Chapter 179

Illyana was drinking a thick dark beer, compliments of her generous Lady Albedo as a reward for her hard work, and while most of the time her Lady said little more than orders, this was an exception.

A practical exception wherein Albedo grilled and teased every detail of the use of alcohol in seduction. They were alone in a tent enchanted for silence, but it only prevented sound from getting 'out' and not coming 'in'. Which meant that the wild lustful cries of the green eyed prostitute the next tent over carried through easily, a kind of musical accompaniment to Illyana's explanation.

"...Use too much, and you can ruin the experience, but a little bit, it makes men bold, especially if they are naturally shy." Illyana explained, and Albedo formed a little frown.

"Does it have a higher effect on the shy then? That makes no sense." Albedo said, and her displeasure did not vanish when Illyana shook her head, bouncing her golden hair around.

"No, Lady Albedo, it provides the shy with something they desperately need." She leaned forward, and Albedo reflexively did the same despite having hearing good enough to have heard a butterfly whisper to her.

She took a sip of the dark bitter beer and whispered, "It provides them an excuse. I've seen many human women present themselves as demure, despite being as full of lust as…" Illyana jerked her thumb toward the side of the tent bordering the whores just as the green eyed one let out a cry of orgasmic bliss, "that one." She snorted, "Men, human men, try to present themselves as bold and powerful, pursuers, hunters, but many, or maybe most, are not. They need a little liquid courage." She took another deep draught, gulping down half the pint and then put a hand on Albedo's thigh.

"You're so beautiful… I just, I want you, I want you so much it hurts, I know it's wrong, but I don't care…" The elf leaned forward to kiss the Guardian Overseer, and then stopped, the disguised blue eyes of Albedo returned to their vertical slit yellow. The elf reseated herself and before the Guardian could even properly process her outrage at the bold maneuver, "Forgive me, Lady Albedo… this beer seems to have gotten the best of me, it's very strong."

It clicked for her. Albedo understood, "I see… so they fear rejection, and this lets them pretend that their failed effort was not their fault, but that of the alcohol…"

Illyana's worldly eyes beheld the besotted woman whose disguise returned her irises to the false blue. "Yes, My Lady. And it lets them act in such a way that they won't ruin what they have with someone they care about if it goes poorly. That, of course, can hurt too… I loathe humans, but some of those who perform in my line of work, have pursued lives as mistresses to wealthy patrons. They play at love, hidden away with any of their paramore's children, 'play' though, sometimes gets far too real. My Lady, from what you say, the man you love cares for you in a very specific way… it will not be easy to change it."

"But you will help me." Albedo added.

Illyana didn't care if it was a request or a command, she nodded. "I will put forth my utmost for my Avenger." She glanced toward the tent entrance, "If more humans thought of my race like the one they're trying, maybe things would be better. It makes me wonder what would have happened if she'd come to Wenmark." She snorted with derision, "Probably nothing, what could one squire of the Paladin Order do?"

Neither of them really noticed that the loud whore had stopped being loud and brashly opened their tent as if it were her own, "Hey, prude girl, elf girl," she held the tent flap high overhead, the moonlight at her back glinted off the sheen of her auburn hair, "I'm sorry to bother you two love birds, I know you're closed and all, but I could really use a drink. I'm drained." She smacked her lips… "So is she, but still." She let out a ribald, even vulgar laugh.

Ever quick on the opportunity, Albedo played her role to the hilt, "It will cost you three times the usual price for after hours. Also, it isn't prude girl, I'm just selective." She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, "My name is Albedo, and you will remember it."

The icy voice stabbed deep and the green eyed whore stiffened. "Right… ah, just teasin a little, it's all in good fun you know…"

Illyana worked with quiet diligence, putting a mug under the tap and pressing the lever to fill a large wooden mug while Skana fumbled with several silver coins to lay down without getting too close to the icy eyed Albedo.

"So, that was something today, huh, do you think they'll kill her?" Skana asked with the casual indifference of the uninvested.

"Do you care?" Illyana asked when Albedo remained silent. For a few seconds only the slow trickle of beer made noise in the tent.

"No, I don't know her, so I can't get that interested, I'm a peasant from a little village, I've never seen a demihuman, or even an elf. Honestly this is as far as I ever go from home, so it's really hard to care what happens to one pissed off minor noble in a backwater. I guess she's brave enough but, what good is that in the end? She's probably going to die." Skana shrugged, "It's better to enjoy life as much as possible for as long as possible, let the rest of the world go its own way." She accepted the mug from Illyana, but looked uncomfortable with the vicious stare.

"What?" Skana asked.

"You get to do that, people in my position, don't. Or didn't." Illyana answered, "Nobody ever asked me. If I stayed there, nobody ever would."

Skana looked briefly shame-faced, her vibrant green eyes briefly looked away, "Sorry."

"Why are you so certain she'll die?" Albedo asked, redirecting the moment, her eyebrow raised in brief curiosity.

"I've slept with half the men and women on the jury, and men aren't the only ones who don't know what their tongues are for." She scratched her back and arched with an almost brazen advertisement of her scantily clad flesh. "Anyway, their purses are a bit heavier than when they first got here, and they've still got all their stuff, minus a few ounces that they'll boast of as buckets, so unless they're secretly playing whores too… what'd they sell?" Skana let the words hang and gave a shrug as if it were obvious.

Albedo thought that one over, 'Several of those are having affairs with doppelganger agents, their spending is deep, but I didn't arrange for this, so who did?' Albedo wondered, and immediately ruled out the judge, 'He seemed sympathetic.' There weren't many other options, but one was immediately obvious.

"Whore." Albedo said and pointed to the prostitute who held the pint up high with her head tilted back, she gulped it as loud as she did quickly, draining it to the last drop before holding it out.

"Another. Also, Skana." She said, correcting Albedo and then drew out five more silver coins which she laid down on the crate in between each other, then handed back the mug.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her arm and smacked her lips. "Damn, that's Nazarick Kingdom stuff? I might have to pay that place a visit one day."

Illyana took the mug and began to fill it again.

"I'll give you all the beer we've got left when it's time to go, and this cart, on the condition that you don't leave until we're ready." Albedo said, ignoring the correction while the prostitute tilted the mug back and began to chug it again with loud, steady gulps.

Skana wiped her mouth again, but rather than ask for another, she asked with narrow eyes, "Why?"

"I'd just like you to tell your story after the victim is executed, that's all." Albedo replied.

Skana shook her head, then stamped her foot on a hoe leaning nearby, the wooden handle shot toward her face only to be caught in her hand. She twirled it around in a blur of motion as if it were a weapon. The dark hair and blonde hair of Albedo and Illyana billowed lightly in the false breeze. "No thanks, Lady. I look pretty impressive with wooden swords and things like that, but it's all just dancing. I'm not really a fighter, if some pissed off nobles get exposed, I'll be lucky if I just sit in a dungeon for the rest of my life. Then what fun can I have?" She shook her head with vigor and then slapped the farm implement seamlessly back into the place she'd picked it up from, killing the breeze her whirlwind of motion created.

"Just think about it. We can't possibly sell all these things, and think how long this much beer would last you, and you could sell your other tools to your neighbors, who knows what you could do with all that money. They really aren't very likely to find you." Albedo pointed out, and she watched the temptation fill Skana's eyes.

"You'll get my answer by whether I'm here or not." Skana said, but licked her lips and eyed the barrel where Illyana stood, "But one more sure would show me you're serious." She shook the mug a few times and handed it over to Illyana.

The elf filled it up and handed it back to a hand that remained outstretched, fingers twitching with anticipation. Skana downed the mug and slapped it down on the crate. "Thanks for the beer, elf girl, prude girl, I owe you one."