Bly

Dark and dank, the air smelled of mildew along with other much more unpleasant odors. Bly crouched in total disbelief as she tried not to move from one of the only dry spots in her little cell and mumbled. “Five bloody years…five!” She shook her head and scanned the cell once more. The only ventilation was a small barred window high up a slick rock wall. A gruff voice outside shifted her attention, something familiar about it but she dismissed it, thinking her mind was now playing tricks on her as well. The voice got closer, so in the dim light Bly picked her way over to stand under the window. “Who’s out there?” Her head tilted up as she waited for a response. “I’m your bloody savior, ya drunken fool!” A few blinks under a furrowed brow and it dawned on her who the disguised voice belonged to. Her eyes rolled heavenward as the heel of her palm smacked her forehead. “Just hurry up, hmm?” Bly chuckled softly as she shook her head and took a step back just in time to catch a thick rope tossed through the bars of the window. The voice outside told her to hang on so she did just that, and with a jerky yank Bly was scaling the slippery wall up to the window. Sandaled feet slipped and scuffed as she struggled to hook her arm around one of the bars. Once done she quickly tied a tight knot around a few bars and scampered back down the rope and whistled a queue to her old-time friend and moved to the other side of the cell. A wince in anticipation and for a measure of good luck or superstition, she crossed her fingers and watched. A loud yell and the crack of a whip sent the thick wall into a violent shudder. Nervously Bly looked at the door of the cell and back to the window and another loud crack of the whip snapped and just as sudden, the wall crumbled in a shower of boulders. Bly covered her head with her arms and ran through the pounding rubble as quickly as she could and just as the light hit her, she saw the wagon was waiting. She hopped in the back and her friend Guin grinned back at her and gave a sly wink. “Just like old times, ain’t it ya bloody fool?” They both laughed as Guin snapped the reins and the horses lurched forward in the wee hours of dawn. Bly hung on tight and made her way to take the seat next to her life-long friend. She slipped her arm in the crook of Guin’s and gave her a little hug before laying her head on her shoulder. Guin sniffed and wrinkled her nose and gave Bly a slight shove. “Holy hell girl….how long have ya been in that damn place? You smell like a pig sty!” Bly flashed a mock look of hurt and she grasped her chest over her heart for a dramatic effect. Guin rolled her eyes and nodded. Don’t answer that. Bly nodded and shrugged as she stretched out her legs, crossing them in front of her as the traveled on reminiscing.

The mid-day sun was blazing down wicked and the air was stale with moist heat. Bly tugged on the least amount of clothing and haphazardly gathered her hair up and tied it back with a leather strip. Pale green eyes winced and squinted as she stepped out into the street and her head immediately started pounding and her stomach turned from the excessive drinking she’d done the night before. Almost blindly she walked the cobbles, she could find the tavern in any state, a hangover couldn’t stop her from going to her home away from home. She cut corners here and there in the quickest possible route and finally she was in the back alley of the tavern. Normally nimble fingers fretted with finding the right key and the more she searched the farther she swayed forward, squinting until her balance gave way and she fell forward smashing her forehead against the wooden wall. Her hair unfastened and spilled wildly over her eyes and the keys tumbled from her grasp. A long string of curses spew from her lips as she rubbed her head wincing with a sour look. One eye closed, she bent forward to retrieve the keys and it just so happened the key she’d been searching for landed atop the others. She grumbled a bit more and pushed her hair back and opened the rear entrance door rather annoyed. Once inside her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lighting and she plopped down on a chair looking quite defeated for a new day. “At least it’s quiet and cool in here.” She mumbled to herself. Almost drifting off, a sudden noise in the common room of the tavern made one eye peek reluctantly and she gave a inquiry, “Who’s there?” She thought she’d yelled, it sure seemed like a yell but no one answered. A sigh slipped to freedom and she pushed herself up to slowly move to check out the noise. “Probably just a damn rat…” She muttered and grumbled as she made her way. Once around the corner her eyes focused on Hudson and she threw her hands heavenward…”Bloody hell, man! Are you haunting me?” She winced in agony from her own voice and shook her head, turning to leave. Hudson wore a smug smile and jingled what sounded like coin. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned slowly, slightly slumped over. A slender hand lifted and rubbed her face in frustration and then raked through the mass of tangled hair. “What do you want now?” She whispered this time, trying to relieve the heartbeat in her head. Hudson stepped slowly towards her and offered his arm in assistance. She stared at his arm a moment and shrugged accepting it. He lead her to the closest table and pulled a chair out for her and helped her settle before her took one opposite of her. He could see the state she was in and smiled shaking his head at her before offering to get her food or water. She nearly gagged at the mere mention of it and simply shook her head. “Just tell me what you want so I can get back to dying, hmm?” A silly grin spread her lips as she pointed at the purse. Hudson took his time, not sure she’d even remember him being there but he pushed the purse to her and told her he and his group wanted to keep her on a “retainer” . She stared at him a moment as the information sank in and she nodded at him. “Deal.” She spoke in hushed tones. “Now, if you will excuse me…I need a drink.” Bly pushed herself up and reached for the purse rather greedily and smiled at him. She balanced the purse in her palm, testing for weight. A satisfied look graced her features as she turned to go back to the rear room. “I’ll be seeing you around, Hudson.” A slight wave without turning towards him and she disappeared around the corner of the bar.

Waiting. Finally Hudson again motioned her over, so with a sigh she strolled to the table with no attempt of smiling. A sandaled foot hooked a chair and slid it out and there she perched. A slight scoot brought her closer to the table and to their staring eyes. A violent rumble and a bright flash of light broke the silence as they all turned to look at the flapping doors the storm saw fit to blow open. Bly whistled low, grinned and leaned in even closer as she spoke in a whisper. “Let’s get this over with so I can send you on your way.” She motioned in the direction of the doors and a soft chuckle spilled past her lips. Hudson started idle chitchat, which reminded her of a hound chasing a rabbit around a tree, so she spoke up and asked him to get to the point before the storm blew over. He flashed an annoyed look at her and nodded stiffly and asked if by chance she’d have any treasure maps for sale. Bly nodded and rolled her eyes and told them that she happened to have a few but maps were not the bulk of what she supplied. A slight shrug came from Hudson as he sat his coin pouch on the table with a dull thump. Sunny skies couldn’t have been brighter than the twinkle in Bly’s eyes as she focused on the pouch. Quickly she contained the outward emotion and opted for a smug smile as she asked a few questions about what sort of maps they were interested in. Locations were agreed on and then finally the prices of her service and of course the maps. Just as she dared to think the day might turn out nicely a dreaded stipulation was added to the blasted deal. Hudson smiled brightly and gave Cyric a nod and turned to Bly and told her that they needed insurance and that they thought she should tag along with them and their group. “Just to make sure the maps are what you say they are, mind you.” Hudson now had that smug look on his face and she resented him for stealing HER look. Bly tried to dance around going but each turn of an excuse the heavy gold pouch inched away so she heaved out a frustrated sigh and broke down to agreeing to go with them and their group. She made sure they knew how put out she was over the whole deal and that if ever they had more business to discuss, she’d call the shots.

Clouds rolled in heavy and thunder rumbled deeply and just as Bly ducked in the door to the tavern the rain poured down in hazy sheets. A quick whistle and she slammed the door shut against the pounding rain and turned to face the room. Normally the tavern was empty at such an early time of the day but today just wasn’t going to be kind to her. A few mumbled curses slipped past lips mocking a sweet smile as she reluctantly welcomed Hudson and what appeared to be his friend. No time passed in pleasantries as Hudson finally got straight to the point and asked her what she knew. Still smiling, Bly casually leaned into a prop over the bar top and tilted her head looking at them both with mirthful eyes. She stared at them a long moment and Hudson broke the silence, demanding she tell them all she knew. Growing less and less amused by the constant drilling of questions she shrugged and narrowed her lashes at Cyric, motioning towards Hudson. “You’re friend here is bad for my business and dangerous for you.” Her eyes flashes on Hudson, whom still wore the same clothes he’d been in since the very first night she’d seen him in the tavern. “You…you should use a little more tact when it comes to secretive matters such as espionage, especially when it involves one of your own higher-ups….you just don’t go around announcing such things!” A lazy yawn and a roll of slender shoulders straightened Bly’s posture as she adjusted a strap on her leathers, acting as if she was ignoring both the men. Hudson shot a look at Cyric and mentioned something about not needing Cyric’s methods of persuasion. She chuckled softly; waving a delicate hand and asked what exactly it was they wanted to know and how much coin they were willing to donate to her cause. Slowly she turned her back on them and walked over to a corner behind the bar and sat. “ You fellows take your time now, I’m in no rush.” A slight lean against the wall, her corner was in the shadows so she simply watched and strained her ears against the booming of thunder to hear what the men were discussing.

Night after night the same fellow sat in the shadows and sipped on warm watered down ale as he watched her. She knew he wanted something but what? Each night into the dawn he sat and each morning he was the last to leave. She could tell he wasn’t the type to sit in taverns and lose sleep because of his ever-drooping eyes. The nightly task was starting to wear him ragged and he’d have to finally come ask her whatever it was he wanted to know. It was rather amusing to her though so she played along and let him watch, the way she saw it, either he’d ask or just stop coming. A few more nights bled into morning and he came to the bar finally with an amusing icebreaker line about the beautiful color of her eyes, of course he was very wrong although they were pale in color they were green and she quickly corrected him. A few comments flew past her lips about how a man can hurt a young lasses’ feelings by not noticing her eye color and that maybe he’d had too much ale and not nearly enough sleep. He simply smiled and made a sad excuse about poor lighting and a slight apology and then he told her he knew her name, like that was going to smooth her over. Again she corrected him stating that Bly was only her nickname and that her name given at birth was Blyten. He seemed to stammer a little but he kept trying so hard not to seem nervous and she was not going to give him an inch of compassion. She smiled sweetly at him and shook her head slowly as a coppery eyebrow arched sharply at him. He finally managed to think up something else to ask rather hastily and asked her if she wanted to join him for a drink and conversation to get to know one another a little better. This made her wince outwardly but she smiled and politely declined pointing out that the sun was now shining outside and that she had to go get her beauty rest. With a stretch she headed towards the back door but before she left she flashed a bright smile at him and told him when her next shift started and that he could ask her what it was he wanted to know then. He had time for a nod before she shoved the door open and disappeared into the blinding sunlight.

Early in the hours of morning the tavern crowd slowly thinned out and she sat back to watch. She stretched and yawned; a bogus act she followed through at the end of her shifts, making it look as if she had actually worked a long night behind the bar. One man kept her attention most of the evening because he merely sipped a watered down ale and kept to the shadows like he was hiding but she had seen his sort too many times to count. Casually she glanced over to where he lurked and a soft chuckle slipped past her lips. She knew he’d still be there and there he was, still nursing that bottle acting as though he was enjoying the bitter taste. With a stir she moved from her stool and roamed the room all the while she noted his gaze, so she shrugged and checked on a patron slumped over a table, patted his breeches and pocketed what coins he had and then nudged him roughly awake, “Up and at ‘em, Mister…time to get goin’!” She turned on heels grinning prettily just for show as she adjusted her full coin pouch and headed to the next poor lush unfortunate enough to have fallen to the after effects of a long night of drinking. Soon the tavern was empty with the exception of the lurker, she could sense no danger from him so she simply let him stay put thinking it better to watch the watcher a while longer. A slight shrug and she mumbled to herself, “No need to upset a future customer.” With a sly smile curling her lips she gave the fellow a wave and headed out the back door, knowing she’d be seeing him again.