Fuchsia and the Red Queen

Fuchsia Fessaj

Fuchsia Fessaj walked through the decorative wall and in to her Mistress’ parlor, quite beside herself with excitement. The medium sized room was lavish with rich red tapestries on the walls with equally luxuriant carpets on the floor thick enough that Fuchsia could dig her sharp claws into. She purred thinking of it and her success for the Red Queen. 

Fuchsia noted a large desk at the far end of the room where papers, pens and inks sat with the look of recent use. To Fuchsia’s left was a thick ornate closed door to the bedchambers and to the cat-woman’s right was a archway and a balcony that allowed in a faint Mediterranean breeze; the sounds of faint lapping water reached Fuchsia’s sensitive ears. Fuchsia was anxious to report the information she was tasked to bring to the Red Queen, but curiosity compelled the cat-woman and she padded quietly across the thick carpet to the stout desk.

Fuchsia Fessaj looked carefully at the messages, none of them contained any new information about the Warehouse fighter Lete Cordasco but judging from what was contained in these messages, her Mistress was not the only individual in Malta curious about the gladiator or his companions it would seem. The sound of her mistress’ voice broke Fuchsia from her thoughts...

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Nysurnu Mithna inherited her deadly cunning from family traditions and well paid tuitors, deadly with small hidden weapons Nysurnu is most formidable when he employs her seductions, preferring to strike at her opponents when their guard is down. Known as the Red Queen in the Maltese fighting circuit; she has the ability to see potential in others and therefore employs a cadre of dangerous fighters and savvy workers which has allowed her a very comfortable living.

Up until now there has always been equilibrium in the fighting circuit, a status quo the Red Queen had relied on. Now she sees that balance in jeopardy and with it her rich Mediterranean lifestyle. 

Dom Mintoff, Nysurnu’s rival in the Maltese circuit, had recently landed an Italian gladiator- a newcomer to Malta who did not travel alone. She quickly found out she was not the only one curious about the newcomers. She called in some favors, discovering these individuals were fast heroes but it was information from Fuchsia Fessaj she anticipated the most about Dom's fighter...

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The Red Queen

Nysurnu bathed under the open night sky on a private balcony that overlooked Paola, she loved this place and all the opulence that came with it. Intricate candles burned at regular intervals while exotic oils enriched her spring bath water; she let the water cool before she emerged from the marble tub. The cool Mediterranean air was exhilarating on her cool wet skin, the feeling made her close her eyes and exhale audibly drinking in the richness of the moment.

When the Red Queen opened her eyes she reached for her clothes and saw Fuchsia Fessaj holding out familiar Egyptian silk robes as to aid her mistress in dressing.

“Gratitude.” She simply said to Fuchsia putting her lithe arms through each sleeve before tying the wide sash at her narrow waist and covering her head.

“Fuchsia Fessaj has come to her Red Queen with information.”

The cat-women spoke, it was not anything Nysurnu did not already know; the man's irregular comings and goings, his prowess at the Warehouse fight club- that is until the end. “The brawler is also coincidentally romantically involved with your sister’s daughter Melissa.”