Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

Beth is torn. "I- I don't want to be. I mean, I don't- this life shouldn't be this hard," she mutters. "I... I like sex. Not so much when it's... rushed and impersonal but I do. It shouldn't be shameful. I hate that it is. I'd rather make this better than stay away from it." She sighs, running a hand through her hair. "But right now, we have work to do. With a few mutters, she cleans Elle off, now that she's done moving the bloody body. "You should get dressed while I clean the floor."

[GamesMaster]

Elle nods, pulling her dress back on. "It's not the sex, it's the... Coalside. Nobody in Coalside matters. If I could, I'd send Lena far away from here."

[Bethany]

"Then I just have to make them matter. Make Coalside matter," Bethany says stubbornly. "I'll start with here, with you all, and then... grow. Whatever it takes." Squaring her shoulders, she gets to magicking the floor clean. 

[GamesMaster]

"A dozen whores die a week in Coalside," says Elle stubbornly. "You should be a Speaker. That'd do more good."

[Bethany]

"Sure- because that's super easy," Bethany says between spells, rolling her eyes.

[GamesMaster]

"You're smart, and magic, and good with people. You could manage it," insists Elle. 

[Bethany]

That's... really nice of her to say. Flattering. I'm not that special though. "Thank you," she says quietly. "Are you sure you're not hurt? Was that your hair he ripped out?"

[GamesMaster]

She nods. "He grabbed me, I ripped free."

[Tethras Clan]

"And he soon regretted that, no?" Zevran comments as he slips back into the room. "Don is sending Niko to get your sister to safety, fair Elle. Which leaves us free to keep you safe. The first step, what I need from you right now, is to tell me everything you know and noticed about the undearly departed."

[GamesMaster]

"Uh. Okay. Okay. He, uh, he wanted a number of services, we were in there for a while. Uh, tits, mouth, ass, cunt. I made him clean between ass and cunt, he slapped me for that but did it anyway. He spent a lot of time looking at me, it was weird. Then he said, I'd do nicely, which sounded weird, so I asked him what, and he said I was coming with him. I said no way, he grabbed me by the hair and said something about, uh, he'll be pleased? I tried to scream but he knocked the wind out of me, one hit, right to the chest. Said if I didn't come quiet he'd get Lena instead. That's when I went for him with the knife. It took me a minute to get it out and he was getting his trousers on when I got free, he fell over and hit his head as I stabbed him."

[Tethras Clan]

Bethany makes a strangled noise, half growl, half whimper, but falls silent at the sharp look from Zevran. "Alright. That's good, thank you. You did exactly the right thing. Did you get a name? Can you describe how he talked? Acted?"

[GamesMaster]

"Uh, he, he had a bit of a rural accent? Like..." She clears her throat, imitating his voice. "Like this." 

[Tethras Clan]

"Good, that's very helpful. Beth, could you check his uniform for any badges, papers, anything?"

[Bethany]

The human nods, rushing over to the uniform to check. "Umm, I'm see a set of private rank tabs... a keyring, some wrist bind ties," a couple of dee-dubs I'm taking, "an eating knife and... fucker! A silver and six copper. He didn't even have enough to pay his fee. Bastard! He must have intended this from the start."

[GamesMaster]

Elle nods. "Do I-- I guess I need to go on the run?"