Estel's Post:

 

Alianna looked first at the prone form of the Aielman on the housetop. Light, she had just knocked him unconscious! Veiled as he was, she could not see the lump she knew would be there but a small amount of blood wet his black cloth. Biting her lip to keep from crying, the thief catcher tried to stay afloat of the waves of emotions crashing down on her.

 

Why had she done it? True, she didn’t think he was right in killing the man but neither would Esyndor have been right in killing that noble… Esanoma. Blood and ashes, what a mess.

 

Unable to stand the sight of his still form, Alianna looked at the man she had saved. Only about her height and light of hair and skin, he eyes her with an astonished look across the tan-clad body. A singular tear ran down her cheek as the full weight of her actions dawned on her. If she were found by the Aiel, she would receive the same justice Cor had been about to unleash on Esyndor. Alianna was an outlaw now, hunted as much as she had ever hunted any criminal herself.

 

It was strange to see things through the eyes of her “prey”. So often she had simply seen it as a profession, ignoring the stories; the reasons behind the criminals’ actions. No one acted without motivation but she had never cared about their justifications as long as she got paid. Light, it was so different from this side.

 

Only the regular beat of the Foregate streets drifted up to the deadly silence above their oblivious heads. As the silence became oppressive, Alianna began to fidget nervously but dared not break the stillness. Finally, when the would-be-assassin made no move to speak or move, she turned in her heel and chased down the nearest ledge. Firmly planting her staff on its edge, she vaulted across landing lightly on her feet.

 

“Are you coming? I didn’t outlaw myself to have to stand around just to get killed for my troubles!”

 

ooc: go where you want with it

 

Esy's post:

 

Esyndor stood dumbstruck. He should have been dead. Instead, the giant Aiel was sprawled on the ground in front of him, and the woman looked as though she'd been struck in the face as well. Esy eyed her curiously. Why in the world had she done that? She'd been the one hunting him down, and now what? The look she wore now seemed oddly familiar. The look of a person who's whole world had just come crashing down.

 

Esyndor didn't know what to do. It didn't seem like she was going to kill him, but she looked very nervous, and he didn't want to provoke her into anything. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when she vaulted back across the gap to another roof.

 

“Are you coming? I didn’t outlaw myself to have to stand around just to get killed for my troubles!”

 

Esy looked down at the unconscious form in front of him for a moment, then sprang into action. Quickly recovering his daggers, he leapt across the gap and followed the strange woman across the Cairhien skyline. They reached the edge of the Foregate before dropping down to the streets again and working their way down some of the darker alley's.

 

When they finally came to a halt, Esyndor leaned back against a wall to catch his breath and watched his partner is crime. She sat against the wall with her head in her hands, trying to figure out her new situation. Silence stretched between them again. An uncomfortable, hanging silence. After a tense moment when an Aiel patrol crossed in front of their alley, he decided to break first. A dozen questions ran through his mind all at once, but all that came out was an awkward, "Who are you?" A few seconds later he added, "And why did you do that?"

 

Estel's post:

 

He must have heard her sigh of relief as he launched himself across the roof. However, once they began retracing their steps, their course retracted, or at least she wished it could be, as quickly as it had been made, fuelled by the fear of strong, sun dark arms catching her or a short-shafted spear in her back. As if they were trying to sneak across the rooftops, so devoid of anything to hide behind that they could be no more open to view if they had been in a bare field, no sound passed between them except the thudding of their footprints and their gasping for breath.

 

Finally back on the ground, with of short Cairhienin that they would struggle to assimilate into, he broke the silence asking the question running circles in her mind. “Why…?” Why? Why! Why… Why… Why why why whywhywhywhy? Evasion proved the easier tactic though no doubt she would eventually have to answer it for herself if not for him.

 

“Alianna Karalev, thiefcatcher from the lost city of Chachin in the equally lost country of Kandor, Light save what’s left of my homeland. I’ve been following you since Caemlyn, though that city hardly holds a better name in my memory than Chachin- don’t ask, it’s a long story I’d rather not have to tell if I can avoid it.”

 

With this she took his hand and shook it. All introductions finished, she obviously not needing his, the middle-aged woman left the alley for the stream of people rushing by. Hunching her shoulders and bending her legs, she managed to pass for a decent enough Cairhienin as long as she kept her face towards the ground. Untying her hair, she let it hand lank around her Borderlander’s face, further hiding it from suspicious glances.

 

Feeling his presence at her side, she hissed instructions that he should look as local as possible. “And you are, Esyndor Renethil,” no question “formerly of Caemlyn, here to assassinate Lord Esanoma. I’ve chased you from Andor, care to tell me why you might want to kill this man? Due to recent events I seem to be taking another look at criminals’ justifications.”

 

Esy's post:

 

Esy kept his face down and slouched under his cloak to appear shorter than he was. He thought it vaguely amusing that she would give him, a former cutpurse and would be assassin, instructions on how to hide in a crowd, but he let it pass. "Are you now? Looking for justifications of your own, or just curious?" Ignoring the piercing look she threw him, he continued. "I told you in the tavern why I want to kill him. He's the only noble I've ever heard of who does his own dirty work. He murdered my family by his own hand, and nobody did anything about it."

 

He fell silent and turned to examine the ware's of a street merchant as a group of Aiel passed by. Once they were gone he continued. "I seek justice, where nobody else will. Had I been the one to throw a blacksmith into his forge, and pour molten silver over his wifes face, you would have been hunted me down and I'd have been executed swiftly. But since a noble did it, your kind won't do a thing. There wasn't even an investigation."

 

They continued down the crowded road in silence for a time, Esyndor fuming over his hatred for Esanoma, Alianna pondering what he had said. After passing another Aiel patrol he asked her, "What did you do with the man who sent you after me? You do know that he has been involved in several murders in the past don't you? He was watching as Esanoma murdered my parents. Did you deal him the justice I didn't care to give him?"

Cor woke up to little men with hammers pounding away inside his skull, trying desperately to break out. Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs that seemed to cloud his vision only infuriated the little hellions, and they re-doubled their efforts to split his head open.

 

The thought of skull splitting sent a jolt of memory through his brain that temporarily blocked the agony. The recollection explained why he was laying face down with the sun high in the sky and recalled the danger he was in. Swiftly trying to stand, he managed only a painful lurch before collapsing to his hands and knees with a gasp.

 

The world was running circles around him.

 

Closing his eyes to the dizzying sight, he gathered his wits. What little that hadn’t been knocked out of him, anyway. The last thing he remembered before getting smashed over the head was the sound of the thief catcher landing behind him, just as he was about to administer justice on the thief and would-be-assassin.

 

Cor opened his eyes again, slowly this time, and just as slowly turned his head to look around. Somehow the world didn’t seem to move as fast if he didn’t hurry.

 

A brief glance showed him all he needed to see. The criminal was gone, as was the thief catcher. I guess I should say both criminals are gone, shouldn’t I? It didn’t make any sense, but the only thing that added up was that she had been the one to knock him over the head.

 

A turncloak! The thought sickened him. For someone to throw away their honor like that was almost unfathomable.

 

The world was still running slow circles around him, taunting him for not being able to run as fast as it could, as Cor crawled to the edge of the roof. He knew finding a way down was his first priority, but he had to be careful. There was no doubt he had at least a minor concussion, and when he pulled his hand back from the painful knot on his head it was covered in blood. And this roof was at least 3 stories off the ground.

 

He had to be careful, but he had to get back to the tents.

 

Through dogged persistence, he managed to sort things through. One slow step at a time. But above all else as he worked his way back toward the safety of his people, two faces and two names were painted vividly in his thoughts. The Kandori thief catcher, Alianna Karalev, and the Andoran would-be-assassin, Esyndor Renethil.

 

Justice will be served.

 

“He’s sitting, thinking about you underneath the palace in Caemlyn right now.  It’ll be cat, mouse and dog when he gets out if you haven’t taken care of Esanoma by then-” smiled Alianna grimly “not that I agree with what you’re doing.  Though I can emphasise, I’m the last left of my own family.”  She turned away, hiding the pain, obvious in her far-off eyes.  “Different circumstances, mind you.”

 

After a moment of silence she went on.  “My kind,” she mimicked him, half sneeringly “just saved your life for the call of justice.  My kind doesn’t have the resources nor power to go after the nobles who pay us.  Do you think I’d end up with any better fate than your parents if I tried to go after Esanoma?  It’s not like I could really prove anything unless I had access to him, which I don’t because I’m “just a lowly theifcatcher”.”

 

When the next Aiel patrol came around the corner, Alianna tried to be a little too inconspicuous and though she earned herself a hard stare from the bright-eyes young men, they dared not stop her.  She almost laughed when she saw them grip their weapons.  ‘They are wary of me, yet I’m scared to death of them.’

 

“Any suggestions on where we could go?  We can’t keep wandering the streets, we risk recognition.”

“Any suggestions on where we could go?  We can’t keep wandering the streets, we risk recognition.”[/font]

 

Esyndor thought for a moment on where they could hide.  He wasn't exactly sure what to do.  Although trusting a thiefcatcher went completely against his nature, it didn't seem likely that Alianna would pose a problem for him now.  With a sigh, he motioned her to follow him.  "I have a room at a horrible little inn a short ways from here.  It's not much, and definitely not comfortable, but it's off the street and according to the innkeeper, we were never there."

 

Ten minutes, and three patrols later, Esy and Alianna stepped into the dirty and deserted common room of the run down inn.  The innkeeper, a thin, weasely looking man, barely acknowledged them as they headed up the stairs to the small room Esy had been renting.  It was secluded in the back end of the hallway, and the only window overlooked the stable's rooftop, making for a quick escape route if needed.  Closing the door behind them, Esyndor wandered over to the bed and sat near the foot.  Now that the danger was safely away from them, awareness of himself returned.  All the aches and pains he had acquired during the day caught up with him, especially those he had gained while the Aiel man had beaten him.  Rubbing a bruised wrist he looked back toward the Kandori thiefcatcher.  "You never did tell me.  Why did you do that back there.  Surely my story wasn't compelling enough to turn you to the other side of the law.  Why bother saving the person you've hunted for so far?

The claustrophobic tightness of the room had a protected atmosphere to it.  Akin to a womb, being in such an enclosed space seemed comfortable and distanced from the danger pursuing them.  And yet Alianna could not relax.  She paced back and forth, back and forth across the tiny room, three paces from window to door, from door to window.  Her hands kept twitching with nervous energy and despite having escaped the notice of the Aiel patrols in the street, her heartbeat remained in her throat threatening to choke her.

 

“Blood and ashes, if I knew why I did that man…  Damnit, I’ve asked myself that question over and over again and still don’t have the bloody answer.” she growled in frustration.  Light, this was too much like the time with that Tower Trainee.  The theifcatcher glanced over at Esyndor considering…  ‘LIGHT BURN YOU!  Not that again!’

 

“What do I do now?  I can’t go back to my own room, I can’t very well stay with you- they’ll come after you too soon now I expect.  Where do I go?  They’ll find me wherever I go in this damned city.  A Kandori isn’t hard to find in the city of midgets.”

Esy thought for a while as Alianna continued to pace the tiny room.  What was he supposed to tell her?  He knew that the Aiel would be looking for him eventually, but the theifcatcher was likely in bigger danger.  That large Aiel man would search her out first, before coming after him.  Esy grimaced at a sudden thought.  If she was captured, she'd now be able to lead them right to him.  He would have to move as soon as he could.  Hopefully he could resolve his business here quickly and leave this forsaken city.  For now though, it was in his best interests to help Alianna escape.

 

"I might know a way for you to get out.  Or someone who can help you at least.  You probably know of them too.  If you can stand to work with outlaws for a while longer you might have a chance."  When she didn't say anything, Esy continued.  "The thieves guild in Cairhien isn't as organized or helpful as it was to me in Caemlyn, but they're your best bet.  I can help you find them if you wish."  Considering her lack of options he didn't think it likely that she would refuse his offer.  For his own sake he hoped it would work.

Desperate for any way of this mess, Alianna jumped at the idea.  It would mean working against everything she had ever worked for- ever believed in!  But it meant life.  Not very long ago, she would have eagerly offered her life up for the chance to rejoin her dead family but now that the knife was tied in a bow and offered on a silver platter, it didn’t seem so appealing.  Besides, if she could live through Cairhien, she could live through anything.  Right?

 

“Where are they?  How can I get in contact with them?  Will they even take me?  Technically I’m not a thief.  Though I don’t suppose I’m much better than one though no doubt I’m much worse in the Aiel’s eyes.” her wry humour brought desperate tears to her eyes.  She couldn’t remember feeling this panicked since Caemlyn, even when she was with that Trainee.  Alianna winced at that memory.

 

“When’s the soonest we can leave?  Any moment Cor will wake up and they will fall on this house like raven’s on a battlefield.”

Esyndor thought for a moment, trying to figure out how he would contact the thieves guild again.  His main contact had been scared away when Alianna and 'Cor' had found him at that inn.  Maybe he could find him at one of the alternate meeting points? 

 

"Well, you did a good job at driving away my main contact with them at that inn, but I might be able to find them again at a few other places.  If I can find them, you should be fine as long as you don't mention your profession to anybody.  They'll kill me for that too."  Not surprisingly, she didn't seem to care about that last point, but she nodded.

 

"We'll leave in a few minutes, just as soon as I clear out this room."  A short while later, the pair slipped out of the inn and crept off into the shadows. 

“I’m not so stupid as to advertise myself to a bunch of thieves.”  Despite her situation, there was a certain sneer that accompanied the word thieves.  “Stupidity lasts no longer in my business than it does in yours.”  She half expected a full contingent of Aiel downstairs in the commonroom but it was mercifully full of Cairhienin who took no notice of their passage.

 

It wasn’t like she had never snuck around a busy city avoiding notice before.  In fact, she was quite good at it from her nearly twenty years of practice.  However, there was something significantly different about being on the wrong end of the sneaking- it was one thing to be playing the cat and a complete different thing to be in the position of the mouse.  Suddenly she felt an odd respect for the thieves and murderers she had chased for her entire life.  She hated that, it made her feel dirty.

 

Every time she saw an Aiel, her heart raced as she knew every low-life scum’s had when they had seen her coming after them.  Alianna was so far on edge, the other passers-by must have though her mad for the panicked way she eyed each of them as if everyone knew who she was, what she had done and would immediately report her to the Aiel.  Was this what every thief and murderer felt after their crimes?

 

“Are we almost there yet?” she hissed over at them, fear threatening to really turn her mad.