Always

It was a particularly frigid night in Garlemald that was not unlike any other before. The winds howled outside of the Luculla estate as another storm slowly passed, blanketing the already snow-covered landscape in blinding sheets of both snow and ice that would make for another decent accumulation come the morning hours. On a night like this, the cerulean fuel burned brighter and the meals were served hotter. 

Since the lady of the house had been away for a longer than normal amount of time doing what she did best as a field engineer, Asharri saw more foot traffic coming and going that belonged to her father’s group of super soldiers that were from some next level resonant project that few knew about under certain chains of command. It was somewhat strange to her that her father had invited them into their home so openly, as she couldn’t quite remember outside of any formal gatherings the Lucullas might have hosted when he had been so welcoming to the prior Frumentarius group that fell under his charge. In all honesty, perhaps that was what initially made the daughter of such an esteemed commander not all that enthused about this new group. 

What did they know about this line of work that wasn’t handed to them on a silver platter? Did they need an extra pat on the back to feel more special with these new abilities?

The very notion made Asharri scoff and turn up her nose. How dare they trot around her family home as if they also owned the place. Like they were held in even higher esteem to her father than she herself. He wouldn’t have even allowed her to consider volunteering for such a dangerous project, not that she would have had an inkling of interest in doing so in the first place. She was good as she was. A talented sharp-shooter and tactician in her own right who worked the strings of a double agent almost flawlessly - and that was saying something for a Garlean of pureblood since they tended to stick out like sore thumbs as it was. 

While her father had long retired for the evening, Asharri lingered downstairs in the dining hall where this trio of obnoxious souls carried on in drink and shit talking. Keeping to herself as she mostly did, the Luculla younger entertained herself with obvious eavesdropping while she cleaned her rifle and drank copious amounts of liquor herself. Most of their conversations had revolved around the traitor, Arcuris Rilanox, which was not anything she hadn’t heard before as her father did bring her on to help in tracking him down for them - but the way the woman, Sevata, spoke of him made her skin crawl.

“We would have made the perfect team in more ways than one,” the dark haired woman sighed over her glass of whiskey she had been nursing. “Now I have no choice in killing him. Couldn’t even get a taste first…”

“Damn, Sevata - you really need to stick a nail in that coffin already,” Umbranas shook his head before plowing down another glass of liquoring. “It wouldn’t have happened when we were all on better terms and it sure as hell isn’t going to happen now.”

Sevata smirked, her eyes narrowing upon Umbranas in what bordered between fury and yet strangely, delight as she licked her lips, “Never say never. Even if we finally captured and bound him… he would eventually crumble under my hand and give in just before the inevitable end. You all saw the way he used to look at me.” 

“I think that’s all in that deranged head of yours,” Asharri scoffed loudly, her eyes fixated upon her gun as she started putting it back together now that all of the pieces were shiny and pristine just how she liked. Her sudden comment brought a chuckle out of Umbranas and even a smirk on Cassius’s lips even as he kept his back to the group, content with staring out the window and down that nose of his. 

“Excuse me?” Sevata slammed her hands onto the table and stood up, staring down at the blonde opposite her with solely fury in her gaze. She was quite bold for someone so much shorter than everyone here. “You think I won’t kick your ass just because you’re the Decurion’s daughter?”

Asharri didn’t bother looking up as she continued piecing together the last bits of her gun in lightning quick speeds that told the tale that she had done this task more times than she’d ever care to admit. “No. I really don’t,” she replied unenthusiastically. “So which is it, Sevata? Do you want to fuck Arcuris or kill him? You can’t have both.”

Umbranas gave Sevata a stern eye that suggested that she settle down, which she only did after suddenly barking out in laughter and hastily grabbed the bottle of liquor, “You have balls. I’ll give you that. Probably why you’re so damned jealous of me anyway. What did I do? Take your daddy’s attention away from you for once?”

Both Umbranas and Cassius slowly turned their heads and looked from Sevata to Asharri before Cassius finally interjected in that nasal, pompous fashion of his, “I think that is quite enough. If we wake the Decurion, it will be all of our heads - as if Sevata’s headache-inducing voice isn’t enough of a ringing bell.”

Sevata snarled, tossing the glass bottle for Cassius. As the glass shattered near his head, a narrow-miss, the man didn’t flinch or shy the slightest hint of fear in being hit. Instead, he only sighed wearily and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you really want a piece of me, Cassius?” Sevata rounded the table and moved before him, breathing heavily like some rabid creature. 

“Cassius is correct. That will be enough now,” the sound of a gun-click was heard as Asharri aimed her pistol at Sevata and only smirked. “Sleep it off. Don’t do something you’re going to regret in the morning, hm?”

Umbranas moved to his feet and to Sevata’s side in an effort to calm her - his large frame doing the trick, “I think we’ve all had enough to drink anyway, don’t you think? We’ll be unable to find Arcuris if we all kill each other here and the Decurion’s daughter is our best eyes and ears for finding him.”

Biting back her tongue, Sevata agreed silently to Umbranas’s words and turned hastily to excuse herself out into the dark hall where special quarters were arranged for the trio. Umbranas decided to stay behind and clean up the broken glass alongside Asharri, whereas Cassius elected to pour himself another glass from a new bottle unbothered. With the rattled cage that was Sevata out of the room, all seemed to breathe a little easier - even Asharri who knew that that woman could break her in half if she had the chance. 

Perhaps there was simply a thrill in riding that line for her whenever the opportunity arose.

–

@voidtekarc​ mentions.

The image behind, "if my tongue doesn't say it, my face definitely will."

​

“Eh? A knock at the door? Whomever could it be at this hour?”

“So, you’re the guy who has been helping the Rilanox family? Don’t suppose you have room for one more?”

“Oh, this is getting ridiculous. My home is not a Garlean half-way house.”

“Trust me, guy. There are plenty of other places I would rather be right now.”

“…!”

“Name’s Ash, by the way. I’m sure Arc mentioned me? Anyway, where do I sleep, little guy?”

“Little guy? You do realize you’re not much taller than I am and you are a Garlean, right?”

“Tch. Careful now. Arcuris is the more reasonable one out of the two of us for what it’s worth mentioning.”

“…oh, joy…”

@asharri​​ my alt and mentions of @voidtekarc​.

One of those rare off-duty moments. 

(via ca89feca75a4194df49c21bdfb48a0a7.jpg (564×789))

Kerri Ann Hoskins, who played Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 3 and 4, recently donned the Sonya outfit again.

She looks amazing for 52 years old.