Template to use when awarding stories/ other entries:
Ely edit 6 Nov 2021:
1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.
Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: x
Total: 4 qps
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This is a side-story in Callesa's Tales of a Brown series. Part 4, which precedes these events can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=79&t=15278
Part 1&2 of Tales of a Brown: viewtopic.php?f=79&t=9074&p=73093&hilit=Callesa#p73093
Part 3: viewtopic.php?f=79&t=15265&p=131407&hil ... wn#p131407
Part 5: viewtopic.php?f=79&t=15285&p=131621&hil ... wn#p131621
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Fuujin watched Callesa Sedai leave Surtain to Get Drunk, pondering her words as she went. The most likely scenario, that someone was using Tear as a warehouse for items of the One Power, was troubling. Light! Even a single angreal could spell trouble and was a serious crime within Tear to possess. If someone was trafficking them through the city...
Fuujin made her way out of the tavern, considering her next course of action. Outside Defender Brock stood waiting for orders.
"Ma'am? How'd your meeting go?"
"Brock, this must be kept a secret, understood?"
"Of course, Ma'am." Brock considered everything between his Lady and him a secret, but he knew it must be serious if she was asking. The pair continued their way towards Tear's central square, walking closely as they spoke.
"I've been informed that someone is trafficking items of the power through Tear and placing them in dangerous hands."
"This came from your meeting with the Aes Sedai? Can you even trust her?"
"Yes. They may not all be honest or good hearted, but I believe Callesa Sedai to be one of the better ones I've encountered. I believe she can be trusted, but more importantly, there is too much at stake to ignore this."
The two walked in silence as they passed the Master Blacksmith's shop, the clanking of new projects filling the street. When the pair arrived in the central square, they took a seat on the edge of the fountain. Commoners gave Fuujin a wide berth while passing soldiers were quick to give her a salute and move on.
"So, what's the plan Lady Fuujin?"
"There's some abandoned warehouses near the docks. And some not so abandoned ones. I'm going to investigate and hopefully catch them in the act."
"And how may I be of assistance?"
Fuujin looked Brock over. This man had served under her for years and was the first person to join House Romee when she founded it. There were few that Fuujin knew she could trust as completely as him.
"I want you to stay in the Stone and wait for word from me. Two of us would draw too much attention.
"Ma'am...I don't think that's a good idea."
She knew he was going to say that. "Brock, if I don't come back by tomorrow evening, I will need you to send for Callesa Sedai. It is important that we don't tip off these people and she will know what to do."
He let out the briefest of sighs and nodded, "I still think this is a bad idea and that you should send me instead. But I will do ask you command, Lady Fuujin."
"Good. Head back to the Stone, I'm going hang out at the White Crescent until nightfall. Then I will go investigate. Tomorrow at nightfall if you don't hear from me..."
Brock nodded, "Yes Ma'am." He stood, saluted, and left the square leaving Fuujin behind.
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Night fell over the docks and activity slowed, though did not stop completely: some laborers could be seen moving goods onto and off docked ships and in other places sailors loitered drunk and singing bawdy songs. Fuujin, dressed mostly in black, kept to the shadows as she moved through the warehouse district in the Maule. Instinct guided her as she searched for a clue.
As the moon slipped behind some clouds, she came across a warehouse in an area that seemed abandoned. A man sat in a chair in front of the warehouse's large double doors, not seeming to be paying much attention to his surroundings. As Fuujin approached, she noticed why: he was sleeping. Sensing an opportunity, she quickly scanned the outside of the warehouse for an opening and found a window on the second story of the building's east side. Using some crates and a grappling hook fashioned by scavenged materials, she scaled the wall and entered through the window.
Inside she moved stealthily across the rafters, hearing a noise towards the center of the warehouse. As she approached, she could hear voices.
"Blood and ashes, these crates are heavy."
"Quit complaining, you're paid to move 'em not talk about 'em."
"Aye," came a third voice "this pays too well to complain too. So, what if we're moving rocks or babies so long as the money is good..." Laughter followed.
Looking down from her spot on the rafter she had an unobstructed view of the three men working. A wagon-bed was nearly filled with crates and two of them were loading another crate while a third took notes in a ledger.
"Hey, how many more we gotta do?" asked one of the men after they finished with the crate.
"That was the last of those crates, now we can put on the rugs and lighter crates, and we'll be ready to go. Hurry it up, you know how he gets when he has to wait on us."
"Yes, yes," came two voices in unison.
Fuujin was certain that this was the place, all the signs pointed to it. She sensed an opportunity to capture the whole gang at once and found a place where she could climb down. Hand on her sword hilt, she stepped out of the shadows and into the clearing where the men worked.
"Evening boys."
The three men leapt with shock and swore as they turned in her direction. The two who had been carrying the crates grabbed cudgels from their belt.
"Who in the Light are you?"
"Lieutenant Fuujin with the Defenders of the Stone. Seems I've caught you in some funny business. I'm going to have to ask you to stop what you're doing and come with me."
The two men with cudgels slowly approached her, menacing their weapons. "Nah, miss, you're gonna come with us," one of them retorted. The two men advanced rapidly, weapons raised and ready to strike. Once the first one got within five feet of her, Fuujin struck.
Taking a step forward and drawing her sword in the same movement, she lashed out. A flash a silver in the lamp-lit room was all the first man saw before his cudgel went flying into the air along with several of his fingers. No sooner had he begun to cry out in pain did Fuujin reach him, grabbing his wrist with her free hand and slamming a shoulder into his chest, driving him towards his companion.
The second man barely had time to react but managed to catch his friend without tumbling over. He did not, however, have time to react to Fuujin's next strike as she spun around and cracked him in the side of the head with the pommel of her sword. He crumpled instantly, his bleeding partner falling on top of him in a heap. Fuujin turned to face the other man who stood, sword drawn, ready to face her.
"You do know that attacking me carries a punishment of death, right? Put your sword down and you may avoid it." She pointed her sword towards him as she spoke, but he did not budge, his sword raised ready to fight. "Well, if you're that sure of your skills..."
She closed the gap between them with several confident strides, sword tip dragging across the hardened floor, scraping echoing throughout the warehouse. The swordsman charged her, sword aimed at her chest, cursing as he did. As if dancing, Fuujin drew her sword up to her body in a vertical position and spun towards the man, her blade clashing with his as she rolled past him, taking his back. Before he could turn around, he found her sword at his neck, cutting just enough to draw blood.
"If your next move isn't to yield, you will die. Drop it." Fuujin’s words were followed by the sound of sword clattering on the ground.
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Sunlight crept through the warehouse's windows and a metallic jingle of a large lock could be heard outside the door, followed by some curses, and eventually the creak of an opening door. Two men stepped in, one of them dressed in furs and silks, the other dressed in a commoner's dress.
"Light blast that Feivel, why isn't the wagon ready to go?!" came the portly, finely attired man.
"Master Warren, I'm not sure, they must have taken a nap or something."
"Feivel? Where are you? Get your bloody ass out here!" the man shouted and muffled noise from deeper within the warehouse responded.
"Hey, you, go check that out."
The commoner hesitated, "Sir?"
"Burn you! I said go check it out, what do you think you're getting paid for?!" The man hesitated before following orders and heading deeper into the warehouse towards the noise. Left alone, the man began to pace, not noticing Fuujin creeping behind him until she was blocking the door.
"Master Warren, is it?" At the sound of her voice the man gasped and visibly paled. He turned to face her, shaking with fear. "Lieutenant Fuujin, with the Defenders. I've got some questions for you, and I would appreciate your cooperation." Her hand sat on her sword's hilt, "I'd rather you not make this difficult for me." Her fang-toothed smile reached her ears.
Feeling cornered, the man tried to flee past her, running as fast as he could manage towards the door. Instead, he caught an elbow to the face and fell to his knees as blood poured from his nose. He cried out in pain as he fell to his knees, trying to stifle the bleeding with his hands.
The man who had left previously came running back and stopped short of the wagon in sight of Fuujin and Master Warren. Fuujin looked towards the man, "You saw what I did to your friends. Do yourself a favor, find a seat, and wait for me to get you. Do what I say, and you may find yourself with leniency." The man did not think twice before complying.
Fuujin kneeled before the man bleeding in front of her, her smiling never fading.
"Look, I know how interrogations work. You're going to want to protect your client's identity, you're not going to want to answer, as if you have honor to uphold. So instead of bothering with the questions, I'm going to start with the fun part. I'm going to hurt you until I grow bored."
She grabbed the man's chubby face firmly, covering his mouth. "I'm going to hurt you until you're broken, battered, and begging for the release of death." Terror plain as day shone in his eyes as they widened. "And if you give me an answer I can believe. I may just grant you that." The man started to sob beneath her palm, attempting to speak. She removed her hand from his mouth.
"I swear! I swear on the Light and my hope for salvation and rebirth, oh light, I swear I'll tell you the truth, please don't hurt me!" He choked through sobs, blood and snot mixing down his face as he pleaded for mercy.
"Oh good. Tell me what you know. And you better make me believe it. There's still time to hurt you yet." Her smile grew as he began to bare his soul to her.
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A letter sealed with the sigil of House Romee: three lilies, a sword hilt up in the center.
Dear Callesa Sedai,
The matter is resolved. Meet me in Tear.
Fuujin Oaks