It was a well-known truth that knowledge equaled power. Yet, few truly grasped the depth of that power. They failed to understand that authority did not reside solely in titles or high positions. A lowly peasant armed with the right secrets could topple kings, if only they wielded those secrets with precision and timing. It was not about brute force or social rank but about knowing when and how to strike. Nyra had learned this lesson early in life, though the reasons she first sought out the secrets of others had long since faded from her memory. Perhaps it had been curiosity, or perhaps a sense of survival.
Whatever the reason, it had shaped her into the woman she was today
That same restless curiosity led Nyra to wander the streets that night, her sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit alleys and bustling squares for something—anything—to pique her interest. It didn't take long. The moment she stepped into the dimly lit building, a jolt of awareness ran through her body. The air was charged, alive with something she couldn't yet define. Her senses heightened; her skin prickled as if her very surroundings were brushing too close.
The voice stirred from deep within her mind, sluggish at first, grumbling to life like an ancient thing dragged from slumber. It whispered thoughts she wasn't sure were hers, a soundless murmur that felt almost like a breath against her ear. The sensation sent a ripple of unease and anticipation through her.
And then she saw him.
The man was tall, dark-haired, and composed in a way that set him apart from the others. He hadn't noticed her—at least, not yet—but she felt the weight of him in the room, a presence impossible to ignore. There was something about him, something she couldn't yet name, that tugged at her attention.
"Careful."
The word was soft, almost unnoticeable, but it brushed against her thoughts like a warning. That was all the voice offered, leaving her to navigate the rest on her own.
She felt the dark-haired man approach before he spoke, the air shifting subtly as his presence filled the space beside her. His voice, when it came, was low and smooth, sending a ripple of sensation through her. Slowly, she turned her head, her silver-grey eyes finding his. She let her gaze linger, dragging her attention over him as though savoring every detail.
"Hmm." Her voice was soft, her tone sweet and unassuming, though the faint curve of her lips hinted at something sharper. "And what makes you think I'm that kind of woman?"
Her words were light, but her eyes betrayed her—a gleam of wicked amusement that danced in their depths. She didn't answer his question directly, instead letting the moment stretch out, the silence heavy with unspoken meaning.
When she finally spoke his name, it rolled off her tongue like a secret.
"Nice to meet you....,Lustara."
The name hung in the air between them, her tone deliberate, as though testing how it felt to say it aloud. Then, with a soft smile, she offered her own.
"The name is Nymeria."
Though her focus remained entirely on him, she was acutely aware of the room around her. The clink of glasses, the shifting shadows, the quiet hum of conversation.
"You flatter me," she said after a beat, her voice light and teasing. The soft chuckle that followed was barely audible, a sound meant only for him. "Hmm…" She tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "Something about this place caught my attention tonight. Enough to draw me in out of curiosity."
She leaned back slightly, her posture relaxed, but the sharpness in her gaze remained. She wasn't about to let him steer the conversation. If he wanted to engage with her, he would have to work for it. Raising her glass, she flashed him a smile that was equal parts sweet and provocative.
"Thank you for the drink," she said, her tone edged with playful mischief. "I hope you're not expecting anything in return. As it is on the house, it's easy to guess that this place is yours then? Nicely done."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward but charged, the tension between them like a coiled spring. In the back of her mind, she felt the voice stir again, but it didn't speak this time. It didn't need to.
Nymeria already knew this was the beginning of something—and she couldn't wait to see how it would unfold.
@Lustara
Whatever the reason, it had shaped her into the woman she was today
That same restless curiosity led Nyra to wander the streets that night, her sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit alleys and bustling squares for something—anything—to pique her interest. It didn't take long. The moment she stepped into the dimly lit building, a jolt of awareness ran through her body. The air was charged, alive with something she couldn't yet define. Her senses heightened; her skin prickled as if her very surroundings were brushing too close.
The voice stirred from deep within her mind, sluggish at first, grumbling to life like an ancient thing dragged from slumber. It whispered thoughts she wasn't sure were hers, a soundless murmur that felt almost like a breath against her ear. The sensation sent a ripple of unease and anticipation through her.
And then she saw him.
The man was tall, dark-haired, and composed in a way that set him apart from the others. He hadn't noticed her—at least, not yet—but she felt the weight of him in the room, a presence impossible to ignore. There was something about him, something she couldn't yet name, that tugged at her attention.
"Careful."
The word was soft, almost unnoticeable, but it brushed against her thoughts like a warning. That was all the voice offered, leaving her to navigate the rest on her own.
She felt the dark-haired man approach before he spoke, the air shifting subtly as his presence filled the space beside her. His voice, when it came, was low and smooth, sending a ripple of sensation through her. Slowly, she turned her head, her silver-grey eyes finding his. She let her gaze linger, dragging her attention over him as though savoring every detail.
"Hmm." Her voice was soft, her tone sweet and unassuming, though the faint curve of her lips hinted at something sharper. "And what makes you think I'm that kind of woman?"
Her words were light, but her eyes betrayed her—a gleam of wicked amusement that danced in their depths. She didn't answer his question directly, instead letting the moment stretch out, the silence heavy with unspoken meaning.
When she finally spoke his name, it rolled off her tongue like a secret.
"Nice to meet you....,Lustara."
The name hung in the air between them, her tone deliberate, as though testing how it felt to say it aloud. Then, with a soft smile, she offered her own.
"The name is Nymeria."
Though her focus remained entirely on him, she was acutely aware of the room around her. The clink of glasses, the shifting shadows, the quiet hum of conversation.
"You flatter me," she said after a beat, her voice light and teasing. The soft chuckle that followed was barely audible, a sound meant only for him. "Hmm…" She tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "Something about this place caught my attention tonight. Enough to draw me in out of curiosity."
She leaned back slightly, her posture relaxed, but the sharpness in her gaze remained. She wasn't about to let him steer the conversation. If he wanted to engage with her, he would have to work for it. Raising her glass, she flashed him a smile that was equal parts sweet and provocative.
"Thank you for the drink," she said, her tone edged with playful mischief. "I hope you're not expecting anything in return. As it is on the house, it's easy to guess that this place is yours then? Nicely done."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward but charged, the tension between them like a coiled spring. In the back of her mind, she felt the voice stir again, but it didn't speak this time. It didn't need to.
Nymeria already knew this was the beginning of something—and she couldn't wait to see how it would unfold.
@Lustara
11-21-2024, 12:29 PM
