semi-closed (The Ellwood Forest) Missing Persons Report

[Beedis 182]

Delgue couldn't help but laugh at the silence following his story. "Gods above, tough crowd huh?" he asked rhetorically. He felt Marlo was perhaps trying a little to hard to stick it to him at this point. Despite her poor attitude he decided to be courteous and remain quiet throughout her story. The anecdote was nothing surprising. From what she had previously told him it was obvious she was something of maniac in a brawl. Still an unarmed kid taking three people down was certainly a feat despite one having one arm. At that age he wouldn't have been able to pull anything like that. Looking back at her as she spoke it was clear his partner was in her own world, smiling like an idiot and playing with her hair. He shrugged, he wouldn't complain about the change of pace. Unfortunately the peace was short lived as Marlo cut herself off and went back to silence. "Well that was an anti-climatic ending." he remarked with a cackle.

The rest of the walk quickly devolved back into silence. He had nothing he had to say to Marlo and he just assumed she had nothing she wanted to say back. They arrived at the village they were looking for just as the sun had begun to wane. It was nothing impressive but it was certainly both bigger and in better shape than the village he had met Marlo in. "Hmph." he grunted finally breaking the long lasting silence. "Alright lets not drag this out." he ordered. "We should take a look around and see what we can find before doing anything else." he continued. "We'll split up and get this done in half the time. If you see anything suspicious or anything that looks like a forge make tabs and we will look into it as soon as we get back together." he concluded dismissing Marlo with a wave before setting off to investigate the hamlet himself.

As he searched it was made more and more apparent he wasn't going to find anything worthwhile. The hamlet looked like every other settlement he had visited in these damn woods. Nobody was out of their home, and none of the buildings he inspected looked anything like any forge he had ever seen. He cursed his poor luck  just as he rounded a corner leading him back to the outskirts of the hamlet. They would have to find an open place to stay so they could ask some questions now.

[Outsane 418]

Marlo enjoyed the lasting silence between them. She didn't pull her notes back out again, but instead focused on the road, looking for signs or anything that might be a clue to... anything. Whether proof it was people or where they could be found. Anything! It wasn't until they reached the next humble hamlet that their silence was broken. She nodded to him and walked away, thrilled at the chance to be alone. She explored every place she possibly could. Most places looked like homes or home-based businesses, but not a one with a forge. She desperately peeked into windows, only to have some shudders close on her. After a good while of searching, she hissed under her breath. "Fuck," and glanced over to see Delgue already leaving town. "He better not say this counts." She grumbled, then glanced back over her shoulder. Throughout her examining, she felt a presence stalking around. It wasn't necessarily following her, but it certainly didn't leave.her alone.

 

Between two houses, Marlo spotted movement. Brows furrowed, she stalked closer before checking back at Delgue, then slipping into the alleyway. Steeling her nerves, she clenched her fists and stared straight ahead. Thanks to the setting sun, she couldn't see very well in the dark, but she could sense just fine. Her ears picked up more than anything else, plus she felt the presence as she stepped forward. Once close enough, she raised her fist and prepared to swing, but the voice made her stop. "Marlo, don't!" He cried out.

 

She stopped instantly and blinked. "Sil, is that you?"

 

"Yeah. Sorry for the shadowing. That suit you're with kinda spooks me."

 

"Suit? No, he's just a goon tagging along. You don't need to be worried about him."

 

"Heard he was a Black Heart."

 

Marlo paused before shrugging. "Like I said, he's nothing you need to worry about. I've got him under my thumb. Have you got anything on Kirin?" She asked, changing the subject quickly.

 

"No, nothing. Not even his old gang knew anything about him getting in trouble with some one. They didn't have hard feelings towards him from what I gathered." Came Sil's response. He almost sounded sad.

 

Marlo hissed under her breath again and looked away, scowling angrily. "What about his hideout? Anyone turn up there later?"

 

"Nope. And all his stuff's there, too."

 

Marlo punched the side of the building, conjuring a wail of the wood and a shriek of the house owner within. "It had to be SOMEONE who wanted him dead!"

 

"What if it was some one who wanted to get to you?" He queried.

 

"No, we're not like that anymore. No one would even think to use him to get at me..." She replied with a low grumble. The home owner had poked his head out from around the corner to see what the ruckus was about, but a pointed glare from Marlo sent the man running back inside. Nothing more terrifying than cloaked figures in a dark alleyway. "Do me a favour, Sil. Watch my mother's place a bit." She requested, looking back to her large friend.

 

He frowned deeply at this request. "You think she-" He started, but she cut him off.

 

"I hope not, Sil, but I'm desperate now," she said while rubbing her face. "I'll be paying her a visit soon, so you only need to watch her until I get there."

 

His eyebrows went up and mouth slightly opened. Marlo didn't meet his gaze until he placed a hairy hand on her shoulder. "Marlo," he whispered to her, staring into her eyes as well. "Make sure that guy knows what your favourite drink is after dealing with her." She laughed and patted his arm while shaking her head.

 

"Take care, Sil. Send me word if you see anything," She ordered before stepping out of the alleyway. She waved at him and walked away back to where Delgue was. Once she reached him, her smile was gone and she had her head ducked down. "I didn't see a forge--and this doesn't count!" She quickly said, wanting to dispel any ideas he may have. "I did see an inn; however. We could stay there if you're not up for the camping trip again." She offered.

[Beedis 182]

Delgue sighed tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for Marlo. He was beginning to get fed up with her tagging along. He thought having somebody along with him would make things easier. Unfortunately things hadn't quite gone the way he had hoped. While the job had certainly become more entertaining it had also become more difficult. The constant infighting was making it harder and harder for him to do things his way. If it kept up he would have to find a way to dump her off.

He sighed, daylight was fading and everything would be closed down if it got past dark. He had learned that from past experience. Unsurprisingly these small wooded villages operated much differently than the bigger cities he was used to. Turning around to see if he could spot his partner he finally saw Marlo walking out from an alleyway and towards him. As soon as she neared him she already began defending herself. He didn't even have to antagonize her this time! He cackled in response to her concern. "No of course this doesn't count. We haven't learned a thing about this dagger yet. It would be unsatisfying to call it here." he replied. "Now, let's go check out that inn. I'll pay for for the night and we can get some directions." he added before letting his partner lead the way.

The two crossed town arriving at the inn in no time. The building wasn't noteworthy, a bit homely but that was all. Delgue opened the door for Marlo letting her in first all the while a smug smirk decorated his features. He followed in after her crossing the room to the counter. The innkeeper, a middle aged, unimposing, and otherwise unremarkable man manned the desk. "We'd like a room for the night." Delgue stated before dropping a small bag filled with coin on the counter. "Oh, and before I forget where is the closest town to here?" he asked.

The innkeeper eyed the coin with a grin, it was a little more than the fare they normally charged people but he wouldn't complain. "Of course I'll show you to your room." he offered politely ducking from under the counter to where the two were standing. He stopped as Delgue asked the next question taking a moment to think it over. "Hmm, it has been a while since I have done any traveling but there is a pretty busy market in the town a couple miles north of here." he explained with a slight drawl. "I hope that answers your question." he responded before guiding the two upstairs to their room. When they reached it he unlocked the door sliding it open before handing Delgue the key. "You two have a good night." he added before walking back downstairs. The room had a certain rustic charm to it; populated with homemade tapestries, old furniture, a creaky wooden floor, and wool rug. The only problem was that the room only had one bed.

Delgue smirked at the sight crossing the room to drop his belongings at the side of the bed. "Well Marlo. The offer still stands, but hey at least there is a comfortable looking rug this time around if you aren't interested." he said with a cackle before winking at her. Not waiting for her answer he hopped up onto the bed before crossing his arms behind his head and relaxing.

[Outsane 418]

Marlo could almost feel the impatience radiating off him. She didn't bother apologizing for her delay, if he asked, she'd tell him she was looking very hard for that forge. When he offered to go back to the inn, she nodded and lead the way back. She was more than capable of paying on her own, but hey, if he wanted to spend his money, let him. It wasn't until she saw him drop a large bag of coin on the counter that she realized he had no intention of using legit money to pay for their way around places. Marlo rolled her eyes, and quietly followed the innkeeper up the stairs, feeling only slightly guilty, but not enough to do anything about it. The thought of sleeping in a cozy bed dispelled any ideas she had of doing the right thing, however. She just wanted to sleep on a bed, no matter what the cost was. If a bit of her integrity would diminish, so be it.

 

Once she got to the room and noticed the solo bed, she opened her mouth to object, but the man was gone before she could do so. She stood at the entrance to the room and watched Delgue stroll in and claim his space. She remained quiet, but within her mind she was fuming. Every insult she could think of flew around within her head and if looks could kill, there'd be no salvation for the man. She stared at him with a cold, hard stare from beneath the rim of her hat and slowly, Marlo approached the bed. Every ounce of her wanted to argue with him. She was looking forward to sleeping on a bed for once in... who knows how long. Marlo walked in, closed the door, and began to take off her gear. Knife and satchel on the table beside the door, hat on top, cloak off on one of the chairs as she walked slowly towards the bed, eyes on him the whole time, but a somewhat seductive look in her eyes. She stood on the opposite side of the bed and leaned over it, her hands sinking into the plush mattress as she bent over, arching her back and pushing her arms together slightly to create a rounder look to her breasts from between the flaps of her buttoned shirt. She smiled at him. "I've got a better idea," she whispered to him before she gripped the blanket and tore it off the bed. She wasn't aiming to knock him off it; she only wanted the blanket.

 

Once she had her prize in hand, she snatched a pillow and walked over to the rug, then threw the pillow down violently and dropped down to her butt, then dropped her body down heavily, resting her head on the pillow. She faced away from him and ensured the blanket was wrapped entirely around her so if he wanted to pry it off her, he'd have to out-strength her.

 

Marlo laid there, eyes closed and resting her body, but not her mind. The weather outside took a wet turn as showers started. The water pattered against the window and roof gently, creating a comfortable white noise about the room. She was done. This investigation was going nowhere with him and he was only half-assing it. She thought having a Black Heart on her side would help, but things were going much worse than she had hoped. The only option was to go ahead without him. She was certain he'd be thrilled at the chance to drop her. One problem remained, however. He had the evidence. That dagger was the key to finding out the information she needed to find Kirin, and she wasn't leaving without it. Once she heard the steady breathing of sleep from her roommate, Marlo got up quietly, leaving the blanket behind and she threw on her clothes quickly, then darted over to his gear at the side of the bed and dug around until she found the dagger. She placed it into her satchel, then stood up and glared down at him. She'd meet him again and punch him as hard as she wanted. That was the only solace to her for not getting the chance now. Delayed gratification was much sweeter.

 

Stepping outside, she drew the collar up on her cloak and tugged down on her hat, then quickly ran for the exit of the town. Her head was kept down to avoid having rain spatter on her glasses, but her progress was halted when two sets of feet appeared in her vision. She slid to a stop, the ground already having turned to mud, and looked up at the men. One wasn't much taller than her, but the other towered a foot over her. One was holding a club-like branch and the other was cracking his knuckles. Marlo stared at them for a moment before smiling and raising up her hands. "Heyyyy. C'mon, guys. You wouldn't hit a girl with glasses, would you?" She asked, a lopsided grin on her face. The knuckle-cracker took a swing at her, so Marlo jumped back and laughed. "Oh good! I worried I wouldn't get to vent some of this frustration!" She laughed. Clenching her fists into balls, she took a step forward and prepared to swing at the unarmed man... but she slipped. The mud beneath her was unsteady and her twisting caused her to slide along the wet ground. Marlo quickly corrected herself just in time to receive a swing from the club right at the back of her head. That was the last thing she remembered before her unconscious body hit the ground face first.

 

Together, the men took away her gloves and knife, then picked her up and tossed her over the taller one's shoulder. Off her hat fell, falling to the mud where she had fallen. Together, they disappeared into the rainy night.

[Beedis 182]

Delgue eyed Marlo as she removed her gear and crossed the room towards him. His expression was one of bewilderment and intrigue. As she leaned on the bed he couldn't help but be a little distracted by her chest as she clearly wanted him to be. It was then she snatched the blanket out from under him. Still a bit dazed he was unable to react in time to save it. "That's more like it." he cackled watching as she set up a place to sleep on the carpet. He should have known she was working an angle there but at least he learned to be careful when she pulled things like that in the future. Cutting his losses he pulled the sheet he had left over himself before relaxing into the mattress. The bed was a nice change of pace for him and it wouldn't be long until he fell into a deep sleep.

A particularly loud crash of thunder roused him from an otherwise comfortable sleep. Groggily he sat up he inspecting the room for the source of the noise. Despite his exhausted state it wouldn't take long for him to notice Marlo missing from her makeshift bed on the carpet. The sight jolted him awake "Son of a bitch!" he exclaimed throwing the sheet off of himself before rummaging through his bag. As to was be expected the dagger was missing, he slammed the floor in frustration before throwing his gear on and grabbing his weapons. He bolted out through the door to his room, stormed down the stairs, and rushed outside into the storm. "You stupid asshole." he reprimanded himself. He shouldn't have been that careless with the only lead he had. At least he had an idea of where she was headed. There was only one way she could have gone if she was looking for the same information he was. Drawing his crossbow he ran to the end of town.

Meanwhile the two thugs had brought Marlo to a distant spot in the woods. Wasting no time they tied her hands behind her back tightly around a sturdy looking tree. It would be tough to escape from the bindings unless she could uproot the tree. "Wake her up." the armed thug commanded. The unarmed thug nodded hitting Marlo with a powerful backhanded slap. "We aren't getting paid enough for this." the unarmed thug said as she came to. He inspected Marlo's gauntlets. "We're lucky she slipped, these things could have hurt if she got a hit off." the unarmed thug claimed. "Look sleeping beauty is awake." the armed thug responded before stepping up next to Marlo. "Someone didn't like you snooping around so they hired us to find out what you knew. Then get rid of you" the armed thug explained before waving around the dagger they had confiscated. "Now you are gonna tell us what you know or we are going to start breaking bones." the unarmed thug claimed menacingly.

As Delgue rushed out of town he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He stopped skidding to a halt in the mud before doubling back to investigate the scene. It was Marlo's hat...a human sized imprint decorated the floor near the garment. It seemed she must have tripped on her way out. It seemed careless of her to leave something this obvious but he wasn't complaining. He stashed the garment in his bag, before scanning the rest of the area. He quickly found more clues. There were footprints in the mud leading off the path and into the woods. They looked a little big to be Marlo's feet but perhaps she met up with some people. Smirking to himself he set off into the woods hot on her trail. Following the footprints that had been left in the mud.

[Outsane 418]

The rough jostling awoke Marlo. She was slow to lift her head, partially because she had a raging headache pounding at the back of her head, but mostly because she didn't want to strain her body too much. She felt her hands tied behind her back and they were tight. If only she were conscious when they tied her, she could have flexed and allowed her space to wiggle free when her hands relaxed. She looked up to the thugs and barely heard their story over the ringing in her ears, but once she was thinking straight and the headache was under control, she glanced to the dagger-wielding man. She stared at him with wide eyes, then looked back to the other man and shook her head, then tried to scramble back, but the tree held her firmly rooted. "No, don't kill me," she begged, shaking her head more. "I'll tell you anything! I'll tell you it all and walk away! Just tell your boss you killed me! I know how to stay out of sight! Please!" Marlo looked like she was on the verge of tears. "All my notes, everything! It's right here in my shirt." She arched her back and gestured down with her chin.

 

The smaller one grinned and stepped closer to her, licking his lips as he reached out to her shirt. Once within reach, Marlo lashed out, biting his finger hard enough to crack the bone and dislocate it. The man cried out in agony and she tucked one foot underneath her to give her leverage, then thrust the other foot out at his groin, kicking him quite hard. The man nearly passed out as he staggered back. Marlo prepared to kick him again, but a hard whack to the head stopped her. Her head lolled to the side and she rested there a moment, feeling the symptoms of her passing out again. She didn't want to black out, so she rested there a moment before lifting her head slowly and glaring at the man. Blood trickled down the corner of her lip as she stared at him with wide eyes. "Why don't you undo these ropes and I'll show you how to hit like a real man?" She hissed. This earned another punch to the side of the head.

 

"Break that bitch's leg!" The smaller man croaked, still holding his crotch and finger while keeping his distance from her. The taller man nodded and wasted no time in lifting his boot and slamming it down on her leg. Marlo roared out in pain, throwing her head back and squeezing her eyes. After a few deep breaths, she laughed.

 

"No break," she said hoarsely. "Do you wanna break my leg or show me how you dance to impress the ladies?"

 

"GAG HER! If she attracts a crowd we're gonna have problems getting out of here!" Barked the injured one.

 

The tall one shook his head. "I ain't goin' near those teeth. You want me endin' up like you?"

 

The smaller one growled with frustration and darted over to her, grabbing her rain-soaked hair and pulling it back while pressing the dagger against her throat. "Talk, bitch, or you won't say another word again!"

 

Marlo smiled down at him. "You're gonna have to kill me, I guess." She replied.

[Beedis 182]

Delgue kept hot on the trail following the footprints through the winding woods. He moved as fast as he could without slipping on them mud. "I better get a promotion for this." he grumbled under his breath. "Some fancy armor and a title are the least I deserve for how much I put my ass on the line for the queen." He complained to nobody in particular. Just then a flash of lightning glinting off an object in his path cut his rant short. He paused bending down to investigate the object half buried in the mud. It was Marlo's glasses. He grabbed them out of the slick ground wiping the lens clean on his sleeve before examining the eye wear. There was no way she would just drop these and leave them here, unless she was really that desperate to shake him from her trail. He stashed the glasses in his bag before drawing his crossbow again soldiering onward. He was beginning to have a bad feeling about things. 

 

It wouldn't be long until Delgue heard voices, quickly he took cover behind a tree looking eyes frantically scanning the area to spot the source of the voices. In the distance he finally spotted Marlo, along with two other men. It was clear the three weren't friends. They had her bound to a tree and the two were threatening her. One was armed with a makeshift club, the other a knife. "GAG HER! If she attracts a crowd we're gonna have problems getting out of here!" he overheard. It wasn't a surprise that Marlo enraged the two. He sighed under his breath crouching down and taking aim with his crossbow. The situation soon escalated as the smaller of the two men grabbed the young woman by her hair his knife to her throat. "Time to be a hero huh?" he whispered under his breath before taking a shot, the bolt flew through the air hitting the smaller of the two thugs in the head. The thug loosened his grip on Marlo, as he fell back dropping the dagger and hitting the ground with a thud. The other thug panicked dropping his weapon before bolting off into the distance before Delgue could ready another bolt.

 

A few moments later Delgue emerged from the shadows and into the clearing. He walked over to the thug tapping the body with his crossbow before collecting the dagger off of the floor before placing it back in his bag. He crouched in front of Marlo and smirked. He reached back with a single hand digging her glasses out from his bag before sliding them on for her. "You know you can't get rid of me that easily. I haven't gotten that kiss yet, and besides you're just my type." he taunted with a wink before circling behind her to cut her free. "Now can you walk?" he asked his tone a bit more sincere. "I'd like to get back to the inn and catch up on my beauty sleep." He joked. "Save your breath, we can talk this over tomorrow when we are out of the rain." he explained with a cackle. "Oh and before I forget, you dropped this too." he added before handing her hat back to her.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Beedis

[Outsane 418]

Marlo jumped as the arrow embedded into her captor's skull. She stared with disbelief for a moment before she looked up to the other attacker, who frantically scrambled away. "NO!" She roared, struggling to move in her tied position. She kicked her feet, ignoring the pain from her injured leg. "COME BACK HERE!" He had information and she wanted it. After accidentally kicking her shin while trying to scramble up, she grimaced and stopped moving. Marlo dropped her head and slumped over. She could start to feel the pain in her shoulders now as well as the busted lip and throbbing headache again. More than those was the pain in her leg. It didn't break, no, but it hurt like it was. It wasn't until a pair of feet stood before her that she lifted her head up. Her lips parted slowly and she looked almost shocked to see Delgue there. She didn't avert her gaze the whole time as he put her glasses back on her and spoke. She couldn't quite process the whole thing. He came for her? No, he's got the dagger, he'll surely leave now that he's got his evidence. She did exactly what he expected her to do. Took his stuff and left him.

 

When he freed her hands, however, Marlo turned to look at him while carefully bringing her hands back around. Her shoulders were definitely tender still, but that feeling would pass. She used her sleeve to rub the blood off her face and lips and massaged her wrists as he asked her his question. That tone... "Yes," she whispered back while standing herself up. A burst of pain shot up from her leg and she winced, but remained standing. She remained silent, a whorl of emotions building up inside her. Predominantly was guilt. He went through all that trouble of tracking her down... even after what she did. Slowly, Marlo reached out and took the hat, but didn't put it on. She stared at it a moment, but didn't move. "Delgue," she said after a pause. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but the closed it and furrowed her brows. Finally, she spoke. "I'm sorry... for taking the dagger. It was stupid of me and I... could've screwed everything up. It won't happen again, I promise." On her last words, she looked up to him again, staring into his eyes with conviction.

 

Marlo finally tore her eyes away from him and looked back to the man. She grabbed her belt and knife that he had strapped to himself, then walked to where her satchel and gloves were dropped and put them on. She walked with a limp now. Too much pressure on her one leg sent spikes of pain rushing up her leg. She put her hat on and turned back to Delgue. "Let's go back... you definitely need your beauty rest." She said with a small smile. It wasn't snide, it wasn't catty, it was a playful, teasing smile. She turned to go, but paused. "I uh, I guess I don't know where we are. You'll have to lead the way." Her head throbbed again as if to remind her that she was knocked unconscious.

[Beedis 182]

Delgue chuckled at Marlo's silence as she stared at him blankly. "What? Something on my face? Cat got your tongue?" he asked with his typical cackle. He watched as his partner rose and winced, but remained standing. She was certainly sturdier than she looked, he didn't see a lot of what those two thugs did to her but it couldn't have been pretty; It was impressive she was able to stand so easily. "Come on Marlo let's get a move on I..." he began but was swiftly cut off as Marlo finally spoke up. As she apologized his expression changed to one of shock. The apology was oddly sincere and nothing like Marlo had expressed to him before. As she stared into his eyes he quickly averted his gaze before rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah yeah, don't sweat. It wasn't exactly selfless. I needed to track you down in order to get my evidence back. It would have been kind of dark of me to let that drag on." he explained.

As she tore her eyes away and left to grab her equipment he let lose a quiet sigh of relief. The tension lessened as she returned his quip, at least she hadn't gone all mushy on him. Quickly he noticed she was walking with a limp. He was no gentleman but letting her walk on that leg could cause problems if they continued to work together. "Hold up tough guy." he remarked before walking up on the side of her injured leg wrapping his arm around her waist before grabbing one of her arms and setting it across his shoulders. "You're not going to impress this easily." he explained before walking back with her towards town. It was easy enough to find the way back he simply followed the same footprints in the opposite direction. It took a bit longer to get back into town with their slower pace but they made it without incident.

It took a while in the dark but soon they found the inn again, and then their room. He unlocked the door gently pushing it open, he helped Marlo into a chair before removing his muddy equipment and stripping down to his undergarments marred flesh full on display. "Alright you pain in the ass get some rest." he ordered his tone losing its sarcastic edge once again for the statement. Yawning he hopped back into the bed not even bothering to pull the sheet over himself.

[Outsane 418]

Marlo cast him a glance as he moved in to help her walk. Perhaps it was the mild concussion, or perhaps she thought it was nice to be helped once in a while. Marlo put up no struggle to him aiding her walk. She smirked a little and asked, "You didn't see what happened, did you?" After a moment, she shook her head. "Nevermind. I'll tell you about it later." She finally put on the hat and sighed. Everything was soaked. She'd need to dry off her clothes if she wanted to wear them again, especially her cloak and hat. Once they reached the inn after their lengthy stroll through the pouring rain and infinite darkness, she took a moment to twist her hair moderately dry and try to choke out all the water from her hair. Sometimes having long hair was a curse, especially when it came to storms and trying to avoid being sick from the wet cold.

 

She listened to his excuse, but took it with a grain of salt. He had his dagger and she was anything but a pleasure to be around. He promised he'd leave her if she pulled anything fast on him, which was exactly what she did. So why did Delgue choose to save her? Once seated in the chair, Marlo pulled off her hat and heaved a sigh, resting her head back and closing her eyes. She took that moment to relax her nerves. There was an adrenaline rush from dealing with those guys that she still hadn't quite calmed down from. When she opened them, Delgue was shirtless and flopping onto the bed. From her perch on the chair, she stared at him a while. Finally, Marlo took off her glasses and placed them on the table beside her and pulled off her boots while wincing. She then stood up and limped over to the blanket and threw it over her while she quickly changed out of her clothes and into her minimal clothing: a black top without sleeves and a pair of tight black shorts. It wasn't dry, but it was dryer than her other clothes. She gathered them up and moved to the side of the bed. The blanket acted as a large, royal cape for her, covering her up entirely. "There's a fireplace in the main area. I'm going to dry off these things for the trip tomorrow." She explained.

 

Marlo hesitated a moment before putting her good knee up on the bed and leaning over to him. Maybe it was the mild concussion. Maybe it was the fact Delgue had just saved her life and she felt obligated to return it somehow. Regardless, she moved in close to him, one hand slipping out from the curtain of downy blanket to cup his cheek as her lips pressed against his. He was warm, despite them being out in the chilly night rain. Marlo held the kiss a moment before pulling away slightly, then gave him once last peck before sitting back and looking down at him, the smallest of smiles on her face. "Good night, hero." She murmured to him, then pulled back her hand and stood up off the bed. With her limp, Marlo moved out of the room and to the common area where there was a large fire pit. She lined her stuff up along it and found the tinder and a couple blocks of wood and set it on fire. She rested there on an armchair, keeping close to the fire to enjoy its warmth. A hand lifted up to her lips and her fingers gently touched them. Another smile snaked across her lips before she snuggled down and closed her eyes. She had to work out tomorrow. She wasn't going to miss another day.

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

Marlo awoke early the next morning. The sun was only just starting to rise by the time she stirred from her sleep. With the extra light, Marlo checked her leg. A large, black and blue welt appeared where she was stomped. Red veins accented the colours to give it a genuinely painful appearance, and it hurt as much as it looked. She hissed when she touched it and grimaced, but she wasn't going to skip training today. Marlo stood up, gathered her things--which were now dry, thankfully--and brought them to the room. She cracked the door open a bit, checking to make sure he wasn't up already, then carefully walked in. Gently, she laid the blanket on the foot of the bed and placed her things on the back of the chair. Without the blanket, her physique was clear to see. She wasn't ripped, but her muscle tone was very defined. Her arms and legs looked as any fighter's should, but her feminine shape was still very much there, too. Marlo pulled up her hair and held it up with one hand while she dug through her somewhat dry satchel and produced a ribbon. Wrapping the ribbon around her hair, she glanced around the room for a mirror to check if she was doing it right. Finally, she spotted the mirror and stepped towards it, accidentally bumping her shin against the foot rest of the chair.

 

She sharply sucked in air and grimaced. After holding her breath, she finally released it with a quiet, "Ffffffffuck!"

[Beedis 182]

Delgue sat up leaning against the head board of the bed as he heard Marlo up and about in the room. For whatever reason she had wrapped herself in the blanket she had stolen earlier. He sighed as she approached the bed. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked only to get his answer a few moments later. "Alright knock yourself out." he responded. Before he could lie back down Marlo hoisted her knee up on to the bed and leaned over him. He looked up to meet her gaze with a baffled expression but before he had a chance to ask what she was doing she made her move. The kiss took him by surprise but he soon relaxed into the gesture. When she pulled back his expression was still one of confusion. He hadn't quite expected Marlo to ever turn around like that. Laying back he watched as she exited the room. Once alone again he smirked. "What have I gotten myself into?" he mumbled before relaxing into the mattress.

Delgue shot awake as soon as he heard the bumping of the furniture he moved to grab his crossbow but stopped himself as soon as he saw it was only Marlo. "Sorry, sorry. I thought somebody had followed us back." he yawned before rubbing his eyes. It was only once his bleary vision cleared up that he noticed how exposed Marlo was. He cackled at the sight giving her a lewd whistle. "What's with the outfit?" he asked eyeing her up before jumping out of bed. "If you are gonna strip at least  have the decency to wake me up first." he joked as he began to redress and throw his gear back on. "We should try to get a move on as soon as we can, we have already burned some daylight." he explained in a tone more serious than usual before taking a seat back on the bed. "So now that things have calmed down you think you can tell me what the hell went on last night?" he asked.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Beedis

[Outsane 418]

Marlo jumped and threw her hands up as she saw him reach for his crossbow. She could certainly punch him silly any day, but take an arrow to the head? Not her idea of fun. She relaxed when he pulled away from it, however. Her hands dropped down to her sides and she sighed. "Do you greet every woman in your room like that in the morning?" She teased. When he whistled, she rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms. "This is my training outfit. I've skipped working out the last few days because you're so damned eager to get on the move, and I wasn't going to skip it today. And why should I give you a show if you didn't even bother for me last night?" She retorted with a sly smile before turning back around and finishing her job with her hair. "Next time, you strip for me and I just might return the favour." She explained.

 

She was able to clearly see the damage to her face now that the sun was up more and her hair wasn't around her face. Marlo frowned at the bruise forming on her left cheek and gingerly touched it. Didn't hurt as much as her leg. Of course, she wasn't curb stomped on the head, though. When asked for details, Marlo turned around to face him and leaned against the wall, frowning. "Those guys said some one hired them to find out what we knew and kill us," she stated. "I don't even think they're directly involved with the person or persons involved with these missing people. They were just a couple of hired thugs sent to clean up. Anyways. I fucked up. Slipped on some mud and they knocked me out. When I woke up, they were trying to get information from me. Stomped on my leg to try and break it. Can you believe that big ogre couldn't even break my leg? Ha!" Her smile gradually faded as she thought about the other people she involved with this. She'd have to call off their services just in case... more people from her circle going missing was the last thing she wanted.

 

Suddenly, Marlo walked over to her satchel and dug through it before producing her purse. "Now, you go eat some breakfast while I quickly go workout a bit," she ordered while walking over to him and putting some coins in his hand. "And stop cheating people out of money! You turned a new leaf, remember?" She reached up and patted his cheek, smirking at him lopsidedly. 

Edited October 21, 2015 by Outsane

[Beedis 182]

As she began to explain the events of last night Delgue listened intently crossing his arms and nodding as she spoke. At least now he knew How Marlo ended up where she did. He didn't think she would have trouble taking down two thugs after hearing the stories of her past exploits but it seemed the mud was her undoing. It was unfortunate that he didn't kill one of their main culprits last night, just a thug. Oh well that would have made things too easy anyways. "Well rubbing it in your face at this point would be too easy so I'll pass." he remarked with a cackle. "Let's just drop this for now. But if you pull something like that again...You might not end up so lucky." he warned.

He slid off the bed stretching a bit before turning his head back to Marlo who was now approaching him. She handed him some coin before patting his cheek and ordering he get breakfast. He chuckled "As much as I'd love a scenic meal in the woods we had better get our ass on the road." he said. "I don't want to sit around here, someone is after us and they know we are staying in this town. If we sit around for too long they may set up a trap on the road, or send more men after us. You can just work out tonight right?" he asked. "Tell you what because I'm a changed man I'll owe you one. You'll get one whole favor from yours truly." he offered pointing to himself before winking at her. "Now get dressed and I'll go buy us a loaf of bread for the trip. Meet me at the road outside of town." he ordered before grabbing all of his belongings, exiting the room and shutting the door behind him. He really didn't give Marlo much of a chance to argue.

About half an hour later Delgue made his way onto the road outside of town. He had returned the key to the innkeeper and in his left hand he held a fresh loaf of bread from a bakery in town wrapped in paper. It looked appetizing but he didn't have high hopes. He was never satisfied with the things he bought from these woods. None of the alcohol or food he got ever tasted quite right. He tapped his foot waiting impatiently for his partner. When she finally came into sight he waved her over. "Happy birthday. Now lets move" he joked handing her the food. He had used his counterfeit coin to purchase the food and pocketed Marlo's money but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Shortly afterward they set onto the road. The massive storm from the previous night had given way to a nice day and comfortable weather. "So that bet of ours is still on." he spoke up. "This dagger could still be a fluke after all." he continued half sarcastically. "I'm not ready to give up on my theory until we get the cold hard facts." he finished with his usual sarcastic cackle.

[Outsane 418]

"Warning duly noted," Marlo replied with a smirk. She was quit to learn lessons and didn't need to be told twice. When he denied her the chance to work out, she frowned deeply, but then sighed. He had a point. The sooner they got moving, the better it would be for everyone in the long run. "Fine, fine. Just don't think all this missing my exercises will make me too rusty to give you a good punch when we find out this knife gets us a lead." She said while raising her right arm to flex it. Once he was out of the room, she contented herself to packing up her belongings in a neater fashion in the bag before throwing on the fine shirt over her other top. She buttoned it up partially, then changed her bottoms so she wore her pants. Throwing on her hat and cloak and boots, Marlo threw the satchel strap over one shoulder and started to leave before gasping, darting back and grabbing her glasses. She put them on and quickly walked outside, not wanting the ever-important Delgue to get tired of waiting for her.

 

She looked entirely average again. Her limp was well-hidden and the clothes did well to draw attention away from her. She blended in quite well, indeed. She kept her head down and the collar up so her face was hidden. Her golden hair was stuffed beneath the cloak, so even that wouldn't attract any unwanted stares to her. At her side, her small knife thumped against her thigh, which was the only thing that appeared to be of worth on her, besides what she may have in her bag.

 

Once she approached, she took the bread and smiled. It still felt warm. As they began to walk, Marlo dug around in her satchel before finally producing a tightly-sealed jar of honey. "Happy birthday to you, too," she said while popping it open. The honey oozed out onto her slice of the loaf and she bit into it while offering him some of the sweet honey. "Bread around here tastes bad just plain." She explained with a mouth full of it. When he explained the bet was still on, Marlo looked at him with confusion. "Wow, you must have your ears more full of mud than I did! I told you those guys were hired to take care of us because we were sticking our noses in some boss' business! That dagger has GOT to lead to something or some one. I don't think goons will be taking orders and money from a goddamn bear, Delgue."

[Beedis 182]

Delgue looked on in confusion as Marlo dropped some honey onto the bread. He had put butter on bread before, jam even, but honey? Perhaps it was just a common thing around here. Reluctantly he grabbed the jar of honey Marlo was offering him, he popped the lid off before letting a bit drizzle on a slice. He bit into the bread before handing Marlo her jar back. It wasn't as bad as he thought, the trick certainly made the bread less bland. "Not half bad kid." he said giving his partner an appreciative thumbs up.

He cackled at Marlo's aggressive response to the challenge. "Hey you never know, they could still be completely unrelated. I'm not exactly subtle you know. If you can believe it I make enemies more than I make friends. That could have easily been someone trying to screw with us. One of the villagers might have been pissed that they got some faulty money." he responded with a cackle. "Don't blame me for trying to defend my case. My reward and pretty face are on the line after all." he joked with a wink.

After the exchange conversation died down again for a while. He took it upon himself to break the silence again. "So back in the city I grew up in I used to get in all kinds of trouble in all kinds of seedy places. I know, I know. Surprising right." he began sarcastically. "So about a year back I was hanging out in some dumpy bar, can't even remember its name at this point. Naturally I had some booze in my system. I was looking for some action. Somebody gullible to make a quick buck off of, or a good looking woman to ogle." he continued. "It wasn't long until this one woman came in, and man she turned heads. redhead, nice face, nicer shape." he explained. "I managed to grab her attention, I bought her a few drinks, and we talked up a storm. After a while I offered to well...walk her back and she accepted" he cackled. "So here I am thinking I'm going to get lucky but when we are about half way back she whistles and dashes off into a nearby alley. Before I can react three goons come out after her." he explained a smirk crossing his face. "That sobered me right up! I bolted with speed I didn't think I had. Managed to outrun them and hide out in somebody's shed." he cackled. "Though I guess I didn't really learn my lesson that night." he finished well understanding the ironic nature of the story.