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The heist had not gone quite how he’d wanted it to. In an ideal world, they’d have either snatched the jewels before the big reveal of them to the public, or after from each person who’d bought them. But Khanh’s opinion was not always consulted and the plan had gone on despite his own protests that this was a risky venture. However, the riskiest part of the entire thing had been his trip up to Nia’s room. He knew exactly where that was and had left a hastily scrawled note from ‘Panya’, telling her where and when to meet. There was no way on this planet that he was going to take her back where the other Sariqas were, but he felt just a tiny, teeny, littlest bit guilty that they’d ruined her family’s event. Or had that older woman ruined it? The case could be made that the fire and real danger had started with her. Never mind the guards that he himself had dispatched to keep the whole thing quiet.
Lost in his thoughts, he sat alone at a table furthest from the front door of the tavern, at a table by himself. He lounged in his chair, long legs stretched out beneath the table, one hand resting atop his lap, the other hand idly spinning a bottle of unpleasant beer he wasn’t very interested in drinking. Mostly he was simply waiting, checking the room every few minutes or so with his eyes. This was the kind of tavern where people minded their own business. Khanh was far from the only person who made a living taking other people’s things. That was why no one had a visible coin purse on their belt. Any money was carefully tucked away in secret pockets and zealously guarded. He did not expect that guard would come rushing in, which was why he’d left Nia the note in the first place. She’d been unexpectedly forgiving about the break-in and he thought she might be amenable to a talk now.
Dressed in his usual linen kilt, he also had on a traveler’s coat with a hood. The material was also linen, of light weight but thick fibers. It was good for keeping the sun and grit off one’s body and he used it now for a bit of anonymity. His hood was pushed back for the time being but could easily be drawn up, if necessary and he’d already determined his exit through the back of the tavern, or possibly from the top floor and across the roof. Just in case Nia wasn’t so laid back this time. Each time the door opened, he’d sit up a little straighter, looking for her entrance, but until now, it had never been her. Mostly rough men, unkempt and some unshaved. Which, was frankly disgusting. Khanh had never liked beards. They made men look very strange. Like most Egyptians, he took great pains to be totally clean and totally hairless. Not like some other nations.
This character is currently a work in progress.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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The heist had not gone quite how he’d wanted it to. In an ideal world, they’d have either snatched the jewels before the big reveal of them to the public, or after from each person who’d bought them. But Khanh’s opinion was not always consulted and the plan had gone on despite his own protests that this was a risky venture. However, the riskiest part of the entire thing had been his trip up to Nia’s room. He knew exactly where that was and had left a hastily scrawled note from ‘Panya’, telling her where and when to meet. There was no way on this planet that he was going to take her back where the other Sariqas were, but he felt just a tiny, teeny, littlest bit guilty that they’d ruined her family’s event. Or had that older woman ruined it? The case could be made that the fire and real danger had started with her. Never mind the guards that he himself had dispatched to keep the whole thing quiet.
Lost in his thoughts, he sat alone at a table furthest from the front door of the tavern, at a table by himself. He lounged in his chair, long legs stretched out beneath the table, one hand resting atop his lap, the other hand idly spinning a bottle of unpleasant beer he wasn’t very interested in drinking. Mostly he was simply waiting, checking the room every few minutes or so with his eyes. This was the kind of tavern where people minded their own business. Khanh was far from the only person who made a living taking other people’s things. That was why no one had a visible coin purse on their belt. Any money was carefully tucked away in secret pockets and zealously guarded. He did not expect that guard would come rushing in, which was why he’d left Nia the note in the first place. She’d been unexpectedly forgiving about the break-in and he thought she might be amenable to a talk now.
Dressed in his usual linen kilt, he also had on a traveler’s coat with a hood. The material was also linen, of light weight but thick fibers. It was good for keeping the sun and grit off one’s body and he used it now for a bit of anonymity. His hood was pushed back for the time being but could easily be drawn up, if necessary and he’d already determined his exit through the back of the tavern, or possibly from the top floor and across the roof. Just in case Nia wasn’t so laid back this time. Each time the door opened, he’d sit up a little straighter, looking for her entrance, but until now, it had never been her. Mostly rough men, unkempt and some unshaved. Which, was frankly disgusting. Khanh had never liked beards. They made men look very strange. Like most Egyptians, he took great pains to be totally clean and totally hairless. Not like some other nations.
The heist had not gone quite how he’d wanted it to. In an ideal world, they’d have either snatched the jewels before the big reveal of them to the public, or after from each person who’d bought them. But Khanh’s opinion was not always consulted and the plan had gone on despite his own protests that this was a risky venture. However, the riskiest part of the entire thing had been his trip up to Nia’s room. He knew exactly where that was and had left a hastily scrawled note from ‘Panya’, telling her where and when to meet. There was no way on this planet that he was going to take her back where the other Sariqas were, but he felt just a tiny, teeny, littlest bit guilty that they’d ruined her family’s event. Or had that older woman ruined it? The case could be made that the fire and real danger had started with her. Never mind the guards that he himself had dispatched to keep the whole thing quiet.
Lost in his thoughts, he sat alone at a table furthest from the front door of the tavern, at a table by himself. He lounged in his chair, long legs stretched out beneath the table, one hand resting atop his lap, the other hand idly spinning a bottle of unpleasant beer he wasn’t very interested in drinking. Mostly he was simply waiting, checking the room every few minutes or so with his eyes. This was the kind of tavern where people minded their own business. Khanh was far from the only person who made a living taking other people’s things. That was why no one had a visible coin purse on their belt. Any money was carefully tucked away in secret pockets and zealously guarded. He did not expect that guard would come rushing in, which was why he’d left Nia the note in the first place. She’d been unexpectedly forgiving about the break-in and he thought she might be amenable to a talk now.
Dressed in his usual linen kilt, he also had on a traveler’s coat with a hood. The material was also linen, of light weight but thick fibers. It was good for keeping the sun and grit off one’s body and he used it now for a bit of anonymity. His hood was pushed back for the time being but could easily be drawn up, if necessary and he’d already determined his exit through the back of the tavern, or possibly from the top floor and across the roof. Just in case Nia wasn’t so laid back this time. Each time the door opened, he’d sit up a little straighter, looking for her entrance, but until now, it had never been her. Mostly rough men, unkempt and some unshaved. Which, was frankly disgusting. Khanh had never liked beards. They made men look very strange. Like most Egyptians, he took great pains to be totally clean and totally hairless. Not like some other nations.
It had been quite the day in the Sheifa saraaya, and to say Nia was exhausted was an understatement. Luckily, she had managed to escape before all the fires and true chaos, but when she returned… The common area of the home where the event had been held was hardly more than ashes and soot, the acrid scent of smoke still lingering in the air. What in all the gods’ names happened while she was tumbling out the window and running for safety? Did the thieves set the fire? Were they still around?
Her family gave her various stammered explanations, all of which eventually agreed that Iaheru was the one to set the blaze and drive the intruders off. The loss of life was minimal, and the biggest damage was to the saraaya itself. Nia wasn’t sure how they’d managed to quell the fire before it consumed the entire house, but she was grateful it hadn’t. As it stood, things could have gone much, much worse.
Satisfied with the explanations given and weary from the day’s events, Nia trudged up to her room to settle in for the night, only to find a nondescript piece of parchment folded on the bed. Frowning, she picked it up to read it, wondering who in the world could possibly be sending her any sort of correspondence on a day like this. Scanning the words it contained, she dropped it in shock when she saw the signature.
Panya.
Flashing back briefly to a dark, hulking giant she’d passed in the tumult, her eyes widened in disbelief. Khanh was behind all of this? And now he wanted to meet with her?! What was he thinking?
Oh, she’d meet with him, all right, if only to give him a piece of her mind. She was of half a thought to have him arrested, as well, but she’d hear what he had to say before involving the law. It shouldn’t have surprised her, really, not considering the way they met. Why wouldn’t he target her house after she’d practically invited him inside the first time he broke in? Not to mention what followed…
No. There was no excuse for this. What followed was precisely why he shouldn’t have done this.
Nia was a whirlwind as she shed her opulent attire from the disastrous event and substituted it for something much less flashy. The tavern Khanh named was a disreputable sort that even she didn’t care to frequent, and she had no desire to draw undue attention to herself. A modest white linen kalasiris left her neck and shoulders bare, jewelry discarded and safely tucked away. Slipping her feet into sturdy leather sandals and covering her head with a black shawl, she stomped down the stairs and out the door to melt into the velvet night.
It was about half an hour’s walk down into the tavern district before Nia arrived at the location in the letter, standing up straighter when she reached the door. Chin in the air and shoulders back, she strode inside to find her erstwhile thief. A quick glance around the room found the mountain of a man back toward the corner, her jaw clenching in anger. There he was, the slimy bastard. Just wait until she got a hold of him…
Quick footsteps brought her closer to her target, pausing near the table when the firelight illuminated his face. Now she remembered why their first (and only) night together ended the way it had. Gods, but he was even more handsome than she remembered. The chiseled jaw, the sculpted musculature, those tight shoulders…
It doesn’t matter how attractive he is, you twit! He still robbed you. TWICE.
Berated by her own inner monologue, Nia took another step closer, waiting until he looked up before her palm connected with his cheek in a resounding slap. There was a brief moment where the surrounding patrons paused at the sound, a few chuckling and guffawing at the doubtless comedic sight of such a small woman squaring up to someone at least twice her size. Nia could care less about their laughter. She was mad, damn it!
“You have a lot of nerve, you know!” she scolded in a voice just a hair shy of a shout. “How could you steal from me again?! Don’t you know how many other rich assholes there are in Thebes?! Go steal from them instead!!”
This character is currently a work in progress.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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It had been quite the day in the Sheifa saraaya, and to say Nia was exhausted was an understatement. Luckily, she had managed to escape before all the fires and true chaos, but when she returned… The common area of the home where the event had been held was hardly more than ashes and soot, the acrid scent of smoke still lingering in the air. What in all the gods’ names happened while she was tumbling out the window and running for safety? Did the thieves set the fire? Were they still around?
Her family gave her various stammered explanations, all of which eventually agreed that Iaheru was the one to set the blaze and drive the intruders off. The loss of life was minimal, and the biggest damage was to the saraaya itself. Nia wasn’t sure how they’d managed to quell the fire before it consumed the entire house, but she was grateful it hadn’t. As it stood, things could have gone much, much worse.
Satisfied with the explanations given and weary from the day’s events, Nia trudged up to her room to settle in for the night, only to find a nondescript piece of parchment folded on the bed. Frowning, she picked it up to read it, wondering who in the world could possibly be sending her any sort of correspondence on a day like this. Scanning the words it contained, she dropped it in shock when she saw the signature.
Panya.
Flashing back briefly to a dark, hulking giant she’d passed in the tumult, her eyes widened in disbelief. Khanh was behind all of this? And now he wanted to meet with her?! What was he thinking?
Oh, she’d meet with him, all right, if only to give him a piece of her mind. She was of half a thought to have him arrested, as well, but she’d hear what he had to say before involving the law. It shouldn’t have surprised her, really, not considering the way they met. Why wouldn’t he target her house after she’d practically invited him inside the first time he broke in? Not to mention what followed…
No. There was no excuse for this. What followed was precisely why he shouldn’t have done this.
Nia was a whirlwind as she shed her opulent attire from the disastrous event and substituted it for something much less flashy. The tavern Khanh named was a disreputable sort that even she didn’t care to frequent, and she had no desire to draw undue attention to herself. A modest white linen kalasiris left her neck and shoulders bare, jewelry discarded and safely tucked away. Slipping her feet into sturdy leather sandals and covering her head with a black shawl, she stomped down the stairs and out the door to melt into the velvet night.
It was about half an hour’s walk down into the tavern district before Nia arrived at the location in the letter, standing up straighter when she reached the door. Chin in the air and shoulders back, she strode inside to find her erstwhile thief. A quick glance around the room found the mountain of a man back toward the corner, her jaw clenching in anger. There he was, the slimy bastard. Just wait until she got a hold of him…
Quick footsteps brought her closer to her target, pausing near the table when the firelight illuminated his face. Now she remembered why their first (and only) night together ended the way it had. Gods, but he was even more handsome than she remembered. The chiseled jaw, the sculpted musculature, those tight shoulders…
It doesn’t matter how attractive he is, you twit! He still robbed you. TWICE.
Berated by her own inner monologue, Nia took another step closer, waiting until he looked up before her palm connected with his cheek in a resounding slap. There was a brief moment where the surrounding patrons paused at the sound, a few chuckling and guffawing at the doubtless comedic sight of such a small woman squaring up to someone at least twice her size. Nia could care less about their laughter. She was mad, damn it!
“You have a lot of nerve, you know!” she scolded in a voice just a hair shy of a shout. “How could you steal from me again?! Don’t you know how many other rich assholes there are in Thebes?! Go steal from them instead!!”
It had been quite the day in the Sheifa saraaya, and to say Nia was exhausted was an understatement. Luckily, she had managed to escape before all the fires and true chaos, but when she returned… The common area of the home where the event had been held was hardly more than ashes and soot, the acrid scent of smoke still lingering in the air. What in all the gods’ names happened while she was tumbling out the window and running for safety? Did the thieves set the fire? Were they still around?
Her family gave her various stammered explanations, all of which eventually agreed that Iaheru was the one to set the blaze and drive the intruders off. The loss of life was minimal, and the biggest damage was to the saraaya itself. Nia wasn’t sure how they’d managed to quell the fire before it consumed the entire house, but she was grateful it hadn’t. As it stood, things could have gone much, much worse.
Satisfied with the explanations given and weary from the day’s events, Nia trudged up to her room to settle in for the night, only to find a nondescript piece of parchment folded on the bed. Frowning, she picked it up to read it, wondering who in the world could possibly be sending her any sort of correspondence on a day like this. Scanning the words it contained, she dropped it in shock when she saw the signature.
Panya.
Flashing back briefly to a dark, hulking giant she’d passed in the tumult, her eyes widened in disbelief. Khanh was behind all of this? And now he wanted to meet with her?! What was he thinking?
Oh, she’d meet with him, all right, if only to give him a piece of her mind. She was of half a thought to have him arrested, as well, but she’d hear what he had to say before involving the law. It shouldn’t have surprised her, really, not considering the way they met. Why wouldn’t he target her house after she’d practically invited him inside the first time he broke in? Not to mention what followed…
No. There was no excuse for this. What followed was precisely why he shouldn’t have done this.
Nia was a whirlwind as she shed her opulent attire from the disastrous event and substituted it for something much less flashy. The tavern Khanh named was a disreputable sort that even she didn’t care to frequent, and she had no desire to draw undue attention to herself. A modest white linen kalasiris left her neck and shoulders bare, jewelry discarded and safely tucked away. Slipping her feet into sturdy leather sandals and covering her head with a black shawl, she stomped down the stairs and out the door to melt into the velvet night.
It was about half an hour’s walk down into the tavern district before Nia arrived at the location in the letter, standing up straighter when she reached the door. Chin in the air and shoulders back, she strode inside to find her erstwhile thief. A quick glance around the room found the mountain of a man back toward the corner, her jaw clenching in anger. There he was, the slimy bastard. Just wait until she got a hold of him…
Quick footsteps brought her closer to her target, pausing near the table when the firelight illuminated his face. Now she remembered why their first (and only) night together ended the way it had. Gods, but he was even more handsome than she remembered. The chiseled jaw, the sculpted musculature, those tight shoulders…
It doesn’t matter how attractive he is, you twit! He still robbed you. TWICE.
Berated by her own inner monologue, Nia took another step closer, waiting until he looked up before her palm connected with his cheek in a resounding slap. There was a brief moment where the surrounding patrons paused at the sound, a few chuckling and guffawing at the doubtless comedic sight of such a small woman squaring up to someone at least twice her size. Nia could care less about their laughter. She was mad, damn it!
“You have a lot of nerve, you know!” she scolded in a voice just a hair shy of a shout. “How could you steal from me again?! Don’t you know how many other rich assholes there are in Thebes?! Go steal from them instead!!”
His cat green eyes lifted from the empty beer cup he spun idly around and landed on the still opening door. And there she stood, small between the timbers of the frame, but determined. Her face and eyes held the burnished heat of a blazing coal, simmering beneath flames. Those eyes rebounded around the room until they landed on him, pinning him to his chair. Perhaps her reaction when she reached him shouldn’t have been the shock it was, but he was too absorbed in watching her stride towards him. Her clothing from earlier was different. Now, this far away from the event, he wasn’t able to remember what she’d been wearing before. All he had was an impression of shimmering jewels and finery so grand that she might have been a goddess in her own right.
Her brisk stride faltered and slowed as she neared the table and he looked up at her with perfect calm. No smile, no frown, no questions. He watched her the way he would have watched clouds drifting in the sky. The same distant fascination, the same sense that they were lovely, soft things that held no danger. Nia fixed that momentary flight of fancy he’d indulged in. He had exactly two seconds. Two seconds in which several things happened in the same moment and he could do nothing about any of it.
The first was that she stepped forward, but the heated glow of her face twisted and he realized it wasn’t the warm glow of a banked fire but the scorching flare of the pale, white hot noonday sun. The moment of softness her face had betrayed fizzled as though it had never been and he had just enough sense to register her palm lashing out at him but no time to move. The slap was so intense and so loud that it was literally all Khanh heard as his face turned with the blow, sliding away from her and towards the far end of the room where he saw several pairs of round eyes and more than a few open mouths. The room was absolutely silent for a moment and then laughter exploded.
Over the ringing in his ears and the tumult of roukous guffawing at his expense, he didn’t hear the first of Nia’s indignant words, but he heard the tone. It didn’t take a genius to work out that she might be just a little upset over this afternoon. Thankfully, as though she knew that it was a little difficult to hear her, she made sure to speak in something so perilously close to a yell, that he was able to make out the middle of what she said, onward as he very slowly, and very carefully turned first his head, then his eyes on her again, pinning her this time with that cold gemlike stare that said he would permit this, but he did not like this. And that it could most definitely be made to stop any time he chose to do so.
Gingerly, he touched his fingertips to the imprint of her hand on his cheek, testing if that was going to bruise or not (He’d have to wait and see), and then held up his cup like he’d just noticed it was still in his other hand. “I was going to get some more beer,” he said in what he hoped was an even tone that didn’t have the merest hint of a high pitched note at the end. “Would you like some?” Then his eyes slid away from her and meaningfully at the chair opposite him, then back to her. “It tastes better if you sit down.” That wasn’t true but he was pretty sure she’d let so obvious a lie slide, especially with the weight of an even greater sin from earlier; a ruined afternoon.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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His cat green eyes lifted from the empty beer cup he spun idly around and landed on the still opening door. And there she stood, small between the timbers of the frame, but determined. Her face and eyes held the burnished heat of a blazing coal, simmering beneath flames. Those eyes rebounded around the room until they landed on him, pinning him to his chair. Perhaps her reaction when she reached him shouldn’t have been the shock it was, but he was too absorbed in watching her stride towards him. Her clothing from earlier was different. Now, this far away from the event, he wasn’t able to remember what she’d been wearing before. All he had was an impression of shimmering jewels and finery so grand that she might have been a goddess in her own right.
Her brisk stride faltered and slowed as she neared the table and he looked up at her with perfect calm. No smile, no frown, no questions. He watched her the way he would have watched clouds drifting in the sky. The same distant fascination, the same sense that they were lovely, soft things that held no danger. Nia fixed that momentary flight of fancy he’d indulged in. He had exactly two seconds. Two seconds in which several things happened in the same moment and he could do nothing about any of it.
The first was that she stepped forward, but the heated glow of her face twisted and he realized it wasn’t the warm glow of a banked fire but the scorching flare of the pale, white hot noonday sun. The moment of softness her face had betrayed fizzled as though it had never been and he had just enough sense to register her palm lashing out at him but no time to move. The slap was so intense and so loud that it was literally all Khanh heard as his face turned with the blow, sliding away from her and towards the far end of the room where he saw several pairs of round eyes and more than a few open mouths. The room was absolutely silent for a moment and then laughter exploded.
Over the ringing in his ears and the tumult of roukous guffawing at his expense, he didn’t hear the first of Nia’s indignant words, but he heard the tone. It didn’t take a genius to work out that she might be just a little upset over this afternoon. Thankfully, as though she knew that it was a little difficult to hear her, she made sure to speak in something so perilously close to a yell, that he was able to make out the middle of what she said, onward as he very slowly, and very carefully turned first his head, then his eyes on her again, pinning her this time with that cold gemlike stare that said he would permit this, but he did not like this. And that it could most definitely be made to stop any time he chose to do so.
Gingerly, he touched his fingertips to the imprint of her hand on his cheek, testing if that was going to bruise or not (He’d have to wait and see), and then held up his cup like he’d just noticed it was still in his other hand. “I was going to get some more beer,” he said in what he hoped was an even tone that didn’t have the merest hint of a high pitched note at the end. “Would you like some?” Then his eyes slid away from her and meaningfully at the chair opposite him, then back to her. “It tastes better if you sit down.” That wasn’t true but he was pretty sure she’d let so obvious a lie slide, especially with the weight of an even greater sin from earlier; a ruined afternoon.
His cat green eyes lifted from the empty beer cup he spun idly around and landed on the still opening door. And there she stood, small between the timbers of the frame, but determined. Her face and eyes held the burnished heat of a blazing coal, simmering beneath flames. Those eyes rebounded around the room until they landed on him, pinning him to his chair. Perhaps her reaction when she reached him shouldn’t have been the shock it was, but he was too absorbed in watching her stride towards him. Her clothing from earlier was different. Now, this far away from the event, he wasn’t able to remember what she’d been wearing before. All he had was an impression of shimmering jewels and finery so grand that she might have been a goddess in her own right.
Her brisk stride faltered and slowed as she neared the table and he looked up at her with perfect calm. No smile, no frown, no questions. He watched her the way he would have watched clouds drifting in the sky. The same distant fascination, the same sense that they were lovely, soft things that held no danger. Nia fixed that momentary flight of fancy he’d indulged in. He had exactly two seconds. Two seconds in which several things happened in the same moment and he could do nothing about any of it.
The first was that she stepped forward, but the heated glow of her face twisted and he realized it wasn’t the warm glow of a banked fire but the scorching flare of the pale, white hot noonday sun. The moment of softness her face had betrayed fizzled as though it had never been and he had just enough sense to register her palm lashing out at him but no time to move. The slap was so intense and so loud that it was literally all Khanh heard as his face turned with the blow, sliding away from her and towards the far end of the room where he saw several pairs of round eyes and more than a few open mouths. The room was absolutely silent for a moment and then laughter exploded.
Over the ringing in his ears and the tumult of roukous guffawing at his expense, he didn’t hear the first of Nia’s indignant words, but he heard the tone. It didn’t take a genius to work out that she might be just a little upset over this afternoon. Thankfully, as though she knew that it was a little difficult to hear her, she made sure to speak in something so perilously close to a yell, that he was able to make out the middle of what she said, onward as he very slowly, and very carefully turned first his head, then his eyes on her again, pinning her this time with that cold gemlike stare that said he would permit this, but he did not like this. And that it could most definitely be made to stop any time he chose to do so.
Gingerly, he touched his fingertips to the imprint of her hand on his cheek, testing if that was going to bruise or not (He’d have to wait and see), and then held up his cup like he’d just noticed it was still in his other hand. “I was going to get some more beer,” he said in what he hoped was an even tone that didn’t have the merest hint of a high pitched note at the end. “Would you like some?” Then his eyes slid away from her and meaningfully at the chair opposite him, then back to her. “It tastes better if you sit down.” That wasn’t true but he was pretty sure she’d let so obvious a lie slide, especially with the weight of an even greater sin from earlier; a ruined afternoon.
Khanh’s stare turned on Nia with an icy intensity, his face devoid of expression as he fixed her in his gaze. Her own face was far more animated, a barely contained fury simmering in her dark eyes. Absently, she rubbed her hand, still stinging from the slap. She wasn’t sure who she hurt more with the smack, herself or the thief sitting there like stone. His face told her he was unhappy with the situation, but in that moment, his happiness was horseshit. If he had a grievance with her, she knew her grievances were far larger.
However, he was also a big man, and she knew he was quite capable of violence. The fact that he had let her walk up to him and slap him without doing anything to fight back was entirely his own choice; he could have had her pinned to the floor in a moment if he wished it. Even full of righteous anger as she was, Nia knew she was no match for the giant and figured she probably ought not to slap him again. No matter how much she might want to. And no matter how much he deserved it.
There was a smug sense of satisfaction at seeing Khanh reach up to touch his face, probing the flesh as if checking for further injury. At least she knew she’d done something to wound him, whether he’d allowed it or not. The chorus of laughter around them didn’t hurt either; if nothing else, at least she had the vindication of a room full of grown men guffawing at this embarrassment. Whether their amusement was more for her or him, she didn’t care. It was still something.
I was going to get some more beer. Would you like some?
He glanced toward the chair across from him in a way that was none too subtle, and for a moment, Nia thought about refusing. However, his gesture and intonation seemed more of a command than a suggestion, and she had come to hear what he had to say. Even if she was ready to claw his eyes from his skull, she figured she ought to at least give him that much.
That didn’t mean she had to do it gracefully.
Taking the chair, she made a very noisy show of pulling it out to sit down, dragging it across the floor with a loud screech. Any attention that wasn’t already on them certainly was now, the amusement of the onlookers practically palpable. “I bet it tastes better when it’s not stolen, too,” she snapped back as she sat down, sighing heavily and crossing her arms over her chest. “Or are you planning to leave the tab on me?”
Her lips were pursed, expression thoroughly unamused as she positioned herself to face him. “All right, then. Out with it, Kh-Panya.” She quickly corrected herself, remember how reluctant he had been to give her his real name in the first place. “I sure hope you’re here to apologize, because if you’re here to gloat, I’m not going to waste my time with your beer.” She eyed him for a minute before she went on, “I know there’s little honor among thieves, but stealing-again-from a woman you’ve bedded is pretty low.”
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This character is currently a work in progress.
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Khanh’s stare turned on Nia with an icy intensity, his face devoid of expression as he fixed her in his gaze. Her own face was far more animated, a barely contained fury simmering in her dark eyes. Absently, she rubbed her hand, still stinging from the slap. She wasn’t sure who she hurt more with the smack, herself or the thief sitting there like stone. His face told her he was unhappy with the situation, but in that moment, his happiness was horseshit. If he had a grievance with her, she knew her grievances were far larger.
However, he was also a big man, and she knew he was quite capable of violence. The fact that he had let her walk up to him and slap him without doing anything to fight back was entirely his own choice; he could have had her pinned to the floor in a moment if he wished it. Even full of righteous anger as she was, Nia knew she was no match for the giant and figured she probably ought not to slap him again. No matter how much she might want to. And no matter how much he deserved it.
There was a smug sense of satisfaction at seeing Khanh reach up to touch his face, probing the flesh as if checking for further injury. At least she knew she’d done something to wound him, whether he’d allowed it or not. The chorus of laughter around them didn’t hurt either; if nothing else, at least she had the vindication of a room full of grown men guffawing at this embarrassment. Whether their amusement was more for her or him, she didn’t care. It was still something.
I was going to get some more beer. Would you like some?
He glanced toward the chair across from him in a way that was none too subtle, and for a moment, Nia thought about refusing. However, his gesture and intonation seemed more of a command than a suggestion, and she had come to hear what he had to say. Even if she was ready to claw his eyes from his skull, she figured she ought to at least give him that much.
That didn’t mean she had to do it gracefully.
Taking the chair, she made a very noisy show of pulling it out to sit down, dragging it across the floor with a loud screech. Any attention that wasn’t already on them certainly was now, the amusement of the onlookers practically palpable. “I bet it tastes better when it’s not stolen, too,” she snapped back as she sat down, sighing heavily and crossing her arms over her chest. “Or are you planning to leave the tab on me?”
Her lips were pursed, expression thoroughly unamused as she positioned herself to face him. “All right, then. Out with it, Kh-Panya.” She quickly corrected herself, remember how reluctant he had been to give her his real name in the first place. “I sure hope you’re here to apologize, because if you’re here to gloat, I’m not going to waste my time with your beer.” She eyed him for a minute before she went on, “I know there’s little honor among thieves, but stealing-again-from a woman you’ve bedded is pretty low.”
Khanh’s stare turned on Nia with an icy intensity, his face devoid of expression as he fixed her in his gaze. Her own face was far more animated, a barely contained fury simmering in her dark eyes. Absently, she rubbed her hand, still stinging from the slap. She wasn’t sure who she hurt more with the smack, herself or the thief sitting there like stone. His face told her he was unhappy with the situation, but in that moment, his happiness was horseshit. If he had a grievance with her, she knew her grievances were far larger.
However, he was also a big man, and she knew he was quite capable of violence. The fact that he had let her walk up to him and slap him without doing anything to fight back was entirely his own choice; he could have had her pinned to the floor in a moment if he wished it. Even full of righteous anger as she was, Nia knew she was no match for the giant and figured she probably ought not to slap him again. No matter how much she might want to. And no matter how much he deserved it.
There was a smug sense of satisfaction at seeing Khanh reach up to touch his face, probing the flesh as if checking for further injury. At least she knew she’d done something to wound him, whether he’d allowed it or not. The chorus of laughter around them didn’t hurt either; if nothing else, at least she had the vindication of a room full of grown men guffawing at this embarrassment. Whether their amusement was more for her or him, she didn’t care. It was still something.
I was going to get some more beer. Would you like some?
He glanced toward the chair across from him in a way that was none too subtle, and for a moment, Nia thought about refusing. However, his gesture and intonation seemed more of a command than a suggestion, and she had come to hear what he had to say. Even if she was ready to claw his eyes from his skull, she figured she ought to at least give him that much.
That didn’t mean she had to do it gracefully.
Taking the chair, she made a very noisy show of pulling it out to sit down, dragging it across the floor with a loud screech. Any attention that wasn’t already on them certainly was now, the amusement of the onlookers practically palpable. “I bet it tastes better when it’s not stolen, too,” she snapped back as she sat down, sighing heavily and crossing her arms over her chest. “Or are you planning to leave the tab on me?”
Her lips were pursed, expression thoroughly unamused as she positioned herself to face him. “All right, then. Out with it, Kh-Panya.” She quickly corrected herself, remember how reluctant he had been to give her his real name in the first place. “I sure hope you’re here to apologize, because if you’re here to gloat, I’m not going to waste my time with your beer.” She eyed him for a minute before she went on, “I know there’s little honor among thieves, but stealing-again-from a woman you’ve bedded is pretty low.”
For a few long seconds, they locked eyes. Several scenarios flashed through his mind in quick succession and none of them were how he wanted this to end. None of them resulted in any more violence to her person than shoving her hard enough to knock her flat on her butt. That would give him a few seconds head start, at least. Nia came to a conclusion and left him briefly to cross to a table, dragging a chair across the floor so loudly that Khanh’s teeth slid sideways as his upper lip curled in distaste. Despite his massive appearance, he didn’t ever like being the center of attention and as strange as it seemed, he really could fold himself into a chair and be forgotten by people. His pretty companion, however, being as small as she was, somehow made sure that she was never out of attention’s epicenter.
Khanh swallowed and squared his jaw at her once she’d finally sat herself down. Ripping his bright eyes from her face, he held up his cup, signalling to the tavern’s owner that more beer was necessary. The man disappeared and came back out into the main room quickly, bringing with him a clay jug of beer. Khanh had him leave it on the table and poured Nia’s beer himself as he listened to her snipe at him. “I bet it tastes better when it’s not stolen, too. Or are you planning to leave the tab on me?”
“That’s a thought,” he agreed flatly, his eyes on the amber liquid flowing into her cup. It was fragrant in the way cheap beer tended to be, but that was all Khanh ever drank and he thought nothing of it. “I’m a thief. Not a cad,” he set the beer jug down with a firm thud, a little more offended than he had a right to be, all things considered.
“All right, then. Out with it, Kh-Panya.” the name brought a ghost of a smile to his lips but it promptly died as she went on. “I sure hope you’re here to apologize, because if you’re here to gloat, I’m not going to waste my time with your beer. I know there’s little honor among thieves, but stealing-again-from a woman you’ve bedded is pretty low.”
Khanh quirked his brows at her. “You didn’t seem to mind overly much at the time,” he lifted his cup, watching her over the rim as he drank. Lowering the cup after several swallows, he added, “You said you didn’t like jewelry. And anyway,” he pressed on, not giving her time to interrupt. “It wasn’t like you were the target. Your family just happened to have advertised the biggest jewelry party and our schedule was open.”
Placing the cup down, he opened his hands in a helpless gesture and shrugged his broad shoulders. “It’s business. Nothing personal. Though, if it was personal,” he leaned a forearm on the table and planted the index finger of his other hand on the table’s center to make his point. “I’d steal from you again. It’s always so pleasant with you. Though that fire was inconvenient for everyone, but don’t worry.” He held up his hands again. “We’re all fine. Thank you for asking.”
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For a few long seconds, they locked eyes. Several scenarios flashed through his mind in quick succession and none of them were how he wanted this to end. None of them resulted in any more violence to her person than shoving her hard enough to knock her flat on her butt. That would give him a few seconds head start, at least. Nia came to a conclusion and left him briefly to cross to a table, dragging a chair across the floor so loudly that Khanh’s teeth slid sideways as his upper lip curled in distaste. Despite his massive appearance, he didn’t ever like being the center of attention and as strange as it seemed, he really could fold himself into a chair and be forgotten by people. His pretty companion, however, being as small as she was, somehow made sure that she was never out of attention’s epicenter.
Khanh swallowed and squared his jaw at her once she’d finally sat herself down. Ripping his bright eyes from her face, he held up his cup, signalling to the tavern’s owner that more beer was necessary. The man disappeared and came back out into the main room quickly, bringing with him a clay jug of beer. Khanh had him leave it on the table and poured Nia’s beer himself as he listened to her snipe at him. “I bet it tastes better when it’s not stolen, too. Or are you planning to leave the tab on me?”
“That’s a thought,” he agreed flatly, his eyes on the amber liquid flowing into her cup. It was fragrant in the way cheap beer tended to be, but that was all Khanh ever drank and he thought nothing of it. “I’m a thief. Not a cad,” he set the beer jug down with a firm thud, a little more offended than he had a right to be, all things considered.
“All right, then. Out with it, Kh-Panya.” the name brought a ghost of a smile to his lips but it promptly died as she went on. “I sure hope you’re here to apologize, because if you’re here to gloat, I’m not going to waste my time with your beer. I know there’s little honor among thieves, but stealing-again-from a woman you’ve bedded is pretty low.”
Khanh quirked his brows at her. “You didn’t seem to mind overly much at the time,” he lifted his cup, watching her over the rim as he drank. Lowering the cup after several swallows, he added, “You said you didn’t like jewelry. And anyway,” he pressed on, not giving her time to interrupt. “It wasn’t like you were the target. Your family just happened to have advertised the biggest jewelry party and our schedule was open.”
Placing the cup down, he opened his hands in a helpless gesture and shrugged his broad shoulders. “It’s business. Nothing personal. Though, if it was personal,” he leaned a forearm on the table and planted the index finger of his other hand on the table’s center to make his point. “I’d steal from you again. It’s always so pleasant with you. Though that fire was inconvenient for everyone, but don’t worry.” He held up his hands again. “We’re all fine. Thank you for asking.”
For a few long seconds, they locked eyes. Several scenarios flashed through his mind in quick succession and none of them were how he wanted this to end. None of them resulted in any more violence to her person than shoving her hard enough to knock her flat on her butt. That would give him a few seconds head start, at least. Nia came to a conclusion and left him briefly to cross to a table, dragging a chair across the floor so loudly that Khanh’s teeth slid sideways as his upper lip curled in distaste. Despite his massive appearance, he didn’t ever like being the center of attention and as strange as it seemed, he really could fold himself into a chair and be forgotten by people. His pretty companion, however, being as small as she was, somehow made sure that she was never out of attention’s epicenter.
Khanh swallowed and squared his jaw at her once she’d finally sat herself down. Ripping his bright eyes from her face, he held up his cup, signalling to the tavern’s owner that more beer was necessary. The man disappeared and came back out into the main room quickly, bringing with him a clay jug of beer. Khanh had him leave it on the table and poured Nia’s beer himself as he listened to her snipe at him. “I bet it tastes better when it’s not stolen, too. Or are you planning to leave the tab on me?”
“That’s a thought,” he agreed flatly, his eyes on the amber liquid flowing into her cup. It was fragrant in the way cheap beer tended to be, but that was all Khanh ever drank and he thought nothing of it. “I’m a thief. Not a cad,” he set the beer jug down with a firm thud, a little more offended than he had a right to be, all things considered.
“All right, then. Out with it, Kh-Panya.” the name brought a ghost of a smile to his lips but it promptly died as she went on. “I sure hope you’re here to apologize, because if you’re here to gloat, I’m not going to waste my time with your beer. I know there’s little honor among thieves, but stealing-again-from a woman you’ve bedded is pretty low.”
Khanh quirked his brows at her. “You didn’t seem to mind overly much at the time,” he lifted his cup, watching her over the rim as he drank. Lowering the cup after several swallows, he added, “You said you didn’t like jewelry. And anyway,” he pressed on, not giving her time to interrupt. “It wasn’t like you were the target. Your family just happened to have advertised the biggest jewelry party and our schedule was open.”
Placing the cup down, he opened his hands in a helpless gesture and shrugged his broad shoulders. “It’s business. Nothing personal. Though, if it was personal,” he leaned a forearm on the table and planted the index finger of his other hand on the table’s center to make his point. “I’d steal from you again. It’s always so pleasant with you. Though that fire was inconvenient for everyone, but don’t worry.” He held up his hands again. “We’re all fine. Thank you for asking.”
I’m a thief. Not a cad.
“Oh, yes, you’re positively charming, forgive me,” she drolled, snatching the glass he slid to her, every bit as offended as she had a right to be. She took several long swallows from the glass, her drinking almost spiteful as she glared at him. Nia’s eyes never left Khanh’s, nearly spitting her beer at him when he mentioned how she hadn’t seemed to mind it last time.
“That was different!” she nearly shouted before remembering they were in public. As if the volume of her voice mattered; she had already drawn plenty of attention to them, anyway. “And I seem to recall, we both got quite a lot out of that night. A far cry from a band of thieves crashing one of my family’s most important events of the year. And killing our guards! Was that really necessary? Couldn’t you have just knocked them out?” Her jaw tightened, lips forming a thin line as she glared at him. “I’ve known those men all my life. They had wives, children, entire lives. Gone in an instant, because you and yours had to come snatch what didn’t belong to you. Did you even spare a thought for their families before you left them dead on the floor? Or were the jewels that important?”
It’s business. Nothing personal.
“Oh really? That makes all the difference, doesn’t it?” she spat the words, her temper flaring again as she fought the urge not to splash the rest of the beer down the front of his clothing. “Thank you, I feel so much better now! I can go on with my day knowing it wasn’t personal, even though you targeted my family in my house, which oh, I’m sure you just conveniently happened not to recognize…”
Her sarcasm was biting, her bitterness palpable. When he mentioned the fire and how his crew fared, she finally laughed, the sound loud and disbelieving with an edge that bordered on hysteria. “Oh, you’re all doing well?! How lovely! I was so concerned, thank you for that reassurance!”
Making a loud sound of frustration, Nia raked her fingers impatiently through her hair as she fought the urge to tug it out. Really, she wanted to reach across the table and tug his hair out, but she doubted she would get very far. He might have allowed the slap, but she doubted any further overtures of violence would be tolerated. Even if it was justified.
Draining the rest of her glass, she quickly poured herself another and knocked half of that back all at once. If this conversation was going to go on for much longer, she was getting drunk. How else could she handle this absurdity? “You know, if you’re trying to apologize, you’re not doing a very good job of it. Most of the time, apologies at least involve the words, ‘I’m sorry.’” Lifting a brow at him, she took another swallow of the cheap and tasteless beer and tapped her fingers on the table. “I’m waiting.”
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I’m a thief. Not a cad.
“Oh, yes, you’re positively charming, forgive me,” she drolled, snatching the glass he slid to her, every bit as offended as she had a right to be. She took several long swallows from the glass, her drinking almost spiteful as she glared at him. Nia’s eyes never left Khanh’s, nearly spitting her beer at him when he mentioned how she hadn’t seemed to mind it last time.
“That was different!” she nearly shouted before remembering they were in public. As if the volume of her voice mattered; she had already drawn plenty of attention to them, anyway. “And I seem to recall, we both got quite a lot out of that night. A far cry from a band of thieves crashing one of my family’s most important events of the year. And killing our guards! Was that really necessary? Couldn’t you have just knocked them out?” Her jaw tightened, lips forming a thin line as she glared at him. “I’ve known those men all my life. They had wives, children, entire lives. Gone in an instant, because you and yours had to come snatch what didn’t belong to you. Did you even spare a thought for their families before you left them dead on the floor? Or were the jewels that important?”
It’s business. Nothing personal.
“Oh really? That makes all the difference, doesn’t it?” she spat the words, her temper flaring again as she fought the urge not to splash the rest of the beer down the front of his clothing. “Thank you, I feel so much better now! I can go on with my day knowing it wasn’t personal, even though you targeted my family in my house, which oh, I’m sure you just conveniently happened not to recognize…”
Her sarcasm was biting, her bitterness palpable. When he mentioned the fire and how his crew fared, she finally laughed, the sound loud and disbelieving with an edge that bordered on hysteria. “Oh, you’re all doing well?! How lovely! I was so concerned, thank you for that reassurance!”
Making a loud sound of frustration, Nia raked her fingers impatiently through her hair as she fought the urge to tug it out. Really, she wanted to reach across the table and tug his hair out, but she doubted she would get very far. He might have allowed the slap, but she doubted any further overtures of violence would be tolerated. Even if it was justified.
Draining the rest of her glass, she quickly poured herself another and knocked half of that back all at once. If this conversation was going to go on for much longer, she was getting drunk. How else could she handle this absurdity? “You know, if you’re trying to apologize, you’re not doing a very good job of it. Most of the time, apologies at least involve the words, ‘I’m sorry.’” Lifting a brow at him, she took another swallow of the cheap and tasteless beer and tapped her fingers on the table. “I’m waiting.”
I’m a thief. Not a cad.
“Oh, yes, you’re positively charming, forgive me,” she drolled, snatching the glass he slid to her, every bit as offended as she had a right to be. She took several long swallows from the glass, her drinking almost spiteful as she glared at him. Nia’s eyes never left Khanh’s, nearly spitting her beer at him when he mentioned how she hadn’t seemed to mind it last time.
“That was different!” she nearly shouted before remembering they were in public. As if the volume of her voice mattered; she had already drawn plenty of attention to them, anyway. “And I seem to recall, we both got quite a lot out of that night. A far cry from a band of thieves crashing one of my family’s most important events of the year. And killing our guards! Was that really necessary? Couldn’t you have just knocked them out?” Her jaw tightened, lips forming a thin line as she glared at him. “I’ve known those men all my life. They had wives, children, entire lives. Gone in an instant, because you and yours had to come snatch what didn’t belong to you. Did you even spare a thought for their families before you left them dead on the floor? Or were the jewels that important?”
It’s business. Nothing personal.
“Oh really? That makes all the difference, doesn’t it?” she spat the words, her temper flaring again as she fought the urge not to splash the rest of the beer down the front of his clothing. “Thank you, I feel so much better now! I can go on with my day knowing it wasn’t personal, even though you targeted my family in my house, which oh, I’m sure you just conveniently happened not to recognize…”
Her sarcasm was biting, her bitterness palpable. When he mentioned the fire and how his crew fared, she finally laughed, the sound loud and disbelieving with an edge that bordered on hysteria. “Oh, you’re all doing well?! How lovely! I was so concerned, thank you for that reassurance!”
Making a loud sound of frustration, Nia raked her fingers impatiently through her hair as she fought the urge to tug it out. Really, she wanted to reach across the table and tug his hair out, but she doubted she would get very far. He might have allowed the slap, but she doubted any further overtures of violence would be tolerated. Even if it was justified.
Draining the rest of her glass, she quickly poured herself another and knocked half of that back all at once. If this conversation was going to go on for much longer, she was getting drunk. How else could she handle this absurdity? “You know, if you’re trying to apologize, you’re not doing a very good job of it. Most of the time, apologies at least involve the words, ‘I’m sorry.’” Lifting a brow at him, she took another swallow of the cheap and tasteless beer and tapped her fingers on the table. “I’m waiting.”
This conversation was not going as well as he’d envisioned in his head. When he’d considered the possibility that it would go horribly wrong, he’d only thought that Nia herself wouldn’t come and that guards would swarm the place. Not once did he think she would actually come just to snark at him, accept beer, and then insult him the entire time. He imagined that she’d been a white hot ball of fiery rage, seething down the back alleys, culminating in the slap still ringing across his face. Maybe he shouldn’t have written a note…
He didn’t answer the charges of targeting her house. It wasn’t like he’d done it maliciously and just because they’d had a wonderful time when they’d met last did not mean that she had some sort of immunity. Honestly. Besides, she’d made it really seem like she didn’t care about her wealth. If she didn’t care and he did, then why was this even an issue? Of course, he reflected, leaning his elbows onto the table and tapping his chin as he observed her, she had said the guards were part of her rage. Yes, he could see how she might be upset that people were killed. Since he didn’t think he was going to win that particular argument, he chose not to respond to it. Pick your battles.
Her shrill laugh made him wince and he leaned one ear against his palm under the guise of resting his head. To cover both ears would have been a little too obvious. Nia looked momentarily unhinged and he had the vague concern that she might try to slap him again. Once was enough. He sighed as she spoke, raking her fingers through her hair and looking unspeakably beautiful while she did it.
“Oh, you’re all doing well?! How lovely! I was so concerned, thank you for that reassurance!”
Another sigh met that sarcasm and for a wild moment, he had the impression she really might go for another slap. He pulled back, not willing to allow a second one and braced his hands against the table in case she tried it. Though he’d have killed her with no issue when they first met if she had been silly and made the warning scream to her family, he didn’t want any violence with her now. He was prepared to get up from this table and leave if she came at him again.
She did not. Instead she downed her beer like a man, poured herself another, and knocked it back as well. Khanh might have been impressed if he wasn’t becoming a little concerned that Nia was going to need escorted home - as task he assumed she didn’t want done by him.
“You know,” she said as though they were in the middle of some kind of conversation instead of him watching her drink while wondering if he should intervene. ”If you’re trying to apologize, you’re not doing a very good job of it. Most of the time, apologies at least involve the words, ‘I’m sorry.’” As though to make that statement all the more infuriating, she arched a delicate brow at him and he was left with the distinct feeling of being five again, being lectured by a woman in the marketplace that he’d stolen from. While he debated on what to say, her fingers drummed rhythmically on the table and she took another draft of beer. He watched the sheen of it on her lips when she finally set the mug back down and said, ”I’m waiting.”
Khanh reached across the table and plucked the cup from her hand. “I think that’s enough,” he said slowly, placing her cup between his arms that were now loosely crossed over one another as they rested on the table. Looking into her eyes, waiting until he was sure he had her attention, he said, “I’m sorry that the job upset you and I’m sorry that I killed guards you cared about.” Not for one second did he think she would be satisfied with that but what else was he going to say? He wasn’t sorry for being a thief. He wasn’t sorry for targeting one of the most lucrative houses. It was just too bad it happened to belong to her family. It was supposed to be an in and out job and no one (save for the guards but hey? Collateral damage was to be expected) got hurt. It wasn’t his fault her insane mother had set her own house on fire.
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This conversation was not going as well as he’d envisioned in his head. When he’d considered the possibility that it would go horribly wrong, he’d only thought that Nia herself wouldn’t come and that guards would swarm the place. Not once did he think she would actually come just to snark at him, accept beer, and then insult him the entire time. He imagined that she’d been a white hot ball of fiery rage, seething down the back alleys, culminating in the slap still ringing across his face. Maybe he shouldn’t have written a note…
He didn’t answer the charges of targeting her house. It wasn’t like he’d done it maliciously and just because they’d had a wonderful time when they’d met last did not mean that she had some sort of immunity. Honestly. Besides, she’d made it really seem like she didn’t care about her wealth. If she didn’t care and he did, then why was this even an issue? Of course, he reflected, leaning his elbows onto the table and tapping his chin as he observed her, she had said the guards were part of her rage. Yes, he could see how she might be upset that people were killed. Since he didn’t think he was going to win that particular argument, he chose not to respond to it. Pick your battles.
Her shrill laugh made him wince and he leaned one ear against his palm under the guise of resting his head. To cover both ears would have been a little too obvious. Nia looked momentarily unhinged and he had the vague concern that she might try to slap him again. Once was enough. He sighed as she spoke, raking her fingers through her hair and looking unspeakably beautiful while she did it.
“Oh, you’re all doing well?! How lovely! I was so concerned, thank you for that reassurance!”
Another sigh met that sarcasm and for a wild moment, he had the impression she really might go for another slap. He pulled back, not willing to allow a second one and braced his hands against the table in case she tried it. Though he’d have killed her with no issue when they first met if she had been silly and made the warning scream to her family, he didn’t want any violence with her now. He was prepared to get up from this table and leave if she came at him again.
She did not. Instead she downed her beer like a man, poured herself another, and knocked it back as well. Khanh might have been impressed if he wasn’t becoming a little concerned that Nia was going to need escorted home - as task he assumed she didn’t want done by him.
“You know,” she said as though they were in the middle of some kind of conversation instead of him watching her drink while wondering if he should intervene. ”If you’re trying to apologize, you’re not doing a very good job of it. Most of the time, apologies at least involve the words, ‘I’m sorry.’” As though to make that statement all the more infuriating, she arched a delicate brow at him and he was left with the distinct feeling of being five again, being lectured by a woman in the marketplace that he’d stolen from. While he debated on what to say, her fingers drummed rhythmically on the table and she took another draft of beer. He watched the sheen of it on her lips when she finally set the mug back down and said, ”I’m waiting.”
Khanh reached across the table and plucked the cup from her hand. “I think that’s enough,” he said slowly, placing her cup between his arms that were now loosely crossed over one another as they rested on the table. Looking into her eyes, waiting until he was sure he had her attention, he said, “I’m sorry that the job upset you and I’m sorry that I killed guards you cared about.” Not for one second did he think she would be satisfied with that but what else was he going to say? He wasn’t sorry for being a thief. He wasn’t sorry for targeting one of the most lucrative houses. It was just too bad it happened to belong to her family. It was supposed to be an in and out job and no one (save for the guards but hey? Collateral damage was to be expected) got hurt. It wasn’t his fault her insane mother had set her own house on fire.
This conversation was not going as well as he’d envisioned in his head. When he’d considered the possibility that it would go horribly wrong, he’d only thought that Nia herself wouldn’t come and that guards would swarm the place. Not once did he think she would actually come just to snark at him, accept beer, and then insult him the entire time. He imagined that she’d been a white hot ball of fiery rage, seething down the back alleys, culminating in the slap still ringing across his face. Maybe he shouldn’t have written a note…
He didn’t answer the charges of targeting her house. It wasn’t like he’d done it maliciously and just because they’d had a wonderful time when they’d met last did not mean that she had some sort of immunity. Honestly. Besides, she’d made it really seem like she didn’t care about her wealth. If she didn’t care and he did, then why was this even an issue? Of course, he reflected, leaning his elbows onto the table and tapping his chin as he observed her, she had said the guards were part of her rage. Yes, he could see how she might be upset that people were killed. Since he didn’t think he was going to win that particular argument, he chose not to respond to it. Pick your battles.
Her shrill laugh made him wince and he leaned one ear against his palm under the guise of resting his head. To cover both ears would have been a little too obvious. Nia looked momentarily unhinged and he had the vague concern that she might try to slap him again. Once was enough. He sighed as she spoke, raking her fingers through her hair and looking unspeakably beautiful while she did it.
“Oh, you’re all doing well?! How lovely! I was so concerned, thank you for that reassurance!”
Another sigh met that sarcasm and for a wild moment, he had the impression she really might go for another slap. He pulled back, not willing to allow a second one and braced his hands against the table in case she tried it. Though he’d have killed her with no issue when they first met if she had been silly and made the warning scream to her family, he didn’t want any violence with her now. He was prepared to get up from this table and leave if she came at him again.
She did not. Instead she downed her beer like a man, poured herself another, and knocked it back as well. Khanh might have been impressed if he wasn’t becoming a little concerned that Nia was going to need escorted home - as task he assumed she didn’t want done by him.
“You know,” she said as though they were in the middle of some kind of conversation instead of him watching her drink while wondering if he should intervene. ”If you’re trying to apologize, you’re not doing a very good job of it. Most of the time, apologies at least involve the words, ‘I’m sorry.’” As though to make that statement all the more infuriating, she arched a delicate brow at him and he was left with the distinct feeling of being five again, being lectured by a woman in the marketplace that he’d stolen from. While he debated on what to say, her fingers drummed rhythmically on the table and she took another draft of beer. He watched the sheen of it on her lips when she finally set the mug back down and said, ”I’m waiting.”
Khanh reached across the table and plucked the cup from her hand. “I think that’s enough,” he said slowly, placing her cup between his arms that were now loosely crossed over one another as they rested on the table. Looking into her eyes, waiting until he was sure he had her attention, he said, “I’m sorry that the job upset you and I’m sorry that I killed guards you cared about.” Not for one second did he think she would be satisfied with that but what else was he going to say? He wasn’t sorry for being a thief. He wasn’t sorry for targeting one of the most lucrative houses. It was just too bad it happened to belong to her family. It was supposed to be an in and out job and no one (save for the guards but hey? Collateral damage was to be expected) got hurt. It wasn’t his fault her insane mother had set her own house on fire.
Frankly, Nia was surprised that Khanh was still sitting there listening to her as she railed at him. Had she been in his position, she likely would have walked out already, rather than listen to the scathing criticism she unleashed. Then again, she doubted she would ever be in the position he was in now; feebly attempting to justify theft and murder to the woman whose family he had stolen from. Had she ever stolen anything? Of course; Nia had spent much of her life in the underbelly of the city, and she got off on thrills. But murder? No. She wasn’t a killer.
Maybe he did feel a little bad about it, considering he had invited her here in the first place, and he wasn’t doing anything to stop her rambling. Even if he did, though, her heart was hardly softened. The jewels were one thing, but the lives he and his group took were another. If he could have seen the look on Amsu’s wife’s face when they broke the news… Well, he wouldn’t be sitting there look at her like that, that was for sure. Or would he?
It shouldn’t have shocked her that he would something like this, really. He had threatened violence against her the first night they met, had broken into her room in the dead of the night and warned her against trying to thwart him. And yet, she slept with him anyway, recklessly running off with the thief on some wanton adventure that could’ve gotten her killed. Perhaps that was why she was so angry; by the end of the night, he had proven that he wasn’t simply a man of cruel and idle violence. Then turned around and showed up months later to show just exactly what he was capable of.
Her ruminating was interrupted as he snatched the glass from her hands, tucking it into his own grasp where she couldn’t get it back. “Hey!” she protested, brows drawing together in an angry frown. “Give that back!”
Acting as if he hadn’t even heard her, the thief calmly offered one of the weakest apologies she had ever heard, but she begrudgingly had to admit it was at least something. Idly, Nia wondered how often he had ever apologized for his actions, an ironic thought coming from her. Granted, his crimes far outweighed her own. She hardly felt what he did was comparable to anything she had ever done.
“I guess I did just ask for the words, ‘I’m sorry.’ I didn’t specify it had to sound sincere,” she responded dryly, with a glare that had lost at least a little of its fire. “But if you want any hope of me even remotely forgiving you, I would suggest you return the beer. Drunk Nia is much more lenient than sober Nia.”
Cocking a brow, she looked at him expectantly, reaching out to him and opening and closing her hand in a demanding gesture. She hadn’t gotten up and left, so that was something. “Please,” she added, tone dripping with frustrated sarcasm.
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Frankly, Nia was surprised that Khanh was still sitting there listening to her as she railed at him. Had she been in his position, she likely would have walked out already, rather than listen to the scathing criticism she unleashed. Then again, she doubted she would ever be in the position he was in now; feebly attempting to justify theft and murder to the woman whose family he had stolen from. Had she ever stolen anything? Of course; Nia had spent much of her life in the underbelly of the city, and she got off on thrills. But murder? No. She wasn’t a killer.
Maybe he did feel a little bad about it, considering he had invited her here in the first place, and he wasn’t doing anything to stop her rambling. Even if he did, though, her heart was hardly softened. The jewels were one thing, but the lives he and his group took were another. If he could have seen the look on Amsu’s wife’s face when they broke the news… Well, he wouldn’t be sitting there look at her like that, that was for sure. Or would he?
It shouldn’t have shocked her that he would something like this, really. He had threatened violence against her the first night they met, had broken into her room in the dead of the night and warned her against trying to thwart him. And yet, she slept with him anyway, recklessly running off with the thief on some wanton adventure that could’ve gotten her killed. Perhaps that was why she was so angry; by the end of the night, he had proven that he wasn’t simply a man of cruel and idle violence. Then turned around and showed up months later to show just exactly what he was capable of.
Her ruminating was interrupted as he snatched the glass from her hands, tucking it into his own grasp where she couldn’t get it back. “Hey!” she protested, brows drawing together in an angry frown. “Give that back!”
Acting as if he hadn’t even heard her, the thief calmly offered one of the weakest apologies she had ever heard, but she begrudgingly had to admit it was at least something. Idly, Nia wondered how often he had ever apologized for his actions, an ironic thought coming from her. Granted, his crimes far outweighed her own. She hardly felt what he did was comparable to anything she had ever done.
“I guess I did just ask for the words, ‘I’m sorry.’ I didn’t specify it had to sound sincere,” she responded dryly, with a glare that had lost at least a little of its fire. “But if you want any hope of me even remotely forgiving you, I would suggest you return the beer. Drunk Nia is much more lenient than sober Nia.”
Cocking a brow, she looked at him expectantly, reaching out to him and opening and closing her hand in a demanding gesture. She hadn’t gotten up and left, so that was something. “Please,” she added, tone dripping with frustrated sarcasm.
Frankly, Nia was surprised that Khanh was still sitting there listening to her as she railed at him. Had she been in his position, she likely would have walked out already, rather than listen to the scathing criticism she unleashed. Then again, she doubted she would ever be in the position he was in now; feebly attempting to justify theft and murder to the woman whose family he had stolen from. Had she ever stolen anything? Of course; Nia had spent much of her life in the underbelly of the city, and she got off on thrills. But murder? No. She wasn’t a killer.
Maybe he did feel a little bad about it, considering he had invited her here in the first place, and he wasn’t doing anything to stop her rambling. Even if he did, though, her heart was hardly softened. The jewels were one thing, but the lives he and his group took were another. If he could have seen the look on Amsu’s wife’s face when they broke the news… Well, he wouldn’t be sitting there look at her like that, that was for sure. Or would he?
It shouldn’t have shocked her that he would something like this, really. He had threatened violence against her the first night they met, had broken into her room in the dead of the night and warned her against trying to thwart him. And yet, she slept with him anyway, recklessly running off with the thief on some wanton adventure that could’ve gotten her killed. Perhaps that was why she was so angry; by the end of the night, he had proven that he wasn’t simply a man of cruel and idle violence. Then turned around and showed up months later to show just exactly what he was capable of.
Her ruminating was interrupted as he snatched the glass from her hands, tucking it into his own grasp where she couldn’t get it back. “Hey!” she protested, brows drawing together in an angry frown. “Give that back!”
Acting as if he hadn’t even heard her, the thief calmly offered one of the weakest apologies she had ever heard, but she begrudgingly had to admit it was at least something. Idly, Nia wondered how often he had ever apologized for his actions, an ironic thought coming from her. Granted, his crimes far outweighed her own. She hardly felt what he did was comparable to anything she had ever done.
“I guess I did just ask for the words, ‘I’m sorry.’ I didn’t specify it had to sound sincere,” she responded dryly, with a glare that had lost at least a little of its fire. “But if you want any hope of me even remotely forgiving you, I would suggest you return the beer. Drunk Nia is much more lenient than sober Nia.”
Cocking a brow, she looked at him expectantly, reaching out to him and opening and closing her hand in a demanding gesture. She hadn’t gotten up and left, so that was something. “Please,” she added, tone dripping with frustrated sarcasm.
He didn’t imagine she’d be pleased with his taking the glass away but he wasn’t quite prepared for the childish ”Hey! Give that back!” that followed, like he was her brother and had taken her favorite doll. With his arms protectively around her drink, he had every confidence that she couldn’t force it from him, which was why he took the opportunity of having her complete attention in order to formulate that little apology. It went over a little less well than he’d hoped.
“I guess I did just ask for the words, ‘I’m sorry.’ I didn’t specify it had to sound sincere,” she said with a bitter edge and he was left with the distinct impression that their time together before might have been a fluke. It might have been a one time thing but it had been fun and left a lasting impression on him, at the very least. Khanh had no illusions as to love but he wasn’t as callous as might be supposed. The soft spot for her lingered and was what kept him at the table, his bright green eyes flat and staring her down.
“But if you want any hope of me even remotely forgiving you, I would suggest you return the beer. Drunk Nia is much more lenient than sober Nia.” The flattened stare didn’t shift with that declaration, nor did it alter when she arched a perfect brow at him. She shifted and his eyes dropped to her hand, flexing open and closed expectantly. Alright. She’d jumped from six to sixteen but it wasn’t better. It was just more aggressive. Lucky for her, he preferred that to sullen. And yet, he did not unfix his arms from around her drink. In a final attempt, she added a highly sarcastic ‘please’. It was as believable and sincere as his apology.
Khanh handed the drink over.
This was against his better judgement. Drunk Nia might be more forgiving but she’d also be sloppier and more of a mess. Unlike her, Khanh did not rely on drink to solve his problems. However, he hadn’t brought her here to preach virtues to her and so left that particular vice of hers alone.
“To be truthful,” he said after a few minutes of pregnant silence. “I wanted to see you again. The last time was a bit more pleasant than this one has shaped up to be.” He cast around for something to say but what did one say to a woman with whom he did not have any real intentions on? Just a sort of vague desire to be on good terms with.
“I don’t have conventional friendships,” he tried again, not really ever had to have explained the nature of his life. He had Nahash and Zai, Tiye had joined them at his invitation, and so too had Akhmad. But Nia, this was a different kind of conversation. It didn’t occur to him to ask her to come with them and take up a life of nomadic thievery in search of notoriety. She didn’t appear to his eyes to want to do something like that and so he wouldn’t and didn’t ask it of her.
“But I thought maybe, if you’re now drunk enough, that we could go back to being friends?” Though how valuable such a thing would be to either of them was hard to say. He had more of a vested interest in it than she did, so far as he could work out logistically.
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He didn’t imagine she’d be pleased with his taking the glass away but he wasn’t quite prepared for the childish ”Hey! Give that back!” that followed, like he was her brother and had taken her favorite doll. With his arms protectively around her drink, he had every confidence that she couldn’t force it from him, which was why he took the opportunity of having her complete attention in order to formulate that little apology. It went over a little less well than he’d hoped.
“I guess I did just ask for the words, ‘I’m sorry.’ I didn’t specify it had to sound sincere,” she said with a bitter edge and he was left with the distinct impression that their time together before might have been a fluke. It might have been a one time thing but it had been fun and left a lasting impression on him, at the very least. Khanh had no illusions as to love but he wasn’t as callous as might be supposed. The soft spot for her lingered and was what kept him at the table, his bright green eyes flat and staring her down.
“But if you want any hope of me even remotely forgiving you, I would suggest you return the beer. Drunk Nia is much more lenient than sober Nia.” The flattened stare didn’t shift with that declaration, nor did it alter when she arched a perfect brow at him. She shifted and his eyes dropped to her hand, flexing open and closed expectantly. Alright. She’d jumped from six to sixteen but it wasn’t better. It was just more aggressive. Lucky for her, he preferred that to sullen. And yet, he did not unfix his arms from around her drink. In a final attempt, she added a highly sarcastic ‘please’. It was as believable and sincere as his apology.
Khanh handed the drink over.
This was against his better judgement. Drunk Nia might be more forgiving but she’d also be sloppier and more of a mess. Unlike her, Khanh did not rely on drink to solve his problems. However, he hadn’t brought her here to preach virtues to her and so left that particular vice of hers alone.
“To be truthful,” he said after a few minutes of pregnant silence. “I wanted to see you again. The last time was a bit more pleasant than this one has shaped up to be.” He cast around for something to say but what did one say to a woman with whom he did not have any real intentions on? Just a sort of vague desire to be on good terms with.
“I don’t have conventional friendships,” he tried again, not really ever had to have explained the nature of his life. He had Nahash and Zai, Tiye had joined them at his invitation, and so too had Akhmad. But Nia, this was a different kind of conversation. It didn’t occur to him to ask her to come with them and take up a life of nomadic thievery in search of notoriety. She didn’t appear to his eyes to want to do something like that and so he wouldn’t and didn’t ask it of her.
“But I thought maybe, if you’re now drunk enough, that we could go back to being friends?” Though how valuable such a thing would be to either of them was hard to say. He had more of a vested interest in it than she did, so far as he could work out logistically.
He didn’t imagine she’d be pleased with his taking the glass away but he wasn’t quite prepared for the childish ”Hey! Give that back!” that followed, like he was her brother and had taken her favorite doll. With his arms protectively around her drink, he had every confidence that she couldn’t force it from him, which was why he took the opportunity of having her complete attention in order to formulate that little apology. It went over a little less well than he’d hoped.
“I guess I did just ask for the words, ‘I’m sorry.’ I didn’t specify it had to sound sincere,” she said with a bitter edge and he was left with the distinct impression that their time together before might have been a fluke. It might have been a one time thing but it had been fun and left a lasting impression on him, at the very least. Khanh had no illusions as to love but he wasn’t as callous as might be supposed. The soft spot for her lingered and was what kept him at the table, his bright green eyes flat and staring her down.
“But if you want any hope of me even remotely forgiving you, I would suggest you return the beer. Drunk Nia is much more lenient than sober Nia.” The flattened stare didn’t shift with that declaration, nor did it alter when she arched a perfect brow at him. She shifted and his eyes dropped to her hand, flexing open and closed expectantly. Alright. She’d jumped from six to sixteen but it wasn’t better. It was just more aggressive. Lucky for her, he preferred that to sullen. And yet, he did not unfix his arms from around her drink. In a final attempt, she added a highly sarcastic ‘please’. It was as believable and sincere as his apology.
Khanh handed the drink over.
This was against his better judgement. Drunk Nia might be more forgiving but she’d also be sloppier and more of a mess. Unlike her, Khanh did not rely on drink to solve his problems. However, he hadn’t brought her here to preach virtues to her and so left that particular vice of hers alone.
“To be truthful,” he said after a few minutes of pregnant silence. “I wanted to see you again. The last time was a bit more pleasant than this one has shaped up to be.” He cast around for something to say but what did one say to a woman with whom he did not have any real intentions on? Just a sort of vague desire to be on good terms with.
“I don’t have conventional friendships,” he tried again, not really ever had to have explained the nature of his life. He had Nahash and Zai, Tiye had joined them at his invitation, and so too had Akhmad. But Nia, this was a different kind of conversation. It didn’t occur to him to ask her to come with them and take up a life of nomadic thievery in search of notoriety. She didn’t appear to his eyes to want to do something like that and so he wouldn’t and didn’t ask it of her.
“But I thought maybe, if you’re now drunk enough, that we could go back to being friends?” Though how valuable such a thing would be to either of them was hard to say. He had more of a vested interest in it than she did, so far as he could work out logistically.
Khanh handed her drink back to her, and at least she had that small victory. “Thank you,” she said in a saccharine voice, eyeing him and taking a long swallow of the beer. “You’re too kind.”
The warmth of the beer spreading through her belly did soften her a little, though silence stretched between them for several long moments. When the thief spoke again, he caught her off guard, the noblewoman’s brows lifting into her forehead.
To be truthful, I wanted to see you again. The last time was a bit more pleasant than this one has shaped up to be.
“Hmm, I wonder why that could be,” was her sarcastic response, though her tone had lost a little of its bite. Truthfully, their last time together hadn’t started much better, and it was only the nature of her own particular proclivities that had it ending up the way it had. It was remarkable she hadn’t ended up a victim that night, and there were still times she thought back on it with a sort of embarrassed amazement. What had she been thinking, to behave so recklessly? While this was not unusual behavior for her, the fact that a robbery had turned into a night of passion on the side of a desert oasis…
At least she wasn’t the only one it left an impact on. Even if Khanh had a very strange way of showing it.
I don’t have conventional friendships.
“Could have fooled me,” she said with a lift of her brow, that same sarcasm bleeding through. Even if he was trying to play nice, could he really blame her for her bitterness? “I thought most people liked being robbed. It’s a wonder you don’t have a crowd fawning over you everywhere you go.”
Two more swallows and her beer was finished, immediately pouring another. If she was going to sit here and listen to this, she was getting as drunk as she could. And damn it, he was paying for it. At this point, it was the least he could do.
But I thought maybe, if you’re now drunk enough, that we could go back to being friends?
The look she gave him was full of incredulity, her mouth only stopping just short of falling open. Though, she did not immediately refuse, taking another swallow of the ale as she met his gaze. Even if he was rather crazy to even be asking her such a thing, he seemed earnest in his own way. The fact that he had even brought her here, bothered to apologize after what he’d done (no matter how weak said apology had been), told her that perhaps he was trying to atone in an odd fashion, and that maybe he really did feel bad about it. Or, at least, he felt bad about the impact it had on her, and in many ways, Nia was a selfish creature.
A forgiving one, too, as it turned out, sighing heavily as she placed her cup back on the table. “You know, you have a very strange way of showing your friendship,” she pointed out, the shocked look on her face fading back to one of more neutrality. “Perhaps your experience is different, but I should think most people don’t become friends after a robbery.”
Pointing a finger at him, she added, “But, if you promise not to target me or my family again, I might be swayed.” Her face gentled a little as she looked at him, though her arms folded defensively over her chest. “I had fun with you last time too, you know. Why else do you think I’m so mad at you right now?”
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Khanh handed her drink back to her, and at least she had that small victory. “Thank you,” she said in a saccharine voice, eyeing him and taking a long swallow of the beer. “You’re too kind.”
The warmth of the beer spreading through her belly did soften her a little, though silence stretched between them for several long moments. When the thief spoke again, he caught her off guard, the noblewoman’s brows lifting into her forehead.
To be truthful, I wanted to see you again. The last time was a bit more pleasant than this one has shaped up to be.
“Hmm, I wonder why that could be,” was her sarcastic response, though her tone had lost a little of its bite. Truthfully, their last time together hadn’t started much better, and it was only the nature of her own particular proclivities that had it ending up the way it had. It was remarkable she hadn’t ended up a victim that night, and there were still times she thought back on it with a sort of embarrassed amazement. What had she been thinking, to behave so recklessly? While this was not unusual behavior for her, the fact that a robbery had turned into a night of passion on the side of a desert oasis…
At least she wasn’t the only one it left an impact on. Even if Khanh had a very strange way of showing it.
I don’t have conventional friendships.
“Could have fooled me,” she said with a lift of her brow, that same sarcasm bleeding through. Even if he was trying to play nice, could he really blame her for her bitterness? “I thought most people liked being robbed. It’s a wonder you don’t have a crowd fawning over you everywhere you go.”
Two more swallows and her beer was finished, immediately pouring another. If she was going to sit here and listen to this, she was getting as drunk as she could. And damn it, he was paying for it. At this point, it was the least he could do.
But I thought maybe, if you’re now drunk enough, that we could go back to being friends?
The look she gave him was full of incredulity, her mouth only stopping just short of falling open. Though, she did not immediately refuse, taking another swallow of the ale as she met his gaze. Even if he was rather crazy to even be asking her such a thing, he seemed earnest in his own way. The fact that he had even brought her here, bothered to apologize after what he’d done (no matter how weak said apology had been), told her that perhaps he was trying to atone in an odd fashion, and that maybe he really did feel bad about it. Or, at least, he felt bad about the impact it had on her, and in many ways, Nia was a selfish creature.
A forgiving one, too, as it turned out, sighing heavily as she placed her cup back on the table. “You know, you have a very strange way of showing your friendship,” she pointed out, the shocked look on her face fading back to one of more neutrality. “Perhaps your experience is different, but I should think most people don’t become friends after a robbery.”
Pointing a finger at him, she added, “But, if you promise not to target me or my family again, I might be swayed.” Her face gentled a little as she looked at him, though her arms folded defensively over her chest. “I had fun with you last time too, you know. Why else do you think I’m so mad at you right now?”
Khanh handed her drink back to her, and at least she had that small victory. “Thank you,” she said in a saccharine voice, eyeing him and taking a long swallow of the beer. “You’re too kind.”
The warmth of the beer spreading through her belly did soften her a little, though silence stretched between them for several long moments. When the thief spoke again, he caught her off guard, the noblewoman’s brows lifting into her forehead.
To be truthful, I wanted to see you again. The last time was a bit more pleasant than this one has shaped up to be.
“Hmm, I wonder why that could be,” was her sarcastic response, though her tone had lost a little of its bite. Truthfully, their last time together hadn’t started much better, and it was only the nature of her own particular proclivities that had it ending up the way it had. It was remarkable she hadn’t ended up a victim that night, and there were still times she thought back on it with a sort of embarrassed amazement. What had she been thinking, to behave so recklessly? While this was not unusual behavior for her, the fact that a robbery had turned into a night of passion on the side of a desert oasis…
At least she wasn’t the only one it left an impact on. Even if Khanh had a very strange way of showing it.
I don’t have conventional friendships.
“Could have fooled me,” she said with a lift of her brow, that same sarcasm bleeding through. Even if he was trying to play nice, could he really blame her for her bitterness? “I thought most people liked being robbed. It’s a wonder you don’t have a crowd fawning over you everywhere you go.”
Two more swallows and her beer was finished, immediately pouring another. If she was going to sit here and listen to this, she was getting as drunk as she could. And damn it, he was paying for it. At this point, it was the least he could do.
But I thought maybe, if you’re now drunk enough, that we could go back to being friends?
The look she gave him was full of incredulity, her mouth only stopping just short of falling open. Though, she did not immediately refuse, taking another swallow of the ale as she met his gaze. Even if he was rather crazy to even be asking her such a thing, he seemed earnest in his own way. The fact that he had even brought her here, bothered to apologize after what he’d done (no matter how weak said apology had been), told her that perhaps he was trying to atone in an odd fashion, and that maybe he really did feel bad about it. Or, at least, he felt bad about the impact it had on her, and in many ways, Nia was a selfish creature.
A forgiving one, too, as it turned out, sighing heavily as she placed her cup back on the table. “You know, you have a very strange way of showing your friendship,” she pointed out, the shocked look on her face fading back to one of more neutrality. “Perhaps your experience is different, but I should think most people don’t become friends after a robbery.”
Pointing a finger at him, she added, “But, if you promise not to target me or my family again, I might be swayed.” Her face gentled a little as she looked at him, though her arms folded defensively over her chest. “I had fun with you last time too, you know. Why else do you think I’m so mad at you right now?”
Nia’s ‘eat dog shit’ expression was not exactly an encouraging sign. This had been a mistake. Obviously she was a little more part of her family than she liked to believe. Could he blame her for that, though? After all, he would do anything for Nahash and Zai and Akhmad and Tiye. They were his world. Life didn’t really have much of a point if he wasn’t with his family. The issue, though, was that her family wasn’t his family and so he felt absolutely no compunction whatsoever about robbing them all blind. They had more to spare. He couldn’t imagine the Sheifa were hurting, exactly, from the jewels that he and the others took. How rich was rich enough, exactly?
He didn’t shift under her stare, no matter how long she held him in it. Eternity came and went but at last, she sighed deeply and his shoulders relaxed a fraction. His eyes followed the path of her cup from her lips to the table, only for his gaze to land back on her eyes again. “You know, you have a very strange way of showing your friendship,” she muttered. “Perhaps your experience is different, but I should think most people don’t become friends after a robbery.”
He grinned. “I can say that was a true first,” referring to their tryst afterwards. He might have gone on in that fashion, following down the more pleasant paths of their liaison but stopped when her finger pointed straight at him. His brows rose and then arched, wondering what accusation she was going to level at him next. If she continued to be agitated he might just let bygones be bygones and leave her to her life. He’d already misjudged her willingness to walk on the wildside, or, found where she wouldn’t go, at least.
“But, if you promise not to target me or my family again, I might be swayed.”
He only just managed not to snort. Maybe she should ask him to lasso the sun for her, too, while she was asking for things he couldn’t guarantee.
“I had fun with you last time too, you know. Why else do you think I’m so mad at you right now?”
Mimicking her, he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, his long legs extending all the way under the table with his feet bumping the legs of her chair. “Would you like to stay here?” he asked. “Or would you perhaps like to take a walk?” Either upstairs to take a tumble or perhaps an actual walk. “You could meet some of the others, if you like? I’d have to blindfold you, of course…”
As if he was going to let her know the exact location of where the Sariqas were hiding. He wasn’t the cleverest man to ever live but he was far from the most idiotic. Definitely not the most trusting, either. Either way, he wasn’t going to let them stay down here to have this conversation further observed. Now that most of the shouting had died down, people had gone back to their drinks. A few looked their way every now and again, however and Khanh didn’t like it.
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Nia’s ‘eat dog shit’ expression was not exactly an encouraging sign. This had been a mistake. Obviously she was a little more part of her family than she liked to believe. Could he blame her for that, though? After all, he would do anything for Nahash and Zai and Akhmad and Tiye. They were his world. Life didn’t really have much of a point if he wasn’t with his family. The issue, though, was that her family wasn’t his family and so he felt absolutely no compunction whatsoever about robbing them all blind. They had more to spare. He couldn’t imagine the Sheifa were hurting, exactly, from the jewels that he and the others took. How rich was rich enough, exactly?
He didn’t shift under her stare, no matter how long she held him in it. Eternity came and went but at last, she sighed deeply and his shoulders relaxed a fraction. His eyes followed the path of her cup from her lips to the table, only for his gaze to land back on her eyes again. “You know, you have a very strange way of showing your friendship,” she muttered. “Perhaps your experience is different, but I should think most people don’t become friends after a robbery.”
He grinned. “I can say that was a true first,” referring to their tryst afterwards. He might have gone on in that fashion, following down the more pleasant paths of their liaison but stopped when her finger pointed straight at him. His brows rose and then arched, wondering what accusation she was going to level at him next. If she continued to be agitated he might just let bygones be bygones and leave her to her life. He’d already misjudged her willingness to walk on the wildside, or, found where she wouldn’t go, at least.
“But, if you promise not to target me or my family again, I might be swayed.”
He only just managed not to snort. Maybe she should ask him to lasso the sun for her, too, while she was asking for things he couldn’t guarantee.
“I had fun with you last time too, you know. Why else do you think I’m so mad at you right now?”
Mimicking her, he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, his long legs extending all the way under the table with his feet bumping the legs of her chair. “Would you like to stay here?” he asked. “Or would you perhaps like to take a walk?” Either upstairs to take a tumble or perhaps an actual walk. “You could meet some of the others, if you like? I’d have to blindfold you, of course…”
As if he was going to let her know the exact location of where the Sariqas were hiding. He wasn’t the cleverest man to ever live but he was far from the most idiotic. Definitely not the most trusting, either. Either way, he wasn’t going to let them stay down here to have this conversation further observed. Now that most of the shouting had died down, people had gone back to their drinks. A few looked their way every now and again, however and Khanh didn’t like it.
Nia’s ‘eat dog shit’ expression was not exactly an encouraging sign. This had been a mistake. Obviously she was a little more part of her family than she liked to believe. Could he blame her for that, though? After all, he would do anything for Nahash and Zai and Akhmad and Tiye. They were his world. Life didn’t really have much of a point if he wasn’t with his family. The issue, though, was that her family wasn’t his family and so he felt absolutely no compunction whatsoever about robbing them all blind. They had more to spare. He couldn’t imagine the Sheifa were hurting, exactly, from the jewels that he and the others took. How rich was rich enough, exactly?
He didn’t shift under her stare, no matter how long she held him in it. Eternity came and went but at last, she sighed deeply and his shoulders relaxed a fraction. His eyes followed the path of her cup from her lips to the table, only for his gaze to land back on her eyes again. “You know, you have a very strange way of showing your friendship,” she muttered. “Perhaps your experience is different, but I should think most people don’t become friends after a robbery.”
He grinned. “I can say that was a true first,” referring to their tryst afterwards. He might have gone on in that fashion, following down the more pleasant paths of their liaison but stopped when her finger pointed straight at him. His brows rose and then arched, wondering what accusation she was going to level at him next. If she continued to be agitated he might just let bygones be bygones and leave her to her life. He’d already misjudged her willingness to walk on the wildside, or, found where she wouldn’t go, at least.
“But, if you promise not to target me or my family again, I might be swayed.”
He only just managed not to snort. Maybe she should ask him to lasso the sun for her, too, while she was asking for things he couldn’t guarantee.
“I had fun with you last time too, you know. Why else do you think I’m so mad at you right now?”
Mimicking her, he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, his long legs extending all the way under the table with his feet bumping the legs of her chair. “Would you like to stay here?” he asked. “Or would you perhaps like to take a walk?” Either upstairs to take a tumble or perhaps an actual walk. “You could meet some of the others, if you like? I’d have to blindfold you, of course…”
As if he was going to let her know the exact location of where the Sariqas were hiding. He wasn’t the cleverest man to ever live but he was far from the most idiotic. Definitely not the most trusting, either. Either way, he wasn’t going to let them stay down here to have this conversation further observed. Now that most of the shouting had died down, people had gone back to their drinks. A few looked their way every now and again, however and Khanh didn’t like it.
Nia tried almost successfully to keep the smirk off her face when his foot bumped against the leg of her chair, his posture nearly a perfect mirror image of her own. Hiding the smile in her cup of ale instead, she took the last few swallows in the glass and set it back down on the table. Whether it was the alcohol, his apology, or just the memory of what he looked like under those clothes, Nia found she was already much less angry than she was when she came in—almost annoyed with herself that her good favor should be lost and re-won so easily. Was there something wrong with her? Was she really that desperate for attention and approval? Maybe it was better to ponder on this later, when she hadn’t just drank three or four beers in quick succession.
“A walk sounds fine,” she said, eyeballing him at his question with her brow raising. “But the only place I want to be blindfolded is in bed, so I think we can do without that part, hm?” Unless, of course, he meant to try to get her back into bed, and then maybe it could be negotiated…
Wait, no. Perhaps she was willing to overlook what he’d done and be friendly with him again, but she couldn’t just fall into bed with him after all this! Then again, when had Nia ever had a shred of anything resembling shame? If she forgave him, why shouldn’t she take another sample of the delights they had shared once before?
No, no that was stupid. They were going on a walk. Just a walk. A very innocent walk, one with no touching. She had some pride.
Didn’t she?
Gesturing to the now empty pitcher of ale and two glasses, she no longer let her smirk hide. “You’re paying for this, by the way. I don’t know if I mentioned that already. I just got robbed, so… I didn’t bring any money.” Shrugging, she tried not to laugh. “That, or we could just run out, but y’know… I think someone would probably notice. We haven’t exactly been inconspicuous.” Or rather, she hadn’t been, but she had no regrets. He deserved every shout and then some.
Fluttering her eyelashes, she steepled her hands and rested her chin on them as she leaned in closer. “But you’re a thief, right?” A fact she had already known, and one very recently reinforced. “Maybe you know how to get us out of here without anyone noticing. Preferably without, you know… fire. Or stabbing.”
A woman at the next table visibly side-eyed her at that, Nia turning a sweet smile in her direction. “Mind your business,” she told her in just as sweet a tone, the woman simply rolling her eyes and turning her attention back to her drink. Some fights just weren’t worth it, not after the way Nia had behaved in her arrival.
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Nia tried almost successfully to keep the smirk off her face when his foot bumped against the leg of her chair, his posture nearly a perfect mirror image of her own. Hiding the smile in her cup of ale instead, she took the last few swallows in the glass and set it back down on the table. Whether it was the alcohol, his apology, or just the memory of what he looked like under those clothes, Nia found she was already much less angry than she was when she came in—almost annoyed with herself that her good favor should be lost and re-won so easily. Was there something wrong with her? Was she really that desperate for attention and approval? Maybe it was better to ponder on this later, when she hadn’t just drank three or four beers in quick succession.
“A walk sounds fine,” she said, eyeballing him at his question with her brow raising. “But the only place I want to be blindfolded is in bed, so I think we can do without that part, hm?” Unless, of course, he meant to try to get her back into bed, and then maybe it could be negotiated…
Wait, no. Perhaps she was willing to overlook what he’d done and be friendly with him again, but she couldn’t just fall into bed with him after all this! Then again, when had Nia ever had a shred of anything resembling shame? If she forgave him, why shouldn’t she take another sample of the delights they had shared once before?
No, no that was stupid. They were going on a walk. Just a walk. A very innocent walk, one with no touching. She had some pride.
Didn’t she?
Gesturing to the now empty pitcher of ale and two glasses, she no longer let her smirk hide. “You’re paying for this, by the way. I don’t know if I mentioned that already. I just got robbed, so… I didn’t bring any money.” Shrugging, she tried not to laugh. “That, or we could just run out, but y’know… I think someone would probably notice. We haven’t exactly been inconspicuous.” Or rather, she hadn’t been, but she had no regrets. He deserved every shout and then some.
Fluttering her eyelashes, she steepled her hands and rested her chin on them as she leaned in closer. “But you’re a thief, right?” A fact she had already known, and one very recently reinforced. “Maybe you know how to get us out of here without anyone noticing. Preferably without, you know… fire. Or stabbing.”
A woman at the next table visibly side-eyed her at that, Nia turning a sweet smile in her direction. “Mind your business,” she told her in just as sweet a tone, the woman simply rolling her eyes and turning her attention back to her drink. Some fights just weren’t worth it, not after the way Nia had behaved in her arrival.
Nia tried almost successfully to keep the smirk off her face when his foot bumped against the leg of her chair, his posture nearly a perfect mirror image of her own. Hiding the smile in her cup of ale instead, she took the last few swallows in the glass and set it back down on the table. Whether it was the alcohol, his apology, or just the memory of what he looked like under those clothes, Nia found she was already much less angry than she was when she came in—almost annoyed with herself that her good favor should be lost and re-won so easily. Was there something wrong with her? Was she really that desperate for attention and approval? Maybe it was better to ponder on this later, when she hadn’t just drank three or four beers in quick succession.
“A walk sounds fine,” she said, eyeballing him at his question with her brow raising. “But the only place I want to be blindfolded is in bed, so I think we can do without that part, hm?” Unless, of course, he meant to try to get her back into bed, and then maybe it could be negotiated…
Wait, no. Perhaps she was willing to overlook what he’d done and be friendly with him again, but she couldn’t just fall into bed with him after all this! Then again, when had Nia ever had a shred of anything resembling shame? If she forgave him, why shouldn’t she take another sample of the delights they had shared once before?
No, no that was stupid. They were going on a walk. Just a walk. A very innocent walk, one with no touching. She had some pride.
Didn’t she?
Gesturing to the now empty pitcher of ale and two glasses, she no longer let her smirk hide. “You’re paying for this, by the way. I don’t know if I mentioned that already. I just got robbed, so… I didn’t bring any money.” Shrugging, she tried not to laugh. “That, or we could just run out, but y’know… I think someone would probably notice. We haven’t exactly been inconspicuous.” Or rather, she hadn’t been, but she had no regrets. He deserved every shout and then some.
Fluttering her eyelashes, she steepled her hands and rested her chin on them as she leaned in closer. “But you’re a thief, right?” A fact she had already known, and one very recently reinforced. “Maybe you know how to get us out of here without anyone noticing. Preferably without, you know… fire. Or stabbing.”
A woman at the next table visibly side-eyed her at that, Nia turning a sweet smile in her direction. “Mind your business,” she told her in just as sweet a tone, the woman simply rolling her eyes and turning her attention back to her drink. Some fights just weren’t worth it, not after the way Nia had behaved in her arrival.
“A walk sounds fine. But the only place I want to be blindfolded is in bed, so I think we can do without that part, hm?” The things that came out of this woman’s mouth. He considered her for a few seconds. To look at her, those big doe eyes, that adorable little nose, sweet tilt to her chin - one would never suspect the wanton goddess she had proven herself to be last time. Their random romp in the oasis had taught him that she was absolutely capable of anything. Which meant, of course, that she was capable of wearing that blindfold through the streets or there wouldn’t be a bed to fall into.
Khanh tightened his folded arms over the expanse of his chest and gave her the same half smile, twinkling green eyed stare that, despite the charm in it, still said ‘no’. However, Nia didn’t seem to be paying him that much attention. Her gaze sloshed here and there, then landed on the pitcher of beer. She gestured to it in that wide, sweeping grace unique to the inebriated.
“You’re paying for this, by the way. I don’t know if I mentioned that already. I just got robbed, so… I didn’t bring any money.”
“You came to a tavern without money?” he then realized that of course she had. Rich people didn’t pay for things. Poor people did. Well...poor people who weren’t *thieves* paid for it, anyway. Besides, carrying a coin purse might ruin the beautiful, though subdued outfit she wore. He hadn’t stopped to look at her properly earlier but she’d been stunning while he and the other Sariqas were robbing her house blind. Almost like a walking jewel herself with all the cold fire jewels possessed. She shrugged, though, not giving him much time to answer. Her words came on the heels of his own, as though she hadn’t heard him and who knew? Maybe she hadn’t.
“That, or we could just run out, but y’know… I think someone would probably notice. We haven’t exactly been inconspicuous.” Words babbled out of her mouth, dropping here and there like rain, as though her thoughts were spilling out as they came to her. Idea after idea, changing in an instant. Khanh’s smile widened a bit, the whites of his teeth beginning to show. She was funny. She’d make a terrible thief, but she was funny.
Suddenly she changed postures again, this one more studious than the last. She leaned forward as though she had a secret and he couldn’t wait to hear what she’d come up with next. His grin never dropped as she checked if he was a thief.
“I am,” he affirmed, thinking it hilarious she was even posing that as a question. She must be drunk.
“Maybe you know how to get us out of here without anyone noticing. Preferably without, you know… fire. Or stabbing.”
Before he could answer her, she was grousing at an old woman and Khanh quirked his brows at her. “You should be nicer to the elderly.” All he got for his trouble was glared at by the woman, too. Still. As to the rest of it…”I didn’t start that fire. Some girl came at me and then some woman in a scarf started wielding a table cloth like she was Sekhmet incarnate. I only did the stabbing.”
Then he was rising from the table and taking her by the wrist. “This way,” he pulled her along behind him like she was a little boat on a string. Weaving around tables, saying a thousand ‘pardon me’s’ and ‘excuse us’s’, he pushed open the door to the tavern. The night air hit them in a cool rush. He’d not realized how hot the tavern was until they were out beneath the glittering stars. Ahead of them, the Nile swam by, guarded by swaths of reeds and long, dark shadows of slip boats, coasting on the current.
Khanh wasn’t entirely sure if the other Sariqas would be at the encampment or not. But he’d come prepared with the blindfold and he took it out now, holding it in one hand. Though, she’d agreed to the walk, not necessarily the encampment. He didn’t want to take her too near the river. Much as he liked swimming, he had little enough desire to jump in and save her tonight. So he directed them towards the empty souk. “This way.”
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“A walk sounds fine. But the only place I want to be blindfolded is in bed, so I think we can do without that part, hm?” The things that came out of this woman’s mouth. He considered her for a few seconds. To look at her, those big doe eyes, that adorable little nose, sweet tilt to her chin - one would never suspect the wanton goddess she had proven herself to be last time. Their random romp in the oasis had taught him that she was absolutely capable of anything. Which meant, of course, that she was capable of wearing that blindfold through the streets or there wouldn’t be a bed to fall into.
Khanh tightened his folded arms over the expanse of his chest and gave her the same half smile, twinkling green eyed stare that, despite the charm in it, still said ‘no’. However, Nia didn’t seem to be paying him that much attention. Her gaze sloshed here and there, then landed on the pitcher of beer. She gestured to it in that wide, sweeping grace unique to the inebriated.
“You’re paying for this, by the way. I don’t know if I mentioned that already. I just got robbed, so… I didn’t bring any money.”
“You came to a tavern without money?” he then realized that of course she had. Rich people didn’t pay for things. Poor people did. Well...poor people who weren’t *thieves* paid for it, anyway. Besides, carrying a coin purse might ruin the beautiful, though subdued outfit she wore. He hadn’t stopped to look at her properly earlier but she’d been stunning while he and the other Sariqas were robbing her house blind. Almost like a walking jewel herself with all the cold fire jewels possessed. She shrugged, though, not giving him much time to answer. Her words came on the heels of his own, as though she hadn’t heard him and who knew? Maybe she hadn’t.
“That, or we could just run out, but y’know… I think someone would probably notice. We haven’t exactly been inconspicuous.” Words babbled out of her mouth, dropping here and there like rain, as though her thoughts were spilling out as they came to her. Idea after idea, changing in an instant. Khanh’s smile widened a bit, the whites of his teeth beginning to show. She was funny. She’d make a terrible thief, but she was funny.
Suddenly she changed postures again, this one more studious than the last. She leaned forward as though she had a secret and he couldn’t wait to hear what she’d come up with next. His grin never dropped as she checked if he was a thief.
“I am,” he affirmed, thinking it hilarious she was even posing that as a question. She must be drunk.
“Maybe you know how to get us out of here without anyone noticing. Preferably without, you know… fire. Or stabbing.”
Before he could answer her, she was grousing at an old woman and Khanh quirked his brows at her. “You should be nicer to the elderly.” All he got for his trouble was glared at by the woman, too. Still. As to the rest of it…”I didn’t start that fire. Some girl came at me and then some woman in a scarf started wielding a table cloth like she was Sekhmet incarnate. I only did the stabbing.”
Then he was rising from the table and taking her by the wrist. “This way,” he pulled her along behind him like she was a little boat on a string. Weaving around tables, saying a thousand ‘pardon me’s’ and ‘excuse us’s’, he pushed open the door to the tavern. The night air hit them in a cool rush. He’d not realized how hot the tavern was until they were out beneath the glittering stars. Ahead of them, the Nile swam by, guarded by swaths of reeds and long, dark shadows of slip boats, coasting on the current.
Khanh wasn’t entirely sure if the other Sariqas would be at the encampment or not. But he’d come prepared with the blindfold and he took it out now, holding it in one hand. Though, she’d agreed to the walk, not necessarily the encampment. He didn’t want to take her too near the river. Much as he liked swimming, he had little enough desire to jump in and save her tonight. So he directed them towards the empty souk. “This way.”
“A walk sounds fine. But the only place I want to be blindfolded is in bed, so I think we can do without that part, hm?” The things that came out of this woman’s mouth. He considered her for a few seconds. To look at her, those big doe eyes, that adorable little nose, sweet tilt to her chin - one would never suspect the wanton goddess she had proven herself to be last time. Their random romp in the oasis had taught him that she was absolutely capable of anything. Which meant, of course, that she was capable of wearing that blindfold through the streets or there wouldn’t be a bed to fall into.
Khanh tightened his folded arms over the expanse of his chest and gave her the same half smile, twinkling green eyed stare that, despite the charm in it, still said ‘no’. However, Nia didn’t seem to be paying him that much attention. Her gaze sloshed here and there, then landed on the pitcher of beer. She gestured to it in that wide, sweeping grace unique to the inebriated.
“You’re paying for this, by the way. I don’t know if I mentioned that already. I just got robbed, so… I didn’t bring any money.”
“You came to a tavern without money?” he then realized that of course she had. Rich people didn’t pay for things. Poor people did. Well...poor people who weren’t *thieves* paid for it, anyway. Besides, carrying a coin purse might ruin the beautiful, though subdued outfit she wore. He hadn’t stopped to look at her properly earlier but she’d been stunning while he and the other Sariqas were robbing her house blind. Almost like a walking jewel herself with all the cold fire jewels possessed. She shrugged, though, not giving him much time to answer. Her words came on the heels of his own, as though she hadn’t heard him and who knew? Maybe she hadn’t.
“That, or we could just run out, but y’know… I think someone would probably notice. We haven’t exactly been inconspicuous.” Words babbled out of her mouth, dropping here and there like rain, as though her thoughts were spilling out as they came to her. Idea after idea, changing in an instant. Khanh’s smile widened a bit, the whites of his teeth beginning to show. She was funny. She’d make a terrible thief, but she was funny.
Suddenly she changed postures again, this one more studious than the last. She leaned forward as though she had a secret and he couldn’t wait to hear what she’d come up with next. His grin never dropped as she checked if he was a thief.
“I am,” he affirmed, thinking it hilarious she was even posing that as a question. She must be drunk.
“Maybe you know how to get us out of here without anyone noticing. Preferably without, you know… fire. Or stabbing.”
Before he could answer her, she was grousing at an old woman and Khanh quirked his brows at her. “You should be nicer to the elderly.” All he got for his trouble was glared at by the woman, too. Still. As to the rest of it…”I didn’t start that fire. Some girl came at me and then some woman in a scarf started wielding a table cloth like she was Sekhmet incarnate. I only did the stabbing.”
Then he was rising from the table and taking her by the wrist. “This way,” he pulled her along behind him like she was a little boat on a string. Weaving around tables, saying a thousand ‘pardon me’s’ and ‘excuse us’s’, he pushed open the door to the tavern. The night air hit them in a cool rush. He’d not realized how hot the tavern was until they were out beneath the glittering stars. Ahead of them, the Nile swam by, guarded by swaths of reeds and long, dark shadows of slip boats, coasting on the current.
Khanh wasn’t entirely sure if the other Sariqas would be at the encampment or not. But he’d come prepared with the blindfold and he took it out now, holding it in one hand. Though, she’d agreed to the walk, not necessarily the encampment. He didn’t want to take her too near the river. Much as he liked swimming, he had little enough desire to jump in and save her tonight. So he directed them towards the empty souk. “This way.”
You came to a tavern without money?
Nodding slowly and addressing him as if he was a touch slow himself, she reiterated, “Yes, I was just robbed, remember?” Cocking a brow at him, she pursed her lips as if daring him to say otherwise. Rolling her eyes, she dropped the façade with a laugh and went on to enumerate her other ideas, all of which he took in with an amused look. What was so funny, she wondered? They all seemed like viable options to her.
Her ideas didn’t go over very well with the nearby patrons, advising the woman next to them to mind her own business. Khanh reprimanded her for talking like that to the elderly, which only earned him an incredulous look from her in addition to the glare from said elderly woman. “Aren’t you virtuous?” she asked sarcastically. Really, murder and thievery were fine, but telling an old woman to mind her business wasn’t? Come on, now. Priorities.
I didn’t start that fire. Some girl came at me and then some woman in a scarf started wielding a table cloth like she was Sekhmet incarnate. I only did the stabbing.
“Only,” she repeated with just as much sarcasm as before, shooting him yet another look. “Such a negligible thing, huh?” Her retort was cut off as he grabbed her wrist, tugging her along behind him as they navigated through the busy tavern. Apparently, he had chosen the ‘just walk out’ option, one she wouldn’t have thought even possible after her display minutes before. However, it turned out to be much easier than she expected; no one even bothered to try and stop them as they walked right out the door.
“Huh,” she said as she blinked back toward the doorway. “I thought that would be a lot harder.”
Once they were outside, he paused and pulled out the blindfold he had threatened, holding it in the hand that wasn’t grasping her wrist. “I told you I’m not wearing that,” she said bluntly, her free hand resting defiantly on her hip. “I’ll be the first to admit that I do a lot of stupid things, Panya, but walking down the street blindfolded with the man who just robbed my family isn’t going to be one of them. You’re just going to have to trust me, or we’re going somewhere that you don’t need to blind me to get there.”
Either he wasn’t listening or he conceded to her assertion, but whatever it was, he didn’t put the blindfold on her, leading her off toward the deserted marketplace. She looked around curiously, wondering what could be here that would be of any interest. Unless he was just trying to get her somewhere alone, which, well, that seemed pretty successful.
“So, where are we going, anyway? You trying to get me up against a wall in some back alley?” she teased, dark eyes glittering with mirth. “’Cause hey, it wouldn’t be the first time, but there are definitely nicer places for that sort of thing.”
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You came to a tavern without money?
Nodding slowly and addressing him as if he was a touch slow himself, she reiterated, “Yes, I was just robbed, remember?” Cocking a brow at him, she pursed her lips as if daring him to say otherwise. Rolling her eyes, she dropped the façade with a laugh and went on to enumerate her other ideas, all of which he took in with an amused look. What was so funny, she wondered? They all seemed like viable options to her.
Her ideas didn’t go over very well with the nearby patrons, advising the woman next to them to mind her own business. Khanh reprimanded her for talking like that to the elderly, which only earned him an incredulous look from her in addition to the glare from said elderly woman. “Aren’t you virtuous?” she asked sarcastically. Really, murder and thievery were fine, but telling an old woman to mind her business wasn’t? Come on, now. Priorities.
I didn’t start that fire. Some girl came at me and then some woman in a scarf started wielding a table cloth like she was Sekhmet incarnate. I only did the stabbing.
“Only,” she repeated with just as much sarcasm as before, shooting him yet another look. “Such a negligible thing, huh?” Her retort was cut off as he grabbed her wrist, tugging her along behind him as they navigated through the busy tavern. Apparently, he had chosen the ‘just walk out’ option, one she wouldn’t have thought even possible after her display minutes before. However, it turned out to be much easier than she expected; no one even bothered to try and stop them as they walked right out the door.
“Huh,” she said as she blinked back toward the doorway. “I thought that would be a lot harder.”
Once they were outside, he paused and pulled out the blindfold he had threatened, holding it in the hand that wasn’t grasping her wrist. “I told you I’m not wearing that,” she said bluntly, her free hand resting defiantly on her hip. “I’ll be the first to admit that I do a lot of stupid things, Panya, but walking down the street blindfolded with the man who just robbed my family isn’t going to be one of them. You’re just going to have to trust me, or we’re going somewhere that you don’t need to blind me to get there.”
Either he wasn’t listening or he conceded to her assertion, but whatever it was, he didn’t put the blindfold on her, leading her off toward the deserted marketplace. She looked around curiously, wondering what could be here that would be of any interest. Unless he was just trying to get her somewhere alone, which, well, that seemed pretty successful.
“So, where are we going, anyway? You trying to get me up against a wall in some back alley?” she teased, dark eyes glittering with mirth. “’Cause hey, it wouldn’t be the first time, but there are definitely nicer places for that sort of thing.”
You came to a tavern without money?
Nodding slowly and addressing him as if he was a touch slow himself, she reiterated, “Yes, I was just robbed, remember?” Cocking a brow at him, she pursed her lips as if daring him to say otherwise. Rolling her eyes, she dropped the façade with a laugh and went on to enumerate her other ideas, all of which he took in with an amused look. What was so funny, she wondered? They all seemed like viable options to her.
Her ideas didn’t go over very well with the nearby patrons, advising the woman next to them to mind her own business. Khanh reprimanded her for talking like that to the elderly, which only earned him an incredulous look from her in addition to the glare from said elderly woman. “Aren’t you virtuous?” she asked sarcastically. Really, murder and thievery were fine, but telling an old woman to mind her business wasn’t? Come on, now. Priorities.
I didn’t start that fire. Some girl came at me and then some woman in a scarf started wielding a table cloth like she was Sekhmet incarnate. I only did the stabbing.
“Only,” she repeated with just as much sarcasm as before, shooting him yet another look. “Such a negligible thing, huh?” Her retort was cut off as he grabbed her wrist, tugging her along behind him as they navigated through the busy tavern. Apparently, he had chosen the ‘just walk out’ option, one she wouldn’t have thought even possible after her display minutes before. However, it turned out to be much easier than she expected; no one even bothered to try and stop them as they walked right out the door.
“Huh,” she said as she blinked back toward the doorway. “I thought that would be a lot harder.”
Once they were outside, he paused and pulled out the blindfold he had threatened, holding it in the hand that wasn’t grasping her wrist. “I told you I’m not wearing that,” she said bluntly, her free hand resting defiantly on her hip. “I’ll be the first to admit that I do a lot of stupid things, Panya, but walking down the street blindfolded with the man who just robbed my family isn’t going to be one of them. You’re just going to have to trust me, or we’re going somewhere that you don’t need to blind me to get there.”
Either he wasn’t listening or he conceded to her assertion, but whatever it was, he didn’t put the blindfold on her, leading her off toward the deserted marketplace. She looked around curiously, wondering what could be here that would be of any interest. Unless he was just trying to get her somewhere alone, which, well, that seemed pretty successful.
“So, where are we going, anyway? You trying to get me up against a wall in some back alley?” she teased, dark eyes glittering with mirth. “’Cause hey, it wouldn’t be the first time, but there are definitely nicer places for that sort of thing.”
She wasn’t wearing the blindfold and that being the case, he wasn’t going to be taking her to the Sariqas. That wasn’t something he needed to divulge right this moment, though. He’d smiled a little when she’d at last showed a modicum of mistrust but it was a funny thing - after all, if she was afraid of being abducted, he could do that just as easily as with a blindfold on, and if she was afraid of being harmed, she needn’t be blind for him to do that either. So what was it about the blindfold that she truly objected to? Was it the feeling of helplessness that came with it? That he could understand. Better to meet death with eyes open than to blunder into it.
Her last words were interesting: either trust her or lead her elsewhere. Funny. While he did want to trust her, and while he did, after a fashion, he also wasn’t a fool. There was more to taking her there than contending with Nia herself. Nahash, Zai, Akhmad all would never forgive him. And Tiye? Tiye might but she’d be cold for a few days and mutter things under her breath. To bring Nia there unblindfolded would bring too much tension and mistrust in his own people. She wouldn’t be around to deal with that fallout and wouldn’t have to build that trust up again. So, no, they would be heading elsewhere.
Ahead, lonely stalls stood sentry beneath the weak light of the crescent moon. The place was a little eerie at night, when it was populated by shadows and drafty breezes. In daylight, it was crowded with people, clanging with noise, dusty and dirty and riotous. Now the market lay perfectly still and their footfalls echoed, bouncing between stalls as they walked up the main thoroughfare.
“So, where are we going, anyway? You trying to get me up against a wall in some back alley?” Nia’s voice seemed loud in the silence, though it likely wasn’t. Khanh looked back over his shoulder and turned then, walking backwards to keep her in view. That was an interesting invitation. She splashed water on that idea when she added that there were nicer places for that sort of thing. A half no.
He thought of the oasis they’d been to last time and how that’d been better than any filthy, flea ridden tavern. Then he thought of perfumed linen sheets and gauzy curtains fluttering over an open window…”Your room was very nice,” he pointed out with a grin. There were such benefits, too. No walking home for her later, being among her own things...maybe he could get back into that jewelry box before he left? Win win.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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She wasn’t wearing the blindfold and that being the case, he wasn’t going to be taking her to the Sariqas. That wasn’t something he needed to divulge right this moment, though. He’d smiled a little when she’d at last showed a modicum of mistrust but it was a funny thing - after all, if she was afraid of being abducted, he could do that just as easily as with a blindfold on, and if she was afraid of being harmed, she needn’t be blind for him to do that either. So what was it about the blindfold that she truly objected to? Was it the feeling of helplessness that came with it? That he could understand. Better to meet death with eyes open than to blunder into it.
Her last words were interesting: either trust her or lead her elsewhere. Funny. While he did want to trust her, and while he did, after a fashion, he also wasn’t a fool. There was more to taking her there than contending with Nia herself. Nahash, Zai, Akhmad all would never forgive him. And Tiye? Tiye might but she’d be cold for a few days and mutter things under her breath. To bring Nia there unblindfolded would bring too much tension and mistrust in his own people. She wouldn’t be around to deal with that fallout and wouldn’t have to build that trust up again. So, no, they would be heading elsewhere.
Ahead, lonely stalls stood sentry beneath the weak light of the crescent moon. The place was a little eerie at night, when it was populated by shadows and drafty breezes. In daylight, it was crowded with people, clanging with noise, dusty and dirty and riotous. Now the market lay perfectly still and their footfalls echoed, bouncing between stalls as they walked up the main thoroughfare.
“So, where are we going, anyway? You trying to get me up against a wall in some back alley?” Nia’s voice seemed loud in the silence, though it likely wasn’t. Khanh looked back over his shoulder and turned then, walking backwards to keep her in view. That was an interesting invitation. She splashed water on that idea when she added that there were nicer places for that sort of thing. A half no.
He thought of the oasis they’d been to last time and how that’d been better than any filthy, flea ridden tavern. Then he thought of perfumed linen sheets and gauzy curtains fluttering over an open window…”Your room was very nice,” he pointed out with a grin. There were such benefits, too. No walking home for her later, being among her own things...maybe he could get back into that jewelry box before he left? Win win.
She wasn’t wearing the blindfold and that being the case, he wasn’t going to be taking her to the Sariqas. That wasn’t something he needed to divulge right this moment, though. He’d smiled a little when she’d at last showed a modicum of mistrust but it was a funny thing - after all, if she was afraid of being abducted, he could do that just as easily as with a blindfold on, and if she was afraid of being harmed, she needn’t be blind for him to do that either. So what was it about the blindfold that she truly objected to? Was it the feeling of helplessness that came with it? That he could understand. Better to meet death with eyes open than to blunder into it.
Her last words were interesting: either trust her or lead her elsewhere. Funny. While he did want to trust her, and while he did, after a fashion, he also wasn’t a fool. There was more to taking her there than contending with Nia herself. Nahash, Zai, Akhmad all would never forgive him. And Tiye? Tiye might but she’d be cold for a few days and mutter things under her breath. To bring Nia there unblindfolded would bring too much tension and mistrust in his own people. She wouldn’t be around to deal with that fallout and wouldn’t have to build that trust up again. So, no, they would be heading elsewhere.
Ahead, lonely stalls stood sentry beneath the weak light of the crescent moon. The place was a little eerie at night, when it was populated by shadows and drafty breezes. In daylight, it was crowded with people, clanging with noise, dusty and dirty and riotous. Now the market lay perfectly still and their footfalls echoed, bouncing between stalls as they walked up the main thoroughfare.
“So, where are we going, anyway? You trying to get me up against a wall in some back alley?” Nia’s voice seemed loud in the silence, though it likely wasn’t. Khanh looked back over his shoulder and turned then, walking backwards to keep her in view. That was an interesting invitation. She splashed water on that idea when she added that there were nicer places for that sort of thing. A half no.
He thought of the oasis they’d been to last time and how that’d been better than any filthy, flea ridden tavern. Then he thought of perfumed linen sheets and gauzy curtains fluttering over an open window…”Your room was very nice,” he pointed out with a grin. There were such benefits, too. No walking home for her later, being among her own things...maybe he could get back into that jewelry box before he left? Win win.
