that bitch

Rovasha slowly shut the door of the room she booked behind her. She’s been awake for about three hours now. She needed a break from the rumination. She started toward the bar downstairs, but a man interrupted her path. The sight of him made her stop in her tracks. She wanted to say “you too?” but she wouldn’t allow herself. A question of dread, doubt, sat in her gut, wringing what hope she had left. If this man was originally a tiefling, why wasn’t he granted his humanity like me? Did the gods not care for him? Am I the only one worthy of redemption? No, what a cruel thought. Maybe this was his original lineage from way back when? 

“Definitely the strangest tiefling I’ve ever seen.”

@kodazeloth​

Koda felt the sort of crazed laughter that hit him every once in a while when he was really stressed bubble up in his chest, and when some managed to leave him, it left with a small burst of fire. He felt himself take a too-heavy step back, and covered his now long face with a muscular arm. Thankfully, the flame hadn’t actually hit anything. “Dammit, I think I’m a dragonborn now.”

The man paused as a brand new thought hit him. “I’m going to need new clothes. And a bigger tent.”

At first, Koda hadn’t noticed that anything was different about himself. He wasn’t ever one to just wake up and notice things, everything took time. His first clue that something was wrong, though, was the fact that his feet were off his bed. And then when he rubbed his eyes, his hand felt...weirdly rough. That was when Koda decided it was time to focus. First, he noticed that his skin was a completely different texture, then he picked up on the sleeves of his shirt were ripped. And he had different arms. Big, scaly, muscled arms.

“Oh. Oh no.” Well, his voice sounded the same, but. No. No way. He had something weird to drink last night, surely. Just in case, though...Koda made his way to his door, trying not to think about how heavy his footsteps sounded, and threw it open, startling someone into stopping. “For the love of god tell me if I’m still a tiefling or if I’m what I think I am.” Wow, he sounded a lot calmer than he felt.

“That’s admirable of you,” said Efrain, who had an alphabetized list of his grudges. “Well, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Malakoda, but I must be on my way. If you’re ever in Khaggon perhaps we can meet again.” Efrain offered him a subdued smile, one that was a shadow of the one the man had startled out of him moments ago, and began to pass him by. “Perhaps we can discuss books in favor of insults.”

Koda shrugged. He wouldn’t call it admirable, since it was just something that had come to him with age, but he wasn’t about to swat aside anything that close to a compliment. “Oh, of course, I wouldn’t want to keep you.” And Koda knew that if this Efrain was always around the city, he wouldn’t be too hard to find. He knew just the right people to ask about a ‘handsome knight’ and there they would be. “Of course! As long as you have decent taste,” Koda laughed, raising a hand in a flippant goodbye, turning his attention to the shops around him. Now. Supplies..

“Ah.” Sarkesh sighed looking a little disappointed. “They’re my parents. We haven’t seen them in maybe twoish years. But if you happen to find out any information would you let me know?” Sarkesh knew he was asking a lot but he’d seen this man hanging around the battlefields since he’d joined. He might over hear something eventually.  “The army either don’t know where they are or they know where they are and just…won’t tell me. Either way it’s a mystery I’m trying to solve.” 

Koda nodded his understanding. Parents, at least other people’s, were important, especially if there hadn’t been a chance to see them. “Of course. I’ll keep an extra sharp eye out,” he assured with a smile. He was sure that two genasi would be interesting in any case, so it wasn’t like it was going to be a chore for him.

“Hm. Well, lucky for you, I’m not army, so maybe I’ll find something fun, huh?” The thought of a mystery was interesting, for sure.

Malakoda’s impersonation of a snide, pissy soldier startled a laugh out of Efrain. He truly couldn’t see how Malakoda’s father thought he could draw a warrior out of this man. “Ah, yes, I’m familiar with that look. I’ve used it myself before, to be honest. We all learn it in bitchy knight school, you see.” He sobered somewhat and squared his own shoulders, but more out of instinct than an attempt to intimidate or seem self-important. “I’m sorry others have tried to make it seem that way. But I think we both know it isn’t true.”

The laugh was exactly what Koda had been hoping for, and he smiled at getting the best possible reaction. “See, I knew it must have been a knight school thing or else I would have mastered it, but I was too busy looking at books.” He faked a bit of a pout, but it was clear that he wasn’t bothered about being what he was. “At least I’ve got some ways to do what I need to without having to tire myself out with all that swinging around a sword. And that’s alright, you don’t need to apologize if it wasn’t you. I try not to hold it against anyone.”

“Oh I’m not being humble I just -” Rex cut himself off before he could finish. Genuinely hate how I look. He wasn’t about to let this stranger know about how much he used to hate looking at himself in the mirror. Rexly had gotten better about it but people complementing his appearance when he wasn’t disguised still made his stomach knot. “I uh…generally look shady, is what I’ve been told.” 

Rex swallowed. It wasn’t that he wasn’t flattered he was just perhaps this man deserved something better. Rexly attempted to change the conversation away from himself.  “If you’re serious about crossing the boarders though, you can buy safe passage for the right price at the thieves guild. I haven’t done it myself too expensive you know.” 

Koda raised an eyebrow. Now, he’d grown up insecure enough to know where that might have been going, but he also knew that Rex wasn’t the same person as him, and that it was rude to push that sort of thing. Not everyone got over their insecurities like Koda had. “Well, that’s on other people, then. I think you look fantastic.” Of course, anyone fantastic could also be shady, but Koda didn’t always go by looks.

There was a bit of a chuckle. “Oh, don’t worry, I have other ways than the thieves guild. It’s all up here.” Koda tapped the side of his head. He was smarter than he acted, and he could trade money and advice for easy access to places. “It helps get the prices down.” And it didn’t hurt that he generally knew some of the higher ranking leaders.

“Oh maybe if I ask nicely I’ll get something scandalous out of her.” Rex laughed. It was nice they were on good terms. He couldn’t say the same for anyone that he’d ever dated or bedded.  Koda was doing it again. Rex wasn’t about to let him win what ever was going on here “Oh no If I winked at the patrol I’m pretty sure they’d run me through. Slipping them a couple of gold would be my best bet. Pretty sure you’d get through with a wink and few well placed words though.” Rex gave Koda a quick wink and a little devilish smile. “You know something like that.”

“Oh, most of what she says about me could be scandalous, don’t you worry about that,” Koda laughed. What could he say? Friends brought out the best and worst in him. At least it was fun.

“I think you aren’t giving yourself enough credit, there,” Koda replied, tone a practiced smooth, even though if he wasn’t red already, well...There might be something. “Cute that you’re trying to be humble about it, I don’t think I could ever be quite so adorable about myself.”

Sarkes has seen Koda around a few battle sites and he wondered if Koda would have known his parents. He was always taking notes and writing things down in his journal. “Oh well I just didn’t expect to see you in the city is all.” Sarkesh laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “I actually wanted to ask you something I’ve been meaning to but you know with the war on and all I just didn’t find time to ask you.”  “You haven’t happened to come across any other Earth Genasi in the army have you? Other than my younger sister?” Sarkesh asked. “They’d look like me, bit taller that me, bit shorter than you. They’d be early 50s, a man and a woman.”

Koda grinned his easy people-grin, the one that was half for show. But it quickly melted into an actual grin, interested at the question he was asked. It was an odd one, but it gave him something to think about. He felt his eyebrows knit together a bit as he considered.

“I don’t think I have...” he said slowly. “But I can always keep an eye out, if you’d like? I’m bound to run into everyone eventually.” Especially with the time he spent near battles, provided he didn’t die first. “If I do see them, should I say you said hello, or something?”

Efrain had been prepared to walk away and leave their chance run-in be, but the tiefling’s words made him pause. It was true, in the eyes of many Efrain appeared as the perfect son: dutiful, powerful, and following in the path set by his father. He’d never been told that he didn’t seem like a soldier, however. Usually it was quite the opposite. “Really? What impression do soldiers normally leave with you?”

Koda let himself grin. “Oh, you know, they usually like to look at me like...” Koda squared his shoulders and over-dramatized a sneer. “And I’ve met plenty of soldiers.” Hazard of coming from a line of them...and from hanging around their battlefields. Oh well. “You don’t act like you’re better than me for being able to swing a sword.”

Sarkesh had seen this man around the battlefields before. In fact it was odd seeing him in a city. He walked around in his nice clothes writing and taking notes in his notebook. He was like a ghost who walked through the camp. Sarkesh assumed he just belonged to the military but hadn’t seen him at the quartermaster desk. Still he stuck out in the city just as much as he did on the battlefield. Still Sarkesh was curious and against his better judgment went up to say hi anyway.

“Oh well, I assumed it wasn’t fresh because it’s dried in. You’re that guy who hangs out round our camps yeah?” Sarkesh was pretty sure this was the guy but he’d been wrong before. “Bit weird seeing you in a city you know, so i’m just wondering what you’re doing. I don’t mean that in a rude way I’m just curious!” Sarkesh cleared his throat.  “I’m Sarkesh by the way you might have seen me around.”

Koda took a second to actually look at this guy who apparently recognized him. He saw so many soldiers that it was a bit of a surprise that any of them remembered him, but...Koda remembered his taste in clothing. Not exactly battlefield-appropriate. Must have made him more memorable.

“Uh. Don’t know if I’d call it hanging around, but yeah, that might be me.” Unless there was someone else out there trying to write a book, in which case Koda had competition to squash. “Aw, it shouldn’t be too weird, I’m a city boy, after all.” Not like Koda was ever good at blending in, being red and all, but. “I think I have seen you a few times, Sarkesh. I’m Koda.”

“Please,” scoffed Efrain as a genuine smile graced his lips. “I’d have an awful time if I took anyone personally.” He was the adopted, half-elven, blood hunting son of a noble who, in his free time, bought out other noble’s businesses and land shares. He’d make people he dislikes or disagreed with socially obsolete through force or economic manipulation. While he maintained a reputation of being a loyal and fierce knight, which in a way he had been, he’d still been reviled by many people. Most noblemen were. Still, Efrain had learned to not listen to anyone. Even those who didn’t have a personal bone to pick with him were often unpleasant. “I apologize for running into you, but rest assured that your father hasn’t tarnished your reputation in my eyes. I prefer to form my own opinion of people.”

“Fair enough.” Koda knew he was never the only son of nobles to have a hard time of it, and he wasn’t about to press. It wasn’t like this was one of those ‘get drunk and talk badly about everyone’s parents’ things that fancy parties sometimes turned into. Just a moment in a street. “No need to apologize, it’s not like you stabbed me. And besides, it takes two to have a collision.” Koda grinned easily. “Well, that makes us both. You know, I think I was meant to be a bit more like you? But you don’t remind me of any soldiers I met.”

Rexly nodded. He understood, his  boss was proof enough of they type of weirdness the capitals tieflings were made of. “Honestly I don’t know many other tieflings in the city, but if I do meet someone called Saphione I’ll make sure to say hi to her.” 

Koda’s comment caught Rexly off guard. It made him slip character for just a second. For once he was glad that he was purple and hoped that the light blush he could feel burning on his cheeks wasn’t noticeable. He regained his composure and slipped back in to Rexly. “Oh yeah I’m sure you could get in really easily just wink at the patrols and they’ll let you right in.” he grinned. 

“Tell her Koda sent you and you might get a good story out of it,” he assured. Koda knew all of his friends had the good stories about him. “Or at least a little bit of extra friendly. If she liked men, it would’ve been me.” He said that with a laugh, still happy that the whole...thing their parents had planned hadn’t worked out.

And then, Koda was happy that he was a tiefling, because if he wasn’t, he might not have caught what might have been a blush. He kept that to himself, though, because nobody enjoyed a braggart that wasn’t singing. And he wasn’t much of a singer. Still. Little push wouldn’t hurt? “Is it just a wink for you? I should’ve known you’d have an easier time of it.”

Efrain couldn’t help the faint smirk as Koda described his father’s distaste for him. He had to smile for otherwise he’d grimace from the well-remembered pain of his own adopted father’s harsh judgements. “Yes, indeed he is. Many people find fault in those who excel in places in which they lack and that only highlights their own failings.” He shrugged and put his hands in his pockets, though his posture remained straight and proper as ever. “Don’t worry. I’m sorry I know him too. So far you don’t seem as acutely traitorous as he makes you out to be.”

Koda shook his head. “One day he’ll learn that I’m actually pretty fun. One day,” he chuckled. It was easy to joke about his father, since his father was quite often wrong about things. Oh well, old dogs and new tricks. “Yes, it’s pretty hard to be a traitor to much of anything when you’re not actually committing treason, you know? Or well. Family treason isn’t real treason. Just. Don’t take him personally, gods know I don’t.”

Jax smiled at the handshake and then took another sip of his drink. “Wow, pretty astute there,” he said. It was definitely spot-on that Jax usually tended to get angry at… well, anything negative, really. Bad coping mechanism for sure, but Jax had no intentions of changing that any time soon. It had worked out pretty okay for him so far. “Nice meeting you,” Jax responded. “What brings you to this fine city?”

Koda shrugged. “Just met plenty of people with messed up faces. Know what they’re like.” Of course, not everyone was the same, but sometimes he could manage a guess or two. “Pleasure’s mine. I’m just here to get some things before I head back out into the field, ran out of paper.” Which he tended to do quite a lot. The downside of being a wizard and a writer. “How about you?”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Koda” he said, matching the other man’s manner’s with a calm smile. “Zeloth,” he muttered. “I know your father, I believe,” he continued, but his tone remained mild and neutral. He found the man generally distasteful. He was practiced in maintaining social distance between himself and other nobles he disliked, but he was still forced into spending time with many of them thanks to the war and the demands of being a noble. He’d heard the senior Zeloth’s complaints about his wayward son, but hadn’t paid them any mind. They were not unique in their nastiness or contemptibility. He doubted being the tiefling son of a mouthy, unpleasant tiefling lord had done Koda any favors. 

At the mention of his father, Koda felt his smile drop a tad, but he recovered as quickly as he was used to. Plenty of people knew his father. “Well, I am very sorry that you do, and whatever he may have said about me is...exaggerated.” Probably not entirely false, at least not from the way his father saw things, but Koda knew ‘disgrace’ was overblown, especially since it was just because Koda hadn’t turned out according to plan. “He’s still mad that I was always better at magic than sword fighting.”