Uther couldn't help but look upon Fool's Mountain, knowing that Lady Aladria was watching his quest play out. Night fell as they neared the end of the blue trail upon the mirror. The three traveled into a village, one that was settling in for the night. The still night was only interrupted by a boy yelling out for a goose. The knight thought it strange, but of little importance.
Aelynn had informed them that the path ended inside an inn. The open door and warm torchlight was inviting to the weary travelers. Considering how wet Renloth's climate was, camping out was not a pleasant thought. More importantly, Princess Rosie was supposed to be among the occupants. Uther wasn't sure whether she was traveling with friends or foes. As inviting as the inn was, he wasn't sure how long they could stay.
"Stay close," Uther told Cristoff and Aelynn. "We don't know who else is here."
They tied their horses to the railing outside the inn. Uther led the way inside and went towards the innkeeper.
"Innkeeper," Uther said. "We're travelers waiting for the rest of our party. Is anyone from Ethelemar staying here tonight?"
Anhlan Ai Hand still gripping the hilt of her sword, Anhlan watched the wicked display of power. Despite the magic, her confidence in her blade still rang true in her mind, and should the need arise she would strike without fear of such a fate as the stranger now turned to a cat. But the witch did not seem keen on attacking the rest. Rather, she looked to want their aid out of the woods and into a completely different kingdom. This diverged them from their path.
Looking over to Declan, she gauged what the man might be thinking. His friend, Alfeus, had been traveling with the others and carried more of a connection to the afflicted. But the witch struck Anhlan as something that should not be their problem. Their problems were in Mulgrave.
"Declan," she whispered. "We have a mission for Mulgrave. It's more important than this. We should ask what we need of Alfeus and leave them to go about their own lives. They'll be more than enough of an escort."
Were she a nightingale, she would have risked the death of the man turned to a cat just to rid the world of the witch in a swift swipe of steel. But she was not that woman anymore, and found herself more sympathetic to the strangers around her. She was unsure just how much they cared for the afflicted, but it was enough to cause everyone to halt and give the witch their full attention. If it were her in their shoes she would react just the same. And still she struggled to see if it were a strength or a weakness. Looking between the group, being an outsider to connections, she could think less with her emotions.
Declan had told her of a witch banished to this swamp who turned her victims to creatures. They had fought what he surmised was one of those poor souls, and told her their only relief from the spell was death. There was no guarantee the man turned to a cat would be returned to his human form. She could only hope Declan could remember his own words should he lose his focus on their mission.
Having been roughly and very unceremoniously shoved into the blackened pit of a room, Wendy had taken a kind of guarding position beside the now secured door. The spoon still remained in her hand, gripped tightly and unseen by probing soldiers. It was hardly any immediate good, save to ladle out whatever gruel their captors saw fit to allow them. Yet it was something, a tool, and as such, it was a comfort.
She hadn't stopped glaring at Cath for the entire forced march into the dungeon, and Wendy's jaw was sore from the perpetual grinding and clenching it had been doing. Words. What good were words, even if they were true? Stab the queen bitch in the heart with a blade or a stake, not with an accusation. Unconsciously, her fingers traced the line of the bowl, and she imagined digging out Eirlys' eyes with it.
"You're the babysitter, right? The princess'? Why the hell are we in this mess? Who screwed up?"
There wasn't much in the way of accusation or animosity, or certainly not toward Ella in her questions. But there was an edge; having lived her life free in the woods, it irked Wendy to no end to be thus restrained, and she needed a scapegoat.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Merek frowned heavily, "I'm Merek and that's Wendy…" He shot her a glare, quick, but pointed, before turning to the young woman, "Why is she trying to kill you?"
"Because Ella is the rightful queen…"
"Cath…" Ella chided, frowning softly, before she looked to Merek, "Eirlys believes I am a threat to her plans. She believes I have the power to sway her husband…"
"Because you do. Because he loves you, Ella. And it's time you stop denying it… The both of you. I've watched you dance around it for years and now? It's not the time for lies. Least of all lying to yourself." Turning her eyes to Wendy, Cath shook her head, "I'm sorry you've been dragged into this mess, but there's little point in being angry. Not when all it does is make you stupid. The fact is, you were strangers, wandering around after curfew. You would have wound up here, anyhow. But at least now we have a chance to get out. What did you grab? From the table?"
"Nothing that's gonna help us, probably." Wendy relaxed the tension in her hand, allowing the spoon to drop into it from where she'd quickly shoved it up her sleeve when she'd asked her questions. "I could sharpen it and make a shiv, but that'd take time. And if what you two keep clucking about the queen is right, then we're dead by dawn."
She flipped the spoon about in her hand absentmindedly. Walking corpses, they were, it seemed to her. And matters of claims to the throne or whatever the hell else didn't really matter. But she wouldn't have them thinking badly of her.
"Look," Wendy grumbled reluctantly, "I'm not angry; at least, not with you guys. It's not your fault we're in this mess. I just don't go around making friends."
A brief pause accompanied a quicker look to Merek. Back against the cold stone, she slid against it to sit on the filth covered floor.
"But if we're gonna be five pounds lighters a piece tomorrow, may as well."
Rolling his eyes, Merek looked from the spoon, back to Wendy, "A shiv will get you exactly one guard further than we are now, Wendy… and then what? You gotta start thinkin' with logic, instead of just tryin' to… stab everything. I might be able to break the end off and we could pick the lock with that. What I don't know…" As he continued, he turned to Cath, "Is the layout of where we are. Could you make a map?"
"...I think between the two of us, Ella and I could, yeah."
Nodding, he held out his hand to Wendy, "...Here. Lemme have it. You ever pick a lock before? I've got hands like meat, but yours are smaller… you'll likely fit easier through the cross bar."
"I'm willing to try. Like I said, shaping a shiv would take more time than we have. Just because it's my first option doesn't mean it's my only one."
But Wendy handed Merek the spoon, casting an uncertain glance at their path to freedom.
"What goes into picking a lock, exactly?"
Taking the spoon, Merek placed it under his boot as he crouched down, slowly working it back and forth, back and forth, against the weight of his foot, "Inside the lock, there's bit that you move around with the sharper end of the spoon. You need to shift the piece inside that holds the lock in place, where the key normally fits. It's a bit complicated to explain, but it's more by feel anyway." With a small metallic ping, the end of the spoon broke away and rising, he held the spine out to Wendy.
"When you feel a little resistance, like you've come up against something hard inside it, give it a hard push to the side… And then up."
Wendy took what was now little more than the handle from Merek, eyeing it with interest.
"Alright. I'll give it a try." Weighing it in her hand, as one might a blade to feel its balance and integrity, she sidled up against the cell door and stuck her arm through. A quick glance in either direction of the hall like space without showed no guards in the immediate area. Suddenly, she pulled herself back inside the cell, looking from one fellow prisoner to the next with trepidation. "Do we have a plan, once this thing is open? I don't wanna give the guards a reason to come down here until we do."
"There's a way out…" Ella answered with a frown, "But it's winding and you'll need help…"
"We all go together." Cath noted and Merek nodded.
"If you show us the way, Wendy and I can keep you safe."
Nodding in agreement, Wendy turned back to the door and went to work. It was awkward and not a little bit frustrating; though she did actually fit better than anyone else in that cell did, the tight squeeze and the angle of attack on the lock made even fitting the impromptu lockpick into the the lock a task, nevermind actually manipulating it. She kept her breathing steady despite the frustration, but she did have to readjust three separate times before actually managing to find a good angle.
It turned out that getting to the lock was the easy part. For all of Merek's (surprisingly criminal) knowledge and tutelage of how to pick the damn thing, it proved to be infuriating. She'd pull one way, and the lock would thunk strangely. She'd twist it about with the feeling that she at last was following Merek's guidance, only to meet the immoveable metal of the lock's outer wall. And with every bit of noise the action made, Wendy would freeze, petrified that it would bring a guard down on their heads.
And it did, once. Hearing the shuffle of boots patrolling near, Wendy had retreated from the door, whipping the lockpick out and diving away from the door to fall onto the ground. Face buried in her arms, she breathed deeply, miming the tail end of a session of weeping. The guard had glowered but otherwise continued on his route. And Wendy had leapt up immediately to continue on.
After a few moments more, the lock finally gave with the gentle groan of well oiled metal on metal, and Wendy pulled the door open into the cell.
"Lead on," she breathed, fingering the broken edge of the handle that snapping off the bowl and jamming it against the lock had done. It'd have to do. "Get us outta here."
Nodding, Cath moved to the door with Merek close behind. Elle took a step, but nodded to Wendy first, "Go on. I'll take up the rear… in case someone comes."
Merek glanced back with a deep frown, "Wendy's a hell of a fighter…"
"If they see us, they won't harm me. The queen… She intends to make a spectacle of my death… they won't dare harm me."
"Merek'll stay with you. Just in case some guard gets a little too enthusiastic about her job. And besides, we need a fighter at the rear." Wendy hadn't a clue whether what Ella claimed was correct, or whether she was just playing at bein a martyr. It didn't matter either way; what the nanny said may be right, but it was stupid to not also have someone to watch their flank. "Cath can come with me for directions."
Gesturing to their original hostess, Wendy peeked out of the cell, giving either direction a swift look before heading the way the passing guard had gone some few minutes before at Cath's direction. She crept along on tiptoes, trying not to wince at the less stealthy manner of the others, though they certainly tried their best. They reached the bend, and Wendy cleared the path slowly, back against the wall. The others followed, and they eased down the stairs cautiously.
For whatever they may have expected from the castle's dungeon, the basement below was certainly nothing Wendy might have guessed would have greeted them. She halted at the bottom of the stairs, frowning with a raw fear at the low and poorly lit vault that spread out before them.
"A- a crypt?"
Despite her concerns, the two women, servants for so long, and well accustomed to being neither seen nor heard, managed to creep along soundless as mice, as Merek took up the rear, and as they paused inside the room, Cath glanced over to Wendy with a nod, her voice a whisper, "Falmar's crypt. His whole line is buried down here."
Gesturing ahead, she turned to Merek, "That sconce there, needs to he turned three times to the right. Once to the left. Then pull it towards you."
As he complied, Cath took position behind a second sconce, moving in mirrored opposition to Merek. With a groan of stone on stone, the wall began to shift aside.
Falmar? Buried here?
But that was a question better left to more appropriate times. With the activation of two hidden levers, the wall to their side ground open. Wendy eyed the stairwell in a panic, certain that the noise would draw guards down on them. None appeared as yet, though she couldn't shake the feeling that it was only a matter of time.
"Let's go!" she hissed, urging her fellow escapees on with a desperate edge in her voice. "This has been too easy."
Grabbing Cath by the hand, Wendy hurried up the newly presented stairs, care of caution forgotten after the small noise of the hidden door; she hoped the other two followed closely behind. Finally they arrived at a trapdoor above them, a fact she discovered in the thick blackness of the passageway with her head. Cursing under her breath, she braced herself against the steps and pushed up. Dirt and rusty handles made it a difficult task, and it was only with Cath's help that it moved. The green smell of flora greeted them, rising from the earthy loam of the forest floor like a comforting blanket. Climbing out with grunt, Wendy held the trapdoor up as her companions climbed out before easing it back closed again. She paused to take stock of their surroundings.
Christoff Tension and anxiety swelled within his chest as they grew closer to the inn. He didn't feel like a king in that moment, for he was surely shaking enough for Aelynn to know how nervous he was. Beyond thankful to both she and Uther, he tied up his horse, draped a protective arm over Aelynn's shoulder and followed the old knight into the warm glow of light.
Still bearded and hopefully unrecognizable, Christoff glanced around the inn perceptively as Uther spoke, waiting desperately for the inevitable. Rosie would be here or she wouldn't and waiting another minute to find out felt impossible to stomach.
He squeezed Aelynn's shoulder reassuringly, if only for himself, and whispered low so only she could hear. "I hope she's here…"
Alfeus Swann Oh, to hell with it.
Alfeus' world shifted beneath his feet and he took a few involuntary steps backward. Looking to Lil, the witch and then to Declan and his companion, Alfeus looked dazed as years worth of suspicions and theories collided with reality. He inhaled sharply, straining to hear what everyone was saying over the silent shifting in his mind.
He struggled to stay in the present as memories and gut-feelings from the past rushed at him. His training kicked in Alfeus' managed to pull himself out, eyes darting to Lil at Bertha's mention of the word brother. His mind connected dots of current happenings and memories years passed and he took a step forward, towards Bertha, and shot Declan a knowing glance.
"You don't need all of us to escort you out," Alfeus retorted. "No one knows the swamp better than I do, so I'll agree to your accord if you let the knight escort the two women back to Mulgrave. You and I can continue on alone."
Alone.
Because after all these years, years of yearning and contemplating and wishing... He finally met the swamp's witch and he was going to kill her.
He believed Lil smart enough to cover her tracks, to make sure she stayed free… and to hopefully trust him enough to get her (annoying) brother from the witch's evil clutch and Declan… Well, the man's luck had always trumped his own.
He was very close to giving up on retaining any sort of free will. His eyes were sunken in with despair, a feeling of helplessness constantly placed on his shoulders like a ten ton weight. Jacob slouched as if it were really there. With a mopey gaze he looked up at Travis as the man sat beside him, offering him the bread. He took the half loaf, but stared at it without any interest. It was a new low for Wolfie, named for his insatiable hunger, had lost his appetite.
"I can't participate in any killing, Travis." He muttered, voice hoarse. "Please.. I know you wanted me to come, but.. I can't stay any longer."
Blinking, sitting back on his heels, Travis smirked faintly. Not cruelly, but with a certain amusement, as he shook his head, "...Jake. I got no intentions of killin' anyone. You tell me you don't think it's worth it, goin' along… tryin' to see if we can help these people, and we'll split right now." Looking around, the smile faded as he rose to his feet, "But it won't be easy, and we'll need to be quick."
"N-no, I didn't mean.. Not you. I just can't.. I can't be around it. I can't be around anymore death." He paused. Was it selfish? To run when they were perhaps the only ones who could help?
"...Jacob. You run off, and they will kill you. If you're on your own, it's not likely you'll get far. I don't mean offense by it, it's just… there's a lot of them, and you ain't exactly got your sister's grit." With one more glance around, he nodded, "Come on. We're gonna go look for water… I got a plan."
A weak smile formed on his face at the comment of grit, and Jacob shook his head, desperately thankful. He stood after a quick glance around, making sure no one has their gaze trained on the two men.. maybe he'd finally be free.
Tugging his pack from the saddle of his horse, Travis glanced over to Jacob and nodded for him to do the same, before he started towards the man left in charge of their small band, "We're gonna fill up canteens, Captain. You need your done?"
Looking up, the captain's brow lifted, his eyes dancing between the pair. But with a shrug, he reached behind him for the leather thong and tossed the skin over to Travis, "Don't be long. We head out in ten."
"You got it, Captain." Travis nodded, slapping Jacob on the shoulder in the direction of the river that ran parallel to their camp. When they were far enough away, he leaned just slightly closer, "When I say go… we'll make for the treeline as quietly as possible. You sure you wanna do this, right?"
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jacob nodded. He had to do this. Had to get away, had to figure out who he was when he wasn't under the rule of someone else. Maybe he'd stick with Travis. Maybe he'd find Wendy again. He didn't exactly know how to be an adult.
"Yes. Let's get out of here, please."
"Right…" Bending down with the first skin, Travis began to fill it, waiting… looking back over his shoulder. Finally, a roar of laughter sparked through the camp. It was as good a distraction as he would get… Rising swiftly, he slung the waterskin over his shoulder with his pack, "Run, Jacob! Run into the woods and don't stop."
With a leap, he cleared the narrow creek, and broke into the treeline, praying Jacob stayed right behind him.
Some warning would have been nice. When Travis rose, Jacob tensed, feeling he was about to make a move… but the sudden mad dash they both launched into had been beyond him. Still, he ran like hell. He ran until Travis slowed, and even then Jacob ran a little past him, finding it hard to put on the breaks. When he was sure they were clear Jacob put his hands on his knees and gasped for air between his wheezing. He was plenty out of shape.
No cry came from the camp, no warning yells… the laughter rung after them, as they fled into the woods, and carried over the wind the further they got. There was no guarantee, really, that it would last… He knew as soon as it was discovered they had gone, they would be hunted - tracked. But at least they had put some space between them and the others.
Looking over to Jacob, Travis breathed out a sigh, that turned slowly into a laugh, "...If we get out of this alive, it'll be a miracle. Come on… We should keep going. We'll head west, away from the mountain…"
Jacob slowly began to laugh with him, a nervous and shaky laugh that grew more and more hearty with each second. "I've gotten out of plenty an impossible situation, Travis… what's one more?" He smirked. "Bet I could beat you."
"Oh…" With a weary grin, Travis shook his head, "I'm not taking that bet. Trust me… My life wasn't perfect, by any means, but what you went through? Hell. I'm surprised sometimes, to see you're still on your feet. I don't know anyone strong as you, Jacob. And I mean that." Starting for the path, he sighed, shuffling the pack to his other shoulder, "This whole mess… it's so out of my wheelhouse, I don't even know sometimes what I was thinking… coming along."
Jacob sucked in a breath. "I'm surprised to see me on my feet too, sometimes." He mumbled. "Th-thanks. But Travis.. I'm eternally sorry to have brought this upon you, but I wouldn't have been able to get this far without you. Thank you." He said, sincere as could be.
"Apparently…" He continued, with a small shrug, "That's what friends are for. Or at least that's what Tom always used to say. Merek and I… we weren't the most social, growin' up. But Tom? Wasn't a soul he met, he didn't befriend. Guess I owe it to his memory to try, you know? To try and do better. Be better."
Jacob smiled lightly at Travis, even offered a tentative shoulder pat. "Me too. I wasn't the most social either.. But all my brothers were pretty popular. I guess it put me backstage." He smirked. "Well, I'd think they'd be pretty happy with us.. I hope, at least. I wonder if.. I wonder if they made graves for them. I wonder if they made a grave for me." Jacob fell silent at the thought.
"...They did, actually." Jacob's words seemed to lay heavy for a moment, as Travis looked away, scratching his chin. It was strange, talking to the boy about his own burial site. They had been so sure... "If we ever get back home, maybe you should make a ceremony out of destroying the marker. I can show you where it's at."
Jacob laughed, an airy and unconvincing one. "W-well.. That's… nice." He mumbled, and laughed again. "I-I can't imagine.. They even found enough… p-pie...ce...s.." He trailed off, not sure how to continue explaining how gruesome of a death it had been. "So, a zombie ceremony, is what you're saying." Jacob murmured. "Sounds pretty fun, I might just do that. They.. put it with everyone else, right? The rest of my family?" Jacob gazed off into the distance, eyes glazed over. "I'd like to go visit.. If it's ever safe again."
"It was burnt…" Travis murmured quietly. It felt wrong, somehow, lying to Jacob, though it certainly would have been less uncomfortable, "The cabin. After it happened. It was just too difficult, trying to… Well. You can imagine. It's probably half of why they assumed you hadn't made it. The markers are more just out of respect than anything. You… you were all together. There was even one for Wendy… for a little while."
"O-oh." Jacob mumbled, voice cracking midway. Of course… he shouldn't have expected any less. It had been a massacre. It still hurt, though, to think of his warm home, all the memories… there was nothing left. Nothing at all. "Thanks for telling me." Was all he could mumble after that, rubbing at his eyes quickly but not saying anything else.
Travis nodded, tucking his hands into his pockets. He fell quiet for a long while as they walked, but when he spoke again, there was an edge of curiosity to his voice, "...Maybe you could rebuild it, someday? The cabin…?"
Jacob seemed taken aback by this idea. "I.. suppose I could, but.." He sighed. "Maybe when I have a family big enough for one. I never imagined my life without a big family. It's strange."
"It's good that you can, still." Travis said with a smile, "Not a lot of people would be strong enough for it… Even the thought of it, after all you went through. But I never saw much point in shutting down, after tragedy. It seems to just another victory to those responsible…"
Jacob shrugged. "I didn't exactly have a choice to shut down. Being a witch's slave didn't exactly give me time to mourn." Jacob blinked. "When this is over, I think that's what I'll do. Mourn." He seemed satisfied with this idea, and settled into another, calmer pause. "Quite the series of tragedies, I am." Jacob murmured. "But it doesn't have to be like that forever. I want a chance to start new.. It's close. I just want to move on."
"I think that's fair…" Travis agreed, nodding, "If I'm honest, I'm not sure I did much mourning, myself. And I know Mer didn't. I think when you miss that opportunity, it makes it harder, somehow… Letting go. But if it's any consolation, I'm not sure I'd have made it through all you did, Jacob. I think you'll do alright for yourself… If we can stay alive."
He nodded meekly. "Uh.. thanks, you.. too?" Jacob chuckled. "Got a bucket list? Any plans? What were you doing before.. this whole mess?"
Chuckling dryly, he shook his head, "...Marrying the wrong girl. But I'm afraid I've managed to make a mess of that. Not that I'm complaining. It… it was something of a business deal. And I can't say I'm sorry she ran off. Who knows, now… Maybe a family of my own."
Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a tragedy in its own right." He muttered. "I wouldn't be opposed to a family of my own, either. Not anytime soon.. I think you'd be a good father, Travis." Jacob smiled. "Big families.. are the best, if I do say so myself."
Grinning, Travis shook his head, "I think I'd be a disaster of a father, but what do I know?" Pulling his pack free, he paused and reached into it for the bread he'd placed there early, handing the other half to Jacob again before he resumed walking, "We've got a long road ahead of us, either way. Which reminds me… we should probably figure out where exactly we're headed."
Taking the bread once more, Jacob did not deny his appetite. He smiled at Travis, appreciating the man's intuition, and in general, he felt a bit uplifted. "Right. I'm not even sure I know where we are, to be honest." He said, biting off a chunk of the loaf. "Never did have the best sense of direction…"
"Coast is west… There's bound to be a village or two in that direction. Even if we can't be there to help in the mountains, it might not be the worst idea to let someone know what's going on. The queen is gonna run across this country, taking as she goes, unless someone tries to stop her."
"Y-yeah." Guilt traveled up his spine once more, but he did his best to shake it off, trying to convince himself that at one point in his life he was going to have to put his own well being first. "Civilization.. Haven't quite been anywhere near a village in a long time." His mouth was full of bread. "You should sit me down and tell me all the political stuff I've missed. I've missed.. A lot."
"Politics were never my strong suit…" Travis said with a small smirk, "But apparently the queen of Ethelemar is trying to take over the world or something. Not exactly what one expects from a queen, but hey… we have a a beast who terrorizes our lands, and that's probably weird for some people." Finishing off his half of the loaf, he brushed his hands on his pants, "I hear good things about this place, though. Renloth. King's kind of tragic, but folks say his daughters are a sight for sore eyes. Maybe we'll meet 'em… Who knows."
Jacob snorted. "Yes, I really think we'll come upon a few princesses. Well, thanks for that update." He sighed. "Do they know why? Why the queen wants to take over, I mean. She just.. does?"
"I could make a guess, but I don't really know why anyone does anything anymore. I'm starting to think it's because people just don't care to think about others, anymore. It's easier to be selfish and cold."
Jacob frowned. "I've come to know it's unfortunately the way of the world. There's good people.. like your family. That's what makes it worth it." He nodded. "Her reign won't last forever."
"No. I suppose you're right. And hey… if they're rushing to find the princess, I guess that's a good sign, right? Means the plan went wrong somewhere?"
Jacob nodded. "No such thing as a perfect plan. Things will work out." Jacob reached for his own water skin and took a sip as they walked. "At least, I hope so."
"Me, too. And this is one plan that needs to fall apart, or we'll all be in trouble.. Ah!" Gesturing ahead, he smirked, "A sign post… left or right, Jacob?"
Jacob glanced nervously at the diverging road. The two paths could very easily lead them to some undesirable circumstances.. how could he possibly know which to pick? "Left?" He murmured, allowing the first thing that came to his mind to spill out.
Grinning, Travis looked over at him, "Sometimes, Jake… A fork in the road is just a fork in the road. You wanna figure out how to get past all those crap memories… figure out how to move on? Starts when you stop overthinking every decision you make. Left it is… let's go."
Nodding firmly, Jacob tried to engrave those words in his mind. He desperately believed Travis to be right.. the hard part was just executing it. "Left, then. I'm certain of it." He said, trying to imbue strength in his voice.
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
"From Ellemar, you said?" The Innkeeper asked, with a quirked brow, "No. But I had some guards from there pass through a little while ago. First time in ages that sort came 'round these parts. Nasty lot. Insisted on searching the rooms upstairs. Guess they didn't find whatever they were lookin' for, because they left a little while later. Thing is… I got the suspicion they were…"
Shifting back on his feet, his eyes traveled behind Uther, to Aelynn and Cristoff, his gaze resting a moment longer on the latter. As his thoughts came to focus, the innkeeper smirked, "I got the impression they were on the trail of some guests we had arrive earlier. Young couple, with a little girl. And a goose, of all things. Was he goose these soldiers mentioned, what got me thinkin' it. Not a lot of people travelin' with one of those, you know? Anyhow. They're upstairs, those three."
It hadn't gone entirely as the witch had expected, and Lilianna could sense this in the woman. She seemed to fidget for a moment, as though she were undetermined in the best course of action, and Lil took this brief pause to speak, "I'm coming with you, Alfeus. He's my brother…" The words still felt foreign on her tongue, and saying them allowed even stranger, "And I'm not leaving you to deal with her alone."
"How noble…" The witch said with a small smirk, "I don't care who comes or doesn't, so long as I get where I need to go."
Where he stood beside Ana, Declan frowned. Duty and dignity warred with a personal sense of frustration as he considered the options ahead of them. They had information. Real. Vital. And if they wasted time escorting this woman around, and anything were to happen?
A sigh escaped, and brow furrowed, he looked to Alfeus, "You sure you can handle this?" It wasn't the reunion he was hoping for, but seeing Alfie's reaction was a solid reminder of the man's wealth in honor. When he was given a confirming nod, Declan turned to Ana, "...We should go, then. We've got to get to Ethelemar if we've any luck of understanding what's going on with these recruitments…"
He'd said it aloud and his eyes twitched briefly, very briefly to Alfeus, hoping his old friend understood their meaning. Then, just as quickly, they shifted to the witch, "You hurt this man or anyone he associates with… and I will hunt you to the ends of the earth and burn you to ash. Ana… Let's go."
And turning, he touched Ana's elbow, to lead her back through the trees in he diretion they had come from. Tags:@rissa & @Effervescent
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NPCS: Travis Loren
Left, as Travis and Jacob would come to find, would take them to the small village of Suss, along the river route through Renloth. Night fell with little ceremony, and Travis, asking the man at the city gates for directions, was able to find the local inn. It was a risk, given they were now essentially deserters to the Ethelemar army, but they needed to rest.
And so through the town they went and to the inn. Inside, they found it surprisingly active for such a late hour, a man at the counter asking questions, while another man, a young girl beside him, waited. As Travis pushed down his hood and rubbed his eyes, he felt the weight of the day's exhausting efforts pressing down upon him.
They had been traveling for so long, now, and a part of him could hardly remember what for… Separated from his brother, Jacob from his sister, all Travis wanted was to find a moment or two of solace…
The door behind him swung inward again, and a shout echoed through the inn, as Travis spun around to see the seal of the royal guard of Ethelemar stitched into the chest of the man who entered, "By order of the Queen's Guard…" The man continued, his eyes scanning the room, "This establishment will be searched of all occupants, immediately."
"Now… wait a moment." The innkeeper started, stepping out from behind the desk, "I've already had one battalion through here, tonight. This is just--"
But the soldier pulled free his sword and paling, swallowing, the innkeeper stepped back, hands raised, "...S...search if you want. Dunno what you hope to find."
With his other hand, the soldier held up a mirror, gilded in gold and on the surface of the glass, dots, like footprints, red and blue, coordinated together, "...Shouldn't be any trouble finding them. They're in this room..."
"Left…" Travis muttered to Jacob, swearing softly, "We had to pick left." @CloudyBlueDay, @Toogee, @rissa Fiora woke with a start to the sound of someone knocking… A soft sound, one, had she not been so on edge already, she might have missed entirely. As she slid out of bed and after moving to wake Jack in his chair, she approached the door slowly, and cracked it open.
On the other side, the young girl who had come to see them earlier waited, with something of a frantic expression, "Trouble downstairs, Miss." She whispered, "Guards are back… and they've got some sort of… magic mirror or something! Boss's wife told me t'warn you lot… Says she thinks it's you they're lookin' for!" @Doctor Jax
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NPCS: Elsabet Warwick || Merek Loren
Stepping out into the darkness, Elle breathed in deeply, and her eyes filled suddenly with tears. Freedom had seemed like a pipe dream, and she had been so sure she would never see the outside of that prison cell, again. She would never see Cristoff again… or Rosie…
Turning to Merek and Wendy, drying her cheeks, she shook her head, "Thank you… Thank you both. If you hadn't come alone when you--" She paused, and her eyes widened suddenly, as her gaze traveled down the path their had just come from, "Light! Someone's coming! Quickly… into the trees."
Gesturing the three towards the tree line, she frowned softly.
She had known Cath for so long… and had watched Aelynn grow up under her mother's careful, cautious guide. She had seen the love between the pair and was struck with awe by the kindness and sacrifice of the woman. She knew little of Merek and Wendy, and while the latter seemed burdened by a strong sense of brokenness, the former had been nothing but honorable…
Hesitating, Ella swallowed…
It would mean certain death for her, if she were caught, now… Certain, but long and slow. Eirlys's hatred would ensure as much.
With a deep breath, she turned back to the opening in the wall and heart hammering in her chest, she moved towards it.
Cath paused and turned, Merek coming to a swift halt beside her, "Ella!" She hissed, "Ella, what are you doing!?"
"...Go…" Ella said, plainly, "Quickly. You have to get to Renloth! Find Aelynn. You have to rescue Rosie. Nothing else matters, Cath. I can give you time to get away… but you have go… now!"
"Ella…!" Cath's voice rose, as Ella stepped through the hole again.
Merek reached, his fingers brushing Cath's elbow, "It's time we need… We'll find your daughter and the princess and with them, the King. If anyone can save her and stop what's happening, it's him, but we have to go, or we're all dead!"
Eyes filling with tears, Cath hesitated, before nodded and with a sigh, Merek looked to Wendy, before heading into the treeline. @Red Thunder
...and the waves were coming in like great golden gushes, their weight bowling him over and over, just like when he was a child and his parents would take him to the frigid shorelines, but this time, oh, this time the sea was made of sunlight that threatened to break the cliffs and the sand and everything around, and he felt himself being dragged out with a warm, loving tide--
Jack woke from his pleasant dream abruptly, his bleary mind registering only two things: the first, that a chamber pot was desperately needed, and the second, that Fi was saying something rather important at the door. Despite the fact that Fi seemed adamant for his attention, he chose instead to run to the balcony and, er, take care of some urgent business.
"O-one minute!" he pleaded as he rearranged himself and headed to the door, seeing the young woman from last time. All he'd really caught were the words "magic mirror", and he felt a sensation of dread come upon him. There were all of a couple people who could use magic to his knowledge, one of whom was Fi, another being Rosie's grandmama. However, something in his gut told him that it was neither who had given away an enchanted mirror to some random bloke looking for people.
"W-what do we do? We gotta hide somewhere. They know we're here!" Jack hissed in panic, wringing his hands as he whirled in a horrified little circle, as if another survey of their suite would aid them in finding an adequate place to escape. Alas, there was only the balcony, unless there were other exits.
"Maybe we can... I dunno, hide in another room?" Jack said, plainly just throwing out ideas as fast as his poor brain could come up with them. "O-or I could, uh, I could distract them. Hit 'em with a lyre 'n you 'n Rosie run! No, there's no way outta here..."
