#laaate

Things had gone well today. Another slender piece of bone clinked against a glass vessel, tossed in with a casual flick of the wrist. Kyrie wiped her hands on a plain kerchief and rolled the fabric into a tight ball to hide the red stains left behind. Alone in her office, she tossed the refuse into the fireplace and sank back into her seat as the cloth burned into ashes within minutes.

Her desk was a grimmer display than usual. Bloody tools lay across a stained drop cloth over the table; these too were curled into the fabric and hidden in a closet to be cleaned at a later time. The glass jar was placed into a cabinet and locked. No later than Kyrie had finished clearing her work space, a knock broke the silence she was working in. She cautiously checked her vest. No bloodstains there, good. She decided to play it safe and pulled a sweater over her head to cover her underclothes and, patting herself down, she opened the door.

She was greeted by a shifty-eyed Miqo’te in scuffed boots and a dirty tunic. She seemed out of place and eyed Kyrie suspiciously. Her tufted ears flicked around as she recognized her.

“Yer her, ain’t ye? ‘Mistress’ ‘s th’ name I was told by th’ others.” She walked uneasily to Kyrie’s desk, scowling at the stacks of paperwork all around. “Sooooo,” she drawled, unwilling to look Kyrie directly in the eyes. “Yer request was heard, yeah, but ye know we’ll be askin’ fer--” 

She was interrupted by Kyrie tossing a small circle of bone onto the table. It was clean and eerily white in the dim office light. Around it was a leather band with a distinctive weave of beads. The Miqo’te lifted it up cautiously, eyes fixated on the ornament. “...Yer jus’ as unpredictable as they said.” 

Kyrie sat in her chair, resting her cheek on her hand as her elbow was moved to the top of her table. “This satisfies your people, I hope.” she answered coolly. “The way things were proceeding, the Adders would have been sent in force.” Her eyes narrowed. “I had a better solution.” The Miqo’te nodded in return.

“Aye, agreed.” She pocketed the bone and leather band and folded her arms. “I’ll spare ye my idle pleasantries, Captain. Me and my sisters’ll see to ours, and clear out the rest.” The hunter stalked back to the door and glanced back before she left. Alone again, Kyrie rested against the back of her chair and sighed.