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Mikal

"Scared is survivable. Stupid is not. However, I will talk to my companions and see if there is any interest in your offer. I can tell you now, though, that none of them are motivated by ...., Glory."

Daxia
with Kadri, Romana and Lord Random in his Tower

Daxia looked at the old man for a moment before dropping down onto the floor to sit, to lean against... To sit, to wrap her arms around her legs. To pay attention.

"I admire, and would support in any way I can, your efforts to bring Order into the world," she said to him. "You and I are so very different, and yet our goals are not so very different at all, Lord Random. We stand against the ever-changing forms of Chaos, you and I. You and your Brothers, you stand with knowledge... to document all that has been, all that is... to corral the Chaos into orderly categories, into orderly tallies. Yes, I applaud your work, sir.

"Sadly, there are those who care little for Order, for knowledge that confines this plant to a particular category and that animal to another category. It is no secret that Chaos Riders come riding out of Roth, yes? Rumors of the Fair Folk riding on the Spring winds, yes? Treacherous men who murder honest merchants and kidnap their daughters... hateful men who would hunt down innocent girls to be dragged home and killed by their own fathers... my Sisters and I will stand against these with our swords and our lives."

The Dayalan quietly studied him, the Imperial so convinced that knowledge could bring Order to a world where Chaos was ever-changing. She smiled at him.

"All the pagan beliefs you mentioned, they do all speak of Chaos and the struggle of Order to overcome it, and from that struggle all the peoples of the world were born. I would very much like to hear the true Imperial tale of the beginning, my Lord, for my education in that area is most deficient.

"But I have thought that people are unpredictable because we come from that birthing chronicled in the pagan tales. Some folks hold more Chaos within their hearts and minds, some folks hold more Order. Some of us wish to bring as much Order to the world as possible... but we cannot eradicate it entirely. Not simply because it would be impossible, but because it would also be unwise. As one of my teachers once said, if everything is perfectly Ordered, then everything is predetermined.

"And then nothing we do really matters."

She looked at the Eye of Hastur, then to Kadri, then to Romana... and back to the old man.

"I think I can say, for each of us in this room," she said quietly, "that we want what we do to matter. We want our work, our lives, to have meant something after we are gone. If a man says, generations from now, 'A wild woman with a sword and her gang of misfits rescued my several-times grandmother from a madman'... well, then my life will have had a purpose." Daxia exchanged a glance, and a smile, with Kadri. "I don't need to be remembered, my Lord. I only wish that there will be handfuls of people to tell outrageous tales about a wild pagan woman with a sword because I have done something to help their several-times grandparent.

"Until you and your Brothers have brought as much Order into the world as possible, I and my Sisters will stand against the Chaos that remains." She shrugged, a merry twinkle in her eyes. "And if the day comes when my Sisters have nothing to do but drive off the Fair Folk and kill griffins that plague the farmers along the Skaefla Plateau," she said, this time catching Romana's gaze, "that would not really be such a terrible thing."

A heartbeat, a pause, and then her attention returned to Lord Random.

"Of course, without heroic deeds, the Firstborn pay little attention to my Sisters," she said, with a grin and a wink. "Or so our pagan tales say."

She considered for a few moments his comment to Kadri. Tilting her head thoughtfully, she regarded her companions. "I think I would like to stay up here and investigate these sounds that Lord Random hears coming from the well during the night. I know what a rare thing it has been to sleep in comfortable beds, so if you hurry you could probably catch up to Bekkah, Celi and the Squire.

"Of course, if you can bear to give up the luxury of feathery mattresses, I would be happy with your company," Daxia said with a smile.

Kadri - with Daxia, ROmana and Lord Random:

At the moment, in the talk of order, she remains thoughtfully silent. Then, when Daxia looks her way, she speaks.

"Comfortable feather mattresses are only comfortable if you are otherwise satisfied. If I let something interesting happen without me - why then I should think that I would not be satisfied."

Daxia
with Kadri, Romana and Lord Random in his Tower

Daxia chuckled, regarding both Kadri and Romana. "Ah, you both have a fondness for interesting things, yes? One of the reasons you follow the wild pagan woman with a sword. And because Dazi friend.

"During what part of the night do these disturbing sounds occur, Lord Random?" she asked as she turned to him. "Is it always the same part of the night, and every night? Or does it vary... early some nights, late others, and perhaps not at all other nights? And if it does vary, have you noted any regularity to it... perhaps by season or month?"

Again, she grinned at him.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes... Dazi like questions!"

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Rameday, The Twenty-First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Back to the Inn - Darian, Longtooth, Cesare and Mikal

"But what is there but glory ..."

The Old Jvrillian shook his head.

"That is what we bring to Jvrill, the glory of our blades, to stike down those who would wok against us, in His name."

As the three returned to the Tavern, he just snorted.

"I shall find the white haired one ... and then the glory will indeed be mine. And the world a far far better place."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Sometime after Sunset
Rameday, The Twenty-First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia, Kadri, Romana ... and a well. With notes elsewhere ...

"It's a play of the wind lass, so it is as easy as it is, to pin down and capture a breeze. Never until after sunset but always before te dawn."

And it was those words that guided the vigil at the well.

Darian, Cesare and Longtooth had chosen to return to the Dragonstooth; Bekkah and Celi to the Jvrillian guildhouse. For the Atteran it was a bit of a difference; her travels upon the plains had been informal. Her work was done in the main room of a farmhouse or in the barn or sometimes even in the fields themselves. This evening it was even more ordered than a Hospice. The Jvrillians maintained a well kept infirmary; a room in the large complex was set aside for their wounded; it held a row of beds and had several cabinets filled with salves and other medicines.

It was very well stocked.

It had been quiet, or so the manner of hurts seemed to signify. The worst of the ills was a broken leg obtained falling from the roof while replacing terra-cotta tiles. The rest were the results of hard practice; torn muscles, sprains and more than a few sets of larger than necessary bruises.

It was also the paragon of safe; in the very center of the Town's guardians.

It provided Bekkah and Celi good bit of work, until the sun set, dinner and rest called and the Town shut its gates for the night.

Outside the gates, up on the Ruins, Romana sat on the edge of the well. She held a small soup bowl in both hands, an evening's gift from Lady Kay before she and Lord Random closed up their little house against the night and what it might hold.

The soup was warm, sprinkled with bits of meat and spices, and did a good job of keeping the chill of the season away.

She had sighed, however, deep and sorrowful, at the loss of a night in a soft mattress.

" ... Romanas have slept in goosey beds before.

" ... but has never ever stalked a well."

As the stars came out and when the two moons rose high into the sky she did, however, give Daxia a sidelongs look.

"Well hasn't gone anywheres, Dazidazidazi ... "

The young woman paused, suddenly intent.

" ... Dazi?"

And there it was.

It did indeed sound like the low moan of the wind, heard snapping around a barn or haunting the walls of a keep.

But there wasn't a wind.

There wasn't even a breeze.

There, a closer listen.

Up from the well came a mournful sound.

Like someone, someones, unable to not call out in hurt ...

Something that could only be a growling, low and feral and hungry ...

And then.

Absolute silence.

Daxia
with Kadri and Romana at the Well

"Yah, Dazi hear, Romana," Daxi said softly. "Dazi think that not good sounds."

She hesitated, but only for a heartbeat or two.

"Ok, this why we here. Find out, yah? But we see already into well. Only bones, yah?"

The Dayalan looked at her two friends and took a deep breath.

"Dazi not like idea going into well, but unless Kadri, Romana have better idea..."

She sighed.

"We need find plenty rope, and Dazi see what hurt, angry something inside. Bring out? Hope so. Bone, too, while down there."

Kadri:

". . I'll climb down. I'm smaller, lighter?"

Daxia
with Kadri and Romana at the Well

Daxia looked at the well as she shook her head. "Mean better idea than go into well. Dazi stronger, Dayalan. Wells holy to Dayala. Dazi go."

Then she looked up at Kadri. "But Dazi thank Kadri for offer, yah?" She nodded towards the small stable. "We maybe find rope there. Hope so."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Sometime after Sunset
Rameday, The Twenty-First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia, Kadri, Romana ... and a well.

"And then when something happens, Dazidazidazi all alones. Very brave ..."

Romana notes quietly as they retrieve a long and sturdy rope from the Imperial's stable. It seems one of them has a nice horse, who just watched the borrowing curiously.

"very braves ... smarts, maybe nots."

Daxia
with Kadri and Romana at the Well

"Room for all three going into well? Don't know.

"Kadri go with Dazi, Romana stay... then something happen outside well, Romanaska all alone. Dazi not like."

Daxia was quiet, pensive... staring into the darkness of the well.

"Well belong to Dayala. Long, long, long ago Her well tainted. We not know exactly what happen, but not good, yah? Maybe other Sisters try clean well, maybe not. If try, why fail? If not try, why not?"

Brows furrowed, she paused again. "If not try... why not?" she said, barely a whisper. "In fullhands and fullhands and fullhands of years, why none would ever try? Maybe none come here? Bordertown belong to Jvrillians now, maybe?

"But if try, why fail? Not make sense, that. Unless..."

She looked up at Romana, blinked and blinked again.

"We think Eastern princes, Eastern mages sacrifice Dazi Sisters, yah? What if..."

She held her breath and gripped her lower lip between her teeth for a moment.

"What if need Dayalan, Eastern princess work together to make balance for what done before? If that so... not hurt to have tricky, sneaky, foxy help, too.

"Order and Chaos balanced."

KAdri:

"Dazi. . .you don't know that what is needed down there is strength. You don't even know whats down there.Right now. . we need to. . ."

She pauses.

"Wait. I have an idea. I just need you to get light down that well. I can. . . look down there. Trust me, right?"

Daxia
with Kadri and Romana at the Well

She regarded Kadri for a moment, then shrugged. "Yah, ok. Dazi trust Kadri."

Daxia murmured her spell, and the blue glow of starlight danced on her palm. She sent it floating down the well.

Kadri leans over the well and murmurs down into the well, words that were between her and. . someone else - and her eyes go distant.
.

Celi was sharper than she acted with the others. She studied the Atterran's craft, and asked questions about diagnosis, and theory, and the similarities and differfences between humans and the animal kingdom. She was looking for ways to apply the enormous knowledge base the Atterrans possessed, to her companions in the animal kingdom. Aside from Stormrunner, her animal communication skills were good but not perfect. She was a very good veterinarian, but if she could learn to apply Atterran skills to animals, she saw an almost unlimited opportunity to get better.

"How do you suppress pain in humans? How do you set broken bones -- and she watched, and made mental noes. "Horses are harder to do that with. They have different bones and they are on them all the time. It is hard to make a horse sit there. What about fever, and the ague? "

She would ask forever, given the opportunity...

[ooc: Darn it Wolf. I had a great line all setup if someone wanted to claim they didn't need help ]

Bekkah

The first thing that Celi would notice immediately, is that Bekkah was no longer the quiet, wall-flower type. She took charge, not afraid to order anyone nearby to get whatever she needed. She also used Celi to be her errand girl, ordering her to fetch water, towels, or whatever else was needed, but she also treated Celi like an apprentice. She did not explain the gifts of her Lady, those were obvious enough, but everything else she explained fully. What she was doing, why she was doing it, the herbs she used and what their intended effect was. While she did not hesitate to order people around, she was sweet and charming with the patients. She did her best to make sure that she wasn't doing this out of a sense of duty, but because she really cared. She was cheerful, even teasing at times and at times, it was probably hard for the men to think of her solely as a Lady of Attera.

The other thing Celi could tell was that Bekkah loved what she was doing. She'd probably never seen Bekkah as happy and outgoing as she had this day. When there was nobody left to help, she finally stopped and almost immediately transformed back into a quiet, behind the scenes kind of girl.

"It's time to head back to the inn Celi. I'm famished and a bit tired." That last bit was a bit of an understatement. The magical healing took a lot out of her.

[ooc: I assume, she probably used up all of her 1pt healing magic for the day. Would she have had to use any of the bigger spells?]

Daxia
with Kadri, Romana and Lord Random in his Tower

While Kadri peered into the well, utilizing her own spell it would seem, Daxia removed her maille hauberk and set it carefully aside, then murmured to Romana, "Dazi should have worn breeches today, yah?" Then she secured one end of the rope to the nearest stout street, so they would be ready to climb down when Kadri was finished.

She looked up at the sky, the two moons providing ample light for the moment. "More than half night gone; Her rising not so far off. Hope finish before Her rising," she said quietly. "Morning devotions from bottom of well not Dazi favorite idea."

Cesare

As they headed back to the inn leaving the glory hound behind them, he comments quietly to both Darian and Mikal.

"He mentioned finding white-haired person at the end.. might be Romana. I think we should warn her and Daxia. They are still up at Lady Kay's in the ruins I think. Darian & I have just come back from there. Don't suppose you want to play messenger Mikal?"

He shakes his head.

"Not too worried about him but word seems to have reached here and others may be looking."

Mikal

He shrugs. "Sure. Don't think he meant her. More likely one of the other Eastern sorcerors she said was in the wood, but it can't hurt to be wary."

He turns to head up to the ruins. "I'll catch up with you later. Save me some ale."

Darian

"Mikal go alone?" she asks.

Darian glances upward. "She sleep soon. Together better."

Mikal

"You're welcome to come if you like. Thought you might like some time to relax together. It's safe enough. I know the place pretty well. Up to you."

Cesare

He looks at Darian with a rueful smile and a small shake of his head, before he turns and grins at Mikal.

"We might as well go together, the night is yet young and relaxing together will be better if we are sure others are safe. Come on, the sooner we get up there, the sooner we get back."

Darian

She nods in agreement with Cesare and gives his hand a squeeze. "More danger than old sellsword, know area or no."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Sometime after Sunset
Rameday, The Twenty-First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia, Kadri, Romana ... and a well.

The starlight fell into the well ...

... floating still, at Kadri's direction, about halfway down

"... ooooooh ... pretty."

Romana smiled at the little blue star.

Celi

Celi knew there was Atterran magic involved, but never let it bother her. She just stuck to trying to retain what she could master. She'd made her way to this point as a student, first learning from her Gram, later from Stormrunner, and now from Bekkah. In between, she studied the world around her and tried to learn from it. Her tools were well developed for learning from someone as knowledgeable as the Atterran.

On the way back, Celi afound the girl appealing, despite her background, and asked Bekkah about her training and what her youth was like as an Atterran.