Before I confuse anyone else...
This is just a segment of a storyline that's been playing through my head for a while. Talamir and Kai have been working together for a Theives Guild in a neo-French Quarter (a New Orleans in a different time period). Recently the two have become close friends. Kai's being stalked by someone from a different planet, or dimension, or whatever - someone who clearly wants her dead, but not before he tortures her first.


Random Writing

Rain slowly began to fall as the sleet-gray sky, solid in all directions, lost its burden.

"C'mon, Kai, or we're gon'a git soaked!" A boy's voice rang though the emptying street, echoing slightly off of wet cobblestone and brick. The owner of the voice broke from the shadows of an alley. He was dressed completely in black. With his mop of hair the color of hay, a skinny, nearly scrawny physique, and a slightly red nose he looked harmless enough, but under the raggedy sleeves of the cotton shirt he wore were hidden throwing knives and daggers - blades he was quite adept at using.

He held out his hand to a girl behind him. Her black hair was pasted to her face with the rain, and though she looked worried, her chocolate brown eyes warmed as she grabbed the boy's hand.

"Tal, the guild's not gon'a keep us t'night - we don't got the pay fer it, even at the discount." She muttered, sloshing through puddles that were quicky being augmented.

"We kin find a good doorway or sumthin'" The boy replied, scooping the girl into a close embrace. "I'll keep y'warm." He flashed a quick grin at her before disentangling himself from her arms and dashing off down the street.

"Talamir!" She called after him, adjusting a sack on her back before persuing.

The two tagged through the streets, a couple of teenagers basking in the rain and living a childhood they were never granted.

"Talamir, wait up!" Kai yelped, slipping on a particularly wet cobblestone. Before she noticed he had even heard her, Talamir caught her. She glanced up into his face, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"No worries. I gotcha, Kai." He supported her as she stood up, his deep blue eyes trained on hers. "Y'all right?" He bubbled lightly, keeping his hand on her arm. She nodded, hastily dropping her gaze. She could feel her face begin to blush - the heat tickled the back of her neck - and knowing that made her blush even harder.

"Kai?" He whispered, sliding his quick, graceful fingers - the stereotypical fingers of the pickpocket he was - beneath her chin, tilting it upwards to look into her eyes. Those same fingers, ever cautious in their work, lightly slid the black hair away from the girl's pink face.

"T-tal?" She stuttered, looking into his eyes. "What-?" She was cut off by Talamir's kiss, his lips just gently brushing hers. Without further hesitation, Kai pressed herself against her partner, wrapping her arms tightly around him. His breath was warm on her rain-chilled neck, and it sent contented shivers down her spine.

"Kai..." he murmured lazily, slowly beginning to unwrap himself. He bent forwards again, leaning near her lips.

"I... I..." He gasped for breath, gurgling slightly.

"...Talamir?" Kai pondered. Suddenly there was a horrible tearing noise, a muffled sort of growl, and the flash of a blade. Kai felt a warm substance splash over her face, draining into her mouth, and staining her clothes and skin. Tal slumped over, leaning against Kai. There was a wet thud, and Kai felt more liquid splash over the back of her calves. She held her partner out, serching for his eyes for some sort of comfort... only to find herself staring into blank space. She screamed, dropping the headless corpse of Tal and took a step backwards. A crack from under her feet caught her attention and she looked down - down into the blank, blue eyes of Talamir. Her insubstantial breakfast splashed over his face as she retched, grasping her stomach and backing up slowly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dearest. Did I just kill your lover?" A voice taunted from opposite the neoFrench Quarter. Kai looked at the figure clad in black armor, wearing the Assassins Guild emblem and the Dragoners insignia. A lethal, jagged scythe the size of Kai herself was held tightly in the figure's hand, still dripping with Talamir's blood.

"You... killed... him..." she whispered, falling to her knees, clutching the cold hand of her deceased friend to her chest.

---

I know, I KNOW! I'm such a sadist! >< For whatever reason this scenario's been playing through my head for a few days. I made Tal and Kai seem like raggedy wimps - they are not. Tal is a master theif and pickpocketer; the best of the best in New Orleans, second only to the Guildmaster himself. Kai isn't from Earth; she's form somewhere far away (probably a more mature Mantai). She isn't really 15, either. I don't even know how old she is yet, but she has quite a few titles to her name - Assasin, Theif, ex-Merc, Dragoner, and Dragoon. She's soulbound with Tal, so even if the mysterious figure doesn't kill her first, she may kill herself... unless her bondmate Bane keeps her from doing that. Unfortunately I'm too tired to introduce Bane into this story at the moment, but I think he is the best character I've created. Ever.

He's a dragon, and a damn spiffy one at that. He knows a decent amount, but he is single mindedly, unconditionally committed to the well-being of his bondmate - whether it be spiritual, emotional, or physical. He is so damn cool. Trust me; he lives in my head and I have plenty of time to talk to him. ;)

End