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Cesare

He looks at all the rooms considering each and its position.

"I think Mikal should have the one nearest the stairs as he is likely to be the one most needed in a hurry or if it comes to defence.. or needing to be a spokesman.. then he is the frontmost person. Dean can take the middle room as backup for Mikal. I'll take the far end one opposite your room."

He turns and smiles at her.

"We are not used to the role of regular servants but it is important for your Lord and Mistress that we fit is here and stay out of trouble.. and so we do really appreciate your help. Please provide any advice or criticism you feel is warranted. I for one won't take any offence."

He has already made a mental picture in his head of the layout from her description but knows that can't be fully relied on. He is more used to finding his way outside, not in buildings as big as this one. Right now he is feeling less than comfortable, even a little trapped. Increasing his knowledge, and that of his companions, will help to ease that situation.

"We should try to get these supplies changed. It would be good to have something to fall back on if we should need it. Could we do it very quietly so as to excape any attention, maybe take an item down and exchange it for a fresh one. What is it like to move around at night here? Is that the quietest time? Or maybe when the nobility are dining?"

He sits on a pile of sacks, as he talks, almost thinking out loud. He feels that it is important to gain Kathi's trust because they will need her help more than anyone's.

"I really need to walk the areas to get the layout fixed in my head, though I have a reasonable picture from your explanation."

"You probably should understand a little more about us too and I'd be happy to answer your questions. Not sure if you were asking about your Mistress Kadri or Romana, the new lady of Attera.. but both are Princesses. Mistress Kadri has upset a number of people, not least her own family of the Amber clans by marrying your Master. Although we hope there will be no trouble, we should all be on our guard. It might be wise if we all make sure that no-one goes anywhere alone. There is some safety in numbers."

He smiles again.

"I hope we can help each other."

Bekkah

"It would be best if my new apprentice spends most of her time there while we are here." she said agreeing.

"Come along Romana, let us go find our rooms."

The Heartwood
Talantal, the Grand Duchy of Talantal
Late Afternoon, Attaday, the twenty-seventh day of Dragon

Cesare ... and Kathi

"Oh there will always be trouble where our Young Master is concerned."

Kathi answered that question matter-of-factly.

"And I suspect her Family will be caught between a pair of merchants bound high and lowside with but one cart. On one hand it is a right honor and enhancement of rank to be bound to the Kories. But then they are Allaine allies, and this is ... well, we must be honest about our Young Master.

"He is Lord Dominic Dominie Korie after all."

Her eyes narrowed a bit, but it was in concentration.

'Well if you are going to .. uhm ... wander outside of the Young Miss' sight or out of this tower, you best be wearing a House surcoat. You'll find them in the linens; ours are the ones with the Midwinter's star on them, that will mark you as one of us. Though be careful, the Khorall hates being reminded of that.

"And the supplies. They should be fine; its not like we are going to be expecting a siege, are we?

"The rooms? Just make sure no one noisy is near the Mouse's. She's kind of delicate."

As for alternate ways out, it is true that the windows could be used, but it would require at least a hundred feet of rope and very good talents at not being seen - the towers, by their nature, are very exposed. They do, however, command an impressive view of the castle and the surrounding countryside; any threat could most certainly be seen quite a ways away.

The young woman folded her hands upon her lap, lacing her fingers together.

"You want help?

"You know what a servant's best skill is?

"It's to be invisible.

"It's a rare skill actually. The Mouse is excellent at it. She can have your goblet refilled before you even know its down to your last few sips and not even realize she's been here and gone.

"We also know there are very few coincidences in this word.

"Such as having a new wife, one of the only Ladies of Attera that ever set foot outside of a town gate, her weird apprentice, the Heiress Allaine and her court hated Captain ... and two new bodyguards ...

"All arriving here at the very same time.

"It's not a coincidence, is it?"

"Because the only one I can understand showing up this Court is the Dama Allaine, because, well, everyone had thought the Young Master was sweet not on Your Lady ...

" ... but her."

The Heartwood
Talantal, the Grand Duchy of Talantal
Late Afternoon, Attaday, the twenty-seventh day of Dragon

Mikal, Dean, Kadri ... Daxia ... Bekkah ... Kay, Kandelion, Kisa, James and a Mouse

"No ..."

The heiress looked up to Kadri, as the amber princess relaxed.

"Sit up, straight and proper, like your Mother taught you when she knew your Father was coming to dinner."

Kisa's head dropped again as she considered the tiles in her hand. "There are at least to in the Court who would see that and divine. On would see a young woman who indeed could imagine you sitting next to Dominic Korie, but much more likely to be conspiring with him as opposed to marrying him. The other would see a young woman and thus a fine victim for his predatory nature.

"And you are correct about the Dama Talia. She would immediately recognize a girl in far over her head.

"All from the way you sit."

Letting out a long breath the redhead frowned a bit.

"Could you bring back a handful of blank tiles, Dazling? And a brush and some ink? But most of all, be safe and be fast; when the sun meets the far western horizon they lock the gates.

"Happily, the merchants made the Kories set that time from the tallest of these three towers."

Turning the Allaine again shook her head, this time at Mikal.

"They don't need spies.

"They have servants and the titled nobility. Servants gossip, servants trade stories, and while there may be a camaraderie between those who serve never forget that they owe their fealty and sometimes their lives to the Lords they serve. It would be wise to only tell them, to only show them what you want them to see."

Her attention then traveled, to James, to the one called Mouse.

"I have no reason to trust these two. However, I have met Dominic Korie. And I do trust him."

Kisa Allaine then offered the group a small shy smile.

"For certain definitions of trust."

Then she continued, serious once more.

"I have no reason to trust you folks.

'"I do trust Daxia and Bekkah Yurisdotters.

"And I have reason to be able to trust Captain Koromov implicitly."

Kisa was silent as Daxia marshaled her sister and her sister's ward. Her attention was drawn back to her odd pattern of tiles, making a small set of spirals twined together. When the three left she offered a wave and a tug on Daxia's tunic - no words to be said, but perhaps like pancakes meaning thank you, this was her own way of saying ... until later.

It was only after the door closed and their footsteps vanished down the stairs that she sat back, crossed her arms and looked at the lines she had so carefully laid out. Green eyes narrowed to slits as she concentrated, tracing the trail of tiles.

"Tcha ..."

She whispered, her attention falling upon a particular stretch in her pattern.

"Why did I do that?"

There was a little stretch with a break in the tiles - at least three tiles long, a place where the fall of one tile could not reach the next.

"I'm missing something.

"Something important."

The Heartwood
Talantal, the Grand Duchy of Talantal
Late Afternoon, Attaday, the twenty-seventh day of Dragon

Daxia, Bekkah ... and Romana

Down the long stairs the three quietly walked, in an oh so proper procession.

The Dayalan guard at the fore, followed by the Priestess Attera ... and then, following behind her, the Initiate. Romana folded her hands behind, trying to be serious, but she could not help but eventually add a skip to her steps, once again in a fine castle, wearing pretty new clothes.

The stairs finally opened into a broad anteroom - and while they continued down one could see the halls leading to the great hall galleries and then to the processional stairs down to the main level.

Red hair and armor certainly attracted attention, but it was white hair and soft tunics that held it. The Rames Guard at the grand hall's entrance, at the sturdy vestibule, were more then happy to escort them out of their keep.

The courtyard between the Korie manor and the tall walls of the fifth ring were tended by a pair of goodwives, or so they seemed. Where once they may have been beautiful, now they were just pragmatic; flowers given way to vegetables and even them barely eeked out of the soil.

As if, most certainly, in need of a true gardener.

Against - and within- the fifth ring wall were the housings for those who served the Kories - their men-at-arms, the seneschals and marshalls, the exchequer and cooks, all those who supported a grand noble family. It also housed two sets of stables - one for Korie livestock and a smaller one for those visiting.

Last, across from the manor keep, was a very formal structure, rising up against the walls like the towers rose from the central castle. It's shape and form they had seen before - an Imperial cathedral and the second largest single building in Talantal.

Large stairs led up to three large doors, each with a pair of Knights standing at attention upon each side.

They did not move, or even blink, even at the approach of a Priestess.

Luckily, however, next to the main church, nestled against it was an open arcade.

Just like in Cragside or Talesan's Village, passing through them would bring one to a small square court. The arcade, of course, ran about the court and its central well, and in their shelter, on the other three sides, were lined the simple monastic cells - each one a room for one of the Church, from High Priest to newest initiate.

Two cells, the closest to the exit, had doors that were open. All the others were closed.

It also seems that they were expected; at least twenty of the church were also here, gathered in that court. There were many Atterans, all in different shades of white. Several Knights and squires were also present, in their surcoats of red and gold. A pair of Brothers were also there; one in simple robes the other in Hastur's blue.

They looked up, when Daxia stepped through the arcade.

They drew themselves up, all straight and proper, when Bekkah entered.

The one closest, at the focus of the small gathering, was an imperious looking woman, of fair features and with long flowing hair which was the color of sunlight.

And then Romana stepped in, peeking around Bekkah and into the court.

"Hullos?"

There was an answer to Romana's greeting. It came first from the tall Imperial Priestess. She spoke not a word, but simply tossed her head ... and very precisely turned her back to the young Eastern Initiate, turned her back upon Bekkah ...

As for Daxia, it was as if she wasn't there at all.

One by one, without a word, in heavy silence the others followed in the High Priestess' wake, turning around, their back to the newcomers, cutting them off ...

Shunning them.

Save for one. One of the twins. Except she was quickly grabbed by the arm and turned around to follow with the rest of her church.

Just youthful curiosity.

One by one ... they made their way towards the main church, as if to abandon the cloisters.

Kadri:

She does sit up straighter, the mask slipping back on.

"Oh, but Dama Allaine - you presume that father ever came for dinner. Once the youngest son left, there was no time for the youngest daughter. More important things called."

She takes a bite from the platter.

"You know, he interesting thing is, way back then Abba(read as 'daddy') could have had everything he wanted from me for the price of one conversation with his daughter."

She again looks down at the tiles, and motions her hand towards the patterns.

"So, where am I in all of that? Or am I?"

Cesare

He reacts to that last revelation with the raising of eyebrows and a smile, followed by a nod.

"Interesting.."

"Never thought to get involved in the politics of the nobility Kathi. Us Rhoni think the safest and best way is to drift away quietly from all of that. But here I am. And I am used to staying invisible but not so much in this closed in environment with rules and a culture I do not understand - and so I thank you for your wisdom as I have need of it."

He gets up and starts to sort through the linens, searching out surcoats for himself, Mikal and Dean. Holding them against himself and viewing at arms reach, eyes slightly squinted as he is imagining each of the others wearing it. Finally he makes a selection, shrugging one on and laying the other two over his arm.

"At least we will look the part.. maybe?"

He does a twirl, eyes twinkling. Then he taps the barrel she is sitting on.

"As to the supplies, I have no idea whether we will need them but it is better to have supplies and not need them, than to need them and not have them. So let's see what we can do about that."

"Tell me about Mouse."

He is intrigued. The girl could be a great potential but also a weakness. Important though to quickly understand these people to help to keep them safe. He knows that the eddies his group cause often turn into huge waves.

Kathi

"Tell you about the Mouse?"

The young woman looked down for a very long while until she finally lifted her head and gave Cesare a look that was so akin to the ones recently given her and her two companions.

The can I trust this person look.

"The Mouse? She's like the rest of us, just shyer I guess."

Her fingers laced together as she tapped her thumbs one to the other.

"Most of the servants in the Keep are either born to it, like the cooks, or they are the younger children of the Nobles who aren't going to get married anytime soon; most of the ladies-in-waiting, at that.

"The Young Master, however, collected us.

"I guess that's the best way to say it.

"From what I heard, James was caught as a lone kid, sleeping under one of the Korie wagons. When he was going to get beat for the trespass, the Young Master spoke up and said you can't do that to one of his servants.

"Not having any at the time, it came as quite a surprise to everyone.

"Me, my Fa was a wheelwright for the Khorall. When he died and they were going to toss me and me Mat out of the Keep, the Young Master said he'd take us in.

"The Mouse? He brought her back from one of his adventures down west, the one where he almost got eaten by a tree.

"He told us she was powerful quiet and we were to look out for her, never yell at her and never touch her unless it was fine with her and if she wanted to be all private that was fine because she was a very good girl.

"And you know, she is. You can ask her to do anything and she will, even stupid things like try to move one of these barrels. No question. She's not very strong. She seldom frowns, but she also seldom smiles, but when she does its like sunshine. She's very good with her hands and light on her feet ...

"And Lords above and below, she is fast and quick. If she doesn't want to get caught, you just can't catch her.

"She once squooze out of window, dropped over a story and was across the court before the Seneschal got halfway across the hall.

"That's our Mouse."

Kisa

"I am a Midwinter's child."

The young Allaine offered up that simple statement, as if it was a complete explanation, a complete reply to something that Kadri had said.

The heiress looked down at her stone tiles, her head tilting. She was still focused on the blank space. But even so she reached out to the side, knowing exactly where to point, her fingertip just above one particular tile.

The very first tile in her pattern.

"Of course I started with you.

"You are the first rock tossed into the smooth pool. Khorall Korie believed all matters were going all according to his wishes before you arrived.

"Though I'll want a new tile.

"While Twilight fits, its not perfect."

Kisa Allaine mulled.

"What kind of critter shall I paint on your tile?"

Kadri

"Oh, for that there are but two possibilities and no more. A horse - of course. Either that, or the one I have been compared to since before I was old enough to know what it meant - sly Kadri. Clever Kadri. Kadri who hides and reappears when she wishes - Kadri who dances on the edge of night and day - Kadri who weaves between the feet of thise who would catch her - foxy Kadri. What else, really, could I ever be?."

She looks at the tiles again.

"Midwinter's child?"

Kisa

The young woman looked back to Kadri, her expression simple and plain.

"You had a Father to miss.

"I was born in Raven."

The red head simply shrugged her shoulders, looking down upon the rows of tiles she had lain out.

"The most I know is that he was probably Rhoni."

Cesare

He listens quietly until she finishes. In his experience silence encourages people to speak, like they feel a need to fill the silence with sound. Whereas adding interruptions or one's own opinions seems to divert or dry up any revelations, and gaining information can be very valuable.

In that listening, his opinion of Dominic Korie - his Lord for the moment - increases. A man is judged by his actions and not what he says, even though Dominic has far too many words than any one man should need. But likely he hides his true self behind those words as he knows many who think that being caring of others, especially those discounted by many, is a sign of weakness. Cesare, especially given his experiences with his companions, firmly believes the opposite. Strength of character is needed to defend and care for others.

Mouse's story is interesting, as is that of James. It is clear that they are repaying their Lord with genuine loyalty which is an excellent return for the favour he showed them. Kathi too has had her troubles.

"Thank you for sharing that. I will make sure that our group understand that Mouse is 'delicate' and that we should talk to you rather than to her. Is that acceptable?"

He suspects that Mouse has known some very bad times in her past.

"I'd be very interested to hear more of the man-eating tree story, and I think our Mistress may like to hear it also - so later maybe if you are willing to relate it?"

He smiles.

"Seems that you have all had your share of trouble in your lives."

He lifts up the surcoats on his arm.

"I think it would be good to get these downstairs to the others and then maybe you could show me more of the keep, the areas that servants go?"

Mikal

He stands back, leaning easily against the wall, watching the interplay between Kadri and Kisa, keeping alert for anything out of the ordinary. Not that he expects such to occur here in Lord Dominie's quarters, but it always pays to be careful.

Kadri:

"Once Fahim came of age, I might as well have been a bauble or trinket to trade for favor - I am not sure if I would not have preferred total absence to that."

She shifts a bit, looking back down at the tiles.

"I have little belief in immutable fate and prophecy. Even if the roads are limited, I choose which one I travel."

Kathi

That, now that would get a chuckle from the servant as she hopped off the barrel and smoothed her skirts,

"Oh you can always talk to the Mouse. Just don't get angry if she doesn't react or doesn't answer; you can rest right assured she definitely heard you.

"And be careful what you say or ask around her. If, for some reason, she decides you are trustable, she'll really go and try and do it. She doesn't understand rhetorical things all too well."

Kathi began to walk to the stairs.

"All folks have troubles, and all folks have good times too. Working for the Young Master is one of those horses you don't go checking their teeth on.

"As for getting eaten by a tree, well the Young Master always comes back with strange tales about the odd circumstances he finds himself in.

"As for the other ...

"He also spoke about fish crawling out of the river to nibble on his toes and a farmer named Barliburt, who if he really lost all the cows he did, there'd not be a milker left between the sea and mountains.

"The only place i know where all three of those things occur is in the shadow of the Dirkwood Forest."

At the door, she paused.

"Would you like to add some of your companions to our trip down to the kitchens?"

Then she started down the stairs.

"And you never answered my question about all of you here being a coincidence."

Kisa

"One cannot miss what they have never had."

That was the red head's answer to the subject of baubles and holidays. She then resumed her attention to her tiles, perhaps once peeking back from beneath the fall of her bangs.

"So you do."

She picked up atile and carefully turned it over and over in her fingers.

"You asked what this is.

"It helps me think.

"It helps me figure out what you are going to choose before you figure it out yourself."

Kadri:

"And that always works? It seems that our actions here surprised you - I often do not figure out what I am going to decide until I decide it. When the time comes to decide - I will know what this."

She taps her head.

"And this."

She taps her chest.

"Are saying for me to do. And that is where I will go - that is what I will do. Life is winning at doublebluff when you have no hand to play. So I would choose not to believe that I am so simple that the story of my thoughts and soul are so easily told."

Verchovai Daxia Yurisdotter

Daxia simply smiled and nodded to Kisa. Blank tiles and ink? Of course. Her gang of misfits – some of them, at least – likely couldn’t be represented well with the tiles Kisa already had. As for safe and fast... well, Dazi preferred that most of all. Cragside had not exactly been safe, though it had been in retrospect so much safer than Bordertown or even Highside Heather. Talantal posed a different sort of danger altogether, one that far surpassed the machinations of the merchants or even Garrick’s explanation of the three threes of Bordertown.

Politics of the Noble families was the point where Daxia had to agree with Mikal and Cesare... it was far, far better to stay at a great distance. Dazi didn’t have that option, being Kisa’s bodyguard. But she was well aware that Talantal was as different from Dawnview Castle as Bordertown was to the small markets in the Vale.

The light tug on her tunic warmed her heart, though. A long habit of Kisa’s – begun the very night Kisa had shown her the great pattern of tiles and continuing to Daxia’s departure from the Vale – it was the motion of an apparently distracted yet hyper-aware young woman. Only that last time, after Kisa had tied her favor around the pommel of Dazi’s sword, could the motion have been seen – had any eyes been watching – as deliberate.

She kept a watchful eye as she led Bekkah and Romana from the castle proper, noting both the similarities to and differences from the castle in Dawnview. The looks she received were not unexpected, nor was Dazi particularly surprised that the guards’ attention seemed to focus on Romana. The Dayalan was glad for the distraction her friend provided, and even more relieved at the protection Attera afforded her friend.

As they crossed the courtyard, she noted the stables in particular. She should stop on her way back to check in on Morning Star... assuming she did not have such a large bundle of gifts for her imaginary nieces and nephews that such a detour would be impractical.

The courtyard of the Imperials serving in Talantal, with the cells lining the arcade, was similar enough in design to the Dayalan temple to cause a shiver to run up the redhead’s spine. The Imperial cathedral was nothing like Temple at Dawnview, nor the one buried outside Bordertown, but the housing along the outer edge with the well in the center... Daxia had to consciously refrain from going to the well to give thanks to Dayala, to look for the Dayalan markings found on so many wells across the mainland... despite the fact that she was being quite pointedly ignored. She certainly didn’t begrudge the Imperials the use of a well that might once have been used by her Sisters of the First Age... no more than she would begrudge Lady Kay and Lord Random the use of the well at the Temple on the Border should the day come when that well was cleaned and purified. A well is meant to be used.

Dazi was sure her more morning prayers would be more appreciated if they were done elsewhere, however.

She’d never been among such a large congregation of Imperials, but wasn’t surprised when they all seemed to come to attention when Bekkah entered behind her. More than any other Atteran she’d met – though, granted, the number was not extremely high, but there were Atterans in the Vale – Bekkah seemed to embody the qualities of their Goddess most fully. Although Daxia certainly admitted to some bias in the matter, Bekkah was simply the kindest and most merciful of any Atteran Daxia had met.

And these traits were shown in stark relief when Romana spoke up to greet her new Sisters.

Even Daxia was surprised by the entirety of the Imperial Court’s shunning of Bekkah and Romana. She stared after them as they began to walk into their cathedral.

The Dayalan shook her head and spoke sadly as she looked at her sister and her friend.

“I would expect such treatment from the followers of Rames and Hastur, perhaps. But I have never seen a follower of your Lady turn her back on anyone, not even a Dayalan.”

She looked after the Imperials who slowly walked away.

“It brings so much sorrow to my heart to know the Lady Attera’s followers here in the greatest of Imperial cathedrals have less compassion for their own Sisters than mere pagans do.” Daxia sighed, and then said to Bekkah and Romana. “Priestess Anastasia, at least, seemed to bear all the gifts of your Goddess.”

She shrugged and smiled. “I have ‘presents’ and ‘trinkets’ to fetch from the market and Dama Allaine will fret if I don’t return quickly. I know you will be doing the things you are best at doing, Bekkah. I suspect that will mean you’ll not spend much time here...” She gestured around her. “...but do come up to visit with me.” Daxia’s gaze went to Romana. “I know you will learn so much, my friend, with Bekkah to teach you. And I’m sure there are people who will look past your beauty to appreciate the skills you learn.”

Daxia enveloped her sister in a hug, and said softly, “Don’t get so caught up in helping the poor of the outer rings that you let our other purpose slip your mind.” Dazi’s tone was both serious and teasing. But her even softer words were very serious. “If you need me and can’t find me, tell Morning Star. He will be able to tell me.”

With a swift kiss on the cheek for Bekkah and a light touch on the arm for Romana, Daxia headed out of the Imperial’s courtyard, into the Noble’s courtyard and toward the gate to make her purchases in the Merchant’s ring.

Cesare

"I will try to bear your good counsel in mind when and if I talk to Mouse. I can picture a number of things that might occur with an inadvertent word out of place. I do hope she learns to trust me. I expect I may have to earn it."

He shares Kathi's chuckle as he walks along beside her.

"And I agree we all experience mixed blessings in this life. For me, growing up with my father missing cast its own shadow but I was closer to my mother as a result.. at least until she died. And I understand what you mean about the Young Master, we Rhoni are never one to question good fortune when it comes our way."

He chuckles again.

"I remember your Master being full of tales and I admit I could not always fully understand them. At one point in my life I might have though they were all a fancy but I've seen a lot of strange things lately that leave me more open to possibilities in this life."

He finds Kathi really easy to talk to and is not sure why. Even he and Darian don't talk this much, the two of them easy in each other's company. Maybe they should talk more. He misses her.

"And I've never ventured into Dirkwood forest, maybe there are good reasons why not."

They are almost at the bottom of the stairs, close to the rest of the group.

"I'll see if any of the others want to come but I think either Mikal or Dean will stay with the Mistress to make sure she is looked after. As to coincidences, I don't really believe in those, do you?"

He winks as he stretches out his hand to open the door back into the rooms he left earlier.

Bekkah

She met the eyes of onlookers whether they glanced at her or stared openly. She carried herself with the dignity of her lady and a light smile on her face. She always carried a peace within her that none of these onlookers could ever take from her.

She embraced Dazi, hugging her tightly before letting her go.

"Take care little one. I know you will do all you can regardless of your own well being. Don't make me have to find you." she said letting her go.

The Heartwood
Talantal, the Grand Duchy of Talantal
Evening, Attaday, the twenty-seventh day of Dragon

Mikal, Dean, Kadri ... James and a Mouse ... A pair of Koromovs ... an Allaine ... Cesare and Kathi ... Daxia ... even Bekkah and Romana ...

"It is a curse ..."

The young Allaine's words are simple, sitting upon the floor surrounded by her chain of tiles, looking far far younger than she should.

"Farmers, every day, open their shutters, look to the skies and can tell what manner of weather they will be seeing before She sets in the west. Surprises occur when another window is opened, looking across another field.

"I can tell the weather.

"Opening windows is a very different matter."

******************

Evening prayers are, of ourse, supposed to be a quiet affair; obviously the Knights, Brothers and Priestesses would be holding theirs in the Cathedral. That left the cloisters for Bekkah and Romana. In a way it was more familiar, more comfortable for the two, with the sunset sky above and not plaster and stone ceilings, with the rising of stars to paint the sky instead of frescos celebrating the power of and glory of Lord Rames and Lord Hastur.

"No worries Bekkah'sha ..."

Romana ended her prayers, sitting upon the edge of the stone ringed well, tracing runes that were carved upon it, Horse and Time, with her fingertip.

"Court is game with folks as playing pieces. That first thing learns, first thing must realizes."

Sharp blue eyes look to the doors to the cathedral.

"Could storm and screams. Go there. They readys be. Stays, let them think wins. Fine by Romanas.

"Problems ... Bekkah'sha ..."

The youngest Atteran draws herself up, straighter.

"I suspect most of our sisters do not realize they are pieces in this game and the need to keep them ignorant of this is something the Khorall holds close. Priestess Anastasia understands, which is why she has been taken out of the Game."

She takes the hat given to her by Daxia and turns it over in her hands.

She tilts her head.

"Tomorrows ..."

The young woman swallows, her practiced accent slipping back into its expected place.

"Tomorrows nothing to do with mercy, with healings, with helpings ...

"Tomorrows all about Court.

"Court Romanas knows.

"Tomorrows. Bekkah stay with Priestess Anastasia and with Dazidazidazi, yesyesyes?"

******************

"Doublebluff tiles?"

The merchant wrinkled his brows, giving the red-headed verchovai a stern look.

"We don't get much demand for that own here, Horses and Castles, now that's a real game. let me look. We might have something collecting dust in the back. Who'd want to play a game otta Dawnview, anyways ..."

Now that was an unexpected problem; and mayhaps a serious one. It meant that there would not be as many sets available for Daxia to purchase, and that thy'd b more expensive than if bought within the Vale.

On the good side she was, however, armed with a Dama's purse.

"Carson, the jeweler, he bought a the game once. Said he was trying to be metropolitan or some nonsense like that. Maybe he'll sell."

By the time she had to return to the Korie Keep Daxia was fairly sure she had emptied Talantal of its doublebluff sets - even from a few folks who couldn't find anyone to actually play the game with. Less than she had hoped, but enough to lay out an heiress sized pattern.

******************

"The sun, She casts her shadows with light ..."

Kathi paused at the door to Dominic Korie's suite.

"The Young Master casts his with words."

As Cesare opened the door for her, to return they duo to the room to Kadri and Company's company, she answered his last question.

"I do believe in coincidences.

"I believe they are as rare and as trustable as a kiss from a white unicorn."

"Ware the tiles!"

Kisa speaks up sharply as the two servants return, carefully protecting her careful pattern with outstretched arms. It would not be a difficult crossing, gaining Cesare safe entrance as Kathi chooses to rest next to the Mouse's shadow.

Before the door can fully close, however, it is opened again, this time heralding Daxia's return. The heiress smiled at that, small and hidden, either at the return of a childhood friend or, perhaps equally true, the collection of pouches Daxia held in her arms.

Once the door was closed and secure and her domino-like pattern was safe Kisa sat back on her haunches.

She pointed to the young Koromov.

"Hit your spear against the floor, hard ..."

The words were sure and clipped, authoritative. It was a conscious pause befor Kisa rememberedto add,

" ... please?"

Kay looked between the heiress and Daxia and her elder cousin, hefting her spear just a bit, hesitating for a moment.

"Do it, scamp..."

Quirking a brow the youngest Dayalan shrugged her shoulders and did just that, smashing the heel of her spear against the floor close to the patterns center.

For a moment everything was still - only one tile wobbled, this way and that, at the center of branching lines, the one identified as Kadri. When it fell, it fell in what could only be considered a random direction, barely clipping one of the lines, making that one tile fall into another, which in turn fell into another and another and another ...

clickity-clackity-click

Outward in a spiralling pattern tiles fell one after another.

But some lines stood undisturbed, as the path chosen caroomed away and around, including the stretch with the break in the tiles.

Until it finally turned back in upon itself.

When silence finally fell, the last handful of tiles skittered and fell atop the very first.

The shyest of those in the room was the one to break the quiet. The Mouse simply said,

" ... eep."

Kisa Allaine nodded.

"This is what we need to be afraid of."

Kadri;

"But ... does it tell me what to do - or to not do? Does it give me any information I did not have before - or leave me to act on instinct? Not knowing what all of the other tiles mean and their interactions - what do I now know other than that this could easily end in disaster - which I am already painfully aware of?"

She pauses.

"Is there anything in that pattern that helps me dance between the shadow and the light?"

Cesare

He is chuckling as he enters the room, appreciating the manner in which Kathi speaks but he pulls up short at the sight of the patterns of tiles laid out before him and the warning from Kisa Allaine. He swiftly skirts around the perimenter to get to Mikal and Dean.

He checks the surcoats he is carrying and hands one to each of them. He is already wearing his. He talks swiftly and quietly to the two men, words meant for there ears only and also in keeping with a servant on servant's business.

"These mark us as servants of Master Dominic Korie and Mistress Kadri. I think these will be a reasonable fit but there is not much in the way of choice. I've seen upstairs, which is where our three rooms are, small but adequate. We have the right side of the corridor. Mikal I thought you would want the first closest to the stairs - you are opposite James. Dean, you the middle room as close backup to Mikal. You are opposite Mouse. I took the last room opposite Kathi. There is a linen room at the far end. The linen room holds emergency food and water which is supposed to be fresh but isn't changed as often as it should be. Kathi and I are going to see if we can arrange that, just in case. No access from the windows, several stories high and too exposed unless maybe it was a dark night but we would need a lot of rope. Kathi is going to show me around the communal servants areas downstairs. I see Daxia is back, either of you want to come?"

He pauses for breath after giving the main points of his investigation but then adds a quick caveat.

"We need to keep Kathi and her team on side. That means treading warily around Mouse. She is fast and escapes a lot of attention but also painfully shy and apt to pick up on things and apply them literally, so we need to be careful. All three seem very loyal to their Lord. good people."

Mikal

He's been watching Kisa setup the tiles with a small smile. Fortune telling, as this appears to be, is a game charlatans play at midwinter's to try to dupe the locals out of coin. Most of the time they make some sort of vague pronouncement that can be interpreted in a dozen different ways and leaves enough wiggle room such that no matter what happens they can point at it and say, 'See, I told you!'.

He won't say anything out loud, as Daxia seems to believe in it, and Kadri has been conversing with Kisa as if it had validity, but a good strong sword thrust or a thundering cavalry charge are more in line with what he believes actually count. Still, he can't keep the wry grin from his face.

When Cesare returns, he nods to him and listens to what he has to say, taking one of the tunics and looking it over. "Well, emergencies don't often make for comfortable, or easy, actions. Let's get enough rope that we have it as a fall-back plan and put it in the last room, or the one with the easiest route down. See if we can get a barrel of used kitchen oil or pork renderings up there near the stairs too."

He listens to the rest, shaking his head at one item. "Until Lord Dominie returns I will be staying here, in the outer room. I won't leave Kadri alone. After he comes back, well, we'll see."

He nods to the comments about Kathy and Mouse, then looks over at the recently returned Daxia with a questioningly raised eyebrow.

Bekkah

She finished her own prayers, feeling refreshed. It was more than devotion. It truly relaxed her more than anything else could.

She listened to Romana and concern showed on her face.

"I don't know Romana. You know court, but you may not even stand a chance. There may be some who will not even see the white robe. Some just see an enemy. They will find it harder to not see two in such robes. And if something happened to you, Dazi would never forgive me. She expects me to watch after you until we have left here."