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Post by Admin on Jun 1, 2008 11:39:38 GMT -6
The market crowds thin from the daytime crowds as the suns dips below the horizon. The creatures of the night begin to set up their shops and the doors open for the evening crowds. The 24 hour shops rotate their stock as tired day timers trod off to their respective tavern haunts or off to their homes happy to be free from the drudgery of the day job.
The air is thick with a new stink tonight. A fresh scent of the traders caravan enters the city from the outlands brimming over with a fresh stock of rotten captives for the traders guild cages. The dusty and crusty nomads set up their stage wagon in the square as swiftly as any seedy professional snake oil salesman. The shop keepers gather licking their lips to get hold of the newest supply as they wait impatiently for the slavers auction to begin.
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jun 1, 2008 20:34:29 GMT -6
The Marquis stands just outside gate of the Palace, separating the Palace and the rest of the city. He leans against the gate, idly inspecting the claws of one hand while his spaded tail slowly sways to and fro. The other hand rests on the hilt of a very plain-looking dagger at his hip.
Illyon looks every part the wealthy, indolent, and unconcerned debutante to the casual observer.
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Post by Valentine on Jun 1, 2008 20:57:14 GMT -6
Ambassador Valentine Le'Noir steps briskly through the gate and stops looking left to right. One hands straightens her short red vinyl dress as she spots the Marquis and nods. Her heels click on the cobbles as she approaches him.
"Hello Marquis de Verrin. I appreciate your assistance in this matter, I know how busy you are with your business." She extends her hand to him. "I hope to learn much on this little excursion."
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jun 1, 2008 21:53:48 GMT -6
Illyon takes her hand and gives her knuckles a light kiss, his eyes never leaving her. The persona of the debutante has vanished, briefly allowing a glimpse of cold, calculating black eyes before he allows a small smile to cross his lips.
"Good evening, Ambassador Le'Noir," he says as he pushes himself off from the gate, offering her his arm. "While I am kept busy with my little business, I do enjoy taking some time off every now and then to spend time in the company of a woman as intelligent and intriguing as you." The corner of his lips quirk ever-so-slightly as his tail twitches towards Valentine. "Who knows, Ambassador, we may both learn from this excursion."
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Post by Valentine on Jun 1, 2008 22:16:10 GMT -6
Valentine meets his eyes as he kisses her hand, a brief flash of interest warming her gaze before her expression settles back into politeness.
She inclines her head slightly at the compliment, but lets it pass without any remark as she lays her fingers lightly on his arm.
"Then if this is to be a learning experience, Marquis, let us proceed to learn something. Where shall we go first?" She gazes at him with delicately raised brows over saffron eyes.
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jun 1, 2008 22:35:41 GMT -6
"The caravans have arrived," Illyon replies as he starts leading them down the cobblestone road to the market place. His tail continues to flick behind him as he walks, and he glances sharply out of the corner of his eye when he feels the points of Valentine's nails lightly touch his arm. "We can browse among their merchandise to see if they have anything of value. You never know with these caravans, sometimes you might find a treasure you never knew existed."
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Post by Valentine on Jun 1, 2008 22:49:26 GMT -6
"I'm surprised, your Excellency, given the general opinion on the quality of said merchandise that the caravans would be your first stop." One could not call the Ambassador's expression open but it is direct, as she turns slightly to regard the Marquis.
"Why go there first, given how unlikely it is we will find anything of worth?"
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jun 3, 2008 0:04:43 GMT -6
Illyon looks at her out of the corner of his eye, his eyebrow slightly raised.
"If there is anything of worth to be had at the caravans, it's best to go earlier in the evening where they might still be found," he replies. "Most of the slaves there will have been taken against their will in raids, though you might find some that have been sold into slavery by their villages or families to pay for enough food to last the season. If the former, we will indeed be wasting our time. They are harder to train, being willful and disobedient, and likely to run the moment you turn your back on them. If the latter, they will likely be children, impressionable and easier to train."
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Post by Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 0:38:08 GMT -6
Valentine's brows draw together imperceptably and she makes no effort to hide the coldness in her tone.
"While I understand the wisdom of beginning training for an important position young, your Excellency, such slaves would be useless to me." She pauses in her step and turns to look at him her eyes like hard yellow gems.
"I know what becomes of most children sold into slavery, Marquis Illyon deVerrin. Tell me do you sell children into such torment and misery?"
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jun 3, 2008 1:32:13 GMT -6
Illyon gazes back at Valentine with no discernible expression. He doesn't pull away from her, but he does seem to draw back as his tail becomes very still, save for a slight twitch running down its entire length.
"Is that how you think of me, Ambassador?" he asks, his voice chilly. "A pimp of children to the degenerate and depraved?" His tail twitches slightly as he sneers. "Whatever else may be said of me at court, I do not buy children to raise them to fill the cheap, amateur brothels by selling them to debauched bastards while they still don't understand what in Hell's name is happening to them."
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Post by Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 1:50:35 GMT -6
"No, I expected much better from you than that, Marquis. I'm glad to know I'm correct." Valentine's voice is less chilly but her tone is still matter of fact. She looks steadily at the Marquis using her slightly taller stature and her heels to tower over him. Her spine has the poker straight posture that only the truly uptight can achieve.
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jun 3, 2008 2:34:06 GMT -6
"If you expect better, then I would appreciate if you would not impugne me," he says, his tone warming slightly, but not much, and though he relaxes his posture as he starts walking, his tail is whipping behind him. "Child slavery is a controversial topic even among the slaver's for those very reasons. I do not associate with any who would sell a child to any such being, unless it is to drag their rotting carcass to their own slave pens as my newest addition to my merchandise."
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Post by Valentine on Jun 3, 2008 14:08:28 GMT -6
The Ambassador smiles slightly, her lips curving like a satisfied cat's, as she matches his stride.
"Delightful, Marquis. What a charming thought, that." Her nails trace a light caress on his arm.
"I apologize for the affront, it is a subject of some controversy among our people as well... though it is kept very quiet. " Her smile hardens but her tone is low almost a purr.
"And now it is considered a crime punishable by execution. The only problem is finding the perpetrators. If you do discover something of that nature involving one of our kind please do let me know."
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jun 3, 2008 14:43:18 GMT -6
Illyon looks at her, a brow raises slightly. His tail slows, then stops, as one corner of his mouth quirks in what could barely be called a smirk.
"I will be sure to do so," he replies, slightly inclining his head to her. He turns ahead as they round the corner to view the caravans that have set up shop. Slaves stand out behind in full view, dressed in simple, rugged clothing. Some wear chains, and others look like they've barely washed in weeks, while still others lounge in relative comfort on beds of straw. Illyon waves a hand to the sight. "Ambassador, I present the slavers' caravans. You will be hard pressed to find a worse den of wretched existence in all of Hell, save perhaps our illustrious dungeons. Here, the vague nightmare of slavery is a grim reality for these poor creatures."
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Post by Narrator on Jun 5, 2008 13:26:48 GMT -6
The crowd gathers in front of the large wagon train. The burly slave taskers grasp the first lot from the cage wagons and haul them up on stage.
Before long the sorry bunch of slaves stare at the large crowd barely lit from the short reach of the caravans torch light. A very fat devil dressed in a buckskin suit with sequins waddles on to the stage twinkling a soft orange in the torch light. He lifts a huge megaphone to his lips. He takes a deep wheezing breath and out rolls a squeaky voice completely out of character for the broad demon.
"Evenin' and welcome all you greedy merchants and debauched lot of miscreants... Stop crowdin' the stage, yall making the new meat nauseous from the wagon rockin' like a Kansas shack in a twister."
He smiles at the merchandise and snorts a dry luggie. The fat demon launches it with a great breath and sends it out into the gathered crowd. "Lets get this shindig rollin'..."
He snorts as he grabs the wrist of the very young Rachet girl dressed in rags and drags her to the front of the stage.
"The biddin' starts a hunert clams." and at that he begins to ramble like the best auctioneer you ever heard. Before you know it the bid has risen to $500.00 and the first sale is going once, then twice and with a large stomp on the old wood wagon stage the fat devil screams, "Sold! To the purdy Succubus in the second row." He barks as he points a fat finger at the woman with the highest bid.
The burly slavers whisk the sad looking girl off the stage swiftly as another very young girl is brought to the auctioneer and the process begins all over again.
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Post by Valentine on Jun 5, 2008 13:27:51 GMT -6
Valentine raises her eyebrows at Illyon as the auction begins. Her gaze takes note of every leccubi in the crowd.
She goes so still she might be carved of white marble her chest ceases to rise and fall at all. Her gaze fixes on the stage and her fingers tighten on the Marquis' arm, just slightly.
"I see."
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jun 16, 2008 23:41:36 GMT -6
Illyon guides Valentine away from the auction block, towards the back where the majority of the slaves are being kept.
"They will not bring out the better slaves until the auction has gone on longer," he explains as he walks. "Back here, we can view the more valuable merchandise without the distraction of the crowds."
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Post by Valentine on Jun 17, 2008 16:10:42 GMT -6
"Of course, and prospective buyers with the proper acquaintances have some time to take their pick before the common rabble." Valentine murmurs allowing herself to be drawn through the crowd.
"So, your Excellency, are you shopping for your own stock as well today? Or simply playing the guide for me?" Her heels click on the cobbles as they move towards the caravans.
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Illyon
Denizen
Marquis Incubus
Posts: 91
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Post by Illyon on Jul 2, 2008 18:32:53 GMT -6
If Illyon hears Valentine's murmured reply, he makes no sign. His tail, however, brushes against her leg, the spade sliding along the inside of her knee. He looks at her from the corner of his eye, a small smile playing on his lips.
"The purpose of this outing is to be your guide, of course," he tells her. "Although, I am not adverse to adding to my stock should the opportunity arise."
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Post by Valentine on Jul 4, 2008 11:42:57 GMT -6
The Ambassador stiffens slightly as his tail brushes against her knee and she laughs softly and huskily.
"I will not mind so long as you do explain to me the qualities you look for in a good pet, Excellency." She says her voice still a touch amused as she looks over at him.
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