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Kadri:

Bites her lip, looks down.

Mikal

Coming back down the stairs, having grabbed his gear, which as usual was pre-packed and ready for a quick exit, he picks up a couple of muffins and fruit off the table and stuffs them into his pockets.

He glances at those in the room, seeing the somewhat uncomfortable tableau, and taking a bite of an apple he tosses his bag over his shoulder and heads for Talia.

As he goes, he calls back. "I do not know about you all, but anything you wish to say can be said on the road. And I, for one, wish to be on that road sooner rather than later. Now, we still seem to be missing Romana", he nods to Jankin. "Perhaps we'd best be packing and out looking for her so we are not still standing here at sunset?"

Jankin nodded his agreement, jogged upstairs and was back down in moments with his pack.

"Yes. Does anyone have an idea of the direction she went in?"

Cesare

He accepts Darian's help readily, never proud where necessity demands otherwise.

"Companions.. and breakfast."

He jokes to make light of the situation because he feels more like a strong brew than food right now. Then he goes quiet, saving his energy for the bridge and wonders what their friends had encountered the night before, hopefully nothing more than a slightly lumpy bed.

With Darian's support, they make the inn. His eyes narrow as it looks like they are packing up.. and there is another now with Daxia.. but.. his eyes sweep the gathering.. but Romana is missing.

He sinks onto a chair.

"Where is Romana?"

Darian

She shook her head at his question not having any more of an idea than he did. First, though, he needs to be seen to.

"Cesare let Darian check wounds," she told him.

It was not a request, and she immediately began to inspect him.

Cesare

He doesn't resist. What leaf tries to stay still in the breeze. Bowing to the inevitable is an easier course of action which is usually his preferred route. So he opens his arms out to each side in an exposed and helpless pose which his expression doesn't mirror.

"So everyone else get involved last night or did some have the sense to stay in bed?"

The question is a general one for any of those present as he looks around for evidence of injuries etc.

"And who is the new girl?"

His eyes lighting on the newcomer. Even Romana is not =that= much of a disguise artist!

Frustrated, and a little worried, Jankin hitched his pack a little higher and headed for the door.

"I will look around some. I will stay in hearing distance."

KAdri:

"INvolved ..."

She says quietly.

"Yes. I could say I was involved, although I did not draw blade."

Another brief pause.

"I am not certain where she went other than ..." She looks at Daxia.

"... I believe that some people here thought her dead, and they said they were going to ... dump the body. The question likely is where that 'dumping' would be?"

The Heartwood
The Silk Creek Bridge
Dawn
Hasday the Twenty-first Day of Horse

Mikal, Cesare, Darian, Kadri, Dean, Daxia, Jankin ... Morningstar, Longtooth and this Kay person but no Romana

The short, dark haired swordswoman may be anyone ... excpt Romana. She does have a familiar look to her, however, at least to some who have been traveling this path from far, far off Cragside.

She would just turn her head, dark eyes narrowed, her fingers clutching into little fists.

"You saw.

"You saw.

"When He no longer had a use for you ...

"He dumped you into the bloody river."

She looked back up then ... her attention focusing, turning, coming to rest upon Kadri.

"No. No. I want to know what do you mean. Where are my friends. Where are is ... where is everybody. She says years ... I ... I. Don't. Understand.

"Sea and stars ... what do you mean about not where ....

" ... but when?

"Somebody please just tell me!"

Daxia

“The Battle of Silk Creek Bridge was three hundred and fifty years ago,” Daxia said simply.

“The truth of that night is a patchwork of tales, of half truths, and perhaps outright lies.”

The elder Dayalan glanced at Jankin, then the rest of her company before looking back at Kay and continuing.

“The most truthful manifestation of that night might be this Age’s attitude towards Coveners, which I didn’t share until I saw what he did.”

She slid a plate of food — cakes and fruits — in front of Kay. “Eat. I’ll gather my things. Then we need to go.”

The redhead stood and headed towards the stairs, turning to speak over her shoulder as she put her foot on the first step.

“Yes, if I was going to dump a body, I’d throw it into the ravine... down into Silk Creek.”

Then she went upstairs to pack.

Kadri:

"I wish that I could give you a better answer, that i completely understood what happened myself. But ... I was, we were at silk creek, then. But then - was not now. Was not where we were from, not OUR now. Which is where we - and you - are now."

"I'm confusing myself just saying it."

Daxia

“As Morning Star tried to explain it,” Daxia said from the top of the stairs, “I removed you from the game — and I’m going to just say that I know full well this is not a game, but it’s how he explained it — that was being played that night when I pulled you up on his back to keep you from falling off the Bridge. You are now part of this game.”

The Starrider walked down the stairs and placed her pack beside the table, took a look at Cesare’s wounds, Darian’s ministrations. “Tcha! Wish Bekkah here, but Cesare live.” She looked the Rhoni in the eyes and grinned, as she lightly touched Darian’s shoulder. “Right, Cesare?”

She looked over at Kay. “Darian and Cesare,” she said, tilting her head towards the couple. Then she reached down to scritch behind the ears of the snarkhound beside them. “And Longtooth.” Straightening, she nodded to Kay.

“Kay Koromov, who happened to be close enough to pull up behind me on Morning Star as the Bridge was collapsing only a pace behind us.” She looked at Kay for a moment, then shrugged. “I couldn’t let you fall, and I had no idea it would mean you’d wake up with us this morning. Had I known...” She shakes her head. “Well, I guess I would have made sure we were closer to Lili and would have tried to grab you both, though our Lady only knows how that would have been received in the Vale. Kisa would have another sister? Aunt?” She shrugged again.

“Oh, and speaking of morning...”

Daxia turned and stepped to the bar, tapping her fingers lightly on the wood until the innkeeper turned to her. She leaned over the bar, grabbed the front of his tunic, and pulled his face close to hers.

“A UNICORN...

...is...

...NOT...

...a...

...CRITTER!!

A UNICORN...

...is...

...a...

...PERSON!!!”

She stared at his face for a breath, and then another, before letting go of his tunic and leaning away from the bar.

“Don’t EVER make that mistake again.”

She turned towards the door, and circled a hand to include her companions. “Eat... I’m going to help the others fetch Romana. I’m sure if our measures of rope fall short, I’ll find some in the barn.”

Daxia walked out the door and headed for the edge of the ravine nearest the Inn. Looking down, she called out, "HOI, ROMANA! YOU DOWN THERE?"

Jankin was already walking the ravine's edge, as soon as he heard about 'dumping the body'. It was the obvious place of course, and didn't bode well for Romana's state of health.

Cesare

He returns Daxia's grin.

"Take more than a lizard to cramp my style."

He doesn't feel a deep conviction regarding his words.. but it is good to be alive.

So this newcomer is alive again. Well he is all for second chances.

"Welcome to our merry band Kay. Sounds like you have a second chance at life but in our present and your future. Better than the alternative..."

Then he turns his attention back to Darian.

"All done? And is Longtooth OK? He got hit just before me."

Mikal

He sees some of the others come out and begin heading over to the ravine edge. As he tightens pack straps on Talia he hears Daxia name the newcommer, as well as her shout, which resolves the question. For some reason the others think Romana is at the bottom of the ravine.

He moves over to Kay and tilts his head politely. "Kay Komorov. Well met. It gladdens me that at least one of those who so gallantly charged across the bridge survived. I feel somewhat responsible for instigating that charge, and therefore it's results."

The Heartwood
The Silk Creek Bridge
Dawn
Hasday the Twenty-first Day of Horse

Mikal, Cesare, Darian, Kadri, Dean, Daxia, Jankin ... Morningstar, Longtooth, Kay and Romana

... inside the tavern.

It was a morning befitting days of yore; of the time when there was just the World Forest and the jumble in the tavern most certainly pattered after the All Else. Up the stairs, down the stairs, in the door, out the door, and in the center of the maelstrom there were but ht=ree - as everything manifests in three - circles of calm within this morning storm.

The Innkeeper. behind his bar, setting up goblets, stein and mugs upon the polished wooden planks. He watched with a droll eye of the comings and goings, as if it wer something he had seen before and knew he would see again.

Longtooth had found a place to circle thrice and lay down, at darian's feet, next to her Rhoni companion. Like Cesare it took more than a lizard spirit to keep the elder snarkhound down. All in all, the whisperings of common magics could tie together any remaining rents and wounds - and even if they were not fully healed it was more than enough to make one ready for the trail. The snarkhound's ears lay back and flat and his expression was grim, as if he too had no wish to stay at the Lone Pine Inn for very long.

The third was the young Dayalan.

It was without a word that she found herself sitting at the table, mostly in shock.

" ... three hundred years ..."

The food was placed before her; bread ... warm, cakes ... twice backed and harder, trail ready .. cheese, fresh. She just stared ahead, as if trying to look so far, far enough to see across the breath of centuries.

" ... I can't count that high ..."

She didn't even turn, listen, or notice as the innkeeper was lifted to his toes. She didn't even hear the weight of the silence of his shock, the rustle of tunic cloth drawn tight, nor the thump and tumble when released and he fell, off balanced, to end up sitting at the bottom of the wall, behind the safety of his bar, feet spread awkwardly, one straight arm holding him up.

"Right. Ja. Of Course. Yes. Yah ... "

Word repeated by the innkeeper, spoken to Daxia's back as she then took her portion of the storm outside, letting the door to the tavern swing and slam behind her. It was a loud, accusing sound - very different from the quiet of Jankin's exit ... perhaps only a handful of heartbeats prior.

"Lily-kins ... I ... I don't have a choice ... do I ... no ... you are right ... I don't ... I guess ... we don't ... we never do."

Kay's whisper was soft; it came after Cesare spoke; and whether or not it was an answer to his words or some sort of mixture of an answer, a memory spoken, a lost personal musing was impossible to tell.

" ... she always said there was no such thing as a better answer. That there was just answers. Goddess what kind of lesson is this ... I'm just a stupid swordsister ... just the temple mascot ... why couldn't you have saved someone who mattered ..."

Dark eyes looked to Mikal.

" ... you don't look like a Kh'lhy'ran Princess ..."

Bits and pieces of sentences, spoken even and without any touch of emotion, as if spoken by a person who had taken a kick to the head ... after one to the teeth ... after one to the stomach.

... outside the tavern.

By the time Mikal stepped through the tavern doors, to where Talia waited, all properly ground tied, Daxia and Jankin were already quite a distance away, at the edge of the ravine. Beneath the watchful eye of the ancient tall - unnaturally tall - pine tree, they had gone separate ways, north and south, in the shadow of the wood and stone bridge, and had spent a modicum of time walking the grey stone rampart, looking down into the narrow chasm; narrow being a relative term.

" ................................................................................................................................. daaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhziz dahhzi dahzi dazi."

It was faint, and the echoes fainter. But it seemed just for distance and against the continual rattle and splash of the swiftly flowing stream. About two hundred feet below a small figure abandoned her relaxed splashings in the river, perched upon a big rock at the ravine's western base. A hand waved back and forth answering the questions of just where was Romana and whether she was alive or not but leaving the just how did she get there still unanswered.

... inside the tavern.

Kay just looked forward, the food set before her untouched.

Kadri, Darian, Cesare, Longtooth and Dean were still in the commons - completing their packing and preparations, their activities all a'swirl around the still young girl.

"I ...

" ... I don't got any coin to pay for this ...

"I ...

"I ... I don't have coin for ...

" ... anything."

Daxia

Dazi waved a hand in response to Romana’s call and wave. ”WE DROP ROPE!! ROMANA WAIT!” She peered for a moment or two at her friend, then shook her head. “Dazi find Romana hat, too,” she muttered. Turning back towards the Inn, she called to the two men outside.

“Mikal, Jankin... see if there is a length of rope in the barn long enough to reach Romana. If not, would you start tying lengths together? Ta!”

She headed back towards the Inn, saying — with a sigh — to Mikal as she passed him, “Romana will need her hat.”

Her entry back into the inn was quieter, though certainly more hurried. She heard the last few words Kay said, but continued her dash up the stairs. In the room she had shared with Kadri and Romana, she stood with the heels of her hands pressed against her eyebrows... just for a breath, a slow and deep one. Then she fetched the pretty hat she’d gotten for Romana at Midwinters, and tucked it in her belt. Dazi’s trip down the stairs was slower, though still with purpose.

“Dean,” she said as she reached the last step, “would you help Mikal and Owain with ropes to toss down to Romana? Thank you.”

She turned to Kadri. “Sorry I snap. Very bad night, but no excuse.” She smiled wanly at her friend. “Would you mind packing up Romana’s things so we can get out of here once we’ve fetched her?” Tilting her head slightly, she glanced at Kay, then nodded towards the stairs.

Finally, the Starrider sat down across from the Initiate, leaning on the table with crossed arms. “I’m not sure how these sorts of things were arranged long ago. I only know now, and... well, Initiates don’t leave the Vale until their teachers decide they’re ready. And then we’re provided with coin to get us through our Initiate’s Journey, out into the world and back to the Vale. Of the other three Verchovai outside the Vale, only Verchovai Poppy is training an Initiate. And of the other three Verchovai outside the Vale, Verchovai Dandelion is the only one I’ve met since I left Dawnview.” Daxia took another deep breath. “But I’m going to say — because I’m the ranking Dayalan here — that you are my responsibility. For now.”

Daxia studied the young girl for long moments. “I’ve met two other Koromovs in my travels. The younger was as lost and alone as you are when we met, though perhaps a bit older. It took the journey from Cragside to Bordertown for her to find herself, but she most certainly did. I believe you will, too.” She tapped the table beside the plate of food. “Right now, you need to eat. So many things are so different, and we can talk all you want. Or...” Dazi smiled at the youngster. “...I can talk and talk and talk, da?”

She shook her head again. “There are few of us left in the world, Kay, and most have tucked themselves safely beyond Snowgate Pass. Now there is one more Dayalan to do what we have always done, yah? Though I must be honest when I say I never realized the duties would include rescuing maidens, killing demons, breaking curses and herding a group of barn cats.”

The redhead straightened up, and nodded to the food. “Eat and don’t worry about coin. Not today. Now, we are about as happy about the night’s events as you are to have found yourself in a strange new world... so we’d like to take our leave of this fine establishment sooner rather than later. To that end, we have a party member to rescue... and then we’ll be on the road. Da?”

She stood and looked down at Kay. “Oh, the elder Koromov? She’s a Dayalan, too.”

Kadri just shakes her head and hugs Daxia.



"Dazi - you would have to go much farther than that for it to ever be an issue. Reproach from a sincere friend is better than empty flattery from one who cares not."

She turns to Kay.

"You are a friend of Dazi and therefore a friend of mine. I suspect Dazi has it covered but if for some reason she does not, then Kadri djinn Khayriyah al'Terilanquel will see to anything she can do for you."

She bows to her, arms crossed in front, each hand clasping the opposite shoulder.

And she moves up the stairs to pack Romana's things.

Mikal

Having re-exited the inn after speaking briefly with Kay, and adjusting Talia's straps he nods at Daxia's shout and take his own rope from his saddle-bag then heads for the barn.

Once there he takes as much rope as he can find, including rope from some of the other packs, he recalls it to be quite a drop to the bottom of the ravine, if that truly is where Romana is.

After a few minutes, he drops the rope at the front door, taking one with him that he begins tying a bowline-on-a-bight knot. He moves over to Daxia and Kay.

He nods to Kay and says to Daxia, "I got all the rope I can find outside. Making a rescue seat for her. Do you know if she is conscious and can move, or will we need to lower someone down?"

He glances again at Kay, intending to ask her, or maybe Daxia, about her comment about Kh'lhy'ran Princess, as he doesn't know what that is, or why she said it, but there's time for that later.

Jankin

He'd been far off in the other direction, and came up just as Mikal was speaking.

"She was waving and did not look distressed."

He unwound a length of 'rope' from his mid-section and offered it to be added to the rest, it was braided and knotted from multiple lengths of leather hide, the remnants he hadn't used in his crafting, and extremely strong.

Cesare

He smiles at Darian.

"Better now.."

And to prove his words he gets to his feet, albeit with a slight wince.

"Best we get packed. And it looks like I might need funding a while longer as my plan to use the smithy here seem to have been curtailed."

He heads for the stairs to gather belongings.

Darian

"Cesare," she said, a hand out to forestall him. "Stay here. Keep Kay company. Darian pack. No hurt. Move faster."

Cesare

He is about to protest he is fine but thinks the better of it. At some point he and Darian are bound to clash. She is a woman that has determination and knows her own mind, like many in this group, and it is something he like in women.. reminds him of his mother and his aunt and presumably more like the other Rhoni women. However when that clash comes, it had better be about something important, not whether he does or doesn't do a small chore.

He nods, grinning slightly, and sits back down.

"Well Kay, I am easily bored and seemingly at your disposal for the next few minutes. So if you have any questions on our world today, I will do my best to answer them. I guess finding a place to start will be the hardest."

Darian

She flashed him a smile and bent to whisper in his ear before heading to their room to wrap up their gear, snagging a chunk of bread and cheese as she did so. Both being accustomed to be on the move, the packing hardly took any time at all, and she soon returned with their gear.