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It was only early morning - the breaking of dawn - and yet the place was already bustling in the Lower Chionthar. With a small smile she passed by Sharass’ Caress as she thought of the Drow twins that worked there, before she focused back on her job. 266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzJoJUdlk2
‘A job is never finished until payment is well received.’ Her father’s words were firmly stuck to her even after his passing, it both saddened and brought a smile at the remembrance of her late father. 266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErHqb4wZ9m
‘May he rest in peace with mother.’ Tav silently prayed as she turned her eyes from the brothel and towards the road, her posture confident and prepared to dismount her black horse at any confrontation or ambush. The sword that she kept sheathe remains securely fixed around the belt she wore around her hip.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPZnF9ci1y
After a few more houses, just slightly at the end of the rows of buildings before it was the bridge to the Upper Chionthar, the merchant that she was escorting from Waterdeep to Baldur’s Gate turned to her with a smile and a pouch of promised gold.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcIe5pUqiy
“I know we settled for 140 gold, but I added in an extra 10 for your satisfactory performance.”266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonjVFMpA1O
The merchant - that she came to know as David - hands the pouch of gold over to Tav as she reins her horse closer to the wagon and takes her payment with a grin, before she gives her thanks. “Until you require an escort again, David.”266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NZVew45JP
Without a moment to waste she reins her horse and leads it to the brothel, and at the time that she was heading to Sharass’ Caress she thought about the life that she was leading. ‘Life is great and money as a sellsword suits me!’ Tav thought along those lines. 266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBLuDVID4l
Tav was set in her life and would want nothing else in the world, other than to live a peaceful, comfortable and long life, just as both her parents wanted for her.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoerWGLc93
As her horse led her through the street, Tav was met with the sight of a woman that was disturbing the peace before the woman’s choices of words and her abuse towards a white stray dog reached her ears.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmq8Mx3GVEA
“Mutts that don’t listen deserve an awful beating!” The woman shouts as she caned the dog which incited a loud cry from it, yet the poor dog could not escape the pain when it was caught by the neck with a string that was being roughly pulled - and as signs due to the white fur it was easy to spot blood sustained from it - as the woman continued her abuse.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRsx4GhTgl
Although Tav would like to intervene it would most likely end with her being thrown to jail for committing violence, and if worst murder. But if the dog belongs to the woman there is little that she can do except be a guilty witness or by wearing a seething face.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqSCSPvGyx
However, it would seem that there were cunning mischiefs among the crowd as a pale man was coerced by an odd mix of misfits and oddities that the man’s group were made of to make it possible for the dog to get away.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxBOnaRcDO
As the pale man feigns ignorance to the scene before him, he roughly collided with the woman and with a sleight hand - and with Tav’s perceptive eyes - she saw him cut the dog’s leash as it immediately took its opportunity and made a getaway.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlt2TSh878Z
The woman aggressively pushed him away, and tried to chase after it only for her to direct her scream towards the pale man instead. The dog has escaped into the crowd and that could only mean that she has lost it. “Do you have your set of eyes spit on daily when you wake up, or is it just bad?!”266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4v0mhAR6tr
Yet despite the insult that was being thrown over him, the mischievous man simply continues to laugh and giggle like seeing the woman get mad over the top of her head sets him off, until the woman simply leaves him as she stomps away.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGPyzp8jDp
Although Tav was quite far away, she could faintly hear the towering red Tiefling congratulating the pale man. “Ah, good on you Astarion! I thought your dead heart was as dead as your garlic soul!”266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7u7oRD0rh
Tav could swear that the man in the purple robe, and quite a fancy brown hair snorted at the Tiefling’s words, and as she spared them another brief moment she caught the eyes of a woman with jet black hair - their eyes locking and it may have lasted longer than necessary - before Tav reins her horse and moves past them to get to Sharass’ Caress.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxexsXbjjK
With them way behind her, she could still feel the gaze and knew that she was still being watched and so she sneaked another glance and there she sat again on her horse transfixed with those eyes that stared at her with firm gaze.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bF9LlQopJ
It may have lasted forever until either of them broke contact, and it did break Tav’s concentration as she heard yet another woman’s scream for the day, but unfortunately the voice belonged to someone she knew and so she turned to look over to the scene that was unfolding in front of Sharass’ Caress.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvsYnfgFO1
“You are no longer welcome to this establishment! Leave!” Amira - the fine lady of the establishment - yells at a man that was hurriedly putting on his pants and belt on, but instead the man seemed to have the audacity to shout back.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOis8D29Vb
“You should be happy that I am paying money on your whores! Especially that female Drow that you seem to promote so much!”266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYW81Nv8af
As both argue loud and clear as the day, Tav could see cowering behind Amira was Nym shivering in fear and bruise as Sorn - her twin brother - standing in front of her serving as her shield.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9vYFIgdH9
It only took a second before Tav understood the context with her perception, and her face darkens - her eyes turn a shade darker than their colour and her lips scowled - as she dismounted her horse and took a long stride towards the man that was unaware of the danger that he was in for.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fDIZNzqJv
There were many things that were spewed from the man’s lips, and at this time nearly everyone within the vicinity was listening in and the humiliation was piling up against Nym, but before he could get another word uttered from those lips - that was dry and rugged looking became painted with red - a fist struck him on the mouth.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsPSsj3VVw
The bystanders gasp at the act of violence, but for this case she could not care as she got on top of him and struck him with another to the cheek, and then another before she finally got off of him.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJW0LCdGlYf
“Leave, before I feed you to the pigs that would take delight in feasting upon you as you cry, alive but unable to move except when you scream your curling shrieks!”266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCrLQpJkjM
Between the situation before regarding to violence, Tav was quick to spring to action despite the circumstances - even if somehow they were in the wrong - and furthermore it was someone that she has spent time with and were considerably close. Therefore, if anything Tav had some extension of right to be involved.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU63ylcwIVe
With such an intimidating pose, speech and with a sword in hand the man whimpers at the thought as he ran away in fear, yet he still had the sense to scream that it was not over and that nearly made Tav make a chase after him but was stopped when Nym ran over to her and held her hand.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURvEJK36OR
The Drow woman had tears over her face and her raw cries said enough that she needed her right now, and so Tav easily picked her over murdering the cowardly man.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlfqkeqfsV
“Ït is okay now, Nym. I got you.”266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErrtCyvImC
Tav whispers sweet nothing and comfort, as Tav turned around and gave Nym a hug, while she slowly brought them inside - Sorin, Amira and the cat waiting for them - before she felt being stared at again.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZad1Wh4bp
She pulled away from Nym’s neck as she looked around, and just as she scanned the many faces in the crowd she found those same faded grey-green eyes, then unconsciously her hands on Nym’s waist loosened.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdpAm7Isbk
Meanwhile, Nym was still so emotional at what had happened that she clung to her tighter as she buried herself into Tav’s chest - a firm soft crevice - as she continued to weep. In response, Tav changed her hand placement from her waist to her back and shoulder as she attempted to sooth the Drow from her hysteria.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNt9Drg2D8
“Sorin! Please, come help me with your sister.”266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivwrgkOSls
Tav shouted for Nym’s brother to assist, since somehow she was beginning to feel uneasy with the stare that she was receiving from the woman in the crowd, it would bring her a peace of mind if she got through those doors. 266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4Bd4Itlp6
Therefore, with Sorin’s help they were able to bring Nym inside Sharass’ Caress and away from prying eyes, and certain eyes.266Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVt7t1wAr2
