A Surprise at the Market

Eldunar walked through the markets, with his guards around him; evenly. He was making his daily rounds around the city, making sure everyone was happy with his proxy reign, and making sure that none of his citizens had a problem. If they did, by some small chance, have a problem with something, it would be Eldunar's job to find out what the problem was in particular, and then find the best possible solution for it. An utterly pointless and boring job at that, but it was important, and Eldunar understood and respected that. It also helped that Owlan not only asked--because Eldunar very highly respected his brother--and that Owlan was also paying him a large sum of cash to take the job.

Eldunar walked through the markets; it was just like every other day, boring and uneventful. Eldunar was proud that Owlan had taken his job seriously, and had made everyone happy in his reign--good Fire Lords, at least those as good as Owlan, have not been seen since Fire Lord Katsuro. Eldunar sighed, and scanned the markets one final time before preparing to turn the corner to check on the tourists quarter of the city, when all of sudden he felt a shoulder slam into his chest, and he hit the ground. He had bumped into someone.

Init was running away quickly and swift, almost unnoticeable in the big crowd. If she would just be able to get off the market place, she would be a free woman, but this time, a free woman with a nice, large chunk of bread.
Ember Island, she often came her, sneaking onto boats to receive a free trip. Stealing food was easier here, the citizens were nicer and she considered being on Ember Island as a small vacation.
Also, stealing on Ember Island was a piece of cake. It probably had something to do with the 'vacation-aura' people had around here. As if there were no thieves here. Pouches were left unguarded, doors were often left unlocked.

Just as she turned her head around to see, if they had already noticed something was stolen she bumped into a man slamming his chest. The man fell on the ground. She looked around and saw guard, too many guards. Nobility, she thought, and she quickly managed to hide the bread in her jacket. She stood still, she didn't really know about Ember Island Nobility and what to do or say, as for running into fire nation Nobility was as rare as finding a Komodo-Rhino without any horns. She just stood still and stared at the man, which she could imagine wasn't very polite at all, but she couldn't help it. The few times she did 'run' into Nobility in the Fire Nation she had a completely worked out plan, something she obviously didn't have right now. She decided to bow towards the man, stretching her right hand and holding it on top of her left hand that was making a fist. She tried to find the neatest words she could find and spoke while glancing at the quit dangerously looking guards.
"My dearest apologies sir, I did not mean to bump into you like that. I hope I did not disturb any of your business."
She could only hope this was good enough, and that she had shown some manners.

Eldunar stood up and held off the guards; for now. Eldunar needed to do some calculating. The first thing that was off about this girl was that she was too pale, she didn't look local. If she was local her skin would be much tanner. And if she was a tourist, there would signs of a tan coming in, she was from the mainland that much was for sure. This point was reinforced by the fact that she didn't dress like a local either; she was dressed in tight fitting clothes, with long pants and long sleeves. If she was a local or a tourist she would be wearing much looser, lighter clothes that would be made of a more breathable material; ideal for heated areas such as this.

Further more she was running, now what was she running to? From? Why the need to run? No one here ran, they were on vacation, they had no need to run. Something wasn't right, and Eldunar wanted to figure out what. So far he had that this girl was mainland, by the look of her clothes middle to lower class, and not particularly inclined to vacationing if she didn't feel like relaxing, and she was running. That was enough for Eldunar to at least take her to his palace for questioning. "Guards! Apprehend her!" he said calmly, "I want to take her in for questioning. Everyone else go back to your daily business, this is a royal matter, it does not involve you." Everyone went back to what they were doing, and Eldunar smiled as he watched the soldiers move in to arrest the girl. Finally something interesting, he wondered how this would play out...

Init took a step back as she saw the guards coming towards her rapidly. She heard the man's words en felt anger boil up inside her. He was ruining her whole day. She wasn't actually very fond of getting arrested again. Not that she would not escape, but it still was pretty annoying.
" You can't do this! " she snapped as the guards grabbed hold of her arms on both sides " I'm innocent! "
That of course was a blatant lie, but she didn't really mind that. Instead she stared fiercely in the eyes of the man now looking down on her as the guard held her firmly and pushed her down.
" Just a nobleman, nothing more, " she hissed and she spit on the ground in front of him " Nothing more than a monkey, a puppet and a pet. Who dressed you up like that, your mommy?"
It wasn't exactly the smartest thing to say or do when you were facing a man who clearly had a lot more power than you and with guards swarming all around you.
But somehow the man had looked quit amused about her getting arrested. She figured out that she might as well could make his day.

" What a cute little pet-monkey you would be. " She grinned, as she struggled with the guards who were seriously harassing her now. When one of the guards starting pinching her arms really hard a small flame escaped from her nostrils as she squinted. She was getting pretty mad right now. Again struggling to keep her head up she gave the man a sarcastic glare. He wasn't ugly at all, although he was tanned and a few years older.
" Does the little pet monkey wants to play? " she sent him her sweetest smile untill one of the guards pushed her head down as a clear sign that the conversation was over.

Eldunar laughed, "I grew up in a house with three other siblings and a master who was more vulgar than yourself on insults," he said smiling, "You'll have to do better. I'm taking you in for questioning, and your struggling is making it harder and harder for me to think your innocent. Now, if you don't like it, then I'm sure my brother Owlan, the Fire Lord, can come join us during this little interrogation session, would his guards be more sufficient for you?" Eldunar wouldn't really call Owlan, he was away at the Summit, and even still Eldunar wouldn't bother him with something this small. The girl was trying to get a rise out of him, why deprive her of her fun? He felt bad he had to take her into custody, and under different circumstances she might actually be quite pretty, but he had no choice, it was his duty, and he was bound to it.

"If it will make you feel better I'll have a lunch prepared for you while I'm asking you questions," said Eldunar, "Spirits know how long it's been since you've eaten; I can hear your stomach from here." Eldunar kept walking, as he did he kept thinking, and scanning the girl, and something caught his eye, a sudden buldge in her form. It was too big to be her breasts, and it wasn't moving so it wasn't an animal. Whatever it was, Eldunar would confront her about it when she was being questioned, there was no need to provoke and escape just yet. If it indeed turned out she was innocent, at least the meal would be somewhat of a compensation for what he was about to do, and if she wasn't, it would be an interesting day none the less.

"Damnit" Init thought, as her mind quickly rushed to think of any solution. There was none, except for the truth. Maybe the man would pity her. He could forgive her for once. A debt maybe. After all, it was just bread. And it was Ember Island, the people were rich and wealthy over here. They didn't really care about a missing bread.
" Fine, take me with you then. " She murmured, so only he and his guards could here him " But I want that meal."

She would have to tell him the truth. Tell him that she was nothing more than a rat, spit out by society, begging and stealing, always hungry or drunk. Tell him that she was actually to smart to be a real rat, a happy rat. Tell him that she wanted more.
The man did seem to enjoy al the fuzz though and she raised her voice, making sure the entire market could hear here clearly.
" I am nothing but an innocent woman and a loyal citizen, only forced to my evil deeds, I hereby surrender myself to your humble guardians of peace!"
She snickered on the inside. She would give him exactly what he wanted. A little bit of drama never hurt anyone.

The man had spoken about the Firelord though, either that ment he was bluffing, or he was not just Nobility but Royal. She had seen him scan her body though, feeling slightly molested, but also very intrigued. Men didn't look at her. But he did, although she had the feeling he was looking for something more rather than scanning her exterior.

When the guards ordered her to follow the man, she quickly obeyed, now a little bit interested in what might follow.

"You can save it for the interrogation," said Eldunar, "No one here really cares what you are, you're innocent until proven guilty, be you a street rat, commoner or noble. Everyone here is treated the same under my rule." Eldunar walked up the steps, still smiling. This girl was interesting, and stubborn, and she definitely knew how to put on a show. Eldunar had a feeling she knew that he was looking for a little action in his day, and her drama was perfect, in fact, in private, Eldunar would probably laugh along and thank her. Perhaps later...but for now, he had a job to do, and that came first.

One the two of them would reach the dining room, it would be just him, good cop and bad cop wrapped up in one. Eldunar almost always did interrogations alone, because he connected with the people more than the guards would. THey would prefer to yell, and rough up the citizens and scare them into talking. That wasn't Eldunar's game, he preferred to dine them with fine food and wines and such, and talk to them as if they were a dinner guest, not even about the case. Eldunar was known for asking about their life, how they grew up, their family, their likes and dislikes. Eventually the person would either get fairly drunk from all the wine, or so comfortable in Eldunar's presence that they would forget why they were there, and begin to talk to Eldunar like he was their friend. That's when they would let something slip, and he would have them.

The beauty of his method was that if the person was innocent, and in fact had done nothing wrong, then there was no harm done to them. They were free to leave, and with a full stomach and a satiated wine pallet. Where as with the guards, animosities would be thick, and apologies would need to be given. Besides, Eldunar had made many good friends through his interrogations, and who knows, maybe he would find another one in this girl. Guilty or not, Eldunar felt she would make a great friend.

( OOC: Sorry it took me so long, went to a party and wasn't at home for 2 days.)

Init walked behind the man, flanked by two guards and a bunch of guards swarming around her like eagles. Their stressed movements made her extremely nervous. Most likely the guards didn't often have someone to arrest. That would explain their excitement about something so small. She wasn't innocent, she knew that, and the man probably knew too.

" Would you guys cut that out please. " She snapped at the guards " I'm not stupid enough to try to kill your 'master'."
She put an extra sarcastic tone on the word master. People like these guards were like slaves to her, running around for other people, bowing for there every command. It sickened her. How could anyone want to participate in such actions. Even if you were paid. It was just plain unfair. She would never become like that. She would never simply bow to someone because the person was Nobility or Royal. She was a troublemaker in the Fire Nation, and she was known too. 'till now she always was said to be innocent in the end, or other. If only they knew.

She kept on walking behind the man, wondering if he would take her to the palace. A real palace, she had never seen one, at least not on the inside.

Eldunar knew by the way this girl was protesting that she definitely knew he was looking for some action. There was no doubting anymore. She could sense it in the guards movements, anyone could, they moved like a disorganized swarm of bees. It irritated Eldunar, as it made their moved predictable, but h would have to live with it he supposed. It wasn't that he blamed them, it's not like anything happened on Ember Island. Eldunar would have to train them a little later though, maybe hold a seminar, or ask Owlan to train all of his soldiers he sent to Ember Island, instead of just sending him the older ones or the new recruits.

It made the soldiers lazy, and then when they were shipped off to the Light Kingdom for a tour of duty against the Anti-Monarchy Rebellion, they would be killed because they weren't used to action. At least the older ones had a sense of what it meant, so they would be less likely to die, but the young ones, the new recruits, they were the ones Eldunar worried about.

Finally, Eldunar and the soldiers had reached the palace, and he lead the soldiers to the dining hall. It was a room made completely of yellow, red and grey stone. The table was red, as were the chairs--which were draped with red and gold cloths bearing the Fire Nation Emblem--an upper balcony which lead off to several different hallways surrounded the room. Eldunar sat at the head of table, and the soldiers sat the girl best him to his left, and then exited the room. As Eldunar sat, he waved his hand at the girl. "What is your name?" he asked, and then pulled out a quill and parchment from his robes, as well as an inkwell, "And do not lie, as I all be honest with you I expect the same in reciprocal."

Init gasped when she walked into a room in the palace. She had never seen something this beautiful. She was ordered to sit down at the left side of the man, and obeyed without hesitating, still flabbergasted.
The man asked her name, she couldn't lie, he would find out anyway. He really wasn't just nobility, he was indeed royalty. She looked around the room once more, and then it struck her. The palace, the guards, the robes, this was not just any royalty: this was The Regent Lord of Ember Island. She swallowed, her voice heavy.

" Init, Init Araw."

She had gotten herself into one damn situation. If he would find out how many times she had been acquitted from her crimes, there would probably be a more thorough investigation and she would spend the rest of her life in jail. Her only goal right now was to make sure he thought she had just stolen the bread, and didn't go after more information. The best way was to be honest, she guessed. If he didn't suspect she was lying, she could survive all of this. If not, she would have to escape and fight her way out. She started stretching her fingers and hands.

Her stomach rumbled again and she stared at the tabletop. Although she was planning on being honest about stealing the bread, she absolutely had no intention of sharing anything else with the Regen Lord.