The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Daxia, Bekkah, Darian, Cesare, Camelia, Kadri and Longtooth and Elisa
The barmaids, Jake's family, were already clearing away the breakfast bowls by the time all had collected back into the commons hall of the Hart and Horse. All except Mikal and Celi; they had not been seen since yesterday afternoon on a fast cart bound westward.
Breakfast was simple; breads and a hot porridge spiced with cinnamon and chopped apples. The best part about it was that it was good, filling and hot against the cold night. The commons hall actually seemed quiet and calm, as if it were just any other morning in any other town.
"Are you sure miss? I mean if it's bad we can be taking it away and all ..."
Elisa sat quietly at one of the tables, looking down into her meal. She drew her cloak tight about her, barely picking at her meal. She was quiet and definitely groggy, as if still storm clouded by the events of the last two days.
"No, it's fine."
And perhaps that was the problem; it was a touch too quiet, a touch too calm.
The usual raucousness of a mercenary morning was subdued; perhaps even a touch professional. The townsfolks, they sat in
tight groups, their conversations guarded - even from the friendly members of the Horde and especially from strangers to the
town.
Even among the Horde themselves. Her morning tasks and worship completed, Dandelion Koromov leaned against the eastern hearth, slowly finishing her breakfast. The bowl held in one hand she was closeted in her own informal court. Barris was with her, as well as the young Deynnekko and Dunwich. The impromptu council was cloaked in very quiet words thou an occasional glance was made in the direction of Daxia, Darian and Cesare.
It was then that a clattering was heard outside, back in the small court and the stables. There was the stomp of hooves, a bit of pragmatic commotion ... ending when the back door opened and Mikal and Celi returned to join the rest.
Mikal
Stepping into the inn he moves over towards the fireplace, warming his hands and driving the chill of the night outside from his bones. As he entered the inn he took a quick mental count, seeing the girl there as well, and the relief of seeing all present and seemingly hale is clear on his face.
He nods to the group, glancing at the gathering of the Horde principals with added interest.
"A good morning all." He says quietly. "Seems the goal was met", he adds, nodding to the girl.
Cesare
"One way or another.."
He has a piece of bread in one hand as he smiles and nods to both Mikal and Celi.
"Glad you could both join us for breakfast."
He had been concerned about the two out on their own, sometimes one or two can stay safer, travel more quickly, not be seen but their role was to be seen. And when seen, there is more safety in numbers. He is relieved to see them both back relatively unscathed.
He sits down with his bread beside the girl.
"Even if your throat is knotted or your stomach in flutters, you must eat. Keeping your strength up is important."
Celi followed Mikal, looking refreshed, rested and quietly confident, with a definite feline swagger. She had a soft word for Mikal, then stayed to the side out of his way.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in the Commons
Daxia looked up at Mikal and Celi's entrance from where she sat beside Bekkah. Her eyes were shadowed, as if she had not slept well; she simply nodded to them before returning to her breakfast, picking at it apathetically.
<ooc - placeholder I guess. waiting for response to a pm>
Kadri - Kadri walked over and, after a moment, sat down at Daxia's table, carrying two cups of hot Kavass. She places one in front of Daxia, then sits herself.
Bekkah
The Lady of Attera looked much rested compared to last night. While she had spent a good amount of time catching up with Dazi, she had fallen into a deep, needed sleep, filled with mostly happy dreams of her baby sister.
She greeted the returning members with a smile, looking over at Elise.
"Yes, it went as well as could be expected. Our guest is still suffering a bit from being drugged. She should be as good as new by tomorrow. And the pair of you. No injuries, I assume?"
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in the Commons
Daxia blinked several times at the cup of kavass, then picked it up and sipped carefully, testing the heat. Apparently finding it an acceptable temperature, she drank the entire cup before setting it back down. Looking up at Kadri with a ghost of a smile, she said, "Ta, very helpful. I hope." Her gaze then settled on Mikal; after waiting for his response to Bekkah, she said, "Come sit, Mikal. Have much to tell Dazi, yes?"
Kadri:
With the Gang plus one in the commons;
"Yesterday, as always, is yesterday, Daxia. Today, we move on to today and tommorrow. Yesterday might chase you, but it can never catch up with you. You are always faster."
She says, quietly, then looks over at Mikal.
"Celi looks like a cat which has eaten the prized songbird - I take it there was success?"
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in the Commons
She nodded to Kadri. "Also help to sleep more than two or three candlemark, yah?" Daxia said. "Especially after busy day." She continued eating her porridge with a little more enthusiasm.
Mikal - sitting with Daxia, Kadri, and Celi
He takes the proffered seat, pulling one out for Celi to join as well.
He nods at Daxia, glancing once more to the horde leaders, then turns back to Kadri and shrugs. "We made it out of town, drawing off about a fullhand of mounted foes. We evaded them long enough that by the time they discovered we did not carry any of the ore and headed back to town it was too late for them to interfere with your efforts."
He then adds very matter-of-factly to Daxia, in a report-type style, "The wagon and team are returned intact, without damage. All items borrowed to load into the crates as false ore are returned as well. One crate is fairly well demolished, the others are intact. I've brought back the pieces of the broken crate in case they can be salvaged."
He glances at Celi briefly, then back to Daxia, continuing, "I am pleased to report only one death among our pursuers, and that one was not a member of the Dark Mark."
Then, "The inn is being watched, and we saw several coffins being loaded on our way here. The watch has locked the city up tight. No one in or out. I presume from your efforts?"
Pausing a moment, he says to Daxia, "From your expression and mood I'd almost expected to not see the girl here."
He looks around again, then says quietly, "Daxia, we need to speak privately."
He turns back to Celi and shakes his head briefly, wanting to let her know it is not about her.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in the Commons
She shrugged. "Two dead, one injured, fourth... heard scream when Darian arrow hit, don't know fate. Just tired, Mikal... not sleep enough after busy day."
Daxia regarded him for a handful of long heartbeats, sighed and shrugged, then picked up the bowl of porridge and spoon as she stood. "Please excuse, ok?" she said to Bekkah, Kadri and Celi. "Back soon."
She led Mikal out the door towards the stables.
Celi
Celi had moved slightly, prepared to follow on a nod from Mikal. She'd had no intention of letting someone else call her off her partner; if Mikal wanted her out of the meeting, he would give her a signal.
Which he then did; she immediately relaxed, and turned her attention to the others, including the girl for whom this entire array of efforts had been constructed. SHe managed a small grin at the thought that occurred to her:
at least they had not been forced to tie her up to save her.
<Lia>
She'd been listening quietly, her eyes somewhat distant as she alternated spoonfuls of the porridge with bites of bread.
At some point between last night and this morning she'd done something to put a minor smudge of paint on one cheek and on her fingers. She looked over when Mikal and Celi came in and offered a small smile of welcome.
Her glance drifted over to her sister, but focused more on the recently rescued girl and the others in the group. A silent rise of her eyebrow was her only reaction to Mikal's comment and their assumed exit.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in the Commons
When Daxia and Mikal returned to the common room, the Dayalan looked more awake and certainly more cheerful. She set her empty bowl on the table and said to Bekkah with a smile, "Not let Nessa take. Dazi eat more, ok?" She then proceeded to the eastern hearth where the Horde's Captain stood with her men.
"Pardon interruption, Verchovai. Wish to reassure Quartermaster that horses in fine health, all belongings returned, though one crate fall apart." Daxia shook her head. "So sorry. Ask Jvrillian friend to repair, but he claim carpentry skills less than desirable for such task."
ooc HAH! Think of all the things we said when they were gone.... They must have been gone for a while
[OOC: About a quarter candlemark, I think. And yet nothing was said. Your loss.
]
Mikal - with Celi and Kadri
Returning to the inn with Daxia, he moves back to the table with Kadri and Celi he'd left a short time before. Sitting back down he looks for the nearest waitress and asks for anything hot they've got available for breakfast.
He smiles at Celi and Kadri. "Well, seems like we've poked a stick into the eye of an angry Coven Wolf."
He nods towards Kadri. "Saw a few coffins being readied at the inn across the way, I presume that's your work?" (Referring to the larger "your")
"In any case, we've got watchers on the inn now, and heard rumours somebody important had been killed."
He leans back and stretches, then asks Kadri casually, "So, you work with Dama Kelleni I've heard? Is she fairly rich? Does she own much in town?"
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Daxia, Bekkah, Darian, Cesare, Camelia, Kadri and Longtooth and Elisa
Elisa just nodded, looking up a bit blurredly, and a bit suspiciously at being surrounded by mercenaries.
"Thank you ... thank you." She paused in her meal, "I think."
Dunwich looked up, tagging Rafe's side with his elbow as Daxia walked up and offered up her apologies and explanations.
"Cor ..." he quietly replied, "Cookie's going over his gear, and once he's done crying well figure out whats any more battered than its ever been. Horse and cart are fine; we got them walked and bedded down ... it's ...just .... it's not the wagon that ... "
The quartermaster just shook his head, leveling the Dayallan a wry gaze.
"Look ... we can understand wanting to distract folks from bouncing the cart ... but cor lass ... why'd you have to ..."
And that is when Captain Dandelion Koromov looked over her quartermaster's shoulder and crossed her arms.
" ... he's right, Daxia Temple-Sister.
"There are much safer ways to make a dramatic statement than putting an arrow through an Imperial.
"Especially a Veilikki."
Kadri:
She looks at MIkal evenly.
". .yes I do, why do you ask? If you are planning any move which is against her, you will find me firmly your enemy."
<Lia>
With a faint expression of sympathy she smiled at Elisa, "A better place then where you had been, I'd hope."
The sounds of Daxia's conversation reached them and she growled softly, mostly under her breath, as she overheard Dandy's words. Looking at her fingers as if for the first time she idly picked at a flake of paint. "Interesting indeed, perhaps more problematic" she said quietly.
Daxia
with Dandelion, Barris, Dunwich and Rafe in the Commons
Hands on hips, Daxia looked from the quartermaster to her Temple-sister several times. Finally, she simply said, "Huh!"
Then she regarded Dandelion for a long set of breaths, before saying quietly, "More interesting question... why Imperial Velikii standing in way of arrow meant for kidnapper, torturer, possible murderer?"
Mikal
He sighs with clear exasperation, glancing at Celi, towards Daxia, and then back to stare directly at Kadri. "Tell me, do I have the words 'thief and scoundrel' tattooed across my face? Why is it every question I ask is met with suspicion and accusation? Perhaps it says something about you that the first thing that comes to your mind when asked by someone who just risked his life in common cause with you is that he has some sort of ulterior, and nefarious motive for the most innocuous of questions."
He stands up, grabbing a loaf of bread off the table. "Pardon me." He says to the table at large. "I think I'll go check on Talia before I say something I might regret." He turns and walks back out the door he recently came in by, heading back to the stables.
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Captain Dandelion Koromov
"That ...." Captain Koromov replied to Daxia, " ... is something my elder sister would say is a very good question."
Kadri:
She pauses only momentarily before following.
"Wait. Please."
If he doesn't. . she follows.
<Lia with Daxia - off with others but still near, Bekkah, Darian, Cesare, and Longtooth and Elisa>
With a wry grin that doesn't reach her eyes she shakes her head. "Seems I'm not the only one."
Her shoulders ease a bit when Kadri follows after Mikal.
Daxia
with Dandelion, Barris, Dunwich and Rafe in the Commons
"Hmmmm," was Daxia's only response before turning to see what the commotion was behind her. She watched Mikal storm out, and Kadri follow him. She looked at the others at the table, completely perplexed. Then she turned back to the elder Dayalan, as she rubbed her temples. "Ever want to thump one of your men over the head, Verchovai?" she asked. It may have been a rhetorical question... and it may not have been. "Assuming cobble-block Jvrillian calm self down, ok we use your room for talk? Seems we have much talking to do. Not want to subject rest of town to cobble-block Jvrillian."
Bekkah
She tried to make sense of this. Dazi's life was crazy. So different from the life and people she had seen over the last 5 years. Those people just wanted to survive and be happy. Every body here seemed to have designs and desired power. Nobody seemed to trust anyone else, not even the people within Dazi's circle, she thought as Mikal and Kadri took off.
The problems with the newly found dead imperial was going to be a serious problem. While some may not care, someone was going to make it something big. That she was sure of.
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Captain Dandelion Koromov
" ... you can borrow my room if you wish ..."
Shoulders rose and then fell.
"As for the other, that's Barris' job."
Celi frowned at Kadri's not-so-veiled threat against Mikal.
"Have a care! Mikal asks for tactical reasons, not to identify someone worth burgling. Do not impugn him so."
Kadri's concern Mikal might consider some illegal assault on Kadri's employer made her think of a badger responding to someone walking too close to its burrow.
Cesare
He watches, he listens but mostly he concentrates on eating his breakfast and encouraging the girl to do likewise.
[OOC Did he get any response from her when he talked to her - see last post? ]
Daxia
with Dandelion, Barris, Dunwich and Rafe then
Bekkah, Celi, Cesare, Darian and Longtooth, Elise and Lia
in the Commons
"Ta, much appreciated," Daxia said, then glanced back at the exit to the stables. "Next time Contract with Jvrillian," she muttered, "make sure mention not allow to drive Daxia crazy. Daxia do well enough without help." She turned back to the Horde's Captain. "When arrive two nights past, not have many questions for Verchovai. After spend day in most interesting town of Cragside, have more questions than think Verchovai have answers." She let out a very frustrated sigh. "Think inconsiderate Imperial make fireside chats with Verchovai difficult. Daxia very much not happy about that." She nodded to Dandy and her lieutenants, then turned to head back to the table where most of her companions waited.
Rather than sitting down again beside Bekkah, she placed both hands on the table beside the bowl... the empty bowl, the one that wasn't going to get filled will any more porridge... and leaned forward, looking at each person in turn. "Verchovai Dandelion agree to let us use room speak privately. We speak now. Same as yesterday, it seem... many plans, little time." She looked at the still-groggy Elise. "You join, please, Elise? This concern you, too. Very much concern you."
[OOC: Guess not. Maybe Daxia will have better luck.]
<Lia>
"Perhaps we should wait until they return? Else they would be excluded and perhaps... more irked." Her glance drifted to the doorway where first Mikal then Kadri so recently exited.
Daxia
with Bekkah, Celi, Cesare, Darian and Longtooth, Elise and Lia in the Commons
"Oh, yes. We wait," said Daxia, also looking towards the doorway. "They hurry, though, or Daxia become... more irked." She gave every indication of being extremely annoyed, though it was hard to tell just who it was who had annoyed her... Mikal or Kadri, or perhaps both.
Mikal
Not too long after leaving, certainly less time that it takes to eat a bowl of porridge, Mikal returns to the inn and takes his seat. Nodding to Daxia, he smiles at her, as if he knows how irked she is. Taking a bite of the half a loaf of bread he carries, he looks around casually as if nothing had happened.
Shortly after, Kadri enters as well, nodding in Daxia's direction - and looking none too stressed. Apparently the issue had been sorted.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in the Commons
then in Captain Koromov's room
Daxia glared at Mikal while waiting for Kadri to return; when she did, Daxia nodded to her then said, "Now. We go. Up, up... go, go! Cesare, please help Elise." She waited and watched as they went up the stairs, Darian taking great care to bundle her armor, before following them up. Entering the room last, she noted Cesare had gotten the girl seated on the bed and nodded her approval. She took in the room's layout and furnishings before closing the door.
The room was actually large; the nine of them fit comfortably. The window at the far wall was decent sized with small diamond panes of glass set in lead tracings. A few were actually stained bright colors, adding a touch of color to the whitewashed space. Being next to one of the big chimneys brought a touch of luxury befitting a troop's captain, the one who was paying the bills. It had its own hearth and within it, a fire burned bright making the room actually a touch hot.
The room's furniture was simple, though the small bed was a real one with a feather mattress rather than one stuffed with straw. It had a simple base and headboard and four sturdy posts but that was as far as the ornament went. Beneath the window there was a table with two small wooden chairs and a big wooden chest set against the back wall.
There were some wooden racks too. One held a suit of armor; mostly brigandine... metal plates sewn and riveted between two layers of cloth. Vambraces and greaves of steel rested against it and at its top was a great helm. It bore mantling of black and white checkerboards and within each black square there was a grey starburst. No, not a starburst.
A dandelion.
The second rack was also martial. It held a long wooden lance, it looked like a spear but was far too long. Set below it was Captain Koromov's sword in its scabbard; that odd long blade of cold iron.
On the last rack, clothes were set out, mostly tunics of browns and cream. There were, however, two that stood out. A tunic and surcoat set -- the tunic white, the surcoat black but with two vertical stripes of silver. The second, a matched set of deep blue over and under tunics, one a shade darker that the other. The cuffs and hems, however, were emblazoned with a running band of the black and white checkerboard of the disenfranchised House Koromov.
Upon the table there was a small vase of wildflowers, lilies of the moon, wolfsprite, some black-eyed-susans and... camelia.
Daxia took great care to close the door, then stood with her back against it... holding that position for two, perhaps three heartbeats before bursting out laughing, doubling over and supporting herself with hands on her knees.
"Hoi, Mikal!" she finally gasped. "Think you convince almost everyone you derro, make boss angry. Kadri! You play over-sensitive well... certainly have Celi convince, yah Celi?" Daxia grinned and straightened, leaning comfortably against the door with arms crossed. "This save world business not go well, always possibility of acting troupe."
Then she became serious again, though still relaxed, as she looked around the room, making eye contact with each of them... save the young girl who still looked dazed and confused. "More complications. Man who kidnap Elise, man Darian kill... he Imperial, from most powerful family, Velikii. That mean bad news for all us... except Lia, if Daxia understand Imperial politics right, and Bekkah, Daxia hope.
"Now have three tasks... secure ore, make sure Elise safe, get out of town. All quick-quick, yes?
"Mikal have idea for secure ore. Daxia have idea for getting Elise safe. We need all think of way to get out... Daxia have thought about that, but say later."
She turned to the Plains woman. "So, Kadri... Mikal explain idea, what we need? Is possible? Samara own any adjacent warehouse?"
Kadri
"She owns both adjacent warehouses, actually."
Cesare
He helps the girl up the stairs and then makes sure she is comfortable. He takes a place standing by the window, listening but looking out frequently, using his vantage point to see whatever he can from there, including whether there is a way out. Not that he needs one but it is a habit to always have an escape route where possible.
He listens as Daxia explains, little showing on his face. He does not understand the need for the acting scene they had played out, nor is he too worried about the noble. He agrees they should move on, he would have felt that way even if no-one had beeb killed.
He does have one thing to ask though.
"Anyone thought to ask the girl what she wants? I know the lowvine hasn't worn off yet but she might just have an opinion herself."
It is not said in an emotional way or in a way meant to accuse anyone. He just prefers that folk get a chance to have some say in their own destiny.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's room
Daxia nodded to Kadri, then tilted her head and smiled at Cesare after his comment. "So glad somebody listening when Dazi keep saying ore belong to girl, need to see what girl want. Ta, Cesare." Then she looked at her sister and motioned for her to sit beside the girl, before she stepped over and crouched in front of her. Gently taking the child's hands in her own, she looked up and said softly, "Elise? I know you're still foggy from the drugs, but we need your help to make sure you'll be safe when we leave. We don't want anyone to hurt you again. Do you think you can help us, little one? You'll try, won't you?"
Celi
"That *is* her ore, as well, is it not?" Celi didn't want to dress up a theft in the guise of a rescue, however necessary. That sounded more like a ransom than a rescue.
She had to admit that -- assuming they were acting as Daxia implied -- they had both fooled her. She would have to talk to Mikal about that, assuming he had been aware and then allowed it to proceed without informing Celi. What if she had done something foolish to protect his honor? She had been on the edge of doing so, but had fortunately decided to await his return.
She took a turn by the window, feeling decidedly uncomfortable in these overly warm and oppressively close quarters. More than all the rest of them combined, she prized open space and unhindered headroom. Excessive warmth was way down the list of her prized circumstances. You could always add blankets. You could only take off so many clothes.
Bekkah
She looked as surprised as Celi when Dazi explained what had happened. She wasn't sure she liked that kind of deception, she could tell from Celi's expression that she certainly didn't.
*Dazi needed to be more careful.* she thought.
She held the girl's hand. Without seeming to, she checked to make sure the girl's temperature and heart rate seemed normal.
Darian
The Hunter frowned. "Kill only bandits, saw no Imperial."
Kadri, meanwhile. . . . .
Well. She had reacted as was natural. And then resolved it as was natural. And. . .
Anything else was outside of her plans entirely.
<Lia>
She had moved to the table, carefully avoiding Celi, blocking the view almost protectively where there were some small papers and what looked like brushes, paints and other things as well. She avoided eye contact, staring off placidly instead.
There was a minute shake of her head at the mention of safety but once more she said nothing.
Mikal
He smiles slightly at Daxia, then says to the others by way of explanation. "We were betrayed. Our enemies knew we were going to move and take a wagon out of the city before we acted. Someone in this place turned us in. I don't know who, so I don't want to start suspicion, though I don't suspect any of us."
"I needed to talk to Kadri alone, and felt it could be good to plant the idea we're not all aligned here. Someone might think they can try to take advantage of supposed internal divisions and we might get a lead."
He turns towards Daxia saying, "Idea will work. As Kadri says her patron owns most warehouses on that street." He then looks to the girl. "However, before I go on, I'd like to hear what she has to say."
"Oh, one other thing", he adds for the group. "Town is locked up tight. Watch is letting no one in or out, so if we expect to leave it won't be easy."
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Elisa
"And what am I supposed to do?"
Groggy, slow, the young woman lifted her head and blinked.
"I don't care about the whose or whats or where. Mat died several winters ago ... Fa got murdered for our steel, is cost me everything ..."
She looked across the room, quiet.
"Its all I got here and now, and if I can't sell it, I got nothing. Do you understand that? Nothing. Can't even pay the taxes on Fa's house, buy bread at the market, no stake to buy here and sell there ... nothing. Just nothing.
"Is that what you want to be doing to me"
Celi
"Then we must see you through the sale of your ore," Celi said. "To do that, we have to know some things. First, are there people to whom your Fa would refuse to sell? We would not want to dishonor his intent. Second, do you know what your Fa would normally ask for a hundredweight [or a tonne ... or whatever the standard sales weight is], and third, where the nearest honest scales are?"
She was seeing a light at the end of the tunnel that would assuage everyone's honor and leave the girl with her just deserts ... missing revenge for her father, of course.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's Room
After glancing at Celi with an exasperated look, Daxia focused again on the girl. She lightly squeezed her hand, hoping it would help Elise focus as she continued speaking softly. "The ore is yours, and only yours. Our plan is only to hide it away to confuse the dishonest men in this town, to keep them from taking what is yours." She paused a moment to let that thought cut through the fog.
"You are not yet of age, and we are not merchants; neither you nor we can properly represent your interests." Daxia continued to look up at her, looking into the child's still-foggy eyes. "Kadri there works for Samara Kelleni and trusts her. I met Dama Kelleni today and think well of her, too. If she would agree, would you be willing to let Dama Kelleni act as your guardian and representative? You would be safe and," Daxia smiled with a hint of mischievousness in her eyes as she said, "...if you are as bright as Dama Kelleni says you are, once this fog has lifted from your brain, you will see to it that she gets you a fair price for your ore.
"It would not bring your Fa back to you," Daxia said sadly, "and there will be days when you wish it could. Lady Bekkah and I lost our Mama and Papa long ago, and miss them still. But you would have your stake, you could pay your taxes, you would be safe and secure until you are old enough to represent yourself."
The Dayalan regarded the young woman gravely. "My comrades and I have stirred a hornet's nest to rescue you and keep the thieves from taking your ore, so we must leave this town quickly. But I will not -- I cannot -- go until I know you will be safe. May we contact Dama Kelleni on your behalf, and ask if she will be your guardian and representative?"
"Kadri:
"In my own way, I have lost my father as well."
She pauses.
"Samara has been very good to me, and I trust her - as Daxia says. I think that you could as well. Daxia is right. Until you have been ensured against those who hunt you and would take advantage of you, we are here."
Cesare
He smiles as Celi joins him at the window and listens as she attempts a solution for the girl. He is not sure about Daxia's response to that. Whilst he can understand she wants to keep things simple for the girl, Celi has a right to offer her suggestions too. Still he keeps his expression neutral and his thoughts to himself.
Daxia's solution though is a good one and he doesn't feel that the girl has too many options but to take it. Still it is her choice. She may have relatives here or in another place.
He is more concerned with Mikal's news about the lockdown and has some thoughts on that but doesn't want to interrupt the girl's thoughts.
<Lia>
She listens to the conversation and looks from face to face during it. With a brief glance and a brief nod at Celi's comment she then tilts her head assessingly when she hears the rest.
Celi
Celi frowned; they were missing the point. Everyone was quick to tout their own sponsor, not realizing how that would sound to the girl.
Celi couldn't speak for the girl, but were it Celi in her shoes, she would be cautious of accepting someone else's offer to act "in her best interests," no matter how loudly her name was proclaimed, or by whom it was shouted.
If you were going to gull her into handing over the ore, you might try it just this way, with someone who had allegedly protected you mentioning the name of someone else she "could trust".
Maybe they thought she was stupid. Or drugged.
Celi wouldn't offer to take her out to the Wild and keep her safe, though she could do that. Nobody would believe such an offer anyway. All she could do was watch the girl, and do her best to help her when the time came.
That she could do.
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Elisa
"No ... no ... we are good merchants, we are. It is not for us to judge who buys and sell, just that the trade is fair and coin is best possible."
At the mention of Samara's name Elisa looked back up.
"Fa always worked with Miss Samara, I mean ... she gave trusted him with the lock and key, didn't she?"
Kadri:
She nods.
"That she did. And that is unusual enough that I would say she had to have a trusting relationship with him."
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's room
"Your Fa and Miss Samara trusted one another," Daxia said, still softly. "And I do believe your Fa and you are good merchants, Elise, for you always worked with Miss Samara, who is herself a far better merchant than any other I have met in Cragside."
She turned her head to look at her second. "You were outside last, Mikal... how safe do you think it would be for Kadri to go alone to Dama Kelleni and ask her to come here? Would she be safer attended by a Jvrillian mercenary? Or would all be safest if we send a messenger... an honest one this time?"
Bekkah
From where she had been quietly listening, Bekkah spoke up in her usual soft voice.
"Or I could go."
Mikal
He shrugs. "In my opinion it's not safe at all outside. We're being watched, and we've now drawn blood. If any of us, except perhaps Lady Bekkah", he nods to Bekkah, "goes outside they need an armed escort."
"And we're not that safe in here, either. In fact, I'd give us a coin flip whether or not the inn might be assaulted if they get desperate. Only thing stopping them, in my mind, is the Horde."
He ponders the second part. "Messenger could be alright, but we need to assume any message we send, written or verbal, will be intercepted and analyzed, so it needs to be nothing but a request for her to come here, else it needs to be a purposeful distraction."
He looks at Kadri. "You know this town better than I. How likely is it that Dama Kelleni will be safe in her person should she come here without armed escort?"
"For that matter can we be certain even Lady Bekkah ia safe outside? They don't need to harm her. They could simply detain her, knowing we'd have to act to rescue her. And we will not catch them unawares if we try a second rescue."
KAdri:
"Samara. . . has backing. I can't name the person, not because I won't but because I do not know - and I think that she could make her way here safely. Samara. . is not the same as one of us or an orphaned young lady. She has many connections."
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's room
Daxia's eyes shifted to Kadri at her last comment, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it with an audible clack.
She shook her head. "If things are as dire as Mikal suggests, Bekkah, I think a Priestess of Attera may be as much protection for Elise as those of us who fight," she said to her sister. Then she sighed, and looked up at Elise for a heartbeat before turning to Kadri. "I think the fastest and surest way to get Dama Kelleni here is for you to bring the request to her. You can answer any questions she has, you can readily impress upon her the seriousness of the situation. But Mikal is right... you should not go alone.
"I will stay here with my sister and Elise. Since the Velikii was killed by an arrow and Darian is our finest bowman, I think it best she and Longtooth not be seen outside." She looked around the room at the others, then back to Kadri. "I will leave it to you to decide who you wish at your side."
Darian
At the mention of them and not going out and about, both Hunter and Hound looked to one another. Her mouth twisted, then she leaned down and she spoke softly to the ruff.
Kadri:
"Dazi. . . . ."
She pauses.
"I really do not think you will like my answer."
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's Room
Daxia regarded Kadri, for a fullhand or more of slow, even breaths... at times, appearing to look through her. Then she nodded. "Yah, Dazi probably not like. But see good paths, bad paths." She nodded again. "Kadri say."
Kadri:
"Bekkah."
"Would say you, but . . . right now, you are too noticeable. Same reason that Darian, despite her obvious talents, is not the best choice. Mikal"
She nods in his direction.
"Is solid, good skills. Talented. Celi - I apologize, for I truly have barely seen you in action, and I really don't know what you can do. Anyway, if we get into a fight either way, its a problem, and one we want to avoid. That leaves Cammelia, Cesare and Bekkah - and Bekkah wins out because. .well. . . at least one person risked would be. . . safe? If anyone could be."
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's Room
Daxia smiled at Kadri. "Logic sound. Also... good path. Avoid fight is always best." She released Elise's hand and stood, looking between Kadri and Bekkah several times... then around the room at all the occupants, including the ruff and the young girl. "Want all to be safe," she said, her gaze finally returning to Kadri. "Dazi not see Bekkah in almost three handful years; Dazi just worry, ok? Bekkah good choice."
Bekkah
She listened and then nodded when Kadri asked her to accompany her. She would do her part to help, it certainly wasn't a victory by any means, although she was glad she was going and Dazi wasn't. She knew of course that her sister would have felt the same if she was going.
She stood and reached for Dazi's hand, squeezing it.
"I'll be fine little one. I have so much more I want to talk to you about. So save me some food and please try not to worry overly."
"It's probably best if we go now Kadri. You should lead the way since you know where we go, but if we're stopped remain calm and let me speak first."
<Lia>
She spoke up then, with what seemed a care to pick her words.
"I have seen in towns sometimes, groups or gaggles maybe they'd be called, of female friends going to market or to visit each other. Perhaps, if illusion is still what is wanted, one or two more ahh... innocuous seeming ones would be helpful?"
"If there are others in the streets they may react seeing such a group bothered or interfered with."
-Darian-
The Hunter sat up and announced, "Longtooth go too."
Cesare
He had been listening almost biting his tongue to find an opportunity to speak. One disadvantage to having a large group of females together though there are more obvious advantages.
"I agree with Mikal's assessment. Captain and troop's presence are our best protection but let's not fool ourselves, some of these people have killed already and taken a girl and beat her up. Do you think they would do less to one of us, especially since we have done much to anger them."
"If any of us are to go, it should be someone that the group can walk away from if needed. And I don't think Bekkah fits that category at all. Plus there are things that can be inflicted on females that particularly other females here would not tolerate. So we would be exposed, emotions running high and forced into action. Not a good situation."
"If the horde are a protection here then either enough of us go that we gain safety in numbers or we use a messenger. Messenger could be required to bring back answer and piece of information from this Samara that Kadri can verify. Then they get paid. If messenger is caught or stopped we will know. If messengar is caught, we will not be forced to rescue and they will know that so it gives protection in itself."
"One other alternative is that I go. I am dispensible, maybe more than another. Male - which offers some protection in itself. And I am a free agent. If I choose to go, who will stop me?"
The latter is said more with amusement than challenge.
"And Longtooth would be a welcome addition always."
Mikal
His eyes open wide in mock alarm. "Oh, no you don't! You're not leaving me here as the only male...... alone...... defenseless..... I'll be torn to bits!"
He chuckles, grins, and nods. "Send a messenger. Don't see why any of us need to take the risk. If the messenger is taken we'll know what we're up against without any of us coming to harm."
<Lia>
She listens as both Cesare and Mikal speak, "I have no difficulty with what Mikal just said. A messenger solves many things." Then she grinned and added, "Though I'm not sure he'd be um... torn to bits."
... and in the middle of the conversation, a dragon looks down, yawns and bites. However Mikal is not torn to bits.
He is swallowed whole ...
Cesare
He grins at Mikal, then looks down at himself and back at his fellow male.
"Well I survived whilst you were out all night. Thought you were up for a challenge?"
Darian
She shakes her head slightly, a corner of her mouth curled up in a bittersweet smile. Then she goes back to checking the repair in her armor.
Celi
Celi had no problem with Kadri's limited evaluation of her; she was happy to maintain a low profile in these urban environs. She would simply make herself available as Mikal needed -- or as the team needed -- once they were outside the walls. Then she could flex her abilities and assume some greater responsibility.
Kadri:
"As far as sending messages . . . I have plenty of business with Samara which is. . completely unrelated to the matter at hand, would there e any reason I couldn't ask her here to talk about an ongoing job - and then ask her about . . .this. . once she is here?"
She pauses.
"No-one is expendable - including a messanger."
(I believe that is everyone)
Mikal
He looks over at Kadri. "No, they're not. However a messenger is more likely to be safe than one of us. If they harm one they will not be able to get one to work for them later on when they need one. They might intercept him, and try to get him to tell them what message he is carrying, or take any note he carries from him, but I doubt they'd physically harm him. Whereas one of us", he shrugs, "fewer guarantees."
(OOC - There is an odd echo to his voice as it floats up out of the dragon's throat.)
Bekkah
"Mikal, That's the reasoning I was using for going myself. Nobody would dare touch me. I've been away from places even remotely the size of Cragside for a very long time, but I still doubt things have degraded that much."
"But having said that, I will defer to the general consensus in case I have been in outlying areas too long." she added in her soft tone.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's room
Daxia shrugged and looked at Kadri. "You know Samara, you know town, you know trusted messengers. Need fastest, safest way get her here. You decide that, yes? You know best." She looked around the room again. "Then we figure out how get out of Cragside."
<Lia>
She nodded at the messenger suggestion and said quietly, "As the fate currents blow." It had a formal sound to it.
Kadri:
". . Then if no-one disagrees, I will at least try to send the messenger with that message. . if someone. . well. . . if someone will write it for me? If someone intercepts it, it will tell them nothing except that I really need to discuss pressing business with the Samuel warehouse down by Hayseed. Its actually an empty warehouse, so if they break in, there will be nothing there. And that I am asking her for conversation about an empty warehouse should be a clue to her that its important."
Celi
"How is this Messenger known?" Celi asked. "By his livery? Credentials? Or Both?
"Why not simply ... ah, borrow the appropriate credentials and attire, and deliver your message in such fashion. This would eliminate any possibility of a misunderstood message, the same generic immunity would apply as to an outside messenger, and depending upon who is sent in the guise of the messenger, might even provide instant credibility to Samara or whomever receives the message."
<Lia>
"I would write it if you want," she says quietly and then offers a thin smile. "If it is still the wish after Celi's suggestion."
Then she looked to the others patiently waiting a decision.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's Room
Having stepped out of the room when Kadri outlined the message to be sent to Samara, Daxia returned only a few moments later, empty-handed. She walked in on the tail end of Lia's comment, and gave her a slightly confused look. But she shrugged and said to Kadri, "Juli run message to Samara. Jake say ok; nobody hurt her, he say. She smart, even if talk without breathing," she said with a grin in Darian's direction. "Samara come soon. Now we talk about how we leave Cragside."
She sat down on the bed beside Elise and, taking the girl's hand, said, "Miss Samara will be here soon. You will be safe with her." The she looked at Mikal.
[OOC: Will add further thoughts when I get to the office.]
Cesare
"There are always ways out. Generally places are built to keep people out. There might be a bit more trouble as the guards may be more alert, more frequent, but there will be opportunities and places where we can get on and over the wall. If anyone who knows this place can identify them that would be good, otherwise I.. we.. will need to scout."
He holds up a hand forestalling the protests he knows he'll receive.
"And yes I hadn't forgotten that quite a few of you have horses - and even in such short acquaintance I know you would not leave them behind. However I was thinking that maybe we could use the cart idea, engaging someone to send a couple of carts outside with horses harnessed to pull and the odd one tied behind. As long as they have one of theirs included to take the cart back in, then you can reclaim your mounts. That said, I'm on foot as are others. Purchasing a cart and horse would be good but don't think anyone has funds enough."
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's room
[...continuation of previous post...]
"I think the gates are closed to keep Lord Shannon's troops out, as much as anything else," Daxia said. "The Merchant Princes run this town without interference from the Shannons as long as taxes are paid on time and there is no trouble; it's an arrangement that pleases both parties. We have caused trouble.
"The Merchant Princes do not want the Shannon troops here because they -- the merchants -- will bear the scrutiny. The merchants would obviously like the problem to disappear before Lord Shannon and his advisors finish talking the issue out and begin assembling the troops.
"They have a dead Imperial on their hands. This is a big problem. It is not something they want on their hands. If they could honestly point a finger in another direction -- a direction that is anywhere outside of Cragside -- I believe they would be happy doing so. They want the problem to go away. They do not want Lord Shannon’s troops in their town, interfering with their business, both honest and dishonest.
"They know one of our number killed the Velikii. We are the problem. I believe they would be happiest if we left, so they could point Lord Shannon's troops down the road and legitimately say, 'The problem is there; do not look at us.' The Mark is interested in the ore; we are leaving the ore where it belongs -- with Elise. So I do not believe they will be an issue.
"I do not think we will have has much problem getting out of Cragside as you might think. But we do need to get out before Lord Shannon and his advisors finish their debates, and assemble the troops, because they will be an issue. The death of an Imperial -- no matter how vile the man, or how much he deserved his death -- is a matter that cannot be ignored and will have us standing in front of Lord Hastur's Justice.
"Despite Mikal's previous report, I think his friend at the gate may be more willing to let us out than you think. A direct approach might be more sensible in this situation than subterfuge. The question is how quickly can we get eight people, a large ruff and three horses out of town? For myself, I can be ready to ride half a candlemark after we have Elise settled with Samara; most of that time spent donning my armor."
She looked around the room. "The Storm season has begun and the only direction to go from here is west, and there is little choice of path before reaching Brementown, so that is where we must go. We may as well travel together, at least that far."
Cesare
"Ready now."
A Rhoni is always always ready to move on. It is what they do.
"But if there is time would like to talk to the captain before leaving."
He exchanges a glance with Lia.
That discussion might determine whether he travels with this group or not. He is already feeling closed in, possibly forced into the choices of others, though that feeling might lift once they are out of town.
Mikal
He shrugs. "Willing to try asking him about leaving. And I can have myself and Talia ready when Daxia is. Not too pleased about being labelled as Imperial Criminals and spending my life looking over my shoulder for agents of Hastur, though."
Darian
"How soon Shannon men come? Mayhap trickle out like stream, not rush like flood."
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise in Captain Koromov's room
Daxia shrugged. "I don't like the idea either, Mikal. But our option is staying here with the merchants and thieves of Cragside, and looking over our shoulders every minute as they try to put knives in our backs, while waiting for Hastur's Justice to find us guilty -- for we are -- and hope that Bekkah stands outside the Justice's reach to grant us Mercy, or that Lady Alice would grant Mercy should Bekkah be caught in the snare." She shook her head. "Neither option is particularly appealing."
She turn to Darian and considered her question. "If Conrad went directly to his father..." She paused, biting her lower lip. "If Lord Shannon's advisors like to talk as much as Khorall Linnell's advisors do, we might have until just past dawn tomorrow. But if they like to talk less, we may only have a few hours." She shrugged again, but smiled this time. "Advisors do like to talk, and make themselves indispensable."
Celi
"Leave them slow evidence pointing to someone else ... say, from the thieves' guild," Celi suggested. "A couple of bought but slightly inebriated witnesses, then the discovery of an appropriate cloak and arrows...
"... such a red herring might not stand the full-light-of-day inspection, but it ought to confuse them for a while, which would slow them down from following. With enough lead time, we can do things with the trail to further mislead them."
<Lia>
She nodded, barely, in response to Cesare's look and brief look of surprise flickered in her eyes when Celi offered her suggestion.
Darian
Khannish's follower chewed her lip thoughtfully then asked, "Kadri, how long till Samara come?"
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Camelia, Celi, Cesare, Kadri, Daxia, Bekkah, Mikah and Darian and Longtooth
"This room?"
"Ja, this room, it's actually Captain Koromov's and all, but she's being right nice and sharing it."
" ... interesting ..."
The words came from the hallway, through the door. One was a familiar young voice, the other much older and familiar to one but recognizable to another. Longtooth's ears perked and his head lifted, the ruff's gaze focusing on the door.
There was a knock first and then the door opened to reveal a tall middle aged woman in an elegant but simple tunic and overtunic. Her tunic's colors were deep blue - almost black - and white, bound at the waist by a wide leather belt carved in rippling knotwork.
"You folks were looking for me?"
Samara Kelleni.
Kadri:
She offers a quick bow, crossing her arms across her check and grabbing each shoulder.
". . I requested you. . as I think. . you might be the best way out of a dilemma - both for us - " She looks around at those in the room.
" - and for Mistress Elise. This matter. . needs to be settled - before the Imperials get involved to her detriment - or the thieves and merchants of this city attempt to take what legacy her father left her and leave her destitute. You knew her father - this is - his daughter."
Daxia
with the Gang, Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's Room
Daxia looked up at the merchant from where she sat beside Elise, and gently squeezed the girl's hand. "As Kadri hinted, we seem to have caused more than a little trouble in our efforts to distract the thieves of this town from Elise's property, and in rescuing her from the man who had kidnapped, drugged and... hurt her. Lady Bekkah healed her injuries, but the lingering effects of lowvine have left her groggy still. She has lost her family, and I would not see her lose her inheritance as well, if it can be helped." She looked at Elise for a moment, sadness in her deep blue eyes, before turning back to Samara. "Kadri trusts you. I have seen... patterns, connections... that give me hope that you can help Elise. For these reasons, and because you showed true concern for her and her father just yesterday, I thought to ask if you would be willing to act as guardian for Elise, and ensure that she gets a fair price for her ore.
"But you should also know that in rescuing Elise, one of our number was forced to kill the man who had kidnapped her. It seems most odd, to me at least, that an Imperial of the Velikii house should be kidnapping and harming young girls, but... such is the case. It adds a complication to Elise's life; this on top of all of the thieves in this town trying to steal her ore. And I have yet to discover just exactly what the Mark is doing here," she mused.
She looked around at her companions. "Unfortunately, the death of this Imperial, however deserving it might be, makes it necessary for us to leave Cragside as soon as possible. But we must be sure both this child and her inheritance are safe first."
Daxia looked back at Samara, a glint of humor in her eyes and a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "And should the best price for Elise's ore come from Khorall Linnell, you might mention that... Daxia think this what Heir want," she said, slipping back into her Dawnview accent.
<Lia>
She looked carefully at this woman she'd never seen before and silently nodded a polite greeting.
Celi
Hmmm. Not even a dismissal. Maybe I need to set off an explosion before offering input. That way, at least I would know I had been heard.
Celi got the impression that they were going to do whatever Daxia wanted, no matter who else had input at variance with her plan. Then she would assign elements of her plan to the others in the room, explaining as she went why they were the obvious choice for the task she wanted to assign them.
And brooking no demurral.
Celi decided she would just hang around, back Mikal's play and help the others however she could, until they got back in the Wild. Then ... no more Ms Nice Guy.
Her normal cautious expression turned into something of a thousand-yard stare for a brief duration, subsequent to which she dimpled briefly, the ghost of a momentary smile of pleasure.
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Camelia, Celi, Cesare, Kadri, Daxia, Bekkah, Mikah and Darian and Longtooth
"So you want to drop the red hot coal ... coals ... into my hands?"
Samara Kelleni eyed the small group speculatively. She looked from one to another to another to another. And finally lets her gaze land upon the orphaned lass.
"I cannot take in a ward, and I do not think it is charity you are looking for.
"I could, however consider taking on an apprentice.
"What do you think of that Elisa?"
The young woman brushed back her hair, looking at those gathered around her. A hand rose, to push her tangled locks from her brow so she could blink and see better.
"I ... I ... well ... I do not think i be having much of a choice.
"There are worse fates in the world, so ..."
Her eyes closed for a handful of heartbeats,
"Ja, I can do that ... it is a deal."
Important words they were, for a follower of Marrennen.
Samara retuned the acceptance with a nod. She crossed her arms however, and wile her words were friendly, they were concerned.
'That does not, however, answer the question on how you plan to keep the Mercantile and Khollish Guilds from coming down upon me ... us. Nor what to say when I get a visit by a Knight and a Judge asking me why my girl and her friends decided to kill an Imperial at my own warehouse door?"
Daxia
with the Gang, Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's Room
"I know little of these guilds beyond that I have observed from the relative sanity of the Vale and the Allaine Court," Daxia said as she stood. Stepping closer to the merchant to stand beside Kadri, she regarded Samara intently. "You have more connections and... power?... than you let others believe. Would the members of these guilds be so quick to harass you if you made it know the ore has been sold, and the owner is Khorall Linnell Allaine? We both have ties to the Allaine Court, you and I, though they are of different threads. With these ties, I believe we can ensure the tale of the ore is a true one, although ore and crown cannot exchange hands before Snowgate Pass opens again in the spring. As for Rames and Hastur..."
She looked back at Elise for a moment, before turning once again to Samara. "Your apprentice was drugged and beaten by a man she did not know. Strangers passing through Cragside rescued her from this man, killing him in the process. After returning her to your care, the strangers left Cragside. Unfortunately, your employee..." Daxia glanced at Kadri. "...somehow got herself entangled in the web of these strangers, and fled with them when they left Cragside."
Daxia shrugged. "I have spent much time at the Court and have seen that there is no single Truth. Each person sees situations and the actions of others from their own perspectives, from their own experiences, from their own understanding of the world." She regarded each of her companions in turn, her last and longest gaze for the pair of Hunters. "These strangers who rescued your apprentice," she said to Samara, "did not kill an Imperial, they killed a kidnapper, bandit, torturer, potential murderer who turned out to be an Imperial. The distinction is subtle, and perhaps too subtle for even the agents of Rames and Hastur to grasp. However," she said, one corner of her mouth turning up in a wry half-grin, "I think your resident Priestess of Attera, Lady Alice, will latch onto the subtlety with vigor.
"I do apologize for the trouble we have caused you, both in the present and future," Daxia said with a touch of sadness. "I can only speak for myself in saying I am following the commands of my Lady Dayala and my Lord Kisa."
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Camelia, Celi, Cesare, Kadri, Daxia, Bekkah, Mikah and Darian and Longtooth
Daxia's question just gets a snort. A true and honest snort.
"You expect me and my apprentice to somehow sit upon this cargo until the snows melt, the passes open, and the Khorall Allaine can get an escort to carry it back?"
Darian
Darian rose from her seat. "Mayhap they only want the Hunter. If yea, the Pack goes."
She looked down to Longtooth as she took up her pack, bow, quiver and cloak then her gaze returned to the others. "Pack be false deer, lead false hunters away."
"Samara ask Shannon keep ore safe. Samara have Kadri take ore to Shannon, 'hire' others to guard."
"Only problem if Shannon treat with Grey Men."
Kadri:
"Can the Cargo...disappear while still being there? All three warehouse in a row are yours. If..it changes warehouses - without leaving the front door - and then the warehouse it was in is publicly rented out - might it relieve..pressure? Make them believe that somehow the ore has been taken? Allowing it then to...slowly make its way out entirely, in small amounts?"
SHew pauses.
"And, as Celi said..more or less. A false path, pointing the guilt where it should be directed in the first place. A red herring to point to the real catch?"
<Lia>
She looks over at the merchant prince and nods thoughtfully at her snort and response. In courteous yet curious tone she asks, "What ideas do you have for disposing of the cargo, ma'am? It sounds like the others here have some ideas for lightening the heat on this."
Daxia
with the Gang, Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's Room
Daxia looked at Darian and Longtooth, regarding them as Kadri spoke, as Lia spoke, finally shaking her head before turning back to Samara. "Mikal's idea of moving the ore," she said, nodding towards the Jvrillian, "added to Kadri's idea of renting out the middle warehouse will very likely give the illusion that the ore is gone. Celi's idea of creating a false trail to follow for those who seek us is not something we," she said, indicating her companions, "could implement. Even with Kadri's knowledge, we do not know enough about either guild to succeed. To whom should a false trail lead? Who can be bought to spread such a tale? Yes, to aid in laying down such a false trail, I would ask my friend to give up an arrow or two to leave near a likely suspect, whether it be thief or merchant. And as Celi pointed out, this path is meant only to slow those who search for us, not stop them. But aside from our lack of knowledge to implement a plan shifting guilt to another party, I do have some misgivings about attempting to deceive Rames and Hastur." She shrugged, smiling apologetically. "Perhaps it is simply that I fear Dayala would find it a dishonorable -- no matter how effective -- tactic.
"And really... where does the true guilt in the death of this Imperial lie except with the dead man himself? He might not be dead had he not kidnapped Elise."
She turned back to the Hunters.
"They want Hunter, yes," Daxia said, slipping back into the more comfortable Dawnview speech pattern. "But think we all Pack. One member Pack guilty, all member Pack guilty." She shrugged. "Dazi not trust Shannon. Think Shannon loyal to self first, Kierkegaard if convenient. Shannon want coin, no trouble from town. Dazi think Shannon lazy. Maybe Shannon trade with Montague, maybe not. Dazi not trust." She shook her head emphatically. "They think we all Pack. So Darian, Longtooth please stay with Pack? Darian, Longtooth stay with Dazi?"
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Camelia, Celi, Cesare, Kadri, Daxia, Bekkah, Mikah and Darian and Longtooth
"Give it to House Shannon?"
Kelleni shook her head,
"Within a day it'd be back in the Guild's hands with the instruction to get the best price for it. They are Nobles, they rule ... they do not bother themselves with the whos and whatfors or wheres, just that it is done effectively and for the greatest amount of taxes. Same from Lilia's Castle to Talesan's Village.
"And as for Imperials and the true guilt, very rarely do they walk hand in hand. I would recommend getting as much distance between here and Trundle; they may not care for the truth of things, but they rarely forget a wrong done to them.
"A trait shared with my cousin and niece."
She then closed her eyes,
"However, for the rest? move the steel into the adjacent warehouse? If done in the shadows, in the cover of darkness, that just might work. When one cannot see what is actually going on, the improbable - that the goods were snuck out of the tow - becomes more believable.
"The question then is staying out of everybody's way, attention and searching between now and sunset ...
"Where those looking for you won't find you; with a way to leave the town immediately after ... and the hope that the Shannons themselves stay in their keep until tomorrow.
"Especially if matters are kept simple. Simple always works better than complicated.
"Any thoughts on that?"
-Darian-
She had a hand in Longtooth's scruff, idly scratching. Her amber eye were somber, gaugingas she observed Dazi as the other woman spoke. After many long heartbeats, she nodded.
"We stay...for now. Would leave false arrows if could. Arrowheads special. Smith who make with She of Dead."
Cesare
He has little to add in this talk of commerce and political powerplay. The Rhoni have their own solution to these matters and it is a simple one. And it looks like the group are adopting that strategy anyway.
He watches as Celi outlines a plan and sees her initially get as much acknowledgement as his last suggestion had. He had a right to offer his opinion, others have a right to ignore it. That is often the way of things. He liked Celi's thinking though. She may be young but she has some smarts.
He is also concerned when Darian & Longtooth offer to lead others away, fairly sure that he would not likely have let her go alone but they have agreed to stay for now. It makes sense for the moment to stay together, safety in numbers when moving ahead of trouble, just in case that trouble is quicker.
Looks like he and Lia need to talk to the captain at the first opportunity.
<Lia>
She muses aloud, "People leaving through the gates in smaller groups might attract less attention. It would be possible to go closer in a larger one, perhaps. Start at a breakfast stall or some such and trickle away from that."
"I don't know the town well enough to suggest where would be best for staying out of the way, or if we even need to move to do that."
Daxia
with the Gang, Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's Room
"Normal day, leave one by one good," Daxia said. "Today not normal day. Gate closed, locked. If Mikal friend open gate, he only do once.
"We go together."
Bekkah
She didn't add to the discussion. She knew that she could leave just about any time she wanted. She wanted to stay near Dazi, but if leaving separately and meeting up was the best way, then she'd do it.
<Lia>
She flushed and says nothing more.
Celi stayed focused on Mikal, though the hits kept rolling in, with Daxia soliciting input then shrugging it aside for her own ideas.
Until she saw how it went, Daxia could be right, so she refused to complain. Darian's argument against leaving arrows was specious, however. Unless she left someone samples matching the lethal bolts, they would point directly to Darian like a bonfire on an empty beach. That was the whole point. Even if they missed the dog hair.
She had eyes and a nose; she assumed the Mark or the Imperials would have trackers who could match Celi.
Mikal
"Hmm. Any chance we can get into the warehouse in ones and two during the day, with our gear? We can work quietly during the night to move the ore and then leave early in the morning from there heading straight to the gate. We leave wagons in the original warehouse loaded with other stuff again."
He looks at Dama Kelleni. "Or are we and the warehouse watched too closely for that?"
Kadri:
"If we wanted. We could hide in an empty warehouse until morning. However - unless I misremember, the closest warehouse you own - "
She nods her head in Samara's direction.
"Is roughly a three quarter mile walk from the gates. If you think that would be close enough to make our way from, an empty warehouse might not be a bad place to hide out for the night without imposing on those here - and without them knowing where to look for us."
She looks over at Samara.
"It looks like, at least for now, I'm going to end up leaving. . I have. . enjoyed working for you."
And then she bites her lip on saying more
Daxia
with the Gang, Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's Room
She had been studying the merchant as the others spoke, but turned briefly towards Kadri when she tendered her resignation, lightly laying a hand on her shoulder for a handful of heartbeats before addressing Darian again. "Dazi give you arrowhead. Very ordinary. Hunter's arrow, ordinary arrowhead..." She grinned at Darian. "Much confusion. They run in circle chasing own tail until realize they tricked."
"How closely are we being watched?" she asked as she turned back to Samara. "This place, these Merchant Princes... it is all so unlike the Vale that I have no way to gauge their reactions. If they are truly unwilling to bear the scrutiny of House Shannon, and the Lords Rames and Hastur as well, then I would expect their surveillance to be lax. And if that is the case, would there even be a need to leave the Inn prior to a candlemark or so before dawn? Or are we expected to play some sort of game with them, disappearing from the Inn while their backs are turned... hiding elsewhere... fleeing before Lord Shannon arrives?
"It is not just the Nobles east of Lilia's Castle who are different, Dama," Daxia said, shaking her head. "It is not just the Nobles."
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Camelia, Celi, Cesare, Kadri, Daxia, Bekkah, Mikah and Darian and Longtooth
"I saw some of he Mercantile guild watching, and where they watch, so do their Khollish brothers.
"Interestingly ...
"The Mark seems to be watching everybody."
The merchant princess shrugged her shoulders then.
"But that's the rub, nyi? Not if they are watching, you know they are. Its what do you want them to see .... and when do they stop watching and begin doing."
Daxia
with the Gang, Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's Room
"Da, that's the rub, indeed." She narrowed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. "Why are the Mark here? There is something I'm missing, because I see no patterns, no connections where... they fit. It is inordinately frustrating.
"But yes... what do we want them to see?" Daxia looked around the room at the others. "Are we going about our business as though we have no cares at all? Are we concerned -- or even intimidated -- by their scrutiny? Are we as frightened as a mouse when the cat enters the room? Are we settling in as though we do, indeed, intend to spend the winter in Cragside, or are we letting them see our plans to flee?" She looked to her Second, eyebrows raised, inviting his answers first.
But then she turned her attention back to the Samara, waiting for the answer to the question she had asked the merchant.
Cesare
"Doing nothing until the time to leave may be the best option. Let them thin us complacent and safe. The less warning they have about us leaving, the less prepared they will be."
He shrugs. Apart from talking to the Captain, he has no plans to do anything. And this inn is fairly near the gate.
<Lia>
She looks rather thoughtful as she looks between the speakers. Finally the young woman speaks after turning a hand, palm upward, "Patterns cannot always be seen if one is too close to the tapestry. It is only when a few steps back are taken that the picture begins to show."
"I was not bothered when I went to market this morn before eating, so watching was all they did in regards to me...at that time. I can be prepared to leave within minutes if it is necessary and see no reason not to agree with Cesare."
She pauses and adds with a lopsided smile, "Unless of course there is more not yet heard."
Mikal
"Well, Dama Kelleni may be in a better position to have her own people move the ore from one warehouse to the other unobserved. Especially if everyone is watching us, so that's fine. In which case, leaving from here is definitely quicker, and letting those watching see us going about a normal routine, sparring, eating, shopping, and so forth may put them at ease. We then leave in the middle of the night, as quietly as possible, and be well on our way down the road by the time Her Light crests the horizon."
Darian
Hunter gives a nod to Daxia's offer of arrowheads. It means she understands the value. Still, Darian rues having to have left the others behind.
"To leave when She sleeps, rest needed by all. Also need unseen way to leave inn, not through common room," she muses aloud.
"Or leave when She shines and many eyes see. Walk with Healer for all eyes."
Mikal
"Better chance to have my guard friend disobey his orders if it's middle of the night when no one is around then middle of the day while all are watching. Besides, he only works the late shift so he's not on duty during the day. We have to leave after midnight and before first light."
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Camelia, Celi, Cesare, Kadri, Daxia, Bekkah, Mikah and Darian and Longtooth
"My people?"
Kelleni's laughter was light and quick.
"You are looking at My People. My people was Kadri until I traded her for Elisa.
"Neither of us who are any good at manhandling crates of steel. If i need wrk done, what do i do? I hire folks - who, being good members of the community, usually happen to be followers of Marrennen.
"Somehow I do not thing that would be a wise move."
She then leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms.
"As for the Mark, that is the question worth an Ironsilver coin or an Eastern Wheel. They have been extremely well behaved for their reputation; almost as if gloating, as if they somehow have something sussed out that we haven't figured out.
"And the were like this even before you came through the gates.
"The real question, I suspect, is why didn't they move until you were outside the city gates."
Letting that question fade, she nodded to Darian and Cesare.
"But you two have good thoughts. play on what you want them to think ... and in Her light, do things you want them to see ... when She sleeps, do the things you don't want them to see."
Celi
Celi rapidly drifted closer to Mikal, hoping to lend him moral support -- not that he necessarily needed it. She had the odd thought that being able to communicate with him like she did Stormrunner would be useful, if a little too intimate.
She would have touched his arm to let him know, if she hadn't feared embarrassing him.
Cesare
He nods to Dama Kelleni, acknowledging her agreement before turning to the others.
"We can maybe spend time in here in small groups, getting sleep, ready to leave tonight. Other groups can make a more public show of normality."
He offers a further suggestion.
Bekkah
"I'm pretty sure I can leave anytime. I can always spend the night at the temple. It's probably not a bad idea that I spend a night there anyways."
Daxia
with the Gang, Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's Room
"What we know: we must leave before dawn, and be far enough away from Cragside so Shannon's troops do not see us the on road when they leave The Rock." Daxia stood relaxed beside Kadri, hands clasped loosely behind her back. "We must move Elise's ore from its current location to Dama Samara's adjacent warehouses; this must be done after dark when the eyes of the watchers have returned to their homes and Inns. We are not cargo handlers; likely this process will take much of night, da? Cesare's suggestion of getting sleep during the day is certainly one I plan to follow, as I slept very little last night. But as many as possible should be seen doing ordinary things."
She turned to look at Bekkah. "Visiting the Hospice during the day would be a good idea, but you will need to spend the night with us I'm afraid." She smiled at her sister. "Had I tried to slip out of the Temple a candlemark or more before Her rising, I'm sure Kassia would have somehow managed to be at the door before me. I have a feeling Lady Alice has that in common with Priestess Kassia, da?" she looked around the room again at the others.
"There might be some value in moving Lisica, Fern and Talia to Dama Samara's warehouse closer to the gate; or we could simply bring them with us to the warehouse where we will be working. Once we leave the Inn tonight, I think it best if we do not return."
Kadri:
"For me. . ordinary things would be patrolling warehouses. . ."
Mikal
"I will get some rest during the day if we're going to be working thru the early part of the night and traveling through the late part. Don't see a problem with bringing the horses to the warehouse. We haven't ridden them during the daytime inside the town so no one associates them specifically with us. In fact, perhaps Dama Kelleni can take them with her when she leaves? Will give her an excuse for having come here in the first place, purchasing mounts?"
Darian
"Rest when can good thing. Winter harsh outside walls."
She turned then to Mikal. "Would guard let Hunter pass to bring back fresh meat?"
Mikal
"No one in or out is what I was told." He replies. "Don't think they're open to making exceptions." He shrugs. "You can always ask. Don't see the harm in it."
He turns to Cesare. "I think you said you might be able to find a way out besides using the gate? Perhaps those without mounts should take that route with you? That will leave just we three riders, and we'll be able to move faster alone. We can meet up with you outside the town, somewhere along the trail."
He glances to Daxia. "Or we can stick together. Just a thought."
Cesare
"I'm willing to try. I know the sort of things to look for but I will need to spend time looking.. alone or maybe with one other. No point in attracting attention. No guarantees I'll find a way in the hours left either.."
It could be worth the effort though.
"Even if we decide to go together, if things take an unexpected turn, it could provide a fallback for us."
Darian
"We go with you," Darian volunteers to Cesare. "Already we be seen together. If needed, can be ..."
She pauses, thinking how to say something that she had come to understand was not as accepted in the cities.
"...behave more friendly..."
She looked to Cesare to see if he understood what she was attempting to say.
<Lia>
She had started to open her mouth once or twice but stopped.
Finally she said carefully, "The same arguments against trickling out would appear to apply to breaking up to exit as well."
She shrugged again, "That being said I could go to market or stay here during the day."
Daxia
with the Gang, Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's Room
"Oh ho! Mikal not listen again!" Daxia said, grinning at him and shaking her head. "What your Killian say? Use two ears, yes? Work all night, or most. Travel candlemark, maybe two, before She rise... all morning at least, maybe longer. And Dama Samara have reason to be here," she said, gesturing to the merchant. "Kadri need important discussion about Samuel warehouse. Dama Samara take Fern, who carry saddle and all Dazi gear?" She paused a heartbeat before saying, as she tapped her chin, "Ah! Mikal maybe?" She wagged the finger at him, still grinning, and said, "Someday you hear everything Dazi say... Dazi fall over in shock, yes?" She clasped her hands behind her back again. "But ace idea if Kadri not working for Dama Samara." She gave him a single sharp nod, then looked between Darian and Cesare several times, and finally shrugged.
"You think maybe another way through, over, under wall," she said to Cesare, "why not try, yes? Maybe find nothing, maybe find something. You, Darian, Longtooth out in town being seen... this good. Pretend to... court, I think what Darian mean." Again, she shrugged and smiled. "You three smart... you do what seem right."
Finally, she turn to Lia and regarded her for a few moments.
Cesare
He grins at Darian, very happy with her suggestion.
"Have respect for you and Longtooth. Always welcome. And with Longtooth's nose, think our chances of finding a way out are greater."
They have worked well together. Both have a determination and a single-mindedness about what they do and their skills seem to compliment each others.
"I suggest we start now.. though Lia and I want to talk to the captain today and maybe we should see when is convenient first? I expect we will need to go out a few times, reporting back here in between and covering different areas each time."
He pauses.
"We should also maybe think about after we leave. I think we have people here who can hunt.." he smiles at Darian "..and forage and are used to travelling. But hunting takes time and that might not be something we have. So we need to get supplies in a way that doesn't raise suspicions. Perhaps others could do that? We will also be moving at walking pace, pace of slowest. We can go off road though.. I can always find the right path."
The last is offered in a matter of fact way, not boastful but confident.
Darian
"Court?" she murmurs as Dazi' mentions it, then remembers the villagers mentioning it. It was different among the Pack, but similar. "Yes, court is it."
Her return half smile, while smaller than Cesare's grin, is no less true and honest. She nods and offers a simple "Aye" at his mention of hunting.
"We be ready when you ready."
Celi
Celi suppressed the shivery thrill of abandonment she felt when Mikal relegated her to the herd.
That was somewhat demeaning, she thought, a function of the automatic arrogance of horse owners. It didn't matter that she could ride; she didn't have a horse. It helped soothe her to know there were quite possibly others in the same straits.
She made herself set all such annoyance aside. Clearly, If she was going to help these folk it would be easiest if they were: one, together; and two, on the outside.
Mikal and Daxia seemed to be working to that same end; so she was just going to have to suck it up, ignore any real or phantom irritations, and do whatever was required of her to smooth the group's reassembly outside.
"Mikal, I think you are already headed this way, but I should say that I can best protect our folk outside, if they are grouped together. No ... stragglers, especially horsemen, who might be considered ... fair game."
Mikal
He shrugs towards Daxia as if the answer is obvious, a corner of his lip twitching upwards in the ghost of a smile. "I am sure Dama Samara is used to hiring boys to carry things. Would not be strange at all for a couple of them to carry saddles and equipment with her as well as lead the horses to the warehouse. Give them our extra gear and let them walk with her."
When Celi comments, he nods seriously, not contesting at all her contention that she would be able to protect the group. "My main concern, Celi, is pursuit. If those on foot leave first and get a head start, those on horseback can catch up with them and meet up further down the road. Will also put us further away should the Mark Cavalry come riding after us."
"If Cesare can find an exit, you and they can stop work and leave close to when the Silver Lady crosses the Wolf (roughly midnight). Head towards where we camped. Move off the road there to a place of concealment and wait for us. We three", indicating Daxia, Kadri, and himself, "will leave when the Hunter passes the Silver Lady (a few hours before sunrise). We should catch up to you about that same spot so you shouldn't need to wait long."
He glances back to Daxia, with the same slight smile. "Or not."
Lia
She watched the coversation progress and listened. When Daxia turned her attention to her and stared for several moment, Lia shrugged slightly, picked up whatever it was she'd been standing before on the table and walked out the door. A slight tightening of her lips was the only other physical expression she made.
If there were words that came after those moments of regard, she was no longer there.
She murmured a polite "excuse me," to Samara before opening the door and exiting.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's room
Lia walked out of the room as she was about to speak... moving past several people and forcing Samara out of the way. Daxia stared after her in shock, mouth open. She blinked several times and snapped her mouth closed, not having actually heard anything said until Mikal addressed her.
She pulled her attention back to him, brows furrowed. "What?"
Mikal
"My not listening must be contagious I guess", he chuckles. "I just suggested how Dama Samara could get our tack and gear to the warehouse and how we could meet up outside the town if Cesare finds another way out of town for those on foot."
He shrugs. "Nothing important."
He raises an eyebrow. "Did you and she have the same boyfriend at one point?" He nods towards the exiting Camelia.
Daxia
with the Gang and Elise and Samara in Captain Koromov's room
Still looking completely baffled, Daxia said, "Dazi never even HAVE boyfriend. Dazi SO confused." She rubbed her forehead for a moment, then took a deep breath and sighed. And then she shook her head. "We all get rest today... no one go out alone, ok? All be back here by sunset, yes?" Looking around again, she shrugged. "That plan. Think maybe Dama Samara like to return to her business, maybe Captain like her room back, yah? Know Dazi need more sleep."
The Heartwood
Early Morning, the Town of Cragside
Rameday The First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
Camelia, Celi, Cesare, Kadri, Daxia, Bekkah, Mikah and Darian and Longtooth
Samara blinked, her head tilting quietly, as she was ooshed out of the way for the departing handmaiden.
" ... passingly strange."
Is her whisper as she leveled her gaze over those remaining in the room. Pushing herself to a stand she considered the schemes rippling across the room.
"Your Jvrillian has the right of it. The gates will only open once, and sometime after breakfast is about all you can hope before the Shannons ask just what in Kryata's name is happening in their town."
She then looked to Elisa, nodding.
"And don't worry. I can apprentice you until this all dies down and its safe to sell the steel .. because that is one thing that's very misunderstood."
She turned to Mikal, chuckling.
"I have no boys or men to hire. I back others, do not trade or myself.
"My wealth isn't in speculation lad.
"It's in real estate."
She then opened the door for herself.
"The best plans are simple ones. And you don nyi have to like each other ... to work together well, aye? you don't learn that skill, you will not survive out here in the real world.
"Kadri ... you did well and it was fun.
"But we both knew from day one it wasn't forever."
She stepped out, ushering Elisa with her.
"Sunset will be coming soon ... time to play, ne-pah?"
And then she and her apprentice took their leave.
Celi with Cesare
et.al.Celi nodded briefly to Mikal's recap, taking it as instruction. She ghosted across the floor to Cesare, and gazed solemnly into his eyes.
"So then ... you have a way out on foot, early dark? Get us outside and I will get us to a safe place where we can bide until the riders catch up to meet us. I will provide a safe escort, if you will manage the exit."
Clearly, Celi had changed since her brief tour outside the wall in the company of Mikal; she was calm and self-confident, and showed none of the nervous mannerisms she had displayed when first he had encountered her.
![[Linked Image]](http://l.yimg.com/eb/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/screen_gems/resident_evil__extinction/milla_jovovich/extinction10.jpg)
Daxia
with the Gang in Captain Koromov's Room
She watched Celi's interaction with Cesare, a hint of a smile crossing her face before turning to Bekkah. "Maybe you find out what that about, yes?" Daxia said, pointing towards the door, indicating Lia's abrupt departure. "I go thank Captain for room, get sleep. All you stay safe, no one alone, ok?" She turned to quieter-than-usual Kadri. "You want go out, stay with Bekkah, yes? Don't want to worry over new friend, ok?" she said with a tired smile.
Bekkah
"I'd better talk to her. Before it's too late." she said getting up.
"I'll be back within a quarter candlemark, no more. Promise." she said giving Dazi a confident smile.
With that, she headed out the door in search of the young lady.
Cesare
He is about to suggest that he go after Lia. His conversation with the captain should include her and she might talk more to him than the others, but then Celi comes over to him and the moment is lost with others taking that role.
He'll deal with it later. Instead he turns his attention to Celi and listens to what she says.
"I think we will all be glad of any help offered. There will be some less used to travelling than others, so it is good you have skills to offer here. What are your strenths, your plans to offer assistance? We should all share this sort of knowledge to gain confidence and trust in each other."
Kadri sits, looking a bit lost in thought, staring at the wall.
Mikal - with group, leaving room, stopping at Cesare and Celi
He nods as the group begins to break up to spend the day as they will, and to be packed up and ready to head to the warehouse after dark.
As he has no room to sleep in, and the common room will be too busy to sleep in during the day, he plans to go find a dark corner of Talia's stall and roll up in his blanket. He's learned the soldiers trick of sleeping anytime, anywhere, some time ago.
As he moves to exit the room, he passes Cesare and Celi. He pauses as he hears the question. Putting a hand in comradely fashion on Cesare's shoulder he says, "Now, Cesare. Leave the lady her secrets. If I learned anything from my mother it was not to pry into something a woman says she can do. It only leads to trouble. I'd just take her at her word and move on to worry about other things. We do have enough of them, after all."
He winks at Celi where only she can see it, and heads out the door to gather his belongings and curl up in the stall for a few hours.
Daxia
with Kadri in Captain Koromov's room as the rest of the Gang is leaving
Daxia crouched down beside Kadri, a worried expression on her face. "Kadri? You ok? Anything Dazi do to help?"
Kadri
"Not really - just - time to move on, leave family behind. Change is good, but not always fun when its happening."
Daxia
with Kadri in Captain Koromov's room as the rest of the Gang is leaving
"Yah, Dazi know. Leaving Vale... very hard," she said, with a tiny catch in her voice. "Kadri have more family now, yes?" She stood again, and smiled at Kadri. "We make more fun, too, ok?" Daxia squeezed the other woman's shoulder lightly, then she, too, left the room... nodding and smiling at Cesare and Celi in the doorway. On her way out to the stables, she stopped in the commons to thank her Temple-sister for the temporary use of her room, then continued out to Fern's corner. She removed her belt and set sword and dagger in easy reach, curled up in her cloak and was almost instantly asleep.
Cesare
He stares after Mikal. What does he think he is asking? He just wants to know what she intends which he will see soon enough. Secrets? What about sharing information and building trust?
"Tell me or not Celi. I just don't like surprises at a bad time. Maybe you'd like to think about it and let me know later?"
He smiles at the girl. Perhaps she is sensitive and Mikal is just trying to provide a defense for her.
"Anyway, I need to be going to make the most of the daylight."
He nods to Darian, nodding to the door. He will look for the captain on the way out, just to find out where she will be later, before sunset, so that he can get a few words with her.
[OOC: Wolf - could do the captain chat via PM if you wish?]
Darian & Longtooth
Hound at her side, Darian returns Cesare's nod and heads out of the room. From there it is down the stairs, across the common room and to the not quite so stuffy outside.
[ooc: sorry for the delay; we had a minor medical emergency which kept me from posting before now.]
Celi
Celi was somewhat surprised -- and maybe slightly annoyed -- by MIkal's intervention. His intentions were good, but it came across as slightly supercilious, even demeaning.
On the other hand, at least he had taken enough interest in her to acknowledge her existence. The corner of her mouth quirked in a brief sardonic grin.
"Cesare, forgive me. I have ... ah, an expert companion waiting for me outside the walls, who is prepared to provide expert guidance and considerable assistance should we be followed or attacked. When you meet him, you will see that my praise is justified. I myself am quite comfortable with all aspects of wilderness movement; tracking, the stalk, even the hunt, though I am more limited than my companion in that area; I am not an archer, for example.
"I hope you can be satisfied with this much information. My companion is strong, fast and silent, you need have no fears on his account."
Cesare
He nods.
"Interesting. Happy to have another on our side. Let's see if I can find a way out to him. We'll talk more later."
He nods a farewell to everyone and moves down out of the inn to met with Darian on the street below.
"Let's head to the gate but make a right and walk along the lane parallel to the south wall. See what we can see."
He takes a step but pause, turning with a grin, and ofers his hand, waiting to see if she'll take it.
Celi
To Cesare, Celi said, "May I accompany you? Or would you prefer I wait here? I would prefer to come along, so that I may come to know you better; but I caution you in advance that I am not all that experienced in this ..." she made a brief gesture encompassing the urban venue," ... environment."
Cesare
"Normally I wouldn't have a problem but Darian and I are intending to suggest a romantic attachment to cover our explorations. So that might be difficult. Someone needs to think about supplies though. Could you do that?"
[OOC Backfilling so as not to leave Nicki suspended]
Darian
The Rhoni offered his hand. She tilted her head at him, gave a small smile. It was the same among her Pack. Darian placed her hand in his. "We like see more city."
Celi
"I can think about anything you wish, but buying it is a different story. I don't have the chops to steal them, either. But once we are outside, we won't have any difficulty," Celi said. "If you have a source of funds, I can collect whatever we might need."
Cesare
"Best talk to Daxia about supplies. They'll probably need to be carried on the horses which will limit what we can take. I can add some coin if needed, as I expect some others can."
"Daxia, very well." Celi nodded. "When do we meet, and where? The group leaving together, on foot, I mean."
Cesare
"Daxia said we should assemble here at sunset. Any spare time you have, get some rest. See you later."
With that he tturns and leaves.
Good enough. Now she had a schedule and a task, and a contact: Daxia. But Daxia was nowhere to be found, likely getting some rest or performing her own errands. Celi would just have to wait. It would be easier for ehr to scavenge what they needed from outside than to hunt it down here.
SHe looked around to see if any of the horseback team was available for consultation.
[ooc: Celi might remember Cesare stating that on the run they wouldn't have time to hunt.. foraging for 8+ people would take a long time.. then thee are the animals..
]
[ooc: Understood. Cesare wouldn't have time to hunt for eight, and he is the professional. What about one bad guy's horse? Or one mature deer? (and a bag of chips)]
[OOC: No chips. We are health-conscious adventurers!
]
[ooc: Here, gnaw on this shredded tree bark, and put that spit-roasted quail aside. This is ever so much better for you, and is guaranteed to clean out your urinary tract like a wire bristle brush...(why man was not meant to be vegan).]
ooc note: on the other other hand, if you get a day out without pursuit ... there's probably a good chance you become not worth the effort to pursue. Especially since if they actually catch you they then have to actually deal with the whole mess ...
[Celi is looking for Daxia first, and then barring that (if she stays in her room) one of the horsemen, such as Mikal, to query them as to which supplies to be lugged by the group on foot she should be acquiring, and exactly how she is to go about doing that.]
[Daxia does not have a room, and both she and Mikal are sleeping near their respective horses. Dunno when Mikal decides to wake up, but you won't find Daxia up and about until sometime in the early afternoon when she... huh? Walks in the front door of the Inn with Kadri?]
which can happen whenever you wish
[ooc: Why don't we say Celi found Mikal and Daxia but chose to respect their sleep, returned to the inn where she is catching some z's curled on a bench.]
Bekkah
After unsuccessfully being able to speak to Lia, she returned to the common room to get a light meal. She hated to do it, but she'd have to see if she could get some coin from Dazi. She had almost none with her. Where she'd been in the last few years, coin was of no value. If she was going to remain in towns, she'd have to get some. Generally, she'd be offered meals and lodging wherever she went, but she couldn't always count on the hospitality of others.
Mikal
He rolls over when his internal alarm clock tells him it is time to get up, or perhaps it was because Talia nipped at his butt, having grown tired of his smelling up her nice stall. Hard to tell exactly.
In any case, once up he brushes the hay out of his hair and clothes, heads outside to the water trough and washes up. Going back to the stall he brushes and feeds Talia, then packs all his gear and gets his tack ready so he can saddle Talia quickly when it is time to go.
He then heads inside the inn to see if he can grab an early dinner and check on the others. Once it gets dark, they'll need to finish packing and get reay to move to the warehouse.
Celi
Celi started and sat up abruptly, for a moment uncertain as to where she was.
That happened to her a lot, indoors: unfamiliar scents and sounds, a mild but uncomfortable claustrophobia, the absence of moving air.
She looked around wildly, then recognized the inn common room and the surge of panic passed without further incident. She saw Bekkah, rubbed her face with both hands and pushed her hair out of her face, and got to her feet.
"Bekkah? Hello. I'm Celi." She pronounced it "SAY-lee."
"Cesare suggested I might see about acquiring supplies for our little trip, but did not say what or how I was to gom about paying for them. I don't suppose you could help me with either question...?"
Bekkah
"Hello again Celi." she greeted the younger girl with a warm smile.
"I suppose some of the merchants would have supplies for sale. Unfortunately, I have no coin. I have been traveling for the past few years and I have had no use for coin. I suspect we shall both have to wait for others."
"While we wait for them to wake. Tell me something of yourself dear. From where do you hail?"
[ooc: How old does she look? Bekkah is definitely late twenties, early thirties]
![[Linked Image]](http://cache.reelz.com/assets/content/article/Milla.jpg)
CeliCeli invited Bekkah to sit with a courteous gesture. She was small and fit and because she had apparently lived most of her life out of doors, she was just weathered enough to make her age indeterminate: younger than Bekkah, but by how much, it was hard to tell. At times she showed the relaxed confidence of an experienced old hand, and at others she was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
"My life is far from interesting," Celi said. "I was raised by my Gran on the wildlands 'tween the Dirkwood and Brown's Toll, where the hills lay soft along the Blackwater rush. I cannot recall aught of my parents, save fire, bloody steel and death ... but thankfully, the dreams do not come any longer.
"That was when Gran found me; I rode a long way with her, on her old gray mare. But the mare suffered not at all; I was tiny, and all skin and bones. My Gran lived alone; our house had but three rooms, and 'twere sunk into the hills for shelter. The Blackwater flowed nearby, though the soft burble of the waters was a trap. If you let your mind wander, things would come out of the water to savage your ankles, and you had to beat them in the head with a branch to make them stop. They were good eating, though. That is where I learned to fish, using things other than my own ankles for bait.
My Gran taught me to live as part of the world around me, to fit my life to the pattern of the Sun and Mother Nature. BUt we seldom went where others lived, and even more rarely did we travel the Highland Path, which crossed the Blackwater at the Toll.
"It sounds like a life of sheer boredom, does it not? But it wasn't. I learned so many things. It was an idyllic life, in truth, until as must eventually come to us all, my Gran died. Now it came to me to travel to neighbor farms and trade for flour and jam and the like, It were where people were meant to live, *with* the world instead of against it, but it could be also very lonely. Fortunately, Gran had taught me how to read Nature's partners, the infinite creatures that share Her world with us. It filled a place in my heart that I did not even know was empty.
It was at this time that I came to see that nothing tied me to that place any longer; and so I saddled the gray, and rode south alongside the Blackwater, and as I rode, the land slowly became filled with other folk. As time passed I learned how to use my skills to make my way among the other folk, in stables and caravans, on farms and the like, and I learned the method of exchange and the value placed on coin. I still make mistakes, and I do not have very much of it, but I am better than I was. These folk ... they do not easily understand the other creatures who share our world under Nature's purview, but such knowledge came rather easily to me.
"And so, now I am here. For whatever reason, I turned my path in the end toward Cragside, where, apparently, I have thrown myself in with a pack of incorrigibles."
She grinned. "What of you, Mistress? Wherefore ha' you come to be in this place, and what do you wish from our company?"
Darian
The door swung open to admit Hunter, Hound and Rhoni. Darian made no move to drop Cesare's hand unless he pulled away. She caught the attention of one of the serving girls and ordered for and drink for the three of them.
"Shall we sit with them?" she asked quietly indicating the two of their group already present.
(Since Mikal only mentioned a specific time and others haven't yet, I'm just going to assume Kadri has made her way back.)
Kadri walks in from the direction of the stables, holding an apple in one hand and eating, humming some little tune to herself.
Bekkah
She listened to Celi's tale in silence.
"I spent much time amongst the people of the land. Poor some would call them, but they had a richness of spirit that some nobles will never know. I see that spirit within you Celi. You take the time to notice things and be thankful for even the smallest of things. That is a blessing. Don't ever lose that."
She thought about asking her something when other's showed up and she decided against it.
"So you long to be away from here, yes? I know I do as well. I spent days traveling in the back of carts to get here, but already I long for peace and open space. Hopefully, we can leave here soon."
Celi smiled wistfully. "The Wild would indeed be sweet. Getting back to where I fit. Cesare has concerns about our group's ability to forage, and wanted us to acquire road supplies. Just *how*, be was a little vague. I think we will be fine, but I am used to such a life."
Cesare
"I had hoped others would be here too but perhaps they will be here soon to eat."
He makes not move to drop her hand either and the two make their way as one with a smaller shadow dogging their heels.
"Celi, Bekkah."
He names the two as he and Darian take seats by them. He seems in good spirits, smiling as he greets them.
"Where is everyone?"
(aww. Noone even noticed that she was there<g>)
[Ooc: one whiff of that cologne and everyone is *afraid* to notice you...]
Mikal
Late afternoon and Mikal enters the commons, asking after some cheese, fruit, and bread, as he expects a hot dinner is not quite ready and he's hungry.
Taking a seat with the others he nods in comradely fashion. "Talia's ready, and I am packed. Once it gets dark we can move."
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
The last to arrive -- just as dinner time was beginning -- Daxia came into the Commons from the stables rubbing the back of her head, hair a frightful mess, and almost looking as if she'd been in a scuffle except for the broad grin on her face. She'd removed her vambraces, but still wore her greaves; she had the heavier walk of one wearing ring armor under her gray quarter-panel riding tunic. Coming up behind her sister, she reached over Bekkah's shoulder to place a yellow apple on the table in front of her, then hugged her from behind. "Know yellow Bekkah's favorite!" She kissed the top of Bekkah's head, then went around to the other side of the table and sat down across from Bekkah, next to Kadri. After greeting the rest of her companions, she eyed Cesare and Darian for a moment, then grinned broadly. "Hoi! Pretend not so pretend, yah?" She chuckled. "You find way out beside front gate?"
Darian
Their lunch was long done but the ale still flowed. Cesare's warmth was at her side and Longtooth's at her feet.
"Aye, but not for four leg. Tricky for two leg."
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
"How tricky? Too tricky even for Longtooth?"
Darian
"Maybe aye, maybe no. If place can jump up, no. Elseway, aye."
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
Daxia looked around the room. The few townsfolk who'd come in were giving them wide berth; the only people who might possibly be within earshot were members of her Temple-sister's troop. She nodded, then propped an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm. Still, she spoke quietly when she finally did speak. "Many thoughts..." She sighed. "Don't like split party, but if best idea... ok.
"Need all to help with ore, yes? Make hole two walls... move ore, crates to neighbors... fix holes. Leave empty wagons, yes? More help, faster finished, sooner leave. So... I ask fast, you think slow, ok?" she said with a grin. "Or fast. That ok, too."
Daxia sat up and ticked the questions off on her fingers, looking at each person as she addressed them.
"Kadri... any... ah, what word? Pulley? Winch? Thing move crates easier.
"Celi... you say, mmmm, confuse path? Yes? Group must be tight together... or long line down road ok?
"Darian... if split group, Longtooth not able to get out tricky place... Hunter, Hound stay together? Or Hunter go through tricky place, Hound come with horses?
"Mikal... what advantages for split group? If split, who go first? How much before others?" She looked at him, perhaps not gravely, but certainly seriously. "If Mikal think split group best idea... convince Dazi why.
"Other ideas, anyone, please say, yes?"
She regarded them all again, then turned to get Nessa's attention. She ordered food and drink for everyone, and exchanged a few pleasantries with the girl, before turning back to her group. As she placed her palms flat on the table, something caught her attention; her brows furrowed as she inspected the back of her left hand. "Ha!" she said to no one in particular as she moved her forefinger around. "That Barris... he sneaky like Kadri. Dazi have bruise there tomorrow, reckon."
Daxia leaned back in her chair, looking more relaxed and content than any but Bekkah had seen her. She waved her hands at them, smiling. "Talk, talk... plan, plan!"
Celi
Celi spoke right up. "I say split the horses, which can travel much more rapidly and would find the foot pace annoying. Of the foot travelers, split that group in twain. The deft should travel off the beaten path; they can avoid leaving a clear trail by watching where they pass and where they put their feet, and help us by scouting ahead as we travel.
"The not-so-deft should travel in the middle of the beaten path, moving in single file and carefully treading only where the one ahead in the column has trod. That will leave a single track, which is hard to distinguish and will thereby muffle our number. The last in this not-so-deft line should drag a willow broom, bound with twigs of fresh cedar and sage or raw peppermint, either of which will discomfit any scent tracker they might try to employ while muddling our footprints."
Kadri:
"The warehouses are built for it. They have heavy raters, tools, block and tackle. . .all the tools needed to move heavy things around. Should be not a problem."
She turns towards Celi.
"At least for a while, some of our horses might be able to take two people, if we are not moving at full speed - might be better for any who are not comfortable walking long distances or covering their tracks."
"Then you have three groups, not two," Celi pointed out. "Walking, riding, and encumbered riding, who could neither flee nor fight. Which among us cannot walk or drag a broom?"
Cesare
"I don't think the way out we found is feasible even for all those walking. With more time to purchase ropes, rig things ready.. then yes.. but we have the added problems of the watchers. They would know. So I think that we should all go together through the gate at the same time, that being the only feasible way out tonight."
He pauses.
"There are still problems though. How to get from the warehouse to the gate without someone raises the alarm. That might be achieved by leaving the horses at the inn and us leaving the warehouses more openly as if we are just returning here, then at the last minute we go for the gate. Gives anyone wanting to stop us the least time to react. Then we have the problem through the gate of the speed of travel being that of the slowest and whether we have enough supplies to gain enough distance to put off pursuit. Laying a false trail here and maybe going in an unexpected direction might help."
He looks around those gathered.
"Anyone seen Lia?"
Darian
"Which more need, speed or stealth. If stealth, Celli plan good, what understand of it. If speed to gain more distance, then all stay to road. Or do both. We be eight two legs, there be three horse, one hound. Six ride horse, look like three with horse..."
She looked at those about jusdging size and accouterments. "Dazi 'n' Bekka, Mikal 'n' Lia, 'n' Celli or Cesare with Kadri. Other run with Hunter and Hound and scout also before and behind."
She had given those with armor the one's she judged to be the lightest and least encumbered among them. She knew little of Celli but perhaps she could scout. Her words seemed to indicate so.
[OOC: Lia is sitting with us, quietly for now. Sorry I didn't make that clear.]
Mikal
He listens to all the suggestions and information before answering Daxia's question.
"The advantage to splitting into two groups is that those on foot can leave thru a path that none will know of and none will know they've left. It will be extremely hard for anyone to find their trail, especially if Celi leads them cross country in a roundabout manner to our rendezvous spot. Probably not even any need for disguising the trail as none will know where to start looking and those mounted will be the obvious target to follow."
"In the meantime, those who are mounted, plus perhaps Longtooth who can keep up without slowing the riders, and who leave via the main gate will be known to have left and their hoof prints will be easily followed. However, they can move quickly. So quickly that only cavalry could possibly follow."
"The mounted ones will be able to tell if they have any close pursuit, and will be able to keep ahead of it. They will then lead the pursuers into an ambush, setup by those afoot at the spot Celi and I agreed to."
"To accomplish setting up the ambush, those afoot will need to leave several hours before those mounted. I'd suggest we all work together to remove the walls between warehouses, and once that is done those on foot all leave. Before midnight. The mounted ones can spend more hours moving the ore and replacing the walls and then leave a bit before false dawn. That will give those on foot a good handful of hours head start to get away and into position. Those mounted will meet them, and if closely pursued, will lead them into said ambush."
"Leaving the horses at the inn and picking them up on the way is a good idea, as this inn is much closer to the gates then the warehouse it."
Camelia
Camelia sat quietly and listened to the others plan. She was looking forward to none of this! Not the squalid night of moving the ore in the warehouses, nor the long, cold trek through the dark. She just wanted to go home, but she really wasn't sure where that was anymore.
Just go where you're supposed to be and do what you're told...she reminded herself of the promise she'd made to herself hours ago while she was alone.
She made a point of trying to look interested in the conversation. Maybe dinner would put a better light on things.
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
Daxia listened as each person spoke, waiting until all had finished speaking, and Nessa had come with their meal and gone again, before commenting on their ideas. "Ta, many ideas. First, I say what... hmmm... connections, patterns Dazi see, ok?" She sighed and muttered something about 'Kassia' before continuing.
"Darian's question is key... which is more important, speed or stealth? And I think the answer is neither... or both.
"You are all assuming we are being watched every moment, and that pursuit is inevitable. However, I do not believe either to be the case.
"From Her rising to Her setting, yes... eyes are on us wherever we go. But when darkness falls, it is not ordinary for people to venture out unless they have a very good reason. Likely the only people out after dark are the Town Guard making their rounds. The Merchant Princes are snug in their homes, their bullies tucked in for the night. We have settled ourselves here, and here we'll stay... or so they assume.
"Mikal wondered earlier how it was that the Mark were ready to go when he and Celi left last night, how it was that the Mark followed them so quickly. Mikal thought there was someone spying on us, hence our subterfuge earlier today." She looked at her Second, grinning. "For someone who says he hates intrigue, you have an odd habit of looking for it, Mikal." She chuckled as she shook her head. "Why would the Mark follow you at all? It is because they thought you were leaving Cragside with the ore. The Mark wants the ore... or rather, their employer wants the ore. How did they manage to follow so quickly? Very likely their employer said, 'Stand ready all day, keep a close watch, do nothing else... unless the ore leaves the town.' Didn't Dama Kelleni say they were behaving exceptionally well, and that they seemed quite smug about something. I am guessing... but I don't think my guess is far off the target... they were tasked with 'escorting' the ore to their employer no matter who the buyer turned out to be. At the moment, the Mark are likely down at the Bar and Fire, doing much as we are now... having dinner, drinking ale, conversing with one another. They may be annoyed with Mikal and Celi's little trick yesterday, but they believe the ore to still be safely in the warehouse. And it is in the warehouse... for now.
"Hiding the ore -- as we will do tonight -- and making it look like it has somehow been taken out of town -- a task Dama Kelleni will handle, though it will take days or even handfuls to accomplish that -- will put the Dark Mark in the awkward position of explaining to their employer how they managed to fail so spectacularly." She paused to take a sip of her cider. "I think it would be a good idea if we stay away from Bordertown.
"So who will follow us? We do not have the ore. Everyone wants the ore, the Mark seems to think they will eventually obtain the ore... but we? We do not have the ore, and are not worth following.
"Ah, but what of this dead Imperial? That would be the business of Lord Shannon, who will likely arrive at the town gates after breakfast, at which time I would like us to be at least two or even three handful of miles down the road. The Lord will inquire of the Merchant Princes what manner of trouble they are causing, and they will have to explain that somehow a dead Imperial happened to find his way into town. They will, without doubt, deny knowledge of how such a thing could happen... it is, after all, their bargain with Lord Shannon that they not cause him any problems. They will point in a westerly direction and claim some strangers rode into town, caused all the trouble, and then -- as impossible as it sounds -- snuck out of town in the middle of the night.
"I think Lord Shannon is lazy. Or perhaps, here at the very edge of the Kierkegaard lands, it is wiser for him to look elsewhere; I don't know. He allows the Merchant Princes to run Cragside, however, because he doesn't like trouble. I suspect his attitude will be something on the order of, 'Well, they're gone... but I don't want this to ever happen again.' And he will happily return to The Rock."
Daxia paused to eat a spoonful of stew, and washed it down with more cider.
"I don't see any reason why we shouldn't leave together. Going to the warehouse will be easier if we leave the horses here; with the equipment Kadri spoke of, I would hope we can be out of town no later than halfway between midnight and Her rising. That should give us time to get us the three handful of miles away that I'd like.
"Masking our trail would be a purposeless endeavor... there is one road that goes in two directions. Eastward takes us into the Highgaard Reaches, and it would be a miserable journey during Storm Season. It would likely take longer than usual to reach even Highgaard Keep, and even I -- who grew up in these mountains -- would not want to make that journey. Westward is the only viable route at this time of year. Whether they see our footprint or no, they will know we have gone west. The simpler we keep things, the better.
"And don't worry about the horses being annoyed at a slow pace, Celi." Daxia smiled her. "They like to choose their paths carefully, so at night or in bad weather it's perfectly normal for them to accept the same pace as a walker. And sometimes I think Fern is rather lazy." She winked.
"There may come a time, however, when some of these ideas for evading people or confusing them might be useful. I hope not... but then I didn't expect Cragside to be quite so... interesting, either."
She tore off a piece of bread and soaked it in the stew gravy before eating it.
"So I propose we all go to the warehouse once it is full dark, all of us keeping most vigilant..." She turned to Kadri. "You'll guide us on a route most likely to avoid the Town Guard, da?" Daxia's eyes scanned the faces of her companions. "We will work diligently and as swiftly as is safe to move Elise's ore to Dama Kelleni's neighboring warehouses. When that task is completed, Kadri will guide us back here where we will collect Lisica, Fern and Talia before making our way to the gate where Mikal's friend will allow us to slip out. And then we will go westward together with as much speed as the night will allow. May we be blessed with a clear night."
Again she paused to drink her cider.
"If you have objections or think this plan needs modifying, please speak. But we have little time... even now, we are losing Her light."
ooc comment: Also, when it comes to the nuts and bolts of everyday travel, there is little time difference between walking and riding; most riding is done at an easy walk to not tire or abuse one's mount - the benefit, of course, being that when you arrive it is the horse that is tired, not you.
Pushing faster than that tends to tire not your horse faster than you'd wish; the only time - without extenuating circumstance - you would want to do that is if you had a way to exchange horses. Also, a horse worked hard requires much more time to properly bed down.
Oh! and an additional note ... it might be a bit risky riding your horse at night faster than a walk anyways ... especially if there was a cloud over the moons
Kadri:
She pauses.
"I can help in covering our tracks. I have some. . ability there. Learned back home."
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
Daxia raised an eyebrow as she looked at her friend, an odd smile forming. "Not so necessary, but make confusion... maybe somebody think funny, yes?" She winked at Kadri. "If easy, not make Kadri tired... Dazi think funny, too."
Darian
"We go together as we came together. They not know we all only meet at gate."
Celi
Celi stepped forward and made her case for split travel. "I am not trying to insult anyone's intelligence, but ... we are escaping, are we not? There will be people trying to prevent it. And these people will be chasing the riders, will they not? I say we have to consider the circumstances.
"A horse at a trot or canter will travel three to six times as far as a walking man, which over a ha'day or a full sun is a considerable distance ... and it is even more, if you can afford to gallop anywhere along the path.
"Trying to compare the two *when we are escaping* fails to take the circumstances into consideration. The horse riders will not be holding themselves to a slow walk. And if we go together, we may be chased immediately, and will not be able to set up any meaningful ambush to disconcert the pursuit."
She folded her arms. "These are my thoughts, since as Mikal can attest, the ambush will be mine to manage."
Bekkah
She accepted the gift of the apple from her sister and smiled at her as she sat down across from her. She was glad to see Lia returned to their company, she'd been worried about the young girl.
But now they were back to the seemingly endless plotting. While her journeys had been hard at times, they had almost always been simple. All this plotting made her head hurt. It was times like this that she realized the poor really did have the good life. Still she would support her sister and her new friends even if it meant once again giving up the luxury of a nice warm bed.
Daxia
with the Gang in the commons
Daxia listened as the young woman spoke, attentive and nodding at the facts she presented.
"I hear your thoughts, Celi. Your words do not fall on deaf ears. What you say is correct. But what I think you did not hear in all my words -- I will admit there were many, so this is no fault of yours -- is that the base upon which you stack your facts and your plan does not exist.
"If a farmer discovers a rat in his barn, he will spend considerable energy to drive it away. However, if it should leave on its own accord and take up residence in an Inn a day's journey away, he will be pleased for the respite and give thanks to the Deity he serves. He will not travel to the Inn to continue harassing the rat.
"Yes, we are escaping Cragside.
"But they are allowing us to escape... for we are of no more interest to them than the rat is to the farmer."
Cesare
"For those on foot to get out, we need knotted rope pre-rigged, grappling hooks and lots of luck in climbing the walls that have guard patrols. The more of us there are, the harder it will be."
He does not comment on the ambush plan. Most here are not seasoned fighters and he doesn't think it will work. Besides he is fairly convinced that once away from town they are not important enough for others to pursue.
"One thing we do need to sort out, regardless of what plan is accepted, is that we are ready to travel. Do people have suitable boots? Warm clothing? Can they carry their own kit long distances on foot? Or could the riders walk and we use the horses as pack animals? Do we have all the supplies we need, food and water being the most important?"
Darian
"Me 'n' Longtooth be ready. We did walk many handfulls of days, more make no difference. Forage and hunt can be done as walk. We have done before. And water fall from sky soon if no stream found."
Her people did not ride. The places they lived and hunted were not meant for horse travel for the most part, and again, the wealth that could buy a horse was not over important to them. She knows of ambush, of laying in wait, but if it as as Dazi says, and she suspects it is, once gone they will no longer be of concern, then the extra time is best used to take food on their journey, whether by forage or hunt.
Kadri:
"Our best bet. .I think. . is to try to make it easy for them to let us go. We need to. . not too much act like we are running. Like prey when being hunted, running and acting like prey encourages the predator to act like a predator and give chase. Until we have to. . we do not want to give them a reason to give chase. If we run. . . they may loose. . . ."
She pauses, racking her brains for the appropriate term - she knows it in her native tongue, but not as much in the language of the realm.
". . lose. . honor, if they do not give chase. People who do not know there is a reason for us to flee would see us fleeing and wonder - why do those of the Rock not give chase? People in their position need to. . maintain an image. A . . comfortable lie that keeps everyone satisfied. We pretend not to be running, and they pretend we aren't important to chase, and the people pretend that there is nothing to chase, keep their heads down, looking at their feet instead of the horizon, and life goes on. The more interesting we make ourselves. . . the more interested they will be. We need to be ready to run if need be. . but we should not be running until they decide to give chase."
Celi
Celi stepped forward and made her case for split travel. "I am not trying to insult anyone's intelligence, but ... we are escaping, are we not? There will be people trying to prevent it. And these people will be chasing the riders, will they not? I say we have to consider the circumstances.
"People walk at about three miles an hour. Of course, a trained army can walk faster on forced march, but that is not what we have here.
"A horse trots at ten miles an hour, canters at seventeen, and gallops at twenty to thirty, depending upon the breed and training. Race horses are even faster.
"So, even at a relaxed trot, the horse travels more than three times as far or as fast; at a canter, which is still a relaxed gait, almost six times as far or as fast.
"Trying to compare the two *when we are escaping* fails to take the circumstances into consideration. The horse riders will not be holding themselves to a slow walk. And if we go together, we may be chased immediately, and will not be able to set up any meaningful ambush to disconcert the pursuit."
She folded her arms. "These are my thoughts, since as Mikal can attest, the ambush will be mine to manage."
As I have told other folks, even this strange thing called a candle mark has, upon The Heartwood, very little meaning - it would vary by candle maker, candle wax, season and if Lady - if she can be called a Lady - Arilys was feeling mischievous or not (hey! who keeps blowing out this candle!). No NPC on The Heartwood would have any idea what the heck a candlemark is. Nor would they really care.
Regimented time is an unknown concept upon The Heartwood. The best you can do is dawn, noon, sunset, moonsrise, moons-set ... astrology helps, but that's used more for finding out WHERE you are not WHEN you are. Accurate distances? This is how you can tell when you've travelled a day's travel distance:
"Hey there's a tavern up ahead. Let's stop for dinner." Mikal
Listening to Cesare expand on his route, he grimaces, glancing back and forth between Celi and Daxia. After their exchange, he speaks up.
"I had not realized it would be that involved, Cesare. An inn like this is unlikely to have grappling hooks, and it is late in the day to go thru town searching for them. I had hoped you might find a spot in town where a building's roof was close enough to the walls to jump the distance, then only a rope with a slip knot would be required to get out. But if not", he shrugs, "and added to Daxia's certainty that we are not personally a target, then I am satisfied for us to leave together."
He turns to Daxia, smiling slightly, "And the reason I hate intrigue, is specifically because every time I look for it I find it. And when I don't look for it, it leaps up and bites me in the ass."
Looking over at Celi, he continues, "I agree with you, Celi. I'd like to split up and get an ambush setup, then hope we don't need it and can continue down the road unmolested. However I am pretty sure the gate will only open for me, and only one more time, so if going over the wall is too complex then going out thru the gate in two separate groups is not likely either. We really have no option other than to go together."
He looks over to Cesare. "And Cesare brings up a good point. I am equipped for the road. All I need I carry on myself or Talia. I've traveled during storm season, and even winter at need, so I can do it again, but I don't know about the rest of you. I expect Daxia is likewise equipped and I am sure Darian and Celi, being used to the out of doors, are prepared. But what of the rest?" He looks around, coming back to Cesare.
"As for using the three horses to carry everyone's things I think you over-estimate what they can do. First, they are cavalry mounts, not pack horses. They are not used to carrying a load like Carters or Drafts. They can carry some extra, yes, especially if they are not ridden, but you will all need to pack most of your own gear on your backs."
"Which leaves food and water. I think water will not be too much of an issue. It being storm season the rivers and streams will be overflowing. A water-skin or two apiece should suffice. Food is another matter. I carry dried rations, but not enough for all. Fresh food will rot in a few days. I suggest we ask the innkeeper if he has any dried meat and", he glances at Daxia, "perhaps you can convince Captain Dandelion to part with some of the Horde's remaining stock of travel rations? It won't last thru the winter anyway. They'll need to restock so she's just going to throw it out."
"The rest is personal gear. Good, warm cloaks and something to keep you dry in anything short of torrential downpours. Some extra quarrels and arrows would not be amiss either."
"As for travel, yes West. But where? Brementown is closest, but is it too close for comfort? We can continue on to MacMurphy's Tavern, close to the Sakefla Plateau. That ought to be far enough from here."
He looks at Daxia to see if he missed anything, and finishes, "Unless you were considering Trundle-on-the-hill or going all the way to the coast?"
ooc note: and if you travel the main path at the end of everyday, you *should* find a tavern.
Unless it has been eaten by a fiercesome pack of Hours.
Or is that a gaggle of Hours?
Kadri:
"There is a passable tavern about a day's travel from here, along the main road."
[OOC: Yes, wouldn't the tavern a day's travel westward be the Plainsend Inn? ]
[I think Hours travel in gangs. ]
Bekkah wonders where those taverns were on her travels
[OOC: Bekkah obviously did not travel the main path.
]
Daxia
with the Gang in the commons
She grinned at Mikal. "Oh, I will gladly speak to my Temple-sister, I am only concerned with the number of coins her Quartermaster will want after he tallies everything up. I am prepared for travel, of course, as that is what I am meant to do during my seasons outside the Vale." She shrugged, and swallowed another spoonful of stew. "Under no circumstances are we going to Trundle-on-the-Hill," Daxia said seriously, though she maintained her smile. "Ah, I should amend that... any of you who are suicidal are free to travel there. Do you forget why we are leaving town tonight? As Camelia can attest," she said, nodding to the young woman, "Trundle is an Imperial town. And as for going all the way to the coast..."
She sipped on her cider, and her grin was once again directed towards Mikal.
"Why not? Kadri and I certainly have reason to travel that far, and you may wish to join us. Katshka... ah, you did not meet her, did you? No matter, her father is the best trainer of horses on the mainland. I don't believe that to be bias on her part... while many Dayalans have Kierkegaard-trained destriers, the best horses come from Mikaelsson Farm. He did a fine job of cavalry training Fern; why should I not have him destrier train her, as well?"
Darian
Darian shrugged at suggestion of traveling all the way to the Coast.
"We sent to find new territory. Not know where it be. Mayhap find new Pack too."
[ooc: edited to reflect the proper distinguishment of time and distance measurement. Sorry for the confusion, boss!]
Camelia
"Yes," she agreed diffidently, "Trundle is an imperial tow....city." Camelia shook her head, determined to try to stay on the good side of the majority here, since she'd been making such a bad job of it so far. But she couldn't really help herself...of course.
"To your simile of the rat, Daxia....I mean, if you want my opinion at all...if the mice scatter throughout the stable the coachman cannot find them. If they stay in the nest, he can kill them all at once. I do know imperials. They're a ...little lazy, for a fact. If they run down two or three of us, they'll call it a victory..."
She managed a wry chuckle.
"Probably the slower moving ones like me, tired out from hauling ore...And that means somebody will get through...to make this right again."
"It's just an opinion." she admitted, "but I vote for splitting up. At least until we can meet up at the tavern. I'm sure I'll be ready for a mug by then...opinion, all right? Me being ignorant of a lot of things like ..." she shook her head. "I don't know..."
Why can't I just keep my big mouth shut?
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
Daxia's attention swiftly shifted to Camelia, a very surprised look on her face.
"Hoi!" Then she shook her head, and closed her eyes for a couple of heartbeats. When she opened them again, those sapphire blue eye looked directly at Camelia's, and there was a soft smile on her face.
"I invited everyone's opinion, Camelia. Yours is as welcome as everyone else's. But I do not like the idea of splitting the group in town any more than I like the idea of splitting up when we pass through the gates. Here is why: among the eight of us, Kadri is the one most intimately familiar with Cragside, though I don't doubt Cesare, Darian and Longtooth have discovered some parts of it. In a group, Kadri can guide us through the safest routes. You did well last night keeping watch as we returned to the Inn; so we managed to avoid one of the Town Guard patrols. If you would be willing to do the same tonight, it would add value to our endeavor and keep all of us that much safer.
"I have somehow managed to become leader of this small troop, and as such I cannot allow you to needlessly sacrifice yourself. We are..." She paused to regard each of the other members of their party, before returning her attention to Camelia. "We are a single unit. We may not work together well, we may not like one another, we may not even really know one another... but those are things only time can work out. Right here, right now... we are a single unit that will leave Cragside together, or we will stay in Cragside together." She, too, chuckled wryly. "As much as I would enjoy spending the Storm season with your sister and her Horde, it is infinitely safer for us to be elsewhere."
She paused, and started to turn back to her meal... but instead refocused on the young woman, head tilted to one side. "Ignorance can be cured, Camelia. There was obviously something I said or did, for we seem to have been mostly at odds since the moment we sat down two nights ago with your sister. Perhaps, if you are willing, we might talk as we travel tomorrow to discover how we can work together, and learn more about one another. I would never claim to know all there is to know about anything, but what knowledge I have -- aside from Temple secrets -- I am most willing to share."
The Dayalan's gaze, though friendly and sincere, did not waver from Camelia.
Darian
"Me say what me think. When decided, let Darian know. We go sit by fire and close eyes."
As she rose, she glanced down to Cesare, a bit of a question there in her eyes. Would he join her? The others had taken rest while they scouted. She wanted to take some now, while she could.
Bekkah
She is so used to doing things on her own that listening to this group makes her head swim. She does offer her sister and Lia a smile as they seem to be mending things between them. At least it's a start.
When she spoke, it was in a soft, controlled voice. It was on purpose that she spoke quietly, something she had learned from the priestesses.
"Friends, I have listened to all of you discuss this for some time now. And without doubt, you could still be discussing this long after the Imperials have come and gone. It is time to make decisions. And the first is a simple one. Are you a group that will stick together? If some of you intend to leave on your own, and go your own ways for good, then my blessings go with you on your journeys. For those of you who wish to leave her and reunite, then you have another decision, equally simple. Does each of you act on your own, or will you band together and follow a leader? Choose now. Decide in your hearts and state it. At least for now, Daxia has seemed to lead you. I for one will follow her. She is smart and knows well the people who oppose you. Make your own choices. If you do not deem her worthy and do not wish to lead yourself or follow another, then state what you intend to do this eve and we can proceed. This leadership is temporary. In other situations others may well be better suited and at that time, I trust Daxia to turn over leadership or that the group will naturally follow another and then Daxia will have to make the same choice as to follow or leave."
She looked at each of them.
"The time to decide and declare our plans is now. What will it be?"
Mikal
He just grunts softly and continues to devour his breakfast/dinner not feeling a need to answer. His Contract with Daxia is known to everyone here. However some have claimed to not feel they were a part of the group, so if they choose to leave he will wish them well.
Celi
Celi could always survive alone, once she was outside, so how they got there meant nothing to her. But she had developed an affection for Mikal, and opened herself up to him in the process; so she felt considerable responsibility for his well-being.
After a quick glance in his direction, she decided she would choose whatever path he preferred -- the path that protected him. She was not very good at meeting new people or making friends, so giving one up was not something she was prepared to do. She wasn't exactly sure he had the same degree of affection for *her*, but why chance it?
Cesare
He listens as usual, his sharp eyes moving from one to another, impressions building the more he gets to know these people. Then he catches Darrian's look and decides he should say what he has to say now, other opportunities beckon.
"There is one place where such equipment may not be needed to get over the wall, where there are already crates but that area is too under observation to use again."
These remarks are mainly directed at Daxia and Mikal. He looks at Camelia next.
"We should stay together."
That might be a direct response to her suggestion to split the group up or it might relate to just the two of them.. but there seems to be something more personal there now.
Then his attention is back to Daxia, prompted by Bekkah's remarks.
"I too am ready for travel. It is my life. I can always find my way and can use this to the advantage of us all whilst we travel together. I do not need roads but they do offer the smoothest path. I too seek others of my people so, for now, our paths can lie in the same direction."
He glances at Darian's back as she moves away.
"I too will get some rest."
And he turns to follow Darian.
Kadri:
She looks at Cammelia after Daxia and Cesare and Bekkah had spoken, a fierce look on her face.
"No. Noone is expendable. Not even as a joke. Noone. Its all . . or none. And if they capture someone, then I'll have to figure out how to break into the Rock itself to get them out, whatever the rest of you may do. If you are with me, I am with you, and that is not something I will change my mind about."
She looks back at each.
"My decision is that whatever all of you decide, I will do my best to execute it and make it work. I have stated my ideas, and once all work things out - that is what I will do."
She pauses.
"Again, with the point I just said in mind."
And then she sits back down. . and nurses her drink.
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
When Kadri finished her impassioned statement, Daxia regarded her for a moment, then nodded solemnly. Then she looked between the two who had yet to state their intentions.
"Celi... Camelia... will you stay with the group, work with the plan as outlined?"
Darian and Longtooth with Cesare away from the group, near the fire
Darian managed to find a spot to fit the three of them comfortably. Longtooth's sad eyes or sharp teeth may have had something to do with it too. She sat down and waited until Cesare had as well before making herself comfortable. As always Longtooth sprawled at her feet, and, because of their closeness and the hound's size, at Cesare's feet.
Cesare
As they settle to get some sleep, Cesare's arm hooks around Darian, holding them close together. It would seem their familiarity has deepened somewhat.
Celi
"I have said my thoughts. THey applied to a split party. Mikal says that the only workable plan is to leave together, and I go where he goes, so I will go with the group and do whatever is asked of me.
"If we depart without hindrance, but someone sends men to chase us down, I can still manage an effective ambush. Long grass or forest, it matters not. They will not sneak up on us, and they will not attack us without heavy loss of life and the disruption of any attack plan. Feel free to ask Mikal if you do not believe this is within my capability."
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
Daxia watched Celi for long heartbeats. Finally, in a voice still, quiet and devoid of emotion, she said, "Have a care, Celi, with what you say. You are fortunate that the only representative of the Imperial Court is a Priestess of Lady Attera the Merciful. There are others who would interpret your words in a way that would have you standing before the Justice of Hastur before any could speak on your behalf." She lowered her voice so it was barely audible. "None would speak on your behalf, Celi, for the crime of which you would be accused, because we would then burn along with you."
She held the younger woman's gaze for the space of several breaths.
"Do you understand what I am saying to you, Celi?"
Camelia
"Of course...." she shrugs, "Let's get on with it, shall we? We have a lot of work to do before we leave."
Because there was no other choice.
Celi
Celi studied Daxia for a long time. There was more in her slate-blue eyes eyes than a simple country girl's naiveté. SHe was calculating, and weighing her options. What she now understood was that these people had asked her to help them, and to keep *their* secrets, but were taking pains to make sure Celi knew secret-keeping was a one-sided arrangement. They would unhesitatingly kick her under the wagon at the first hint of Imperial entanglement to save themselves.
Idly, she glanced at Mikal. Was he part of this? Clearly, she should not have trusted him with what knowledge she had shared earlier. Otherwise her assertions would have merely been apocryphal, and of no immediate threat to anyone. She looked away from him, her jaw muscles hardening. Too late to do anyhting about that, and the bitter taste in her mouth from imagining Mikal selling her out was hard to swallow.
"I take your point. I had merely intended to allay any fears about pursuit; I see you have other, more immediate fears. To allay these, I will separate myself from your group as soon as we are free of these rancid city walls, and thereafter see to my own safety. You need fear no further involvement in my activities."
She was suddenly disgusted. Gram had made it clear that all mis-believers were not to be trusted, for they lived in fear of losing some increment of their own slice of Mother Nature's bounty, and would put a boot in the face of those around them in order to get a leg up. She had thought Gram's assessment over-harsh, and had hoped to prove her wrong. Mikal, who had excited a number of different feelings in her, was to have been her grand experiment.
So much for grand experiments.
"SO then, Daxia: what do you want me to do before we leave this place?"
Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons
Daxia just closed her eyes, shook her head, and sighed. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked at Mikal. "You are my Second. I am making Celi your responsibility. Since she clearly did not hear what Kadri said, and seems to have misunderstood nearly everything I have been saying, there is no more I can say. I would be grateful to you, however, if you would try to explain that I am attempting to save her life." The joy she had exhibited when she entered the commons was gone; she was serious, and a wave of sadness crossed her face. "It is my duty as a Dayalan, something that she would have known had her grandmother completed her education."
Then she turned again to Celi. "Follow Mikal's instructions."
She pushed her chair back and stood, grabbing a chunk of bread. "I will speak with Dunwich about travel rations, and settle our tab with him. We will be leaving soon."
Mikal
His expression neutral and guarded, he nods to Daxia after watching her exchange with Celi carefully. He then turns to Celi and offers her a quick look of both warning and exasperation.
He told this to her when they were outside, and he had even tried to intervene when he thought things were going too far upstairs. All he says in this public setting, though, is: "We can talk when we leave for the warehouse. For now, just relax and get something to eat. We don't know when we'll be able to stop to eat next."
Celi
Celi almost snapped off a retort, but didn't. Something was holding her back; it was her nascent feelings for Mikal, feelings she refused to abandon.
"Tell me what we are doing now. I am afraid to say anything to anyone, lest I be accused of heresy. I only thought to assuage their worries about our escape, and all I did was make it worse. I wouldn't say anything around strangers; I'm not *completely* off my nut. Really I'm not. But these are your people, and I only hoped to reassure them.
"Was that so wrong? And why did the think I must employ some occult methods, rather than having a gang in reserve, one of well-armed ... ah, associates?"
She looked quite forlorn. "I am trying to fit in with other people. I am trying to fit in with ... you."
Bekkah
Still sitting next to Celi, she reached out and touched her hand, squeezing it gently and giving her a reassuring smile.
Mikal
He sighs. They really need to talk. Problem is he becoming afraid of what that talk will reveal, and as his mother told him, You cannot unsay things once said, so watch your tongue. That also applies to unhearing things once heard.
"For now the byword is discretion. You've come from a place, from what you told me, where it was just you and your gram. You had no need to worry about what you did or said with her. You are not in that place any more. You need to always worry. It is safer to be careful. Blend in. If you make yourself noticeable, you can't control who notices."
Celi
"I am *trying* to blend in," Celi insisted. "I am trying to be helpful, to show others that they can count on me. To show *you* ..." She glanced at Bekkah's hand, then gave her an appreciative glance.
She sighed. "As you know, I do not have a surfeit of urban skills. I do not play well with others. Most of the time, I do not even know what 'others' are doing. Instead, I had hoped to offer you a sample of what I can do, and then pray for your acceptance. Are you afraid of me? Am I stupid or ugly beyond tolerance?"
Mikal - to Celi
"Of course you are not stupid, nor ugly. But I do not think a busy tavern with dozens of people within hearing distance is the place to continue this discussion. We will talk, on the street, or in the warehouse. For now, just have a meal and watch. "
Celi
Celi closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, letting the stubbornness melt from her system. When she opened her eyes, the sense of betrayal had gone, and all she felt was chagrin for allowing her desperation to lead her around by the nose.
"I will be quiet, Mikal. I will say and do nothing, until we are beyond the walls and needs must."
Unless he spoke to her first. She decided to allow herself that much leeway, just in case she got lucky.
"What about supplies for the road? I do not have any funds to make necessary purchases, but ... ah, I can forage once we are outside."
Mikal - to Celi
"Yes. Foraging will be needed. Daxia went to see if she can buy some trail rations from the Horde. They will last longer and be cheaper and lighter to carry than fresh. Not as tasty of course. Dried fruit, dried meat, dried vegetables. Best in a stew when we have time to boil water. If you can find herbs along the trail to flavour it up that would be great."
He pauses.
"And you do not have to say nothing, Celi. Just imagine there is an Eye of Hastur sitting behind your shoulder and decide if what you are about to say is safe for those ears. You never know when that might be true."
Celi
Celi couldn't help looking over her shoulder with a little shiver, imagining the All-Seeing Eye staring at her in jaundiced suspicion.
"Don't do that," she said. "If someone is going to come up behind me and scare me, I would rather it be you. I can find ..." she almost started listing off what she could find: herbs, edible root stock, fresh meat. But instead, she shook her head and clamped her lips shut, made a lock-turning gesture at one corner of her mouth, then mimed swallowing the key and saying nothing thereafter.
She looked rather proud of herself.
Camelia
She finished her bread and ale in a few bites and swallows, then picked up her bundles and headed for the door.
Kadri:
"If we are settled then. . I will see to Lisica and settle my accounts here."
And, unless stopped, she does just that.