..."Celeste"...(the name she had adopted a while ago)...is sitting in a back alley, sharing roasted vulos with other women. The three had been pleased to see Celeste approach...she was wearing nice clothing...and holding a basket of food. They had planned on attacking her, but they noticed that Celeste was walking with excellent balance...and had a large scramasaex at her back. The leader told the other two..."Just try to get this bitch to share, she probably has ost vemon needles hidden."
...Celeste had stopped short of them, and looked them over, and casually said..."Anyone lookin fer trouble?" The leader replied, "No, just something to eat." Celeste had looked each one in the eyes...and Celestes' large green eyes could be scary...it could be like looking at the depths of the Ocean...while sinking to the bottom. But then, Celeste smiled, and her face relaxed. Celeste stays, and says..."A Merchant entrusted some kid tae deliver these, I got tha kid tae hand them over tae me...I did toss over some copper bits...so it wasn't EXACTLY a robbery...but I 'spect they cost more than I paid...an I can't eat all a them."
...The three relax, and make room, and Celeste sits down and opens the basket. The basket is packed with roasted vulos, and they are still very warm, and stuffed with rice and other things. Celeste takes two, and nods to the women..."Enjoy". They are very hungry, and reach into the basket. The four women look very fearsome as they eat...their sharp white teeth tear into the meat...and they quickly chew and swallow. They pass around a bota of water as they feed, and then relax a bit, and talk.
...Celeste asks..."Be there any news?"
...The other three keep eating, but tell her of events. She is informed of politics, and festivals...of high level Companionships. The three giggle as they describe how they had entered a Companionship feast dressed as kitchen drudges...and had quietly left the feast with baskets of food and drink. They then laugh, and say...
..."There is word that there is an outlaw woman roaming around. She knocked out, and robbed a Merchant. The Men are searching for her." I keep eating and nod...and one of the women looks closely at me, and says..."The description of the outlaw is kind of like you."
...I just look back at her, and say, "actually, you kinda look like tha woman ye describe." They get quiet, and then start laughing, and work on finishing the meal. I take a last drink of water, and wink, and tell them..."Keep tha basket."
...I leave, and carefully make my way through the alleys. I have to stop a few times, and hide in a narrow passage. I quickly climb a wall, and grab clothing from a line, and go to a passage, and change. I hide my scramasaex under the skirt, and pull the hood over my head, hiding my hair...the clothing is much too large for me...I actually have to cut away the hem after nearly tripping.
...I make my way to another Inn...it is very modest. I pay some coin, and tell the Owner..."I may have some visitors." He nods and says..."I will expect 15% of what you earn." I shrug, and say..."Usually, I only hand over 6%" He just says, "You are a mess, you probably won't do much business." I just sigh, and say..."10%?"...we agree on 12% .
...I don't go to the room that he assigned me...I grab and push a street bond into it...and tell her..."Enjoy...an give tha Owner 12%"...I pick the lock of a different room. I summon a serving bond, and I have her fetch me food and drink. I also let her bathe me, and bring me fresh clothing, and then I soak in the tub for a while, thinking over what the women had been saying.
...I figure that I don't have much time, and get out of the tub. I dry off, and trim my hair, and put on makeup and the fresh clothing. I decide to leave the scramasaex in the room, it is too hard to conceal, and I had...actually...not paid for it...I had taken it from the Merchant. I leave by the back stairs, and head for the stables.
