Raiders of the Lost Egg: Part 4
----- The Dark Rose -----
(Note: This is a co-authored story with Bampot/Six))
Throughout her short life she had been referred to by many names: assassin, thief, a courtier of the Nightmare Court. But for many who dared reference her, she was simply known as the Black Rose. Tressa was indifferent to the name, and truth be known, she was more than willing to accept the mystique that came with it. She preferred the darkness, and relished in the subterfuge that came with it. Who would want to look for her in such darkness? And how could one track that which they could not see? Thus she accepted the title, albeit begrudgingly, and did so with a quiet confidence, knowing that the benefits outweighed the annoyance. It was only after the reputation began to spread that those seeking her employment took the moniker literally, presenting or asking about black roses to initiate contact. It was a fortuitous union, then, having met a group of unsavory characters which used the guise of a local flower shop nestled in Divinity's Reach as a front for their unscrupulous business affairs.
Yet, having been on her own for so long, the solitary sylvari found it difficult to accept the 'team' mentality, and on multiple occasions, reiterated the fact.
"What in the underworld have you gotten into this time?" Tressa said, throwing a small bag onto the table in front of Barrox. The charr almost leapt out of his fur at the start. Tressa was as silent as a still night, and she relished in approaching Barrox without his knowledge.
"By the… Do you have kitten paws instead of stems? You're going to give this old cat a heart-attack one day!" Barrox held his chest, feigning the notion.
A small chuckle came from Plopp in the other corner, his attention unwavering from the project or machination on which he worked.
Tressa simply smiled a red bio-luminescent smile. The sylvari was completely midnight, save bright yellow eyes and a deep red glow in the darkness. Barrox had noted the woman only seemed to glow - an ability usually involuntary in her race - when not on a mission. She was almost always clad in black leather, often in concert with her own skin tone, which, by all accounts seemed to disappear at night time. Even when Barrox was in his prime, the sylvari's stealth was unparalleled, and though he knew it made her uncomfortable, he often told her he was glad she stuck around. However, she had been gone for quite some time on her previous mission, but the bag of results made the charr grin.
"We've 'gotten into' the Emporium; we're going to get the Egg!" Barrox was almost giddy.
"So you've finally found it then?" Tressa looked surprised. Barrox had told tells regarding the Egg any chance he got, but had never actually come close to finding and taking it.
"Aye… Well, not exactly; got the kid in there scouting around for it now."
Tressa's face became perturbed. "So, just a hunch then?"
Barrox huffed. "It's called a lead, plant-lady. You know how this game works. We've got a few years on ya, kid."
Now it was Tressa who huffed. She rolled her glowing amber eyes, decided to move past the insult of her age. Most sylvari were about as old as her, and she saw no reason why a newborn sapling couldn't stand in the world upon their own branches. "And, you sent in… her?"
Barrox nodded like an enthusiastic parent. "She's already made it past the first round; the madam's accepted her."
A chuckle came from The Black Rose. "A dancer?"
"Nah, she's a server. Good too; she can case the place without rousing suspicion, and find the location of the Egg, and…"
"And get herself into trouble, no doubt," Tressa interrupted.
"You and her need to settle your beef, kid; we're all a team here, and we gotta be workin' together on a heist like this." Barrox said passionately.
Tressa turned, strolled to a cot within the hideout. "Yeah, well, tell that to her. Or maybe I will when I save her lily-white ass. For now, this 'plant-lady' needs to rest."
[To be Continued...]
