Hauntingly Beautiful Girls

"Raider"

The second night was a sweet thing. To watch her face. To have gone through harrows where she and others might have died.

I simply must wake her. Not a thing of being bound by an obligation force.

Someone is walking out of the wild zone. She must be awake to meet them.

My spouse wakes with only my whisper. She gets her eyes clear and sees that someone is walking.

Lauren Cooper is confident. The deities that pressed into her mind left her knowledge just because of their arguing.

A middle-aged man walks up and Lauren meets him at the edge of paths around the portico. Her husband enfolds a protection around her. A visible, clear sign of defense.

It is rare for a man to confront a woman or even more the head woman of a noble house. He is good enough and verbal enough to make the event like a negotiation (and not a raid).

That has often gotten him the lumbered with this kind of encounter. Make demands, get something, and leave.

"We have often over the years visited this royal house to 'request' some handful of provisions for those who live in the wastes. Please hand them over now."

The hand of the man has slipped behind his well-worn cloak.

Lauren tells him that the house has changed hands only days ago. Please come back after I settle us. I have a good feeling that I could settle a stable relationship with a few more days.

The mood is tense but seems like it will break nicely.

The protective shield around Lauren drops to a just yard behind her.

The husband's face trembles in a frown. It distracts Lauren.

The raider makes a lunge. Pulling out a knife and also grabbing two hairs from her head. Quickly he folds the hairs into his hand. The smile is unexpected on him.

The smile drops. From off the side, a wet small man throws three knives.

One knife hits the raiders arm to stick in but fall away leaving a small wound.

One knife hits the raiders cloak harmlessly.

One knife hits the raider with the back end near the groin with little effect (but it is startling).

The raider spends seconds looking at this unexpected person. A mark on the neck. Stationed just a bit away from shelter (on a miserable day to be outside). People that devoted are often incredibly skilled. The knives may have been thrown for small effect as a message.

The former archivist has thrown all the knives, but moves a hand behind his cloak. Mimicking the action of someone that has more knives.

Retreat seems like the best choice. Give these people a few days. We could come back in a large force.

When Lauren talks. The situation becomes just confusing.

Meetings? Councils? Cooperation?

Her hairs can become a talking point of esteem. How on a certain day, you got close enough to take away two hairs off my head.

It all sounds like a way to break the ice (to Lauren).

The raider decides on bold action. This noble house might simply be over-turned today. He could take it and hand it to a woman in the group.

His knife hand holds the hairs. His other hand find a small steel sleeve vial.

He finds it and opens it to strike it like a match.

The burning power within burns hot and makes his finger hurt. But that is what it takes to summon a fire spirit.

The raider likes his odds today.

This noble house has just one deity on the wire tree. A deity that never involves itself in fights. It only ever rebukes the follower for not being prepared.