A kiss. A caress. A timely flutter of the eyelashes. A coy smile.
Brynnalia Callae always knew how to use these things to elicit the response she was looking for. It was not too different from training a mount; when breaking in chocobos and coeurls, she just needed to find what made each creature tick and use it to make them respond accordingly. Men weren’t so different. Knowing what brought pleasure to the target, then using that to make them do what she wanted...well, it was something she kind of reveled in.
William Hardy was a Maestrom Captain. Brynn came to discover that he liked things he was not supposed to have. It was an easy motivation; many did enjoy tempting the dangers involved when participating in an illicit affair. The Highlander was a married man after all, with two children at home and a loving, doting wife. And yet when Brynnalia caught a few stolen glances her way as she reported back to the Maelstrom headquarters, she knew he was a possible mark. Insinuating herself under his command added another deterrent; becoming involved with one's own officer was the height of taboo. All the more reason she had to test the waters.
The Captain responded tepidly at first to a few flatteries thrown his way, coupled with a shrug here and a smile there. She let her gaze linger just long enough to catch his attention, then pretended as if it was not intended. It was like reeling in a fish. Pull a little, give a little, until they were netted.
It was not long until he was in her bed, utterly forgetting the name of his wife and children.
Brynn slipped her feet into a pair of slippers, sliding out from under the sheets as the Captain snored away. She padded to the mirror by the door, fingers ruffling and rearranging her messed mass of black curls. She eyed the reflection of the captain’s naked back as he continued to sleep soundly behind her, before she reached for his coat and the bag beneath it. She withdrew a thick stack of parchments bound with leather, and quickly undid the knot to finger through them. She scanned over the reports, her attention lingering on those that had to deal with investigations of piracy.
The name she was looking for, Nero Lazarov, was not found in any of the reports, but there were more than a few mentions of raid on Syndicate ships. And there were names of businessmen as well, those that were suspect of illegal dealings due to their associations or rapid growth in wealth. Her skimming came to a pause as she read one document in particular, one that listed a number of warehouses that had been seeing a lot of traffic despite the fact that the names on those warehouses were not particularly known to be wealthy businessmen. It was a minor note in a long list of reports, but it was the sort of information she had been looking for.
Smugglers had to store their goods somewhere, and an elusive one like this Lazarov would have to have multiple aliases. So while the Sultansworn and her Maelstrom allies sought the pirate himself, the bard turned her search to the telltale traffic of imports and the growing wealth of certain businessmen. Money was sometimes easier to track than the criminals themselves.
Brynnalia paused when she heard rustling behind her, a throaty groan rising from the Captain. She quickly slid the documents beneath his coat, then looked at the mirror again, ruffling her hair just right. She saw in the reflection his form turn in bed, the Highlander smiling lazily at her. He was blatantly staring at the back of her bare form, and she let him enjoy that view for a moment longer.
“Ready fer another go around, sweets?†She glanced at the man over her shoulder with a sultry smile.
William answered with a broad grin, his eyes still half lidded. “You are insatiable, woman!†He protested as he flopped onto his back, his arms splayed out. But his expression said he was not actually objecting.
The bard turned from the mirror, a white grin splitting her tanned complexion. “Tell ye what, ye wet my appetite with some juicy gossip, and I will reward ye fer each one.â€
“Gossip?†William chuckled. “That is what I have to tempt you with?â€
Brynnalia rolled her shoulders with a long exhale. “I’ve been away a cycle.†She sauntered back toward the bed. “I like knowin’ who is who and what they be up tae. I just want tae know who to make friends with, and who I should avoid…mm?†She slid under the sheets next to him, her manicured fingernails, lightly grazing his chest. “ And I know a man like ye would know a few things he shouldn’t...â€
The Captain let out a gruff laugh, impish smile tugging at the man’s lips. “What gossips would you have of me, wicked woman?â€
The bard swung one leg over his torso, coming to straddle him at the waist. She sighed, looking about the room as if to search her thoughts, letting his eyes drink her in for a long moment. “Hm. How about some rich businessmen. I like my fine wines expensive and aged. And I like men who can afford them.â€
William arched a brow at her, looking slightly disappointed. “Looking for other men already?â€
Brynnalia gave him a sidelong glance and a coy smile. “Why, ye be gettin’ jealous? I am flattered, Captain.†Despite the formal title, her tone remained playful. “Alright then, who should I not associate with? Anyone under the eye of the Maelstrom?â€
The Captain snorted. “There be plenty of those.â€
“Well,†she let her fingers dance like footsteps from his navel to his torso. “Then mayhap ye be in store for plenty of rewards, eh?â€
William’s face split slowly into a wide grin.
Brynnalia Callae always knew how to use these things to elicit the response she was looking for. It was not too different from training a mount; when breaking in chocobos and coeurls, she just needed to find what made each creature tick and use it to make them respond accordingly. Men weren’t so different. Knowing what brought pleasure to the target, then using that to make them do what she wanted...well, it was something she kind of reveled in.
William Hardy was a Maestrom Captain. Brynn came to discover that he liked things he was not supposed to have. It was an easy motivation; many did enjoy tempting the dangers involved when participating in an illicit affair. The Highlander was a married man after all, with two children at home and a loving, doting wife. And yet when Brynnalia caught a few stolen glances her way as she reported back to the Maelstrom headquarters, she knew he was a possible mark. Insinuating herself under his command added another deterrent; becoming involved with one's own officer was the height of taboo. All the more reason she had to test the waters.
The Captain responded tepidly at first to a few flatteries thrown his way, coupled with a shrug here and a smile there. She let her gaze linger just long enough to catch his attention, then pretended as if it was not intended. It was like reeling in a fish. Pull a little, give a little, until they were netted.
It was not long until he was in her bed, utterly forgetting the name of his wife and children.
Brynn slipped her feet into a pair of slippers, sliding out from under the sheets as the Captain snored away. She padded to the mirror by the door, fingers ruffling and rearranging her messed mass of black curls. She eyed the reflection of the captain’s naked back as he continued to sleep soundly behind her, before she reached for his coat and the bag beneath it. She withdrew a thick stack of parchments bound with leather, and quickly undid the knot to finger through them. She scanned over the reports, her attention lingering on those that had to deal with investigations of piracy.
The name she was looking for, Nero Lazarov, was not found in any of the reports, but there were more than a few mentions of raid on Syndicate ships. And there were names of businessmen as well, those that were suspect of illegal dealings due to their associations or rapid growth in wealth. Her skimming came to a pause as she read one document in particular, one that listed a number of warehouses that had been seeing a lot of traffic despite the fact that the names on those warehouses were not particularly known to be wealthy businessmen. It was a minor note in a long list of reports, but it was the sort of information she had been looking for.
Smugglers had to store their goods somewhere, and an elusive one like this Lazarov would have to have multiple aliases. So while the Sultansworn and her Maelstrom allies sought the pirate himself, the bard turned her search to the telltale traffic of imports and the growing wealth of certain businessmen. Money was sometimes easier to track than the criminals themselves.
Brynnalia paused when she heard rustling behind her, a throaty groan rising from the Captain. She quickly slid the documents beneath his coat, then looked at the mirror again, ruffling her hair just right. She saw in the reflection his form turn in bed, the Highlander smiling lazily at her. He was blatantly staring at the back of her bare form, and she let him enjoy that view for a moment longer.
“Ready fer another go around, sweets?†She glanced at the man over her shoulder with a sultry smile.
William answered with a broad grin, his eyes still half lidded. “You are insatiable, woman!†He protested as he flopped onto his back, his arms splayed out. But his expression said he was not actually objecting.
The bard turned from the mirror, a white grin splitting her tanned complexion. “Tell ye what, ye wet my appetite with some juicy gossip, and I will reward ye fer each one.â€
“Gossip?†William chuckled. “That is what I have to tempt you with?â€
Brynnalia rolled her shoulders with a long exhale. “I’ve been away a cycle.†She sauntered back toward the bed. “I like knowin’ who is who and what they be up tae. I just want tae know who to make friends with, and who I should avoid…mm?†She slid under the sheets next to him, her manicured fingernails, lightly grazing his chest. “ And I know a man like ye would know a few things he shouldn’t...â€
The Captain let out a gruff laugh, impish smile tugging at the man’s lips. “What gossips would you have of me, wicked woman?â€
The bard swung one leg over his torso, coming to straddle him at the waist. She sighed, looking about the room as if to search her thoughts, letting his eyes drink her in for a long moment. “Hm. How about some rich businessmen. I like my fine wines expensive and aged. And I like men who can afford them.â€
William arched a brow at her, looking slightly disappointed. “Looking for other men already?â€
Brynnalia gave him a sidelong glance and a coy smile. “Why, ye be gettin’ jealous? I am flattered, Captain.†Despite the formal title, her tone remained playful. “Alright then, who should I not associate with? Anyone under the eye of the Maelstrom?â€
The Captain snorted. “There be plenty of those.â€
“Well,†she let her fingers dance like footsteps from his navel to his torso. “Then mayhap ye be in store for plenty of rewards, eh?â€
William’s face split slowly into a wide grin.
