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Chapter 2

Stark - Find Nessa

Now he knew what Cyn felt like every time he ran into the other, it was amusing in a way, watching her recover from the unintended hit. And as she came back around he was focused on his own confirmation.

The Mother was lining everything up just for him. There was no way it was a coincidence that he happened to head to the Halls to find Nessa, without any certainty that that was who he was looking for, and she would just be right there, in the middle of the street looking up at the Halls itself. No, this was a gift just for him.

Stepping in front of her he rose a brow when she didn’t clock him, her eyes on something by the building as she walked straight into him. Maybe he shouldn’t had tightened his core and pushed back a little, since she was almost went to the ground. However, it did get her attention, and he couldn’t stop the dark shudder that slithered up his spine when she gasped out his name.

Stark’s gaze darkened as it dropped from her eyes for a moment, letting it look over her cheeks, her lips, that slim neck. He couldn’t see much after given her traveling clothes but his eyes finally landed to her arm that he was holding. His comment about her being small made her bristle a little as she shook the surprise off almost instantaneously. He would be disappointed if he wasn’t curious about something else.

Sliding his hand down her upper arm, his long slim fingers wrapped around her forearm before she could get free of him, his grip tightened and keeping her in place. Whether she was shocked or trying to not make a scene he took the opportunity to grip the leather gauntlet she wore and twist her arm to show the bare underside.

Looking back, Stark couldn’t tell you how she reacted or what her face looked like, all he could see was something he had never seen before. It was red, just like he remembered, but it was. . . see through? A spirit hand? What in the hells was a spirit hand. As he slid his hand further down her arm along the red flesh, he pressed his finger tips into her palm and was amazed that it felt the same as skin and muscle.

Before more questions could be wondered and answered he felt something come down on him with a bit of force. Looking at Nessa jerked back, not losing his grip on her hand, but working on dodging the satchel she was trying to hit him with. “Let go.” she hissed out and he gave her a quick smile and let go of her arm and threw his hands up beside him.

“I couldn’t help it,” he mused, “You know me, always the curious one.”

Nessa’s had pulled her hand to her chest as she glared at him, stepping back as she put her satchel over her shoulder again. “Go away, Stark.” she said simply before turning to walk away from him. Oh no, now that wouldn’t do, she was his ticket to Goldspire so he had to be smart. He let her walk to the other side of the street before he briskly moved after her, catching up with a few long strides.

“Are you not happy to see your oldest friend?” he asked as he tucked his arms behind his back and leaned down a little to look at her as they walked. She refused to give him eye contact, but he also had a feeling she didn’t know where she was walking.

“Stark,” she said again, he certain did like how she said his name. Wherever she was from she had a slight tang of an accent so she said his name differently then everyone else, but it still felt right.

“I mean, it has been what? A decade? Decade and a half? When I saw you last you were a little . . . well I suppose you haven’t changed that much.” he joked making her grit her jaw.

“Alright,” she said as she finally stopped and looked up at him, “It was nice to see you again, but I can’t stay and catch up. I’m on a schedule and I need to get back on the road.” she said as she pressed her hand to his chest to send him back a step or two.

“Nonsense,” he said in a dark voice, making her quickly try and pulled her hand away. His hand settled on top of her hand keeping her still as he smiled down to her. “You have time for a meal right.” he said now and she stared at him. She was deciding, clearly, Come on Nessa, fall right in line. He though to himself as his thumb brushed tenderly over her knuckles.

He could see her thinking, she was calculating something and he had a feeling it was going in his favor. Finally her shoulders sagged a bit making his little smile get bigger. “Excellent, come on, I am thinking something like surf and turf.” he teased as he pushed her to the doors of the Halls before she could protest.

Together

Somewhere in the past 12 years, Nessa had forgotten just how much Stark could talk. As she ate her food he prattled off about some kind of fruit and she sat there pondering if he had always been like that. She did remember him talking a lot about himself, but it didn’t seem like this much. Grabbing a second roll she dipped it in the buttery sauce before shoving it into her mouth. This was better then anything she would have stolen or gambled for.

Told you we didn’t need to steal. Phya pointed out making her want to roll her eyes.

When she had followed him into the Halls she wasn’t sure what she was doing, and as her hunger began to subside she reminded herself that she could still be in danger, so she didn’t want him seeing her talk to herself.

Stark wasn’t a bad guy, but. . .

Staring at his handsome features, she continued to eat as she let her eyes take in his good looks. He had always been good looking, for years she had fawned over him and after they went their ways she had found herself thinking about him more often then not.

Now that she sat across from him though, she found herself nitpicking. The small crows feet at his eyes, the slightly harsher look when he smiled. At the core nothing about him had changed, but he was still different, hardened over time and recovering with that same stupid grin.

Still very handsome, but nothing like the boy she once remembered. Had she not ran into him like a carriage and a stone wall, she wouldn’t have noticed him, she wouldn’t have seen him on the street.

Ripping further into the roll she let her body ease back in the chair watching him as he continued to talk as if she was part of this one sided conversation. He had to have been looking for her, he went straight for her hand, he had never done that as a kid.

She scooped up the rest of the sauce with the roll and popped in it her mouth before licking the rest off her finger tips. At some point she had been so focused on the taste that her gaze dropped. Now when she turned her attention back to him a small satisfactory warmth grew when she saw him swallow hard. She had done something to throw him off, she would have to pay more attention to what she did. He continued on but she had already seen it and she realized she might have a bit more leverage here.

“Needless to say, if I never go back to the Bogs I will be a happy man.” he wound down and took another bite of his meat, his eyes not leaving hers. Nessa let them sit in the silence for a beat before she cleared her throat and leaned forward.

“Why are you looking for me?”

Setting down his steak knife and fork made her back tense a bit, he didn’t look at her as if he would hurt her, but the movement almost felt like a threat.

“Who says I was looking for you?” he mused his eyes on her as she pursed her lips and tightened his jaw. So he couldn’t lie to her, that meant getting creative. Shifting in his seat he looked around before pulling the parchment from his jacket.

Unfolding it he gently set it on the table and slid it over to the other.

Nessa just stared for a while, her eyes on the figure in the artwork, too nervous to touch it and acknowledge it was there. So she wasn’t insane, she wasn’t paranoid, they were looking for her. Carefully, she picked up the parchment, letting her finger stroked over rhe paperwork and looked it over as Stark leaned in and began to speak.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” he said softly. “I mean, sure it has been years, but if I see someone I know needing help, who am I to just ignore it?”

“How altruistic.”

Chuckling, Stark watched her as she folded the parchment carefully and tucked it away in her own satchel. That was his, but perhaps now that he had the real thing he could give a little. “So, what is the plan Little Tibbin?”

“I eat and I leave.” she answered simply as she turned her gaze from him finally and focused on the delicious food in front of her. As she dug into the dish his eyes fell to the gauntlet on her arm and looked over the red. . . flesh underneath.

“Just passing through then, where exactly are you off to?” he leaned on his arms as he watched her bringing the food to her lips and let his eyes slide along the soft skin as she chewed and swallowed.

“North.”

The Mother was just giving him one gift after another.

“Really? I am actually heading out of town to Goldspire, maybe we can travel together?” he held back his amusement when he saw her fork falter and she eyed him suspiciously.

“Goldspire? For what?” she questioned now making him give that smirk he had been holding back.

“I dunno,” he said honestly, “My buddy has business out there. He is under the impression I can find some entertaining things to do so we are heading that way. Why not use us to get yourself out of Surana?” It was blatant but he knew her well enough to know that she would respond to that more then polite conversation.

“What’s the price?” she asked back and he shrugged a single shoulder before finally picking up his fork again.

“I dunno,” he said again making her roll her eyes at him. “What? I don’t feel the need to detail stupid plans. I’m heading out, you want to leave, just take advantage of it. I know I would.”

Leaning back once more, Nessa quietly drummed her fingers against the edge of the table as she thought it over. It was dangerous, he was dangerous she could see it but they were looking for her. They had posters, she wasn’t being paranoid, she needed to smarten up.

“When are you leaving?”

A broad grin spread over his lips as he assessed her, “Where are you staying tonight?” he asked instead and she narrowed her eyes at him. “Right, I wager an alley.” he mused more to himself then to her. “You can rest at my place, and we will head out in the morning.”

Picking up one of the untouched drink on the table, she swirled it as he spoke. The amber liquid would dance along the sides and settle again and after a few more thoughtful moments she added “I won’t sleep with you.” it took a moment before she heard his dramatic, making her look up in time to see him bring his hand to his chest as if he was truly offended.

“I would never consider such a thing.” he said dryly and she rolled her eyes again and polished off any remnants of her drink, instead of addressing his reaction. “It will keep you off the streets from whoever put that poster up right?” he added watching her tense a bit, “And we can go in the morning if my friend is ready.”

Setting her the glass down she gently pushed it and the plate from her and leaned back in the chair trying to not be sad that the food was gone. Now she had to decided. She could go with him, if at any point she didn’t like how it was going to could just leave them behind and go off. At the end of the day though, she just needed to get out of Surana and he was offering the best out.

Finishing his own food he looked past her and when he saw their waiter across the room he held up two fingers. When she nodded he turned back to her and gave her one of his best smiles. “I am going to go to the lavatory. If you are still here when I get back we will have dessert and I will take you to my place.” he said finally, deciding to give her the last out, not that it was really going to be one.

Stepping from the table he turned and walked from her and towards the back. “Excuse me,” he said to one of the waiters, coming to a stop out of sight, “I need you to send a messenger out to Cyn. Have the messenger tell him I need him to meet me at my quarters at midnight.” he said as he pulled out a few coins and dropped them in the mans hand. The man was quick to close his fingers around the coins and nodded, mumbling a Yes Sir and quickly left. There, business was done and hopefully when he got back to the table he didn’t have to go chasing her around the city.

Crossing one leg over the under, Nessa dropped her hands in her lap as she looked around the Halls. She should leave, hell had he not left his jacket over the chair she would had assumed he dropped her with the bill. This was all too easy, but damn if she didn’t take an opportunity because of her sheer distrust of people.

Pro: Going with Stark meant that she didn’t have to hide in the alleys and hungrily claw her way out of the city.

Con: Stark doesn’t help people out of the goodness of his heart, he always has pragmatic reasoning for everything he does.

Well now it came down to one thing, did she believe in herself enough to be able to get away from him? Yes, she could dodge him quickly. She wasn’t the same little kid when they met, she survived for years on her own, so yes she thoroughly believed she could leave him behind and that is what she would do the moment they hit the desert.

⁠

Mother help him, if Stark was messing with him he would break something, finger, hand, foot, anything to put him in pain but wouldn’t stop him from going to Goldspire. He told the jerk to meet him for lunch but he heard nothing, and then three hours later a twiglike lad comes running to him with a message.

“Mr. Stark sir was at the Halls.” he was a little breathless but powered through trying to not tremble as Cyn looked down at him. “He was with a lady, he told me to lend you the message that wishes you to meet him at his home at midnight.” Cyn sighed and nodded tossing him a few extra coins to keep his mouth shut before he went back to packing his bag.

So the other leaves him hanging for another random wench and is now bossing him around. Damn lucky they were friends, he didn’t know why he had so much patience for the other, but he knew keeping him around would be a benefit some day. In truth Stark wasn’t that bad of a guy, however considering the men he was raised around the other was just easy and more laid back. Convenient.

At a quarter to midnight, sure as shit Cyn was walking towards the little shack that Stark brought so many wenches to over the years. If he wasn’t at the Halls he was with a woman in this little hobble of a home and so Cyn generally preferred to just not go near the place. If you could catch something from a room it would come from his friends room.

Seeing Stark standing outside waiting for him was a new one though, usually he was the one that was waiting on the other, this was a first.

“The Mother has a favorite my friend, and it’s either you are me.” he mused to him as he straightened a bit and motioned his friend over.

“What are you going on - “ he stopped when the other shushed him and rose a brow as he moved to where the other was opening the door. Inside the room was a woman as to be expected but this was interesting, she was dressed? Carefully he stepped forward the ground creaked making him still and watch her for a moment.

“It was hard but I was able to slip her a sleep tonic.” he whispered behind him which explained why she didn’t move.

Stepping in a few more steps he looked at the small figure that was curled up on the bed. Her knees were to her chest with her elbows tucked in, but suddenly a lamp caused something to glisten and he tried to lean closer.

Finally he bent his knees and squatted beside the bed, reaching over his larger hand very gently lifted the much smaller hand and pulled her arm up just slightly. A soft sound came from her and he went still, her fingers twitched but she continued to sleep and he turned his gaze from her face to her arm once more. Crimson, like blood, it almost looked like glass close up. Stroking his finger along her arm he felt the warmth of flesh and tilted his head.

After a moment he gently set her hand down onto her hip and stood. Turning he walked out of the shack and a few feet away and waited until Stark joined hi m.

“How do you know her?”

“Who says I didn’t just get lucky?”

“Because you don’t need to drug the women that want to sleep with you.” he said dryly, making his friend grin a toothy grin.

“Don’t you have faith in my character.”

“I just know you can’t get off unless you are being praised and unconscious women can’t stroke an ego.” he grumbled. “Where the hell did you find her?”

“Well when you showed me the flyer I just figured she stuck to her old patterns. Alleyways and trash carts, no one notices you in those areas.” he mused. “I convinced her to travel with us to Goldspire.”

“You are shitting me.”

“Told her she should use us to get out of Surana. I figure if she tries to flee then you can stop her easy enough.” he mused making Cyn grumble a bit. Pinching the bridge of his nose he thought about what the other had done and how he would turn it in his favor.

If he didn’t tell his father then the man would find out he was taking her to Goldspire and think that Cyn was really gunning for his job. The best method would be to put it right out in his face, say he found her and the plan. His father could refuse, but maybe he could just be that convincing. Dropping his hand finally he looked back at hte door to the shack.

“How long will she be out?”

“I would guess three or four more hours. I figure if she wakes up and I’m just there she won’t think I drugged her.” he mused making Cyn a bit annoyed. He was oddly comfortable with what he was doing.

Fuck now he had to talk to his father. “Fine.” he said as if the other had been berating him as well, Stark however didn’t question it just stood and waited for his friend to beat his silent argument.

“I need to talk to my father. I will be back at dawn. You both be ready.” he growled out making Stark chuckle as he simply walked away.

His father would be in the Halls as he always was at this time, so he needed to get this over with.

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