Finding Family (Anjella)

Anjella decided it was probably in her best interest, at least for now, to avoid the main square. She'd spotted at least a half dozen of the town guard scattered throughout the crowd during the opening speeches and if any of them were stopping by that main gate into Sandpoint then word might spread quickly about her arrival and relations.

Based on the reactions of the guards at the gate, Anjella had a pretty good idea what sort of 'trouble' her cousin was likely in around town, and so she started circling the outside of the festival as it spread out down side streets and into smaller open spaces between the little neighbourhoods. All of Sandpoint could have fit inside just one district of Korvosa, maybe twice over, but still it took time to figure out the tangle of streets and paths off of the main roads. She was looking for gatherings of Varisians, sitting away from the main crowds, likely looking like absolute layabouts and ne'erdowells.

Mostly because that's exactly what the Sczarni were.

The gang, which is what the uninitiated in Varisian culture thought of it as, was widespread among the Varisian families, spreading along every Old Road and each pocket where the travelling folk found places of refuge. Most Varisians either acted like they didn't exist, or were more than happy to chew off the ears of anyone who seemed like a member, letting the thieves, thugs and smugglers know exactly how they betrayed the good will of their people. Some, though fewer, understood exactly why the Sczarni were who they were and did what they did - they were opportunists with little qualms about taking advantage of the folks who had encroached on Varisian lands.

Anjella's mother had always been the sort who would be more than happy to take a wooden spoon to the hide of a young Varisian making jokes about joining the Sczarni. Anjella, on the other hand, had had her dealings with them back in Korvosa. As she walked the Festival streets, browsing the various wares of travelling merchants and stopping to watch a game of tug of war between two bands of children, Anjella unconsciously cracked her knuckles thinking about Korvosa. Thinking about home.

Clearly mother had no idea what Jubrayl was up to, she thought. There's no way she would have suggested Sandpoint for my new home if she had known.

The whistle, shrill and taunting, came from nearby under the low eaves of a building. The alley was shadowed, but Anjella could easily make out the two lads lounging at it's entrance. They were barely more than boys, really, sporting the fresh wisps of a beard far to sparse to be worth anything and wearing colourful vests with daggers stuck in their wide belts. Each had a mop of shaggy, dark hair and the tanned skin of the People. One, sitting atop a barrel, had a gold hoop in his ear while the other standing next to him wore a patterned bandana about his neck.

"Hey, pretty bird," called the one with the earing in Varisian when she looked over. "Looks like you've just fluttered into town, neh? Come join us over here."

Anjella cocked an eyebrow, looking the two boys up and down as they chuckled to themselves.

"Come on, mama," the boy with the bandana said, swaggering slightly as he postured. "Why don't you come see what the kings of town can do for you, neh?" He winked and grabbed the crotch of his pants luridly. Several folks nearby scowled at him but kept walking. Likely the only one who had actually understood their Varisian catcalls had been a tall man who sneered in their direction but said nothing, instead crossing to walk up the opposite side of the street.

Anjella shook her head and let a besmirched smile slide onto her lips. If these two weren't actually young recruits of the Sczarni, they would likely at least know where she could find one. She took a breath and then walked over to the boys - something they clearly hadn't been expecting as their eyes got big. "Boys," Anjella replied in Varisian, "You’d catch more flies with real honey. Maybe you should be trying out your charms on girls your own age."

"What?" Gold Earring scoffed. "You're only a few years older than us, slag."

"Yeah. How about you show some respect, neh? We're not to be messed with. You should apologise," Bandana sneered.

Anjella frowned. It was surprising how fast these boys came back around. Maybe they actually were in the Sczarni... at the bottom...

"Call me that again and I'll box your ears, piglet," Anjella said to Gold Earring, then turned on Bandana. "And I don't apologise to snivelling little boys who don't know their cock from their pinkies."

"You bitch slag," Bandana said, grabbing at the dagger in his waistband. He yanked it out and managed to slash himself lightly across his bare stomach, his blue vest quickly staining with blood. "Fuck! Look what you made me do."

Anjella just barked a laugh.

"Pitivo," Gold Earring said cautiously, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to cut this slag," Bandana said. "No one talks to us that way."

He stepped forward, brandishing his dagger, and Anjella punched him right in the centre of his chest. His breath left him all at once in one audible, "Yop!" His eyes were wide as he choked for air, and while he was more concerned with breathing Anjella clapped a hand on either side of his head. Pitivo's eyes rolled up and he dropped, stunned into unconsciousness.

"You- you-" Gold Earring stammered, jumping up from the barrel. He had one hand on his own dagger, but didn't pull it.

Anjella pointed at him warningly. "He'll be fine," she said. "You know Jubrayl Vhiski?"

Gold Earring nodded and nervously licked his lips.

"Good," Anjella said. "Go find him. Your friend will stay with me."

When they came, Anjella was sitting on the barrel while Pitivo sat in front of her, his back to her seat with his hands tied behind him with his own vest. He was scowling, but his anger was the burn of embarrassment. Anjella was sitting with one foot resting on his shoulder to keep him sitting in place.

Gold Earring returned, followed quickly by a trio of Varisian men who certainly looked much more like the Sczarni Anjella was used to. Long black hair tied back, mustachios and goatees, with slick leathers and fancy boots. And certainly more than one dagger per person. The front one, a musclebound man with a shaved head and great curled mustachios, was clutching a knobby cudgel down by his side, while the other shorter man had a shortsword.

"This is her. Look, she stabbed Pitivo!"

The third man eyed Anjella and her captive, and gave a snort. He was of middling height, with a handsome face and well kept mustachio, and the hint of yesterdays stubble still on his cheeks. His dark hair was kept short on top, but long in the back, and he wore the finest coat of the three. More than anything though, Anjella could see he had the same eyes as her mother.

"Well, isn't this quite the sight," Jubrayl Vhiski said. "Unless I'm starting to slip, this looks like a message. Now who, young cousin, might the message be from, neh?"

Anjella shrugged, "Just trying to find you, cousin." She said it more pointedly, not in the way that Varisians sometimes greeted each other as one large family.

Jubrayl pouted his lips for a moment in thought, his brow creasing. His eyes trailed over her again, taking her in more completely, then focused on her face. "Many try and call me that," he said, eyes narrowing. "It's usually not true."

"Usually," Anjella said. She kicked Pitivo forward away from her, and he sprawled on the ground. "Things must be hard in this little town, cousin, if you all let boys run around calling themselves part of the family."

"Boss," the bald one with the cudgel grunted as he fingered his weapon. "You want me to teach this twig a lesson?"

Jubrayl sucked on his teeth, still deep in thought. Suddenly he snapped and pointed at Anjella. "Pallaseri! A lesson won't be needed, Nicul. This is my mother's cousin's girl, from out in Korvosa. What was it? Hold on, don't tell me... Anjella, neh?"

Anjella stood, "That's right. Anjella Pallaseri."

Jubrayl leapt forward and swept Anjella up in a surprisingly firm hug, pulling her away from the barrel and spinning her around once. "Haha! Cousin. Welcome, little Pallaseri." He set her down and took her by the shoulders, looking her up and down again. "It's been ages since I was out Korvosa way. And from what I remember, you were little more than a swaddled babe at the time."

"That's the way I heard it," Anjella said. "I got into a bit of trouble in Korvosa and mother sent me out here to find you."

"She did not," Jubrayl scoffed. "Your mother? She damn near took my head off when she found out her brother and I had joined the family."

"Wait, Uncle Ionel was in the family? I never knew that."

"Of course he was! He and I came up together, right up until he got religious, at least." Jubrayl looked around at the other men. "Anjella here is under my protection, neh? Spread the word to the family, anyone mistreats her and they'll answer to me."

"You got it, boss," Nicul, the big one, nodded. The shorter one with the shortsword just fingered a wad of chewing tobacco out of a small pouch and stuffed it behind his lip.

"But- but she stabbed me," Pitivo whined. Gold Earring had helped him up and they were standing off to the side.

"Looks to me like you cut yourself, you little squid," Jubrayl said. "Kept your knife in your belt again, didn't you? Gods and devils, go get yourself patched up, then go talk to Gressel. You'll be helping him for the rest of the day."

"But-" Pitivo started.

"Enough!" Jubrayl said, and made a cutting gesture with his hand. "Go, before I have Nicul teach you a lesson."

The two boys scampered off down the street away from the festival grounds. Jubrayl watched them go and sighed, then turned to his man with the shortsword. "Besnik, go make sure they actually get that cut treated. Then for fuck's sake, teach them how to pull a knife without cutting themselves. It's damned embarrassing."

"Mmm," the swordsman grunted, and set off.

"Well, cousin," Jubrayl said, turning back to Anjella with a smile. "My sincerest apologies for this less than auspicious welcome. You have come a long way."

"I have," Anjella said. "I took the Old Roads up and around."

"Alone?" Jubrayl cocked an eyebrow.

"Is that a problem?"

"No, of course not," he shook his head. As he did so he slid an arm through hers amiably and started walking them back towards the festival proper. "I've just been hearing things. Rumours, mostly. The Roads can be dangerous these days, especially for those who travel alone."

"I didn't have any troubles," Anjella shrugged. "Other than boredom, that is."

"Hah! Well, cousin, you've definitely spent too much time in cities if that's the case," Jubrayl said. "Come. Let's find us something to drink, and you can regale Nicul and I with your journey, and why exactly your mother sent you all this way."

Breakthebar erotica is powered by Patreon. PM if interested in making a Commission.