Crows Murder

[2024/12/18 10:52] Black Ost (daricmarano) shifted his eyes to the square again and those filing about. He exhaled, before he would incline his head in a cryptic way and shift to move off. Adjusting black tunic to his stocky frame before he adjusted his stance and moved around the corner.

[2024/12/18 10:53] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) fell in behind, her feline gait going even more quiet as she moves – it always did when serving those of the black.

[2024/12/18 10:56] Black Ost (daricmarano) peered left and right as he moved. “Tal Haru, how are you? It was good to see that herlit.” He supplied to her, his eyes softening a bit upon her, before he reached up and slid that helm from his head. Tucking it under one arm. “I was gone from the city for a few days. I take some time away to recharge. I should recommend the same thing to Crow.”

[2024/12/18 11:00] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) would trail along behind Ost. They got to the beach, but not quite as far down as they would usually go, she noted. Not to the very spot where the order to report to him had been given. “I am well, Master,” she says, giving a slight tug of her camisk; not for modesty but to show it off. A gift from her master though she didn’t verbalise her words of it; girls. Always those silent messages, right?

“Karasu is well trained and is rewarded for it,” she says, referring to her little midget herlit. “He has saved me before from being stolen.” A nod of her head and she scans the beach again, ensuring they were still alone. “My Master …” she starts as he mentions the idea of a break. Haru would do anything for just some time alone with the man but he was busy. Very busy. “My Master would have me report to you of your charge. She has been using her connection to the caste to further her own intents. Claiming that she is owned by the caste and even suggesting or questioning the what ifs of a mistress being
trained as a killer.”

She would pause a moment, watching the man for a reaction. “He wishes to know if you would deal with it, or if he will step in instead. Her tongue will be lost if so.” She still thought the lady was foolish for offering up her tongue so willingly but hey, not her problem.

[2024/12/18 11:06] Black Ost (daricmarano) adjusted that helm under his arm. Ost had always been an enigma. A different sort of killer. Not one Haru had ever seen angry. His eyes drifted to the thassa, he saw that little shift of that camisk. It was a nice camisk. He liked purple. He shifted, his head and nodded back to Haru. “After I received your missive. I spoke to the woman herself to see if she was culpable for her actions and would explain herself. She did. She told me everything you just stated. “I reminded her that her connection to the caste does not mean she is owned by the caste. She is a woman and women are not permitted to be trained as a killer.” There wasn’t frustration or anger in him in that moment. “I wish to speak to Crow on this matter.”

[2024/12/18 11:12] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) was alert, keeping track of the beach as they spoke; back in her game as if the new camisk had triggered a switch in the girl and put all things right. What girl didn’t get all googly from new pretty things? The angst of before was gone though she could feel that she was being held to a different standard now in public; though much of that she was figuring slowly was because no, they were not in Kansas any more, Toto.”My Master,” she would say, turning to take note of his arrival. Alert. Near impossible to sneak up on now; just like the man in the mines who had tried. And failed.

The girl would step back, making room for her master’s approach even as she nodded her head to Ost’s feedback but having given her report and the man arriving as his name was spoken, she would default to her owner. An approach from her, a momentary brush of her hands against his thighs and under his cloak for them being alone but then putting that little measure of gap between per his recent preferences.

[2024/12/18 11:16] Crow (melchior.wardell) moved and just on time would move towards the beach. His eyes upon Ost as he dipped his head in a respectful manner.

He noted his girl and understood she relayed the message he had told her. As she pushed herself backwards. The touch was given a look but he did not comment upon it.

“Well here I am. So what is it you wished to relay., Killer.”

[2024/12/18 11:21] Black Ost (daricmarano) watched Haru step backwards and he tipped his head back to peer towards Crow. An incline of his head in a respectful manner. His eyes were clearer for his break away from the city; something he forced himself to take to come back with fresh eyes. “I received your message and the information you wished your girl to relay. I spoke with the lady, prior to this conversation. She is incorrect in her understanding and I want to relay to you, that free women called associate with our caste are tools. With a means to an end. Like physicians or suppliers, there is no debt owed to the caste and certainly will I not train such women to be killers. That is ludicrous. As Choko’s guardian, I will be the first to tell you…the woman needs a reality check. Only..” He would look back to Crow holding his gaze. “…since when do we let our anger speak for us? We are not violent men.”

[2024/12/18 11:24] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) would enlarge the gap a little at the look from her master. Still close. Enough so that if he moved, she’d feel it before she would see it – but quick and simple to also move out of the way. Her old protocols were starting to kick in; the only thing missing was standing on his left as there were rocks in the way, her face falling into that placid, porcelain mask. Unreadable. Beautiful and demure seeming yet whatever emotions lay behind it were hidden. A gaze that kept tabs on everything around her; anything that moved or made a noise, staying alert that the masters could have privacy and yet ready to move at a single signal.

[2024/12/18 11:26] Crow (melchior.wardell) would regard Ost with a gaze that pierced through his eyes. After a casual glance over his shoulders “Are you Killer, going to lecture me on anger management and how to control it when I am faced by your ward that speaks from your connection as if she can do as she pleases ?” his voice eary calm, but there was something to it.

“This wasn’t a first time. This wasn’t a second time. This woman wants to be in my bed. Wants to be fucked like a slave. I smelled her with paga. I let her to you and your decisions. Did I not ?”

He would wave his hand “Consider yourself warned. I have not acted out of anger but out of controlling a situation in which she would no longer be of any use to you.”

[2024/12/18 11:32] Black Ost (daricmarano) shifted that helm under his arm, just holding it. His body otherwise relaxed. “I am not lecturing you killer. How she speaks away from me, is unknown to me until I am told of it. As you are telling me now. I do not need a warning for it. I am just cautioning you from one brother to another.” He supplied with an incline of his head. He spoke in certainties, an ease of expression. “I have seen what you speak of in her. I have let her fail all on her own without harming her. Her downfall will be her own design.” He shifted his stance, adjusting to square his hips. “We are discussing this, not arguing it. The lady has failings we both agree on that. Why give her what she wants? If she wants to be in your bed, I will resign her punishment to you as the aggrieved party.”

[2024/12/18 11:34] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) listens, a slight shudder running down her spine. She knew Choko had offered up her tongue to Crow’s words – a foolish move if anyone were to ask Haru; almost as if the lady wanted to accelerate things in that regard. She’d been given a safety buffer for her life and yet wanted to throw it away then and there.

She says nothing, though. The girl was simply acting as the eyes in the back of the men’s head. Allowing them to focus without concern of snoops or eavesdroppers.

[2024/12/18 11:40] Crow (melchior.wardell) frowns “You caution me for what ? Surely you do so because there is a concern for me to act out of it. I doubt you would do so otherwise.” he replied to the point. “So forgive me for seeing your intent any different than it was meant for.” he added.

His pose calm – his voice even – Still Crow was not one that would be scolded like a fresh man in to the caste. “She is your ward. You took her in. I doubt you knew much about her. But she is your problem. So my message was one of warning. Since I am quite sure you can’t be everywhere. If she already failed you, one might wonder why she is still out there let lose ? Are you not fearful for a blemished reputation. One you so much fought for ?” he asks

“This isn’t about her. I could care less. Which I told her before she so foolishly spoke of being of the caste. I warned her than. Even after I warned her days prior when she did so too. It is up to you how valuable she is too you. To me she is nothing. Of no value. But since I did not have the coin she has
her life. And perhaps that is worth something to you.”

[2024/12/18 11:49] Black Ost (daricmarano) did not sway his gaze from Crow. He held enough respect between them to meet his eyes. “I caution you because our caste is in ruin, it is in ruin because we have forgotten where we came from. Where we started. It is weak to be cruel, it takes strength to be humble. You are a killer same as me. We endured the training, we endured the hardship and we still do. I refuse to be a bully and if you take offense to those words I am apologetic.” He said lifting his hand to his shoulder and chest. “I am not fearful of blemish upon my reputation. My actions speak for themselves, how others in my orbit act is not a reflection upon me or this caste. It is a reflection upon themselves. Same for any member of our caste.” He supplied peering back in his direction with his focus. “The woman grows my coffers, but can be detached from any association. You were offended by her inquiry. Her punishment is yours.”

[2024/12/18 11:52] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) would make a motion for the men to alert them to the approaching man – though the man thankfully passed before anything further could be spoken. Still, her eyes tracked the man. She had noted an increase in northerners in the city since her arrival; that had her concerned. Going to the north at her master’s beckoning was one thing – being taken there by force was completely something else and that always got her nervous when she saw so many. Haru had trust issues when it came to strangers and probably rightly so.

Her head moves, still tracking, still keeping eyes open – but also playing ping-pong between the men as words go back and forth; as they seem to negotiate and banter on whose responsibility Choko’s punishment would be. She was glad it wasn’t her own tongue on the chopping block – even if she had learned skills to communicate when gagged, losing the ability to taste food would have had its own effects.

[2024/12/18 11:59] Crow (melchior.wardell) shook his head “Forgive me if I read more into your words than you intended to relay? Do you think I am a bully? I am no longer humble?” the question sincere and out there to see if there was perhaps time on some self reflection. Crow did never walk or run from those. “Unfortunately I wish you were right that your actions would only be the ones that matter. You must trust me from my past experience such is not always the case. Even in association we are judged.”

He would regard his slave for a moment before his attention returned to Ost. “If she brings you coin. If you see that she is more valuable than the pain she might cause. That is your decision to make.I am not the master of this court.” he waved his hand “The punishment spoken and her offer for to cut her tongue – wasn’t executed because I did not have any intent to harm her in a way that wouldn’t be able to be rectified. She is yours to do as you please. I have no interest in it. I just wished you warned. And as you seem to think I only acted
because I might enjoy to pester women … Than I want to learn that now.”

[2024/12/18 12:05] Black Ost (daricmarano) had noticed those folks passing, as such he waited to speak until they passed. He stepped closer, but it was not in a threatening way it was in an honest more open way. “Crow, one of your first actions upon meeting someone seeking our caste typically is to punch them in the face. To test and judge their reaction if they have the temperament to be a killer. We expect them not to cower, but to take the punch and stand back up on their own two feet without allowing fury to overwhelm them. If I were to swing on you right now how would you act? Honestly.” He supplied with a cant of his head.

[2024/12/18 12:07] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) was listening and for all the non-threat of Ost’s motions, she would take two small steps back. Space for her master to move. Her mind was wandering back to Ost’s earlier words; where he had been the last few days and the suggestion that had followed. That would be a dream, would it not? Just a few days.

[2024/12/18 12:11] Crow (melchior.wardell) would watch how the killer came close and although he didn’t cower there was this flicker in the eyes of Crow that must have warned him. When the man spoke to him. He knew the man to be right.

As Ost asked his response, Crow would think his reply would be as honest as the intent of his question. All of a sudden it dawned upon him. “I would slice your throat if you did not stop me from doing so.” his words painfully honest. If Crow was ever afraid of what would happen – it was now – in this moment.

He regarded Ost defeated as he lowered his head. His mind racing while his heart danced in his chest. How he wished to say he would be as those lads, but he would fail his caste if Ost ever had done so.

[2024/12/18 12:18] Black Ost (daricmarano) would take a step back, as any sensible man would when the threat of a slit throat was laid before him. “We all lose sight of the picture. When we are inside the frame. I do not judge you. I judge myself for pushing you to join me here after the fall of the Lodge, I think you need a break..” He did not reach for him as some men might embrace. He only inclined his head respectfully.

[2024/12/18 12:26] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) was listening. Her gaze moves from man to man. Ost had said the same earlier and Haru had pictured it vividly. Him. Her. Some beach alone with noone else to bother them. A chance for her to spoil him. Help him relax and take care of things while he did what he needed to do. A time for them to reconnect.

She doesn’t speak, though.

[2024/12/18 12:27] Crow (melchior.wardell) would look up to him “You do not have to fear me. To realize I would have done so is enough to have me cautioned.” he stated.

He would look to his slave and back to Ost. “I indeed need to step away from any caste business.” he replied. “I will consider what to do.”

He would look to his girl “Please find Erebus. See that you train Nova. I will be there to come and collect you for whatever comes next.”

With that he would leave.

[2024/12/18 12:29] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) would watch as her master walked off, the girl crumbling inside a little. “Hai…” she would say. Her gaze moved to Ost and she would frown some. “It seems I am to travel to Argentum then.”

[2024/12/18 12:30] Black Ost (daricmarano) watched him walk away. His eyes distant, before he peered back to Haru. “I expect you to help him as you can, girl. You may come to me and this court if you need refuge yourself. I will protect you as if I were your own master.” He said, as he shifted to slide that helm over his head. Adjusting it. “Do as your master wishes.”

[2024/12/18 12:32] Haru (cecilia.ushimawa) would sigh and shake her head. “Thank you, Master,” she says. “It seems I have orders to follow, though.” She would start to move back to the court. “Please pass my wishes to your girls and I will cook with Ash upon my return. If I return.” Those words hung there. She was clearly uncertain but she did not wait for more.

[2024/12/18 12:33] Black Ost (daricmarano) nodded his head to the girl, watching that other woman walk down the beach. He wouldn’t entertain it. “Yes, girl. You needn’t thank me.” A gesture for her to find Erebus to complete her task.

This entry was posted on December 18, 2024 at 10:54 pm and is filed under Black Caste. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.