Mercy walked into the Dancing Dove pulling her cloak off she started to walk to a table when she saw her boss, Verim next to the fireplace talking to Lasser, both made eye contact with her and nodded in her direction, Lasser gestured her over. With a sigh Mercy headed over to Lasser's table she grabbed one of the her barmaid friends', "Molly please my love I need one desperetly!"

"Let me guess, 'make it tall, cold and very strong," Molly said with a large smile.

"By the gods I love you Molly, you're a girl after my own heart." Mercy said giving a small smile. She walked the rest of the way over to Lasser. When she got there she raised her left eyebrow in a silent question.

"I have a job for you?" Lasser stated as people that had been surrounding the table a second again started to drift away.

"I'm retired remember?" Mercy replied with a slight sound of annoyance in her voice, "goin’ straight remember?"

Lasser glared at her, "Its a big job, worth a lot, you can use the money I'm sure of it," he finished with a cocky grin as he leaned back. He held up his hand in silence as he continued, "just think it over alrigh'? Tell me your decision by the end of the week," he held up his hand in silence again as Mercy opened her mouth, "no more," he finished as he turned his back towards her.

Mercy glared at his back as she walked away in a huff, finding a seat along the wall furthest from Lassar. Molly showed up a couple seconds later and handed Mercy a tall glass, then she went away to serve another table. Mercy took a sip and then leaned back into the chair, propping her feet up onto the chair across from her, closing her eyes in pure bliss.

Rean of Laraes entered the Dancing Dove in breeches and a tunic. Nothing to draw attention. She didn't really feel like being noticed. She walked up to the bar, and got a drink. An extremely drunk man slammed into her, and she cursed as her drink slipped onto the floor. She caught it, but only just. She glared at the man, who leered at her, swaying on the floor. She moved away from him, walking towards a seat a little away from Mercy. She sighed and sat down, looking into her drink. So much for her quiet. She almost laughed. Why had she come here for quiet? This was about the loudest place she could think of.

"Loud isn't it?" Mercy said, her eyes still closed looking as if she was asleep, she opened one eye and looked at the girl, "its always loud in the evenings, but I bet you already knew that didn't you?" Mercy closed her eye again, she looked like a well relaxed cat.

Rean nodded, and said, relaxing her muscles, "Yeah. It's still a bit loud inthe daytime, but much more so now." She sighed, and admitted, "I don't know why I came here, I wanted to relax, and this is the last palce for this." Rean adjusted her arm, so that her concealed knife wouldnt jut into her side.

Mercy smirked at the statement the girl made, "I enjoy noise everynow and then, it's nice," Mercy turned to explain to the girl what she meant, "I work by myself, every other day in my workshop, and the rest of the days I'm at the store selling what I made the day before. I have a great kid at home, that gets on my nerves at least once a week. A cousin who thinks she knows whats best for me. And I'm tired, this is the only place I can come where I can relax," Mercy smiled as she finished, "you just need to find a place where no matter what goes on you can relax, a place to get away from it." Mercy looked around the room casually. "Of course you don't have to take my advice looks like you can take care of yourself," she signaled Molly to the table, turning to the girl Mercy said, "want anything to drink kiddo?"

Iskra pushed open the door to the Dancing Dove and stepped inside. "Here we are again!" She thought to herself. Tonight was business not pleasure though, and she had to make her negotiations with the King of Thieves, Lasser. She had scouted out the palace during the day from the town and the forrest and it had proved that the girl, Livia, was right.

There was no way of breaking in, so she was going to have to use some of her contacts in Corus to get in. She never liked to involve other people in her business if she could avoid it. Middle men were a dangerous game and even good people could give you away under duress. None the less she needed to get the contract moving now and for that she needed the King of Thieves' blessing.

She glanced around the room as she walked in. A few familiar faces from the previous night, Lasser ensconsed by the fire and also the young woman she'd seen through the window of the weapons shop. "How interesting," she thought to herself. There were nicer places than the Dove to drink in Corus which suggested certain interesting possibilites from this young lady, especially if she had made those weapons in the shop.

Iskra went to the bar and bought a drink for herself and asked for one to be taken to Lasser with her compliments.

She turned to lean against the bar slightly, snapping "not this lifetime boy..."at a young man, a student by the looks of things, who had opened his mouth to start a conversation with her. She looked over at Lasser who was getting the drink and the message from the barmaid. She gave a slight nod, her face set in a serious expression. Lasser returned the nod.

"The game's on." She muttered to herself.

Rean grinned, and relied easily, "Sure." She changed position in her chair, and said calmly, "I'm Rean." She thought of adding her title, but who really cared? Titles didn't matter here. Plus, the woman seemed nice, and Rean hated telling nice people her title. She only told people when they were annyonig her and she had to, to make them go away. She quieried, "What's your name?"

Rean felt Iskra's prescence enter the bar, and almost laughed as she told the boy to get lost. She didn't turn from the woman she was talking to, Mercy, but she noticed the other womans prescence vaguely. She didn't think much of it. Woman came in here all the time, for all sorts of things. Hell, Rean herself was in here enough.

As she waited for the King of Thieves to make his move, Iskra nonchalantly picked some lint of her dark, wine coloured shirt, scanning the room with lowered eyelids.

There were is an even grander mix of people of all classes than there had been on her last visit. At least a handful of them looked to be squires or at least nobles, it showed in the small things, jewellery, the cut of peoples clothes.

She let her gaze wonder again to the weapons seller and the young woman who was sitting next to her. Another lady dressed in breeches, so she was either Rogue or from the palace in this strange country. "And this place just gets more and more curious," muttered Iskra.

Mercy glanced up as the woman she had seen the other day at the market walked in. Mercy watched as one of the barmaids took a drink over to Lasser, nice move she thought. Not to take her attention away from her table neighboor, Rean, probably a noble by her well placed speech.

"Name's Mercy, like you, I don't want to give out my last name," with a small grin she drank some more of her ale. She twisted her head side to side cracking it lightly, loosening up for some reason, it's as if I'm preparing for a fight, Mercy thought to herself, she placed her feet on the floor only to glance over at Lasser, only to find him staring at her, years of training kept her from flinching under his eye's. She raised an eyebrow in question only to get a grin in return.

Looking back at Rean, she was distracted as she noticed where Rean's weapons were. "How many knives do you have on you? One, two, three?" Mercy looked at her, questionly, "does the one poke you sometimes?"


(accidently forgot to log out of Damien SO SOOOORRRRYYYY please forgive me)

Iskra checked her pockets. The protective talisman she'd had made at the market as a gift for Lasser was still in one of the hidden inside pockets of her coat. It was not only powerfully useful, protecting from a range of poisions, it was also quite beautiful, and shiny given that Lasser liked baubles.

"C'mon little crow," she thought, "I'm getting tired of waiting now."

She had seen the King of Thieves eyes sweep in her direction several times now but still he made her wait. It was something she would have to put up with, it would be no use if she forced his hand to do something.

"None of this nonesense in Scanra." She muttered in Scanran.

Rean laughed, and remarked, "Well, Mercy, you're quite perceptive." She frowned a bit, "The adjusting gave me away didn't it?" She grinned again, and said, "I have about four." She didn't count her boot knife in the four. She had one at the base of her back, two in sheaths on her arms, and one under her skirts, strapped to her thigh. She smiled, and, noticing the exchange between Mercy and the King, asked, "The King of Theives?" She raised her eyebrows. "Know him well?" Rean had nothing against theives, quite the opposite. They were fun, and they had wonderful bits of knowledge here and there. Rean sat back, wondering whether the woman was a theif, or an ex-theif. Didn't really matter to Rean, the woman was fun to talk to.

Iskra was beginning to loose patience when Lasser stood up and walked out of the room through one of the rear doors. The crowd that had surrounded him remained where they were. Then the barkeep leaned across to her and set down a whiskey.

"He says ye to follow him."

"At last," Iskra thought. She casually checked round the room to see where his men were set and checked that she wasn't followed behind as she headed for the rear door and left the bustling common room of the tavern behind.

Mercy stared into her cup, trying to remember if she wanted another drink when she answered Rean, "yea, King of Thieves, I used to work for him, sort of. But I'm trying to retire out of his type of work, but he makes it hard on me,” she sighed, “correction, very hard.”

She looked at her companion before smiling, “I’m going to pretend you didn’t lie to me about how many weapons you got on you, but I will bet you that they aren’t the greatest of quality. The adjustment helped in my suspicion,” she shrugged, “I like to know where people’s weapons are.”

Mercy watched as Lasser stood up and the window woman followed him out of the room. Someone wanted to work on Lasser’s territory or work for Lasser. I wonder which one, I’ll find out soon enough I guess. She thought to herself.

"If you need better weapons go down to the marketplace and find my shop, Mercy's Eye. I'll see what I can do for you." she gave Rean a smile, seeing Molly she held up two fingers.

Rean held in her amazement, but let slight surprise show on her face. She grinned, "Well, you truley are a master of deduction." She winked, and she, too, noticed the woman leave after Lasser. "It is difficult to break from old habits." She conceded, looking at the other woman. 'It's good, that she's trying to do better. Especially since she has a child.' Rean uncrossed her legs, then recrossed them, and said, "I will come check out your shop." She frowned slightly, and then said, "I really do need a couple new knives." Rean blinked, and in the dim light, she thought she saw a man from the palace guard. 'Strange.' Rean thought, 'I guess the drinks are stronger here.' She knew she wasn't drunk, and she would stay for a few more. She looked at Mercy again, "So yu have a child?" She asked, "Isn't that a bit difficult in your old line of work? Or is he why you quit?" She was truley curious. Well, Rean was always curious.

Mercy's eye twitched at the question, a forced smile planted on her face, she gave a soft sigh.

"Lyonel, he's going to be four in a few months, is one of the reasons I'm trying to get out of my old lifestyle," Mercy stared hard at her fingertips as she continued, "it's very hard to break old habits. But because of him and my cousin I'm doing better. I'd like to know I did one thing right before I die, or end up behind bars," with another sigh Mercy looked around, "Kassie, my cousin, watches Lyonel when I'm busy so it's not as bad as it seems."

Mercy gave a real smile as she thought about Lyonel, "he's a good boy, it makes me want..." she stopped, she had almost said it makes me want one of my own how much did she drink? Was she drunk? A worried look on her face. She smiled at the girl, "Well girlie enough about me, what about you?"

Rean smiled, "I was born in Feif Laraes, and my mom died in childbirth. My brother died when I was nine, and I'm a squire now." She grinned, "My mom would have liked that. She was--" Rean's eyes widened. She hadn't almost told the woman about her mother being half Bazhir, had she? Her father had told her never to tell anyone! "S-She was a fighter, in her own way." She covered. She knew the other woman had noticed. 'Whew, I'd better stop drinking before I start telling everything.' She thought. Usually she was able to keep her tongue in check, but this woman was just so disarming, that Rean's tongue was just getting looser and looser. Rean smiled, "Ah, where were you born?" She queried.

Mercy stared at the girl for a second, "We both have our secrets aparently," Mercy thought for a second before she answered the question, "In truth I have no idea where I was born, I don't even know if I was born in Tortall, my parents moved around a lot, I left when I was 14, at the time we were living near Pirate's Swoop I believe, other than that we moved around a lot." She gave a shrug as if she didn't care, and in truth she didn't.

"I have an older brother, and a younger sister. I haven't really talked to them much over the years, but we always know where the other one is. I believe my sister is in the Yamani Islands, and my brother is in Maren. My parents are... in Carthak, I believe but I could be wrong."

Rean nodded. "I see." She sighed. "My brother and my father manage the Fief Laraes estates. I'm going to win my sheild. I'm going to help people." Rean knew this may sound naïve, but she didn't really mind. She just wanted to do it. She looked down at the floor, then back at Mercy. "It's good of you, to quit the spy business for Lyonel." She said, only able to imagine how har dit would be, with people pestering you to get back in.

Mercy stared at Rean for a second before she started laughing, "I'm sorry," she said as she regained breathing, "you just said I was a spy!" Mercy laughed again shaking her head back and forth, when she calmed down she looked at Rean, "Not a spy. Thief," she said point blank looking straight into Rean's eyes, "and it's not unknown around here," she waved her hand around the room, "especially not since the king of thieves decided to announce it about a year ago."

Iskra walked back out of the back rooms of the Dancing Dove with a satisfied smile on her face. Lasser had tried the strong-arm routine to get her to work for him and hand over a huge cut of her earnings, but Iskra had made it clear to him that she was no kid to be ordered around.

She grinned as she remembered Lasser's face blanching as she's mentioned a few names he didn't care to hear, living legends amongst the Scanran rogue and apparently amongst the Tortall rogue too.

After that he'd been a pussy cat and agreed to a small percentage and the gift of the pendant. Of course Iskra didn't entirely trust him and she'd be watching her back even more carefully.

"A drink to celebrate," she thought.

She took a table near to where the other women were sat and ordered a shot glass and a bottle of a strong clear spirit drunk only in the boarders of Tortall and Scanra. She eased back in her chair, nodded gratefully to the barmaid and poured a shot of the liquor.

Rean almost felt a blush creep to her cheeks, but no, Rean wasn't the kind of girl who got embarrassed easily. She calmly restated, "Theif. Right. I knew that, somewhere in my mind." She gave a wry smile. "So, Lasser announced that you were a theif a year ago? Isn't that dangerous? To you, I mean?" She asked, her eyes holding a question. Lasser, from what she'd heard, didn't seem either kind nor trustworthy. But then, he was the king of theives. Mercy seemed rather trustworthy, though, for an ex-theif.

Rean noticed the Scanran-looking woman from earlier come out of the back rooms. She seemed satisfied. 'Well, her night seems to be going grandly so far.' Rean looked back to Mercy, not being able to help but wonder if the woman had A) Seen her looking, or B) What she had been doing with Lasser. Was the woman a theif too?

Rean held in a sigh. She had too many questions.

Iskra saw out of the corner of her eye the girl seated with the blacksmith looking at her.

She turned and raised her glass to the girl.

"I can have a portrait painted for you if you want to look a bit longer." she said, somewhat sarcastically. A wry smile twisted the corner of her mouth. "or you can just admire me in all my glory."

Iskra decided to leave, before her good mood was spoiled. She picked up her bottle of spirits and headed for the door, glancing over towards Lasser as she left and throwing him a nod. She would enjoy the rest of her drink in peace.

Alysa walked through the door of The Dancing Dove with her falcon on her arm. She made her way over to the bar.

"Let me get bowl of water and something strong." Her eyes drifted over the people already sitting in various places around the pub. She turned from the bar and walked to a table. There she carefully lowered the falcon onto the table and removed the hood. The bird's golden eye swirled as it gazed at the dim setting of the bar. Alysa sat and starting to talk to the bird while she waited for their refreshments.

"Sofi, I think we should go hunting later. You have not had a chance to since we arrived." She reached up and ran a finger over the falcon's head, then layed her own on the table.

Eulia looked up from her table when the woman with a falcon entered. The falcon itself was a beauty. Strange to be carrying such a bird around in Corus...