(( Written from the perspective of Lillias, who is a new character of mine, look for more stories from her over the next little while, we’ll see how it goes ))
The trip was damp and cold, and more then once I had to lean over the edge of the ship to relieve myself of whatever meager meal I’d eaten for the day. Soaked and chilled to the bone only made the situation worse, and my thoughts ran ramped through my head. I clutched my sisters journal to my chest, one of a few personal belongings that were mailed to me weeks previous. The whole reason I was on the blasted boat to begin with.
My eyes glazed over as I went back and thought about what had happened, and tried to block out all other feelings. I felt slightly ill and forced the bile back down my throat which of course only made it burn and caused my eyes to water.
“We regret to inform you, Miss, that your sister is dead,” the words rang through me and I think I must have grabbed ahold of the doorway to steady myself. This was not exactly the message I had expected. Tonight of all nights. They must have the wrong house.
“Dead.. there must be some mistake?” I practically screeched at the messenger who backed off a few feet from the doorway, as though I may lunge at him or some other foolish notion. He shook his head sadly and passed me a wooden crate with a large S embedded into the lid of it. Later I’d come to find her news articles that she’d written and had pinned up in her house, as well as the journal that I now clutched like a life preserver. A few silver coin, nothing much. I tired to get more information and was left with nothing but the wind brushing up against the door, the boy having fled on foot to get away from my emotional state. I could hardly blame him.
I spent the night looking over her belongings. It felt like hours before I could ready myself to read her journal, I could not get rid of the feeling that I was intruding on her personal life. We had not been close for so many years, not since we were just children. It was more my fault then hers. I wished a higher (different?) education then she did and we had chosen different paths. Mine took me out side of Freeport and the home my parents had left to us. My arts were not something I spoke of often, though both of us took a ‘healing’ rout.. my sister did not approve at all, unfitting for a dark elf, she used to chide me. None of it mattered any more. I continued reading until my candle had burned down to the base of its holder, skipping to the last entry, my eyes widened. Wait…this..could it be? There was a chance. Perhaps there was hope.. or at least a way for me to confront my sisters killers if she was indeed dead. My mind swam with the notion that maybe I could still help some how. I decided then and there to head to Freeport, and learn of my sister what I could. I packed what little I owned and set out that night, leaving friends, family, and so much more behind. There was no need for them, they would not understand.
I was shaken roughly out of my half-dreaming state by the ship reaching shore, lurching about the deck I tried to once again get my feet beneath me, and eventually managed to make my way to Big Bend with little need for directions. My memory had served me well thus far at least. There would be no cozy inn room for me, I could hardly afford it. The only thought I’d had at all was to find my sister, I’d completely forgotten what it was like to be back in Freeport. The stench assaulted my nose and I tried not to gag. Ogres and trolls wandered past me and sniffed as though it were I who smelled bad. Once I’d secured a small one room bedroom to myself I spoke in hushed tones to the inn keeper, trying to find out some information, none of it was useful.
Skaga, a local vendor whom I remembered from previous years, yelled at me from across the way and I wandered over, unsure of what she wanted to tell me. She pulled me close and glanced around a moment before whispering her harsh breath into my ear, I tried not to shiver in distaste.
“If’ns you be lookin’s fer someones.. seek out the assassin..” she whispered. I stared at her a moment. Assassin? I’d known of no assassin. Granted this was Freeport and there were probably plenty about. I didn’t want to appear stupid by asking her, but I think my eyes said it all. “Leave words at East Freeport, the inn there.. they will be sure he gets the message,” she laughed at me and poked me in the chest as if to make her point, I practically fell backwards into the muck on the ground. I nodded and thanked her, and slipped a silver coin for her efforts into her pocket. She only grinned at me with her mouth half full of teeth. Not wanting to delay any longer I tore off a piece of parchment from the back of my sisters journal, dug a quill from my bags and impatiently wrote a letter, asking for help in locating my sister. I slipped it to the Inn Keeper in East Freeport, whispering that it was urgent that it found the Assassin, and gave another two silver to insure that it was actually delivered. I tried not to eye the already empty purse I carried, I would work that out another time. My hands did not stop shaking until I was back in my own room in Big Bend, there was nothing more that I could do this night without some sleep. So I curled up on the tiny hard cot and closed my eyes, trying to rest. Instead, all I got were dreams.