☾ ❂ Adenah

[Suhuba]

(Lines by MissMisnomer, Color by kaname423)


Inventory

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Weapons

Simple Knives

Items
None

 

[Painted Moose]

❂☾Table of Contents / Rules / Contact Information❂☾

ToC
❂Staff Post
----------Cert, Link to Official Uncert & Inventory
☾Table of Contents & Rules
❂News/Updates
☾Adenah
----------Basic physical info, personality, etc.
❂History
----------"The fire mated with the moon and then a fish became a dad."
☾Relationships
---------Family, Friends, Lover(s), Enemies, etc.
❂Familiar(s)
☾RP Log
❂ Battle Log
☾Art (Official and Non)

Rules
Do not post in this thread unless you are staff, myself, or invited first. By posting this I am agreeing to follow ToS and shop rules, so I would invite the reader to do the same.

Contact Information
I am always open for plotting/rps! That being said, some ways you can contact me are listed below;

☾PM
❂AIM/Skype: ScootersMcGee  

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Updates❂☾

October 24, 2016 - Annatha and Adenah are born!  

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Adenah❂☾

Nicknames: Ade, Deni
Race: 1/2 Shifter 1/2 Fire
Gender: Female
Future Class: Undecided
Significant Other: None
Parents: Damissan & Dris'rynne
Siblings: Annatha
Children: None
Physical Description: Full figured hour glass. Hips are slightly bigger than bust, though not by much.

Romantic Status: Single
Partner(s): N/A

Personality:
Adenah is a passionate young soul who will pour her entire being into her beliefs, no matter how misguided they may be. Her mother jokingly claims that it's the fire in her, blowing out through her hair, that burns so bright in her heart. She isn't likely to sit back when there is work to be done, nor is she likely to take any sass (without dishing back a healthy helping of her own!). That isn't to say she isn't capable of love; quite the opposite. She prides herself on giving the best hugs (and gifts!) as well as being someone to relish in all of lifes joys, even if they happen to others instead of herself.

Because of bullying and a lack of extended familial acceptance growing up, all stemming from her hybrid heritage, Adenah has grown into a suspicious girl. Around family and close friends she's a very open, warm, always hugging girl but around strangers she's the exact opposite. She tries to be nice, but most of her interactions come off as snarky, if not a little prissy.

Due to the repression she has to endure just to be outside some days Adenah has the tendency to lash out when she's pushed to the edge. In her childhood this took the form of outright tantrums and physical violence, which was always discouraged. As she's grown (and picked up a few tips from 'well meaning' parental figures) Adenah has become more cunning in her revenge. Sometimes she'll trip a debutante in the mud, call an adulterer out if she has the information, or make up some 'little' lie to get back at an enemy. Whatever it takes really; within reason, though.

She's never been pushed far enough to steal or poison, though if the situation were to get nasty enough the right influences may swing her vote.

Interesting facts
-Adenah adores food of all types. Spicy, sweet, Zenan, Yaelian; it's all wonderful to her if prepared right.
-Consequently her favorite meal of the day is breakfast and she will absolutely refuse to do anything until she's had it
-Not a fan of storms; will usually hide away indoors until they pass
-Bounces on the balls of her feet when excited
 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Relationships☾❂

NPCs
Briza: Maternal Grandmother
Niyani: Maternal Step-Grandfather
Sinoyss & Zarxena: Maternal Aunts - Dris' younger twin half-sisters.

Parents
Dris'rynne: Mother
Damissan: Sperm donor
Teslaron: Father

Family
Annatha: Twin Sister
Talori: Step-sister
Talisia: Aunt
Kian: Uncle
Taaru: Cousin
Katori: Cousin
 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Familiars☾❂

 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂RP Log☾❂

Youngling
[Oba] Little Hero Worshipper - Nuri
[Oba] Bullies and the Chill Guy - Zhen
[Oba] Gal Pals - Kyril
[Oba] Straying Too Far - Jax
[Oba] Sunshine Hugs - Tes
[Oba] Southern Hospitality - Zyphire/Dris
[Oba] Doll's Day - Ani/Lori

Prentice
[Jauhar] The Ol' Run Around - Selvei
[Jauhar] Rollin' with the Cool Kids - Ani
 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Battle Log☾❂

 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Art☾❂

 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Youngling Solo 1☾❂

The nation of Oba may have held the largest amount of inhabitants, but for all it's numbers there were still just a scant few who would play with Adenah.

They routinely gathered in an empty lot just south of the market, and played while some parents or guardians watched on from afar. Usually the little hybrid tried to stay close to her sister's side, but for once Ani wasn't there, leaving little Adenah alone. At first it hadn't been such a big deal; she knew these kids, had played with them several times and was even a friend to some. It was the newer, bigger kids that didn't sit well with her.

She was scarcely older than six when they came. Two girls and a boy; all in their preteen years, from the look of it. They introduced themselves as relatives to Mikki, one of Adenah's friend's whose father sold cloth in the market. Mikki had a big family, so this wasn't the first time one of his relatives had stopped by with their children for the day, or even the week. Most had been kind, if a little off put by the presence of the hybrids. At least they had pretended to be kind.

They kids were not.

They picked at her pointed ears, her dusky skin and the shape of her crystals. "Look at them, they're too small to be real!" Some of her 'friends' tried to stick up for her, but the bigger kids pushed them away. And when Adenah tried to fight them...

Well, there was a reason she was now sitting by herself, in the corner of the little lot with a black eye and a busted lip.

Occasionally the kids she thought were her friends would look at her while they played, but inevitably they went along with whatever the bigger kids wanted to do. Once Mikki had even come by to apologize, and offered her a shy, missing tooth grin until his cousin's snapped at him for playing with the 'ash girl'.

That's what they called her now; Ash Girl. They said her fire was burning out, and that soon the guards would come by to throw her out. Adenah fought back with what words she knew, but the sad fact was that she was simply too small, with too little of a vocabulary to do much damage against the larger, more quick witted pure bloods.

So when her mother found her that evening she was huddled by herself, dotted with her own blood and dirt, holding in the tears she had freely shed hours ago. Dris'rynne was furious; she had tried to question as many parents as she could about what happened, but the lack of response was disheartening. While most seemed to speak highly of the little family, not a one would defend them against the kids who had attacked them.

"It's only natural, Korres. Your kids...they're different. It's going to happen sooner or later."

Adenah didn't know what different meant until that moment. Different didn't necessarily mean anything about her looks or the way she acted; but it had everything to do with how others would treat her. If she ever needed help they would always turn a blind eye if a pure Oban was involved. Adenah was always going to be second best, and for a child, so young and pure, to learn that lesson so early on...

Her mother tried to buffer it all. Dris'rynne did what she could to instill in her daughters that they were worth so much more than what anyone labeled them. It was hard to take in, especially after what Adenah had already been through, but inevitably, held within the arms of her parents and openly sobbing in her home, in front of her sister, she felt some semblance of peace. Like things really could be alright again if they tried really, really hard.

A few weeks later they returned to that same open lot, but this time Adenah didn't freely run to her 'friends'. She waited beside her mother; watching, trying to observe them as best she could from afar. The bigger kids weren't there this time, but Mikki was.

And it was Mikki that broke away from the group when he saw her, stepping as close as he dared under Dris'rynne's open scowl. Normally Adenah would have said something to break the tension, but not this time; this time she wanted him to be scared.

"A-aren't'cha gonna come play, Deni?"

"...you gonna pick on me again?"

"Aww, come on Deni, that's not fair. They wou'da picked on me too if I didn't!"

"So?!" Adenah snapped. She scrunched her nose up like her momma and moved in, wagging a finger right up in Mikki's face. "Real friends don't do that, Mikki. A-an-and if I ever see you do to my sister what you did ta me I'll pop you in the nose! Got it?"

Mikki hurriedly nodded and ran back to his group, all of which eagerly moved in to hear his story. There was a flurry of hand pointing her way, and lots of scowling from several kids who had been considered friends at one point.

It hurt...it hurt a lot more than Adenah wanted to admit. She leaned against her mother's leg and tried not to cry. Her momma had said she would handle it however Adenah wanted to, and this was what she wanted. She didn't need friends who weren't going to be real 'friends' and neither did Ani.

All they needed were each other.

(WC: 926 // 3 pts)
 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Youngling Solo 2☾❂

Adenah was still a small little fireling when her mother told her the story of the Fire Bringer.

She remembered having a rough night; a toothache, if she remembered correctly, one that throbbed into her jaw and made her entire head ache. In that time she had been passed from parent to parent, each trying their best to alleviate her woes, but without much luck.

Finally, her mother had taken her into her bed and curled up with her, tucking her into the folds of her arms. To this day Adenah still didn't know what brought on the story, but maybe her momma was just so tired that she didn't know what else to say.

She started talking about how shifters had always lived in the canopy. The nights were rarely dark, but down in the village they hardly ever saw the sun. Adenah asked so many questions; why couldn't they see the sun? What was a canopy? Who would want to live in the trees when houses were perfectly fine on the ground?

Dris'rynne just hushed her little one and answered the questions as best she could before continuing. Adenah remembered cuddling up closer to her mother, pressing her chest against Dris'rynne and feeling her mother's smooth crystals brush against her scalp. She remembered hearing about shifter's who wanted it all; who wanted the sun and the moon, but couldn't. At the time it made Adenah sad to hear, and she couldn't figure out why her momma would choose to tell that sort of story.

Especially when she talked about their war with the alkidike women. Even if Dris painted a nicer picture of the beastly bug women than the one's she heard on the street Adenah was still frightened. What if someone that big came into her home, and took her, whoosh!, right out of her momma's arms?

But then! Adenah's eyes grew wide when Dris'rynne talked about a great, glowing lizard; bright and crystalline, with wings of red crystal. She gasped and covered her ears, trying to hide from the horrible image, but her mother pressed on, telling how gruesome the alkidike attack truly was. Adenah didn't want to hear about the big women anymore; she was sick and she wanted to sleep! Sleep needed happy stories, so what was so great about this one?! When was it going to get happy?

In it's rage the creature changed and it's fiery determination transformed the winged lizard into a pulsating crystal that set trees on fire, only to be quenched by the rains.

Adenah learned then that a clever apprentice took the beast's crystal heart for herself! To her it was a piece of the sun itself, and with it she explored the under story, banishing all of the nasty darkness. That bit, at least, was heart warming. It was whimsical enough to bring a little smile to Adenah's face; until Dris'rynne explained how it had been stolen by a Radaku.

That was it! Adenah had had enough! She didn't want to hear anymore about the sad story, or anything else regarding alkidike wars. Her mother tried to get her to hear the end, about how the girl learned enough to bring her knowledge back to the vilage. By that point Adenah had puffed up and hidden herself under the blankets, tooth pain forgotten.

Dris'rynne tried to perk her up after that, but Adenah was stubborn, so when her mother laid down herself to go to sleep the little one stayed awake long after, thinking on the story. Why did the bad things always happen to the shifters in these stories? Her mother rarely told any sort of thing with a happy ending, which made her wonder if her mothers people were ever actually happy at all. She didn't think they could be; with all those bug ladies chasing them so much.

It was something to ponder as she drifted off into sleep.

(Source material; x)

(WC: 655 // 2 pts)
 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Prentice - Class Affinity (Bandit) ☾❂

Adenah should have known that ‘staying hidden’ just wouldn’t work in Oba.

After no less than a week of skulking around the shadows of back streets and alleyways the hybrid shed her cloak to walk boldly under the desert sun. She’d never been much of a hider; and even now, when her anxiety was peeked, the teenager still couldn’t find it in her to disappear. Under no circumstances should she have been anywhere near Belpol and yet, here she was, stupidly standing with her bare feet digging into the sand. Her mother had no idea she was here and as bad as it was to say, Adenah hoped it stayed that way. Dris’rynne would have forbade it just like every other time she’d wanted to come home, and that was exactly why she’d snuck away.

This was something she’d wanted since she was a little girl, and Adenah had it all planned out, regardless of her mother’s intentions.

Of course she wasn’t alone. Adenah managed to get out of Jauhar with more than a few friends, all of which were eager to get away from home, for one reason or another, and none seemed to object when Adenah mentioned Oba. The shifters just wanted something new; something that Adenah could provide. So long as she showed them a good time the teen doubted any of the hapless shifters would object, which, as it turned out, they didn’t. So far each and everyone of them had found something pleasant about the shifting city which made it easier for Adenah to execute plan.

No one noticed when the hybrid slipped away from the inn. They were too far gone into their drinks to care. It was a true case of ‘teens gone wild’ in their rooms, all of which was extremely entertaining on most days, but now....Adenah couldn’t be bothered with it. She hated keeping them in the dark like this, and yet there wasn’t any other choice. None of her old friends had any idea what her mother did in Oba; all they knew was that papa had a dagger, mama had swords, and their business was their own. She couldn’t explain the life they had before going into the jungle anymore than she could tell there where she was going now. Not without losing them, anyway. With this is mind she slipped out the back door into a small alleyway, checked for prying eyes, and took off into the night.

Even if she’d been born blind there was no way Adenah could have forgotten the path to The Irregulars base. She knew every switchback turn like the back of her hand, and despite their attempts at disguising it over the years she found the way. Little notches carved into the sides of buildings and posts, each with the same particular pattern, were as visible to her as a map. All you had to know was where to look.

It didn’t ‘make sense’ for Adenah to seek out Grunt, especially after he’d taken over specifically because her mother wanted them out of Oba. He was an ex-general, an exile from the military, and one of Oba’s most wanted men. As courageous as he’d been at Dris’rynne’s side Grunt was still a dangerous individual; one of which she’d promised never to contact unless absolutely necessary. His eyes had only known bloodshed, and even if she was the daughter of his previous contractor that meant little to him. After all, Grunt was his own boss now; Adenah had no way of knowing if he would honor the bargain he’d made with her so many years ago.

What if he decided to kill her instead? That had been..the strongest worry all throughout her trip. Adenah wrung her fingers together, eyes fluttering up to the rooftops around her when she noticed vague shapes moving in the moon’s glow. Was she being watched? Taking in a deep breath, she hurried her steps and tried to keep a clear head. It would be easy to take her out; the teen was unarmed, and clearly outmanned, especially if the entire guild was there. There was no way for her to even know how many had joined since they left, and for all she knew he could have members stationed all over Tendaji by now! Still, Adenah couldn't find it in her to back away. Her heart beat madly within her chest, but she held her ground, chin jutting up bravely when she saw the doorway. Smeared across the door was a vague shape, that of four swords fanned out behind a grinning skull. If it didn’t scare her to see it as a child why now, so suddenly, did she feel like turning back? Adenah could feel it coiling in her gut; that soul crushing worry, that, perhaps, she’d made a huge mistake.

Adenah didn’t have to knock; she’d been spotted by sentries, that much was obvious, but it was still surprising when the bases’ door swung open with an ominous whine, illuminating a mountain of a man. Several lanterns were held up around him, no doubt to get a look at the ‘intruder’ but it only served to highlight the curve of his unforgiving jaw and every scar on that thick, dark skin. Adenah felt her spine instinctively stiffen under his harsh glower. There had been a time in her youth that Grunt was kind to her; subtle, but kind. He’d always made sure she and Ani were looked after if their mother need to have a ‘discussion’ with a hostage, and she distinctly remembered sweet bark being kept in his pockets. Adenah saw none of that now. All semblance of ‘kindness’ was either lost or so far hidden beneath his leathers that it likely would never make a resurgence.

“Korres made it clear that you were never to come back here, pup; surely you haven’t forgotten.”

Hearing her mother’s codename was nostalgic. So many years had passed since hearing the reaper’s name that Adenah was momentarily taken aback, but it didn’t last. She took an inhale and stepped forward. “What about you, Grunt? You made a promise, when I was younger; that if I ever came back to Oba you would protect me-” Adenah held out a brave hand, solidly displaying her palm to the older man despite the shaky nature of it, “-and to return what is mine.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up into a smile. Several members of the guild murmured among themselves, wondering what sort of deal it was their illustrious leader had struck up with a child, but he held his hand up, silencing the group all at once. “A promise I intend to keep. If you intend to turn your back on everything Korres sacrificed for you then who am I to say no?” He snapped his fingers and motioned for someone to come to his side. She didn’t recognize her; a scarred water woman, one so small she could have passed for a child. He murmured a few words into her ear and the woman disappeared into the base.

When the matorian returned she held a bundle of wrapped leather up to Adenah. The familiar weight of the ‘package’ sent a thrilling chill up her spine. It had been years since she’d felt it, cradled that weight in her own hands, and now...Adenah carefully peeled layers of thin leather away from the package within and smiled at the sight. A set of throwing knives, old and weathered, lay under her loving inspection. As a child she’d begged her mother for the weapons, cried and screamed for them, but Dris’rynne had ultimately denied her. Grunt, however, hadn’t. She’d saved up every little coin that came her way for months just to give it up to the Oban and in return she was given a set of the gnarliest knives ever. Sure, they were ugly, but they got the job done, and Grunt had kept them safe for her all these years. Safe and away from her family, which was a blessing.

“Knott here will teach you all you need to know starting tomorrow. From the look of it you aren’t much of a fighter; melee or magic, but you’ll need something. You want to stay in Oba, right? We can keep an eye on you, but we aren’t bodyguards, kid. We won’t be there all the time.”

The matorian, the woman evidently known as Knott, smiled enthusiastically. She was missing at least four teeth, and that’s what Adenah could see from a distance. Charming….

Adenah turned the knife over in her hand and looked at Knott. “So, you can really teach me how to use these things?”

“Better if you were younger, but I can do it.” The little matorian nodded her head confidently. “You Korres’ girl? You’ll learn.”

Nodding her head, she looked up to see Grunt motioning her forward, bringing her deeper into merc territory. For a moment she hesitated; it wasn’t the safest place for her to be, certainly not in comparison to the happy little inn where her shifter friends were partying, and yet...He’d been good enough to hold her treasures for so many years, so what wasn’t there to trust?

Knott motioned her forward as well, ushering her towards the base with chipper, half-formed sentences and Adenah didn’t so much as look back.

(WC: 1585)
 

[Painted Moose]

☾❂Prentice - Class Quest Solo ☾❂

(As it turns out living in Oba isn't that great when you have limited connections. Adenah's search for respectable living isn't turning out so great but she's been offered a few chances to make substantial coin from assassinations. She knows what that kind of work can do to a person; what kind of mark it leaves on their mind, and yet, it's a temptation that calls to her.

She waffles with it until being presented with her first mark; an Oban official. As much as she dislikes the idea of it, killing for money has presented her a way out, a way to start her own life, and once she goes through with the deed any chance of a 'normal' life is out the window. She's got nowhere to go except into the arms of the same people her mother tried so hard to keep her away from, and now will mark the start of Adenah's journey into the underworld.)


As it turned out, Knott was forty three.

Adenah had been so ready to believe the woman to be in her early twenties that she hadn’t taken into account what malnutrition did to a body. The matorian hadn’t gone through her adolescence in the same ways Adenah had, and as a result, her body was much less developed. Her family hadn’t done well after being freed; a fact that didn’t seem to bother her as much as Adenah originally thought. She’d made a crack or two about having another flame hair in their group before getting down to the business of training her with the biggest grin on her face. She was always so welcoming that at times it was hard to remember they had only met a few weeks ago. It seemed like Adenah had known Knott her entire life, and maybe that was just what the woman wanted her to believe. Not that Adenah seemed to mind; it made the loneliness she felt while adjusting to life in Oba easier to handle.

Knott gave her a place to stay. Originally Adenah had planned on spending her savings on a room while she looked for work, but Knott wouldn’t hear of it. They were training together, so why not live together as well? Knott explained that her children were gone, had been for years, and since she’d never had a proper lover once the babies left it got quiet. Her flat was small, cramped, and in a shady neighborhood, but it smelled like honey, so Adenah couldn’t find it in her to hate it. Maybe it wasn’t her dream home, but for now...for now she was just happy to have it.

Granted, she would have preferred a room of her own, but considering the size of Knott’s ‘home’ she was glad just to have a section of the living room to crash. She was there when Knott arrived from a guild meeting, curled up on her cot with a note from Dris’rynne in her hands. Maybe if she’d bothered telling her mother everything before leaving she wouldn’t be as upset. As it stood...Dris’rynne was furious. She wasn’t much of a letter writer to begin with, but the sheer fact the shifter had sent her rebellious daughter a four page tirade said it all. She hadn’t even begun to see if papa or Ani had sent her anything; Adenah had been to focused on the written yelling to focus on anything else.

And it wasn’t the first letter. Ever since sending her first missive, a brief message that had been hand delivered by the shifters when they returned home, Dris’rynne had written a total of three letters. The first had been brief; a simple demand for her to return, and the second was much the same. This one...was worse. Much, much worse.

The only thing saving Adenah was her brothers’ youth. So long as they stayed small then Dris’rynne wouldn’t risk her own personal safety and abandon them to chase her down. For now Adenah was safe, and things were at a standstill. She knew her mother wanted nothing more than to drag her, kicking and screaming, back to Jauhar, but for now….for now she didn’t dare leave Jauhar. Once the boys were older, though….but that wasn’t for some time now.

“Guess? Told Grunt your training is good, and he says you can come with me.” Adenah looked up from the letter to see Knott standing by her cot, as sweet and happy as smuckleberry jam. Honestly, how did this woman manage to look so damn happy all the time? “Extra coooooiiinnnn for your pocket. How about it?”

“What kind of job is it?” She’d never been invited on an Irregulars mission before. Sure, she’d seen Knott come and go at all hours of the night but for the most part Adenah spent her time at home. She’d been asking around for good, respectable work without much success. There had been that one day at the bakery, but after catching her boss’ hair on fire she hadn’t been asked to come back…

“Killin. Very simple; get in, make it look like a robbery, and get out.” Knott was already moving away at this point. The knobby little matorian riffled through her cabinets, knocking over chipped bowls and pots in search of additional knives. Adenah had come to learn that every inch of the small apartment had at least ten knives; for all of her smiles Knott wasn’t very trusting, and it showed.

Furrowing her brows, the teen swung her legs over the edge of the cot and stood up. “Why do you have to kill him?”

“Don’t get paid to ask.” She stood up with an armful and promptly laid them out on the table before moving off, presumably to find a bag.

Assassination. Adenah didn’t know what to think about that. She’d known it was something the Irregulars did on a daily basis; they were a mercenary company, after all. Theft, bullying, murder, extortion...nothing was beyond them, and yet she’d never really thought of herself as a part of that. It was yet another reminder of the harsh reality her mother had known before settling in Jauhar, and Adenah had to wonder...how many men did her mother had to kill with those swords for her to be able to say it so casually? And Knott, for that matter? She was gathering up knives like picnic snacks. It was a little disconcerting to watch.

“How much do you get paid?” She asked curiously, and the number Knott dropped was impressive, even by black market standards. What kind of straight and narrow job was going to compete with that? She could bake break until she was blue in the face, but at the end of the day, what would she earn?

Self respect. The ability to sleep at night.

Knott had nightmares. Mama had them too, and both had the same jaded look in their eye from time to time. Their jobs may have paid well, but it wasn’t without sacrifice. What would she be giving up for gold like that? Adenah would only need to work one job a week to afford a luxury apartment, one more if she wanted fancy clothes and all the jewelry a girl could ask for.

And yet….

Was it worth it? She didn’t look down on the mercs for taking the jobs, and while Adenah had no problems helping them with theft she just wasn’t...in it for the murder. Even the prospect of taking a life was weighing so heavily on her chest that the teenager could scarcely breath.

It would be another month before Adenah was ready.

That first night had ended in a flurry of apologies before Knott ultimately left on her own. Adenah hadn’t seen her for three days afterward, and finally, when the waterling returned home she was covered in bandages. And yet, in her satchel, was a fat wad of pure gold. In order for it to pass a as a robbery Knott had been given permission to steal as much as she wanted so she had. There was enough in that bag alone for the two of them to live like Queens!

Adenah could scarcely believe it. She’d tried for weeks to find good, stable work, but it just wasn’t panning out. Her heart wasn’t into any of it, and after getting a taste of that gold...Knott used it to pay off her bills and then promptly splurged on food. Adenah tried to talk her into buying nicer clothes, at least a few necklaces!, but Knott was more concerned with how sweet Zenan rolls were to care. Couldn’t she see? What a life she could be living if she’d just spent that gold literally anywhere else.

It was infuriating enough for the teenager that she’d agreed to go on Knott’s next mission. At first her limits had been pushed so far that she’d hurriedly agreed, but now...now that she was pressed against the kitchen wall, in a house that she was never meant to be in, Adenah was thinking differently. What if they were caught? She couldn’t go to prison! And the killing...was she cut out for it? What if -

Maybe I should just go back.

And do what? Be a half-assed baker?

You moved out to Oba to prove how grown up you were. It would look pretty sad if you came home empty handed.

It all happened so fast after that. It was as if the pause button on Adenah’s life had been lifted, and all at once there was a grand fight. They found the man, a thick, stout Oban asleep in his bed and Knott’s first strike should have been enough to kill him. And yet, when it missed and he hurriedly rolled out of bed Adenah knew they were in for a rough night.

“Who are you?! Who sent you?” He dodged their knives and rolled across the floor, snatching up a shield as he went. When next the man stood Adenah felt her heart drop into her gut; right there, as bright as the gold it was emblazoned on, was the symbol of the Oban military.

She had a choice to make in that moment. Run and hope Knott took her lead, then deal with the consequences later or kill a military official. Adenah didn’t know his rank; in fact, she knew nothing about it past the red of his eyes. What should I do? He was coming at Knott, blocking her shots one after the other, but she wasn’t stopping. They weren’t paid to ask questions so it was doubtless that Knott didn’t care who he was or what the man’s status could have been.

If Adenah was smart she would have cared; instead she stood, frozen, and stilled when she realized his back was wide open to her. All at once her world slowed again, even with Knott yelling at her.

“THROW! THROW THE KNIFE!”

That seemed to catch his attention because in an instant the Oban had turned, pinning Adenah with his hatred. If she did this there was no going back; she was already so far down the hole that it would have been hard to pull herself out, but now….now Adenah knew she was in too deep. And yet, honor, self-respect...those meant so little when compared to life and death.

And she really didn’t want to die.

It was a team effort. Adenah kept him distracted with her strikes while Knott descended on him. By the end of it there was a dagger pinned into his skull, and Adenah’s nerves were shot.

“Come, we go now. Was too loud; someone heard.”

Knott pulled on her arm, urging her to keep moving, and Adenah didn’t realize she was crying. At first the shock kept her mind numb, but much, much later she would it would hit her with full force.

Her life had been set on a track she’d never recover from. There was no going back from this. Not only had she assisted in a murder, but it was one of the worst she could have committed, all within her first few months of being back home. The promise of gold and a better life was all she had to look forward to now, and even that seemed dim in comparison. That fight had been terrifying but maybe...maybe with time it would get easier.

She really, really hoped it would.

(WC: 1951)