Ranger-Captain Moriurya Brightsinger

Time Is Up: Prologue

((The numbering between breaks show the order of events, but this is meant to be read straight through rather than back and forth. These events happened on Shadow Council in 2012, leading up to my "When Your Time Is Up" post.))

“Do you now, Rya?”

Gilithanas’ voice spoke clearly, harsh even. The sound of a gun locked into place came from the entrance of the club they were outside of. The first thing that came to Rya’s mind is, “Oops,” but you do not say such a thing in front of a lawyer with a gun pointed in your general direction. If Gil was aiming at herself or at Tiradell, she could not tell.

4.

It had been a nice day; no one was crying over the communicators about who said what, where, and when, but with the communicator turned off you do not really hear much of that anyway. No, the only crying Rya had heard that day was from the emotionally confused ex-Farstrider sitting with her in the flat she owned in Dalaran. Few had actually known of this location, most thought she sold it as soon as she was able to escape her uncle that haunted the place, but she instead held onto it for emergencies. Isardeth, covered in scars and bandages, tears running down his face, was such a case.

“Please, Rya, do not leave me. I …”
“I have to go to work or Iloam will expect I have abandoned my duties.”

Isardeth gave a slightly annoyed look at the mention of Iloam Blacksong; that the girl he trained into a fine Farstrider was now working for known criminals did not sit well in him. Only he was not going to stall her with that debate again; she had her opinions and was not going to sway so easily now. If only he had run into her a couple weeks before, when Rya was still out for revenge.

Without another word, Rya was gone back to her Silvermoon Townhouse to organize tomes and scrolls into boxes for a very important move of the Atlas Treasure Salvage library. With the newest bookworms in the group, and someone stationed directly with her in research, she had been informed that everyone should be working from the barge. Of course, Rya had no intention of such; the barge was her worst nightmare thanks to the goblin crafts having a tendency of crashing, blowing up, or somehow falling apart. Or was that gnome? Either way, she could not stand how small the location actually was, especially with a large amount of people who already did not like her all staying there for the most part.

No, when she got there with the final box she was going to hand over the already filled out resignation papers.

1.

With barely an acknowledgement for anyone besides the owner of the establishment, Rya walked silently into Second Chances in what seemed a debate without the yelling. Everyone, including the Bishop of Silvermoon, was mocking one Sin'dorei male, Tiradell Swiftsail. Rya knew him from when she was a Farstrider and he was a rising Blood Knight, though it was really that she knew his face. He did not get into his higher ranked position until a while after Rya left her own position, but everyone knew of Tiradell. And here was everyone throwing insults at him. Rya stood silently beside Joyia and kept her eyes lowered.

When Tiradell decided to leave Ryo'jin, the ‘pirate’ from ATS, followed. Only then did everyone start their conversations on something different, though Rya did not hear them. Her mind was set on talking to Tiradell … she didn’t want to be within this group of people that very obviously hated him, and many of which did not like her either. Gil had just wanted to talk to her, but her eyes were fixed on the entrance of the establishment.

“Um … sorry,” she said as she glanced at Gil, gave a bow of her head, and walked outside.

And there they were, Ryo'jin and Tiradell, trading harsh words in the middle of the street. Rya could not believe at how well they seemed to know exactly what to say to make the other angrier. The looks they were giving each other easily gave away their hatred and the history of hated between them. Agitated, Rya could not stand watching it.

“Tiradell,” she spoke in Thalassian, “if you are looking for proof on the criminal acts of Iloam, as you just hinted to, I have it from the inside and can give it all to you if you come with me quietly.”

There were more words said, exchanged, all in Thalassian, all to the annoyance of Ryo'jin, who couldn’t understand a word. Rya had not expected Tiradell to jump so quickly upon her offer, and she shifted under his gaze hoping he did not see the bluff she just threw.

3.

“If you do not confess to the Bishop by the end of the week, you’re out.”
“Well then I guess I am out now.”
“I guess you are.”
“Your sex-bitch is a lame excuse for a Bishop and I want nothing to do with her.”
“Get. Out. Of. My. Face. NOW!”

Rya saluted mockingly, whistled for her windrider, and flew off without a care that the wind of her take-off might be too strong for someone standing so close. Tears were already streaming down her face and she had no plan to let them see. Only when she glanced back did she suddenly slow her escape. Tiradell was being cornered by Ryo'jin and Iloam.

5.

“Do you now, Rya?”

Tiradell, Ryo'jin, and Rya all looked to Gil as he had a loaded gun aiming on one of the two elves. The troll wasn’t even of focus. Tiradell and Gil began to exchange harsh words, getting close to each other as they did. Rya watched silently, not wanted to be in more danger than she was already in. Only there was Ryo'jin, obviously annoyed, moving in behind Tiradell. Without much of a thought, Rya’s hand flew to the short bow that was in her quiver.

“Rya, don’t even think–”

Too late; Rya’s bow already had an arrow tightly aimed at Ryo'jin. The fact that she was protecting someone that her crewmates obviously hated would most likely be the end of her, but she was not going to see anyone ganged up on. Daraman was at the entrance of the establishment and exclaimed his dislike of blood being spilt upon his doorstep. Weapons were lowered, slowly, and Gil harshly ordered Rya to follow him. With an apologetic look from Rya to Tiradell and an admiring or thanking look from Tiradell to Rya, she returned her weapons to her quiver and followed the lawyer.

“So, explain.”
“Gil … I understand this is going to all sound ridiculous, but I had no intention of giving him any information. I doubt he would even believe me since I do not have any of the proof anymore.”

He wasn’t convinced. Only then Iloam came as if nothing in the world was wrong. Gil explained the story, and Rya gave the same reason as she gave to Gil. It was the truth to her, she felt it in her soul, but she could see rather obviously that he wasn’t convinced either, that the reason was a very weak one, and that he was in no way happy with her.

4.5

“The books are almost packed, my lady,” Dimetri said from behind a stack of books almost reaching the ceiling. His use of magic made the process quicker, though her insistence of organizing by theme and title, as well as checking off the inventory, slowed it down to the normal pace of someone moving. Rya did not want to have anything left behind since Iloam did not trust her as it was. Being charged with stealing from Atlas would not do at all.

“Alright, Dimetri. Did you put "A Study on Portals” into the proper location?“ Rya said as she looked over the contents of the odds-n-ends box. The ritual Shu'halo blanket from the Grimtotem tribe before their alliance with the scourge was folded neatly at the bottom with a few random wooden dream catchers on top. Only Rya knew there was something more under that blanket. Since few were interested in the Shu'halo as she was, besides the Shu'halo themselves, Rya did not expect anyone to go through this box as quickly as a few others with some higher valuable items. She was not certain on if it was the play he was looking for, but still Rya had put it there with a letter addressed to Gil with her apology for not being there to share it with him in person, and for leaving the group just as they were getting to know each other.

2.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Face. NOW!”

It played in her head over and over again as she quickly flew to a better location; she did not want to be seen, but there was no way she was going to allow Iloam and Ryo'jin murder someone without watching who attacked first and be a witness if questioning on what happened came to her.

She didn’t want to rely on her bow this time; with the winds being rather inconsistent, she wasn’t going to take the risk of shooting at that distance and missing entirely. Her gun was slung under her quiver, even under her cloak. Rya now prepared herself to scope into the scene, watch for any movements that hinted to attack, and shoot whoever it was that attacked. Only there was one thing she made certain was strong in her mind … she would not shoot Iloam.

Only nothing happened. There were words exchanged, obviously angry and heated, and then Tiradell mounted up suddenly and flew away. Well, rather he flew over Rya and she tried to make herself as invisible as possible on a cliff in the mid of evening before the sun had set. He turned around and landed beside her as she stood and began to unload her gun. Had he known she was aiming to hit his hip if he made the first move, he might not be smirking as he was.

“So, you have information on them?”

Rya could not take back what she said before and she was too open to anyway. He would easily have her dead if he was displeased with her. She nodded then looked around. “I do not expect this place to be safe. There was no sign of Gil while you were speaking with Iloam.”

Tiradell gave a look around too, but then mounted up. “Come, I know a safe place.”

6.