A most Unwelcome guest

[Anasha]

It was time. The night was still young, perhaps she’d have to wait for a while, but it was definitely time. She knew he wouldn’t come to her, no, for that he would be too proud, somehow, he would see it as showing weakness and so, Anasha moved down the dark allies until she came to the seedy bar that fronted the Thieves Guild and stood a moment before opening the doors that would admit her into the stale smelling dingy place that the Thieves called home.

She had business with Grim, and knew, like herself, he would not be happy about it. There had never been any love between the two guilds, let alone their masters. Nor would there ever be for that matter. She did not approve of him and he did not approve or even think to like her, so really, there was never any love loss between them, they just simply never got along and chances were, they never would.

She would not have come here though, of course, had she not had a concern that may include his guild as well. Of course, she knew he’d already met with the girl, but what had he thought, what were his feelings about what she was doing here? Those were her questions, that, and the fact that the little thing had now become part of her own guild. Of course, she didn’t expect Grim to cooperate in the least, but what he didn’t say would be as helpful as what he would say, she just figured she’d go straight to him and talk, or at the very least, try to talk with the…man? She shook her head. She had many other words for him, and man was definitely not one of them. This however was bigger than the two of them, it had to do with celesta itself and so, she moved inside and over to the bar where she took a seat.

It wouldn’t be long until he would catch wind that she was there, she could already feel the icy stares being directed at her. Eyes that felt like daggers in her back and quite possibly could have been, if she didn’t keep her wits about her. Though she knew also, that Grim had his thieves under a tight rule and they wouldn’t move against the Queen of the Assassins without his go, as that would start a war the likes Celesta hadn’t seen in centuries. Then again however, accidents did tend to happen, this she knew all too well and so, she kept her eyes on everything and one from the moment she stepped up to the door and would, until the moment she stepped foot out of his territory.

[Grim]

It hadn’t been long after the assassin queen entered the thieves’ tavern before the king of thieves was informed. The notorious woman had been spotted outside, making her way towards the guild and then waiting outside for a moment. All the thieves knew the king would want to be informed of such a visit. She was obviously there for him.

Grim had been in his quarters when he was interrupted, abusing the face of a captured teenage girl who had been found in contravention of the guild law. After hearing the news, the thief king threw the girl off of him self, grudgingly did up his pants and went out the door, locking it behind him.

There was not a sound made by any of the thieves in the bar as Grim walked through the back doors into the room. His eyes met immediately with Anasha’s and he didn’t say a word. As he approached the queen of Celesta’s assassins, everyone else in the room except the bartender quietly stood up and left the room. They all knew whatever business the two of them had was none of theirs, unless their king told them it was. The bartender was the king’s most trusted confidant and even he knew to stay out of ears reach.

There had been two large mugs of excellent ale, cold and freshly poured waiting at the edge of the counter, which the king had picked up on his way by and carried with him across the room. He took up a seat at the table nearest the assassin queen and placed one of the ales on the table in front of him self and the other opposite him self, then waited without a word for the woman to sit down.

Grim was far from fond of assassins, much less of their queen. He knew the feeling was mutual, and that this must have been important; the two never spoke unless something was. Even as much as the two guilds opposed each other on grounds of principle and tradition, there had always been the occasional circumstance where both sides were mutually affected. This had to be one of those circumstances or Anasha would not have sought Grim out. Grim had no vital information that the assassins may want at the time, so he figured he knew a certain filthy little scum girl whom this was more than likely about.

The king of thieves still didn’t say a word; Anasha had come to his guild so she could start the talking.

[Anasha]

Anasha watched him approach, she had always appreciated his form and had to admit, he looked great, she always appreciated those who took care of themselves, even if she didn't approve of him, she wasn't above appreciating him, and take up the two freshly poured drinks that the bartender had poured for them and move to the table and set them down. She moved from her seat at the bar and over to the table where he now sat and seated herself down across from him then shortly inclined her head in thanks for the drink. She honestly was a bit surprised he would have even offered her the drink, though it was a sign that he would talk to her, or listen at the least.

“I’ve come because of the girl Stacey.” She stated, getting right to the point. “Or more to the point, the meaning of her being here in Celesta, as the girl alone really is of no concern” She continued, once more, not dispensing with pleasantries, as there honestly was no reason to pretend or even play at niceties when both parties knew what the other thought of them.

Anasha, who usually wouldn’t take a drink from this man, had the circumstances been different, actually took up the tankard and took a cool drink from its content and then settled the container back on the table again. Truly, it was very nice ale.

“I know you’ve spoken with her and as I do, know who she is and where she came from and ask your opinion on the circumstances of her being her.” She then stated, her dark orbs watching him the entire time.

She knew he wasn’t going to start anything or try anything silly or redundant, he wasn’t a man to fool around at such folly as to try and act against her in any circumstance, so long as she didn’t overstep a boundary she was not invited to and so, was a bit more at ease than one might have thought her to be at this point.

[Grim]

Grim squinted his eyes into narrow, bitter slits and a grim grimace graced his face. He had definitely met the girl and had been right about what this talk was about. He did not like the girl, which was mostly due to a personal bias that he held against her family and their guilds.

“That THING is a rat.” The king of thieves exclaimed disgustedly. “That scum’s very identity is a god damned abomination and unless her ties to the filthy foreign disgrace are severed or turned immediately, she should not be tolerated.” Grim left no room for compromised opinions; the way he said what he thought was not open to suggestion, it was definite and final to him. “Her very origin is a guilty shame; to be spawn of such a heathenish union as the cross breeding whores she has for parents.”

Grim believed firmly that the girl was trouble if she couldn’t be turned into a tool, and that then she would need to be on a very tight leash. He was ranting though and missing the point of the answer. “She’s here because her rat parents can’t keep their clammy paws out of our dish.” He stated more pointedly, answering the assassin queen’s question directly. “She’s an affront to our Celesta sovereignty and an insult to our whit. She’s a little girl who thinks she’s bigger than us and she needs to learn her place.”

The king of thieves did dislike the assassin queen, but it was of no personal disrespect. She was a strong leader for his rival guild and a reliable business associate. He in fact, held the woman in quite high regard. The bias he held on her was honestly superficial for the strict purpose of maintaining the rival feud between the guilds; to keep things as they should be.

[Anasha]

The Assassin Queen listened patiently to Grims’ rant about the girl as she took up her tankard and took a few more drinks whilst she waited patiently for him to get it out of his system, which she knew he would sooner or later, she just had to have patience was all and thankfully, unlike he, she did have patience.

“I take it your encounter with the strong willed youth was a bit upsetting to you.” She stated with a slight smile on her lips, though hurried forward, no sense in starting him off again. “Well, I have had as well had the chance to watch the girl, and even have a small interview with her myself.” She moved the subject forward after taking another small swallow from the ale put in front of her. Her manner far more relaxed and contemplating than that of the thief King, not that she would think he was simply a spouting idiot, it was just the difference in their handling situations was all, she knew far too well that this man was much more intelligent than he often let on “I even put the ink to the papers that now bind her to the service of not only myself, but the crown of Celesta as well and that…” She regarded him for a moment. “My…” she chuckled at eth near use of the word friend. “Dear sir, is but part of my reason for being her tonight.” She went on then, her dark orbs watching him closely, searching out his own the entire time she spoke. “The child has entered into a life threatening possibility upon her own free will I am certain going against her own disreputable parents.” She made the last statement quite clear and emphasized it slightly when her eyes flashed at the free willed statement.

It was never any secret that the Black family was one who was always looking to expand their territory and the very fact that they had sent their own child into Celesta was not a small thing. They were after something and even now, the entire structure of the Assassin’s guild along with the Royal spy network were in a rush to figure this puzzle out. Though, with Stacey’s putting her own life on the line to become a member of Anashas’ guild was no small feet and Anasha honestly hoped that she was right about this girl, she was in the mind to think her parents would have other thoughts on the bold move of the girl.

“Trust in me Grim, I am asking you to put your trust in me for the time being and leave her to me.” She then stated, knowing this was not going to be a small thing to ask of him, his obvious abhorrence for the child was not going to make this easy. “What I am here for is your thoughts as to what the Blacks might be after besides lining their pockets.” She then stated outright. “I need your thoughts on the matter without your hatred.” She then added. “Please?” She even put in with a raised brow.

[Grim]

“I found the GIRL upsetting.” Grim replied forcefully without any hesitation. “Besides being frustrated by her ignorance and retardation, the meeting went smooth enough. I even refrained from beating or tithing her; you should be glad, since you’ve taken the filthy mutt in.” Grim had not been calling the young girl handicapped, simply slow to catch on; using the word retarded in a fully literal translation.

After his first response to Anasha’s first comment, Grim was silent for a period. He took a number of good gulps from his ale, and stared at his rival comrade and then finally he spoke again. “Keep her on a tight leash Anasha.” Grim spoke with one hand extended across the table and a finger out pointing at the assassin queen, his face carrying a definite seriousness. Grim was not just being difficult or rude; he honestly was worried about, though not for the girl in question. “Keep her on a very tight leash. Keep eyes on her at all times, I know you have enough of those.” He retracted his arm from across the table and grabbed his ale and took another drink. “Keep her busy and keep her out of my hair. If she’s caught thieving, she’ll be subject to my creed like any other dirty riff raff on the street; she is not a part of my guild and she needs to understand that in our world, in the REAL world, assassins and thieves are not the same.”

Grim took a short pause to take another couple gulps of ale. “Celesta is far bigger than the Black guilds, but they want power. Money does not necessarily buy power, so they’re not just here to infringe on us. Though they’re rotten and disgraceful incestuous filth, the Blacks are not dumb enough to start a turf war with us.” Grim was endlessly disturbed by the incestuous union the Blacks had contrived between the two should be rival guilds. “They must know we would wipe them clean in the time it takes to ride there from Celesta. Stacey isn’t here for money, she isn’t here against us; she’s here because our crown rules their crown. The Blacks cohort with their crown more than any other guild on the continent, and it’s no secret those ingrate knaves have no love lost for Celesta’s hierarchy.” The thief king then took a long draw from his ale and set the near empty mug down again. “You should be worried for the royals right now Anasha, Stacey will not have been the only one they’ve sent. She’s young, over assuming, and inexperienced; the Blacks will have sent others for the same task. They want to take down the crown of Celesta and it wouldn’t be the first for them. You work for Celesta, I think this is your job getting harder.”

[Anasha]

Anasha knew how serious he was being about keeping her out of his hair and she would be certain that she stayed out of his hair as well the eyes of her guild as with the royal spy network were also on the girl’s every move as they spoke. For Stacey, there was no hiding in Celesta and Anasha only hoped that her feeling about the girl was not unfounded. She nodded as he spoke, honestly understanding and taking each of his words as seriously as he put them, he was not a man of a great many words and when he did speak, especially without insult, it was because what he was saying was important, this much Anasha knew.

She took a long draw from her ale, this one finishing it off and she laid the tankard on the table in front of her, her dark eyes watching him as he continued to speak of the royal family and she figured it was probably time to let him in on the unfortunate assassination attempt of one of their very own, not all to long ago. The turning up of Stacey on the very night seemed odd enough, but Anasha wasn’t ready to commit to it being the Black’s who had hired the man, but still there was that possibility.

“Indeed, a tight leash she is on Grim.” Anasha assured him with a nod. “As far as me eyes go, indeed I do have many as well ears.” She told him. “It is unfortunate enough that we’ve already found interrogated and took care of one assassination attempt from one of my own guild, I am most displeased to announce.” She moved on. “Though I am not ready to pin it on the Blacks’ just yet as there just isn’t enough prove.” She continued her dark orbs settled on him, her voice a bit heated at the memory.

She didn’t need for him to tell her that her job had just gotten a lot harder; she’d already felt the pang of it quite personally but all the same, she was glad for the open wake up he offered her in his words, as well the total meaning of every other statement he had made. It had all needed to be said; she needed to hear it from someone after all, and who better than he?

“Thank you Grim.” She stated simply after he had finished speaking. “I will take what you’ve said to mind, and further as well.” She told him honestly.

Her thank you went much further than for simply his words, it extended to his putting his trust in her as far as the girl was concerned. That was something she was not expecting to have been given so easily, though she knew he respected her, otherwise she would have never asked in the first place, or had even been here for that matter.

She then gave a sarcastic half laugh. “Looks as though I have a city to help protect.” She shook her head. “And here I thought all I needed to do was send people out to kill others and let the money roll in…. who knew?” She then laughed lightly and shortly. Her attempt at joking about it was more for her sanity at that moment than for any other reason, but all the same, she did feel better, even if a bit heavier and was very glad she’d come to talk to Grim. Had he been anyone else, she probably would have reached across the table and given him a huge wet kiss. But he wasn’t just anyone else and she respected that as well his opinion greatly, so long as that opinion was given honestly and without his usual hate filled blather. He was 13 years her senior after all, and truly, he was a most intelligent man, when his words or actions weren’t getting in the way of course.

[Grim]

Grim grinned amusedly at Anasha’s later comment. “Being the crooked degenerates of the city’s crime scene shouldn’t have to be so responsibly heroic.” He laughed, honestly amused by the idea of the assassins having to save the city, as it were. “It’s terribly ironic.” He added, still grinning at the thought. “Everyone talks about how terrible our guilds make this place, and then they don’t even know how much they need you. At least they’re probably right about me though.”

He finished his own ale, and then waved the bartender over from across the room to bring them each another. “Finding corruption in your own guild is always a shame to admit.” Grim returned, no longer grinning. That situation too though, was rather ironic. How can you imagine corrupting corruption? “I thought you were beyond needing evidence though Anasha. Neither of us pretend to bind ourselves by the red tape in the official systems. If you suspect the Blacks, which you should, you’re probably on to something.” Grim wasn’t decent to Anasha for no reason; she was an admirable leader and she knew her place. Sometimes, the good of his guild depended on certain outside influences and more often than not, the assassins guild was one of them. As separate as the two had always been and would always be, there was a certain dependant cooperation that had to be maintained for everyone’s good. Grim didn’t need to be rude; he just preferred it.

The two of them each had a fresh cold ale in front of them and their empty mugs had been taken away. Grim took a long draw of his, then settled it down. “I’m watching her too.” He then said, obviously returning to the original topic. He could have faith in Anasha, but not in her guild members; some more of them could be double agents.

[Anasha]

Anasha smiled as he jeste4d over the ironic nature of the situation as it was just that, ironic. She was the leader of one of the two most considered, underbellies of the city and yet, she was also the only one that was in the position to actually save the country’s very crown. What was even more ironic was the fact that the one she asked for advise in the mater was indeed one of the most feared and hated men around, well perhaps the most feared and hated Human. “Yes, well considering the remainder of the country is too busy trying to perfect their pathetic lives into some sort of wonderland that will never exist, I would suppose it is up to those of us who have a grip on reality to save their asses so that they might still be able to throw money our way.” She laughed at her statement as the new ale was brought over to the table. “It is a never ending story. The evil seeds as we are called secretly saving the pathetic goodie-two-shoes of society so that the world will continue to run in our direction.” She plucked the new tankard from its resting position and drank deeply from it and grinned over at Grim for a moment until he mentioned the recent events in her guild.

“Indeed I do not need to gather evidence in the matter, however if politics are to played out, and they need to be at this point, I will have to lay down my eagerness to destroy what is out before me and wait patiently. It is not as though the crown doesn’t have their own on alert already as well, so I can allow for a bit of fact finding before making the harsh judgment I am more than willing to make and end this all in one fell swoop of my wrath.” She replied.

She regarded Grim for a moment before she spoke of Stacey once more, taking another satisfying drink from the cool ale and actually allowed herself to enjoy both its full flavor and cooling sensation a it moved down her throat.

“I would expect nothing less from you Grim, had you said you would not keep an eye on her, I would have worried you’d gone soft on me.” She replied to his comment in all honesty. “Or were trying to go behind my back in doing so, which would have done you no good of course.” She then grinned somewhat evilly and lifted her tankard to him and then took another drink.

[Grim]

Grim nodded and raised his ale to Anasha for her declaration of wrath. He even shot her a smile while he was at it; that was the way that woman was supposed to act. “To wrath.” The thief king offered. “And crime that makes the world go ‘round.”

“Secrets are useless between us Anasha.” He stated truthfully, shaking his head while lowering his mug to his lips for a drink after the toast. “Even if we wanted to pretend that we could keep them.” They both kept open tabs on the other’s guild’s activities and they certainly both knew it – that was simply smart business.

“Since you’ve taken a liking to the little question mark,” Grim began, sighing at the thought of his past and present lenience, “You should know her parting words from our encounter were that she is still a thief.” He took another drink of ale. “Of course you see where that would be a problem, since I can’t be making an exception of her. I suggest you look in to that one, for her own good.” Grim sighed again, and even lightly shuttered at himself. Maybe he HAD gone soft – he would have to go beat a little boy or abuse a young girl, preferably Stacey’s age, to account for his discrepancy.

[Anasha]

Anasha inclined her head to grim. “To wrath indeed.” She responded and took another drink from her tankard and then settled it back on the table, her hand not coming away from it this time. She then smiled slightly at his comment concerning their inability to hide from one another. It was a very true statement and she certainly wasn’t going to try and fool herself that he didn’t keep as close an eye on her movements a she had his in the past present and certainly the future, it was just something that was done.

The Assassin Queen raised the tankard to her lisp once more and took another long draw from her tankard of ale, setting it on the table once more, a seemingly endless display of enjoyment as the two continued to converse, and pleasantly enough for that matter, something Anasha wasn’t all together certain would have transpired at first when she came into the bar, but was pleasantly enough surprised to have found.

She raised a brow at Grim’s statement of Stacey stating that she was still a thief, though that was definitely before she had made the conscious choice at joining the assassins guild and Anasha hoped the girl would not peruse such a crazy notion, but she would be certain to address the situation as Grim had said.

“That is something that just simply would not do, and I will approach her with the question.” She assured the man across the table from her. “No, I would no sooner expect you to make an exception for her than you would expect me to make exceptions for any under your watch as well.” She replied then to his other remark. Of course, she knew he’d take care of any of his own who would dare to overstep their bounds and try to be what they were not and Anasha would shudder to think what he’d do to them as well and that thought reminded her that she was indeed talking with Grim and not just some other form of intelligence, though he certainly had surprised her in his actions this night, she even thought of him more than once as an actual man, to this thought she grinned slightly and took another sip of her drink without further comment.

[Grim]

“Is there anything else that needs our cooperation?” Grim asked after staring a young thief down who had wandered into through the front doors of the bar, only to back out when he was met with Grim’s hard stare. “If we talk too long people will think we get along.” The king of thieves took another good drink of his good cold ale.

“We both have images to maintain after all, and if people get to wondering I’ll have to tell them that I was in here taking services from you.” Grim grinned as he said that as his mind immediately ran to actually thinking of it. Anasha was probably the only woman who Grim respected enough not to force though; she had earned that respect through the hard labors of her life. It didn’t stop him imagining though; she was a well-built woman who he would surely enjoy to use.

“Be sure to warn the child that if she is caught stepping on my toes, I will collect from her whatever she would be least willing to pay. The girl isn’t from around here, so you should let her know how things work in Celesta.”

[Anasha]

Anasha grinned at his words, a slightly darkened grin though it was. “No Grim I think that we are finished for now.” She responded as she took up the tankard in front of her and drained it of its contents. “Now we can’t have people thinking that!” She then exclaimed and shook her head. “I could only imagine the horror it would spread through out the Kingdome.” She rolled her eyes and then stood from her chair and looked around at the empty place.

“And I would have to counter that it was I that seduced you.” She turned and raised a brow at him, her dark orbs narrowing slightly at the thought of such a rumor. If there were to be a rumor of such a sort to buzz about it would show weakness on her part and she would certainly have to turn it around that she had seduced him. Which would not have been such a bad thing in her mind, though she’d never let him know that.

“Once more, as far as the child is concerned, I will talk to her the moment I have the opportunity to catch her in my sights again.” She replied, which was not to be too far form this conversation, as the girl was due to be headed back to receive a special order from Anasha as it was.

The Assassin Queen then turned and walked towards the door and laid her hand on it as if to push it open and then paused and turned to look over her shoulder at the King of Thieves. “I have a feeling we will talk again soon, so until then, I thank you for your hospitality.” She stated in what was now an almost stiff proper manner, the woman returning to the purposeful mannerism of the foe she was supposed to be. She then turned around and pushing the door open, stepped through the threshold and out into the night, nearly knocking over the young thief that waited to enter the place.

[Grim]

Grim didn’t return the farewell; only sat and stared at the woman leave while he too, finished his ale. He grinned as he watched, staring at the form of her ass as she walked. As soon as Anasha had left the building, Grim got up and walked back the way he had come. The bartender all the while had said nothing, and had in fact heard nothing; he knew well enough how to keep his distance.

The thief king promptly made his way back to his quarters to find the same scared young girl curled up against the side of his bed. Without any hesitation, the ruthless man lifted her off the ground and bent her over the mattress. He forced his way on the teenaged girl, who was as he had thought before, about Stacey’s age. The girl was attractive and felt amazing. She screamed quite a lot; not only was she most unwilling, but until then she had been a virgin. Grim wasn’t thinking of the tight little girl though, he thought of Stacey instead; a vein sort of retribution against her for the kindness he had had to show her. He also thought of Anasha, since the idea had struck him only minutes before and it seemed a good one.

Grim ravaged the poor young girl quite thoroughly, and left her after crying on the floor as he laid down for an afternoon nap.