The two elven women brought Tamsin & Bo to what was the leaders' cabin. They had both been sat down at a wooden table, which spread from one end of the room to the other. The two elves stood either side of the women, watching their every move. Before entering, Elen had alerted one of the other elves, whispering something in his ear. Bo imagined she had asked him to inform their leader of their arrival. The cabin was larger than the others, obviously it was used for meetings and council sessions. A fire at the opposite end of the wooden room crackled and gave the walls a comfortable glow. Bookcases lined one side of the cabin, with old tattered books packed inside.
Tamsin grew impatient. These damn elves knew how to keep a girl waiting, and if they didn't hurry up then she would have to go full Valkyrie on them. First the truck, then the Succubus keeling over and now the elves made them play the waiting game. It was fate that was stopping Tamsin from getting this task over and done with as quick as possible. The blonde clenched her jaw in frustration and sighed, looking to the side at Elen. "How much longer is this going to take, exactly?"
Bo was surprised that the blonde had said anything. She could feel that the Valkyrie was becoming restless, irritated that they were made to wait. If the Succubus was honest with herself, she started to feel the same. But with her feeding off of the blonde recently, she had the strength to disguise her emotions. Bo wet her lips at the thought of her feed and looked down at the table, waiting for the Elen's response.
"The Seer has been on a trip to a neighbouring village." She grumbled to Tamsin. "He will take as long as he needs to. He doesn't answer to you."
Tamsin rolled her eyes and attempted to stand up, however Melui pushed her back down, her hand firmly gripping Tamsin's shoulder. Tamsin growled irritably and shrugged her hand off of her.
The Succubus was worried that Tamsin's impatience would get the better of her. Bo looked up to Tamsin, who was glaring at Melui now, and Bo was sure she was going to turn full Valkyrie. "Hey…" Bo placed her hand gently on the blonde's arm.
The Valkyrie's gaze snapped to the brunette as her glare turned towards Bo. "What?" She snapped, but not pulling her arm away from the Succubus' touch.
"It's okay, I'm sure he'll be here soon." She let her hand slide down the blonde's arm, "We'll find out where it is soon, then you can get your answers and I can get mine, right?" Bo tried to calm the Valkyrie, but wasn't sure she was getting through. She didn't want to send her charms through the Valkyrie, because she knew that the blonde would probably realise what she was up to and left hook her. Unsure of whether Tamsin appreciated her touch, she removed her hand and let it fall into her own lap.
Tamsin sighed through gritted teeth. "They're stalling for something." Her eyes darted to the brunette's hand as she watched her almost caress her arm. She thought she was about five seconds away from breaking Bo's hand, but when Bo retreated a part of her wanted her to return the touch again. Tamsin looked back up at Bo, and sighed again. She relaxed slightly. "I just don't have time to be playing games right now."
Bo tilted her head in confusion. "Why? What is it you've got to hurry for?" She was concerned about Tamsin's choice of words. The last time she knew the Valkyrie, Tamsin was at the end of her life cycle and dying. She recalled one of her Kitsune friends pulling out a clump of Tamsin's hair, indicating the last stage of her life cycle. Tamsin couldn't be at the end of this life cycle already, was she? Valkyrie were supposed to live for an age before they met their end, right? Tamsin was so secretive in her past life, she wouldn't even be able to guess at why the blonde was in such a rush.
The blonde narrowed her gaze and looked away from the brunette. Did Bo really expect her to have an in depth conversation just like that? Tamsin may have allowed the Succubus to feed off of her but it didn't make them instantly best friends. "None of your business, Succubus." She folded her arms and grit her teeth again. "Just the sooner we get this done, the better."
The leader finally decided to show himself. Entering the cabin, he walked past both Bo and Tamsin and sat opposite them. He was an elderly man, wrinkles covering his face and his hands. He was quite a tall man, his hair grey and cascading down his back. Unlike the majority of the elves that they had seen already, he was not adorned in any armour. Instead he wore robes that draped on the floor, fur outlining the hem. He rested his hands on either side of his chair and sighed, examining the two women sat opposite him.
Tamsin wanted to get up and hit him but she knew that either one of the elves stood behind them would stop her somehow. She watched as the head elf relaxed into his chair, watching the two women intently. She wondered, just what it was that he was trying to figure out about them. Then, he spoke up.
"Why is it that a dark Valkyrie and an unaligned Succubus come to my land?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
The two elves behind Bo and Tamsin looked at each other in confusion. "A Valkyrie…" Melui murmured in shock, almost inaudibly.
Bo looked at Tamsin, unsure of the man sat opposite. When she realised the blonde was too busy glaring at the elder elf she looked back to him "How did you know…?"
The elder let out a laugh, amused by Bo's words. Coughing soon after, he sighed. "Answer my question."
Tamsin held her glare on the elder. She always did hate elves. "He's a Seer. They can read people, they can see certain things that other people can't." The Valkyrie educated the Succubus, unsure of why the brunette didn't pick up on that herself earlier. She then directed her attention to the leader once more. "We're looking for an amulet. Apparently it was last seen here, stolen from its rightful owner?" She folded her arms, watching the elder carefully.
The old man nodded his head, thankful of an honest answer. He tapped his fingers on the chair, thinking carefully. "My people are not thieves, Valkyrie." He leant is head to the side, and gave another sigh. "Amulets, amongst other jewellery are popular trade here. It is possible the item you seek has passed through here at one point. It would be difficult to say without having a better description of the amulet."
"It was mined by Dark elves? Elders?" Bo recalled, trying to remember the exact words Evony told them. "It uh, has a ruby in it." She paused, trying to get its name right. "It's called something like Tan-ager?" She shook her head, "Tornages." She shrugged. "Something along those lines, anyway." Tamsin would have offered some help if she could, but even when the Morrigan had given her the description she too couldn't pronounce its name.
Without even entertaining searching his memory for an amulet of that description, the elven leader shook his head to dismiss their description. "No. I've not heard of such an item." He shrugged in his chair and raised his hand towards the entrance. "There, you have an answer. So leave."
Tamsin narrowed her eyes and growled. "Liar." She knew that he hadn't even entertained Bo's words. She smirked. "Think."
Bo blinked at Tamsin's direct accusation. She too of course, had the feeling that the elder wasn't being entirely truthful. "What my friend means to say is, any information you could give us would be really helpful." She tried to recover, hoping that the old man didn't take offense.
The elder grunted and dropped his hand back down to the chair. He shook his head in dismay. "Disrespectful." The Seer let out a laugh. "But then what else should I expect from a Valkyrie? You're all the same."
"I'm glad I meet your expectations then." Tamsin snapped back, not caring about the opinion he held for her. "Just tell us what we need to know."
He shook his head again and sighed. "What is it that you have to trade?" He gave them a smile, knowing that they would probably have nothing. "I do not give information to outsiders for free. Especially when one of them is a harbinger of death."
Bo felt uneasy watching the two almost argue. It became evident to the Succubus that something had happened between the Elves and the Valkyrie, by the fact that the elder mentioned the blonde's race frequently. Maybe not the blonde personally he had a problem with, but certainly her people. The Succubus felt she couldn't speak up, for fear of interrupting their sparring match.
The blonde scoffed and looked away, her tongue licking her teeth. "To trade?" She looked back to him and glared. She stood up, and again the elf girl behind her went to push her down. This time, the blonde turned and punched Melui straight in the face, the force knocking the girl out instantly. As the redhead hit the floor, Elen growled and made an attempt to grab Tamsin. The blonde saw her coming and evaded her, kicking the chair out of the way.
The Succubus got up as soon as she saw the Valkyrie's actions. "Tamsin, what are you doing?" She knew that this probably wouldn't go in their favour at all.
Tamsin and Elen were stood facing each other, both with a smirk on their face and both read to rip the other apart. Elen took out her dagger, ready to plunge it into the blonde. Tamsin sighed and tilted her head. "That won't help you." Her eyes turned black, her face now looking more skeletal. Immediately, Elen's expression changed from determined to unsure, and a look of fear deep in her eyes. Elen started to back away, her steps shaking and light, as if she were unsure that there would be a floor to back onto. Tamsin started to move forward. "There's an easy way out of this." The blonde coaxed. "I think you know what to do." Elen raised her dagger slowly towards her own neck, fear drenching her hues, her lips quivering but unable to speak.
Bo didn't see the Valkyrie's expression, but she knew exactly what was happening. The expression that Elen had on her face was the same fearful expression Dyson had on his face when Tamsin used her abilities on him. Only this time, Tamsin intended on hurting the girl rather than just scaring her into a corner. "Tamsin…" Bo whispered, her own voice shaking slightly. She couldn't let this happen. Tamsin was going to ruin her chances of finding out how to get her own Valkyrie back, without the elder's advice, she would never get the answers she needed. The brunette grabbed the blonde's arm, forcing her to face the Succubus instead of the girl.
Instantly the brunette Elf fell to the floor unconscious, her dagger falling next to her before she could harm herself.
Tamsin's face reverted back to her regular baby blues as she glared at the Succubus. "What are you doing?" She growled, irritated that the brunette would stop her. Bo simply stared back, and when Tamsin saw fear in Bo's eyes her gaze softened. Eventually everybody found out that the blonde was a monster. But every time she saw that look in their eyes, her heart broke a little.
Out of nowhere, the elder started to applaud the two, his hands slowly meeting each other. "Excellent show. But knocking two of my best scouts out will not be an acceptable trade." He wasn't fazed at all by the Valkyrie's actions, in fact it was much like had expected her to act that way.
The blonde looked away from Bo and towards the elder again, in part because she didn't want to look at Bo's expression any longer. "I would have killed them." She told him, turning her body so she was completely facing them. "If it weren't for the Succubus, they'd be dead right now." She folded her arms. "So, take their lives as trade, or I'll make sure they don't get up."
Bo stared at Tamsin, wondering who it was she was stood in front of. Was this really the same woman she met all those months ago? Is this what she was like before she met Bo? Would she really hurt an innocent person? Well, she was Dark after all… Bo sighed when the blonde's gaze change. It was like the Valkyrie knew she had overstepped the mark. If the old Tamsin could change, then so could this one. Like the blonde, she turned to face the elder.
The old man laughed again. "Do you think your friend would let you do that?" He shook his head, "I doubt it."
Tamsin smirked. "She's not my friend, and she knows when not to intervene. All we're asking for is information. So give it to us."
Bo frowned when Tamsin dismissed her as a friend, but chose not to comment.
The elder didn't say anything for a few moments, instead he let his mind tick. He grunted and sighed, knowing that with both his scouts knocked out that he was outnumbered. As much as he hated it, the blonde was right. "Fine." He grumbled, holding his hand out and gesturing towards the chairs. "Sit." Both women did, Tamsin having to pick hers up from the floor first. "I believe you're searching for Taurnagar." He started. "You were right in saying it was last seen here, because it hasn't left."
Both Tamsin and Bo's eyes widened slightly. The blonde's stomach jumped. Her short lived patience seemed to have paid off, she was expecting to be sent off to another location after this ridiculous jewellery. To say she was glad she wouldn't have to endure another god knows how long travel with the Succubus, she smiled. Bo was equally as grateful, but a part of her sank, knowing that she wouldn't be spending as long with the Valkyrie as she thought.
The elder opened his robe slightly at the top, unveiling an amulet that hung around his neck. It was silver, and glinted in the light that was emitted from the fireplace. Like the Morrigan had described, there was a ruby in the centre of it. It was beautiful, no wonder the Morrigan wanted it back. "If you want it, you will definitely have to give something to me in return."
Neither of them brought anything, of course. They hadn't expected to trade anything for the amulet. Valkyrie considered attacking the old man in front of her, but doubted that she would be able to do so without the Succubus intervening and having to fight her too. If she hurt her, then the Morrigan most likely wouldn't give her the answers she needed. Then, the blonde had an idea. She reached down in her boot and unsheathed her own dagger. Bo saw her movements and shot her a glare.
"Don't." She whispered, thinking the blonde was going to throw it at the elder.
Tamsin scowled at her and shook her head, sitting up properly with her dagger firmly in her hand. With her free hand she untied her hair, allowing it to fall down neatly over her shoulders. She raised the blade to her hair, and cut a small lock of hair away in one neat cut. She put the blade back into her boot, and then twisted the lock around so that no strand of hair would go free. Bo looked on in confusion, wondering what on earth the Valkyrie was doing. The only thing she could think of was that her loose hair now reminded her of when she last saw her at the compound. She frowned at the thought, but quickly dismissed it as she watched the Valkyrie's next moves.
"A lock of Valkyrie hair?" The elder's eyes widened slightly as he leant forward, showing the first sign of interest in their conversation. He wet his lips, to which Tamsin smirked and laid the lock down on the table.
"Come on, old man." She smirked and tilted her head. "Even you can't refuse that."
It was true. Valkyrie hair was like gold dust, sold on black markets for thousands and used as a remedy for many Fae races. It was rumoured that it could even prevent a Valkyrie from using their powers on it's owner, but of course never proven because the Valkyrie were a dying race now. "Consider it a deal. Taurnagar for that lock right there." He was like a child on Yule day, his eyes were that wide. He took the amulet from his chest and threw it down the table towards the two women. Bo took the amulet and Tamsin pushed her lock of hair forwards.
"I guess that's it then!" Bo smiled, standing up. She had been surprised that the elder was so eager to give up an amulet as beautiful as this one for a lock of hair. "Enjoy your… hair?" She shrugged and watched the man clamber to his feet and retrieve the lock, twisting it between his bony fingers. Tamsin followed Bo's lead and stood to watch the man.
"Pathetic." She murmured, turning her back on the scene and leaving. Bo followed her, surprised about how easily he had given up the amulet after Tamsin's trade. At least now she could find out how to get the old Tamsin back, and get the answers she needed.