Qhora stood in the middle of the alley, a few steps back from the open kitchen door in the back of the small Ul'dah restaurant. She listened to the bustle of work and clanking of pans and dishes for a drawn out moment before taking a deep breath. Then she darkened the doorway with her shadow and leaned on the jamb.
She was ignored at first but a dark-haired Hyur man turned the flame low under the pan he was tending then wiped his forearms on his apron as he turned to her. "What?" he asked with a grunt.
"I was told to come here for work," she answered simply.
The man looked her up and down. She was dressed in her usual black leathers. "Usually, I'd ask you to wait at a table, but I get the impression you'd be happier in the alley."
She nodded, relaxing slightly, then slipped back into the street where she watched a rat help itself to the garbage pile.
The warm afternoon sun dimmed into evening before a pale Lalafell woman dressed all in black with very straight black hair approached Qhora from the other end of the alley.
"You look a little obvious, don't you?" the Lalafell asked by way of introduction.
"Excuse me?" Qhora replied.
The woman motioned to her eyes. "That whole face paint thing. You could at least get rid of that."
"I'm not getting rid of the paint," Qhora said curtly, her stance turning stiff.
The small woman looked Qhora up and down. "You may call me Madam Giyu." She seemed unperturbed, calm despite the interrogating nature of her speech."If you keep such an obvious look, how do you expect anyone to trust you?"
"I don't," Qhora explained. "I don't do trust. If that's what you need, I came to the wrong place." She looked away and snarled, "I should have known he wouldn't have a real clue."
Giyu continued, "You don't do trust? Then what do you do?"
"I get in and out without being seen."
Giyu grinned slowly. "Oh, we have a use for that. Is that why you didn't take a table?"
"Yes, ma'am," Qhora responded with some effort to be polite.
The Lalafell narrowed her eyes as she stared up at the Miqo'te. "Hmm, I think we might be able to work together. I'll introduce you to Nabyano and--"
"No," Qhora interrupted. "I work alone."
Giyu raised one smooth eyebrow. "So you don't do trust and you expect me to give you a job untrained and untested?"
Qhora shrugged. "Yes."
Giyu pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose. "All right, Miss Works Alone, do you think you can handle courier work? Delivering messages? Packages? Don't have to talk to anyone, just get things where they need to be?"
"Yes, but--"
The Lalafell held up her hand. "You handle a few of those, and we'll start giving you work more suited to your disappearing act. The deliveries will serve as a way to get you your instructions. Does that sound like it'll suit you better than an invitation to a card game?"
Qhora nodded.
"You may still be asked to attend the occasional card game."
"Yes, ma'am."
![[Image: g9ASfFg.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/g9ASfFg.jpg)
