Wrapping Things Up

-Dalen Capital, Slave Pens, Night, 2 DSTR-

Kline started to sway, the blood loss was taking its toll. “Wait, I am confused.” He said slowly. “You took the… who is that?” He asked looking at the new woman. “Did you take a slave from the pens? You know you cannot just take them, you have to buy them.”

"Spare me the ridiculous lecture! This is not some slave—this is the necromancer we've been looking for!" Kalena said in exasperation. "The Emerald Scarves brought her Van's soul, but when she refused to cooperate with their nefarious scheme they took her pendant away, which I gather is the source of her magic. According to her, it was the nameless leader of the Scarves before us here now who was behind the whole plot and not some conveniently dead subordinate as she would have us believe, thinking us idiots!"

“I am Sarx, please, remember the name. I do run the Emerald Scarves, and if you really think you can arrest me and get out of the Lower Quarter alive, you are impressive. If you think the Lower Quarter will survive another day if you manage to get out with you, you are dreaming. My people will grind commerce in this city to a halt and you will see the slow starving of this city and eventually the Kingdom.” She looked at them as bold as any noble. “That is not to mention the very good friends who sit in the Queens court who enjoy the services and goods my people provide them, so if you wish to continue this misguided endeavour of arresting me, just know it will bring a storm you will not weather well.” She said all this in the kindest of tone, like a mother explaining to her children the complex nature of the world.

"Make no mistake, wench. What happened at my home will not go unanswered, you understand?" Kalena responded fiercely. "And neither I nor Her Majesty give into threats and intimidation."

Sarx went on, “I provide security and safety to the city with organized and efficient crime, something you have no evidence I have committed. In fact, I have come to deliver the criminal to you, and will see that crime is orderly and that it does not disrupt the better half of this city, something the Queen would prefer as well as many of the nobles.” She motioned to the dead drow woman. “I offer this, as a peace offering, take it, and the hounds, and go.”

The door to the slave pens opened and the slave from Kalena’s house stumbled out with two others, an old man and a young boy.

"I'll take this, and your head, if not today, another time!" Kalena said, scowling at the slave's arrival that could not have been any more staged if a theatrical director was visibly present. She gritted her teeth in fury. Kline turned and looked at the slave Van had been with, then turned to look at Sarx. Then he staggered and suddenly fell back. Gularzob caught him and picked him up under his knees and shoulders.

Sarx arched a brow. “Seems your friend needs help. Take the slaves then, and him, and you can even use my carriage to take him home.”

Kalena was so overcome with rage she had to restrain herself from making an attempt to kill the woman where she stood. The effort of will was nearly physical so strong was the compulsion. "For your information, that is Baron Kline Lowson," she said with cold eyes fixed on Sarx. "If he dies, there will be no place in the whole kingdom for you to hide from me, and no hope for anything but a slow death for you broken on a wheel, or some other more imaginative means in the Queen's dungeons."

Kalena's ire cooled knowing what little options she in truth had at the moment to make such a thing a reality, and she brusquely took the necromancer by the arm and led her toward the carriage with Lafayette trailing behind them. Gularzob was just setting Kline down on the bench and taking the hounds to him.

The orc glanced at her and spoke quickly, "I am cutting my visit off here."

"Oh, must you? And we were having so much fun," Kalena said in a cynical tone.

"It was a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Valade, but as you know, I have much work to complete. Please, come by the shop for a fitting and to see my progress within the next couple of days. I understand your schedule is quite...thrown off now. But, if you can make the time, I would appreciate it."

She nodded and sighed. "And I sincerely appreciate your assistance this evening, Gular. It really went well beyond the call in supporting one of your loyal customers, and I won't soon forget it."

As he turned to depart, Kalena crawled into the carriage and inspected Kline's extensive injuries. Her eyes widened at seeing the deep claw marks. What the hell had he been fighting against, a Dire Bear?

Turning and making sure everyone was inside and ready to go, including the hounds, she rapped on the roof with her fist. "Do get a move on, driver, or I shall transfer my wrath on you from your boss, wholesale!"