DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games HWD: The Heartwood HWD: Introduction

<'lia>

Her hand went automatically to where her belt pouch would be - if she had one. But she didn't. Have to fix that, if I can, she thought ruefully.

"Paths don't always go where they seem to at first," she said instead, quietly so they could choose to ignore instead of saying no if that was their wish. "What little I can do to help, I will." She shook her head and smiled wryly, "little thought that might be, waves wear away at stone given time."

She looked at Mikal curiously with his comment.

Bekkah

She didn't like politics, it was just another way of waging war. With words instead of weapons, but still war. So while the others discussed things, she remained quiet. She wanted to read Dazi's letters to find out what had happened in the last 5 years with her baby sister. Seeing her here today, clearly a lot had happened. She knew her sister would amount to something important, she was always so driven.

She noticed Camelia, 'lia now and approved of the change in outfit. If she didn't want to be noticed by every hooligan in the street, the change was necessary.

Mikal

He waves a hand casually in reply to Daxia. "Danger is not the issue. Especially for a chance to poke a finger into the eye of Montague. And in my opinion, you are best to lead, as you seem to understand the politics better than most. As long as you're willing to listen to the advice of others and will use intelligent tactics should danger arise and not simply rush into danger sword swinging without thought, then I am willing to follow."

He pauses. "However I cannot take such an open-ended commitment without a Contract. Jvrill would not allow it. Yet I do not wish your money."

He looks closely at Daxia, directly into her eyes. "I will follow where you lead, presuming you will accept my advice during that service, not discounting it without due consideration, will agree to offer me training in a martial skill or to assist me in procuring better equipment of my choosing, and presuming that if such service extends beyond midwinter's night such payment comes due at the first available opportunity even if the missions you are leading me in have not yet concluded. Once past midwinter's night, either of us may cancel the contract at any time."

He continues to look into Daxia's eyes, waiting. He noted Camelia's curious look, but this is too important. He can answer any question she has once this is settled.

Daxia
with most of the Gang at the Inn

She smiled crookedly at Mikal. "Rush into anything, swinging sword... very stupid. Also risk disrupting Patterns; Lord Kisa NOT be happy with Daxia. Not good to ask any to do what their god or goddess not allow, either; understand this, yes."

Daxia return his gaze, evenly and calmly. "I counter. You follow, I listen to advice you give, consider it most carefully. If not agree with advice, promise to tell why. I train you in what I know... you teach me tactics. Begin training, teaching tomorrow, if suits. You my second during Contract. Either us cancel after Midwinter night acceptable."

Mikal - privately, quietly, to Daxia

He continues to look at her for a moment, then replies, "If you agree to assist me in obtaining improved equipment of my choosing, then the rest is acceptable."

He holds out his right arm expectantly.

Daxia
with most of the Gang at the Inn

A heartbeat, two heartbeats, then Daxia nodded. "I do my best to help you get better equipment," she said, then clasped his arm.

Celi felt that all-too-familiar sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. But what should she have expected? She'd not been able to show any useful skills; Mikal owed her nothing, and he had his own situation to deal with.

She couldn't wait to get back in the wild, touch Stormrunner, be alone where they couldn't hurt you.
A blank expression on her face, she looked around for a route to gracefully withdraw.

<'lei>

She looked over at the quiet discussion (whatever it was now), the arm clasping, and then at the others. Noticing Celi she offered a brief smile and gestured to an empty chair near her. If the woman wanted to change where she was sitting, 'lei would accommodate her. They'd all been in the public eye lately, leaving might not be the best thing. After seeing so many functions, 'lei believed that's what the woman seemed to be readying herself for.

Mikal

When Daxia clasps his arm, he says, "Sealed", softly. There is an odd echo to the word and a brief flash of crimson light.

He sits back, more relaxed. "So, I suppose the question is what best we might be doing while Darian and Ceasare look for the girl?"

Daxia
with most of the Gang at the Inn

The Sealing of the Jvrillian Contract garnered a raised eyebrow from Daxia; followed by an introspective look and a nod of... satisfaction? Approval?

"Finish sharing information, yes? Any other information you have? What you tell merchant?" She looked at each of the others... starting with Celi, who looked almost ready to bolt. "Celi, what you notice? Not country, true, but still have sharp eyes, yes?" She gave the timid girl a reassuring smile. "Squire, Cam... ah, 'lia... what you notice out of ordinary? Kadri, I forget to tell anything?"

Kadri pauses. . then shakes her head.

She is looking. . restless.

Bekkah

She had watched her sister and the man strike a deal of some kind. It was none of her business. She then turned her attention to the one they called Celi.

She spoke softly to the girl.

"Does something trouble you child?" she asked genuinely concerned.

Celi

Celi acknowledged Cordelia's offer of seating with a thank you and a reluctant shake of her head. Sitting seemed wrong, somehow, when she had no place.

Then Daxia -- to whom Mikal had just sworn his fealty -- asked a legitimate question.

"Nae, naught save such things as Mikal ha' already reported. There were various hard men of no good provenance about, though I cannot say we were on their horizon."

Becca's concern touched her, and made her feel considerably calmer. Until Daxia had no further questions, she had to settle for a rueful shake of her head, an appreciative touch and silent thanks.

Squire Conrad

He nodded to the innkeeper, thanking him for his time before returning to the others, having overheard the jist of the conversations which is one reason that he had wanted to take it to a private room to start with. He shrugged.

"So, let me see if I get this straight. The key opens a warehouse in which a shipment of iron ore is located. The last likely to come out of the Vale and head toward the lowlands? It is this shipment that is the bone of contention and the cause of the girl's apparent kidnapping and the reason that the Mark is here, most likely to take the ore for the South. Do I have the basic facts?"

Mikal

He nods toward Conrad. "I think so." He looks to Daxia for confirmation.

"Also, just so you're aware, then, while at the Guildhall I perhaps bought some time for the girl and others. I left a message for the merchant that I could get him the key, but that I'd become aware that others were after it too. I told him he had to be patient, and that if these others interfered I could not help him, so if he wanted it he had to get all these others to back off. Hopefully that will give us a little more time to work."

<'lei>

She shrugged slightly at Celi's actions. The woman's choices were her own as 'lei's were her own.

'lei tugged thoughtful at her braid as she listened to both the recap and Mikal's addition and sat forward, her head tilted slightly.

Daxia
with most of the Gang at the Inn

She nodded to the Squire as well. "Also reason for dead father." Acknowledging Mikal's message to the merchant who had approached him, Daxia sighed. "Wish easier to see small Patterns," she said to herself. Then she looked over at the restless Kadri. "Montague have ore... this sure Chaos Path. Must trust Darian and Cesare to find girl. Please?"

Regarding each of the others, head tilted to one side, a thoughtful look on her face, she said slowly, "What if..." Eyes narrowing, brows knit, she paused for a handful of heartbeats. "Mikal give one merchant reason to wait, yes? How we give ALL merchants and thieves reason to tear out each other's eyes? Make each think another have key... or will have very soon."

Kadri:

"I haven't gone anywhere yet, have I?"

She still looks rather uncomfortable with just sitting there, however.

"As before - you want to play a shell game, yes? Shells and peas. Make them guess which of many locations or people holds the key - "

As she speaks she is twirling a coin between her fingers . .

"When in reality. . ."

The coin disappears from view.

"None of them do."

The coin reappears, shortly, in her opposite hand.

"Make them jump at shadows and chase after ghosts . . ."

She pulls her arm back, coin in hand and. . THROWS.

. . and then places the coin in front of her on the table.

"The problem is how to make sure it is absolutely believable. I am going to presume that they are not simpletons."

Daxia
with most of the Gang at the Inn

She nodded. "Yah, probably not derros... ah, idiots. This game not my strength." Daxia grinned at Kadri. "Think you know this game, though, yes?" Leaning forward, she returned to a more serious attitude. "Like idea; very good. How best, you think, we do this? Must not split group more; too dangerous." She looked around at the rest of the group. "Any ideas for making work, you say. Other ideas for setting merchants against each other, you say. I hear all idea, like I tell Mikal. Maybe not use ideas today; but I listen. Ok? But today, we make plan quick, yes? But need good plan." She settled her gaze back on Kadri. "So... what best way, you think, for confusing, annoying merchants?"

<'lia>

She spoke up after looking over at the Squire and others who spent time in this city. "Children run messages for small coin here too, yes? I know some children are more willing to share the note contents with people other then the intended. They do this for a small fee. If we're being watched, is there a way for some notes could be run with the less trustworthy?"

She gnawed on the edge of a fingernail before adding, "Care would need to be taken that someone who would only have a note taken by force wouldn't be picked."

Squire Conrad

He rubbed at his chin, frowning.

"There are problems in this situation that worry me. We hold the key. Someone is holding the child, most likely. They might be willing to trade the girl for the key but then they still will not profit from this. They will need to kill myself as well as Lady Bekka. I can assure you that my father will not allow the shipment to be taken from the city once I inform him of what is occuring. The merchant or the Mark would face prosecution from the Judges of Hastur based on my testimony as well as the childs. Where is the profit?"

Daxia
with most of the Gang at the Inn

She looked at the Squire for a moment, a puzzled look on her face.

"No one kill Bekkah while breath in my body, I promise that, Squire," Daxia said, putting a protective hand over her sister's. "I stand at your back, too, if come to that. Not understand your reasoning, but tell you we not have time to involve father and Hastur. Have only few candlemark to set game in motion for throwing merchants against each other." She, too, frowned and shook her head. "If what seem true about merchants and thieves, they not fear Family Shannon or Hastur anyway. They get key, they take shipment. Do not think father or Hastur will stop them," she said sadly. "They profit greatly because they not honest."

The young Dayalan regarded the Squire of Rames with a steady and direct gaze.

"You, me... we have rules, laws we swear to follow when give Oath to our Deities, yes? Followers of Marrennen, Khol... they not have so many rules. Honor mean nothing to them; honor mean much to you, me.

"Understand what Lord Rames expect of you; think maybe you have even more constraints than Daxia. Only ask you see farther than you look now, see that now is time for Squire Conrad to rely on self instead of Knight or father, yes? Dayala expect Daxia do something not ordinary, perform difficult task to go beyond initiate. Maybe Lord Rames have same expectation of squires? Perform difficult task without aid from Knight? Not know, only you know what Lord Rames say.

"So. You know of messenger children maybe less than trustworthy as Lia say? Maybe give some written messages, give some verbal messages, yes?" she said, with a wink to Lia.

The Heartwood
Mid-afternoon, the Town of Cragside
Restday The Last Day of the Month of Raven, 2623

Conrad, Camelia, Mikal, Bekkah, Daxia, Kadri and Celi

... and when Kadri raises her hand from the table top ...

... there isn't a single coin there.








There are five.

Mikal

"Well", he shrugs, "I suggested yesterday that we tell them all to meet us at the same time and the same place and see if we could get them all together in an enclosed space where we could pit them against each other. But if you don't like that, then they are Merchants and Thieves, correct? They lie for a living, right? So if we told each one that another of us had already given the key to one of the other groups looking for it, they'd go right after that person. And they'd likely not believe their denials. If it worked well, we might start a bloodbath, but", he shrugs again, "no big loss."

Bekkah

At the mention of a 'Bloodbath', Bekkah looks at Dazi questioningly.

"Truly? Has this come to this? Is there no civilized way to resolve this?"

Dazi knew her sister well, but the others did not. Like all Ladys of Attera she was not in favor of bloodshed. Add to that Bekkah's complete lack of desire to be involved in politics and it made the whole situation more difficult to understand.