by Kara Sun Sep 19, 2021 5:39 pm
With the trip to the Plaza being moderately successful, Priya retired immediately to her room. As expected, Allen personally delivered the bowl of requested candies and Priya was there waiting for him when he did. She was perched silently on the top of the beams connecting the elegantly crafted four poster bed when he entered with the small crystal bowl containing the sugary treats. She watched him for a few moments; he entered the room and carefully placed the bowl down on a small table in the sitting area of her room. She was watching for anything suspicious, any sign that he may not be who he appeared to be. She knew he wouldn’t go through anything in the room, she hadn’t actually settled in yet so there would be nothing to find, but she did see him hesitate before he turned to leave and as soon as he did she would silently leap down from her perch and rise to her (less than impressive) full height with a senbon at the ready just under her sleeve on the inside of her right wrist.
“Allen was it? What an unassuming name. . . so ordinary.” Allen didn’t jump or appear surprised at her sudden presence, he just looked at her calmly and without the usual deference given to a guest or employer, he smiled. Priya and Allen spoke in low tones, unable to be heard beyond the walls of her new room. “Unassuming is king. Or Mistress.” She studied him as he implied his true purpose, just as he studied her. After a few beats both would relax subtly, and Priya would loosen her hold on the senbon. It was still easily within reach, but she was less concerned about Allen’s intentions for the moment. Gesturing with her chin towards the bowl she asked him a one word question. “Poisoned?” Allen would shake his head ‘no’ and give a three word answer. “Not this time.” It was then Priya’s turn to smile, a look of wry amusement on her dark features.
“I have a job to do Allen, please don’t get in my way.” Allen nodded and gave a cryptic reply. “As do I. Two ships pushed by wind, held together only by the bond of steel. The currents must keep them apart. Agreed?” Priya nodded in understanding of the strange code, moving so she was no longer blocking his path to the door to exit the room. “Agreed.” Kara had an intricate network of spies and informants that she had been setting up for years across multiple nations, though by design they did not know each other and rarely, if ever, met face to face. This meeting was an anomaly, but desperate times and all that. And if Kara arranged for not one, but two of her employees to end up in the same location - then she truly was desperate. Allen would nod and return his expression to one of the friendly deference and respect that was expected of a servant in a household. Priya’s expression changed from seriousness and calculation to the friendly awkwardness expected of someone not used to being waited on. Both of them resumed speaking in normal tones, allowing anyone nearby to overhear if they were close enough. “Enjoy your evening Miss Varitha, dinner will be served in two hours.” “Thank you, uh, Allen. Oh! We’ll have at least one more, I think, for dinner.” “Very good Miss.” Then Allen would exit the room and Priya would be left to her devices.
Priya couldn’t be sure what Allen’s actual job was, but she suspected it to be much the same as hers given the timing. She knew that Allen would also be exceptional at his job as a member of staff of the estate, it was useless to employ a spy that had no other skills, and the spies that Kara employed were among the best - or so they all liked to tell themselves. Priya once again filed more information into the back of her mind, skillfully compartmentalizing her varied thoughts and complicated emotions, further ensuring that she could do her job properly. She would spend the next half hour bathing, which mainly involved cleaning her very long and thick dark hair. When she was finally clean she would step out of the bath, without a towel because it was her room and she could drip on the floor if she wanted to, and make her way to the wardrobe. There were several outfits to pick from; ranging from smart looking suits to elaborate ball gowns. Priya groaned quietly as she looked everything over, they were all very nice outfits and they looked as though they would fit quite well. But they weren’t her leathers. This was the part of the job she didn’t much enjoy, having to wear anything other than the well worn dark leather outfit. It wasn’t that she didn’t like other clothing, it was just that her usual outfit was perfectly worn in. With a sigh of resignation and a sad look towards the leather outfit slung over the back of a high backed chair, she would run her hand over the fabrics, her hand stopping on a deep purple satin gown. Pulling out the dress she would slide the fabric over her hips, and realize that reaching the zipper that lay along her spine from her tailbone to the middle of her back was going to be quite difficult. Not exceedingly so for her, but it was as good an excuse as any to check in on Tamwyn without making things too awkward.
Holding the front of the strapless gown against her chest she made her way to the door that joined their two suites, deftly opening it and slipping inside quietly. Once she passed the threshold she would call out to him, giving him exactly three seconds before she walked into view of mostly naked Tamwyn who was just finishing putting on his pants. With playful innocence in her brown eyes she would grin and offer a completely insincere apology as she stared unabashedly at his form. “Sorry to catch you indisposed, but uh, can you help?” She would point with her free hand towards the open zipper on her gown as she turned so her back faced him, though she still kept her eyes on him by looking over her shoulder.