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[Kaedence]

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Business was booming and her clientele was growing. People were demanding more and more of her concoctions common and rare. The sun had been slumbering for hours upon hours yet she scarcely noticed the time pass. Everyone worked their shifts like clockwork, handling the constant crowd. Kaedence worked throughout the day. The shop was a disaster. The apothecary had seen it’s busiest night ever. She was far too exhausted to right it tonight. Kaedence was bundling the remaining reagents and tossing them into a crate for later use. Miscellaneous ingredients torn bits of parchment and bottles alike were kicked across the floor. The night grew old, she didn’t wish to see the sunrise this eve but if she lingered much longer dawn would come just the same. Kaedence thought the ringing on her front door would never stop ringing. Even now she could hear the chiming. These echos even drowned the wedding bells in her head. The only thing she did was to clean off the counters to make them presentable and she restocked with fresh reagents and new vials of potions. Tomorrow the real cleaning will commence, tonight she cared for nothing more than her bed. She said a silent prayer to Xorinia that they were closed tomorrow to tidy properly for the next week. She didn’t even count her profits, that too could wait for the morn they too were tossed into the crate with the books. As she lifted the crate she head the door bell chime as someone walked in. Kaedence was sure that she locked it at closing time.

Didn’t the last of her staff lock the door when they left?
Kaede heaved the box up off the counter. Her grip on the box kept catching the hilt of her blade. Her father and fiancé demanded that she have one on her for late nights such as these where she was the last to leave the apothecary. They wanted her prepared for an attacker. Her skills were purely defensive with the steel but all she needed was enough skill to make it to the shadows. Once with in their safety she could vanish from view seemingly. Slowly she had made her way to the front of the store holding her box. The man looked around waiting for the proprietor. He turned and spotted Kaede.
“Can I help you? We are closed but I can still write an order down for you.” She informed him. He looked at her and tilted his head.
“I am sorry, I didn’t realize you were closed. The door was open and the lanterns were bright.” He smiled and studied her. His hair was the color of chocolate. He kept the just a little long, where his bangs moved with every movement of his head. He was cleanly shaven, not even a shadow caressed his features. His eyes were the color of glacial ice. They gleamed as they continued to ogle her. The man was tall and gangly. He towered over Kaedence by at least a foot. This man was granted with youth and good looks, he couldn’t have been over thirty.
“You close this store alone?”
“Oh no of course not, I was....” Kaedence paused she just confirmed that she was by herself. She prayed that he didn’t notice this folly. She quickly attempted to amend her mistake. “I was just cleaning....” She stopped again, he simply laughed and shook his head.
“Well they should have stayed to help you, it’s not safe for a young woman such as yourself late at night” He said this grinning.
“Glad I can amuse you. Can I help you with something?” She asked her patience wearing thin. “I was on my way out”
“Ah yes, you can help me. I have a really big order I must have filled, immediately, a very big order indeed” His eyes continued to gleam as he looked at her. Something about the way he said the last made Kaedence feel as if he were the wolf and she were a mere rabbit. Her heart began to race and her hair color swirled rapidly. She reached under the counter, not taking her eyes off his and reached for a roll of parchment to write down the order. Her hand patted around a bit until she came across something unexpected. Her hand touched handle. She needn’t take it out to know it was the mirror that Ciara had given her to communicate when she went out to sea.. Instantly she calmed. She hoped that there would be someone on the other end of the mirror tonight. She thought of all her friends as hard as she could and hoped it would be enough. She pulled it out and continued to look under the counter for a roll of parchment.
“I know I have a roll here some.... Ah-ha! Here it is” Se laid the mirror and the parchment onto the counter.
“Alright Mr....?” His eyes had been resting upon her head. He scarcely heard what she said.
“What name should I put this order under?”
“What... Oh....er... Brown, Lendall Brown”
“Alright Mr Brown, what would you like?”
“You” He said unabashed looking intently into her eyes.
“Excuse me?”
“You, I want you”
“Mr Brown, I warn you now, I am in no mood for games. Please give me your order or leave.
He smirked at her boldness. “I order one of you” He laid is hands onto the counter and leaned toward her.
“Alright, you were warned” She pulled out a dagger and held it at his neck. “Get out of here now” She said “now” with a raised tone in her voice hoping someone would hear her on the other side of the mirror.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to point knives at anyone? It’s rude.” Lendall reached for Kaede’s armed hand and twisted so hard and fast that a pop was heard. Kaedence screamed in pain as she continued to turn her now broken wrist. She dropped her dagger to the counter. He seized it and held it at her face. Lendall yanked her forward over the counter. Causing her kryss to fall out of its sheath. She squirmed as hard as she could to break free of his grasp. His grip only tightened as he grasped for her neck. Despite her air constriction she flailed her arms and scratched his face, marring his twisted good looks.
He grunted with pain, then slammed her head on the edge of the counter causing Kaede to see stars dazing her. “Is this how you treat all your customers?” He snickered at her. Kaedence spat in his face. A mixture of blood and saliva slide down his now monstrous face. “You’ll pay for that” He then took the dagger to her face and sliced each side down her cheek bone. She grunted with pain. She wouldn’t grant him the satisfaction of another scream. He then grabbed her chin with one hand and licked his tongue along her new cut. "You taste even better than I ever imagined"
“You won’t get away with this, someone will....” She started
“No one is coming Kaedence.” She stiffened, she knew that she hadn’t given him her name. “I’ve been watching you for for some time, years now. I know the late nights you work. I also know that your home is now in Umbra, hence why you stay here so many late nights here. I’ve dreamed of this since I first saw you. How many nights had I thought about your beautiful hair between my fingers...” On whim Kaedence thrust her head forward colliding it with his. He released her from his grasp. She ran toward the door to disappear into the shadows to leave this nightmare behind.. Lendall regained his senses and grappled for her right arm and pulled her into a tight embrace. Kaede then brought up her left hand to strike him. He caught it and gave her a tsk tsk tsk.
“You would strike me with this hand”He held it up for her to see. “The hand that wears the symbol of your love to another” He ran his finger over her engagement ring and then put her hand over his nose and breathed deeply. “You will still be mine, this...” he held up her ring finger, “ means nothing” He then lifted her finger bending it towards the top f her hand. A sickening crunch was heard as her bone gave into the pressure.
She let out a scream of rage as she kicked him in the stomach. Lendall doubled in pain. Kaede ran back toward the counter and grabbed her kryss. She swiped at him with all her might, he was too quick for her still. He dodged and caught her braid and pulled her to the door. He slammed her head into the frame and let go. Kaede felt trickles of blood run down her head and face. Her hair was now stained crimson by no doing of her own. Her vision was completely blurry. She could only make out vague shapes in the night. She was teetering in the doorway. The only thing that kept her on her feet was her hold on the door frame. She looked behind her and saw a shapeless being advancing on her. Kaede panicked and let go of her hold. The world went upside down, as if someone pulled a rug from her feet. With the impact of the first step she realized that it was she and not the world tumbling. Gravity made sure with every impact of each step how much closer she was to the ground. Finally she hit the bottom. The landing was slightly softer thanks to the greenery. Her tumbling had landed her into nearby shrubery. Laying on the flat of her back her sight failed her. It made no difference if she had her eyes opened or closed it was all dark just the same, she could see nothing. The shadows kept their promise to her and hid her from his sight. She pain ebbed through her, though she was numb. She lay praying for death or sleep, whichever was swiftest to take her. Her head rolled to the side as she lost consciousness. Lendall, despite his insanity was no fool, he knew it was futile to continue to search for her in the out in the open where the neighbor's eye could see. The last thing she heard was Lendall's wispered promise, "I will return for you my sweet Kaedence, the night cannot hide you forever"

[Ciara Devir]

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Ciara walked in home, her arms full of various items, bloodstone, nightshade, garlic, a cat. She felt the day had slipped by far too quickly. Then again, when did shopping not make a day move quickly. She set the cat down, hearing a small "mew" as she moved towards the stairs.

Seriously, I need to put the lab on the first floor. This is ridiculous she thought, making her way to the top.She openned the door to her room, muttering again about the placement when she heard her hand mirror on the table giving a slight humming noise. She dropped her bags, only slightly wincing at the Squish sound at the drop of her products. She ran, picking up the mirror. Only reason for this would be blood...

She turned it over, muttering under her breath as her eyes lost focus. She drew in a deep breath. Kaedi. There was no telling what happened, but for blood to get on a hand mirror, something did. She stuffed the mirror in her bag, the face hanging out, and ran to the door, and then downstairs, grabbing her kryss along the way.

Dear lord I hope she's alright, she thought, calling forth her ghost llama. She pulled the mirror out and yelled as loudly as she could, "Whomever is in there, Kaedi needs help!" before kicking through the flanks, heading towards Yew and the apothacary.

[Merci d'Rue]

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The silvery haired half drow watched as the man left the building, she didnt want to be seen due to her nefarious nature. Something was amiss tho as he hurried away. She was here simply to visit a friend and was realizing fast that nothing about this was simple..

Out of instinct she pulled out her bow and arrow aiming it at his head but a new smell hit her keen senses.. It was blood. She let the arrow fly just whizzing past his head but her distraction and instant alarm had ruined her aim. A curse in the night as she leapt from behind the tree running lithely towards the house. Her tricorne hat fell from her head, white hair tumbling down her back the wind whipping thru the trees as she took the stairs to the apothecary two at a time.

She was yelling at the top of her lungs, the dread arrows voice for once in a long time filled with fear...KAEDI....

She rushed to the stairs and her eyes picked out of the darkness, purple orbs glowing, her telltale pink hair... if only she had been here moments sooner..

Kneeling down she slapped kaedis face lightly but the response was none. Quickly she fashioned a note :

Got Kaedi aboard me ship-docked in Buc's. Shes been hurt and isnt safe here. -The Dread Arrow.

She attached the note to an arrow and sent it slamming at the door to the apothecary which hung awkwardly on its hinges. She looked down at her friend saying softly, dinna ye worry Kaedi, ye know ye never mess wit o WIT. Then lifting her fallen friend the Dread Arrow disappeared into the night...
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May destiny guide you...