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

Those going to the New Jvrillian Smithy

First thing in the morning the and the smithy was already bustling. Not as much the making of swords and armor, however, but the preparations. Making sure the forge fire was properly stoked, fuel to last the day laid in, tools ready and water for cooling and tempering at hand.

"You say you got this out of Roth?"

After the first touch, the Karl the Smithy refused to handle Mikal's blade without a heavy glove or tongs.

"Its called a hellsword, lad. And I can't help you with it. Not like this.

"Its holding all the souls that it has killed."

He re-scabbarded the sword, handing it back to Mikal.

"You are going to have to find Lady Kara.

"And her Executioner."

A Lady with an Executioner.

A Priestess of Krysta.

"Her ... place ... is at the end of lonely Street. On the right.

Mikal

Entering the New Jvrillian barracks and smithy area is like coming home. The familiar sounds and smells and banter soothes him after the time on the road.

He heads straight to the smith, and nods, not surprised by the man's comment, though it means a side trip to a place he had hoped to avoid. Priestesses of Krysta are not persons Jvrillians enjoy dealing with, as needed as their services are.

He heads that way immediately. Knowing the town he finds Lonely Street fairly quickly and the place of Lady Kara is not hard to spot.

The Heartwood
Bordertown
Rameday, The Twenty-First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623
The Last House on Lonely Street

Mikal

It is true that the house is not hard to find.

But whether or not the directions are correct, that might be another matter.

The house was there, but it is no dark temple or chapel.

It was just a house.

White stonework, like the rest of the town, with windows of diamond paned glass and heavy wooden shutters. There was a coat of well tended hunter green paint on them, as well as the door, along with a playful knotwork pattern in gold dancing around their perimeters.

A young woman, somewhere between Daxia and Bekkah in age, whistled a light tune as she washed said windows. She was dressed brightly, in tunics of yellow trimmed with white and red.

Focused on her task, the cleaning girl didn't seem to notice Mikal's approach.

Bekkah

She was surprised that Dazi had received a package. Who could have possibly known that they end up here.

"A gift from an admirer, sister?"

Lady Kay's place seemed to be in the strangest of places. She could not understand why she would have her hospice amongst these ruins and not in the town.

She stepped forward to greet the much older woman.

"I am Lady Bekkah. I'd like top offer my help in your efforts while I am in town."

Cesare

Later to rise this morning than on most mornings in his life. In fact he is tempted to stay abed for much longer, Darian nestled in his arms, such a wonderful bed, huge room; he could so get used to this.

The main thing that finally drew him from the warm comfort are the enticing smells downstairs. And he is more than hungry this morning. But he is happy too, even whistling softly as he dresses.

And there is a more easy familiarity with Darian this morning. More smiles, more touching, some teasing.

Today is a good day.

Darian

A pleasant sigh. No pressing need to be up and about and a comfortable shared warmth. It had been some time since furs had been shared. It is hoped that perhaps they will be in town a bit longer. She lays abed watching him through mostly closed eyes until Longtooth decides she needs to be up and lets her know by slobbering on her face.

She laughs and pushes his snout away then stretches and also rises. A quick clean up before pulling on her clothing and joining Cesare for the morning meal. The others are all gone already having risen early.

She is a bit more brazen in her flirting with him as they off to the market to trade in pelts and trinkets. Their chore for the group done, the rest of the day is left to them and whatever they might choose to do.

"Explore town?" she asks.

Cesare

"Always a good thing to do. I always like to know the quickest and easiest way out.. habit I guess."

He chuckles, his good mood still evident.

"Also, and I know this is a dream for much further ahead.. but I would like to know the price of a horse."

Darian

She grins. "Good habit. Know all trails."

"And things horse needs."

Cesare

"I think the price of a horse might already scare me off but yes I suppose I would have to take other things into account."

Darian has a wise head on her shoulders, one of the things he likes about her. And it will be fun to explore these things with her for company.

"Anything that you want to buy?"

Darian

"Arrowheads, if smith can match or come close. Replace two lost in Cragside."

Daxia
with Bekkah, Dean and Romana at the Ruins

She had looked at the lad with a surprise that approached shock when he had delivered the pouch to her, though upon seeing the white ribbon a tiny smile appeared. After peeking inside, the smile grew even more. And when Bekkah had inquired about it, she grinned broadly and winked.

Daxia's journey up the path to the ruins appeared to be a difficult one. She lagged behind the others, her steps faltering once or twice; several times she stopped to crouch down... simply touching the ground or a piece of rubble. Once at the top, she surveyed the site. She had a puzzled look on her face as she glanced between the children and the well. As Bekkah introduced herself to Lady Kay, Daxia stood by the well... lightly tracing the runes carved into the stone of the well.

Time. Water. Horse.

With great sadness in her voice, she said, "My Lady, what has happened that this well is not used?"

Celi, en route to the Ruins.

Without ever elaborating on her plans, Celi showed up to go to the Ruins. Her reasoning was quite a bit different from the others; in fact, she had not planned to go, until the route came clear. Once she became aware that it involved passage through a portion of the Forest, she made the decision to go along. Even a minimal exposure, after Stormrunner's cautionary counsel from yesterday, gave Celi pause for those who didn't have someone watching out for them. She did have someone; in fact, probably the best someone in the region. So she elected to share her bounty by going along.

Next, the woodsman's wolves gave her pause, only because they had fine noses and no love for softpads. But a warning to Stormrunner would allow him to give the wolves' scent range some avoidance, thereby taking them out of play. Not that Stormrunner couldn't handle them; but polishing off some local's pet wolves was not the way to keep a low profile, as she made clear to him.

I need you for the others, not to prove you can kill twenty wolves. Stay clear of them and watch my people. They need your expertise, since they don't know what they are doing out here.

Actually, Celi thought they *might* know what they were doing, at least some of the time, but ... why take a chance? Stormrunner *absolutely* knew what *he* was doing, and whatever he did was likely a lot smarter than anyone else would come up with.

On the route she just followed along and exchanged all necessary route information with Stormrunner, and otherwise kept her knives ready and her mouth shut.

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

Those at the Ruins

True, the path through the thick brush took one past strange trees and tangled vines.

But these woods, if they coud be called such, were distinctly not part of the Forest Roth.

They lurked close by, however, to the east.

"Fair met Lady Bekkah ... Lady Bekkah of Dawnview, by way of Lilia's castle? you are welcome here, your name is not unknown among the outlying farms. You do us honor. Come, bring you and yours to rest. We have a bit before his Lordship Brother starts yelling from the ramparts for his midday meal."

Lady Kay picked up one bucket in both hands, to laboriously begin what must be her first trip into the quaint house.

"And never in anyone' memory has the well been safe, lass ...

"The water is bad; tainted. Some say cursed, but there are many efective ways of destroying a well without wasting power upon it.

"The children say its haunted ...

"Children like stories like that, they are more romantic than the simple pragmatics of a poisoned water supply. Come ... let us sit inside, out of the cold."

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

Those in the Market

Arrowheads would not be the easiest thing to find in the market; quarrels for crossbows are the norm in a Jvrillian town.

"Can you show me what you want?"

That, however, was the answer given by the smith, a sturdy fellow by the name of Nedrick, who worked the shop with the aid of his sons. he showed the arrowheads to the eder one and they spoke quietly amongst each other before coming back.

"Leave this one, come back in three days and we can have a handful waiting for you. Figure a half crown each, and that'll square us up."

Bekkah

She was stunned by the lady's words.

"Yes, that is where I am from, but I am astonished that anyone would know my name. I have done nothing to learn such an honor." she said somewhat embarrassed by the title.

She watched the woman start in with a bucket and she picked up the other two, one in each hand. She carried it inside, setting it where Lady Kay set her bucket.

"Lady Kay, I must ask. Why do you stay out here. Would it not be safer withing the walls of the town?"

[ooc: If Dazi or someone else was coming in, they can have one of the buckets]

[OOC: There are six buckets of water. Three children with two buckets each. Dazi is a pro at carrying buckets of water, remember?]


Daxia
with Bekkah, Dean, Romana and Lady Kay at the Ruins

Daxia hurried over and took the bucket of water from the elderly woman. "There, Lady... why not let strong young arms help you with the water today?" She handed the bucket of water to Dean, and as she picked up another and handed that to him as well, she said, "Hoi! Dazi always say Bekkah be great Lady of Attera. See? Dazi right." She grinned at her sister as she picked up the last two buckets.

Darian

She hands over the arrowhead, mentally tallying how many full arrows she has. She started out with three handfulls. Two were lost in Cragside. The ones she used on the road were all recovered. Handing this one over left her with an even dozen. It would do.

"Three days Darian return," she tells him.

And as she and Cesare move on through the market, her eyes wander over all the goods offered.

KAdri:

"Dazi, I may be small, but it doesn't mean I can't help. . ."

Daxia
with Bekkah, Dean, Kadri, Romana and Lady Kay at the Ruins

Daxia chuckled. "Then take a bucket from Bekkah. She has the biggest heart from Dawnview Castle to Talesan's Keep," she said, "but she's as weak as a kitten. I am used to carrying water buckets."

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

Those at the Ruins

"Oh its not me ... it's Brother Random. He knows Everybody."

Lady Kay then leads the folks indoors, into her small house. The chimney and hearth are central; to the right is a large room that serves as a small hospice. Currently there are two of the townsfolks there, their legs bound in heavy wooden splints - but they seem rested and comfortable. To the left is her one room home; a single space for kitchen and eating - there seems to be room for perhaps five around the table, and a curtained nook against the far wall; probably sheltering where she sleeps.

Daxia
with Bekkah, Dean, Kadri, Romana and Lady Kay at Lady Kay's Home and Hospice

She heard Lady Kay's words, but it wasn't until she'd set the buckets of water down that she turned to look at the elderly Lady of Attera quizzically. "Brother Random knows... everyone? How can..." Daxia stopped, blinked, inhaled sharply, and said, "Oh.

"Yes, an Eye of Hastur." She paused again. "I wonder..." She glanced at Bekkah, then closed her eyes for a couple of heartbeats, before looking at Lady Kay again. "I wonder if he might know our parents -- Bekkah's and mine -- Yuri Tashasdotter and Eelia Darksmith, of Dawnview Vale." Again, Daxia hesitated. "At least, I'm nearly certain Mama was from the Vale. I... I only remember the smallest things about Papa, but I think I remember the sound, the cadence of his voice. I think it was the Dawnview sound."

She turned to her sister. "Do you remember him, Bekkah? I don't know why this has become so important lately, but... but I need to know them. I need to know our ancestors."

And Celi, who is apparently so stealthy she has not yet been noticed in the company en route to the ruins.

Cesare

It would appear from their enquiries that owning a horse might be a lifetime away. Still he will continue to learn, fortunes can change and who know where the Fates may take him.

He wonders where he could make arrowheads. He would need to pay for the use of a forge assuming a smith would allow that. And his skill is in daggers, nothing as small as an arrow head. Darian has a deal now, so that is good for her and probably the best solution here. It does occur to him though that making and selling daggers could be a source of funds for him in the future.. but that might mean too many roots and he is not sure he is ready for that.

"Let's go explore."

Today is today, tomorrow will take care of itself.

Darian

She is more than agreeable to exploring, and for the time they are nothing more than they appear, a young couple seeing the sights of a new town, even if they are accompanied by an over large ruff and each is openly armed.