Dragon by the Tail

[Whitebrand]

Brand nodded. Her bought out a handful of coins and handed then to the changeling.

The girl stared at the gold in her hand, eyes wide. A fortune she may well have never seen in her grip.

"Use them to join a caravan to the surface," Brand said.

"You're not drow either," she said in a kind of awe.

"You just keep that to yourself," Brand said shortly.

Of course Brand could take away any risk of betrayal by eating her and turning her into yet another pet. He didn't say it aloud but Ellie could practically see the question in his eyes.

[Redfield]

Yunessa stepped back to join the group now things seemed to have shifted once more she allowed a small sigh to escape her lips and she moved to stand besides Mora. The knight looking briefly between Ellie and the man tilting her head to the side.

Ellie gave the man a small shrug, looking to the changeling and back to Brand "I mean....I'm not going to stop you, if that's what you want" she says her voice low so the woman could hopefully not hear. The human girl stretched her arms out, her eyes wandering briefly over to Oyuki before looking back to Yunessa and then to the changeling. Ellie folded her arms moving forward to stand next to Yunessa giving the changeling a gentle smile, she looked over to Brand "I'd like a little coin too please."

[Whitebrand]

Brand shrugged. A shapechanging slave girl would be a fine addition, really.

"Stop him from what?" The woman said, eyes suspicious.

Brand quickly took back the coins and handed the gold to Ellie instead. As the girl opened her mouth to protest, Brand made a quick gestures and shrank her down to doll size. Her cloak fell away and her surprise made her revert to her true form: a pale grey naked female humanoid with black eyes and short white hair. Brand snatched her up and lifted her above his head.

He tilted his head back and opened his mouth. The changeling shrieked and began flailing around but Brand restrained her easily and lowered her into his mouth feet first.

"I won't tell anyone!" She yelled to Ellie...suggesting that she had at least considered betraying the group's presence in the city.

Pale legs, hips and waist slipped down into Brand's mouth. The shrunken girl squealed in terror as Brand gulped her down. Her breasts jiggled as she squirmed uselessly to try to escape. In a moment her pleas were silenced as Brand closed his mouth over her and swallowed her down.

"A pet who can be anything?" Brand said to the group. "Hard to pass up. And she might have sold us out if she'd gotten in trouble later. Besides...Its offer a better life than here."

They were alone in the alley now. Brand kicked the now-obviously ratty cloak into a corner.

[Redfield]

"That was Harsh!" Yunessa exclaimed, curling her hands into fists, the knight stepping forward having watched the display with amazement. She stood before the dragon disguised as drow and folded her arms "you ate on the chance she could have told on us and so what if she did? the cities huge there not going to....That was way too harsh!" She complained not raising her voice.

Ellie stepped forward placing a hand on the knight's shoulder, pulling the gold in a pocket on her shirt. "This might seem harsh to you, but what if she'd spoken to thieves or..."

"If he was worried about that then maybe don't go flashing that amount of gold around....I can't believe your ok with this, control your lizard!" Yunessa interrupted Ellie looking back to the woman "your upset I get that, but please calm down" Ellie says pulling the girl back away from Brand, Yunessa growled a little "fine, but this isn't over." The knight states turning away from Brand. The group stood at the entrance to the Alley and Ellie tugged on Yunessa's arm, pulling them away from the group, but being sure to stick to viewing distance.

The knight shook her head she reached into Ellie's pocket and slipped out a few of the coins. There was a stall not too far from them on the otherside of the road that seemed to sell alcohol of some kind. Yunessa tugged Ellie forward stepping out across the street, slender legs on display and her skirt fluttered with the motions.

"Have more control over your dragon" her voice a bit louder than she had perhaps intended. "You shouldn't say that out loud" Ellie complained, looking over to The group gesturing for Brand to stay back, Yunessa needed a moment or two to calm down and they were within sight she felt nothing of it. Yunessa fiddled with a couple of the coins as she reached the stall and set about seeing what they had barely paying attention to any of the drow men and women nearby.

[Whitebrand]

Brand sighed, having lost ground with Yunessa. He'd miscalculated...but it couldn't be helped. He'd have to work hard to get those points back.

The reality was that the changeling was likely a survivor...and would almost certainly have betrayed them if threatened. A very likely possibility in a dark elf city. As far the likelihood of being found...Yunessa was underestimating the paranoia of the dark elves. Brand's real mistake had been his generosity and sympathy for the shapeshifter...but maybe Yunessa would figure it out on her own.

He decided he'd let Yunessa cool off. Mora was scared of this place, and maybe taking care of her fellow human would help her calm down.

At the stall, the merchant was a gnome who had casks of various drinks available for sale...at outrageous prices. He was making a killing too...the exotic alcohols he had available were very popular. She also noticed that he seemed to change his prices with every sale...depending on the status of the customer perhaps.

[Redfield]

Ellie looked at the prices and stepped back ever so slightly, she realised that she actually had no idea the real value of the currency here. It all just looked like gold coins to her, but she was sure there was more to it than that. So she decided to let the knight handle these things, someone from this world seemed like they would be more knowledgeable about these things.

Yunessa snorted looked at the prices 'doesn't matter where you are, rich idiots are rich idiots.' She thought to herself, her eyes wandering over the stock. 'If he is upcharging the rich then he's going to charge me the same while there hanging around....wouldn't want them realising they were paying for the same things as the poor....in which case the best option is probably' The young knight straightened up, the blonde women giving a small grin stepping about 'i'm not sure I can afford a cask' she moved to step alongside Ellie gently bumping into someone as she did. The boxom knight giving a small sigh as she looked over the gnomes wares taking a slight step back to allow other potential customers to move around her. Ellie moved to hold onto Yunessa's sleeve not wanting to get too far away from the woman.

[Whitebrand]

Mora also stayed close to Yunessa.

Oyuki, meanwhile, ignored the occasional propositions by the surrounding dark elves. As they waited, she wordlessly rebuffed potential suitors by simply dropping the temperature in her immediate area dangerously frosty. In the end she stood placidly with a wide space around her.
This had the extra effect of driving customers away...forcing the little gnome to grumpily confront Ellie.

"What will it take for yew ter take yer friend somewhere else?" He demanded.

[Redfield]

Yunessa blinked looking about, she hadn't noticed the other two girl's arrive and winced a little at her inattentivness. The knight laughed a little at the gnome's attitude a shiver running down her spine at the cold. Ellie tilted her head to the side "what makes you think I can control her?" She asked stifling a laugh, she let go of Yunessa and moved to take Mora's hand instead. Ellie shrugged a little, looking to Oyuki "thing you can cool down on your cooling the man looks pretty upset with you....Though if the man had asked people not to bother you this wouldn't be an issue"

Yunessa shifted folding her arms and pulling herself away from Mora, deciding to step away from the three to get away from the cold. She was surprised at how many seemed to approach Oyuki though. The knight cracked her knuckles a little, moving her hands over her stomach, briefly using one hand to brush herself down as she stood to the side. She shifted again folding her arms beneath her breasts and pushing them up slightly.

[Whitebrand]

The gnome glowered at Ellie.

"What do yew want?" He repeated.

"A fair price," Brand said.

The gnome looked annoyed but sighed. Whatever it took to be rid of the snow woman.

As Yunessa stood, another dark elf woman approached her. She was wearing what looked like a leather costume more suited for a bedroom than a street.

"My mistress wishes your company," she said to the knight. "Near the slave market. She has a proposal for you."

[Redfield]

Ellie raised an eyebrow turning around to look at the prescene of Brand, giving the man a small smile, edging closer to Oyuki and moving to take her hand in her other hand. The young woman allowed a sigh to escape her lips as she looked over the ale selection before her.

Yunessa stepped back at the sight of the elf girl and gave the woman a small smile and found her cheeks heating up at the sight of the dark elf. She realised that it wasn't too much of an unusual outfit here, but it was still eye catching to her. She looked over to the group they seemed distracted by the ale stall and the market wasn't too far away. The blonde knight shrugged and against her better judgement she moved after the leather clad drow. She wandered who this 'misstress' was and briefly considered that might simply be a lie to get her away from her group, but she found herself commited now and was able to slip away without commotion.

[Whitebrand]

The air around Oyuki began to warm...or rather she stopped freezing the air around her. She gave Ellie a grateful look and squeezed her hand back.

Then many ales and other drinks were from places Ellie had never heard of. Seeing her hesitate, the gnome chimed in his advice.

"The drow like their exotic stuff," he warned. "Usually mixed with something else pretty potent. Stuff that can make yew see things. Or worse. You're best off with them unmixed drinks. I have an ale made from some good Underdark grains and fruit. Ill give yew a sample fer bringing back the heat."

Yunessa found herself standing before a party of dark elves. In the center relaxed a dark elf woman who looked close to middle age...but wasn't soft at all. She leaned back on a comfortable couch that rested atop a frog-like lizard. Her entourage was made up of other dark elves in similar leather gear...the males wearing little more than sets of buckles and straps. A few were even blindfolded. The matrons feet rested in another dark elf who was on his hands and knees.

"There she is," the matron said lazily. "The surface knight I have been told of. I have a request for you...one that will be rewarded well. One so very important that i will even let you name your price."

[Redfield]

Ellie flashed Oyuki a small grin, listening to the gnome's advice and nodded her head slowly, she glanced over to Brand and then back to the ale, taking some coins from her pocket "ok then, I'll take an unmixed drink then please." She flashed a gentle smile, clutching the coins in her hand a light blush upon her cheeks.

'This is certainly not what I expected' Yunessa thought to herself the woman stopping just before the lady and her entourage. She swallowed a little nervously, looking over the group before looking back to it's leader. 'Surface knight? news travels quickly, might as well hear her out then' she thought to herself, her body tensing "well I'll at least hear you out before I decide on anything miss." She says trying to be as polite as she could, there still seemed to be no reason to be rude after all.

[Whitebrand]

"If course you will," the matron said in a tone that strongly suggested that there would be no refusal. "I have a prisoner that I want you too return to the surface world. When you return them to their family you can make up any story you rush. Daring rescue, defeated waves of foes, wild chases, and so on. There's even a substantial reward you can accept if you aren't too proud."

The dark elf paused to take a sip of wine.

"Rescuing a prisoner from the dreaded dark elves should be quite a feather in your cap. Saving 'innocents' and all that rot. I can provide you with their location and the best time to take her from her captors. She's a child, if that makes a difference to you. A helpless flower in black hearted hands. But you should decide fairly quickly...a precious prisoner like that will not last long in the hands of these who hold her here."

[Redfield]

"That sounds..." Yunessa spoke, pursing her lips in thought and she found herself wandering what the woman's angle was. If she wanted the girl to get to the surface then surely there'd be other ways, maybe one of her servants. Her eyes wandered over the group 'if this is political, then regardless of my feelings on the matter I'd have to refuse, I can't allow myself get involved in Drow politics.' She thought to herself, wandering what the woman was after.

'Political manoeuvring through a proxy, embarrassing a rival by having there prisoners stolen by a human.' The knight thought to herself and shifted about on the spot, seeming to weigh in her options 'I have to wander how happy she'd be with a refusal still, I can't risk the safety of the others on what could easily be a lie.' She looked around, there were several of the group nearby. Yunessa sighed putting her hands behind her back. There was a look of distrust that she had let slip on her face.

"Yeah, I think that's going to be a Hard Pass."

[Whitebrand]

"Don't try to be clever," the matron said. "It doesn't suit you. You misunderstand. I'm not giving you an option."

She stretched her legs atop her servant much like a cat.

"Now that I've spoken to you about this, I can't have you turning me down and go talking about it to anyone else. You either do it...or you die. Right here, right now. I can kill you where you stand and no one here will blink an eye. Do we understand one another now?"

The matron smiled sweetly.

[Redfield]

"But I don't even know who you are and there's nothing to stop me accepting and then just not doing it and tattling on you anyway." Yunessa pointed out, keeping her hands behind her back, though one hand did move up to grab at the hilt of her blade. The human woman gave the drow a small smile, her head tilted to the side "I mean people dressed like you seem to be all over the place around, so there's really no risk to let me walk away."

She took a couple of steps back, her eyes looking at the group before her, her eyes wandering briefly over the matron's legs before she looked up to meet the woman's eyes "and you can't just order me around, I'm not a slave." Yunessa stated taking another step back, her body tensed as she seemed to be expecting a fight at this point. She felt a presence behind her and turned her head to find that one of the matrons girls was already behind her. The woman laughed softly "we can change that if you want" then she flipped up Yunessa's skirt giving the matron and any onlookers a quick look at her underwear causing the knight to blush furiously.

[Whitebrand]

"You think ill dark elves looked they same to us, do you?" The matron said. "How myopic. You disappoint me. A little. You refuse, you die. Betray and you will end up like this fellow..." She rapped her heels on her living furniture. "Or perhaps a meal for my ride. Or like this...thing over here."

A terrible creature made its appearance. It had the lower body of a spider and the upper body of a drow. The drider was scarred and its gender was difficult to determine. It had a collar around its neck and looked like it was used for flaying practice.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere," the matron explained. "Just do it. It will be much easier for you...and you'll get out alive. And even rich. Maybe you'll even bond with the poor thing. I really don't care."

The scary thing was that she didn't have to use any threatening tone it all to frighten. She continued to smile sweetly even as she threatened Yunessa's life.

Worse...help was getting a drink out of earshot.

[Redfield]

"I don't believe that's not what I said at all" Yunessa states, her blush dying down and her grip of her blade firm, she was ready to draw at a moments notice "as for being rich, I don't really care about that kind of thing." She gives a shrug looking back at the elf behind her, she was seriously regretting coming to hear the woman's request her eyes fell on the drider and she felt a bit bad for the thing. 'I could try running, knock the one elf down and charge down a nearby alley, though who knows what will happen if I'm caught.'

The woman thought to herself, the only way out she could see was a small alleyway, it was large enough to go behind and there was a gap in the entourage she get down if she was quick enough to avoid being caught. The knight let out a sigh, her free hand twitched at her side and she wet her lips a little. The human shifted a bit and kept her eyes on the matron "almost sounds like betraying you is my best option" she muttered under her breathe, ducking a swipe from the woman behind her "there's really no benefit to me in all of this and your not nearly naked enough to convince me otherwise" she remained as calm as she could flirting a little as she spoke. She kept herself as composed as she could, she wasn't about to let herself be intimidated by the woman before her. She briefly wandered how the matron's entourage was reacting to her, but she didn't care too much about them right then. "Your opening pitch was that I could name my price, now you seem to go back on that so..."

"This conversation is over" Yunessa bowed her head and gave the woman a polite smile, before turning around stepping to the side of the drow behind her as she prepared to walk away from the Matron. The human adopted a gentle, slightly sultry tone "but hey if you want to offer something else, last chance to, come down here kiss my feet and I might reconsider."

[Whitebrand]

POW!

The blow came straight on to her head from the nearby dark elf. The drow servants swarmed Yunessa while the matron sipped at her drink.

"I suppose we pass out offer on to her allies," she mused while the dark elves tackled and began beating on the woman with fist, elbow, and knee. There was an eager savagery in the drow as they wrestled her down and tried to keep her from drawing her blade.

An electrical crackle shot into the crowd and suddenly the would-be attackers fell to the ground twitching. Yunessa could smell the ozone as Brand appeared at the edge of the entourage, lightning sparking all over his body.

"Kill them," the elf matron said as she turned her toad-like lizard to leave. "Kill them both."

The disguised dragon stood over Yunessa defiantly as all kinds of wicked and sharp weapons were drawn around the pair. Brand glared back at them, unflinching, as the enemies closed in.

[Redfield]

"Agh fuck, a sucker punch really" Yunessa states aloud rubbing the back of her head, she'd managed to protect her face from the attackers so it was relatively unscathed. Her shirt was torn in places exposing a fair amount of skin, she looked up to see Brand standing above her and gave him a small smile. There were some red marks from the hits but luckily for her they hadn't been going at her long enough to break her bones, though she was certain she was going to be sore later.

The young knight coughed and shook her head a little, shifting about to sit on her knees before the dragon man. Yunessa winced a little looking around at the other attackers and reached behind her to grab her sword, but otherwise couldn't find the strength in her legs to get up at that moment. "a little winded, give me a moment."

"Sharantir back them up" Ellie ordered the elven woman, standing fairly close by, she looked to the scene sneering slightly, pulling Oyuki and Mora close to her "and she said she wasn't as gullible as me." The human held tightly onto the girls hands and realising the folly of standing too close to the fight, pulled back, tugging the women away. She dragged them to stand behind some boxes besides the entrance of one of the many alleys "stay down girl's we'll only get in the way, they don't need to worry about us while there worrying about them."