Another collaborative piece between myself and Arrens. Setting is three days after 3′s & 7′s
After Loreli’s three day disappearance from Stormwind, Jaylen was livid. She figured he was mostly irate due to the fact that SI:7 hadn’t been able to track her down. Loreli was beyond caring. She’d found herself at a point she hadn’t hit in a long time. Take it now, put it out of her mind later. The marks from their last encounter still hadn’t faded and she was trying not to dread the next. Yet, she came back. She came back because she was afraid that, without her, Jaylen may find someone else to take his ire out on. She didn’t doubt he’d been watching her long before the first encounter and knew who was close to her.
Loreli had spent most of the evening looking for Takani. She hoped to apologize and to tell him it would be fine. If only to hear herself say it. On the canals between the Park and Mage Districts, Jaylen caught up with her. He dragged her into the small space between two of the buildings.
“Where have you been?!” He growled through clenched teeth. When she refused to respond, he shook her, “You don’t leave the city!”
Loreli narrowed her eyes, “What? Are you going to put a leash on me, now?”
“I might! You’re walking a thin line here, honey. Shaw’s about had it with both of us and your window of opportunity is closing.” He pressed something into her hand. It felt like cold metal.
Loreli turned her hand up. Sitting in her palm was the unit designation insignia off Channi’s armor. The look Loreli gave Jaylen was murderous. He could be trying to trick her. Would it be too terribly difficult to acquire an insignia like Channi’s? Was she willing to risk it? Her face was unreadable, yet somehow Jaylen knew her thoughts.
“That new dress of Channi’s was awfully pretty. I’d hate to mess it up.”
Loreli didn’t even blink. She launched herself at him, throwing as much of her body weight into the slam as possible. She was slight compared to his mass, though. Immediately he checked her back into the wall. Hard. Her head spun.
“Last chance, Lore. Channi or Caltrains. Your choice.” He snatched the insignia from her hand, “I’d really hate to have to deal with all three of you.”
“How do I know you won’t kill her after I kill Arrens?” Loreli hissed.
“You’ll just have to take that chance, wont you, sweetheart?”
In that moment, Loreli imagined sliding a dagger between his ribs. She might be able to drop him before he snapped her neck. However, his disappearance might trigger suspicion and lead to Channi’s death. Loreli was faster and she knew it. That didn’t, however mean that Jaylen was slow. Best case scenario, they killed each other. Loreli considered it. Very seriously considered it. Not until she was sure Channi was safe.
“Fine… I’ll do it.”
***
“…after I kill Arrens?”
“You’ll just have to take that chance, wont you, sweetheart?”
“Fine… I’ll do it.”
There were two voices. They were low, angry whispers, but they carried just enough and the female one was awfully damned familiar. “Th’ feck?” Theo rounded the bend to find Loreli there with another elf. “Och! Lass! Th’ feck ‘re ye doin’ ‘ere in a back alley wi’ some poncy git?” he asked, his thumb jerking towards Jaylen. “Folks ’round ‘ere might be gettin’ th’ wrong impression o’ ye. An’ iff’n ye be wantin’ folks ta be gettin’ th’ right impression, ye best be stickin’ wi’ ol’ Theo.”
Jaylen growled at the dwarf before turning his attention back to Loreli. “You have three days, sweetheart. I’ll be keeping tabs.” He stalked off down the alley disappearing into the growing darkness.
Turning his gaze up to Loreli, Theo said, “Lass, th’ feck ‘re ye gettin’ yerself inta? Ol’ Theo be seein’ some mean feckers afore, but none like tha’ one. Wha’s this talk o’ ye offin’ th’ ol’ poofter?”
Loreli felt her heart sink, so much for no one finding out. “Theo… I…” She did a double-take, “Sweet, merciful light of Elune. What happened to you?”
Theo rubbed his blackened eyes, his lips puffy and exposing two chipped front teeth. “Och! Ye shoulda seen Ol’ Theo! There be thirty men, there were! All o’ ‘em takin’ swings an’ hittin’ me ’cause I be stealin’ their women.” He gazed at Lore through his puffed eyelids. “Ye shoulda seen, me, lass. Twas a thing o’ beauty. Aye, they mayhaps got a few licks in on Ol’ Theo. Bu’ they got th’ worst o’ it, I c’n tell ye tha’!” He shook his head a few times attempting to regain his train of thought. “Och! Feck! Yer distractin’ me again, lass, with yer feckin’ beauty! Now wha’s this talk o’ killin’ tha’ poncy git?!”
Loreli hid her smirk, guessing it was three at most and one of them at least, was probably female. All hopes of changing the subject now lost, she glanced around wondering if Jaylen was lurking somewhere nearby. She returned her attention to Theo with an almost imperceptible shake of her head. “Not here.” She said, barely moving her lips, not sure if anywhere was safe at this point. She was suddenly very sick with worry over Channi. She kneeled down under the pretense of adjusting something on Theo’s robe, “Do you know where Arrens is?” she asked quietly.
Theo half yelled, “Och! Lass! Iff’n ye wanna be peakin’ up me robe, all’s ye gotta do is ask!” He started to lift his robe up before Lore caught his hands and forced the robes back down. “Oi! Playin’ hard ta get, are ye? ‘t’s fine, lass. I be likin’ it tha’ way! An’ no, I ain’ seen tha’ poofter. Iff’n I know ‘im, th’ git’s prolly at th’ school hiding in th’ library.”
Loreli nodded and got to her feet. She was visibly shaken and took another nervous glance around before taking off for the Mage district at a jog.