Demon(#Wattys2017 Entry)

Chapter 9:Escort

Vaussten yawned and woke up, stretching. He saw the Eisen woman beside him and blinked. This was a new one....or he thought so, at least. He shrugged, carefully standing so as not to wake her. He dressed himself, humming slightly, and looked out the door of his tent. True, there were better homes available, but he liked his own, charcoal-resembling hut. It was simple, easy to clean, and reminded him of the open road.

The woman groaned slightly as sunlight hit her eyes."Ugh, sola pasben." (Ugh, I hate sunlight.)

He smiled, closing the flap."Poget, juche pic otha Pu." (Sorry, just checking to see if others are up.) He smiled, going over to a barrel he kept and pulling out a few different drinks for her. He was sure her name had come up, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember it. He held up one, a soury lime beverage known to be popular among Eisen.

She smiled and nodded."Epit nu." (Small one.) He nodded and poured one for her, while she gathered her clothes. He looked back, thinking perhaps she had some sort of tattoo he would recognize better. No such luck, but he was starting to see how she had ended up here. She was, after all, Eisen, beautiful, not too shameful, based on her stride...In short, his perfect woman.

He suddenly realized he had been focused on her, causing an overflow from the glass. He swore and quickly set the bottle down, then turned back to her, smiling."Here you-" He frowned, perplexed by what he saw.

The woman had changed considerably. Her skin had turned rosy, rather than the normal pale tone of an Eisen. Her hair, which had been short, had grown down to her shoulders, and was now a dark, glossy hazel color. She brushed it back out of her face, setting a small crown atop her head and smiling."Ah, thank you." She guzzled down the drink offered to her, then walked outside.
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Guiltare sat in the keep, with a bearded man across from her at the table. Beside him was the woman, smiling brightly despite odd looks from Vaussten. At the head of the table was Narra, taking notes on the meeting. Guiltare studied them. The bearded man was a Vrai man named Vizier, and he was a noble of little power whose lands were on their border.

The woman, however, was her main object of scrutiny at the moment. Her name was Vivaria, and she had gained a reputation throughout the lands. She was Vizier's daughter, born out of wedlock with a woman he had met on a diplomatic mission. It was not unusual for officials in Vrai to take lovers or have children with them. But, normally they were seen as a trifling thing, to be seen when convenient, if at all.

They would normally be given positions as commanders in the army, or as clerks, but Vivaria had risen to the position of head of her father's spy network. This was due in no small part to a skill she had that many lord's offspring did not have;Lost magic. Most specifically, the Lost Magic of Seduction, manipulation of others based on primal desires.

Vizier sighed."I feel I should apologize. The conduct of my daughter towards your man was...less than civil."

Viviara snickered."Well, can you blame me? You visit somewhere, you try the local goods. Why, if you didn't believe that, I wouldn't be sitting here, would I?" Her father sighed uncomfortably, and Vaussten glared.

Guiltare folded her hands in her lap."It is quite alright." She said, with a slight hesitation."Vaussten likely brought it upon himself with his womanizing ways."

Vaussten frowned."What's that supposed to mean! That just tears me up inside!"

Narra grumbled under her breath."Oh yeah, someone calls you out on something you brag about daily. I bet you're broken hearted."

Guiltare signaled for them to be quiet, then looked at Vizier."Moving on from that....What brings you here, Vraiman?"

He sighed."Business. I would like to employ the services of your company, Lady Demon."