Upon reaching the gates, the tall stranger stopped completely, straightening now to its full height as it dropped the bag to its side without so much a care for the yelping sound it made. Reaching down from its hooded cloak, the tall stranger moved and felt for its pockets as if it forgot something, searching as it rested its booted feet on top of the bag as if it was a rock. The bag moved and wriggled with its muffled angry sounds yet the tall stranger just whispered fiercely at it to shut up and stay still.
As the tall stranger heard the sound of the guards at the front of the gates, it opened its mouth as if to say some ritual password, only to realize that this particular gate was not the one that the tall stranger had intended to request entrance in the first place~! A cold bead of sweat suddenly streaked down the tall stranger's cheek . . .
Yet the tall stranger covered up quickly by clearing its throat as its spoke now in a husky tone, with a voice too deep for a woman . . .
Tall Stranger: I have a letter...? *gulp*
Numinous wrote:
The guards watching the gate leading the audience hall of Yi Lian crossed their spears habitually at the approach of the suspicious stranger, while the middle-aged captain of the gate in his armor appeared to greet the man. "Who goes there? You've a letter of introduction from the Prefect?" he queried in a gruff tone, eying the rather large bag on the visitor's back that he could've sworn was moving a second ago...
The tall stranger's instinctively scratched its left cheek, an old habit it does when things are not going the way they are supposed to.
It then licked its lips as it looked around for a moment to get its bearings, thinking of something to get out of this without trouble.
And as it turned its head back to the middle-aged captain, it smiled an amused smile, one that showed with great confidence.
Tall Stranger: "I had a letter..."
Smiling, the tall stranger took the middle-aged captain's long silence as its cue.
After a small bow towards the captain, a gesture of respect for his age,
the tall stranger simply muttered something soft in the air about wrong letters and wrong gates and slowly bent down to pick up its large bag.
The tall stranger gave a sigh of relief as it stood up, barely escaping this one, of many things.
The night is still young and with a shrug at the soldiers, the tall stranger began to walk its long legged strides, whistling an out of tune song that seems to be a funeral song for the doomed.
((Being ignored, the tall stranger will calmly walk away from the gate back towards the dark alleyway where it came from . . .))
Kimche wrote:
The guards who had a moment of brief daydream saw that the man was leaving, he called out, "Wait! Sorry about that!" He said. "If you want to see the lady, you can see her after a brief search?"
The tall stranger stopped for a moment to smile at its continuing streak of bad luck.
Turning around, the tall stranger slowly breathed a lungful of air as it walked towards the gates again "unwillingly".
Dropping the bag casually as it whispered something soft in the air in some unknown language,
the tall stranger stood up once again with its full towering height, amplified by the long hooded cloak on its head.
Tall Stranger: "Sure, if the lady would have me . . ."
The tall stranger complied to the search as it began whistling an out of tune song for the doomed, and smiled with sarcasm for itself . . .
Kimche wrote:
"And what is your name?" The guard asked as he searched and removed all of the things that can be used as weapons.
The tall stranger stopped whistling for a moment to answer the guard who asked the question. How it really dreaded the question.
Yet the tall stranger still smiled that knowing smile as it then quickly tossed its hood to the back so that the guards could see her face clearly.
Tall Stranger: "I am Kijo Akki . . ."
Akki continued her disturbing little smile as her short white shock of hair, reaching up to her cheeks, slithered down lazily like snakes, partly kept in place by her forehead protector, with the symbol of a red cloud.
Her long arms were still stretched to both sides, as still like a scarecrow, yet they ended up in clawed metal gloves, not moving an inch yet seemingly imposing to strike at anyone, should there anything go on beside the search.
She would not try to resist if they removed it as well.
If the guards had been keeping tabs on the local news going around the small towns, then they would surely recognize her name as one of the most wanted and notorious criminals in Jiujang.
From kidnapping children of rich merchants, poisoning village wells and murdering old people, even torturing lost cattle and livestock, to robbing warehouses and granaries in broad daylight:
Kijo Akki's small reputation had been nothing but infamous and the people named her the Xiāmó (Blind Devil - 瞎魔).
Both an efficient bounty hunter and a cold-blooded assassin, the young girl seemed to be purposely throwing herself and her now rumored newly founded guild of thieves, "The Jinkotsu", into endless troubles as if seeking death itself.
Why, only last month, she was reported to have hunted down and killed all the four membered band of horse thieves led by a a bald man, singlehandedly, who unfortunately preyed upon her horse.
Only a thin dagger was found from her from the search, hidden beneath the side of her right boot.
Akki made a casual passing glance to each and everyone in front of her yet avoided eye contact.
She then spoke in a neutral calm tone, her disturbing smile now gone . . .
Kijo Akki: "Am I clear now?"
JCH wrote:
After the search and disarming of all dangerous things, Kijio Akki is escorted inside. Bao Deng is taking audiences. There are guards inside.
Bao Deng: Hello there. I am Bao Deng. I understand that you had a letter from our administration. Who might have written you?
The Kijo started whistling out of tune again as she was escorted by the guards inside.
Being disarmed didn't bother her at all, for she hardly uses them anyway. She wished she wouldn't regret losing them this night.
She took her own time walking as casually as she can, darting glances here and there at any hallways and passages they passed by.
And if the guards didn't take her bag along with her weapons, she would be holding it at her back, firmly held by her right hand.
Ignoring the little squirms inside the bag, the Kijo idly wondered as to who she would get to meet here this night so full of bad luck.
Upon being escorted inside, the Kijo quickly noted the number of guards, their position and the manner of their equipment.
She also noted a man taking audiences. The Kijo only gave a soft sigh of disappointment.
And she berated her silly self for thinking she would get to see the Marquis, herself. Bah~! You must be dreaming, girl~!
At first glance, the Kijo didn't like the man's face at all. Not at all. Nu uh.
It's like one of those weird situations when you meet people and didn't like them for no logical reason at all.
You just don't like them, And you don't trust them. Period.
Yet she noticed, those sharp, intelligent eyes that gazed back at her.
And somehow at the back of her mind, the man's name, as he introduced himself, seemed familiar. Very familiar.
Bao Deng: "Hello there. I am Bao Deng. I understand that you had a letter from our administration. Who might have written you?"
"Hello yourself" was the first thing that came to the Kijo's mind for an answer.
And with that, she made a sly, sneering grin before she could stop herself, as she bit her lower lip with a smile.
The Kijo cleared her throat once, then twice, as if hinting at the escort beside to introduce her name.
And if the guard beside her failed to grab what she was obviously doing, the Kijo would then roll her eyes and simply introduce her name with her husky, slithering voice that sounded like the hiss of snakes . . .
Kijo Akki: "I am Kijo Akki. I think I may have heard your name somewhere . . . something about the battle of Xuyi, perhaps ~?"
The Kijo purposely ignored the question, stalling the man and buying some time to think of a name, any name at all, that could be an officer of the Marquis Yi.
But no~! Her silly mind really have to deny to give her any names that could help her, does it ~? Bah~!
Parting a stray hair from her face with a finger, she looked at the nearest chair, if there were any, then to Bao Deng, then back to the chair.
The Kijo then spoked in a mumbling voice, as dry as the sand . . .
Kijo Akki: "Nice chair . . ."
"Wish I could sit on it, >.>" was the next comment that she spoke on her mind.
And if there were any people in the audience beside her, that Bao Deng is in charge of:
The Kijo would first openly watch them, listen to what they are talking about, with a bored expression on her face, before she would speak any of these dialogues to Bao Deng.
((OOC: Please don't take offense, /me is just rping Akki lo~))
JCH wrote:
Bao Deng was surprised that this woman knew his name from just one battle. It gave him a sense of satisfaction to say the least.
Bao Deng: Yes, I was part of the Xuyi invasion force. It will most likely be the only bright shining day of my life, but I'm content. Now, to the topic, why are you here?
Music Playing in the Kijo's Head - "Sadness" - Lee Hyori
Bao Deng: "Yes, I was part of the Xuyi invasion force. It will most likely be the only bright shining day of my life, but I'm content. Now, to the topic, why are you here?"
"Shining day my foot, why don't you let me sit first?" was the answer in the Kijo's mind.
Yet the Kijo only gave a sweet smile for an answer, something so sweet and beguiling, yet in reality, she was simply gritting her teeth.
Gritting her teeth in slight anger, causing a sweet fanged smile, half-wanting to bash the man's head with the bag she is carrying behind her.
The Kijo wondered if the man was as "gracious" a host like this to all the audiences he held.
Only then she noticed that she felt thirsty, and that her feet were sore and the bag behind her was getting heavier by every second she remained standing.
The Kijo didn't really care about the guards around the man, for whatever they are really worth.
If the Kijo would like to bash the man's head, she would really jump towards him and do more than bashing it.
Yet she tried to suppress her rising urge to bash someone by listening to the "music" she is "hearing" from her head.
It was calming yet the lyrics she heard were so sad, depressing and so lonely. Stupid men. And their stupid love. Dogs.
Kijo Akki: ". . ."
For a very long moment, the Kijo's mind drifted as all the sounds around her became lost and forgotten and the music inside her head was the only thing she paid attention to.
Leaning her weight on one feet, she stood there, staring at the chair, with lost eyes, as if it was made of gold or perhaps she really wants to take a sit?
The Kijo slowly closes her eyes for just a short moment and then opens them slowly just as well. Rinse and repeat.
--After some time being ignored . . .
For a very long moment, the Kijo stood there like a bamboo tree.
Waiting if the man would ever break out of his silence.
"Uhm..looks like you're..busy." She said, scratching her cheek.
"Why do I get the feeling I'm not supposed to be here."
The Kijo muttered to herself with a smile before she made a small bow.
Making some gestures of respect and all that, backing out of the room.
She just shook her head, sighing.
But not for loss. But for relief.
Relief that she would be able to get out of this place.
The Kijo would then talk to the guards to escort her back to the entrance.
She would also ask for her things that they took from the search.
The Kijo would then leave with her bag, looking back at the gates.
How close a call it was from getting arrested.
The Kijo smiled as she went to her next destination.
She would do all this, unless stopped.
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