The Empress & The Line

Tales from a goblin-infested brewery (home of Jake Thrash and Badsider Brew), and a lawyer-infested sports bar (home of Kalamere Ar'Din and The Line).

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JewellRavenlock
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The Empress

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Post by JewellRavenlock »

“It’ll be fun.” Jewell reassured him as her fingers fiddled with his shirt buttons, adeptly but ever so slowly undoing one after another. He made a noise that didn’t quite sound like agreement. It may have just been in response to the way she kissed his neck.

“You won’t even have to dye your hair purple.” Kal wasn’t giving in easy on purpose, she was sure of it. That was okay. Jewell didn’t like when things were too easy anyway, and negotiations with Kal were infinitely more fun than with any other potential team member.

She could be very persuasive when necessary.

Her soft lips, curled with a grin, traced a line of kisses up his neck, along his jaw, halting near the curve of his ear. “I’ll make my hair gold instead of purple this year.”

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JewellRavenlock
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The Empress

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Post by JewellRavenlock »

Never let it be said that The Empress did not know how to show gratitude.

“I just want to put my new earrings in and then I’ll put my shoes on and we can go eat,” she called the promise from the bathroom as she opened the jewelry box. The earrings were a present from Kal purchased just that afternoon, a gift from mentor to mentee to commemorate reaching sapphire for the first time in Duel of Fists. Jewell hummed as she exchanged the true silver studs she wore for the new pair. Tilting her head this way and that, she gave her reflection a nod of approval before stepping back out into the main room to rejoin Kal and his glass of scotch.

“What do you think?” She asked, leaning forward so he could get a better look. It was one thing to see them against velvet in the store and another to actually wear them. Her hair fell loose over one shoulder, leaving her ears and earrings visible for admiration. At the store, he had let her pick what she wanted; her choice was a pair of heart shaped sapphires in a white gold setting that would match her hair whenever she returned to her natural color. For now, the deep blue went nicely with both her golden locks and her grey eyes.

The earrings were simple, beautiful, and tasteful.

They were also all she was wearing aside from a smile.
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JewellRavenlock
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The Empress

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Post by JewellRavenlock »

The air was balmy. It made her skin warm and her cheeks flush, but she didn’t pull away. She liked being close to him, so close that there was not even enough room between them for the breeze to squeeze through.

She liked the quiet laughter they shared as he spun her around as much as the silence that was as comfortable as words when he pulled her back close.

She liked the way they moved together, always perfectly in rhythm.

She liked the way the music filled her head and the world fell away and it was only the two of them on the crowded dance floor.
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JewellRavenlock
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The Empress

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Post by JewellRavenlock »

The night air was cool against her bare arms, but she didn’t notice. She’d spent the last hour of the Diamond Quest, her meeting running far too late for her to enter the tournament, happily imbibing some of the best drinks available at The Line and watching the competition on one of the portals.

Now she was lingering outside that fine establishment, waiting for the weary and bruised but ultimately victorious owner.

When he came down the street, she pushed off the wall to meet him halfway, the old bottle of scotch (probably pilfered from his own stash) held up as a symbol of her intentions. “Think you’ve got enough energy to get us to the hot springs, oh great and powerful Diamond?”
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JewellRavenlock
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Post by JewellRavenlock »

“Jerry!” she called out as she stepped into The Line. Jewell was just a little bit louder than normal and maybe just a tad bit unsteady as she crossed the room to lean against the bar, grinning at her good friend Jerry. “Hiiiii!”

“Jewell.” He greeted the familiar blue haired Overlady, smirking a bit at her obvious inebriation.

This is what happened when she helped Jake pick out a winter seasonal special. She didn’t even remember if they had ever gotten around to discussing their duel from the previous evening (the main purpose for her visit). All the different choices had been so tasty, and Jewell naturally had to try each one at least twice before making a decision.

She was lucky she had managed to get across the street without mishap.

“I thiiiiiiink I may have had too much to drink,” she giggled. “Where’s Kal? I need him to buy me lunch. Or maybe you can buy me lunch. Someone should definitely buy me lunch. Jake said so. And you know, when the Supreme OverOrc speaks? Everyone listens!”
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JewellRavenlock
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Post by JewellRavenlock »

“Morning Jerry,” she greeted him cheerfully as she came out of the hallway and into The Line proper. Sure, it was closer to noon than morning, but who was keeping track?

“Jewell.”

The blue haired faerie leaned against the bar and smiled at him. She bat her eyelashes a bit too. The overall effect was not limited at all by the stitches marching an angry red line across her face. “Oh best-of-all-bartenders,” she liked to keep on good terms with Jerry, and he didn’t seem to mind when she laid it on a bit thick, “can you make me coffee for my walk home? Something strong. It’s so cold and my poor head hurts.” The sympathy card too. Nice touch but totally unnecessary.

He leaned on the bar opposite her. “What kind of strong?”

“The kind with a little bite.” Because The Empress liked to couple head injuries, iron wounds, pain killers, and a night of… exertion with day drinking.

Jerry shook his head, but he couldn’t resist that smile. “Sure.”

She leaned way over, her feet leaving the ground a moment, so she could smack his cheek with a kiss. “I knew you were the best.”

Chuckling, he turned away to prepare her drink while she settled her feet back on the ground and glanced around. A small pile of Mad Fairy Ale posters “signed” by The Empress Overlady sat on the bartop. Kal was making a killing with those. There were two people watching some kind of kangaroo boxing, but it was otherwise quiet. Rath was standing at the door, letting the cold air in and staring at something outside. Since the coffee was still percolating, she strolled over to check on her favorite half-ogre. “What’s going on darling?” The Empress was likely one of the only people who would call a half-ogre ‘darling’. She peered around him, using his body as a shield from the breeze that went right through her dress, to see what was going on outside. “Oh.”

The protesters had found their way into Dragon’s Gate.

At least this crowd was peaceful. For now. They were just standing there, hands linked to form a human chain that zig-zagged across the street to the Red Orc Brewery and then back towards The Line. Others were silently marching around in circles, holding some of those awful signs: “END HUMAN OPPRESSION”, “MAKE RHYDIN HUMAN AGAIN”, “HALFIES AREN’T HUMAN”, “UPRIGHT, ROUND-EARED AND PROUD!” They were impeding foot traffic, but they weren’t accosting the people that averted their eyes and skirted around them.

Despite the lack of violence, Jewell didn’t want to take her chances. Not after Tuesday. Her cheek throbbed just thinking about going out there. It wasn’t that she was scared. Oh no. Nothing could scare The Empress (except for small, dark, enclosed spaces and evil people with her true name). She just couldn’t be bothered with such nonsense today. “Ka-al! I need you!” she called out loudly as she headed back towards the bar, intent on collecting her coffee and the half-elf. Loitering around The Line and then a half-elf made portal home later suddenly sounded a lot better than anything else she had planned for the day.
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JewellRavenlock
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Post by JewellRavenlock »

There was still a bit of flour smudged across her cheek when she set the plate on the bartop with a flourish. “Tahdah!” On the plate was a cupcake. It was kind of a sad looking cupcake. The chocolate icing was slowly sliding off the top since the treat was extremely lopsided, the sprinkles were all scrunched up on one side, and the wax candle shaped like the number 100 was unlit.

It was the only cupcake out of the twenty-four the boxed mix promised that had survived.

Jewell couldn’t be prouder. Her smile was sunshine bright as she nudged the plate closer to Kal. “I made it for you! Since you reached one-hundred wins in Duel of Swords. Annnnd,” she bounced on her toes, incredibly pleased with herself, “I didn’t burn down your kitchen!”

That statement obviously didn’t cover any potential scorch marks or the smoke from the small fire she had managed to put out with a dish towel. May it rest in peace.
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JewellRavenlock
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Post by JewellRavenlock »

The hammock swayed gently and the warm breeze stirred her damp hair. Coupled with the waves lapping at the sand just a few feet away and the setting sun, it was as though someone had cast a spell of peace upon her. She wasn’t even willing to break it to reach for the daiquiri planted in the sand below. The condensation was running down the side of the hurricane glass, and the icy blue slush was turning to liquid, but Jewell didn’t care. She shifted to nestle her head more comfortably against the half-elf at her side.

This was better than presents. This was better than decorating the loft above The Line while Kal was away in order to surprise him. It was certainly much better than trying to make Christmas cookies and burning herself on candles. She didn’t have to battle with tinsel or try to hang mistletoe. She didn’t have to worry about the proper way to dispose of a Christmas tree or how to keep a half-ogre from eating all the decorations.

In fact, she didn’t have to worry about anything at all.
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JewellRavenlock
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The Empress

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Post by JewellRavenlock »

They had made a bet, and The Empress was never remiss in fulfilling such arrangements. Of course some people thought her interpretation of the details (and how she chose to realize them) was somewhat liberal and a little unorthodox at times. Jewell disagreed and maintained that sending Rath back to The Line with a small gift bag containing a pair of black lace panties and a note instead of the money she owed was more than fair and well within the terms of the agreement. Tonight, she planned to stick a little closer to the initial bargain made with Kal during the Chae vs. Simon Opal challenges. Maybe. Probably.

At least she had good intentions.

She showed up early in the evening on the first Wednesday in January ready to sling some drinks. One look at her outfit said she was also ready to kill or at least seriously maim. The faerie turned several heads as she strolled towards the bar in her short dress, seamed stockings, and sky-high heels. Kal said she was supposed to be distracting but not too distracting. Jewell was confident she could manage. She hip-bumped Jerry out of her way, refusing the offer of an apron. Then she put two fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly enough to draw the attention of anyone who wasn’t already looking at her. “Evenin’ fellas! For the next hour, shots are on me!”
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JewellRavenlock
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Post by JewellRavenlock »

He broke her heart on a Tuesday. On Friday, a courier brought an envelope to The Line. The note was short, written in her flowing handwriting and (of course) sparkling blue ink:
  • Kal,

    I meant for you to have this. Maybe one day it will save your life like you saved mine and that debt will be paid. I hope you will never need it, but I know being a high-class escort is dangerous work so maybe wear it just in case?

    Thank you again for the magnolias.

    Always,
    Jewell
The note was accompanied by a pin shaped like a dagger. It was made of true silver and could be used as a weapon in a bind. There were a few strands of blue hair worked into the metal as well, to serve as a ward against those who might wish to do the half-elf harm.

It had also been made with love, and there was nothing stronger than that.
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