Mirrah watched as her charge turned about on his heels and then let out a
slight sigh. Usually things like this didn't bother her; it wasn't her
business. But the thing about merchants was that if they didn't get
paid, chances are, body guards don't get paid. And Wilhelm didn't look
exactly like he had money stashed away somewhere. And even if he did, no
doubt he'd find some way to avoid telling her. And it wasn't like she
was interested in his merchandise anyway so 'compensation via items'
wouldn't satisfy her. Oh well, she had promised to guard him for the
reminder of the week. Hopefully he'll manage to scrounge up some type of
payment before she skipped town. Mirrah cast one last look around the
room before turning on her heels too, drawing the door behind her to a
close.
Mirrah wouldn't have noticed the tiny squeal in the
background if it didn't increase in volume. Increase into a wail, that
is. Or lurch out from behind and clamp down around her arm. Without even
thinking, Mirrah had halted in her tracks. Adrenaline gave one quick
spurt through her arms and she twisted herself on her heels, pulling
whoever held her arm towards her while drawing her free arm out, elbow
cranked back, ready for the strike. And then it came.
"Waaai--"
Too late. Mirrah's hand, hergauntleted
hand, had sprung forward, the butt of her palm smashing straight into
the face of, at least she assumed it was, Wilhelm's client, Lorena
Setha'elle. Her strike had hit the woman right between the eyes,
Lorena's head jerking back as the rest of her body slumped forward with
the previous motion of, Mirrah assumed, moving forward, probably to
catch Wilhelm as he walked out. She collapsed back into the room, arms
out, legs out, sputtering the last sound that came with her plead.
Mirrah was staring for a good second before she drew her outstretched
hand back in shock.
"Oh my god!" Mirrah jerked forward, sliding down to her knees as she drew up beside Lorena's side. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"
The
woman's eyes seemed to be rolling about in their sockets, her mouth
open to speak words that her head had yet to assign. Mirrah's hands
hovered before her but she hardly found use for them lest she do
something like punch the woman's gut without meaning to. "Oh, geez! I'm
so sorry! Are you okay?"
Wilhelm appeared at the door just in time to see Lorena's eyes reposition themselves. "What's going on?"
Lorena
groaned, as if finally acknowledging the pain between her eyes. Mirrah
flashed Wilhelm a desperate look, waving her arms in a frenzy. "She came
out of nowhere! I swear! I didn't mean to--"
Lorena pushed
herself up on her elbows, one hand coming to rest on Mirrah's shoulder.
Mirrah swung her gaze back down to Lorena, taking to helping her sit up
instead of listening to her first impulse, to send an elbow right into
the woman's teeth. Lorena used the extra support to slide her other hand
forward in what looked like a failed attempt to steady her head.
"What...?"
"Mirrah! Don't tell me--"
"I thought--! I though she--!"
"Where the hell..?"
Mirrah
shot her glance back to Lorena, leaning in and out of her gaze. "I'm so
sorry! You're Miss Setha'elle, right? I'm so sorry! I didn't see you
there!" For the first time Lorena locked eyes with Mirrah, eyes
squinted, mouth held open where no doubt her mind was too busy assessing
other things to be bothered with shutting her mouth when it wasn't
needed. Mirrah couldn't help but purse her lips shut upon looking at
Lorena's visage. The woman had bronze colored skin and underneath a red
bandanna twisted askew, startlingly white hair that was braided to the
ends. Her eyes were the brightest shade of yellow Mirrah had ever seen.
She knitted her eyebrows, wondering if she made a mistake. "You are Lorena Setha'elle, right?" She had expected Lorena to be older...and less human looking.
Lorena
stared back for a long moment before lifting her hand to her forehead.
She patted her brow for a second before taking a glance at her
fingertips, as if expecting to see blood. "...Did you just punch me?"
"Pardon
my guard, miss--" Wilhelm moved his way into the room, slipping his
suitcase off of his back and onto the floor. He shot Mirrah an accusing
glare before leaning down to offer a hand to Lorena. "I'm Wilhelm Haleth
and this is Mirrah. We came here looking for Lorena Setha'elle. Perhaps
you are...?"
The woman knitted her brow, giving Wilhelm a long
look before breaking out into a wry smile, it was probably all she could
manage at the moment. "Ah Wilhelm! Yes, yes, I am, um, Lorena Setalla."
She took Wilhelm's hand where Wilhelm, still grinning,
automatically replied, "Setha'elle." Mirrah sighed internally. If she
had somehow caused amnesia in this woman...
"Right." Lorena pulled herself up, seemingly unfazed by the correction. "Sethahell."
She
was expecting Wilhelm to repeat himself again, as if he could knew how
this woman's name was actually pronounced, but the thought quickly
slipped her mind. It probably slipped Wilhelm's mind too as they watched
the woman rise. And keep rising. Until she stood a good foot and a half
over Wilhelm who still held her hand. Her shadow completely eclipsed
Wilhelm. Mirrah couldn't help but gawk. Gawk upwards, that is. "Holy..."
Lorena
released Wilhelm's hand only to place her other on Mirrah's shoulder
for balance, which didn't seem to stimulate the same impulse she had
before. Lorena pressed her hand to her forehead again, almost laughing,
almost seething through her teeth. "Your guard has one hell of an arm."
"So...freaking...tall..."
That
earned a light wap from Wilhelm though he seemed hardly attentive to
put any force behind it. "Yes, you have my humblest apologies."
"Oh, no, no! You don't need to apologize. I was late and..."
"No, no, ma'am. We were late. We were side tracked and...wait, what?"
Lorena blinked. "You're late?"
Mirrah
rubbed the back of her head. "We were scheduled to meet you at noon and
it's at least one in the afternoon now, so..." She cast a glance around
the room, eyes surveying the undisturbed furniture, the undisturbed
wine and glasses...the door-less walls...the lack of windows... A frown
graced her lips, her hand dropping down to a point at the room.
"Where...How were you...Were you inside the room?"
Lorena threw up her arms with a loud and quite disrupting gasp. "Oh dearie me!
Where are my manners? Please, come in! Come in!" She shuffled her feet
noisily towards the couches, kicking the table out with one foot to
allow leg room before seating herself down. "Please, don't stand there!
Sit with me! Come, I've been waiting for you!"