Watermelons Can Be Considered a Dirty Euphanism [[blueSpider]][m, of course]
 

Blue
The place was an acrid, shit-leveled dump and with each passing moment Tritonia looked at the populace with a disdain that rivaled emperors staring down the masses. A small girl moved to look towards the gilded bard, only for the woman to reach out with a taloned hand and shove her away as she made her way to the first place she could try and use to escape the nasty heat. A few more steps on the disgusting road and the first some-what welcoming door - Tritonia was in, hurling her cloak to whatever person was welcoming the bard into...

A brothel. Tritonia wasn't surprised in the slightest a place like this would even exist here. There was nothing to do here on this heated blight of land other than fornicate and churn out more dark-skinned children to beg and whine at their betters. sneering and glaring at the Madame, the bard forced her way to a table and slumped down, pulling out a small jug from her sides, and slugging back the thick, red-colored nectar inside before sniffling and tossing a few coin purses onto the table in front of her.

If she was gonna be here amidst a sea of bosom and arsecheeks, she might as well attract a whore or two. She could probably pay to do atrocious things to them if the price was good enough, and a few pretty-sounding songs would do well to force whomever into doing her fancy.

Spidey
Nanika knew the woman was going to be trouble the moment she stepped in. Trouble didn't show its face often, but when it did, it looked like that. She picked up the gold from the table, looked at in the light, and upon seeing that it was legitmate pocketed it and raised her eyebrow at the well-dressed woman. "Did you come for only a drink, or to have a good time as well? We only have ladies here, I'm afraid, but if those suit your fancy, I can think of one or two that might be willing to give you what you want."

Blue
"I didn't come here for literal human garbage to just pick up my money and start barking out services. You're lucky I'm too tired to brain you for being a pain in my ass." Tritonia glowered, rolling her eyes and dragging her feet up to rest them on the woman's shoulder. The bard sneered at the woman for a second, aching and begging her to try and shove her legs away before she waved her hand. "Fine. I don't care. Drink. Something strong so your coworkers have a semblance of attractiveness while being covered in whatever spewed out from a man onto them. I'd throw another bag of gold on the table if you could get the smell of cheap incense to disappear too."

Spidey
The woman did not look amused, pursing her lips at the bard and folding her arms. "You stepped into my establishment. If you'd like to be served, I would be happy to see to it that you are, given that your gold is good," her voice was thick as honey with an accent thicker than that. "I'll see to it that you have drink. If it is as you say and you're willing to pay more, I'll also see to it that the incense is put out. Wait here while I find someone you may find suitable." Now, she did move the bard's legs from her shoulders, any signs of gentleness merely superficial and she disappeared through a doorway without a door - unless strings of beads counted as that.

Moments later she re-emerged, another dark-skinned woman on her heels. This woman held in her hand a mug of something and her gaze followed the outstretched finger of the proprietor. Through the din of the other customers the words could be heard, "That's her," though after that her voice lowered. Most likely, she was saying something along the lines of a warning for a difficult customer, but soon after the latter was approaching the table with the bard.

She offered her warmest smile, setting the mug in front of the woman, "Nanika mentioned that you asked for something strong. I'm Chidi, and I'm here for you, if you'll have me."

Azure
"Correction: I was practically forced to be here. A swarm of children made sure of that. Your people should stop letting starving orphans run in the street." Tritonia spat out, venom coating a saccharine, eerily-divine voice that seemed to be too pure and precious for someone as rotten as the bard in front of Nanika. The bard's legs hit the floor with a small plop and Tritonia scowled, crossing her arms and pulling out a small harp to fiddle with its strings.

Chidi now in front of her, the bard's nose flared and then the woman shrugged at her newly founded waitress? Whore? Whatever the proper term was, before kicking at the table in front of her and grunting. "Set the mug on the table. Take a seat. Don't smile. I know you're faking the whole happiness thing. You're selling your ass for coin. Just think of serving me as a break. I just want to stare at you. Instead of this shitpile of a brothel. At least the Midlands know how to treat a hero properly."

Eight Eyes
Chidi did as she was told, setting the mug down without any great deal of force, taking her seat. The woman saw right through the facade. She was sure her other patrons did as well, but none were so forward about it. They all knew that she was there to please. Her smile, as ordered, faded immediately. Wondering what kind of facial expression she should use in its stead, she let her face melt to the one that felt most natural for the circumstances - a ruddy scowl.

"Alright, then. You're very good at stating obvious fact that people don't generally feel the need to say, I see," Chidi kept her posture straight, her hands folded neatly in her lap. "So you're a hero, then? Are you the type to regale your whores with marvelous tales of your adventures, or just one to say that you've had them without the stories?" The threat of the smile began to curl her lips, but she quickly repressed it, looking steadily at the bard who had yet to give her name. She just wants to stare at me? she found herself wondering, That is...unusual.

Cobalt
Tritonia treated the mug with greedy abandon, the woman gripping onto it with clawed fingers from her gloves and slugging down several large gulps of alcohol before covering her mouth to let out a small, hesitant belch, delighting in the crisp flavor before it was soured with the sound of Chidi's voice. "I'm stating the obvious because you Southern savages apparently need blunt honest in order to make this place a little less atrocious. Get the hint." Tritonia muttered, before crossing her legs and coughing a bit. "I'd regale you with a tale if you want. Probably the story about how I singlehandedly murdered a count while he was with his son. Poor thing. Nothing's more sad than a seven year old pissing himself before being entranced by song into stabbing his daddy's neck."

Sometimes Six-Eyes
Chidi watched with wide eyes as the bard downed her mug, marveling at the fact that it was she who was called the savage. "I can be as savage or as civilized as you need me to be, but clearly we have different tastes as to what constitutes 'atrocious.' I like it here. Yes, I wouldn't mind a different occupation, one with a bit less sweat, but Nanika takes care of us, and there's a roof over our head. I don't consider that atrocious in the least." Chidi was doing her best to sound civilized. She prided herself with being able to read her customers, and Nanika saw to it that the girls were educated so they'd be able to hold a conversation with nobles if need be. One of the girls was even able to marry up into nobility because of this, but Nanika never hoped for that. She only wanted to be able to afford a place of her own one day. "If you believe us Southern folk to be such savages, why are you here?"

Chidi blinked, "Well, I was going to ask, but it seems you've told me all of the important details. Why...why would you make a child do that to his own father? It sounds...Well, it sounds barbaric...."

Cerulean
"Atrocious is watching poor people touch me with their hands, expecting a hand out. Atrocious is the fact half of these women in here are pilfered off to men, when they could be farming my fields. Both the literal kind and the other kind. Even though you're all ugly. Save for you. Maybe." Tritonia snorted, opening and closing her hand. She takes care of us. Wah wah wah. Because you're all to weak to take care of yourselves.

"I'm here because I have to be. I'm supposed to be using my voice to pulp someone here. I just don't feel like smearing their matter into the walls right now. And because I'm looking for someone as well. You wouldn't know them. You're not important enough." Tritonia huffed, chugging more ale and sticking out her tongue and cacking at the aftertaste from the metal of its container. "...Why would I sully my own hands? The Count had a habit of preying on peasants. That's rude. They're good for exploiting for monet. 'Oh Miss Tritonia. Please save us from perdition. Play us a song.' It's so amusing when they think they're people."

Eight-legs
Chidi was...appalled...to say the least, but she was also fascinated. She'd dealt with corrupt city officials and even worse in titles higher than that, but this? This was the worst behaved individual she'd ever seen. It made her wonder. Something had to make her like that. She was bitter at something, something had to have happened to her in the past to make her this way. So, she decided to play her game. "I'm thankful that I might not be ugly enough that you have something at least adequate to rest your tired eyes on," Chidi said carefully. "If you have fields and are willing to employ them, I am sure some would jump at the opportunity. We're not slaves here. We can come and go as we wish."

Here, Chidi raised her eyebrows, "Are you sure that I wouldn't know? I may not be important, but we get some important clientele through our doors and I am often matched with the more important of them. Well, the high officials and women as Nanika knows my own preference and tries to cater to that."

Teal
"I mean, if you were pretty and in the utmost rarity, more beautiful than me I would have scarred you by now. Dance." Tritonia hummed, pale cheeks flushing a little as her mug was drained, the bard plucking away at idly at her harp; notes filling the air. Nothing in rhythm or meshed together in tune. It was...Bizarre to say the least. An Erich Zann-esque cacophony of tunes that seemed to make the air heavy and nauseating. "I'd employ them. Their pay is being able to bask in my perfection." Tritonia mused, snickering to herself and clicking her tongue in her cheek.

Towards Chidi's rather rude and offending question of possibly having some sort of upperhand against the glorious and flawless hero of this tale, Tritonia glared; her hand strumming down the harp in one rowdy hiss, before she set it down and leaned in close; finally settling on spitting on the woman. "You don't know anything. And now you're ugly because you've opened your mouth wrong. Send for Nanika. And tell her to fong you for being a trite piece of trash. Begone."

Arachne
Chidi was silent for a moment, all her thoughts regarding the woman's past now gone and replaced with pure hatred for the woman. She was thankful for the first order to stop her smiling, as forcing one now would be an impossibility. "Few could come close to your beauty," Chidi finally said, truthfully, though the words dripped like venom from her full lips. She was taken aback by the last order and her brow furrowed, "Dance? Here? You don't ehm...want to take this to my room?" The air around her felt heavy and she wasn't sure if it was because of the harp's being plucked, the heat of Osta suddenly coming into her awareness, or the aforementioned hatred. "I'm not sure if they would be willing to part with pay for that.

"I apologize for the fact that I wasn't able to satisfy you," Chidi said, grateful when the "music" stopped, and she stood to follow the final order. "I will tell her what you said, though I doubt she will acquiesce your request."

Sapphire
Now free from the confines of lesser people in her eyesight, Tritonia basked in the glory of being alone for a bit longer before loneliness did set in. The stupid girl was somewhat amusing was. Huffing at her own impatience in being able to handle and deal with others, and now realizing she was without someone to serve her another mug of ale, the bard simply flung the cup to the ground and crossed her arms, impish urges overtaking her while she regressed to the state of a spoiled child without anything to entertain her. It might as well been a shoddily made high chair made for a large woman.

Time passed as Chidi went away and kicking her legs, Tritonia resorted to using a finger talon to carve her name into a table, along with several crudely drawn attempts to have Chidi's face being swamed and attacked by voracious and rather phallic looking wasps. Or bees. Whatever they were.

Web-weaver
As barbarous as the woman was, she was grateful for the break and the early dismissal. Upon her retreat, she relayed the information to Nanika who shook her head and squeezed the bridge of her nose with a sigh waving Chidi off to her quarters. Chidi flopped on her bed, feeling the warmth of the sun on her bareback streaming in through the window. Her appointment with the bard had given her some extra time, and that time was going to be allocated to a nap. Still, she couldn't help but feel guilty that Nanika would have to worry about dealing with that woman.

Nanika approached Tritonia's table, crouching down to pick up the mug setting it down angrily on one of her carvings. "I hope you realize that you will be leaving enough money to compensate for a new table," she said frankly. "Is this supposed to be Chidi's likeness? Pray tell, what did she say to make you loathe her so much? She is as confused as I am on the matter."

Waffle Variety
"I hope you realize the money I gave you already should suffice? I mean to replace this table it'd only take say, a few copper pieces and letting the carpenters gangbang your brothel workers." Tritonia said with a pert little smile and then huffing; turning her head to the side in a giant 'Hmph!" when she was asked what she didn't like about Chidi. "Well for one, she was only -sorta- pretty. She also proceeded to call me rude names and did mention something about trying to do horrible things like be nice to others and question my methods."

Tritonia grunted and looked towards Nanika, finally sitting up and then leaning against the madame; alcohol rolling off her breath while she droned at the woman. "The carvings do look like her though right? I captured her hideousness spot-on."

Araigne
"There are countless others who disagree with you on her appearance, and she is the finest we offer," Nanika said with an equal amount of dryness to her voice. It took every fiber of her being to resist slapping the woman across the face referring to her girls like that, but then she remembered. The sack of gold was enough to reimburse her for a table, and several more besides. One gold piece would have purchased another table of that same quality, and she had several with her. "With the amount you gave, we ensured you had the best. Though, I do not question her distaste for your lack of kindness. If you'd like, I can fetch her so you two can sort this matter out?"

"I...I would not say hideousness. She, like...a majority of your carving at least, are lovely. In fact, I'd recommend going into the arts in the North," Nanika muttered. "I'd even argue that your attention to detail means that you thought something of your escort."

Ultra(space)marine
"The finest you have is simply not good enough then, madame." Tritonia murmured towards the darker-skinned woman, before sneering and pulling off a glove to examine immaculately done nails, before sliding the glove back on and giving Nanika the blessing of her stone cold stare while she flashed a fanged smile at the woman. "For all this money I'm pumping into here, I'm considering asking for the refund on the terms of such atrocious service. Being slandered, harassed, etcetera. If you wanna bring her out here, I'd pay you simply for the privilege of being able to berate her as only a bard would be able to do."

"I had applied to the art schools in the North. They refused me." Tritonia said, spitting out a bit of anger and irritation at the mention of the topic in itself. "The attention to detail was to properly capture her, before I take a knife and whittle her to death in this wooden, statuesque image of her, simply because I know people like you wouldn't indulge me in paying to stomp her into a crippled mess."

Facefingers
Nanika's eyes followed Tritonia's to nails that even as the owner of Osta's finest brothel she would never be able to afford. The fanged smile sent chills down her spine and she wondered if it was manicured as well or just a natural feature of the vile woman. "With the 'terrible' service received, I am tempted to ask why you yet linger," Nanika said placing her hands on her hips, cocking one to the side, "You were never slandered nor berated and I cannot allow you to berate our finest girl here."

Ah, so that's why you are the way you are, she thought, not allowing her face to betray that thought saying instead, "That sounds like as decent excuse as any to take in the finest features of someone. No, I will not allow that. Well. If I can't provide you with any more services, you can sit and wittle away at the table you purchased proper to your heart's content. I have other customers to tend to. Good day, madame." Nanika's use of the word "madame" was quite intentional and she used it as venomously as could possibly be mustered.

What Color is Out of the Shell I wonder?
"Because, the longer I linger the more I can jot down and sing about later. The streets will know every ounce of slander and the gods themselves will weep at the mention and limericks over every imperfection in your finest's person. You can stop me from barking the truth about her in here, but out in the world? I hope you're ready for the musings of Tritonia Corominas." Flicking a tongue across those sharpened teeth of hers, Tritonia yawned and rolled her eyes at the Madame. "You're no fun. Nothing makes me happier than belittling others' supposed 'best' in whatever they conjure."

The sudden departure and rather discourteous farewell was the straw that broke the camel's back, it's entire body, and the descendents of the camel as well; Tritonia's eyes flaring and her face turning a shade of crimson, before she exhaled softly, and planted herself into a more regal postition; the woman placing her now clasped hands onto the purchased table while daggers for eyes locked on Nanika. "You know, I may not be able to partake in anything now that you've decided to be so rude and harsh to me. However, virtue isn't strong in people who come to brothels. A lot of this gold can be used to make them do....Rather horrid things. A little gold can turn the finest, most noble of people in...Well. Southern savages." Tritonia dangled one of the gold bags, and looked from her table to the sprawl and commotion of the rest of the place, and back to Nanika.

Molty Accident
Nanika froze where she stood, a chill running up her spine. The threat of slander was not one she took seriously. The women in her brothel, after all, were the most desired in all of Osta - Chidi being the most of these. A few negative things said by a woman as vile as Tritonia would do little to harm business. The threat of Tritonia paying to cause trouble, however, was another thing entirely. She spun on her heel to face the bard. "What...exactly...are you saying? Spell it out for this 'southern savage.'"

Maybe Red?
Hook, line and sinker. Tritonia laughed and continued to dangle the bag of gold while she pondered what manner of atrocity she could do to inflict the worst on both the establishment itself, and the people within; the bard licking her chops like a predator anticipating the finishing blow on its prey. "Ah, I knew subtlety would be lost on someone as...Simple...As you. Let me put it in a way that even someone from the Far North would be able to understand." Tritonia chimed, chomping her fangs together. "You're gonna let me either do something fun to amuse myself in your brothel, with your dear 'Best' worker," She said, fingers curling and uncurling in mimicked quotes in the air, "Or, I'll be more than happy to pay the people in here to do perform all those sickening thoughts they try to keep buried in their head. Your choice. Madame."

Would Spiders whistle if they could?
Nanika pursed her lips, her brow furrowed. Concern would have been putting the feeling sitting at the bottom of her stomach lightly and she tapped her finger against her thigh. "Define 'fun.' I will not allow any bodily harm to come to her, you understand that, don't you?"

"Bodily harm? You act like I'm gonna filet her. You did however, specify nothing along the lines of ruining her spiritually and emotionally. Which I do intend to do with my advances." Tritonia sneered, wriggling taloned hands and quirking a brow. "You can of course, call my bluff~"

Nanika's eyes narrowed to a venomous glare, "You're lucky I know that girl can make it through anything." The matron of the brothel got to her feet, scoot her chair in, and disappeared back up the stairs to be replaced moments later with Chidi.

Chidi's dashing smile from earlier was replaced with a surly scowl and she sat down in the seat her matron had just vacated, "So I'm supposed to, quote, be something fun for you to do in this brothel, end quote? What do you want? I'll do it if it means you'll leave sooner." The Chidi that Tritonia was getting was not the one that was pleasant to customers. Rather, she was getting the real, raw, and very fed up version of her.

"Well if she is able to take it, then stop worrying and concern yourself more with the money that's going to be lining your pockets. For a matron of a brothel you seem more concerned with arguing with a patron then profiting." Tritonia cooed, waggling taloned fingers when she began to fetch the woman she was after.

Once Chidi was pack in her pocket, the Bard ho-hummed and looked over towards the tart, before moving up onto the table and sitting cross-legged, staring at the woman before nodding and smiling to her; keeping the silence in the air for several moments longer - Tritonia finally speaking up when it seemed like the woman was going to burst. "I just want you to guinea pig a song for me. Seeing as how skinning you alive is not acceptable."

Nanika wanted to respond so badly. She wanted to tell the horrible person in front of her exactly what she thought, how Tritonia wasn't a normal patron. Normal patrons had at least some semblance of respect. Instead, she clamped her mouth shut and was seething by the time she fetched the desired woman of the night.

"Guinea pig a song? You mean you would like me to give an opinion on it?" Chidi asked, raising an eyebrow and folding her arms, "No, that is not acceptable. In fact, I can't think of a quicker way to end up on the blocks. I'm the favorite for many of the higher ups and they would be disappointed if their favorite free time activity was skinned alive. But fine, let's hear it."

"I mean, I am going to play this tune, and then I'm going to witness the effect it has on you. Whether you like it or think of it as gorgeous is of no matter to me." Tritonia replied, a staunchness in her voice as she shook her head at Chidi. Simpletons. Assuming music was just for the simple act of wooing others and making people happy. Rolling her eyes Tritonia mimicked Chidi as she begaan her rapport, making a nasily, whiny voice. "Meh meh meh, I'm a favorite of higher ups, blah blah. Half of the those hire ups are also pining for my services too."

With that, the woman resorted to just playing her tune, the weapon to her side belting out a simple melody; the tune crawling inside of Chidi's head. It was...Sickening. The tune brought out feelings of horror. Despair. Every negative emotion a decibel in her tune.

Right, she's a bard of that nature. Of course she's a bard that uses magic... Chidi thought, clamping her mouth shut and tapping her fingers from underneath the table. "Whether your services are asked for from higher ups had nothing to do with my point that I had hoped you'd be quick enough to get. My point was simply that I would be missed. Before acting on your threats, you should consider that fact," Chidi uttered half audible and half under her breath. Tritonia didn't wait to respond, responding instead with her "music."

The song took a moment to register with the worker of the night, Chidi's face contorting to a grimace with the unpleasant sonic sound. Soon, however, that grimace turned to a look of genuine terror, and Chidi got to her feet in a wish to run. She was reminded of her life before the brothel and all of the sadness that came out of that. The song brought her to the place before Nanika wrapped her loving arms around her, and it told her she would be there again. It inspired several synapses to fire off inside the woman's brain the first and most prominent of those being that which triggered fight or flight. Chidi was never one to back down, and in that moment of terror and lack of clear thinking, she chose fight.

Without thinking, she lifted the chair that she was sitting on prior and hurled it at the bard.

It was as if the villain's plot had reached fruition when the music had stopped, and the bard saw stars for a moment when the chair had collided into her - Tritonia making an active effort to sell the strike harder than it actually was. For a brief moment, once the chair had been wielded and the music stopped that Chidi could see something along Tritonia's face: A malicious smile that reeked of 'This was the plan all along.' The noise brought the attention of patrons to cast their gaze over them and a few of them watched with distaste in their eyes, that only seemed to grow with each passing moment.

The smile of course faded when Tritonia began to act like the proper bard she was; the woman feigning shock and horror, as well as a pained grimace - Tritonia clenching onto her neck and letting out an agonized wail, followed by a slurry of words and curses. Tears and the look of innocence were strewn across her face like paint - And Tritonia made it an effort to struggle up to her feet once more (A small stumble of course worked to make it all the more dramatic.)

"What is wrong with you, you ingrate? I was just playing music!" The bard whined.

The second the music stopped was the second that Chidi came to her senses, blinking back the lingering shadows from the song. Her eyes registered the broken chair first, followed by the obviously faked grimace on the bard's face. The rest of the common room followed suit, all getting quiet for a moment before a slurry of voices began to murmur. Nanika had been standing at the top of the stairs when it happened.

"Hey Nanika! Is this the type of place you're running here? I thought she was supposed to be the best!" one of the voices rose above the others. Nanika looked as though she was going to be sick. Though she wouldn't fire Chidi, she would never find a customer after this. She would have to send Chidi away. Her mind was already racing with potential hide aways for her, other places she could work where they wouldn't know her. Of course, any other place wouldn't be as grand as the capital, but she had few options left, at least, until the heat died down.

She ran down the stairs, ordered Chidi to her room (she went, head bowed) and glared venomously at the bard. "I don't know what it was that you did to her to make her do that, but I want you to leave. Here's your gold back. Now. Get. Out."

Tritonia's plan seemed to have worked in that with each passing moment the brothel worker seemed to be earning the ire of the other patrons, and when they began to voice their discomfort, Tritonia knew she could get them into her pocket, and make the matter even worse for Chidi, and Nanika as well. The chair still did sting, and when she got back to her feet, the fake grimace turned into one that was more real; a rib of hers stinging and smarting more than it probably should have. Most likely a pulled muscle.

Venomous eyes were met with ones gleaming with opportune maliciousness, and sucking her teeth, Tritonia looked towards the matron of the place and slowly formed a smile; holding the bags of gold in taloned hands and dangling them. "I think you should keep this. Your best girl isn't going to be making coin like this anymore." Sniffling her nostrils and biting down on her inner lip to draw some blood for extra dramatics, Tritonia looked towards the already perturbed patrons. "Do you see this? I'm assaulted, and yet Nanika throws me out!"

Patrons began giving Nanika looks that harbored a bit of hostility towards her, and when Tritonia felt the world turning on the matron, she made her move. "I of course would be happy to stop the hue and cry of course. Though the price isn't gonna be cheap."

Nanika looked around at the patrons then back to Tritonia. She was absolutely seething, both fists clenched and trembling. It took everything to not jump over the table to strangle the bard herself, but she remained calm. “No. No she won't. Because of you,” Nanika growled. “I don't know what you did to her to make her do that, if you used some sort of magic or whatever, but you are getting no more out of this establishment. She lost her job because of you.”

She glanced back at the patrons as Tritonia managed to sway some of the patrons, “It's enough that you made my best girl lose her job. She can't stay here any longer, and for what? Because you were bored? I'm not paying any price. Now get out so I can try to right the wrongs you've created. I have some connections. I might be able to get her a good life yet, no thanks to you. Now. Leave.”

Tritonia scoffed, her smile growing wider by the moment with each ounce of frustration being ladeled out to her from Nanika. The woman wanted to hit her, and Tritonia could sense it. And while it would still further her own endgame, the bard had no desire to get hit once more - Tritonia crossing her arms and letting a trail of red from her mouth seep down to her chin. "Well, if she has lost her job, then why are you still protecting her? I would figured damaged and irreparable goods would be discarded, like most people in your profession are famous of doing."

"The actual reason I did this if you really wanna know?" Now the bard was laying her cards out on the table, and taking a seat once more - Golden hands clasped together. "I would always be able to hire her as a retainer of course. And I do like her. She is a beautiful one. I mean, you could take the risk and try and find her another job. No doubt you will. But I of course have my own connections. I can always find someone to...Ruin any potential opportunity you find her. Unless you name a price for Chidi herself. I can be lenient considering her...Volatile nature, when it comes to price."

The murmurs of the crowd seemed to die down for the moment, the patrons of the establishment losing interest when they saw that the pair lowered their voices and were no longer screaming at each other. Nanika still bore a look of ire towards the woman, but she was playing nice. “Then you figured incorrectly,” Nanika answered, bristling. “She's not goods, she is a human and regardless of others in my profession, my employees are all treated as such.”

Nanika raised her eyebrow, eager to see the placed cards. The woman wasn't needlessly evil, as it was. Just, evil. The thought of her best employee and closest friend going to this...this...monster was enough to send shivers down her spine and she shook her head, “I cannot take money for her. She is my employee and friend, not a slave. She has to decide whether to go with you or not.” She sighed and looked at Tritonia like a woman who lost all hope and nodded her head up the stairs, “Follow me. The three of us are going to talk. If you try some of that shit that you just pulled, I will kill you and face the consequences later. Now, come.”

"A human. Pffft. A human you throw at men so you can make a quick coin off of her body." Tritonia responded with a dull, bored sigh. "You can twist words to make it sound like you're saving her, but in the end you're just whoring a young girl out, are you not? How much of the money do you actully take from them? Under the guise of business expenses?" Tritonia asked, keeping her voice to a polite little low-yell, if one could call it that. Enough to sound threatening, but not so boisterous as to bring yet more of the patrons into earshot.

The woman was beginning to bend. And Tritonia could at least feel the beginnings of getting her way. Of course there was still fight in Nanika as expected. Wounded critters always lashed out before you took the knife and plunged it into their neck, and Tritonia fought back a savage grin to mask the evil intent present in her eyes while she slowly stood up from her chair, a gold talon of a finger raking across the red staining down to her chin. "She is my employee and my friend. Hmph. If you were her friend you would have stopped her from making harsh decisions and keeping her from dealing so rudely with her betters." Tritonia snarled, rolling her eyes and gesturing towards the stairs. "After you. Don't make threats. It would be a shame if in my last actions, I did to your entire patronage what I did to Chidi to make her act so brazenly."

A small snicker, and Tritonia leaned in towards Nanika, voice just below a whisper. "Which I did of course. Not that you could ever prove it..."

Nanika clamped her jaw shut. So what if she took a couple extra gold to make sure she was fed and well-clothed? She made sure each of the girls had that and more. She wanted them to live a better life than they would on the street. That, at least, she could say with one hundred percent certainty. Of course, she wouldn't be able to explain the nuances to Tritonia, so she said simply, “That's none of our concern. I also have needs.” Her voice was a low growl, threatening, but inaudible to most, save those in the closest vicinity.

She led the way up the stairs, taking Tritonia down the hall to the final door. Knocking softly, she pressed her ear to the door until she received the permission to enter, opening the door a crack, “Chidi? It's Nanika...and...the bard from earlier....”

“What?! No! Get her away from me!”

Nanika's brow furrowed and she sighed, “I didn't have much say in the matter. I can't say I doubt that she has the ability to hunt down the connections I was planning on using and ruining your life there. She is making threats that I can't say I don't believe...”

Chidi stood up from her bed, glazed red eyes staring blankly ahead, irises shifting slightly to see the faces through the crack. Trudging, she finally opened the door completely and peered around Nanika's shoulder to see Tritonia's smirking features. She stepped out of the doorway to allow them to pass through and when they were, she shut it behind them. “Tell me what the hells is going on here.”

"Needs. Huh. I thought you were running a charity for your friends, at the expense of their virtue." Tritonia quipped back, sinking her proverbial fangs into the woman. Tritonia knew the woman could make a plea for being human and the like, and comparing the life of the workers here versus the woman who had to brave the alleyways and other less savory places they could try and turn a profit. "Yeah, your needs. What could you need that would warrant taking from others? You're just as bad as me~"

Along the way up the stairs, Tritonia hummed to herself; the little ditty spilling out tiny waves that felt more like a creeping terror approaching, the bard stopping when she brought herself to the top of the stairs. Each step of her foot was deliberate - The "serial killer walk" that was slow and purposeful as she brought herself through the doorway to stare at Chidi with a devilish grin on her face.

Tritonia let them banter among themselves, letting Chidi's situation sink into her mind before she barked out an intrusive cough, and rested herself against the doorway. "Your idiocy in striking me has landed your madame in a creek of offal. You're useless goods to her now, and I'm here to offer you a means to pay her back for the damage you've done." Tritonia said, her voice sing-song while her grin dug into her face; eyes locked in like a hawk on the poor girl.

Chidi's face morphed from one of sadness and anger to one of confusion, followed the sick revelation. A knot formed into her stomach, and seemingly on her tongue as she looked first at the bard, then down to Nanika to confirm. When the confirmation came, she looked back at Tritonia, mouth growing dry.

“I won't take your money,” Nanika said, scoffing, “I'm here because I have no choice. Chidi, you have to understand. I told her to leave, she drew the attention of all of the patrons and when I told her I would find you another place to live and prosper, she told me she'd ruin that too. She's now suggesting she hire you as a retainer...”

Chidi tried to wet her lips, slowly shaking her head as if that could never be a possibility. As the thought began to settle in her head, she realized that she didn't really have a say in the matter. Her reputation in this city, at least, was ruined for what could potentially be forever. She knew Nanika had connections, but she knew from experience that the bard had full capability of hunting them down and, as Nanika had hinted, ruining her life there as well. “How much will I be getting paid?” she finally croaked.

"You can continue to blame me, or you can blame yourself for not keeping control of the whole situation." Tritonia interjected, snapping her focus on Nanika and fidgeting her clawed fingers and then raking them down the door; strips of wood flaking down onto the ground to demonstrate what she was capable of should physical retaliation be attempted. Not that Tritonia was particularly afraid. A whore and her mistress? It would have been like swatting flies. Flies that had been on top of too many men for her own tastes.

Negotiation had begun of course, and Tritonia laughed and tilted her head to the side. "Those bags of gold your mistress refuses to take. I can pay you that every week. You'd probably make more under my heel than you would with her, of course." Tritonia cooed, blowing a patronizing kiss towards Nanika and then flicking a tongue across her lips - The bard settling snake's eyes on Chidi. "A more precise payment would be 200 gold coins a week. Non-negotiable. Unless, you really want to take the risks of coming to your feet on your own. I won't stop you. I'm sure -other- people might."

Chidi understood. Chidi understood, and the thought disgusted her. But the gold wasn't the only thing that was non-negotiable. For all intents and purposes, she was a hostage. No matter where she went, this bard would be there to follow her, haunt her...destroy her. The amount she would be paid sounded like entirely too much, especially as she didn't know what all a retainer needed to do - let alone one for someone as terrible as this. Her mind reeled until Nanika grasped her shoulders, wiping away a tear she didn't realize had escaped. "Shh...it'll be okay," she said, sliding a piece of paper into Chidi's pocket, "You're adaptable. You'll figure it out. As for this whole situation?" she said tossing her head back to gesture to Tritonia, "You are still your own person. It is as she said, you cantry to make it on your own and I'm sure you'd be taken in. You have the choice, just as you always have. You're welcome here any time and there is no rush for you to leave; you know that."

Chidi swallowed and nodded as Nanika kissed her on either side of her face, squeezed her shoulder, and turned to leave. Now, she was alone with her potential employer, and her eyes now went to the floor trailing back up to Tritonia's face. "Well? What do I do to start?"

"I do like to mention the fact if you don't except, I will probably take my anger out on your former mistress." Tritonia added, making the negotiations into more or less a hostage situation, the bard oblivious to the passing of paper between hands. Tritonia huffed and flared her nostrils out, before brushing her hair and waiting for an answer with tapping feet. "Welcome here anytime. Pfft. Like we'll be coming back to this decrepit pit in the future."

Tritonia watched Nanika with suspicious intent when she walked by, barely letting her have the room to leave the doorway before she was alone with Chidi; the bard kicking the door closed behind her now that she had Chidi to herself. The question was met with a grin, the bard moving over to Chidi and brushing metal hands against the woman's cheek. "For starters, hyou can start packing your belongings. We're going back to the Midlands. Because this place is hideous."

The grin that the bard gave did anything but give Chidi comfort. A chill ran down her spine and she took her question to mean acceptance. Now, she was resigned to deal with the bard's antics and whatever she had in store for her.

She hoped she survived.

Metal against skin and Chidi sucked in, freezing in place, not knowing what else the bard could weaponize. Ironically enough, this was more sensual than the bard had been even when she was a whore and being paid as such. "I've...never been to the Midlands. Perhaps there will be some good of this yet..." Chidi immediately went to grab a pack, stuffing it with one or two changes of clothes and a journal. She had many things, but as she was less than eager to carry it all, she figured perhaps Nanika could sell it and make back some of what she was losing by losing her best employee - and only employee that was openly willing to sleep with female clients. She was ready to leave in less than five minutes and she breathed, resigning herself to a harsh future on the road with a less than desirable companion. "Alright. I'm ready. Lead me away."

"Well, once you're there, you're gonna never wanna come back here. I assure you." Tritonia hummed, the fingers stroking the woman's cheek moving down towards her neck. Once they were there the bard clamped down on her trachea, and pulled the woman close; letting her incensed eyes burn holes through the woman's skull. "I'm also going to let you know this. I swindled you out of your life. I know this. Try and harm me, and I will leave you to the people I know would have the most fun with your carcass." Tritonia growled, shoving her away while adjusting herself. She was already getting to worked up tormenting Chidi. She had to wean the woman into it first.

Once her composure was regained, the bard sat beside the strangled woman only to watch her begin to pack clothing. "I'm having you leavee the room first. If only to make sure if Nanika is there with a crossbow, it kills you first. Retainers are expendable. People such as myself? We are not."

"Even if I go there with you? I guess we'll see about that," Chidi uttered, her brief elation at the thought of travel ceasing the moment she was back in front of her new employer. Again, metal fingers caressed her cheeks and she felt the familiar chill creep down her spine despite the heat of the lower kingdoms spilling through the cracks and windows of her former home. Speckles of raised skin dotted her arms, and her golden eyes met Tritonia's for a brief moment before those same fingers formed a clamp around her throat. Those eyes widened as the owner attempted to gasp, her own hands trying to wrench them from their spot around her neck. Tritonia was strong, however, and her grip didn't loosen, her words the only anchor to reality as a lack of oxygen created spots in her vision.

She couldn't ever cause harm to her employer.

If it wasn't known before, it certainly was now, and with a moment to let the words sink in, soon the clamp was loosened and Chidi fell to her knees, gasping in lungfuls of precious air. One hand fumbled to grasp at her meager pack and she nodded, “F-fine. Dying is preferable anyway...” After a moment of recuperation, she was back on her feet and haggard looking. Instead of a crossbow, Nanika was nowhere to be found. Chidi put a hand over her pocket, knowing that that was intentional. “No crossbow. I don't know where we're going, so lead the way, I guess.”

Tritonia huffed and rolled her eyes at Chidi, sticking out her tongue and letting her voice carry into a nasally mockery of the woman's own tone. "Dying is preferable anyway. Meh, meh, meh. Everyone thinks the solution to a horrid situation is just hoping something kills them." Flicking her wrists and letting the metal gloves she was clad in rattle a bit and ring, the bard settled her eyes once they were done circumnavigating the room and honed in on the dark-skinned woman with disdain. "People should just try growing a set, and then do something to change their situation."

Crossbow and potential assassination averted, the Bard brushed past Chidi and hummed a few notes that sounded like a night terror peeling the paint from walls, Tritonia took a few last inhales of the air in the brothel before yawning and forcing the door to the populace open with a few hand; using the other limb to shield her eyes from the invading daytime that slammed her face - along with the blast of heat from the Southern Lands that reminded herself that she was stuck in this philistine hellhole. And it even worse, she was trading one inhospitable biodome for another. "Every been to the jungles in the Far West? Because that's where we're headed. Provided you're not a tart the entire travel there, I'll consider buying a carriage or something from town to town."

Already, Chidi's patience grew thin - and she was known to be a bastion of the virtue. "So," she said, flaring her nostrils, "What do you recommend as a solution to the problem, considering the problem is you?" Shifting her pack over her shoulder, her eyes focused in on Tritonia's face and she dared let a smirk appear across her features, "And either your bulge is quite pathetic, or you seem to be doing just fine at least by your own standards without one. So tell me, how would growing a set aid in my cause?"

She stepped forward a bit, feeling the pressure of the bard shoving passed and huffed, rolling her eyes. The bard, after all, wasn't looking at her. The heat was expected by the Southerner and she looked out at the city that she wasn't sure she'd be returning to with any immediacy and shook her head, "Never been out of the city. Can't say I know much about survival in the wilderness either. You're certain you want me as a companion?"

"My bulge has won many an awards, I can assure you." Tritonia droned, rolling her eyes and administering a bit of discipline in the form of a stomp of boots onto the girl's feet. Filthy southerners with too big a mouth were gonna learn real quick in that regard. "I seem to forget that your kind. Southern. Whore. Most likely inbred, tend to take things in the literal. Explains the state of affairs for your people."

Tritonia snorted and flicked the woman in her nose; the bard sneering at her with the disdain of a thousand suns beaming in unison. "Well, you're going to learn really fast now, aren't you? On the bright side if worst comes to, I can always sever a tendon and have you left for the birds. Or bandits. Or monsters. Whatever is currently being the problem at the time that would require a hasty retreat." Tritonia said, sing-song and chipper as a small child with a new toy. This girl was going to be something extraordinary. Whether that was a good thing or not would remain to be seen.

“I've seen better, I can assure yo—Ah!” Tritonia's heel met the top of Chidi's foot before she could realize what was happening, pain shooting up her leg. She clapped a hand over her mouth to keep quiet. Too distracted by her throbbing extremity to give a proper response, Chidi let the comment slide. Then, she wasn't sure that she could keep her normally free attitude.

She stepped back, reeling with unexpected contact to her face, blinking. "I suppose I'm going to have to," she muttered. As tempting as it was to accept that fate and die rather than spend another moment with this wretched woman, Chidi was a fighter - and if she needed to stay quiet to stay out of her way, she would. "We'll see if the situation calls for it..."

Resisting the urge to continue further with any sort of physical abuse, Tritonia's face grew to a bored, tired lull that seemed to grow faster by the second - The bard stopping while they traveled to let a few of the commoners pass by them before continuing. "I'm sure you've seen plenty. That was your job, was it not? Unless no one actually admired you. Which is also something I would probably assume."

Looking at the smudge on her talons - The bored look turned to something a bit more sullen and angry and a brow quirked as she looked over towards Chidi and pondered in thought. Once they were in the jungles, Chidi would probably be faced with the usual dilemma for everyone that walked with the bard. Boredom left them in a precarious position, and Tritonia weighed her options. The Sons of Chelm always loved getting new people, be they willing to work, or if they just needed the thrill of spilling some guts and holding them out in approval from their leader. And then there was Taqwa. She knew the being wouldn't care whichever came to him, so long as one of them was suffering and pissing the floor in terror.

"I can guarantee you the situation is gonna call for it."

Tritonia's bored look spelled trouble for Chidi, but Chidi didn't know how to solve it. Not once since meeting her had she seen an actual smile come across the woman's face, and she had no way of knowing what she could do to please her. Chidi's future was contingent on pleasing her employer and she knew it. “It was my job, yes. But I can certainly say that I was admired. I can't say that I've seen as many as you'd probably assume. No many could afford my services – my wages were paid by the few that could. And of those, only about half of them were men,” Chidi answered deciding to be informative rather than snide.

Of course, Chidi was watching the body language of the bard carefully, trying to imagine her as one of her clients. So it made sense that when she noticed Tritonia examining her nails, she raised her eyebrows. When it came to clients that were similar to the bard, yet never quite as bad, she knew that above all they enjoyed to exercise power over another. If hiring her was her method of doing that, Chidi would be happy to oblige, “Your nails...I can clean them and keep them pristine for you if you wish – I have the experience. All you'd need to do is tell me what you'd want done, and I would do it.” After she spoke, she quickly bowed her head, waiting to see how Tritonia would take her proposition. Then, quietly but still audibly added, “Please remember that I am your employee and not your slave. I reserve the right to quit should you cause any bodily harm to me.”

Tritonia's eyes rolled with the informative slobber that dribbled out of Chidi's mouth. It was nice to know she could at least charge people a pretty penny should she ever need the money for something (Regardless of Chidi's desire to peddle herself or not.) And the bard looked towards the dark-skinned girl with a small glimmer of ennui that tarnished the eye - Tritonia yawning, the heat of the land making her a bit more tired than she desired to be. "No real desire to care, or know about the genders of your clients. Unimportant, considering the name of the game is coin." Tritonia oozed, sniffling and bringing up a hand to itch her nose. "Do yourself a favor, and never pale your skin. I need shade. And soon."

The mention of being pampered put a stopper in the foul mood brewing in the bard, and once they were walking again - the regal stride of each foot from Tritonia began anew, the woman swaying like a delicate flower being pushed by each gust of a gentle breeze. "We can start with you cleaning my nails then. As for anything else, I'll yell at you for it. I'd demand you to cook, but the last thing I need to do is wake up and have to squat in the wilds for half a day because you tried to poison me."

"And of course you'd be allowed to quit. I'm not stopping you from doing so now, dear." Tritonia hummed, mirth filling the air as she cocked her head to the side. "Of course, losing a new person is disappointing. I'd have to find another to take your place. Tell me. How fun is Nanika? Does she squirm in chains like how I imagine you would?"

“Speaking of coin, is this how you get all of yours? Traveling from city to city and harassing whores?” Chidi asked, her curiosity piqued. Of course, she preferred the word 'companion' to refer to herself, but she knew the word 'whore' would resonate with this foul woman better. The amount of gold the bard promised her was an insane amount, and promising it on a regular schedule no less? She threw gold at Nanika like it was worth little more than dust. Perhaps if she worked hard, learned more skills, maybe picked up some magic, she could place herself on a pedestal the same height as Tritonia's.

They would differ, of course, as Chidi would use her powers for good.

“Even if that was an option, I would never,” she said in response to her skin tone. Her dark skin may be frowned upon in the North, but it was one of the physical attributes that Chidi liked best. She loved the shade, the way she could see the moonlight's glow reflecting off dark obsidian. “But how will my skin color give you shade?” she asked, tilting her head. “With the amount of money you're promising, I'd hold an umbrella or parasol over your head, gladly.”

If it was a handmaiden that Tritonia wanted, it was a handmaiden she was going to get. “I'll do as you request, Mistress.” The emphasis on 'mistress' was probably not necessary, so she added a little playful laugh. “I've got to say though, I'm not a bad cook, and I've no access to poison. So that's your choice.”

“I'm not quitting,” Chidi said, resolute. She would if it came to that, once they were far, far away from the capital, but only if it came to that. She wanted to use this as a learning experience...and perhaps an endurance test. “Nanika would drive you to the brink of insanity,” she said, quite honestly. “She wouldn't last a minute on the road, set in her ways with running her own business, and she is no longer young and spry. You would do much better to treat me well and keep me in your employ.”

"People pay a premium for music that can bring about the fall of armies. That's how I make coin. And some people definitely pay more than others. At least, the fun ones pay more." Tritonia said, responding more informatively than her usual taunting banter. "If you must know, I work for a trio of people who pay. The Sons of Chelm. A bandit group led by the warlord known as Shechita. For someone with grander aims and schemes? If you've heard of the Scarlet Emperor across the seas? I serve him when needed as well. And the other one? Well, better to remain naive, and leave it at that."

Good and Evil? All a matter of perspective.

"Forgive me, I would assume you'd be able of comprehending two different things in the same sentence. I asked you to never pale your skin. While I expressed desire for shade. I forgot I'm speaking to...You." (Editor's note: The sentence was screwy, but I decided to just assume Tritonia think's Chidi is retarded lmao.) Flicking a tongue across pallid lips the bard cracked several fingers and snorted. "I'm lovely and beautiful, but I'm not dainty. I can hold my own parasol. Though I enjoy your use of a title for me. It's flattering."

"You're not a bad cook, and I'm a sensual, loving woman who just wants a husband to serve and several kids." Tritonia spat out, albeit a little more playfully and a little less venomous than normal, before her usual tone resumed, "Nanika would drive me mad? Probably. I'd sell her off the moment I could, and probably lop a hand off so I could remember her by. She does have some nice looking body parts. And I do love hands." Flicking her eyes towards Chidi, the bard stopped in her place and looked over a small market stall - finally deciding on a lurid bauble of a necklace - the Bard looking towards the stall owner and tossing him a small bag of coins before resuming on her way. She could make up some story about plucking it from the clutches of something monstrous and sell it back to some peasant or naive midlander at quadruple the cost.

Chidi tried to hide her surprise at n actual answer that wasn't laced with sarcasm. Perhaps there was a person behind the monster, but she'd learned early in her life to not drop her guard too easily. “So you're a true-to-life bard then, eh? Not exactly the ones I've heard pleasant stories about, but the magic is there. Color me impressed,” Chidi said, raising her arms lacing her fingers behind her head and closing her eyes. “I've heard the name, but I confess, I've never been out of the capital. At least, not in any of my clear memories. This is definitely going to be a learning experience for me. I guess I'll just be seeing it as I'm serving you.”

Chidi sighed, the sarcasm back with a vengeance as though there was a need for it to be doubled for every sentence it was absent. She answered with a rolling of the eyes when the bard's eyes weren't on her and chose to respond instead to the last part. “Well, you are certainly beautiful...” she conceded under her breath, adding in a normal tone a question, “Is that how you'd like me to address you?”

For the first time since meeting Tritonia, she actually smiled, a genuine smile, “Of all of the things you've told me, I find that to be the least believable. You don't strike me as one to want to serve anyone, let alone be tied down to one place. Though, I'll be glad for one less task that's on my list of things to do.” Chidi shrugged, still comfortable while still in the capital. The familiar streets were fading to less familiar streets as they progressed, however, and she knew that it wouldn't be very long before they were in the rural surrounding area. She felt wholly unprepared, given that she'd a.) never been out of the capital and b.) she had nothing required for multiple days out in the wild. The good feeling of jest dissipated with the mention of Nanika. She was going to miss her dearly and this woman was talking about lopping off one of her hands. She decided to not reward her with a proper response asking instead, “So, do you have any jobs lined up for the immediate future?”

"Did you not get a taste of bardic magic when you panicked and struck me? Special chords to tug at the mind and bring it into that animalistic 'Fight-or-Flight' panic. It worked rather well. Seeing as how you're hear heeding what I say." Tritonia chimed, before taking a deep breath and waving a hand around while she tried to explain. "Scarlet Emperor. It's a dreary name for the leader of an equally dreary place. I understand bringing misery to people you don't like, but at the same time. You can only stomp on someone before you simply have to put the blade in their heart and move on. He's crotchety and annoying. We won't be seeing too much of him. Be thankful for that."

Flattery was doing its job, and the pale-skinned bard couldn't hide behind a neutral face; A fanged smile cracking along her face before she rolled her neck and let a lopsided head gaze on the Southlander. "Call me what you wish. I'll have to make sure you're dressed for the occasion however if you're so keen on calling me 'Mistress.' There's not enough leather in the world to clad you properly, in my tastes."

"If whomever is marrying me is rich enough, I'll settle down. I'll hike my skirt up when needed. The issue is no one is ever sufficiently rich. You could hand me the hordes of dragons. It's not enough. Never enough." Tritonia said, a small lust for wealth consuming her mind before she shook her head and focused on the bauble she picked up. "One less thing for an indentured servant to do? I feel like that would cut into the profits you could use to free yourself."

The anticipated rustics of rural scenery made their approach and Tritonia frowned. Nature was an abomination. Filthy and tiring. With monsters and other things eager to ruin a perfectly good chance to have a quiet bout of traveling. "Immediate jobs? We have one. I'm going to be playing matchmaker for the one I told you about. Schechita." She let the words sink into Chidi's head and possibly fill her with anxiety before she added with a dry tone. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm not pawning you off to a warlord. Besides. I know for a fact you're not the kind of person he infatuates himself with."

“I...did,” Chidi muttered, lowering her gaze. She'd never felt so low as she had in that moment, but then, at the time she felt completely justified in her reaction. She must not have been a “flight” person because her most basic, most animalistic response was to fight. That, at least, gave her a small amount of pride – but she'd had no control over her actions. “And I assume I'm to remain silent when meeting him? I don't think I'd be of much use in things that go way over my head.”

The smile was more of a relief than anything. Slowly but surely, Chidi was figuring out what made Tritonia tick and she hoped soon they could have a working relationship where Tritonia didn't feel the need to deride her every opportunity that presented itself. She found herself blushing at the prospect of being dressed like that anywhere but the brothel, but then, she'd been a sex worker so more than enough have seen her in leather outfits. Instead she asked with a raised eyebrow, “You're giving me a uniform now? For two hundred gold a week, I'd wear what you wanted me to, anyway, so dress me up.”

Tritonia seemed to be greatly motivated by wealth and Chidi wondered if that was part of the reason she was the way she was. “For what it's worth, I'm sure you'd make cute kids. Cute, sadistic kids,” Chidi said, chuckling a bit at the image, “You gave me a fixed sum of two hundred a week. I'll do all that you ask of me, but I certainly won't complain with less work.” She gave a nonchalant shrug, following behind obediently. Hell, if she was going to be forced into well paid labor, she might as well enjoy it.

Outside of the city, the countryside greeted Chidi with the best of fresh smells and she reflected this by breathing deep with her nose and beaming. “I never got to come out here. It's beautiful...” She shut her mouth to let her master speak to her eventually shaking her head, “Oh, no, no. I wouldn't expect you to match me with someone who's willing to pay you anything. I'm well aware of how low you believe me to be.”

"Well, if you were to rear your head and say something foolish, then I would simply have to deny any existence of knowing you while he most likely fillets you into some form of human-skin cloak." It was a rather casual nonchalance in Tritonia's voice that was probably more unsettling, but the bard finally gave in; her words flickering with a bit more distaste. "And that would be a good waste of such lovely Southlander skin."

Tritonia made a mental note to herself to make sure the babble between the two was going to remain at such interesting levels. Rarely was there someone who could make the bard snicker and think, before the bard scanned Chidi up and down slowly, before clicking her tongue - a golden claw reaching out and flicking the girl's chin with the barest of glances. "It's so nice you're willing to wear what I want, and do the things I ask. It's going to make everything so much easier to deal with." A small pause. "When we get somewhere more civilized, if you've behaved you can have a forward on your little payment of gold. So you can frollick in something that doesn't reek of the scents of musk and male...Passions. Urgh."

"If they were even an ounce of my own motivation, I'd pawn them off to someone else. Let them deal with the fruits of my own labor. Probably you, if you were still around. Congratulations. You're a mother now, because I wouldn't want them." Tritonia spat out, waggling her brows and taking long, elaborate strides through the crowd when she saw a small gaggle of humans heading the way they had come to get into the thick of the city. Brushing the chance for their stink to sink into her clothes Tritonia looked back towards Chidi and raised a brow, before rolling her eyes. "Speaking of work, compliment me. I'm feeling oh so insecure. Regale me with how my beauty slays men or something."

Tritonia hated the outside. With a passion. There was a reason humans dwelt in towns and cities, and this was why. The sun beat down on her mercilessly, the layers of caked on makeup beginning to run slowly, and her fine golden hair began to fritz ever so slightly. "Simpleton." Was all she said towards Chidi's admiration of nature, before the bard shook her head. "It's not a matter of your status. If you believe that is something the almighty Shechita of the Sons of Chelm is looking for? You're already misjudging him."

Chidi clamped her mouth shut and nodded, deciding then that when they were in front of him she was going to only answer when spoken to and pray she was never spoken to. If Tritonia was trying to upset Chidi, it was working. Goosebumps speckled her forearms as she imagined the process of said filleting. But, regardless of her intentions, she gave Chidi a fairly decent compliment; “Such lovely Southlander skin” would be a waste as a cloak as opposed to something else. Nevermind that that something else could be on her own living body. Again, she was at a loss for words, colored cheeks and clenching fists saying more than words could.

Chidi could feel Tritonia's eyes on her as she mused about...something. Chidi couldn't place it, but Tritonia's gaze made her look like a predator, eyes latched onto her next prey – the juicy, tender, and trembling former whore. The clicking of Tritonia's tongue, the tingle the gold claw sent down Chidi's spine further instilled this idea and Chidi stopped, frozen where she stood. To this point, the women had been making decent time, their words fueling their feet rather than stopping them, but now they stood, eyes locked. “For two hundred gold a week, I will do anything or wear anything you ask,” she breathed, trying to keep her voice steady. “Forgive me, Mistress, but male passions would be the hardest to detect from my clothing. My specialty was...not that.”

“I'm afraid I'd need more than two hundred to take care of a couple of children,” she finally said, laughing and grateful for the small break in tension. “I'm not exactly a motherly creature, and one of you is going to be demanding all of my attention anyway.” True, Chidi was trying to get on Tritonia's good side, but she'd set parameters in the process. No children. Children not part of the contract. Gorgeous women who might also have the potential to kill are welcome, however. Welcome whenever they liked. “How your beauty slays men?” Chidi asked, raising an eyebrow, “Darling you don't give yourself enough credit. Your beauty slays women. I was disappointed when you wouldn't take me in my room and I don't feel that way about many customers. Now, how was that for a compliment?”

Chidi's spirits couldn't be brought down. She was content enough to a smile lazily creep tot he corners of her lips as they walked, “Yes, you're right. I suppose I am lacking context. I guess I'll just have to see for myself what he might be looking for.”

"Male passions would be the hardest to detect under my clothing...Meh, meh, meh. You lie about as well as I have a chance at winning an award of kindness from a Nun." Tritonia mocked, her voice fake and saccharine as golden orbs remained transfixed on the poor Southlander. Tritonia was akin to a snake, slowly circling. Constricting her coils around her unfortunate victim as the Bard snickered and flashed a set of filed teeth, a tongue flicking across the inside of her canines. "The things I can make you wear. Are you sure you're willing to truly let me dress you as -I- see fit? You're playing a rather dangerous game." She warned with a small airy tone in her voice.

"If you were to be paid 200 coin in order to take care of my children, I would not blame you for 'losing' them. Perhaps near a cliff, or a river." Tritonia said matter of factly as they began to continue to trek down the paths of the Southlands, feet picking up dirt that filled the air around then as they traveled. The conversation seemed to bring them further and futher - The hike back seeming to be moving faster than the solo traverse on her own. And of course the slew of compliments and strokes of her ego only made Tritonia all the more complacent in terms of not lashing out with verbal venom. There was an elated, bloated grin along the Bards face as she softly snickered and rolled her eyes. "Oh, how such a compliment would have freed you from servitude, if I wasn't so -keen- on just shackling you with my own affections." Tritonia said, a playful coo escaping her lips that hid a rather malicious intention for Chidi. She wasn't letting such a precious little token walk free.

Ever.

"The man we're talking about seeks romance in the briefest of terms. He is forcing a hand to wed him, simply for the fact he hungers for money. Money and simple malice in ruining the life of a noblewoman." Tritonia shrugged. "How well do you know of the Sons? How their banditry and swords have caused havoc for the West? When we move closer, simply speak and ask of them, and watch people reel back in fright."

“I spoke nothing of female passions, however...” Chidi said wryly grinning. If she was the prey of a snake in that moment, she was blissfully unaware, seeing the conversation instead as a clever battle of wits. She knew not what sort of plans Tritonia had for her, but at this moment it didn't matter. She was seeing life outside of the city and her normal tasks shifted from being bent over various pieces of furniture to a life of adventuring. Despite how well Nanika took care of her, she couldn't argue with this sort of lifestyle – even if she did have to undergo occasional bouts of pain from Tritonia's bouts of temper. “Honestly? It can't be worse than some of the things I've been asked to wear. I love my body; I see no reason to hide it,” Chidi said with a shrug and a skip in her step, “As long it doesn't hurt me in any way, I see no reason why not.”

Whether it was the sunshine or the gentle breeze wafting over the plains making them look as they were a vast ocean, Chidi's spirits were high. Tritonia's triteness from earlier seemed to dissipate under the torrent of flattery that Chidi was accustoming herself to and she felt as though she might actually be figuring out how to make Tritonia tick in only the most positive of ways. “You wouldn't mind if I 'lost' your children? But then what would become of what would undoubtedly be – at least half – beautiful kids? I mean, surely, at least one would take after you in appearance. You're probably my most beautiful customer to date; it's a pity that you didn't request me in the more traditional sense.”

With that, Chidi raised her eyebrows at her master. It was true, Tritonia had been more keen to take Chidi home than anyone else, though there were one or two who simply offered to buy Chidi from Nanika. Nanika, however, was against slavery and that is what Chidi would have been had she actually been sold. At that time, Nanika simply told them that she could not sell what she did not own. Chidi was, after all, there on her own volition. This time was different, though, for a number of reasons. The first was pay. Pay was offered to Nanika and Chidi, though even then Nanika still did not want to get rid of her. But then there was the threat of physical violence that Tritonia had already more than shown she was capable. In that instance, Chidi was told to make her own choice – as if she really had one. “You have a strange way of showing affections,” she finally said, “I have to ask though, out of all of the whores in Frifta, why did you choose me? It is true I've had some clientele from high places, but I'm not the only one to boast that.”

Chidi shook her head. She had street smarts, sure, but those only extended to the inside of the walls of Frifta. Outside of those walls? Chidi knew close to nothing. She couldn't fight, but she could love. And she knew how to read. That was two steps higher than much of Frifta's population. Literacy was mostly reserved for the noblemen and the occasional noblewoman. Yet, here was a common whore able to read and bearing evidence of an actual decent education. “I'm afraid I know nothing of the Sons. I assume they are terrifying, but I've dealt with terrifying – what would you have me do when we encounter them?”