Warren Castille would never admit he believed in lightning striking the same place twice. He had a habit of returning to a place if it had been the scene of an incident previously, though. His ordinary patrol pattern had started as a precursory walk through the winding lanes and streets, though over time it had grown bumps and divergences. What had once been an organic geometry had been turned over time into something almost unrecognizable, changed by the criminal activity that peppered the streets of Ul'dah into something different.
Warren had watched the woman leave the entrance to her home from down the lane. She wasn't stumbling, exactly, but her movement was abnormal. Upon approaching her Warren could see why; The purplish-red splotch on her cheek and near her eye had told the tale enough times that the paladin didn't even need to ask. He'd greeted her and noted how quickly her eyes caught his and slid down his armor, away from him and back to the sun-baked streets. His inquiry to her well-being was deflected and diffused with no real conviction and it was a story he'd seen enough times in his life and travels.
She said he surely didn't mean to; Things were tight at home, was all.
"I know he loves me, but he's been so busy lately trying to keep things afloat. He wants to spoil me, but I think he resents it deep down." Her words drew slowly from her, those emerald eyes flickering up along his tabard and briefly touching back to his face before retreating. "He always did want me to have the best, even when I told him he didn't need to. Stubborn to the last..."
The words drew a small smile that Warren didn't miss. If she wouldn't make a proper claim, there wasn't anything to be done about the situation. Warren let her know to seek help should anything like that happen again, and that the Flames and Blades were there to serve Ul'dah. She thanked him and made her way down the lane in the direction of the drinking holes.
**
Lightning took the form of a pair of Brass Blades lingering by the doorway to one of the private domiciles that frequented the better parts of the lane. Handsome apartments dotted the second floor balconies and the ownership to many of them either rented out their storefronts on the floor below or worked there themselves.
"Evening, gentlemen. Anything going on tonight?"
The pair of Blades looked at one another, as if silently agreeing who should be talking to the free paladin. It was another aspect of the job Warren took in stride - He was not any official authority, and those with a chip on their shoulders made sure that was made clear. Behind the pair, an open doorway loomed like a box leading to darkness.
"Bertus Bock'nbower threw hisself' a party and bit off more'n he could chew." The Blade made a "we're dead" gesture with a finger across his throat and the officer to his side agreed with him.
Warren's eyebrows went up in dull surprise, hiding the suspicion that he naturally deviated towards. "Violent exit or...?"
"Don't look like he intended on dyin' tonight. Jus' went a bit overboard." The Blade's indifference was almost obligatory. "Stupid sod offs hisself and we're stuck guardin' the stairwell to a dead man. I was hopin' to get home to the missus before daybreak, but we're gonna be here all night."
Warren cast a glance upwards at the apartment. "How long ago was he discovered?" He tried to keep his questions conversational. Blades tended to clam up if they suspected someone was trying to show them up, or worse, dig into their business. They had a rough enough reputation at times, and they tended to not take too kindly into Silver Armor looking into their cases.
"Passerbyer alerted us not a bell ago. Said there was a scream from the home and some folks noticed a leggy elezen takin' off. We're lookin' into that, so don't get any ideas." The Blade pointed at Warren half-convincingly. The two of them combined perhaps weighed what Warren's armor did, not counting his shield.
"Relax, friends. I was merely asking. I trust you'll get to the bottom of this."
Warren made his peace and made his way off slowly. He knew he had some questions, but he didn't know how to find the woman in question to ask them. He just knew he wanted to beat the Blades to it.
Warren had watched the woman leave the entrance to her home from down the lane. She wasn't stumbling, exactly, but her movement was abnormal. Upon approaching her Warren could see why; The purplish-red splotch on her cheek and near her eye had told the tale enough times that the paladin didn't even need to ask. He'd greeted her and noted how quickly her eyes caught his and slid down his armor, away from him and back to the sun-baked streets. His inquiry to her well-being was deflected and diffused with no real conviction and it was a story he'd seen enough times in his life and travels.
She said he surely didn't mean to; Things were tight at home, was all.
"I know he loves me, but he's been so busy lately trying to keep things afloat. He wants to spoil me, but I think he resents it deep down." Her words drew slowly from her, those emerald eyes flickering up along his tabard and briefly touching back to his face before retreating. "He always did want me to have the best, even when I told him he didn't need to. Stubborn to the last..."
The words drew a small smile that Warren didn't miss. If she wouldn't make a proper claim, there wasn't anything to be done about the situation. Warren let her know to seek help should anything like that happen again, and that the Flames and Blades were there to serve Ul'dah. She thanked him and made her way down the lane in the direction of the drinking holes.
**
Lightning took the form of a pair of Brass Blades lingering by the doorway to one of the private domiciles that frequented the better parts of the lane. Handsome apartments dotted the second floor balconies and the ownership to many of them either rented out their storefronts on the floor below or worked there themselves.
"Evening, gentlemen. Anything going on tonight?"
The pair of Blades looked at one another, as if silently agreeing who should be talking to the free paladin. It was another aspect of the job Warren took in stride - He was not any official authority, and those with a chip on their shoulders made sure that was made clear. Behind the pair, an open doorway loomed like a box leading to darkness.
"Bertus Bock'nbower threw hisself' a party and bit off more'n he could chew." The Blade made a "we're dead" gesture with a finger across his throat and the officer to his side agreed with him.
Warren's eyebrows went up in dull surprise, hiding the suspicion that he naturally deviated towards. "Violent exit or...?"
"Don't look like he intended on dyin' tonight. Jus' went a bit overboard." The Blade's indifference was almost obligatory. "Stupid sod offs hisself and we're stuck guardin' the stairwell to a dead man. I was hopin' to get home to the missus before daybreak, but we're gonna be here all night."
Warren cast a glance upwards at the apartment. "How long ago was he discovered?" He tried to keep his questions conversational. Blades tended to clam up if they suspected someone was trying to show them up, or worse, dig into their business. They had a rough enough reputation at times, and they tended to not take too kindly into Silver Armor looking into their cases.
"Passerbyer alerted us not a bell ago. Said there was a scream from the home and some folks noticed a leggy elezen takin' off. We're lookin' into that, so don't get any ideas." The Blade pointed at Warren half-convincingly. The two of them combined perhaps weighed what Warren's armor did, not counting his shield.
"Relax, friends. I was merely asking. I trust you'll get to the bottom of this."
Warren made his peace and made his way off slowly. He knew he had some questions, but he didn't know how to find the woman in question to ask them. He just knew he wanted to beat the Blades to it.
![[Image: yEROfKO.png]](http://i.imgur.com/yEROfKO.png)
