Dye Job, Part II

While Jon Chess waited for his new client named Dye to return, he sent letters to Lynesia, hi Ren'dorei mage lover and to Phredaria his forensics mage colleague, to inform them os his current case.  He had just posted them when his client returned. 

"Ready for a teleport to Dalaran?" Jon asked.  Some time ago, he had spent a fortune on a Kiron Tor-enchanted ring which allowed him to teleport himself and a few companions to the levitating city of mages.

"I am," Dye replied bravely, her composure seemingly restored. She carried a large haversack which Jon assumed was full of changes of clothes and other essentials.

Jon took Dye's luggage, placed his hands on her shoulder, and activated the teleportation magic in the ring. Once in Dalaran, it was a short jaunt to Phred's residence. Phrediara opened the door before Jon could knock.

"Well, you wasted no time!" said the gnome mage.  Phredaria was typical of her race in that she seemed far too cute to be real, with large blue eyes in a pretty face.  She had short red hair combed to the left.  Even her scowl looked cute and adorable.  

"Hello to you too, Phred... is this not a good time?  i can stash my client in another..." Jon had started to offer but was interrupted by Phredaria.  "No, its OK, Jon... I'll put her in the room you sometimes use, if that suits you."  Phred shot him a look that forestalled any objections or questions Jon might have made.

"That will be fine, Phred, I appreciate it," replied Chess.  He was grateful to have a colleague and friend like Phredaria.  

"You know the way.  I'm in the middle of something at the moment, so I'll let you get her settled in," Phred said, vanishing into her workroom.  Jon shrugged, and guided Dye to the bedroom she would use for the duration of her stay.  the room was dominated by the large four-poster canopied in the center of the back wall.  There was a chest at the foot fo the bed.  Jon entered the room.  Dye followed along dutifully, her eyes downcast, a small bag of sundries in hand. 

"Here we go.  You will sleep on the bed, I'll guard from here, next to the locked door," Chess informed her.

"I... you... I'd feel bad if you had to sleep on the floor. Maybe you could take the other side of the bed?" She offered in a deceptively chaste manner. 

"I won't be sleeping.  I'll be facing the door, on guard, in a chair," Chess informed. 'I can at least give you that much privacy,  I apologize I can't do more."

"Guarding... what, exactly?" she questioned. "I mean... I thought, the goal was to keep me from wandering off... if nobody has come after me in a week, they're not coming, right?"

"I don't take chances with my clients.  I can sit on the other side of the door if you like; the room has no windows."

"Not at all. No..." she frowned. "It's hardly a chance, we're in a mage's home, behind a locked door. You can sleep. Honestly." She rolled her eyes. "So... what's the plan now?"

"It is not that I won't sleep for your sake," Jon explained. "it is that I can't sleep at all."

"May I ask why?" she inquired.

Jon Chess ignored her question and answered the previous one. "The plan is I am going to ask some questions at the docks and see who paid off the guards to stay away; follow the money.  I will be sending copies of the sketch of the tattoo to my informants in SI:7 and the Kirin Tor.  Phred will, with your consent, perform some non-invasive diagnostics to learn more about the enchantments - what kind of magic, how powerful, and so on." having completed his answer, he addressed the other question. "As for why I cannot sleep... some time ago, I was captured and tortured by a group called the Crimson Cabal.  They had a shadow-priestess that did things to my psyche.  I can't sleep without nightmares, mostly." He omitted to mention that the shadow priestess had been trying to set Jon up as a weapon to kill Ren'dorei in Stormwind; there was no reason to needlessly alarm her.

Dye nodded her head. "Of course, whatever Phred needs." Dye paused. "I did... I do know... the name of the man the drugs might have been bought from..." She took a breath.

"Anything you can tell me would be helpful, Dye," said Chess.

"Wait... I have a..." she said, pausing again. "Firstly: I have a friend... maybe she can help with the sleeping. She's a very competent shadow-priestess. Secondly: the man's name might have been Clyde. All I know is that every Friday he's down on the docks selling drugs. Thirdly: you... um... one... effect of the tattoo is... I can be a bit... loud... at night... I apologize in advance."

"I will endure, Dye," Chess said. "Don't worry about me.  I may take you up on the offer of help after the case.  For now, lets focus on helping you."

"Thank you again," said Dye, nodding in acknowledgment. "I'll find a way to repay you, I promise. If not money, then something else."

"Let's worry about that after, too," Chess said.

"If you say so, sir. Anything else I should know?" Dye asked.

"yes.  No more 'sir' - my name is Jon."

She nodded her head. "Yes sir," she offered with a smile.

"...Jon. I think we're already a little too... intimate at this point for needless formalities, don't you think?"

Dye flushed darkly, her skin turning dark with the reminder. "I... yes... of course."

"Do you need anything?  Books?  A favorite drink?  Anything to make your segregation more bearable?" Chess asked.

She paused before answering. "Well... a... um... a toy would be nice... to take the edge off," she confessed. "I brought a book, and... a bottle of bourbon if I could talk you into it?" She fished around, dragging out a small coin-pouch. "At least let me get you something for expenses."

"Put your coins away; you might need it later," Chess said, and asked, alost shyly, "What book? I collect books."

Dye tugged the tome free from her bag, the thick text written in Thalassian and bearing an image of a dented and rusted crown on the cover. "A history of the kings of Silvermoon." She admitted.

"I wish I read and spoke Thalassian," commented Chess. "Well, at least it would last you a bit longer than my books, like [A Steamy Romance Novel: Of Elven Bondage]."

"I could... read my book to you? Tonight? Since you don't sleep anyway? It might be a nice distraction for me, too."

Chess smiled. "I would enjoy that, Dye"

Dye flushes quite darkly at that title of the book Jon had referenced. "I... I might borrow... that... later."

"I am happy to loan it to you - I have almost the complete set of Spearshaker's series of romance novels."

"Did... did you learn anything from it?" she asked bashfully.

"Yes.  That the author has never had to tie anyone up for real," Chess replied.

"That... wait... have you?" Dye questioned.

Chess nodded.  "I was a... scout during the Northrend campaign."

"Well... maybe... maybe you should tie me up when you leave... that way you wouldn't have to worry about me running off to try and... um... give in..." she suggested.

Now it was Chess' turn to blush.  "Well, let's try it the more comfortable way first."