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Mikal

After pausing a moment to note whether or not Shattersword would give a sign of interest, Mikal leaves with Daxia. He heads back to the inn, almost going to the stables before he recalls that Talia is out at the tower's stables.

So, instead he enters the inn and heads immediately for the baths, or if they don't have hot water for bathing here he will use the horse trough outside. Once he is clean he takes his blood spattered armour, and grabbing a basket of leftover breakfast from the kitchen in case anyone is hungry, he heads for Daxia's room. Knocking on the door, he enters.

"Perhaps we can eat, talk, plan, and clean at the same time?" He says, looking for a spot to sit where he can get started on his armour.

Daxia
with Kadri and Mikal at the Inn

Looking up as Mikal approached, Daxia nodded when he entered the room, waving him in as well.

"Yes, yes... come, sit, talk, clean," she said, still with laughter in her voice. "Leave door open for others, yes?"

She began brushing at yet another crusty ring, saying, "Hoi! Kadri needed laughing and cheering, but I think perhaps it has done me nearly as much good," she said, glancing up and Kadri with a wink before turning back to her task. "As there is little to plan without everyone in attendance, I am left to wonder what sort of frivolity Mikal might provide by trying to sing your song, Kadri," she said grinning down at her hauberk.

Kadri:

"Hallo Mikal. Tension had to be broken. We must do what we must do, and it is a serious matter, but even in serious matters there must be some room for mirth."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Sometime After Sunrise
Hasday, The Twenty-Second Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Brief Interludes ...

Darian, Longtooth and Landis

This one was tall, slender, like his kind. But there were several signs that were not the norm ... as if anything about an Easterner could be considered the norm.

His dark mount barely paced, it looked about lazily, as horses were won't to do. However this one was not hard ridden, nor did the riders clothes bare signs of travel dust or the stains of storms.

He waved the two ragged, dark, bloodstained humans away, urging horse deeper into the woods.

Of interest too ... his saddle had no bedroll, but it did have an ornate, cylindrical tube of leather tied to the back, capped on each end by silver and walnut.

Darian

Her eyes told her he was no warrior. After recent events she guessed he was, possibly, a mage. Caution would be needed for this was a tricy and dangerous Prey. Leaving the path, she slipped into the woods, snarkhound at her side. She did not concern herself with the other Hunter. He had seen enough years to know what he was doing.

Her bow came to her hand as she moved, her long dagger was checked and an arrow was readied.

Bekkah

It had taken her a while to find something she thought Dazi would like, but eventually Bekkah returned to the room with her purchases (I assume Dean will be at her side). She saw the door open to Dazi's room and peaked inside. She smiled when she saw her sister.

"The selection was not the greatest sister. It would be best if you did not get these covered in lizard parts." she said motioning for Dean to give her the packages that he had graciously offered to carry before she flopped down on the bed.

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Sometime After Sunrise
Hasday, The Twenty-Second Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Brief Interludes ...

Darian, Longtooth and Landis

It soon became apparent that the oddity of this hunt was not the rider per se ... but the fact that the wood was ont as empty as one might believe; not that it was full of dark warriors .. but there were at least two more of the chaos brigands that had to be passed before Longtooth could spook the horse and Darian's arrow be set loose.

As befits the one who was seeking Khannish's blessings it was her kill.

Of another easterner beyond the Black Mountains.

Landis let his wolves feast upon the dark bay.

Blessings gained, the other Hunter just grunted, turning to continue his path deeper into the Greenalands.

Daxia
with the Gang minus Darian, Longtooth and Romana at the Inn

Daxia chuckled at her sister as she flopped down on the bed, nodded to Dean when he placed the package down. "I promise. Tonight I wear my simple travel clothes under my armor." She spent a moment wiping clean several of the rings, before adding, "And my Temple surcoat over it."

She finished the rings, and ensured the leather beneath was clean as well, then picked up the brush again to attack the next section. The silent arrival of Cesare and Camelia caught her attention then, and her gaze settled for a moment -- a heartbeat or two, at most -- on the young woman who looked so like her Temple-sister.

Eyes dropping again -- yes, to continue her work, but because they suddenly reflected a sadness Kadri's song had dispelled -- she spoke softly to the young Imperial.

"Cesare told you of Celi, I trust." Brush, scrape, pick. "I say this not because I don't wish for your company, please do understand that, Camelia, but because I think my sister could benefit from it."

The redhead looked up, her hands stopped in mid-motion. "Do you mind moving, and sharing quarters with Bekkah while we remain in Bordertown?"

Darian

She did not watch after the elder Hunter. It was not her place. She did, however, go to the kill that had bought her Blessing. Unlike with the beasts slain in the temple, she did not chant over him. She did however draw one of her small blades and cut a lock of hair from him, tucking it into a belt pouch.

The Hunter turned to the felled mount then and looed to the saddle. The item she sought was no longer attached to the back. She cast about until the glint of silver caught her eye and she gathered up the scroll case, tucking that away as well.

"Come, Longtooth," she said as she retraced their steps bac towards Bordertown, breaking into a loping run once outside the forrest's boundaries.

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Sometime After Sunrise
Hasday, The Twenty-Second Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

In Daxia's Room ...

Camelia just answered with a nod.

The next one to enter was their shadow; well almost a shadow. The big heavy winter's cloak was wrapped Romana's slender form, and it was bound even more close than norma. The pretty clasp clamped tight, the fur around the hood all nicely fluffed, the hood drawn up so only that only the hint of fair skin and sparkle of blue eyes could be seen within.

With a light step she flounced to the farthest, darkest corner and leaning into it, slowly sunk to a comfortable floor sitting, resting comfy with her feet straight out.

"Allo allos!"

Darian

She passed through the gate, the thing she had collected beneath her cloak where it could not be spied. They made their way through the streets, she and the snarkhound, and to the inn. Passing through the main room, she garnered food and drink for both of them and led the Daxia's room. See all present already, she set down Longtooth's meal and closed the door behind her.

"There be much Hunting to be done," she said without preamble.

Daxia
with the Gang at the Inn

She smiled her thanks to Camelia as Romana flounced in, causing the Dayalan's smile to brighten just a bit.

"Hello, Romana. You're welcome to push Bekkah over a bit and claim some of the bed for yourself," she said with a broader smile for her sister. "Just a little push."

Daxia had barely finished speaking when Darian and Longtooth returned. She studied the Hunter for a handful of heartbeats.

"Tell."

Darian

She took a sip of her ale as she dug into a belt pouch.

"Passed four red riders," the Hunter said as she held her fisted hand out with whatever it contained to Daxia.

"Other rider much finery. Fat dark mount. Not ride far to come there. Ride no more."

Daxia
with the Gang at the Inn

Daxia held out her hand to take whatever Darian held.

"Think more than four Red Riders nearby, yes?"

Darian

"Yes. This one ride no more."

Her hand opened and single lock of pure white hair fell into Daxia's for all to see. The hand also delved beneath her cloak and brought out the ornate scroll case.

"Carried this. Darian think important. Darian no read. Bring Dazi."

Kadri:

She looks at the lock of hair, starts to say something, stops, then leans back and lapses into thought.

Daxia
with the Gang at the Inn

She looked at the lock of hair, eyes narrowed, and she grunted. "But on dark mount? Lazy? Interesting."

Daxia looked at Kadri as she accepted the case from Darian, eyebrow raised questioningly.

She looked at the case for a moment, almost as if admiring the craftsmanship, before opening it.

Darian

"Aye. Dark mount. Act like pet beast, well fed, no need hunt. Lazy. No care. Seem....bored."

"More red ones out there. Good Hunting."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Sometime After Sunrise
Hasday, The Twenty-Second Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

In Daxia's Room ...

Inside the tube are rolled two fine sheets of vellum, carefully rolled together. They are powdered, the powder sometimes used to make sure ink is dried and will no longer smear.

One is a simple drawing, a diagram of the town, the ruins and the woods nearby. There is a circle around the eastern most gate, and the an "X" over a house near it.

The temple to Krysta.

The other has what - to Daxia - appears to be scribbles. Very pretty vertical curves and lines intertwining in slender columns across the page, decorated by dots and slashes of sharp line fragments.

Daxia
with the Gang at the Inn

She looked at the map, looked at the page of... writing?... then back up at those gathered.

"Mikal, you know the town," she said, passing the map over to him. "Can you tell me what, or who, is the location marked by the 'X'?

"And Romana? Could you come over here and tell me what this page says?" She furrowed her brow for a moment. "Princesses can read, yes? Nobles can read, so Princesses are taught, too, yes?"

Mikal

He looks up from scrubbing a particularly difficult bit of gore from one of his leather straps and glances at the map of the town. An eyebrow rises and he glances up at Daxia and nods. "Sure. Was just there the other day. That's the home of Krysta's Priestess."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Sometime After Sunrise
Hasday, The Twenty-Second Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

In Daxia's Room ...

The hood shookshook its head, but Romana did extend her hand, to take the offered vellum.

She held it open, turned it one way, turned it another, as if trying to discern meaning from the scribbles.

"How would Romanas are Romanas are Romanas be able to read squiggles? very pretty, yesyesyes, but how anyones thinks little lost girl read such strangenessessesses, impossible, of courses ..."

There was a pause, and then a slow sure nod.

"Not possibles at all ...

"So Romanas are Romanas are Romanas are so sos so ... what is word ... soundly ... sorely ... sirrifically ... want that not a word. It should be, yes yes yes? Oh! Romanas sorry.

"Romanas sorry that she does not know tellings of Mholk-eee-ha-vin out in field and to watch watch watch for big strong nasty horses in steel and darksteel, yesyes?

"Romanas sorry she can't reads of promise that Sheriffys will be taken care of. Romanas very sorry about that, that does not sound nice at all. See what happens when not knows?

"Romanas also sorries that if she knew someones put ex on her house and said "we dare you" she would be very very worried .. but since she can't, she does't, so she couldn't, wouldn't she?"

Daxia
with the Gang at the Inn

Daxia sighed.

"You're absolutely right, Romana, and I'm terribly sorry," she said sadly. "How could anyone expect our lost little one to know what all the pretty squiggles are? Though they are very pretty, aren't they? I think I will keep this," Daxia said as she took the note back from Romana, "just because it's so very pretty. Sirrifically would make a fine would, yes, yes... but what would it mean? Well, that would be something to decide later, yes?"

She proceeded to fold the two pieces of vellum carefully, then tucked them into her pouch.

"I sure would like to meet this Sheriff person you happened to mention, though. Did you know he's a friend of Captain Koromov's? Mmmmm, yes. She said I should sit around a campfire sometime with her and Sheriff Garrick and Swordlord Molkavin; that I would find the conversations very interesting.

"Perhaps even without Captain Koromov present, a conversation with Sheriff Garrick... and later Swordlord Molkavin -- because right now, he and his many very nice, definitely nice and not nasty, horses are riding, riding, riding with no one to watch for them -- yes, even without the Verchovai those conversations could be interesting, yes?

"But tcha! Putting big ugly 'X' on house of nice Lady of Krysta! It's very good we don't know anything like that, isn't it? That would be mean, mean, mean. She's so very bright and colorful and seems very nice, nice, nice."

She just shook her head. "Romana, Romana, Romana... you are deserving of a short name right now, my friend."

Looking at Darian, she said, "Hunt was very good. Very, very good.

"So..." She looked down at her armor again, winking at Kadri, and continued cleaning.

"Swordlord Donner has... suggested... that we draw the Avatar to the ruins while he and his men keep as many of His followers from attending him. I have no doubt that a Dayalan standing in full regalia will be of some interest to him, and I had planned to be at the Temple in any case.

"Some of you are suited to fighting the riders that come.

"Some of you are more suited to stealth and striking from hidden places.

"Some of you are not suited to fighting at all, I'm afraid."

She paused, ostensibly to scrape a ring clean.

"Bekkah, I..." Daxia sighed. "Yes, I know you will not agree to stay behind, and I would rather have you with us if we need you, and I will need Dean's skill, as well, so I will not ask you to stay behind. But do you think you could talk Lady Kay into making the journey down into the town to set up a hospice for the men of Donner's Sword and the others who defend Bordertown?" She glanced briefly at her sister. "I think... well, Contract or no Contract, I think it would help them to know a Priestess of Attera is nearby.

"It would probably be too much to pry Lord Random from his tower," she said wryly, "though it does appear to be well-fortified.

"Darian, tell of Hunt you plan.

"Then others, please say how best you can help, or where you would be most effective."

Darian

"Plan?"

The Hunter shrugs.

"Simple. Go forest. Hunt red riders and beasts."

Daxia
with the Gang at the Inn

She nodded without looked up. "Good. Who take?"