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The Heartwood
Bordertown
Afternoon
Attaday, The Twenty-Third Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia and Garrick and Dominie

"I'm sorry but mister Garrick is not at home at the moment, but if you wish I'll remember whatever message you have for him!"

The falsetto happily replied ... and then continued.

"But you can't miss him. Tall, dark, handsome, runs like a five legged shaggie and right about now should be should be huffing and puffing like an inner ring daughter pulling water for the midday meal ... the midday meal ..."

The voice changes, and there is the sound of rustling from within.

"Hola! Garrick! You got anything decent to drink in here? Lemmee see ..."

Outside, Garrick's eyes went wide.

"That wine is for Midwinters, you lush!"

There is a sudden, even more, rustling, from within.

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Afternoon
Attaday, The Twenty-Third Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Darian and Landis

"Share stories?"

His head then tilted, quiet.

"Contemplating an enjoyable hunt.

"Answer a question that always wonders ..."

The look he gave Darian was cold, calculating and cruel.

"Always wanted to know if Ghosts bleed."

Daxia

Daxia shook her head and sighed.

"DomDommie, open the door and let me in.

"I have a feeling hanging from the rafters is going to be the least of your problems."

She paused, tilted her head considering scenarios, then leaned against the jamb.

"On the other hand, hanging from the rafters in your undergarments...

"Or naught at all...

"Might amuse a certain Lady of your long acquaintance quite a bit."

She shrugged with the should not leaning against the door frame.

"And if not that, I'm sure a friend of mine, a lass you recently met, would be happy to make suggestions that would provide mirth for your Lady... and others at the Inn, as well."

She sighed dramatically.

"Ah, and the lass of exquisite beauty will be so disappointed."

The redhead turned slightly so she was leaning with her back against the building.

"Her... well, I can't even predict how she might react to such disappointment in you."

Again, she sighed dramatically.

"And I, DomDomDomDominie? My disappointment is greater than all the wealth in the whole of Talantal. I'm not quite sure what I might do with all this disappointment.

"Why... I haven't had the chance to thump anyone's head all day!

Darian

she shifted her stance, settled into her stand as he spoke again.

"What can bleed, can die. What be, where be Ghosts? Find answer, share stories."

Bekkah (With Kadri)

"ahh yes, that is certainly the way of nobles. We are often a bargaining chip are we not. I suppose in this case being raised the way Daxia and I were is an advantage I suppose."

"And your family will take you back or is it worse than that? Will they take retribution for you leaving?"

Kadri:

"You know, really, I don't know. And, really, I don't care. Going back would be retribution enough. To be in a cage, however gilded it may be is torture enough. And ... don't call me noble. Don't want to be even if I were. If you are that, that is all people see. Like an Atteran. People look at your robes, yes? Look at the robes and completely miss the person inside, yes? I am Kadri, and Kadri is enough. People can make of THAT what they will."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Afternoon
Attaday, The Twenty-Third Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Darian and Landis

The wolf tamer simply looked back at the younger Hunter.

"Then you must not have ears to hear, pup.

"Last night's Ghost ...

"The one who turned the Demon ... now there would be a fine head to hang upon the wall."

Darian

She knew where this supposed Ghost was, who it was. This was no ghost, only a girl...with a pecuilar talent.

"Why hunt one help? Like hound biting hand that feeds."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Afternoon
Attaday, The Twenty-Third Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia and Garrick and Dominie

From inside comes the sound of even more rusling, perhaps the moving of furniture too.

"Open the door?

"What ... do you think I'm now ... oh what was ... oh let me see ... how did it go ... oh yes ... do you really think I'm ...

" ... not too bright?"

Finally there was a moments silence.

"Nuh-uh, no way, ja?

"I'm not opening the door unless BOTH of you promise that there will be no thumpings, no hangings and most of all no arrestings? Ja? Ja!"

"You got that? Promise? Say it loud and clear and all ..."

Outside, Garrick just looked to the Dayalan, raising a brow.

"Dom ... Dominie?

"You got him to admit to his whole name?"

Daxia

"Yah, think not bright much," she muttered. "Steal, run to Sheriff house. Oh! Very smart!"

As Dominie made his demands, she tilted her head... and thought about it.

But when Garrick spoke she looked at him, blue eyes narrowed.

"DomDominie is...

"Dom...

"Dominie?"

She pushed herself off the wall and crossed her arms.

"Dom... Dazi not know this, who know this?" she continued to mutter.

Daxia shook her head and sighed.

"No. Apparently, I guessed. Something. And he failed to correct me. So I'm afraid I have no idea what you mean, or what I've gone and done. This time. Which is no doubt highly amusing to both him and his Lady."

She spoke more loudly and addressed the door.

"I have no authority to arrest you, so I promise I won't arrest you, Dommie.

"I'm not tall enough to hang you from the rafters, so I promise not to hang you from the rafters, Dommie.

"And I promise not to thump you."

She paused, took a breathe.

"Until..."

She waited a handful of breaths.

"Until She next rises, Dommie."

The Dayalan tapped her foot and glared at the door. "Not say anything about skewer, though," she said under her breath.

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Afternoon
Attaday, The Twenty-Third Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Darian and Landis

"Because it will be a wondrously bloody pursuit, of course.

"For a very valuable prey."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Afternoon
Attaday, The Twenty-Third Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia and Garrick and Dominie

"No skewering, no poking, no prodding, no hurting no ones .."

Garrick just shook his head.

"You aren't going to let me back into my own house until I agree, aren't you."

"Ja! Got it in one! I always said between you and Harry, you were the smart one!"

Letting out a sigh, the Sheriff cut through the problem with a handful of words, sharp and sure as a sword cut.

"You have my word ..."

And with that the door ... was unlatched and opened. With a flourish, Dominic invited the two into the building's main room, being very careful to shut and latch the door behind his two guests.

It was a simple space; one main room with a big table in the middle and a central fire place. A set of four chairs were set about the table, though the place setting was for three.

Lunch had been prepared

Bread, and cheese and a jug of cider. Three goblets have been placed on the table and from the big pot in the hearth Dominie crossed the room to ladle out three decent sized bowls - which he so properly set out.

"Dominic ..."

Garrick just shook his head,

"Why do you keep doing this?

"Its not like you can ever be short of money if you wish ..."

Dominic Dominie just smiled.

"It's fun!"

Darian

"Valuable prey? A girl?" she nearly scoffed. "Like hunting a cub or pup. That not prey worthy of the Lord of Hunt."

Her gold eyes narrowed, her stance shifted and a hand drifted to the hilt of her war dagger.

"Or seek you Hunt those stand between you and her? Those that stood on hill, protect Bordertown. The ones call Darian friend. If so, you start here, with Darian."

Daxia

"Dominic..." she said, almost a question.

Daxia glanced around the room as she took off her cloak.

"Dominic..." She spoke the name slowly, her tone still slightly confused.

She draped the cloak over the back of the chair where there was no place setting.

"Dominic..." Now her voice was sounding very suspicious.

She stared at the young man as he set the bowls on the table.

"Dom... in.. ic!" she exclaimed in frustration. "You are very, very naughty."

She sighed and shook her head. Then she placed hands on hips again and looked at him with pursed lips. And looked at him.

For a good handful of slow breaths.

Then she threw her hands up in the air.

"Bah! Well, Dandy did say you weren't so bad given your genealogy. Something about having a tremendous heart. Compared you to some rather fine people."

She smiled at him as she executed a perfectly courtly curtsy.

And then she grinned broadly as she sat down at the table.

"So... da, da. No thumping or skewering or harming DomDominie in any way."

The red haired lass looked at the young man, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Though a tiny prod or a very small poke is not likely going to hurt such a clever, sneaky, foxy lad like DomDomDomDominie, I would wager even though I don't wager."

Bekkah with Kadri

"And they won't give up I take it? You have friends with you now. Friends that won't allow someone to take you against your will. Funny thing about reputations is that once forged, they carry a lot of weight. If your family hears about what happened here and know that you were a part of it along with your new friends, they may think twice about approaching you."

"After all they may feel slighted, but surely they aren't so foolish as to think they'd have no opposition?"

Kadri

Another long pause follows from her.

"Last I hear, still looking for me. Think of the high and mighty you know. What better describes them - reason before honor or honor before reason? And ... this involves some important people. I am not so sure they will let go."

She pauses again.

"More than once, i have thought of leaving to spare you trouble, now that i have heard from them again."

She looks at Bekkah with her head tilted.


"Do you have trouble with lying for a good cause?"

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Afternoon
Attaday, The Twenty-Third Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia and Garrick and Dominie

"Actually, I wouldn't recommend that ..."

It was Garrick that spoke, looking across the table at the smaller man.

"Poking the rascal ... well, Daffyd over across the way tried it once; he's not the nicest fellow in the world. Donner was a problem at the Thing, Daffyd's going to be impossible. Once he got shook out, looked like he had been trapped in a barrel of famished merebeasts."

To that, the rascal in question simply shrugged.

"It's not like I didn't warn him and all ... I said you really really don't want to do that, but no, who listens to little me."

The sheriff just raised a brow.

"It was his daughter, Dominic. you know you could be a little more circumspect ..."

"How was I to know? It's not like she went about with a sign that said I belong to an ornery narrow minded pig headed Jvrillian sworldlord! And all I did was dance! I do know how to dance! And I wasn't even going to do anything ... really ... truly ... trust me!"

He then leveled Garrick an even, sure look.

"Too much chance of hurting her."

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Afternoon
Attaday, The Twenty-Third Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Darian and Landis

"Heh.

"Now I know she's real, she's a girl and with whom she herds ..."

The elder Khannish lord looked up at Darian, his grin wicked and sharp - feral, almost more feral than his two companions.

"And you are setting yourself up as prey."

Daxia

Daxia watched the interplay between the two men, nodding slightly to herself.

"An excellent set of lessons.

"One... sending Mikal to his Guildhouse without his employer was pure genius on my part.

"Two... when poking a DomDominie, one should not be serious and let it be done in fun and merriment. And very likely not very hard at all. More like a tickling on the back of the neck, perhaps.

"Three... DomDominie dances!"

She smiled broadly. "And here I was resigning myself to Midwinter dancing with my sister. Oh, do say you'll favor me with a dance or two, DomDominie the Rapscallion!"

Cesare

Having haggled the price and request some bolts to be included also, as it is in the Rhoni blood to bargain and enjoy the process, Cesare pays up, which maybe isn't always in the Rhoni blood. However he likes it here and is happy to stay a while longer, maybe return at some point, so he is on his best behaviour. He even thanks the shopkeeper, and aldo Mikal for his help, making further conversation with the shopkeeper on the price of steel and the women running the keep to find out more on these interrelated topics. This is also in keeping with the Rhoni, knowledge not only being important as to determine the tides and their own movement, but there is often opportunity in knowledge too.

Bekkah

She gave Kadri a wry smile.

"I am no angel Kadri. No beacon of righteousness. I will not attempt to take a life, but other than that I am a very ordinary woman in every other way."

"I believe that, truly. Yet I would not want to ask you to do anything against your conscience. Owe it to your sister, and by that to you also. She is ... Family to me, as much as I have family now, which in its own way makes you family as well."

She stops and sips at her drink.

"You see, Bekkah, if you tell a tall tale, being what you are, say a story about a poor lost horse- thief you met on the road, traveling further yet from the direction of Amber, alone and afraid why ... It is higly likely the stories of an Atteran will be picked up, and being picked up will be carried from person to person and being carried from person to person will also be handed to stray travelers ..."

Bekkah

"Well I could certainly pass on such a tale if asked. I'm not in the habit of telling the whereabouts of people, but perhaps I'll overhear someone asking about you and I'll be happy to pass on what little information I have, hopefully sending them away from you."

"Of course though you know that if someone came after you while traveling with us, they'd have to get past a few of your new friends who wouldn't take kindly to one of their close friends being harmed. Perhaps spreading the tale of the company you now keep might keep enemies away from you."

Mikal

He offers Cesare some coin to cover the cost of the crossbow, and gets his agreement to repay it in trade. He then adds, "We'll start tomorrow working on the mechanics. I will see if I can get some space at the Guildhall yard. If not", he shrugs, "easy enough to get a bale of hay to shoot at outside the walls."

Bidding Cesare goodbye, he heads on his way to meet with Daffyd and Molkhavin.

Cesare

After taking his leave from Mikal, he decides to head back to the inn, get an ale and study the bolts, so he can work out how to make them.

Arriving back at the inn, he sees Kadri and Bekkah deep in conversation and waits to see if he is invited, otherwise he is happy to take a quiet corner seat and get to his task.