Mari

Mari sat there in the grass for a moment. Breathing in and out with shaky breaths, that was really hard. Mari knew she had anger issues but she thought she had most of them under control. The moment he even tried to threaten Lancaster though she just saw red - it took every ounce of willpower not to at least hurt the men who dare had the fucking audacity to think of touching… What. Was. Hers. As Mari sent off the message she stood and headed back to what was supposed to be her little reprieve. She picked up the rod and threw it in for one more cast off - almost immediately the telltale

“If you do…I wont hesitate. If you have any affiliation to the one who-” “Oh, Oh…what was your name again? Atticus?”” Mari asked, clearly pissed. The tone caused the man to take several steps back. Mari had to remind herself to not allow anyone to know that she and Lancaster had a connection. That wasn’t safe for him. She gave zero shits about her own reputation. It was already in the mud. “Won’t hesitate to what? Go on. Say it with your chest.” Another step toward him, and he- another step back. Mari dropped her fishing rod. Silent rumbling fury roiling beneath dangerously cal

“Whose askin?” Too many damn people knew her name lately. She was in jail for two years and had hoped she had mostly failed into obscurity, yet somehow it felt every other person knew her in some way or another. Mari tugged on the fishing rod and grabbed the dangling material crystal from the end of it. “I…thought you were dead.” He said quietly. Reserved. “No. Very much alive. So are you, and your friends. You pick fights like that with the wrong person though and you won’t be.” Mari sighed as she turned to face him. She had half a mind to burn that man bun right off his head.

Mari cast out her line in an attempt to not look so ‘dangerous’ Meanwhile Ben was trying to haul Andrew up and over his shoulder. “Y-You didn’t…kill him did you?” “If I did you’d not be carrying him.” Mari said flatly in response. “Get him out of here, I need to talk to her.” Atticus said, and Ben gave the tall blonde a small nod. And not so quietly, not so gracefully started to haul Andrew off. When the two were far enough away Mari breathed a sigh of relief. The main instigator was knocked out cold. Served him right. This is exactly what she was talking about with Freyd. These

Shit like this is why people would just shank others. Mari wasn’t like that, but had she been anyone else, hell, had she even been Lancaster - she doubted the others would have the patience. The constant glares, the questions. The accusations. The sniffing around her personal business. It rubbed her the completely wrong way. Andrew stepped closer, his sword lighting up. Ah. So he meant to attack her. “Are you two going to do the same?” Atticus remained like a statue, refusing to move or speak, but in response to Mari’s question he closed his eyes and shifted his head to the si

“I’m….casing the area?” He nodded in return, a confident smirk. “Sooo….” With a practiced motion Mari baited the hook again, and threw it into the Lake, refusing to break eye contact with this ‘Andrew’ guy. Then with a quick jerk she pulled it back up, snapping the material crystal off the end of the hook - and throwing it in her inventory. “So…that, that looks like casing the area?” “Yes” “It looks like fishing, boss.” Atticus remained silent. Oh to have the patience of a fucking saint…Mari drew in a deep breath as she ran a hand down her face. She could already guess what

Ben was the most skittish of the three, but at least he seemed to be the first one to actually believe her. “M-Maybe that really is all she’s doing…We were looking for a guy anyway.” Mari’s ears perked as she kept her back to them, listening to the conversation. No situational awareness. No care for what they should say in front of a stranger. A man. Interesting… Mari heard a thunk. Good. A chest - with a jerk that caused Andrew - the moustached knight to draw his sword. “Chill the fuck out.” Mari said as she went to pick the chest up from the lake. “I’m just grabbin’ supplies.” Mari thr

The man with the handlebar moustache spoke first. “Andrew.” He gestured to the mousey brown haired kid with stubble. “This here is Ben.” Then that left the other - a blonde man with long blonde hair tied back in a tight man-bun. “That’s Atticus. We’re here investigating a…” His eyes travelled up to Mari’s crystal. His face soured as though he just saw something disgusting. Mari was used to people like this, so much so that it didn’t even bother her anymore. “PKer sighting. Why are you here.” Right…Mari got it now, all three of them were dressed in the same similar chainmail outfits

Just as Mari cast out her line again she could hear the rustle and crunch of leaves as someone approached. Three people approached. Mari inhaled deeply and held her breath, waiting for the inevitable verbal beration that was coming her way. “WHat are you doing here?” She exhaled and turned to glance over her shoulder. A mousey looking man with peach fuzz stubble and bright green eyes. Mari tilted her head as her eyes shifted to the fishing rod still in her hand. “Uhm….Fishing?” The man next to him - about a head taller and bald with blue eyes and a very thick black handl

She’d wait for his message, and couldn’t help but laugh at the face he would pull when seeing it. Would Oscar be disappointed? Maybe? Then again - he was a very handsome man and Mari knew he had a number of callers. Having one less would probably barely put a dent in his horizontal dalliances. Mari wouldn’t miss the intimacy, there was none between the two -just physical attraction, a simple need to fill desires. But it had been nice - Oscar definitely had a way with him and Mari could see why he easily had so many people fawning over him. It was an odd way to cement a stronger friendshi

Fireproof bedsheets….The woman very much doubted it. That was fine - there were other places to do things beside the bed. Maybe Lancaster could hold back? Nah. Fuck that. That’s the last thing Mari wanted. So…did that mean he didn’t sleep in beds? Mari couldn’t exactly ask him if he had banged other women and if he set the bed on fire as he did - that was none of her damn business. His past was his past. Just as hers was hers. She’d be pissed if she were judged for being with Oscar. Oscar was a great friend, with amazing benefits - but those benefits were…no longer required. It didn’t mean Mar

So…now there were three of them, flittering around her - Mari hoped it wouldn’t be a problem. They were just a couple of players, concerned for their safety. Right? They weren’t going to bring about some sort of witch hunt for her. Surely. Besides, how would any of them recognize her? She hadn’t set foot in Ronbaru. She couldn’t without being shanked by one of the guards. Another bait set to the hook, another cast thrown out - and a quick thunk. Good. That was good news. Mari reeled it in and shook the water off the small chest. Another chest, as Mari opened it and tipped it upsid

Mari was back into a peaceful rhythm. It reminded her of a few years ago, before being in prison. Before being dragged into Jacobs Ladder and being a pillar - the precarious time she had between her initial return from a recluse hole and her time burning fast as one of the strongest frontliners. It was…nice. If only it stayed that way. Mari heard voices in the distance, she couldn’t help but turn her head to look. That man was back- too far away to ascertain any real features from him, but he had two other people with him now. They were staring her down - one of them, a blonde - shook the midd

*** How did she end up like this? More than slightly inebriated wedged into the back of the cart between two very attractive and very…. “You both smell nice…” Oops. Very nice smelling ladies. If anyone were to look at the scene - Mari would almost look like she had mad game - but she very much in fact did not have any game. With one hand on Katoka's thigh - the other in her own lap and with Arcanthus wrapping her arm around Mari’s shoulders.The woman was stunlocked. “My arms are just a little cramped. I’m not trying to be weird. I won’t be weird if you aren’t weird. If it’s

Mari felt the chair swivel and in that moment he loomed over her. "This is completely inappropriate, sir." Oscar bit into her, rough. Threatening to break her skin. She'd arch her back, pressing herself into him and tilting her neck to allow him to taste the salt of her flesh. Eyes closed, small murmurs fell from parted lips. Then, with a firm hand round her neck Oscar would turn her toward him. His own gaze boring into her own. She was trapped beneath him, his hand tangled painfully in her hair. The prickle of her flesh as his lips left their mark. It would have been so easy to