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. 264Please respect copyright.PENANAhIYGQFfDdD
‘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. 264Please respect copyright.PENANAhjfIyNMkwQ
‘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.264Please respect copyright.PENANA6z7LpwHE2B
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAwKUKCgap7V
“I know we settled for 140 gold, but I added in an extra 10 for your satisfactory performance.”264Please respect copyright.PENANAS03DP1guP2
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.”264Please respect copyright.PENANA0YCfBWxrKv
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. 264Please respect copyright.PENANALgAbBAQ9a1
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAgkUnbXuAsF
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAhTlRZboXxh
“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.264Please respect copyright.PENANA19zPCuQ8XY
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAo4t3rMOTHC
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAmVWXju4u2Y
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAbsv3Z6wbBF
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?!”264Please respect copyright.PENANAzlsSdmbISB
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANADINF7Fjmsr
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!”264Please respect copyright.PENANAUerqpGBkLD
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAIjYYK7z0hF
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAVKepJFpyEY
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAAv0Bv6S3Dr
“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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAlvulWOvKxi
“You should be happy that I am paying money on your whores! Especially that female Drow that you seem to promote so much!”264Please respect copyright.PENANAQphqyDLFz0
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAL73LjQMZUn
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAY2U8EOj3xd
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAScwp8EHtiZ
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAXdMQqyhqMV
“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!”264Please respect copyright.PENANATkAgRRFHw4
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAUcRCNrq9iK
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANA90daoMYsYF
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAwMo9IakqE2
“Ït is okay now, Nym. I got you.”264Please respect copyright.PENANAs0sh29oVeQ
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANANODwg3Xwwk
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANAWORtB24a90
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.264Please respect copyright.PENANADwtsgpK52a
“Sorin! Please, come help me with your sister.”264Please respect copyright.PENANAMl8dAbZZFM
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. 264Please respect copyright.PENANAS0uSpVEYU5
Therefore, with Sorin’s help they were able to bring Nym inside Sharass’ Caress and away from prying eyes, and certain eyes.264Please respect copyright.PENANAB3nNf8bqAu