of the quartet tilted his head as he approached and his hate-filled eyes fell on the woman. He hissed malevolently, "You can pierce our glamours then?"

Adair shrugged, "What glamours? You are Drow, cursed and pitiful creatures, born in pain, weaned in hate," she sighed sadly, "if I had the power to rescue you from your own evil I would."

The figure snarled as he moved closer and brandished a pair of heavy manacles, "We do not need your rescue you insipid bitch! Save your pity for yourself! By the time we are done with you, we will have harvested every one of your tears with glee."

She eyed the creature and remained silent as he slipped the restraints over her wrists and secured them fast. Looking down at the shackles one of her brows raised appreciatively, "Dwarven adamant, and runes of suppression," she chuckled "no expense has been spared it seems, perhaps I should thank you for the compliment."

The Drow grinned, "Aye, I see you no longer wear a collar but here are slave shackles to remind you of your place. See these runes? They can reduce the most powerful witch to whining impotence, and the metal is strong enough to restrain an enraged giant. They should serve as fetters well enough," he lifted his cudgel threateningly, "now be silent you recalcitrant slut, or you will feel my wrath."

He turned to one of his compatriots and commanded, "Search her!"

The larger of the rogues interrupted by stepping forward, "Here now, we've delivered the mark as directed, so before you start with your shenanigans, I'd like my pay."

The hooded figure smiled, "Indeed, you've done a man's job Sir, so here is our measure of your worth," with that he slammed the blade of the dagger he had stealthily palmed into the man's gut and in one vicious move tore it upwards.

The ruffian gasped breathlessly, collapsing to his knees, and the high-pitched sounds he made as he tried desperately to halt his entrails from spilling out over the ground were barely recognisable as human and shrill enough to grate on the ears.

The smaller of the rogues turned to flee, pursued by two of the Drow, and a skilfully thrown dagger took him in the back of the leg. The man crumpled and whimpered as he tried desperately to crawl away while the grinning pursuers sauntered slowly towards him. Long daggers appeared in their hands and his screams, mingled with their cruel laughter, sounded about the alley for more than a minute as they slashed and stabbed the writhing figure viciously until his ripped, blood-soaked body slumped lifelessly. One of the figures licked the blood from his blade and the other giggled at the spectacle as they moved back towards their companions.

Adair turned to the Drow, "No honour among rascals I see."

For once the creature's voice was almost conversational as he shrugged, "Greedy fools. I wouldn't waste my pity on them. They were happy enough to convey you into bondage and torment for a handful of coins. They got their just deserts."

He turned to his companion, "I said to search her."

The Drow he had commanded moved closer and his face twisted with a hungry leer as he tore open her shirt and ran his hands roughly over her breasts. Grinning he slid a hand down into her trous to grope at her, and his voice was filled with petty malice as he whispered, "Once we're done with you, we're to reinforce those guarding your little pet. Mayhap I'll search her thus," he smiled unpleasantly, "after all, who knows what contraband she might be concealing in her secret places."

The headbutt was swift enough to make a striking cobra envious and it crushed the front of the creature's face like an egg. He crumpled soundlessly in a spray of blood.

With a cry of rage, the nearest Drow whipped his cudgel around in a vicious arc and smashed it across the woman's back hard enough for the wood to break with a sharp "crack". Yet for all the effect it had, he may as well have blown her a kiss.

Adair casually lifted her foot and stamped down, crushing the head of the fallen figure and bursting it open like a bag of guts. Blood and bits of bone splattered in all directions, and she paused a moment to look down at the gory ruin at her feet.

As one the surviving Drow went for their blades.

"Do it."

Slowly she turned her head to look at them and the black gleam of her eyes and cold contempt in her voice gave them pause.

"Do it, I give you leave. Draw your blades and see what follows."

She turned on her heel and took a step, moving like some hungry beast, as she stalked towards them, "I am in a fel mood this night so I will warn you only once. For the sake of my sister, I am willing to play your games, but only so far and no further. The next one of you who makes a threat against her will not fare so well as yon fool lying there, for his death was a swift one and I will not be so merciful again."

One of the Drow made an arcane pass with his hand, "Avaunt witch!"

She shook her head almost pityingly and her smile broadened as she took another step, "It strikes me I only need one of you for a guide, and they need not even be whole to play their part."

...

Ashunara chuckled, "They said this place was being watched, poor idiots," she shook her head with a wry grin and spoke a single word, "Azure."

The scout's smile was a feral thing as she slipped from the room like a wraith and was lost to the shadows.

The Captain turned to Nyx, "Get the girls ready, for I fancy a wee stroll."

Nyx shrugged, "Well, funny thing boss, but everyone seems to be wearing their mail and armed to the teeth already for some strange reason."

Ashunara gave the woman a false look of surprise, "My, isn't that peculiar," she turned to look across the common room, "Lashelle, be a dear and pop in to see how Narissa is doing for me will you, and while you're there can you fetch for me the covered bundle I left in her room if you please."

The Dark Elf nodded as she slipped another throwing knife into her baldric and moved across the chamber.

Nyx pursed her lips thoughtfully and her eyes took on a crafty look as she watched the Captain, "You're up to something."

Ashunara grinned, "How can you tell?"

"Well, your eyes are open, so that's usually a good clue."

"Oh, very droll."

The old veteran leaned in close and her voice was hushed, "Listen Ash, I'm not trying to be a doomsayer here, but how do we know the girl is even alive? I mean that was a lot of blood spilt on the floor. And if she is alive, how do we find her?"

The Captain looked up and she gave the woman a vulpine smile, "I know she's alive, and I know how to find her."

"How?"

"Because of this."

With a grimace Ashunara drew a matted handful of bloodied hair from her pocket and Nyx frowned when she saw it was attached to a sizeable fragment of curved bone, "Is that?"

"It's Cassie's, a fragment of her skull, I found it by Narissa's body when I arrived and filched it before Adair caught sight of the thing."

Nyx nodded, "Just as well, I can only imagine her reaction if she'd spied it," she cast her eyes down and sighed sadly, "but, Captain, that's a sizeable piece of skull, certainly, a mortal wound if ever I saw one."

"She's alive."

"Look, I want to believe it as much as anyone, Adair just made me promise to look after the kid after all, but..."

Ashunara rested her hand on the veteran's shoulder, "I'm not taking it on faith old friend, nor is it blind optimism. For I took the piece to our House Magister and asked her to use it to scry for the girl and help me find her."

"What did she say?"

A blush coloured the woman's cheeks, "Well, she told me she was too busy with war preparations and with the apprentice I had foisted on her... So, er... I ordered her to do it."

Nyx stared, "You gave Fiamma Val a command? Holy shit! What happened?"

"She laughed her ass off and then gave me such a look. As if she was deciding whether to put me over her knee for a well-deserved thrashing, pat me on the head and give me a bit of sherbet, or turn me into a newt. It was rather unnerving, to be honest. But later that evening she literally appeared in my chamber, which by the way is not a thing that lends one to a good night's sleep and told me that "despite my petulance" she had deigned to work her conjuring and thus provide me the answers I was after."

Nyx grinned, "So she's alive then? Damn if that's not good news indeed!"

She drained her flask and slammed it down on the tabletop, "So, where can we find the bastards who have her? There is a score I am eager to settle."

The Captain grimaced, "I know, and the news is gratifying, but it's not quite so simple. She was able to say that Cassie lived, but could not otherwise speak to her physical condition, also the girl is shrouded by some powerful sorcery that defied further scrying and prohibited discerning her location, though it was clear she was ensconced some distance from the city, presumably conveyed there in an instant via a conjured portal or similar wizardry."

Nyx nodded, "Truly, for if she had simply been dragged off in some mundane fashion Azure would have tracked them down in an evening, and we'd have already murdered her kidnappers and had her home by breakfast."

"Aye."

"So, what now?"

Ashunara watched as Lashelle came back into the common room gingerly carrying a bundle that looked for all the world like some parakeet's cage. It was covered by a heavy cloth but whatever was hidden within the thing screeched and chittered alarmingly.

She turned back to Nyx, "Well, in lieu of an exact location the Magister used a piece of the bone and a few strands of hair to craft me a homunculus, some sorcerous simulacra that she said would react when Cassie was brought close enough for her presence to prick its senses. I left the loathsome thing with Narissa, and lo and behold, your daughter sent word earlier today that the little bastard had started kicking up a fuss, so my guess is that the kidnappers have conveyed Cassie back to the city, probably as bait for Adair, for there is little chance the Drow are going to deal in good faith. The appearance of those two vagabonds earlier confirms my theory I think."

Nyx frowned, "Fair enough, but how does that help us? We cannot very well search the whole city for her."

"Indeed, but we won't have to."

There was a clatter from outside and the sound of an impact as if some heavy object had been catapulted from the roof to land in the mud at the rear of the inn with a pained grunt, and Ashunara looked up with an evil grin, "But first let's see what fish Azure has caught for us."

Her words proved prophetic for mere moments later the back door crashed open, and the scout dragged a groaning figure inside by the hair before propelling it across the room and with a vicious shove sending it sprawling to the wooden floor near the Captain's feet.

Ashunara eyed the crumpled figure and taking in his bloodstained form she looked back at Azure with a quizzical frown, "Where's his hand?"

The scout shrugged, "It bounced from the roof when I cut it off, I couldn't be arsed climbing down to look for the thing. I suspect a rat has like as not run off with it by now, sorry."

The Captain shrugged philosophically, "Never mind, he won't need it to talk after all. Where's the other one?"

"His other hand?"

Ashunara sighed, "No, Azure. The other spy."

"Dead, how did you know there were two?"

"There had to be, one to keep watch over us and another to go warn their friends that we were on the move."

She nodded to Nyx, "Let's see what manner of creature it is that we've caught, though I have my suspicions."

The veteran reached down and non-too gently ripped back the captive's hood to reveal a shock of silver hair, sharply pointed ears, skin as black as pitch and blood-red eyes.

"He's a fucking Drow."

"I thought as much. The pain and blood loss have likely stripped away his ability to maintain the glamour of his disguise and so his nature lies revealed to us," she made a curt gesture, "fetch him up to his knees at least, so we might exchange a few words for there are things I would know."

The creature snarled when he was hauled upright and his bloodshot eyes were filled with malice as he spat a gobbet from mangled lips onto the floor and regarded his captors, "Do what you will you feckless swine! Your torments are nothing to me!"

Ashunara chuckled, "I've no need for torture, you're too stupid and malleable to withhold what I want to know. So, tell me where the girl is, and we can be done with this."

The Drow hissed like a snake and cursed her, "Worthless whore! You're too weak to press me. Your kind is soft in spirit like porridge while my heart is free of such constraints. Do your worst!"

"Do what exactly? I'm not going to waste my time with such games. If you do not talk, I'll just kill you and follow those fools you hired back to their lair," she gestured casually to Azure, "such a simple task is barely an inconvenience to the bloodhound I can set upon their trail after all."

The thing's face twisted into a demented pain-filled grin, "Ha! And little good it would do you for we are not so stupid as to keep the girl where your foul and painted witch could reach her! She is held apart and quite safe I assure you, guarded by a company of my kind and worse besides! At the slightest sign of treachery, we will have ample time to wreak our vengeance and depart! Leaving you nothing but a poor wreck of a girl, spoiled in every way we can devise."

The Captain leaned down and patted the thing amiably on the cheek, "Aand that's what I wanted to know. Thank you."

The creature's eyes widened, "What?"

Ashunara leaned back and looked around, "Well, it's clear the girl's being held at a separate location and guarded by a company of Drow, as well as some other fel thing, probably some sorcerous creature or other. I'd lay odds it's not too far from where Adair is being led for they'll want to produce her to mollify the woman before she loses patience and kills the lot of them. So that'll be our plan, we'll track down this stronghold, Azure, you will enter unseen and secure Cassie, the rest of us will carry out an assault and... kill them all."

Nyx grinned, "I like it, "Find the enemy and destroy them," it's easy to remember," she tilted her head towards the captive, "what about him?"

"Hmm? Oh, I doubt he'll willingly tell us anything more and I can't be bothered torturing him, besides it would take too long. Still, no point in making a mess of Narissa's floor any more than we have to and I'm not leaving him so the sneaky bastard can escape to cause us later problems, so..."

She looked up from the veteran, "Hey, Elsadore! Drag this idiot outside, cut his throat and throw the body on the midden."

"Will do!"

Nyx grinned at her Captain as the Drow was dragged off to his bloody fate by a grimly smiling Dark Elf, "My, you're feeling suitably bloodthirsty today. I approve."

Ashunara shrugged, "What can I say? I learned from the best, besides, they've vexed me."

The veteran laughed, "Well, that was daft of them."

...

It had been a temple but was now little more than a shell of what it once was. Situated near the docks it had housed a handful of sisters and provided shelter for a number of orphans whose fathers had perished at sea, or whose mothers had died at their birthing.

Many such urchins had called the place home over the years, and the sisters fed them and taught them reading and other useful skills. Some of the larger children helped as they could with the mending of nets and the repairing of the creels that were used to catch crab and lobster out in the bay or were set to work in the kitchens when not at lessons.

The sisters would teach leechcraft and medicine and a few of the oldest and cleverest of the urchins would oft be seen following a sister on her rounds and learning the craft as she treated injured fishermen, or hurt brawlers from the local fighting pits, or even as she acted as midwife in the brothels.