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

Mikal

The Jvrillian Guildhall is quieter, at least by the time Mikal returned and stepped into the large commons. Those near the door give him a nod, professional and friendly.

Those farther, however, tend to be a bit colder.

Especially the group at the high end table, in stern discussion. In the tallest chair is a dour looking man, with black hair and a brigantine hauberk; it hangs open and loose and certainly provides a martial air.

"Mohlkavin? He's still out in the field, making sure those that went back into the Forest stay in the Forest. I reckon he'll be back for Midwinter's night ..."

One of the sworders helped direct Mikal.

"Daffyd ...

"That's him in the tall chair at the end.

"Now it was me, I'd not be a botherin' him.

"Better part of valor and all."

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

Daxia and Garrick and Dominie

"Still might not be wise ..."

Was Garrick's response, as he dabbed a piece of bread into his stew.

"Though, in regards to poking, just what are you doing in town, Dominic? Midsummers is usually when you drift through here; bright warm sunny days and the best chance the Horde and the Horse are about."

The rapscallion leaned back in his chair, sipping his cider.

"I am on a quest!"

He raised a brow and cast a glance across the way to Daxia.

"And I may have found my personal key to the Dall Gwynn, this morning."

He then turned to their other companion, to answer her question.

"But first things first.

"Of course I'll dance with you ... once, twice, thrice. Maybe enough to make the feisty dark haired one jealous! And maybe a spin with you shy lass too.

"I mean, what guy could pass off an offer like that.

"I mean look at her, Garrick.

"Have you ever known an Dawnview fire-hair who was not gorgeous."

He then spun his chair around and fell backwards, and with a dramatic flounce laneded with his head in Daxia's lap.

"I'll dance beneath the stars with you ...

"It may ...

"However ...

"Come with a ... tiny ... tint ... itsy bitsy ... I come from such a small village ... cost."

He then paused.

"And a promise to keep your unicorn from skewering me!"

Daxia

Daxia raised an eyebrow at the mention of the Dall Gwynn.

"I wish you luck trying to make Kadri jealous," she said. "Keep dreaming that impossible dream; dreams are important."

But the next thing she knew, she had the young rogue's head in her lap. One arm on the table and one arm draped over the back of the chair, she looked down at him and sighed.

"DomDomDominie, I doubt the veracity of your claim to have come from a small village. As much as I enjoy your tales, as much as I would so like to believe you, deep in my heart I think your village -- the small one from whence you came -- might just be a tiny bit bigger than mine. But perhaps by only the smallest bit, of course. A finger's width bigger than mine... well, two fingers' width at the very most."

Then she sighed again.

"And what might this tiny tiny itsy bitsy cost be, oh Dominic Dominie?

"And why... why oh why oh why, Dominie? Why would there be a need for promises to keep His Magnificence from skewering you? As if I could keep him from doing something he thought needed doing!

"So why, Dom Dom Dominie, do you think the Magnificent, Handsome and Pragmatic Font of All Knowledge Wise and Wonderful, Magnanimous Seer of All and Listener of Innumerable Nuances, He of the Majestic Flowing Silky Mane and Charming Disposition Known as Morning Star would want to skewer you, the Bardish Actor and Tricky Trickster, Teller of Grand and Tall Tales, Foxy Rapscallion known as Dominic Dominie?

She smiled down at him.

"Hmmmmmmm?"

Mikal

"Wish I was you, then", he replies with a small grin.

He then moves across the room to the group of men, including Daffyd.

"Swordlord." He says, with a respectful nod. "I wish to report the successful completion of my mission."

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

Mikal

The dour looking man just leveled Mikal a hard look.

"Successful?"

He spoke it as a harsh, bitter word.

"We lost a good quarter of the Swords, including Lord Donner.

"The town guard decimated; one in ten gone.

"And we haven't heard yet from Mohlkavin, how many of his are piled up upon biers.

"And for what?"

The Jvrillian Sword Lord just sneered.

"A witch and her girlfriend ... who were already dead in th first place."

He crossed his arms, cold as a Black Mountain jamble.

"Successful?

"It's a bloody disaster that didn't have to happen."

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

Daxia and Garrick and Dominic Dominie

"Actually ..."

Garrick favored Daxia with a shake of his head,

"Technically, I suspect that Dominic here does indeed come from the smallest part of his home where within the bounds of the lawns he grew up in, there was, indeed, room for only one family."

Dominic Dominie ... just smiled at that.

"True! Anyone can just lie. The trick is to cast the truth in the shadows of mystery and imagination. As for the other ...

"A lad can dream, can't he? Of walking hand in hand with a pretty girl, dance in the light o two moons, share the best way to stay warm on a stormy Wolf night ...

"... waking up to a very annoyed black unicorn ...

" ... I suspect they are worse than a jealous husband. or a jealous husband-to-be! In fact, I believe I'd risk the latter again before daring the wrath of an immortal.

"They tend to never forget."

He then fell quiet, tilting his head up to look to Garricp, up and upside down.

"What do you think, Sheriff? About this flame-haired beauty. Can I trust her?"

The Sheriff looked at Daxia, for a long, long set of heartbeats.

"You could do worse."

"Garrick."

"Having a Black Knight cross your path is not something that happens very often. Ja."

With that, the rapscallion wrinkled his nose and with a breath quietly began his rolling barker talk tones.

"I come from a village so small ...

"I come from a village so small that we don't have an Imperial Court; we just can't fit them all, having only one house. Oh sure we have Knights and Judges and Healing Women, but they are indistinguishable from brother, sister, cousin and uncle ...

"And since our village is so so small, there is only one Father for all of us ...

"And his word is law. It kind of has to be, because we don't have enough words to go around, so they are spoken by him and what he says, is, and all the Knights and Judges and Healing Women do what he says because there's not enough words to go around for them to have any of their own to say."

A breath.

"I have heard a rumor. About a kind lady, who walks between the farms, and being - until recently - all alone, she could collect words from the wild so she can say ... what ever she can say whatever she wants and is not beholden to anyone's Father.

"She is the kind of lady everyone like, whose touch can banish the worst hurts, seal a wound, mend a heart, set a bone.

"And yet spirited enough she'd meet a dragon's gaze, if it were between her and someone in need.

"You wouldn't happen to know any one like that, would you?"

Mikal

"Let's see." He ticks items off on his fingers. "Demon banished. Chaos Hordes decimated and likely to be so weakened as unable to harass the region for years to come. Curse on the temple ruins and well broken. Ability to rebuild and improve on town, environs, and Troops without interference. Trade should increase as costs of caravan guards and ambushed wagons ends for some time, meaning wealth of the town and the Troops will grow. Reputation of Troops has grown and will attract even better and more numerous recruits due to the victory, not to mention the ability to charge even more for future contracts."

He pauses as if considering a balance scale, then nods, "Looking at the bigger picture, yes, I'd say extremely successful. However I was speaking only of the part of my employer's team and I, who were tasked with destroying the Chaos Lord and his Demon."

He adds, "And by the way, she wanted me to express her thanks for allowing her the opportunity to be of service to Bordertown. Also her true and heartfelt appreciation for the bravery of every Jvrillian who fought, and her hope that every Jvrillian who fell last night now enjoys the rewards befitting one who sits in Jvrill's presence."

"Bekkah ... No. I am not making my problems your problems in that manner. If I spread that then that means that wealthy people who have means might try to use those means to get through you to me. Don't find that acceptable, and comes to that I'll disappear into the night rather than put someone else in the way of my problems like that."

She has a deadly serious expression on her face.

Bekkah

"Well perhaps. Keep in mind, it takes quite a desperate person to willingly harm a lady of Attera. It's no impervious shield by any means, but few sane people would simply strike at one out of hand."

"And I should be allowed to protect my friends in my own way. I cannot protect them with a weapon, perhaps I can protect them with myself."

Daxia

Daxia chuckled and shook her head.

"True, true! But if one would care to define my home in such a way -- the bit of land on which our family's house was built being the village from which I hail -- then I would stand by my statement that Dominie's village may possibly be ever so slightly larger than mine. And I believe when Papa died, he gave all his words to me, though I was so little then, I didn't know how to use them all. Ah, and as for dreaming, lad..."

She ruffled his hair.

"Surely a lad can dream! But it's a silly thing to dream of walking hand in hand with a pretty girl whose heart is well and truly given elsewhere, don't you think?" she asked with a smile. "But even though a pretty girl's heart may well and truly be given elsewhere, and would -- here's the truth of the tale -- like very much to dance at Midwinter with the one holding her heart, a pretty girl will dance with friends and comrades and the friends and comrades of her Sister as well as a silver-tongued lad from a village so small that folks could not share words. In the absence of her one true love, of course. So I can surely promise there would be no need for a unicorn to skewer you."

She did raise an eyebrow at Garrick's 'Black Knight' comment, but listened attentively to Dominie's tale.

"Hmmmm..." Daxia paused and tapped her chin as she stared across the room, apparently deep in thought, before looking back down at Dominie.

"It's possible that I might know of someone who would fit into that description. But to be certain," she said with a firm nod of her head, "I would need to know why you are seeking such a kind lady of rumor. Take no offense at that, Dom Dominie! I am simply overly protective -- and so I've been told -- of kind ladies who find themselves the objects of rumor."

[OOC Nivek & Art - are your characters ignoring Cesare? Please see my last post. I'm OK if they are - just need to know Thanks ]

[ooc: Sorry Gypsy, missed that completely.]

Bekkah

She saw Cesare enter and look at them then hesitate before looking elsewhere.

"Cesare, join us please." she said with that smile that Ladies of Attera seemed to possess that made all seem welcome.

OOC: I didn't see you either. But Lets say Kadri was facing the other way.(end of a page right before a few long posts, and I just didn't look back that last post. Apologies.)

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

Mikal

"Demons banished. A demon that should not have been there in the first place.

"Chaos riders banished ... only for as long as it takes for a new wolf to rise t the top of their pack. This one an unknown.

"A curse that had no effect on the town, until the breaking of it put the town into danger.

"Tales of the cost of this fight, true, they will be sung. And for a long while the caravans will not tarry here.

"The Chaos Riders, they are not vanquished. They will be back. Except this time they will not be riding for whim and caprice.

"They will be riding for vengeance.

"And those powers, from beyond the Black mountains? Do you truly believe they will not notice that the balance, the rder, has been shaken.

"Folks call you a fool, for hiring on for a swordbitch's coin."

The Jvrillan swordlord leveled Mikal a dark look.

"You didn't have to go and prove it."

He waved his hand, a curt and final dismissal.

"Tell her that her that if she were truly grateful, she'd show her thanks by dancing with Krysta on the way out of town.

"But no.

"She'd not dance with your girl.

"She killed her Executioner too."

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

Daxia and Garrick and Dominic Dominie

"lt me see ... let me see..."

Dominic started counting off his fingers, looking up at Daxia, a count of one ... a cont of tw ... a count of three ... each accompanied with the shake of his head.

"No ... no ... no ... no..."

Then.

"Wait."

He then scrunches his eyes, peering at the Dayallan.

"Don't tell me it's HER?"

e then giggled.

"Oh it's just gotta be!

"Oh Garrick, look at this fierce warrior before you! Now imagine her, at the back of a noble Court, her gaze focused on one person, all doe-y eyed and moon calfed and earnest and just like one of the farmer's daughters when you or harry walk past the Town well.

"Not that I blame her much ...

"The young Allaine dama is sunset pretty and cute like a cleric and most certainly snuggle-able!"

He then reached up to beep daxia on the nose,

"And don't look at me like that. When i don't want to be found ... you are not going to be able to find me. But Kisa-my-dear! Melting the beautiful snowqueen and all!"

He then rested back, his expression changing.

"Because Auntie Dandy is wrong.

"I'm the irresponsible rake.

"But there is one member of my family who is a truly good person.

"The problem isn't that getting him out of my small village is imposible ...

"It's that no one knows he exists; mostly. He rarely can leave his bed chamber; he cannot take the change of weather, catch his breath, stand without a shoulder to lean on or a stave to hold himself up.

"The fact that he is my father' son ... has kept him. For now.

"The problem being ... with a most recent marriage ... brings into play a family that has no patience for cripples; the weak and infirm from her small village lands to get tossed into quarries, where if they fall, their blood and flesh just greases the moving of the stones."

"And if either Brother or his brand new Wife get the slightest inkling that my brother is one of the few people in this whole land I actually, honestly, truly care for.

"He's dead."

Mikal

He shrugs at the tirade. "Chaos riders needs no excuse to come and harass us. They've done it for generations. And those beyond the mountains? They care nothing for balance. All they want is power and domination. They come here whenever one grows strong enough to bring them, regardless of what we do."

"But perhaps you should become a merchant? Seems like you care little for fighting for the people's suffering, or even to keep them safe, only for huddling here and obtaining coin without risk."

"Do you let the boil grow until the arm turns gangrenous and has to be amputated? Or do you lance it, and accept a little pain to keep the body safe?"

"I will pass along your message. Considering that without her and hers more of your men would be with Jvrill now, perhaps even all of them, one might think you'd show less ungratefulness. After all, it seems it took a Swordbitch to get you to do your job."

He turns and strides from the hall reflecting on burned bridges.

Darian

"Nay, not prey," she said with a shake of her head.

"Old Hunter be in city too long," she adds a bit disappointed. "Think like city bred. Come, Longtooth, before walls poison us too."

Daxia

"I do so hate to disappoint you, dear Dominic, but I'm afraid there were no doey eyed nor moon calfed nor probably even earnest looks from the back of a Noble Court." Daxia paused.

Reconsidered for a moment, head tilted.

Then shook her head.

"No, I'm sure if there had been any look other than professional and impersonal observation, the lumps on my head would still be healing. And if the beautiful snowqueen -- and the Heir is not a snowqueen, not at all, Dom Dominie, she is simply... bookish -- has melted, I would be the one to say it was entirely due to having a friend and being a friend.

"You have told too many stories, I think, and perhaps even believed them!" she said with a laugh. "And what a romantic tale that would be, da? But such was most certainly not the case, young Dominie, though you may feel free to spread whatever fanciful tale you like. Perhaps include, along with doey and moon calfed, some starry eyes as well? Because I like you Dominic Dominie, only because I rather do like you, I'll tell you the truth of the matter, and the truth would be I am quite the oblivious and not exceptionally bright person I normally am when it comes to matters of the heart. Yes, yes... it's true! I know you'd rather not believe such a thing, but I'd never tell a falsehood like that to you, nor shave off the tiniest bit of truth. Why, when the moment of revelation came, it was perhaps as if the walls of Snowgate Pass themselves came tumbling down right upon me."

Daxia sighed. "Well, it was a bit romantic, after all, for such an oblivious person as myself."

Her expression lost all its playfulness as he spoke of his brother, turning serious... even somber.

"Such an interesting predicament into which you've thrown me, my young lord.

"The vows I swore to She whom I serve leave no doubt that this dear brother of yours is one I am sworn to protect, he being both defenseless and weak. I don't need a unicorn to tell me that! Ah, but knowing who Father is... and all the world knowing -- and by knowing, I mean believing -- those of us who follow my Lady are handmaidens who do the bidding of Mother...

"Oh, yes, Dom Dominie! That is quite clever, and actually very amusing.

"I don't doubt this kind lady will be found, nor do I doubt her... fierceness in saying words that she has gathered outside your very small village. I, myself, would be most distressed -- though I could never be as distressed as you, dear Dominic -- should grave harm come to your brother. And from rumors I have heard of the new Wife, I almost feel inclined to give condolences to Brother... though given who Brother and Wife are, and given from whence I hail, I could probably refrain from giving such condolences."

With a raised eyebrow, she regarded him steadily.

"And what is your expectation should the kind lady happen to find herself in your oh so very small and tiny village? Simply the kindness and blessing this lady dispenses? Or do you believe your brother has a desire -- or perhaps a need -- to travel?"

Cesare

He hesitates, then smiles and moves over to their table, new crossbow in hand.

"Bekkah, Kadri.Is everything well with you both?"

He pauses for an answer and then continues.

"Have you been out much today? The town seem surprisingly well disposed towards us.. not something I'm used to."

He grins, kicking out a chair and sitting down, careful not to spill his ale, which he then takes a deep swallow of, with some relish.

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

Daxia and Garrick and Dominic Dominie

Garrrick just planted his face in his hands, as if knowing what is coming next,

"What!?!?"

Dominic looks absolutely shocked!

"That sounds dangerously close to a plan!

"You expect ME to PLAN ahead?

"I'm just lucky I got this far! i mean, well, I get by with sweet talk and good looks, but somehow that NEVEr works on my OTHER brother!"

He then nodded assuredly. Garrick just let out a slow breath.

"Why do you think he's such trouble. No one knows what what this rapscallion will ever do. I think that's why the Koromov treats him like a young nephew. He surprises even her sometimes."

"Wait ... I thought she said I was cute! I am crushed, I tell you, crushed!"

Dominic interrupted but then continued.

"The problem, Daxia dearest ...is that since there is only room in my Village for one Court, the Imperial one is in thrall to the Noble one.

"I think ... a strong Lady, bound to another Cathedral, would be an impossible conundrum.

"I just want him safe, oh fierce Dayalan. I don't care where ...

"But we are talking about face, politics, bloodlines and domination.

"It would not be without its dangers."

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

Mikal

"Actually we don't.

"That is what makes us professionals, boy. It is what makes us who we are.

The Sword Lord chuffs out a long breath.

"You don't learn that, you'll never be more than a girl's guard."

The hall was completely silent as Mikal took his leave.

Outside, the streets of Bordertown were as busy as could be expected. Merchants resettling in, looking forward to the safe market of the morrow.

Those who had loved ones to care for, wishing that the funereal morrow never had to come.

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

Darian and Landis

Darian can feel the hot burning glare at her back as she re-enters the street. It is about the same time that Mikal steps out too, his guildhouse behind him.

She does here softer, parting words, behind her, rough and atop the unmistakable growling of wolves.

"Not yet ...

"Give her a little head start.

"It makes the hunt more challenging."

An attempt to save face.

Darian

Her jaw is set, and her eyes burn. Her countenance is somewhere between disgust and disappointment. Despite this, she still is aware of her surroundings, those that come and go about her. As such, so it is that she sees one of her compatriots of the very odd Pack she has come to be a part of.

"Mikal."

Even as she greets one she has come to call friend, her hand never strays from the hilt of her war dagger.

Bekkah

"Quite well. Well other than being tired, but I knew that was going to happen."

She was used to being appreciated by the townsfolk wherever she went so she didn't comment what Cesare said."

"Any plans for the day Cesare?"

Daxia

"Plan? Did I say plan?"

She shakes her head and grins at the rascal.

"No, no, my dear Dom Dominie... I merely asked what you wish for, what you hope for, what is the outcome you dream of! Oh, to ask one such as your clever and foxy self for a plan would be like... like... like..." Daxia laughed. "Well, it would be like asking me oh so nicely and oh so sweetly to stop talking. That just never seems to work either."

She ruffled his hair again.

"I'm sure Dandy must have meant your unpredictable nature lends to your fetching good looks. Though she is so very insightful that surprising her is such a rare thing... and being such a rare thing..."

The Dayalan once again tilted her head and stared off into the distance for a moment, before nodding and looking back at Dominic.

"Yes, if the surprise does not lead to some sort of disastrous mess, I can well imagine it would delight her."

And then she sighed.

"Dangers. Dangerous dangers seem to have been following me from the moment I left the Vale. The dangers most dangerous caught up to me in Cragside and have been nipping at my heels ever since.

"Face and politics are things of which I have become entirely too familiar... as one might expect from standing in the back of a Noble Court, observing both professionally and impersonally. Bloodlines... ah, bloodlines! An intriguing and at times most unsettling topic. Domination? As you should well know, Dom Dominie, tales of Father reach far and wide, from here to there and from there to here."

With an elbow on the table and head resting in her hand, Daxia sighed again.

"Interesting times, His Magnificence said. Oh, this is ever so interesting. And by interesting, I mean trouble and danger will be cozying up to us like kittens to a mama cat. Oh, you thought I would use a cruder analogy, O Foxy One? Ha, for all the taunts of 'swordbitch', Auntie Dandy named me rightly... Lady Daxia, Knight of Dawnview Castle. And a Lady does not use crude analogies, da?

"But indeed, Dominic Dominie, a fair Lady of a Cathedral far from your tiny village, a Lady of strong will and many words... oh, that would make the trouble and danger worth the sight of such a Lady visiting your very small and itsy bitsy village and speaking her own many words to Father.

"Of course, I'm quite sure Father would not be the least bit pleased to see Lady Daxia. In fact, I would hazard the guess that he would be the opposite of pleased. Perhaps even less pleased than the time Mother sent Auntie in her stead to Council... even though Lady Daxia has no official ties to Mother or her Court."

She turned her head slightly to look at the Sheriff.

"I didn't come by to plan intrigue with this rapscallion," she said with a faint smile. "I actually came to see you. I sent my thanks and appreciation with my second to the Jvrillians, such thanks and appreciation as would not likely be welcome or appreciated by many of his Guild. Still, for the few who might accept it, it was given. I thought it might at least be acceptable to speak to you, as you aren't beholden to the Jvrillian Guild and not imbued with generations of enmity between Jvrillian and Dayalan. And also, my Sister the Koromov spoke of you as a friend.

"Thought I know the town suffered, though I know many of the Town Guard bore that suffering, I will still express my thanks to you and to your men. I will express my appreciation of their bravery. And with the greatest of humility and sorrow, express my condolences to the families of those who made the greatest sacrifice."

She took a deep breath as she sat up straighter again.

"If there had been any other way to do what I saw needed to be done, know that I would have chosen it.

"But things happen as they should happen. Unfortunate as that is at times."

Daxia paused, regarding the Sheriff for a moment longer.

"Did my Sister the Koromov know what lay within the buried Temple? There was naught she ever could have done, but the knowing of it..."

She simply waited, a pained expression on her features.