Ascended

[Erica]

The Story Begins...

The swordsman made his way out of the palace that he commonly referred to as “The Compound” and made his way towards his destination casually, despite the fact that anything short of leaving on his mission now was too late. He forced himself to respect the decision of Hendrick and his advisers, who unanimously voted against his own plan to rush off to find out what had happened, even if it was by himself. He knew they were right, but he was a man of action. They were right, but he didn’t have to be happy about it.


It had been 3 days now since the caravan Dahlorietta was on had been lost. It was a trade caravan to a small town, and there were 5 house guards, along with 3 city militia along with a handful of other merchants, attendants, and whatever bodies were required. Hendrick’s own brother was also there, and only one member of the caravan lived, at least long enough to tell the story of what happened. They were ambushed as they were setting up camp, attacked on a road that was known to be safe as it was patrolled by both Highport guards and Alliance Militia.


That means that the attack was either extremely fortune coincidentally done in complete ignorance or that it was planned and carried out flawlessly. He didn’t believe in coincidences.


As he made his way towards one of the busier wards in the town, some people started to take note of him, nodding respectfully. Some even greeted him with “Ateo” or “Sir Ateo.” He hated the Sir part with a passion but never showed it, most did it as a sign of respect and meant it as such. He was of the mindset that most people who expected, demanded, or answered to “Sir” were full of themselves and had highly inflated concepts of the respect they deserved.


A breeze blew in his face and he could smell the main street and courtyard; a mix of food, people, spices, perfumes and a myriad of other things mixed into one. The thing he most enjoyed though, was when breezes like that came in from the sea. It just smelled...refreshing.


In spite of the smells and the refreshing feeling, it was extremely hot. Most of the people--guards, merchants, and commoners alike, dressed in simple and light clothes. Ateo however was wearing his full guard attire that consisted of two swords, some other pouches and a full suite of leather armor. Even on his off time, it was uncommon for him to be caught wearing anything but exactly what he wore. In fact, the only time he would ever do so would be at the explicit command of one of the Buldarsos.


He made it to the Sea Breeze tavern and opened the door, stepping into the main room that was a blur of activity as people congregated there to avoid the midday heat. This establishment was one of a few that had magically controlled temperature, so there was a dramatically noticeable difference in temperatures. As he entered, there were a few different reactions when people looked his way.


He hated that.


His reputation preceded him and while he hated it, he knew it was an amazing tool. Many people in the city spoke about him in different lights. He was almost a mythical figure after the Night and while some spoke of him as a hero, others said he was nothing but a brutal killer. Others still would swear that they heard he was a demon, or at least half demon. Looking through the crowd, he could make out most of the tavern goers’ opinions based on the facial expressions they wore.


He nodded to the barkeep and made his way over. “Ateo, always a pleasure.” The elf looked at him and nodded a greeting, which Ateo returned. “Thank you Elgwun. This heat, it seems to be good for business.”


The elf smirked and giggled, “Indeed. That enchantment, the climate spell--best investment we’ve made. Praise Graysin.”


“Indeed. Anyway, I am here on business. I’m looking for someone.” As the word ‘looking’ came out of his mouth, the tender’s posture changed. “Nothing to worry about. I just desire a word.”


Elgwun breathed a sigh of relief, again making an assumption based on one of the myths surrounding Ateo. “Ok, good. Didn’t know if I should evacuate.” He gave a forced, sheepish laugh and cleared his throat as Ateo simply stared at him in silence for a few moments.


“Check the log please. Tahlia Winters. About this big,” Ateo indicated with his hand, roughly based on the description Bob had given him. “Short black hair. She’d pro--.”


“Yes, her. I know her. She’s not here, she is in town working I think, or something of the sort. Check the south infirmary, she was working there the other day.”


He went to thank the elf when a few shouts from behind him drew his attention, followed by a chair being kicked back into a table. Some glasses fell and broke on the floor and he heard “I know who the hell he is. And I said. I. Don’t. Give. A. Shit.”


One of the other downsides of being known was that some people looked at him as a pillar, or some test to pass. This was actually one of the parts of his reputation that he secretly enjoyed, though he’d never tell anyone. In front of him now stood a familiar face, that of Jayce Brendening. He was a known mercenary in the area who Ateo had heard of, as he was known to be a brutal killer and willing to take damn near any job so long as the pay was well. There were Questioning Orders out on him, but not here, so there was nothing Ateo, or anyone else, could do right now. Jayce always kept his hands clean enough so that no crime could be linked back to him--or he killed off anyone who might testify otherwise.


Ateo and Jayce locked gazes, but Ateo shook his head slightly, sneered and moved to exit the tavern. Jayce moved a few inches into the main aisle, just enough to either force Ateo off of his path or force him to make contact. Ateo opted to deal with more important things so he moved aside to avoid the brash fighter. Instead, Jayce moved closer still, but Ateo continued past. “Yeah, keep walking. You’re nothing but some merchant’s lap dog.”


“Jayce,” he began with a sigh. “As much as I’d love to put you in your place, I have other matters to attend to. Clean up the broken glass or you’ll be picking up your teeth.”


Jayce stood there, eying Ateo with a light in his eyes. He’d been hoping for this and the two were a moment away from an actual conflict when 3 Militia-men sat up. One of them declared loudly, “that is enough. Ateo, you were leaving. Jayce, you were about to pick up the mess you made and the tender was about to get you another drink.”


Two of the three guards moved a few steps closer, one actually stepping in between the two. The other man that Jayce was sitting with seemed dangerous too, but he was more amused at the scene and didn’t seem as if he was going to be trouble.


“Good day,” was all Ateo said to the soldiers before turning and making his way towards the door, intent on making it to the south infirmary in time to catch the woman that he was seeking.

~ * ^ * ~

​

While debating her direction, Tahlia had heard the reports of illness spreading in Highport. That had been the deciding factor between Highport and Winterhaven as her next destination. Of course, it didn’t hurt that rumors claimed mercenary work amply available from the city as well. With so many merchants, there was always a house guard opportunity if nothing else. The question was whether she wanted to settle down for a while. The thought was appealing, but she needed to remain cautious. Tensions were subtly rising in Aquova again, and that brought the attempted assassination back to people’s minds: even though many of them were only children when it happened.


So she had to keep a low profile, especially in a port city where so many from Aquova and Myrisano passed through. Twenty-seven years was a long time to most, but it wasn’t long enough.


Then Robert had found her. She had taken a couple of jobs on her way north, and Robert had been part of a caravan guard with her. He was a good swordsman and fair archer. Good enough with his sword, in fact, that he had made the first target for brigands’ arrows on the road. She had to heal him on two occasions; each time, he had seemed overly impressed by her skill. He kept asking if she followed Xegas, perhaps trying to make conversation or maybe even flirting. True to her nature, she had dodged the question, and - as was so always the case - awkwardness had ensued.


So although Robert had seemed happy to see her a few nights ago at the Sea Breeze - he had even shared an ale with her and spoke of potential jobs - she had not been thrilled to see him. His presence meant she probably couldn’t linger in Highport as long as she was originally hoping.


But her concern about being recognized - however unlikely it might be - all of that anxiety disappeared when she worked with those needing healing. The city physicians’ initial skepticism faded quickly after she offered to help free of charge for one afternoon. After that, they were more than willing to pay her modest fee for her assistance. In the weeks that followed, the scare of plague had passed, due in no small part to the physicians’ wisdom in keeping the truly ill separated from the rest of the patients. Highport’s south infirmary was large, even for a port city, probably for this reason. Now many of the beds were empty. The scare had passed, and soon they would not need her, no matter how impressive her skill.


She would need to start looking for other work, but no appealing job had come to her attention yet. One family had thanked her for healing their young son and mentioned a possible position, but she hadn’t heard from them again. So it was likely time to start asking around for work. She dreaded it. Meeting new people was painful at best, and most jobs either involved killing or working with killers. House guard positions were better, but that depended upon the employer. While Robert had bragged about his employer being fair and the commander was apparently a local legend, there were no positions open in that household. Besides, when she had asked around after Robert left, she heard so many conflicting rumors about Sir Ateo that she felt it best to avoid the whole situation. Better not to be remembered, if she could help it.


She would have to start dealing with questionable jobs again. It was enough to make her tired.


But today, she could focus on the ill. A baker’s assistant had come in yesterday for a severe burn on his arm. With the sickness past, she had promised the boy of about 14 years a more full healing this morning. He couldn’t afford it - but she could afford the effort, given how slow things were. And she didn’t have work lined up. The spell had caused her some fatigue, but she sat chatting with him as she recovered, oblivious to the other physicians' displeased glances. She had donned her armor and her bow and quiver were resting against the wall by the boy’s head. He was asking her questions about fighting and her arrows in rapid succession. She kept teasing him that he must be feeling better to be so curious.


Mattick Herema, the physician who had initially hired her, approached with a stiff smile. He addressed the boy in the soothing tone so many healers adopted with any patient, as if they could be startled into reopening their wounds. “How is your arm, Jonas?”


The boy smiled broadly. “It’s better! Tahlia says I can return to the kitchen. But I should be careful around the ovens this time.”


Mattick looked at Tahlia, his smile clearly strained. “Well, Miss Tahlia is a wise woman.” His look grew more pointed.


Tahlia looked at him and nodded. Even she could pick up on the signal that they would prefer she leave the healing to the paid physicians on staff. She smiled at Jonas and stood, just as a dark-haired man entered the infirmary at the other end of the room. “Be good, Jonas.” Collecting her bow and quiver, she nodded to Mattick. “Sir Herema.” She should probably thank him for the chance to work with him or something like that, but she’d never been good at such formalities. It was hard not to tell him to stop glaring at her for healing the boy just because he couldn’t pay.


Meanwhile, the other physicians were pointing her way. She looked up to see Ateo headed in her direction and stiffened briefly. It was probably nothing, but having someone seek her out always set her nerves on edge.

~ * ^ * ~

​

He moved towards the woman that the men had pointed to and as he did, he slowed his step slightly. He studied her with a furrowed brow and tried to recall--he knew her from somewhere. He shrugged the information aside and waited as she finished up with her patient. Mattick turned and was someone taken aback as he looked at Ateo, not expecting him. “Sir Ateo, to what do I owe this great pleasure?” The tone in Mattick’s voice indicated that he thought of this visit as anything BUT a pleasure.


“Go tend to your duties, my business isn’t with you. I’ll be taking my own business outside.” Simply put, he didn’t like Mattick. He was a healer yes, but he was aligned with the Lyrodites, another merchant family here, and while his job was indeed to heal, he would not do so out of the kindness of his heart--he did it for a price.


“It would be wise to treat a man like me with respect in his own home, sellsword. Some merchants here would take this as a sign of disrespect, not only to me, but to the those that I choose to back.”


Ateo looked at Tahlia and was about to speak when Mattick interrupted. He listened to the healer and, while glaring daggers at him, venomously shot back “it would be wise not to confuse a sellsword like me with someone who requires wisdom. I’m no sage or priest. Now shut your mouth and move on, I have nothing else to say to you.”


There was an odd tension in the room and Mattick, not being one to yield so easily, added one last jab at Ateo in a way he knew made him furious. “Very well. May Xegas walk with you...out the door that you entered.”


Ateo looked at Tahlia and asked her quietly, his tone towards her in stark contrast to the one used with Mattick. “Tahlia, I apologize for this nonsense. Would you accompany me for a few moments so we could talk?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Sir Ateo? Tahlia’s eyebrows twitched at the name. She swallowed imperceptibly and reminded herself that not all reputations were true. The man obviously pissed Mattick off, which was a point in his favor as far as Tahlia was concerned. But he was also a commander of the guard in Highport, and that meant he was in a position of civil authority. Maybe. Personal guards for merchant families were given high station in Rhodinar, but how much of that played into the city militia depended upon the city. Suddenly she found herself wishing she had done more research about that. And maybe that she had dug a little more into the rumors about this Ateo. Based on the rumors, he was also part demon, a god on the battlefield or a fiend who ate souls, a lover of children, or a solitary man who had sold his soul to land a good job, so who knew?


Right now, she was most concerned about why he was looking for her. Experience told her that she just needed to remain calm and see how things played out. It was a hard habit to establish, but she had managed it. Barely. The distraction of the exchange between Mattick and Ateo helped. This Ateo seemed to have a major chip on his shoulder, and Mattick was just as displeased by Ateo’s presence. What had happened between them? It seemed like more than rivalries between merchant families. Tahlia glanced between the two men, then briefly looked back at Jonas. The boy looked like he wanted to hide under his makeshift bed.


Tahlia didn’t blame him. She had never been good at mediating disputes.


When Mattick dismissed Ateo so rudely, Tahlia’s head snapped to look at the healer in surprise. But it was Ateo’s apology and tone with her that really set her head to spinning. Clearly he had been seeking her out. But why? Had Robert tried to put a word in for her? If there a position were available in the house guard, would she want it? She looked one last time at Mattick, then nodded to Ateo. She hesitated only briefly before heading toward the door. “I was just leaving.” Well, that sounded like she was snubbing Mattick. Maybe she was, but it hadn’t been a conscious choice. She never seemed to say the right thing.


The other physicians watched them leave, clearly curious. It might have been her imagination, but one of them seemed to flash her a pitying smile. Feeling the need to say something but at a loss for anything witty, she spoke as they stepped outside. “What can I do for you?” It was the best she could manage; certainly better than asking why he knew her name.


What she hadn’t expected was the reaction of the people on the street as they stepped outside. People nodded to him, looked her over, some even openly wondered what he was doing talking to her. She felt heat rushing to her cheeks at the attention, but tried to ignore it. Her eyes darted over the crowd before returning to him as she took a breath and tried (quite unsuccessfully) to hide her discomfort.

~ * ^ * ~

​

He moved outside with Tahlia and while the looks of passersby were nothing new to him, he cleared his throat awkwardly as he could almost feel the questions it raised in Tahlia. Those could be addressed later, so he began speaking as he continued to walk away from the infirmary. “Tahlia, I first want to apologize for that. It is not my intention to involve you in politics of my House, nor do I want you to think--.” He chose his words carefully because while any person local to Highport would simply understand what being associated with the Baldurso means, she was not a local, and he’d have to explain. And anyone mildly familiar with what most merchants were like in this city were not prone to easily accept the truth in a simple he’s not like other merchants.’ Ateo was also at a disadvantage because he knew nothing about what she actually did or did not know or if she harbored any preconceived notions. “House Baldurso does not try to involve itself in many of the practices of other merchant houses, but sometimes the business bleeds out into other areas. We try not to make it the common place however. I am sorry on both my behalf and that of Lord Baldurso.” He waited a moment to see how she’d react before carrying on. The entire time, his gaze was on hers and his tone was courteous and honest, and the only time he deviated from this was when someone greeted him who he considered worth greeting back, to which he’d simply nod before turning his attention to Tahlia.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia’s armor, while necessary, was beginning to feel like a poor choice. The temperature had climbed while she was in the infirmary. Over the years, she had grown accustomed to the more oppressive heat in Rhodinar, but it still surprised her from time to time. This morning, it had been barely noticeable. Now that the sun had climbed so high in the sky, she wished she had paid for storage at the Sea Breeze. Especially if Ateo had a long stroll outside in mind.


It also had the added effect of attracting attention. Most people here were dressed in light clothing. She and Ateo stood out like soldiers in a farmyard. He was polite and beyond courteous. Overall, it gave her the impression that he was concerned about how she saw him - or his house. Once upon a time, she had understood that; the rangers had been her family, and she had represented them and King Rowe in her every action. That had been a long time ago, though, and before she had learned of her father’s profession. When he paused, she looked at him curiously. The silence stretched for a moment before she realized that he was awaiting her response.


There was probably an appropriately polite response. All she could think to say was that he didn’t owe her anything, but that seemed a little curt. So she just nodded, her mind still churning on why he was seeking her out. There were no guards waiting with him, so he was probably proposing work. She shifted her shoulders to settle the strap of her quiver back in place before finally responding. “I’m not easily offended, Sir.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“Very well. Now. To the point, or points. First, you were recommended by one of the Baldurso house guards, Bob--or Robert as he’s generally referred to outside of the compound. He said he’d seen you recently and spoke very highly of you. I’ve worked with Bob--Robert, for over 3 years now and I value his word, he was hand picked for the Guard by me, and he said he’d hand pick you.”


For the first time since talking, he averted his gaze, looking at something off in the distance for a moment while starting. “We are looking to hire you, if you are available. There has been an incident with a member of the House and we’re looking for people we can trust to see a task through and people who can be trusted.” He looked back at her now, his gaze boring into her with some degree of judgement, but not in an accusatory manner, it was more of curiosity or the act of trying to get a read on her. If one was very observant, there was also a bit of guilt in his eyes. “Without going more into it, are you available for work, and would you be interested in hearing more? If not, I understand. If the cause is of any concern, I can assure you that this is not the typical case that merchants of Highport go off paying for. I can give you more information if you would like, whatever information you’d require.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

The weight of this man’s gaze bored into her. It wasn’t so much uncomfortable as unfamiliar, reminding her of some of her commanders a long time ago. She purposefully avoided attention when she could, and the combination of his focus and the notice of the passersby provided far more attention than was familiar. Paradoxically, she responded to it. It reminded her of her father, of the scrutiny he always seemed to hold in his eyes and the pressure to live up to the expectations behind that gaze.


As he explained, she nodded. Robert had recommended her. For what? Never good at schooling her expression, her face showed signs of curiosity. The idea that Robert would “hand pick” her set alarm bells off in her mind, but she tried not to show it. Instead, she studied Ateo’s expression and scrutinized his words. He was careful in his language, nearly a politician in his delicacy.


Her gaze left his face briefly to look ahead of them as she considered the options. “I am not sure what Robert told you about me. He and I shared some ale the other night, and he spoke highly of you and your house.” She looked his way at the last, her smile minute and containing just a tinge of hesitation. “But he might have shared that I am very particular in which jobs I take. So yes, I am available. But, assurances aside, I need to know the nature of the job.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“That need for reassurance was one of the reasons that I’m talking to you now. We know little to nothing of each other aside from a few casual words, so now that you’d be at least willing to hear more, let me be candid on a few things.”


His tone and the intensity of his gaze softened slightly as he looked to her. Having got past the initial part of the informal interview, and based on her words and what he heard, he was fairly confident at this point that Tahlia would be signing on for this mission, based solely on the fact that she seemed to be a good person. And not one good person would pass up on this based on the circumstances.


“I am Ateo, as you know. I am Captain of Baldurso’s house Guard. While I know little about you, I know that you are selective and particular about what you do, and that is one thing we have in common immediately. I have served several houses, causes and groups in both Rhodinar and Myrisano and I chose to stay and settle here. Hendrick is a good man, simply put. I cannot say that about any other person I’ve worked for, and not to the degree that I and others will say of him.”


Ateo inhaled deeply and steadied himself before continuing. “I assure you that he and his cause are just but I know that when you hear more, and when you meet him, you’ll rest assured. Now,” he looked around a few times and his voice dropped a few tones lower. “Lord Hendrick’s daughter had gone missing. Several days ago, a trade convoy was attacked and all traveling with it; soldier, trader and commoner alike, were all killed. However, she is gone. They cannot find...evidence of her being there. Lord Hendrick is looking to form a group to go find her, and if they can, who is behind this. The city will not get involved because of the fact that they are saying it’s simply bandits, and that since all members are dead, there is no reason to proceed. They sent out a patrol after and came back with nothing, no tracks or anything. There are also politics involved, but that isn’t a huge concern for you, or myself.”


After a short pause, he looked to Tahlia and studied her, albeit less fiercly as the last time. “Just as all business with Hendrick, he opts to choose people he can trust, people that are not out to make money or attain some level of fame. He wants his daughter found, and he wants people who are in it for the same thing. So. Tahlia. What do you think?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Was this fate? She needed work. “Need” was a relative term: she had enough coin set aside to live comfortably for some time, but she needed purpose. The conversation at the infirmary probably meant she wouldn’t find work there again. Was working for this man and his house a good option? He at least seemed straight-forward, and to hear Robert tell it, working for him was a high honor. Of course, to hear the rest of the town tell it, he was likely to eat her soul at night.


That thought triggered a brief smile - until he mentioned Myrisano. At that word, she nodded and broke his gaze to look ahead once more, her mind wandering briefly along the path of when he had been in Myrisano and for how long. He didn’t look old enough to remember, but then, neither did she.


Suddenly realizing she had stopped listening, she had to take a moment to replay what he had just said in her mind and catch up - just in time to hear his tone drop to a conspiratorial level. Her steps slowed and her expression grew concerned. A blind man could see the concern Ateo had for his employer’s daughter, but she felt it like a weight in her stomach. The pain of it showed in the hardening of her expression and the concern in her eyes.


She should have offered concern or condolences or something… instead, she found her steps had stopped and she faced him directly. “Several days ago, you said? How many days?” She was already thinking of the trail and how quickly it would vanish. Had it rained recently? And what the hell were they waiting for? A perfect group of people to find nothing at all?

~ * ^ * ~

​

“It had been 2 and a half days since. The City Guard and Alliance Militia found a few tracks leaving, but those disappeared and nothing else was found. I was there myself, and all I could get was a sense of direction once the attackers left, but even that could have changed after 100 feet. I think we could find more however. There is also something else.” He took a moment to gather his thoughts and while this didn’t necessarily equate to anything that would make it easier to find her, it was just something he thought was relevant, especially in a city like Highport.


“The nature of this screams out that this caravan was targeted. This area is highly patrolled by both the city guard and the Alliance. It is extremely uncommon for anyone to be attacked this close to the city, during the day, and when heavily armed like they were. Someone planned this and carried it out to perfection, even in making it appear as if nothing was out of the ordinary. And because of that, and the fact that no--that she wasn’t left, I assume she’s alive.” He always desperately hoped and wanted her to be alive, although he wouldn’t say it.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Two and a half days. It would be difficult, but not impossible. That Ateo had visited the site himself and come back since meant it wasn’t far away, either. He wasn’t speaking of this as a cold and calculating captain of the guard. He had to pause repeatedly throughout the conversation, minute corrections and breaths to collect his thoughts. At first, she had not thought much of it, but given how careful he was with his language, that requirement spoke volumes. Her heart went out to him and the girl’s father. It inspired a twinge of something more painful as well, but she shoved that feeling down.


She nodded, following his trail of thought to the most likely (and most palatable) conclusion: kidnapping. Yet he didn’t mention anything about a ransom demand. “I hope you are right.” Tahlia looked over his shoulder at a group of the local militia walking by. How much did they really know about tracking?


She was already thinking as if she had accepted the job. When she looked back to Ateo, she realized belatedly that was the case. She nodded. “Let me know where to be and when.


“But you should know: I won’t kill unless absolutely necessary. I serve as scout and healer. I will defend you and … the group… but…” She stopped short of saying she wasn’t an assassin. “... I aim to disable first whenever possible.” Most reputable people didn’t have an issue with that; she suspected he fell squarely in that category. If nothing else, dead men couldn’t tell them where the girl was being held. But given his reputation, it seemed more important than ever to provide her standard disclaimer. She stood with her shoulders squared, nearly at attention, as she awaited his response - and possibly his orders.

~ * ^ * ~

​

“I appreciate the honesty, but that will not be a problem. I am not looking to pay butchers, nor do I think we’ll have to kill our way to the answer. We need a diverse, capable group. Granted, there will be more others in the group who are more than up to the task.”


He noticed her posture and was slightly amused, and definitely impressed. He was also relieved. Good healers are hard to come by and a large portion of said good healers were bought by houses or simply out seeking money for their abilities. The money was not an issue, not at all. Hendrick was more than capable of paying if necessary. It was that Ateo never wanted someone working for him, or the Baldurso house, because they were getting paid for it. Tahlia was no exception in that.


“So, if all is well to this point, I ask that you meet us at the Baldurso’s home in roughly two hours. Lord Hendrick, myself and his other advisors are going to be meeting a handful of other individuals to select those we think would make a good group. Consider yourself good, as this is the official meeting for you. Hendrick knows he can trust me and the decisions I make. Did you have any other questions for me?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

There were others in the group up to the task. She suspected Ateo was one of them, probably influenced by the rumor about him. But how he carried himself implied a warrior. Two hours didn’t give her much time to rest up or to gather her things. She would have a half a dozen questions: payment being one of them, but it was far down on her list. Would she need a horse? Provisions? She held her tongue on all but one matter, assuming that the rest would be answered in time. Given that he had made a point of finding her and the way he had addressed her when he did, she assumed it would be handled efficiently. There was one thing she needed, however. While she could ask around, that would be declaring her business with the Baldurso house and with him to any who listened.


She cleared her throat as she flinched in mild embarrassment. “Which way is the Baldurso’s home?”

 

[Azseth]

There were four men standing in the room, most sitting behind a large desk. The room was inside the gates of the Baldurso residence which, even in it’s extravagance was relatively modest. The room designated for the interviews was immediately to the left of the entrance and greeting room of the home, with a thick wooden door that right now was open. The men inside differed in many ways; standing with his hand supporting him, was a younger and dressed in clothing that wouldn’t mark him as the cities elite and posh upperclass, but they were fine enough to set him above commoners. The man sitting at the middle of the table was noticeably older than the first, dressed similarly but with a crest on his own shirt that would indicate he was a member of the Baldurso family.


Sitting next to him was man dressed in robes that one could say were “priestly” in nature, although there was no insignia indicating a particular Ascended was favored by him, but he did have a ring that upon closer inspection did indicate he was a member of house Baldurso. He was stern and had while he appeared older, there was a youthful air about him that could almost be felt or seen when looking into his eyes.


The last man was pacing back and forth slowly in a rigid manner. He had swords on both hips and was dressed in worn, plain looking leather armor that was unimpressive in every way, except for the Baldurso insignia on the right shoulder. His hair was long for most men and unlike the men of Highport who fashioned the long hair and generally kept it freeflowing or in pony tails, his was up in a topknot.


The four of them spoke occasionally, mulling over questions or facts in hushed tones and as different as all of the men appeared to be, they all had one thing in common: a serious and almost melancholy mood to them, as none of them smiled or joked.


The seated man, the man appearing to be a lord of some sort jotted a few more notes down and then cleared his throat, saying firmly, “I think we’re ready to begin.” The youngest in the room took a seat so that all but the sword-carrying man were now seated.


The priest nodded, taking a moment to see if the pacing man would sit, and when it became apparent he had no intentions of doing so, he spoke aloud to the dwarf outside of the room. “Joseph. Please invite the first person in.”


Without a word, the steward moved to the door and opened it. “Step inside please.”


~ * ^ * ~


The Baldurso “house” was a sprawling estate behind fortified walls. It smacked of tasteful wealth and influence, and the guards patrolling the grounds highlighted the political animosity among the merchants in Highport. Nataline Silva had spent the last few weeks working the social scene, learning more about the political landscape here: all under the name Liliana Chadwick.


Lily, her latest identity, had made a splash in Bridgemoor. A whirlwind series of jobs (and romances, and lucrative discussions with her new “friends”) had left her well remembered by the majority of the upper crust in the city. She was the one who had taught their young sons and daughters magic; she had charmed the young eligible bachelors - but always within the confines of taste, at least publicly; and she was the life of the party. Most importantly, Lily had become the confidant of the city’s wealthiest matriarch, Georgette Van Cotterill, a widow of middle age who adored throwing parties bigger than the small city of Bridgemoor deserved. While everyone else had poo-pooed the wealthy dowager, “Lily” had encouraged and assisted the woman’s efforts. Soon they had traded in gossip and Georgette’s parties were the talk of the town. And the talk at the parties helped Lily to find the perfect marks.


When Lily announced her departure for Highport, Georgette had thrown the largest party yet. Many of the local men were raising a glass to Lily, glad to see her go before she could spill their secrets. During a tearful goodbye, Lady Van Cotterill provided Lily with written references and demanded she return to visit should she be anywhere within a league of Bridgemoor. Lily promised as she pocketed the credentials.


No one noticed the others who left with Lily. The human Devin Boyle and dwarf Morrut Swordender joined the caravan heading to Highport along with Lily - but she was the only one waving to those who had come to see her off.


A mile out of town, Morrut sat with his axe resting across his knees. The cart bounced along the poorly maintained road, causing the axe to bounce in turn. He had been glancing at Lily periodically, but now he finally spoke in a grumble. “Popular ain’t pretty.” It was a phrase they had used in the past as a warning: growing too popular in her line of work could make for an ugly exit from town.


Nat glanced at him and nodded minutely, acknowledging his statement. But her gaze moved to Devin, speaking casually as if asking about the next town with strangers headed in the same direction. “I hear Highport is full of warring merchant houses. Does anyone know any good gossip?” Her smile was contagious as she looked over the others on the caravan with them. But most of the men looked at the large portion of leg exposed through the long slit in her skirt.


The ride had been useful: she’d learned of many of the houses, especially Lord Hendrick Baldurso’s reputation as a very honest merchant, and his unending success despite several rivals’ attempts to tear him down. There was some sort of big to-do years ago, and apparently he had a nastily effective man serving as House Guard or the like. It had been useful in deciding who to make contact with in Highport, although she had avoided the Baldsuro house if only because they were too critical to leave to chance.


After a few weeks of working the social scene in Highport, the first opportunity had presented itself. Baldsuro was looking for people for a job. She had few specifics: it was a job, not a position, for one, which made it less than ideal, but one had to seize opportunities when they presented themselves. So Nataline had donned a dress with a relatively modest neckline - for her - which meant it still showed off cleavage, but (barely) within the current confines of fashion for the nobility. The fabric was so dark a crimson that it almost appeared black, and the her skirt was gathered at her thigh to show off the brown leather boots declaring she knew how to choose a comfortable but stylish shoe.


She nodded to the dwarf with a soft, “Thank you, Sir,” before stepping inside the room. Her gaze moved over the four men inside, lingering only briefly on the sigil of the house they all shared. As the door was shut behind her, she bowed slightly at the waist in deference to the men who were clearly ready to judge her. She was aware of exactly how this emphasized their view of her breasts, but her expression remained professional and detached.


“My Lords. I am Liliana Chadwick. I hope that I can be of service.”


~ * ^ * ~


Ateo didn’t stop pacing when she entered, nor when she took what he considered an embellished, if not deliberate and intentional bow. It took everything in him to resist a derisive snort. He watched the other two though and Traynt and Derwin were both focused intently on the woman before them. Hendrick studied her openly, but less in the manner of the other two. Ateo was pleased with that, despite noticing that his Lord’s gaze did linger just a bit before beginning. “Lady Chadwick, I hope all is well and you were well received. Normally I am more social than this, but due to the pressing issue of the matters at hand, I am sorry and must cut to the chase so to speak. First, I am Lord Hendrick. I’m assuming you know something about me, but to be honest, my intent is not to bore or try to impress you with lineage or anything of the sort.”


He motioned first to the younger man to his side. “This is my eldest son, Derwin. To my other side, my house mage and advisor Traynt. The man pacing grooves into the ebonwood floors to my left at the moment is Ateo, Captain of my House Guard. Again, short and to the point, we are looking to hire individuals to help with a family matter that I’m not going to discuss at this point. To begin, may we ask you a few questions?”


~ * ^ * ~


Lily was the picture of understanding as Lord Hendrick introduced himself and apologized for his lack of social grace. A good start. She had presented herself appropriately then. She flashed a charmingly bemused and understanding smile as he mentioned his reputation; acknowledging his status without speaking. She nodded to each man in turn before returning her attention to Lord Hendrick. “Understood, my Lord. I am at your disposal.”


Ateo opened his mouth to speak, but Hendrick could almost feel something akin to resentment emanating from his Captain, so he cut him off and asked. “First please tell us about yourself, any credible sources you may have, and then directly, why are you here?”


~ * ^ * ~


Ateo was going to be an issue, she could tell. He was too straight-laced, but then soldiers often were. Nat focused on Lord Hendrick, though. Winning him over would force the other man to fall into line. She nodded and reached into a small satchel at her side, producing a letter as she spoke. “I am a mage, my Lord. I offer tutoring, largely to noble families, and would ideally prefer to acquire a position as a house mage.” She looked to Traynt with a small warm and disarming smile, acknowledging his position and briefly emanating a sense of polite and appropriate envy. Then she looked back to Hendrick, keeping her attention on him. “Of course, one can only take the work that is available, and I have been known to assist with specific tasks, including those requiring…” she glanced at Ateo briefly, “combat - provided I can be of appropriate use.” She stepped forward, offering the paper. “I was most recently at Bridgemoor, and have a letter of reference here from the Lady Georgette Van Cotterill of that city.”


After handing over the letter, she stepped back to a respectful distance, her gaze flitting only once to Ateo before returning to the Lord of the house. She gave him a few moments to look over the letter before continuing, “As for why I am here, I heard that your family was hiring, although the specifics were not shared. You are correct that your reputation is known,” her smile grew bemused again, “and to be honest, if I had my preference, yours is the house I would choose to attend in Highport. So I decided to come and see if I could be of service.”


She glanced at the letter, which raved about her skill not only as a mage but in all things requiring delicacy and diplomacy, and expertly feigned being concerned about whether it was sufficient, “Lady Van Cotterhill did not personally see much of my skill, although she recommended me to teach many of her friend’s children. And I can offer other references if desired. Most recently, I assisted Lord Larocque in acquiring a… lost item… shortly after arriving in Highport.” The corners of her mouth tugged briefly downward. Lord Larocque had required assistance finding “lost” household items - largely small jewels and silver - and she had found the culprit. While it was an excellent way to establish herself as a reputable servant to the nobility, it did require turning in a fellow thief. The culprit had turned out to be a poor servant girl who, when confronted, wailed about her mother being ill. For her part, Nat had been glad to discover it was just a stupid servant and not a member of the Midnight Legion. That made the job clean; no need to frame someone else when the thief didn’t belong to a guild. For today, though, she would play the part of a contrite servant who did not wish to divulge her employer’s affairs.


She looked at Derwin, then back to his father, her brow furrowing slightly in concern as she continued to note the tension in the room. This wasn’t some trifling affair. None of the men had returned her smiles, and the Captain looked ready to pounce. Something was seriously wrong. She continued in a softer tone, allowing a hint of concern to lace each word, “Although, if you’ll pardon me for saying so, my Lord, even a general theme would assist me to effectively highlight how I might assist. I am moderately gifted in elemental spells, but my profession calls for balance in all things, and - ” she actually managed a blush as she continued, “if you will forgive a bit of immodesty on my part, I do not know which of my skills to emphasize without some guidance as to the problem to be solved.” Her hands had been in motion for some of her explanation, providing emphasis or simply small, slow and graceful motion as she spoke. Now she clasped them together before her, resting them on her skirt as she awaited the next question or her dismissal. She felt she had played it right, but she had spoken truth: without knowing what they needed, it was hard to cast herself in the perfect light. Plus, with all four men in the room, and Sir Pace-A-Lot prowling to one side, she didn’t have time for her usual tactics.


~ * ^ * ~


Ateo stopped pacing almost on time with her thought and stared at her. Perhaps he was coincidence, but he stared at her almost as if he had heard the mental slight. He didn’t seem to care or even acknowledge the paper as the other 3 glanced it over. Traynt looked up on occasion as she spoke however, nodding and listening. Hendrick handed the paper over to his son and looked back up. “We’ll have a few more questions before answering that outright, and I apologize again for the need for secrecy but there are many other entities out in Highport that would pay for any information on us and while I will not say that I do not trust you, I will say that I do not know you. Briefly, the house matter I mentioned earlier is tracking down someone of great importance to the family.” Hendrick did his best not to indicate it was a family member because even that in an of itself would be worth money to others. He tried to be casual, but not make it evident he was hiding something as important as the potential kidnapping, or worst case scenario a death, of his only daughter.


Before she had a chance to reply, Traynt spoke up next. “Lady Liliana, what we are looking for is broad question. It isn’t one thing, but essentially we’re looking for a well rounded group able to work cohesively. Immediately, your social graces could be an asset and the fact that, according to you and your references, can hold your own is very desirable.”


He opened his mouth, obviously about to continue when Ateo spoke up finally. “Are you...comfortable being out and about, camping and dealing with that sort of thing? And what exactly would you classify as your school of magic, or magical area of expertise?” While he cut in blatantly and outwardly appeared to be anxious, he kept the tone of his voice calm and tactful. When he interrupted, both Darwen and Hendrick looked over at him with some form of concern but breathed a metaphorical sigh of relief when he didn’t attack the woman.


~ * ^ * ~


Nat graced Hendrick with a small but genuine smile as he spoke of trust. His reputation cast him as a shrewd businessman. He would be a fool to trust her with too much information, and she took no offense. In fact, she was pleased to hear at least part of his reputation was true. She focused on this instead of the intense scrutiny Ateo was paying her. She wouldn’t bother to hide her thoughts on him: she could tell at first glance he wasn’t the sort to brook placating lies. She wouldn’t insult him with them, mostly because it wasn’t in her interest. He might follow Lord Baldurso’s lead, but he wouldn’t be in this room if his opinion weren’t of value.


Traynt had been her larger concern; she was being truthful, in her own way, but he might have detected the largest lie: her name. Lily was the name she had adopted most recently, and that skirted most attempts to detect deception, but it could have made things awkward. Instead, he complimented her. She nodded to him, politely awaiting the opportunity to reply when Ateo cut in. She locked gazes with him, her head canted slightly to her right, and nodded. If he was asking that sort of question, this was going well. “I admit I am accustomed to comfort, but I can forego it without complaint. I would not slow a search down, nor ask for special treatment.” She looked to Lord Hendrick, “You are wise, my Lord, to keep your matters private, and I take no offense. Much of what I have studied deals in illusion and … if you’ll forgive my being blunt, I have personally witnessed attempts to leverage information among the nobility.” She paused only a heartbeat, the thought of her father surfacing briefly.


She looked back to Ateo as she continued. He was the one with the most direct question, and she would not dodge it for long. “I have studied with varied schools in my efforts to be able to teach others. But my passion lies in the subtler arts. Illusion, and achieving a goal without setting the house on fire, so to speak.” For a moment, her mouth twitched into a smirk as she continued. “Fireballs are effective, but leave damage - and evidence - in their wake. My patrons to date have required more … discreet… service. As with Lord Larocque.” She looked back to Hendrick, her expression softening. “I should clarify that the spells I used in that instance were tied to objects, not people. And they are not perfect, but they might assist, if we could get within range of the person sought and that person had a unique item on him - or her - self.”


~ * ^ * ~


Ateo stared at her somewhat blankly as she answered as if that was the response he’d have expected, which it was. He was trying to prod and pry albeit subtly. Maybe later he’d make mention of if, perhaps even apologize, but Ateo was big on the idea that trust must be earned. It was his job to protect the Baldurso house and that did not always mean to worry about swords or physical violence. That was only a small concern in Highport. While Ateo didn’t play that game or engage in it, that did not mean that he did not need to know enough about that aspect to combat it.


At this point, Derwin leaned over and whispered something to his father. His father raised an eyebrow and even at the distance, Ateo’s lips curled up into what one would almost call the beginning of a potential smile. Oddly enough, the son turned to Ateo as if seeking approval to which he only nodded. When Derwin spoke, his voice was quiet at first, almost meek, but it was solid and picked up in confidence and volume as he went on. “Lady, I have a question. I understand that you’ve taught, and you’ve worked with children and been paid to do things, but I haven’t heard anything about you working with others, or under them. How are you in that scenario? Do you follow orders well? How would you react to being ordered to do something that perhaps was not the order you would give if you were in charge?” Derwin looked at her as he spoke, but it was obvious he had to focus on keeping his eyes on hers and his cheeks gained a slight shade of pink, so light it was hardly visible.


~ * ^ * ~


Nataline studied the dynamics between the men. Hendrick was clearly in charge, although the men all clearly feared Ateo - or perhaps his temper. Interesting. If Ateo’s gaze was meant to unsettle her, she showed no sign of it. Her spine remained straight and her voice even as she answered, although her gaze clearly took in everything about these men and their interactions. She caught Derwin’s glance to the warrior, and gave a patient smile when he spoke. His question was astute, and she nodded as he finished, as if proud of a pupil.


Under other circumstances, she might have teased him about how well she could take orders - or give them, if needed, but this wasn’t the time or place. Her chin dipped ever so slightly downward as she held his gaze, carefully giving him her full attention and the respect his question was owed. If it helped to increase the color in his cheeks, all the better to her mind. She would just be very careful not to allow her pleasure at his reaction to show in any form. “You are correct, Lord Derwin, that I have often worked by myself, or been in charge of my own destiny, as it were. But I have worked with mercenary parties, assisted caravans while travelling, and taken on other tasks that require working closely with others. Truthfully, I am more experienced in the nuances of society than the mercenary life. But I can and will take direction as required. Only a fool will argue when lives are on the line.”


She raised a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear before continuing. “I should add that I will not follow blindly. It is not in my nature to hold my tongue.” She glanced down at the floorboards briefly, shaking her head. “Perhaps it would be easier if it were… but…” she looked back up again, but this time it was to Ateo, then Hendrick. “If you are seeking a tool with no mind, seek elsewhere. I chose my profession because I could not stand sitting on divans listening to others debate with no expectation that I have a thought in my head. I know when to hold my tongue - but I also will not hesitate to use it.” She looked to Lord Hendrick. “To the best advantage of my employer, of course.”


~ * ^ * ~


Ateo smirked and when he spoke next it was the closest thing to a compliment that he'd give Nat, albeit indirectly. "Sound familiar Derwin? I told you, swords and words are both weapons separated by but a letter. And just like a sword, there is a time and place to use the tongue, and others where other tools are best utilized." Hendrick looked from Ateo to Derwin, who simply nodded at the captain. Then the four men looked at one another, silently asking if there are any questions to which not one of them said or motioned to indicate that they did. Hendrick looked at Ateo, nodded and said “Ateo, please?”


Ateo nodded slightly and said a few words quietly as he reached into a pocket and dropped what looked like pieces of a leaf or some green plant onto the floor. When Ateo spoke next, everything spoken by the four men would be inaudible to anyone outside of a small sphere dictated by the spell inflection and contents dropped to the floor. “Done my Lord.”


The merchant leaned back in the chair, but was careful to keep his lips at an angle so that they could not be read--something that was a commonplace in Highport. He gave a quick snort. "Words? Swords? Sometimes you frighten me Ateo, it's like you work magic with your words." Ateo smirked slightly simply replied "rightfully so my Lord."


The Merchant looked at his priest. “Traynt, thoughts?”


“Simply put my Lord, see no reason to deny her and, in fact, think that her social graces may be a benefit. I hope you take no offense in saying so Ateo, but you are not the most tactful or mindful person when it comes to social situations. Someone with a more guarded and silky tongue may be a good thing.”


Ateo only nodded, not being offended in the least. While Ateo could be that person, it wasn’t a job requirement and he didn’t feel the need for it in most cases, especially when talking to individuals who thought themselves more important than they really were--at least to Ateo.


Hendricks spoke next, clearing his throat. “I say we hire her. She comes highly recommended, seems as if her skills may aid us and worst case scenario, we succeed, pay her and realize we shouldn’t have. I can deal with paying money, I’d rather do that and be sure we get Dahl back than find out in hindsight we should have done something different. Son?”


“I think she looks--uh, I think she’s fine. I mean, in terms of what she brings to the party. Or grope--group, not sure what term to use.” He opened his mouth while blushing more heavily now, but shut it and took a drink of water, tapping his hands on the table to indicate he was finished.


The three looked at Ateo now and he moved his back to the woman to speak with them. “I am outvoted, so it doesn’t matter. But I don’t know about her. Any woman who uses her tits, or man who uses his...assets, along with magic to get what they desire, I do not… I shy away from. However, her words and social know how could benefit the mission, and I am not ignorant of that. Last, if she is well versed in her arts, I’d say it would be better to have her employed here than it would be to have her employed against us. Even though her words are what I’d call standard issue, I see nothing about her demeanor that tells me she is lying. Derwin. Eyes up,” he finished with a small joke that elicited a small chuckle from the other two men and a deeper blush from Derwin. “Anything further?”


Again the only answer was silence, so he nodded, said one word aloud and then when the next words were spoken, they were heard by the woman. “I apologize for that, but, I’m sure you’re no fool and understand.” Hendricks nodded to her and held his hand out to his left where there was a door that was not there moments ago. “Please step through the door and have a seat. I’m going to assume that for the travels, you’ll be changing into something more appropriate, but please wait until we give word that all of you are free to go. Of course, you will be by yourself until the next hire, so please be patient. There are trays of food and drink and comfortable seats for you while you wait. Do you have any questions for us?” He assumed “what do I get paid” would be one.


~ * ^ * ~


Informing them of her headstrong nature had been a calculated risk. Some employers didn’t want to hear that anyone would speak up, but the fact that Hendrick had surrounded himself with advisors as part of the interview process told her that he valued others’ opinions. Not everyone’s opinion, of course, but some. And she could tell that Ateo was a hard sell. Promising to blindly follow orders would be a mistake down the line.


Then it was time to wait. As Ateo pulled out the leaves, genuine curiosity sparked in her eyes for the first time. It was subtle but definitely present. He wasn’t just a swordsman, then. Interesting. The spell itself was as familiar as her own skin, and she smiled to see them use it. It wasn’t often she got to see it from the outside; usually only during guild business, and she avoided that whenever possible. So she looked over the room as she waited patiently. Only Derwin’s response caught her eye - that and the fact that Ateo turned his back when he spoke at the end.


Then they cancelled the effect. She caught the subtle pop that signaled as much. Whether it was the release of air or some other side effect was a matter of debate among some mages. She didn’t care much. Looking to Hendrick as he spoke, she dipped her head in polite thanks for his trust - and the job. The new door was a nice trick and told her that Traynt had his own talents; not surprising.


She nodded at his question. “Thank you, my Lord. I appreciate the opportunity.”


Taking a small breath, she made no move for the door as of yet. “I sense that time is of the essence, so I will attempt to keep my questions to a minimum and trust that all else will be settled as matters proceed.” Her fingers brushed her skirt before she continued, glancing to Ateo, “I presume that Sir Ateo will be leading the group.” Despite her use of the word, there was no indication that she had caught Derwin’s earlier slip. “... and that we will be leaving shortly, based on your preparations for forming the team. Assuming that I am correct on both counts, my only questions center around expected duration of engagement and the indelicate matter of payment.”


She held a hand up toward them, palm out to postpone any immediate replies. “I will offer this much: I am fully aware that trust is earned, and - if you’ll pardon my saying so - can tell that this is a matter of not only delicacy but personal importance to all of you.” She stood a little taller, which had the effect of pressing the corset portion of her dress tighter against her breasts as she did so. “My typical rate for supporting mercenary groups is a silver a day.” It was a high but not exorbitant amount. If she wasn’t lying, the fact that she could command that much in payment said more about her skill than the letter or any other recommendation could. “But in the spirit of our new friendship, I will offer to work for half that rate - or, if this is to be an extended engagement, we can discuss a flat sum for the entire effort.” She paused a beat. “Please understand, as I said when you first asked my intent, I hope to serve your household beyond just this endeavor. If you find my services of use, of course.” Both her eyebrows lifted as she looked to Hendrick. “Is this acceptable, my Lord?”


~ * ^ * ~


Traynt and Ateo both lost interest when the issue of pay came up as it was not their place in the group or the house in general to deal with such things. Derwin looked to his father and when his father simply stared back at him with a raised eyebrow, it became apparent to Derwin that his father was waiting for him to answer the question. Derwin looked down at the table at some notes he’d written, clearing his throat slightly as he read, trying to keep his head down to hide the fact that his cheeks reddened slightly at the sudden attention. Oddly enough, what affected him the most and made him most selfconscious was Ateo, because despite his look of casual disinterest, Derwin knew better.


He’d made it a point to speak to both his father and Ateo about joining the house guard to some capacity, and while Ateo thought it a great idea, Hendrick was not so easily sold. At that point, Ateo told Derwin two things. The first was that he needed to convince his father that it wasn’t something that the boy simply wanted to do, some momentary thing or decision based on the immediate desire. Convince him he was capable and there would be a benefit to it that outweighed the potential danger. Also, Ateo said that at this point, he would always be watching Derwin and assessing him, just as he would any man attempting to join the guard. He stressed to the eldest son that if he thought he would be allowed to join simply because of his name, he had another thing coming. Derwin had noticed before that when a new member was admitted to the Guard, either Ateo or Endarion would be gone for several days and to his credit, he deduced (correctly) that they went to spend time looking further into the background of new members. This was only cemented as fact in his head because there were a few times when that new member was dismissed upon their return with little or no talk of it.


With his father’s eyes directly on him, while Ateo was paying attention indirectly, Derwin finally spoke up. “We will pay you 5 silver for the first 7 days of service and a silver every other day there after. The 5 silver will be paid upfront if you desire or all can be collected after, that will be your decision.” He also assumed it was a done deal since he essentially offered to pay her beyond her request, and comparable to what she’d normally ask. Hendrick smiled genuinely, for the first time, and quipped "Lady Lilly, do not fret to speak to me of money. I'm a damned merchant. It's what we talk about as easily as we breathe."


Derwin did look up at Nat the entire time and although his youth and inexperience could be seen in him, he was also assertive and confident, speaking with calmness and not in a way that screamed “we’ll pay you this amount and that is the end of it.” Both he and Hendrick looked at her but Ateo interjected before she had a chance to answer. “Please step through the door and be patient. Anything you’ll need immediately is there, please let the attendant know if something is needed. Also let them know how you’d like your pay handled and they’ll get with our coinsman.” He moved to open the door for her, holding it open for her to enter.

 

[Erica]

Once she arrived, it seemed obvious. The Baldurso estate stood apart for the other houses in the residential area. After asking around, she learned that not all merchants lived in the same ward of Highport. Although a few of the lesser merchants’ houses clustered together throughout the city, the larger houses each claimed their own domain, with other houses gathered about them like children at a festival market’s pastry cart.


The grounds themselves were well kept and even better guarded. Every one of the men she saw on duty appeared alert and more than capable. Robert had implied Sir Ateo was extremely selective: this backed up that claim. One of the house guards greeted her at the gates; apparently they had been expecting callers of all kinds. She ignored his surprised expression at her appearance. It wasn’t entirely rare for women to don armor, but it wasn’t exactly common either. “You here for the job?”


“Yes. Um… I’m Tahlia Winters,”she said. “Sir Ateo told me to report here…” Her voice trailed off into hesitancy as she looked at the house ahead. The guard exchanged a quick glance with another young guard standing by the door.


The second man checked a list before nodding to his companion. He waved her forward. “Follow me, Miss.” She only paused a beat at the irony of him addressing her as “miss” before stepping forward and into the Baldurso home.


Merchants’ houses possessed understated opulence, focused on convenience and only a hint of displaying their wealth. The Baldurso’s house fit cleanly within this pattern. While she had lived among far greater opulence in Myrisano, it had been a while since she had taken anything but a caravan job. The difference in the lifestyle of the varying classes always fascinated her for some reason. Her eyes roamed the halls, taking in paintings and furniture as the guard spoke quietly, “Sir Ateo said you would be coming. You’ll be interviewing with the rest. There are others waiting already. It shouldn’t be long.” He glanced her way, looking her over and nodding toward the sizeable quiver on her back. “What’s your skill anyway? Archer?”Apparently the list hadn’t indicated why she was here or anything else about her; only her name.


Tahlia glanced at him, debating between a sarcastic answer and silence. She didn’t want to offend him, but if Sir Ateo hadn’t shared why she was here, should she? Surely the guards knew the daughter of the house was missing. How much did they know of the plan to rescue her? She opened her mouth to speak when another man stepped around the corner, briefly startling her.


“She’s a fair shot, when she actually chooses to use that bow… and a damned good healer to boot. Saved my sword arm a while back.” He was a tall man with olive skin, a messy tangle of black hair, and an easy smile. His barrel chest and strong arms made his height all the more imposing, although his naturally chubby cheeks lent him the appearance of youth despite the first hints of grey in his hair. His dark eyes twinkled as he stepped closer to them and addressed Tahlia. “I see Ateo found you.” He looked at the other guard with a nod. “I’ll see her from here, Tyree.” Tyree nodded to them both before moving back toward his original post. When he was gone, Robert motioned down the hall.


Tahlia donned a self-conscious smile as they fell into step side by side. The familiar feeling of awkwardness settled over her. “I guess I owe you one, Robert.”


They didn’t have far to go. Up ahead, mercenaries of all flavors stood in the hall. Some chatted with each other. A few laughed loudly at what she presumed were raunchy jokes. Almost all of them were male, although she caught the sight of a dark colored skirt swishing into a room at the end of the hall before the doors closed. Robert slowed his steps and turned to face her. “Yes, you do," he teased. "But it’s not much. I wouldn’t have recommended you if I didn’t think you were up for the task. Especially this one. Ateo takes every mission seriously, and this one…”


She nodded quickly, her expression filled with concern for the missing girl. “He told me.”


A flash of something - Curiosity? Surprise? - flitted across Robert’s face before he continued with a small smile. “You told him you were picky, didn’t you?”


A couple of the waiting applicants closest to them glanced their way. She shrugged, resolving to avoid any detail with so many ears listening. “I can’t help it if I have morals. Unlike some people.” She smiled, meaning it as a joke about their prior long-standing debates on how much wine was too much when on the job. It didn’t come across the right way, though, for his smile faded into something tight and false. The awkwardness settled around her again like a worn cloak. She shook her head and tried to change the topic to divert them from her failed attempt at humor. “Do you have any tips on working with him?”


Robert glanced past the other mercenaries to the door. “Don’t piss him off.” His easy smile returned at that, and there was a beat where Tahlia could practically hear his thoughts. So maybe you’re best to stay quiet. “He’s a good man. Strict, but fair.” Patting Tahlia on the shoulder, he offered a comforting smile. “You’ll be fine. I need to get back on duty, but I wish you luck with the mission. We all do.”


Tahlia nodded, thanking him quietly before assuming her place in the line. A few men glanced her way, eying her armor and bow. She met gazes where necessary but settled in for a wait in silence. Even if she talked with the mercenaries outside, she was resolved to keep her answers brief and straight-forward inside the room. Sir Ateo had said she already had the job, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t find some way to blow it. 
Maldune nodded to the few guards he passed as he entered the compound. He’d given his name and surrendered all weapons and magical devices at the gate since he had never been on the grounds nor was he invited. He didn’t mind in the least as everything he heard about the Baldurso family and their guards indicated there should be little trouble and less chance of his items growing legs and walking off. He made his way to the domicile and sighed at the heat. It wasn’t extremely hot but the humidity was oppressive at times, which was a drastic difference from where he was raised and also seemed to clash with his genetic predisposition that had him gravitate towards the cold. It didn’t matter much because he could cast a few spells to help if it became a serious enough issue.


He walked up the steps and reflected on his thoughts and the past few months he’d spent in Highport. To one who’d associated with other Merchant houses, it was interesting that the Baldurso’s were often laughed at in terms of their luxuries. Other houses had statues of themselves, grand fountains and other material possessions to make it known that they had money. While to someone off the street, or someone new to the city, the Baldurso home would be seen as extravagant or luxurious, it seemed more practical than anything to Maldune. Since arriving here, he had heard lots of things about the various Merchant Lords here, and the Baldursos were no exception. The main difference seemed to be that most houses held them in some form of negative regard, and the truth of the matter was that this alone drew him in once he heard of potential work. His exposure to other houses and working with them taught him an important thing: most of what they said about others were half-truths at best, mixed with rumors, embellishments and half-lies, and he was the type of person who wanted to form opinions based on his experiences and not those of someone who had reasons to lie or persuade.


That, and he was downright curious. Having had somewhat of a sheltered, albeit wholesome, upbringing, he wasn’t exposed to many people outside of his commune, so now he thoroughly enjoyed meeting people and assessing them based on the things he had experienced in his travels. Cities were amazing to him, so full of people and interactions and small little social circles within the city itself. There were days he spent simply watching people and how they acted, or talking with an individual for hours for no reason other than to learn.


But today, he was not looking to watch or converse, he was looking for work. He stepped up onto the stairs and had a quick conversation with a dwarf who asked his name and what he was here for. When asked to spell his name, Maldune noted that as he spoke, a human off to the side wrote down on a piece of paper while the dwarf simply listened. To a fellow mage, a few things stood out and those things made him raise a brow curiously, and also gave him a bit more respect for the security of the Baldurso family. The paper itself looked extremely high quality and while he dared not attempt a spell to detect magic, it was more obvious when the woman wrote on the paper, because it gave off a barely perceptible shimmer. Maldune had seen this spell before, it linked 2 or more sheets of paper so that one could write on one piece and that would appear on several other sheets. This allowed information to be shared, and in this case the information was who was showing up, most likely to ensure that no potential mercenaries didn’t show up at the spot they were designated to be.


He smirked to himself as the dwarf opened the door to allow him entry. Inside, it was cooler, but not overboard. Comfortable, as if they were simply standing in shade on a hot day. There were dozen or so other people lined up and waiting. Several of them he had either seen or worked with in the past but none had any form of relationship that merited anything more than a nod his way. There were conversations, joking and a few individuals sizing each other up as was something not uncommon among mercenaries or swords for hire, but all in all it seemed quiet. It wasn’t like those who hired out of taverns, or camps or anything of that nature.


As he got to his place, he moved and let one of the house Guards by after he’d ended a conversation with a female, wishing her luck as he walked off. Maldune had nodded to the man as he passed with a slight nod in reply. After that, he was left to his own devices and he looked around casually. Naturally, his attention fell on the woman in front of him as she was simply the nearest person to him. He could see she was somewhat tense, maybe guarded so he took a moment, debating on what to say initially before realizing he was thinking entirely too hard on the subject. He moved to be slightly in her few, but not in front of her to the point he was intrusive and he decided on a simple introduction. “Good day, since you were about to ask, I am Maldune Kartain. Pleased to make your acquaintance…” He let the last part hang out there, indicating to her that she could either introduce herself, or simply tell him to get lost.


Among the armored, more lethal looking warriors and mercenaries, Maldune stood out about as much as Tahlia except where as she was a woman among men, he was a cloth wearing, hooded (although it was not up at the moment) man who when being looked at, almost screamed out “I’ll cast magic at you!” At the moment, he was clean shaven and had a younger look to him along with just a youthful air about him, evident in the way he walked, stood, smiled and even when and how he spoke to people. That disarming, seemingly genuine smile was on his face now as he waited for a reaction, curious to see what would come about.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia had started looking over the other men in line, noting belatedly the lack of weapons among them. Perhaps that was why they looked her over. She had a longsword in addition to her bow and quiver, which made her one of the most armed people in the hallway aside from the guards. When she turned back, she saw a man had come up behind her. She had heard that much while talking with Robert, but now the man was stepping into her line of sight.


Her initial impression was mixed. He seemed to have a kind smile, but she knew from experience that the kindest smiles could hide the darkest intents. He was also obviously a magic user of some sort, whereas most of the men ahead looked like sellswords or scribes. Her returned smile was clumsy and a bit tenuous, but she did return it, however belatedly. She nodded to him, debating momentarily whether to offer her hand. “Tahlia,” she offered. Her voice was soft, perhaps partly because she was attempting to avoid too much attention. “Tahlia Winters.”


He seemed to be studying her intently, which was probably normal, but she had never been good at meeting new people. Still, she could weather one-on-one conversations much better than a group chat, so she turned her back to the others in the hallway to face Maldune more directly. “I assume you’re here for the job…” As was often the case, her speech trailed off into uncertainty.

~ * ^ * ~

​

He smiled trying to speak and make her feel a bit less awkward, but instead of answering directly, he went on about something else. “Speaking of, I was visiting Winterhaven for the first time and my ward was telling me about city folk and their different mentalities. He said, and I’m not sure if it’s true, but it makes for interesting thought, that city folk will stand in long lines under the assumption that, if so many people standing around in a line, it must be something important.”


He looked around, a few of the other man snorting at him derisively--which served them right for eavesdropping in his mind. As he looked back at her and continued, “but I’m not here for sweet cakes or anything of the sort, I am indeed here looking for work.” He debating making a comment about the fact that that should have been obvious, but he opted not too. His sarcasm often got him in trouble with people he knew to some degree, let alone someone he had just met. He decided on a more common question to follow up with. “Are you from around Highport Lady Winters?” He debated asking her if she was a bastard, but some people took offense to that. Names like Winters, Shields, Sky and the sort had a tendency to be bastard names given out seemingly at random.

~ * ^ * ~

​

His observation wasn’t far off. It was true of people in general. Her father had once told her that people enjoyed being told what to do, no matter how much they complained about it. Sure, they protested the rules and their “betters”, but left to their own devices, most would take to killing each other off over the last turkey leg. The memory was bittersweet, but it triggered a more genuine smile as he said it.


And then came the question. It was harmless to most, but she had to be careful how to answer it. Her voice still held the faintest tinge of a Myrisano accent, so she couldn’t avoid it entirely, but she tried not to tie herself to that realm if possible. So she provided the answer she had given since arriving in Rhodinar, but not before she chuckled. “I am far from a lady, but thank you for the assumption, Sir Maldune.” It was a poor attempt at teasing, but she was trying her best. “I am from a small town south of Hillcrest. Newbrook.” She waved a hand as if to dismiss any follow up questions. “No one’s heard of it, so don’t worry if you haven’t.” In fact, she had chosen it for its obscurity - and the fact that a plague had wiped everyone out a couple of decades back. There was no one left to dispute her claim that her parents had left Myrisano and settled there years ago.


She glanced around at the others. The snorts his joke had earned implied their conversation was being listened to. That led her to quickly conclude that she wanted to keep the conversation off of herself. “I don’t mean to assume, but… you’re a magic user?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“I am many things, and a man who is one with magic is one of them. Trivial as it may sounds, I am of a school that doesn’t like to say they ‘use’ magic. Anyway, Newbrook. I was there many moons ago as a boy with my father. Many indeed.” He took a moment to think, staring at her with a furrowed brow. “Hardly remember anything of it to be truthful, and from what I heard it is mostly abandoned for years now, a plague or sorts. Speaking of plagues, illnesses and other things equally...displeasurable, did you know that I’ve never once been sick?”


He wasn’t going anywhere with this, it was just him rambling on. Truth of the matter was that, depending on how you look at it, he was sick, and has only had one illness since, but many considered lycanthropy magic and not an actual disease. Personally, he didn’t care one way or the next. “Depending on how one looks at that, one could say I’m extremely fortunate. I tend to be of that thought path myself.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia glanced down when he made his minor correction of her wording. Magic users - or spell casters, or mages, or clerics, or … well, every school had their own name for it - they could be prickly and it wasn’t a good idea to get on his bad side at the onset in case he was chosen for the job. While she debated whether to apologize, he saved her from herself, rambling onto the next topic, which was, quite unfortunately, that he had been to Newbrook. What were the odds?


Keeping her gaze down, she nodded solemnly, hoping that she wouldn’t have to go into any further detail. Thankfully, he delivered again. When he said he had never been sick, her expression lit up with genuine curiosity for the first time. She even took a minute step toward him. “Really? No illnesses of any kind?” Her mind spun for a moment. Her mother had said that her gift was unique, but there was so little information on Nephilim. To her knowledge, she had never met one, but how would she know? She didn’t exactly announce it herself, and she hadn’t even known her true nature until everything went south in Myrisano.


“Why do you think that is?” She retracted her small step forward, a hint of color touching her cheeks before she added, “I am a healer, among other things,” she added with a wry smile, attempting to show that she had been listening to him earlier. “I have met some that are highly resistant to illness.” Her voice dropped in volume enough to avoid attention without summoning it with due to the sudden change to a whisper. “I, myself, am among them.” Her gaze searched his briefly, looking for some spark of recognition before she continued. “... and the question as to why one gets ill when others survive has always fascinated me.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“A healer huh? I lack sorely in that area, I’ve dabbled but am just competent enough to look after myself after the fact with minor issues.” He looked around for a second and when he spoke he moved a bit closer, not close enough to impose on her personal space, and when he did speak, his tone was a bit lower than before and low enough so that someone would have to be trying very hard to hear him aside from her. “I’ve been told it’s because I have a monster inside of me.” He said it with an amused smirk and mischievous light in his eyes. He moved back and then looked at her again, leaning up on the wall now and as he opened his mouth to say something.


Before he could however, he was interrupted by the door opening, followed by a man who stormed out, his face red with either rage or embarrassment, or maybe a mix of both. He made a beeline to the door, cursing quietly and angrily about “godamned merchant” and some comment about “Ateo can go screw himself.” He slammed the door and as he moved to storm out, didn’t look down and walked headlong into the dwarf, sending both of them sprawling. More curses could be heard before the door closed, which had a few of the men laughing.


“Ah, Ateo. I haven’t had the pleasure, or displeasure of meeting him, but word around the campfire seems to be one or the other. He either is a miniature Ascended or a thieving murderer. I guess we’ll find out shortly.” He turned from her, seeming about to say something of no real substance when his head snapped back towards her, his face animated as he spoke excitedly. “But yes. I don’t get sick, monster and what not,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “I’ll tell you what, if you get hired with me, I’ll go more into it, but it’s not a story for the current time.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

It was a relief that Maldune claimed no proficiency in healing. He was growing on her, and she would have hated to be the one taking his potential slot. (She wouldn’t offer her position, of course, but she would feel bad about it.) When he spoke of a monster, she leaned toward him instinctively, her brow furrowing in another round of curiosity and only a tinge of disappointment. He wasn’t a Nephilim, but perhaps there was something interesting to explore - if they were both hired.


When the man stormed out of the room, her hand fell to her sword hilt out of habit. She watched him go, and even hid a smile as he collided with the dwarf. When Maldune started talking about Ateo, her hand fell to her side as she began “He’s…” before he cut her off. She nodded to him, “Fair enough. I wouldn’t expect your life story, nor do I share mine in hallways littered with miscreant sellswords.” She glanced over her shoulder at the man ahead of them in line who had clearly been listening to everything that he could easily overhear. The man scratched his bearded chin with a dirty thumbnail before shrugging.


When she returned to Maldune, she spoke more quietly. “I met Ateo, briefly, earlier.” She shrugged. “He did not strike me down or steal my purse, so I think you’re safe. He did come across as a quick study and a …” she paused looking for the right word, “... serious judge of character.” Looking down the hall where the dwarf was now returning to the hallway, still brushing himself off, she smirked. “I wasn’t in the room, of course, but… I suspect he made the right call there.”


When she looked back at him, she paused, “For what it’s worth, I hope that we do end up working together. So… if not healing magic, then … combat related?” She stopped herself by briefly biting her lower lip, considering it a sign of growth that she stopped herself from adding that combat would suited to a monster.

~ * ^ * ~

​

He chuckled at the whole thing, a bit louder than everyone else because that’s just how he carried himself. If something was funny, there was no need to play down that fact. He waved his hand as if brushing away gnats before saying “I tend to avoid taking what others say for face value unless I trust them and their intelligence. Most people are a bit too simple and easily swayed. I prefer to believe what my eyes see and not what I hear others may have seen.”


He leaned his entire back on the wall now and put on foot up against it, crossing his arms over his chest casually. “Meh, mayhaps. I consider myself a jack of all trades if you will. I can hold my own with blades, I can cast well enough, I can brawl and shoot a bow. But if I had to pick one side of the die to describe myself, I’d be more along the lines of a combat mage and augment. My people trained me to be one with the earth. Despite my impeccable, flawless appearance,” he gave a knowing smile to hopefully make it known he was being sarcastic, “I do not mind the earth and dirt. And the earth can protect and shield you, give you strength. Or it can smash you, maybe swallow you up and break your bones. So it is.”


Another man stepped out of the room at this point and he was in just as much of a hurry as the first man, just with a lot less huffing, puffing and drama. Maldune found himself wondering if this was going to be a trend, and if it was, it that spoke positively or negatively about how this would transpire. “Oh, and speaking of formalities and titles,” which no one was, “please do not call me sir. I’m no knight, nobleman, nor am I of any importance. Maldune or Mal would suffice, if it please you.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia cleared her throat once when he mentioned not taking anyone else’s opinion at face value. Perhaps she should not have offered her thoughts on the man. Not that they were much at all; she had only met him once. Then again, he had left an impression.


His description of earth magic made her smile. His words echoed those of some of her first instructors in magic, when they were attempting to figure out where she was best suited. Her skills included amplifying the traits of others - augmenting them, in her own way - but they weren’t tied to one element. She tended to think of everything in terms of healing first, of making a body whole; or, in this case, more than whole.


When the next man stepped out, she watched him walk down the hall. Everyone did, even as they shuffled slowly forward in line. But the woman with the dark skirts hadn’t emerged. Interesting. Were they partial to women? Or was there just another exit? The way Sir Ateo spoke, they needed a diverse team. Maybe the men so far simply didn’t have the skills required to bring the Lord’s daughter back home. Musing on this, she half heard Maldune’s last statement and nodded. “Mal it is. And Tahlia is fine with me. I’ve never been comfortable with titles.” That wasn’t exactly true. She had loved her status as a ranger and basked in the privilege of serving the royal family and the realm, but that had been a lifetime ago. Since then, she had learned the hard way that allegiance should be earned by deed rather than title alone.


While Maldune leaned against the wall, she remained fairly rigid in her stance; relaxed but with a straight back. He had her full attention, but she did turn her face to keep the other men in her peripheral vision. “There was at least one person who entered when I arrived. She hasn’t come out. So … perhaps it’s good news that others are leaving? It will give you a chance to present yourself before the available positions are filled.” Arriving at the house, she had assumed that she required no interview. Now she was beginning to wonder, even as she spoke to Maldune about his chances, were hers at risk? How would she handle knowing that the girl was missing if she wasn’t able to assist in securing her return?


To distract herself from her sudden fit of nerves, she attempted to change the subject by replying in turn. “I have some skills that amplify abilities as well, although they aren’t based in the earth. I don’t know what you would call it… perhaps the aether?” She shrugged. “It was taught to me as a variation of healing spells.” She stopped abruptly, realizing belatedly that technique was far more prevalent in Myrisano than Rhodinar. Inwardly, she chastised herself for breaking her own rule. Outwardly, she shifted her weight and began to fidget, alternately watching the interview room door and the entrance.

~ * ^ * ~

​

 

[Azseth]

Maldune nodded and took it all in. The truth of the matter is that he wasn’t interested in schools or areas of magic, but what he was generally intrigued by was the reasons why people took to one branch or the next. He knew some were selected, some stuck to something they liked, others stayed where they excelled, while others still were forced into them. That was interesting to him because it told him a lot about the person as opposed to simply knowing what spells they could cast. Maldune opened his mouth to say something and again was interrupted by a door opening. This time however, it was from the door where another man was entering, although maybe “man” wasn’t completely the right term.


He closed the door behind him, a bit harder than the others and that got most looking in his direction. Where Maldune would have nodded a silent apology, and Tahlia may have blushed and cringed, this man stared back at each man in turn. Having ducked to get in, he stood now to a towering height that measured a few inches under 7 feet. He was wearing a simple earth colored tunic but it was obvious that he was a warrior of some sort because on top of just having that air about him, he had scars sporadically across his body, massive arms and a menacing look to him.


Maldune, being a bit more observant than most, or at least a different type of observant, raised a brow as he looked the man over. Something was off about him in that he was not human, made obvious by his physique, green skin and fangs from his lower jaws coming up over his lips, but he appeared to be orcish. However, he was not the right build. He was too tall and lanky--lanky by orc standards at least, and his arms and legs were longer.


While the orc was engaged in a staredown with the man who was now second in line, Maldune found it to be a good idea to break the tension and engage the orc in dialogue. “Good day mate. I hope you’re enjoying the weather as much as I. I am Maldune Kartain. And this steel encased dove is my new friend Tahlia, Tahlia Winters. Who do we have the pleasure of meeting this fine day? I do so love new friends.”


The orc turned to him slowly and appeared to scowl at him. One interesting thing about Gor’rain: he always appeared to scowl. It was how his face set and the irony is that it was rather contrary to his actual temperament. While Gor’rain and Maldune differed in a great many ways, they both were the same in that they were curious about people and their reactions. Gor’rain could have smiled when entering or meeting new people, but that would come later. He looked at both Maldune and Tahlia. He looked back to Maldune and cocked his head to the head slightly, staring hard and taking several deep and audible sniffs, almost like a tracking dog. The slightest trace of a smirk may have appeared, or maybe not, before he finally spoke. “Good day indeed Miss Tahlia. And Maldune, what are you doing here?” His voice was deep, almost like rocks rubbing against one another and at times, when speaking at “normal” volume, it could almost be felt.


Odder still was the question. The two had obviously never met but the question was worded oddly. Almost immediately he detected the smell of a changer, but it was odd and different. Gor’rain’s travels had brought him into contact with both werewolves and wereboars in two different scenarios and he recognized the scent, as subtle as it may be. He attributed that ability to his ogre blood as they were more primitive and more in tune with the earth and the wild.


Maldune gave an amused chuckle, hiding the fact he was actually taken aback by the question, before answering, “well my good man, I’m here same as you. Looking for work.”


~ * ^ * ~


Most people in the hall turned to look when the new man entered, and Tahlia was no exception. She blinked upon seeing him, and Ateo’s earlier words came to mind. “There will be others in the group more than up for the task.” This one certainly looked up for killing whatever stood in his way. Or just looked at him sideways. She had fought orcs and ogres many times as a ranger, and once or twice fought beside them. That had been years ago, though, and this man did not seem to be either.


While she stared, Maldune stepped up to introduce them both. His description of her as a “steel encased dove” broke her out of her fit of staring, causing her to look oddly at Maldune. She had been called many things in her life, but that was a new one.


Then like a one-two punch, the man spoke. Eloquently. She might have attempted to hide her surprise, but it was not quite within her capabilities. She managed to nod politely in return, salvaging some manners despite her shock. Then he addressed Maldune like he knew him, and she looked between the two men with confusion. Hadn’t Maldune just introduced himself? It was hard to tell, but it seemed to throw Maldune off a bit, too.


She nodded, looking at the new man with undisguised curiosity. “Maldune here has given you our names.” She glanced briefly at Mal with what she intended to be a jokingly chiding glance, but it came across as a little too annoyed. “May I ask yours?”


~ * ^ * ~


Gor’rain swung his massive head to look directly at Tahlia and then his face softened slightly and he gave what could be assumed was a chuckle. “Bwaha. I apologize Miss, my curiosity got the better of me. Me instructor berated me constantly on that, saying it was the most blatant sign of me immaturity. With that said, I am Gor’rain Hellfang, Herald and Sword of Jori. I am generally more well mannered and courteous than this, so again I am sorry Miss Tahlia. Maldune, I think we should have a long talk later, assuming of course you do not mind.”


As he looked over at Maldune, the door opened up and another came walking out, this one with a more confident look on his face, not seeming to have his pride hurt and being dismissed. As he walked in however, he stopped and looked at Gor’rain, smiling broadly. “Well, I thought today would not get any worse, but standing before me is Gor’rain Hellstain, bane of my existence.” Despite the words and the fact that Gor’rain reacted kindly enough, one would almost think he thought extremely low of Gor’rain.


“Bwaha! Peenis, it has been a long time, not long enough. I’m see they turned you away. Not in need of rogues, scoundrels and cheats huh?”


“It’s Plebius you lout. And they couldn’t afford me.” He reached out a hand and shook Gor’rain’s own, which seemed to swallow up the other man’s hand up to the forearm. “Truth be told, apparently, they are in no need of a ranger,” he emphasized those words in light of being called a rogue and scoundrel. “or tracker because they have that area covered. I can’t imagine who they’d hire over me, but, what will be will be.”


“Tracker? You couldn't track your way out of a box.”


“Mockery is the highest form of flattery. Anyway, I’ll be on my way, Jori will find a place for me elsewhere, some place to find knowledge or work for his cause. Lady, gentlemen. Good day.” He took a step and stopped. “Oh, I forgot to bid you farewell goblin-kin. Good luck, and I am still very appreciative of the money you kindly donated to my cause over cards. It’s still paying for hot baths and food.”


“You swindler, you know you cheated.”


“Bah, you just don’t know how bad you are at cards.” And with that, he walked out the door and was gone.


~ * ^ * ~


Tahlia nodded as Gor’rain offered his name. But the mixed look of curiosity and surprise remained fixed on her features. Jori? An orc – or some sort of orc half-breed – who followed the Ascended of Reason and Intellect? Not that she knew much about orcs or their beliefs, but it was generally believed they followed Ylyith or Myok, as a rule. Plus anyone who identified themselves first by their devotion to an Ascended amplified her anxiety. She didn’t know anyone was looking for her due to her nature, and chances were her mother had long ago turned her back on her, but she still tended to avoid anyone who might serve as their Ascended’s eyes - or those of their Angel’s.


Tahlia was about to ask about Gor’rain’s interest in Maldune when the next rejected applicant emerged. She looked to Maldune as the exchange unfolded between the two men who obviously knew each other. When Peenis - err… Plebius - mentioned that they already had a ranger, her gaze snapped to his face. The barest hint of color visited her cheeks because she was the one who had displaced him. More importantly, she listened to his words carefully after that, dissecting them for any hint of her history being revealed. It would make no sense, though. If they knew her origin and suspected her identity, would they be holding a spot for her? She took a slow breath, reminding herself that the term “ranger” was used differently here; in Myrisano, it was a title for the servants to the King. Here, it was applied to anyone with the skillset of tracking and archery.


When he was gone, Tahlia looked back to Gor’rain, then Maldune. They all shifted forward as another person was admitted inside for their interview. When they paused again, she looked to Gor’rain. “I can’t exactly tell if you two are truly friends, but I fear I am the reason he was denied.” To Maldune, she added, “I told you I am a healer among other things.”


Now she only hoped she was correct in her assumption that she was the “ranger” they were talking about. It seemed certain, but given that all but one person who had gone in for an interview since her arrival had left the building without employment, there was always the chance she would blow it.


~ * ^ * ~


“Bwah, I’m not worried. Jori has many way for us to serve. Here, there, somewhere between.” He looked to the door as another man walked out, this one almost immediately after entering, the quickest so far and the most red of faces yet. “Interesting. As I was talking up, the guards were breaking up a scuffle. I guess someone knocked into the dwarf at the door and knocked him down a few steps. Instead of apologizing, or seeing if he was ok, he cursed the dwarf’s mother and her beard. As I walked in, they were still looking for two of the man’s teeth.”


While most of his face still had that permanent scowl, his mouth was curved into a smile and Gor’rain’s eyes danced with an amused light. There were only a couple people in front of Tahlia now and so far, no one else seemed to be coming behind them. Maldune, having been quiet for almost a full minute now, interjected and asked to both of them. “Did either of you hear anything of why the Baldurso’s are looking for work?”


Before either could answer, the man in front of Tahlia spoke up. “Yeah, I heard.” The man was not dirty looking in terms of filth, but he had just a general feel of nastiness to him. Even his grin appeared ugly, even though there was nothing that could ultimately be described as ugly about him. “Not sure’f y’all’ve ‘eard, but High’n mighty lord Bald Asso ain’t too fond of the female persuasion if’n ya catch my meanin’. Lucky fer ‘im he’s got all them boys and not so many girls, huh? Anyway, I guess his favorite boy got taken, ‘r left ‘r some’in.” When both Maldune and Gor’rain gave him a look of disgust, he seemed upset. “Oh stomp on off then. It’s the truth, I know. The Lord himself tried buyin’ two’a me brother’s boys. He told him stomp on too, gave him a good beatin’ as I heard it. Nasty boy lover, disgusting.”


Gor’rain opened his mouth to ask into the fact that if he was so disgusting and deplorable, why was this man here looking for work, but he figured that nothing Gor’rain would say, short of speaking with his fists, would have any incite any change in the man.


~ * ^ * ~


Gor’rain’s observation caused Tahlia to laugh despite herself. The image of the dwarf kicking the blowhard’s teeth out should have been disturbing, but she had to admit it brought her some small amount of satisfaction and a large amount of amusement.


Then Gor’rain asked if they knew why they were here. Tahlia glanced down at the floorboards, ready to say nothing - maybe shake her head. She did not like lying, but she would keep Sir Ateo’s trust. He had made it clear that other houses would pay well to learn about the plight of the missing Baldurso daughter. So when the man in front of her spoke up, she looked at him curiously.


His words, however, made her flush with anger. She didn’t know Baldurso - not at all - but the implication was disgusting. And although she didn’t know Sir Ateo well, she couldn’t imagine him working for a man who would take advantage of children. Her fingers curled into a tight fist at her side as he continued. Unlike Gor’rain, she didn’t see the point in exercising restraint - at least verbally. It didn’t hurt, either, that she was the only one in the hall with a sword or weapon of any kind.


She took a small step forward. “Oh, really? So the Lord came to your brother’s house himself, asking to buy two boys? Did he skulk about in the middle of the night like a thief as well? Or perhaps Sir Ateo stood nearby, letting his Lord get beaten by your brother.” She blinked in mock surprise. “Oh, I see. Your brother must be a Knight, then, or some other accomplished fighter. Maybe he beat them both? It’s a wonder you deign to come here and ask to work for such a disgusting man. You must be a saint.”


She rolled her eyes and shook her head, the last words a challenge in the form of a soft, steely tone. “Or a liar.” Her stance appeared relaxed to the untrained eye, but subtle tension visited her arms. It was clear she was ready for a fight if the man wanted it. And she wasn’t even certain why, except that his accusations offended her opinion of the man she had met that morning - and the purity of the mission she had agreed to join.


~ * ^ * ~


Seemingly out of nowhere, a member of the Baldurso guard walked up and cleared his throat. “Sir, on behalf of Lord Baldurso, I’m going to escort you from the home.” He put a hand on the man’s shoulder and the man violently pulled away.


“Escort what? I ain’t go--” The Guard smiled, almost as if talking to a pouting child, and in a relatively flat, almost bored voice, he cut him off. “Yes, you are going.” In spite of his tone, the Guardsman seemed capable, and confident for sure, as he stayed near the man, staring at him.


“D’you know who I am, an’ who I work for?”


“I do indeed, and you can tell me all about it as we take a walk to the gate. I have no intentions of asking you again, not verbally.” To avoid confrontation and make it easier on the angry man, the Guard stepped back a few steps and held his arm out to indicate to the man the direction he should head in--in case he forgot which was the door was. He moved off towards the main exit just as the door to the interview room opened and another man came out, quickly and quietly moving to the door.


Maldune stood, wanting to laugh at the entire sequence of events, but finding it ill-timed to do so, especially as Tahlia seemed to get so animated. It did strike Maldune odd that he had no idea the guard was there or at what point he’d appeared, but the more and more he was exposed to the ways and the capabilities of this home, the more he was impressed. Instead of saying anything about what had just happened, Maldune changed the subject and noted. “Looks like you’re next inside Miss Tahlia.”


~ * ^ * ~


The guard’s sudden appearance made Tahlia start, because she had been ready for the man in front of her to make a move. She adjusted quickly, stepping back and letting the guard do his job. Like Maldune, she wondered where the man had come from; after all, the hallway did not have any obvious places for a guard to hide unnoticed. She watched the man go, annoyance still plain on her features.


Maldune brought her attention back to the present, and she flashed a mildly embarrassed smile in response. “So it seems.” She took a slow breath in an attempt to calm her nerves. The reasonable thing would be to change the subject back to theories around why they were here, but she wanted to avoid that topic. So she opened her mouth once, then shut it, and turned to face the door, waiting for her turn.


Although the next interview did not last much longer than the last few, it seemed like ages as she looked at the door and tried to quell the last remnants of her frustration. The man was gone; that should be the end of it. But his attitude and crass accusations still bothered her. Especially because he seemed so eager to dish out such a nasty lie. It seemed to thrill him. When the next man left - again making the long walk down the hall to unemployment - she was ushered inside by another dwarf. She paused briefly to look back at Maldune and Gor’rain, wishing them good luck before stepping inside. Nodding her thanks to him, she thought briefly of the other man who had lost some teeth to another dwarf. The thought brought a mild smile to her lips.


She hadn’t know what to expect, but the four men that awaited her were different enough to pique her interest. It was easy to guess which one was Lord Baldurso. Her gaze found Ateo quickly, nodding to him in greeting before she bowed to the others as a whole. “My Lords.”

 

[Erica]

When Tahlia stepped in, Ateo returned the nod but suddenly realized he had foolishly forgot to mention to her to make her way to the front, as she had, for all practical purposes, been accepted. This part of her “interview” was a mere formality and Ateo felt it necessary only to reassure Hendrick as to the selection Ateo had made. He would make it a point to apologize later, circumstances permitting.


At this time, Hendrick smile up at her and smiled. Despite the fact that it was not natural and forced, it was warm and genuine to a degree. “Lady Tahlia, good day. I am Hendrick Baldurso, and I know that Ateo has spoken with you privately beforehand, so first of all I’d like to say thank you for your time, interest and most of all, your help in finding my daughter. I haven’t asked much of Ateo and rest assured, you can consider yourself hired at this point, but after I introduce the gentlemen around me, I’d hope you’d take some time and tell me at least briefly, your history and a bit about yourself. Now you heard and know of me, and you already met with Ateo. The two men to me sides are my eldest son, Derwin, and my trusted advisor and House Mage, Traynt. Now, please speak freely and if you have anything else to ask any of us, individually or collectively, please feel free to do so.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia’s nerves settled out when Lord Hendrick began to speak. A glance around the room had shown no other obvious exits, which made her wonder where the woman she had seen enter had gone to. Perhaps she had been led out and down another hall when she and Robert had been talking. The room was appointed with understated taste, much as the rest of the house. She gave him her full attention as he spoke, attempting to ignore the slight flutter in her stomach inspired by the request to speak of her history. She nodded in agreement, though. It wasn’t the first time she had been asked, and Robert had already spoken well of her.


As each man was introduced, she dipped her head slightly in acknowledgement of them. When he finished, she took a minute breath and began. “I am sensitive to the time we spend, Lord Hendrick, but I am happy to share a little of myself and my skills.” She looked at Ateo. “Sir Ateo told me that Robert - Bob - recommended me, but I do not know what he said…” She paused briefly, swallowing once. “While I appreciate your courtesy, I feel I must correct you: I am no lady by birth. Please call me Tahlia.


“I am a healer and scout - which I think you already know.” She hesitated again, wondering whether to explain her faint accent proactively or not. It might seem suspicious to do so - but then again, leaving it out might be worse. “I am fortunate enough to be naturally gifted in healing - including magic - and was more fortunate still that my aunt fostered that education. I repaid her generosity by taking on training as a scout and working with caravans. But…” She looked over the three men, feeling like she was rambling. “This is all of no matter. When Ateo told me of your daughter’s disappearance, I was glad to step forward. I am trained in tracking as well as archery, and hope to be of use.” Her words faded awkwardly, and just when they might speak again, she realized she should ask questions.


The interjection came quickly. “As for payment, I trust you will be fair in whatever you decide to pay those hired for this task. I only need to know if I need to bring my horse or stable it locally.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

At that point, Hendrick nodded while his son spoke up next. “In regards to the, uh, payment, we’re paying over what is the standard, but nothing overboard. We’re prepared to pay 5 silver for the first seven days and on top of that, paying 1 silver for every other day after that.” He opened his mouth as if he’d something more to say, but instead looked at Traynt and Ateo. It was the Captain who spoke up next. “We can provide mounts if you deem it necessary, but it will be your decision to make. When you’ve stepped into the other room,” Ateo motioned with his hand over to his left where there was now a door, "an attendant will ask information of you in regards to what you’ll need.”


It was Traynt who spoke up next, almost awkwardly. “Tahlia, I wanted to make sure you understood a trivial thing. Lord Hendrick’s use of the term “lady,” and “sir” as a matter of fact, is nothing to do with…” He looked up and thought on the next part of his dialogue for a moment. “Proper titles, or politics, or superficial importance. Merchants are not knights, or lords of any king, and because of this, we are not forced to placate one another, and many merchants go out of their way to make that known. The term “lady” is something of a sign of respect, and no one up here uses that term with loose tongue. The fact that you are here, why you are here, and what I’ve heard of you, you deserve to be addressed by the title of lady. But per your instructions, we will not use the title.” His tone was somewhat short and as-a-matter-of-factly, but that was how Traynt spoke--not that Tahlia would know. He did add however, in a bit more open, soft tone. “I do hope you reconsider that small thing. In this house more than any other in the city and beyond, it’s a term that speaks volumes.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

The payment was more than fair, and she accepted it with a cursory nod. The appearance of the door made her eyebrows lift, though. She smiled to herself, inwardly acknowledging the skill that Traynt must possess. Then the house mage was talking, and she suddenly felt like she was back at lessons again. Titles meant a great deal in Myrisano. But not in Rhodinar. She knew that, but it was easy to forget. She glanced downward in embarrassment before nodding. “As you wish, my Lord.”


She looked to Ateo. “Would the attendant in the next room have any maps of the area where …” she paused, realizing she didn’t know the girl’s name, “Lord Hendrick’s daughter disappeared? It would help me to get acquainted with the area.”


Another brief pause, and she looked back to Lord Hendrick. “Unless, of course, you have any other questions of me?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Traynt responded first, in a tone that was soft and almost fatherly. “I’m no Lord Tahlia, no more than you are a Lady. Traynt will suffice. In regards to your question, Ateo will have maps, and yes you can ask the attendant for anything you will need, maps included. What you need, we’ll magically copy and if we don’t have it, we’ll get it. I myself have no other questions or concerns.”


Traynt looked from one man to the next and there were three consecutive shrugs or head shakes, so he motioned towards the door as Derwin spoke up, “thank you for your time, Lady Tahlia.” Uncharacteristically confident and forward, he looked at her. Him calling her Lady after he comment could have been taken as him being disrespectful, more so because he seemed to put a slight emphasis on “Lady,” but that wasn’t the case. He did so to make an attempt to show her some form of respect. He and Ateo had talked privately of her with Bob, and from what he heard, Derwin believed she deserved a title that elevated her about a normal woman of the city. Couple that with her volunteering for this, to find his sister, and it was even more concrete in his mind.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia wasn’t sure what to make of Lord Hendrick, Derwin, and Traynt, but she at least knew the right time to make her exit. A tinge of color visited her cheeks as Derwin emphasized the title, but she started for the door. She paused once, looking over her shoulder and considering putting in a word for Maldune… but then thought better of it. She didn’t really know him. And although Gor’rain seemed fascinating, she would leave it to these men to judge whether they were needed for the task.


Then she passed through the doorway into the room beyond. A redhead in a dark dress looked up with a smile - until she saw Tahlia’s armor or perhaps her sex. Then it faded slightly.


“Well met,” Nataline said, stepping forward to offer Tahlia a hand as the door closed behind her. 
The illusion hiding the door was impressive. Even knowing it was there, Nat couldn’t spot the seams where the illusion touched reality. Once the door was shut behind her, it must have been automatically established again, or else the interviews would take even longer. So this Traynt was a man of skill. Comparing notes probably wasn’t in the cards, however. No, instead she had signed on for a mission she still knew nothing about. Soon enough they would choose the other players and Ateo - or someone - would inform them of their purpose. She would make the best of it.


The scent of fruit pastries reminded her that she hadn’t eaten much this morning. The Baldurso staff had assembled a fine spread of delicacies and more hearty fare for their newly selected employees and arranged it expertly across the top of a sideboard table. In the center of the room, a different table stood with six chairs around it. Was that how many they hoped to recruit? As she considered this and examined the delectable foods available on the sideboard, a servant stepped inside.


An older gentleman, he carried himself with grace and unimpeachable decorum. He barely even gave her a second glance before bowing slightly, showing off the bald patch at the back of his head. “Do you require anything, madame?”


She looked over the sideboard again before smiling at him. “Would some ice be too much of a bother?” Although she would not admit it aloud, the heat was becoming oppressive, especially in the confines of her dress.


A minute smirk appeared on his face, implying it was a pedestrian request. “Of course not, madame.” Then he waited, as if expecting a real request. And she might have made one, if she knew what she sort of tasks she was going to perform. As it was, she smiled pleasantly until he bowed again and was gone, leaving her to the food and her thoughts. He came back in short order with a bucket full of ice, which he left for her and whoever else might join her. She poured herself a glass of juice and began to nibble at one of the pastries, all the while expecting someone else to walk through the door in short order.


It took a while.


By that point, Nat had claimed a seat with her spell book open before her. She reviewed the spells, yes, but she also used it as an excuse to think. What was the job she would be tasked to accomplish? She wouldn’t bother to ask the servants; it was pretty clear that information was closely guarded. Would it be more politics or simple brute force?


The armored woman who appeared next from the interview room was unexpected. Usually specialized groups like these were almost all men. Usually, that gave Nat an advantage. Not that she couldn’t charm a woman (and this one seemed like she might be the kind to lean that way) but it wasn’t what she expected. And occasionally women got unnecessarily territorial. Nat adjusted quickly, standing and offering the other woman a smile and her hand. “Well met.” The door closed efficiently behind the newcomer, leaving them alone. Nat didn’t miss a beat. “I am Lily. Liliana, technically, but please, call me Lily.” Offering a grin, she added conspiratorially. “I was beginning to wonder if anyone else was going to make the cut. Apparently, they appreciate beauty as much as skill.” Following her jest up with a wink, she looked over the other woman more closely. She could be beautiful, perhaps. Maybe if she would smile. Her flatter nose implied that her family came from Aquova or possibly Myrisano, but it was the girl’s bright blue eyes that stood out the most. They lent her the appearance of being permanently startled.


After a moment’s hesitation, Tahlia slipped her hand in Lily’s grasping it firmly and speaking in a soft tone. “I’m Tahlia. A pleasure to meet you, Lily.” Releasing Lily’s hand, she looked over the other woman’s outfit, questions evident in her expression. “They said there would be servants to help us…” As if on cue, the servant from earlier appeared in the door.


“Conjurer!” Lily teased. Tahlia just looked at her oddly. Lily sighed airily, smoothing out her skirt and shaking her head as she moved back toward her spell book. Quietly closing it with two fingers, she wondered if anyone Lord Hendrick hired would have a sense of humor. A glance at Tahlia said it wasn’t likely.


Tahlia took a step forward and addressed the servant. “I was told you have a map of the area we are to investigate. Would you bring it in, please?” Maybe it was her armor - which was clearly custom made - but her posture was impeccable and she seemed to give the servant as much respect as she had paid Lily.


Lily wasn’t sure what to make of that. She tucked her spellbook back into her satchel as the servant bowed to Tahlia and left. Clearly the other woman knew more about their mission. She smiled gently at Tahlia. “I didn’t even think to ask for a map.” She motioned to Tahlia’s quiver. “Are you a ranger, then?”


Again with the startled look in her eyes. Interesting.


Tahlia shook her head. Then, a heartbeat later, she nodded with a shrug. “Some may call it that. Although I specialize in healing as well as scouting.”


Nat’s smile broadened at that. “Is that so? We are doubly lucky, then, I guess.” She paused, waiting for Tahlia to ask about her own skills, but quickly surmised that it would be a long wait. Filling up the awkward silence, she answered the expected question. “I am a mage, well versed in many areas, but largely utilitarian spells: light, illusions, defense, and the like.”


Tahlia nodded, clearly uncertain what to say. A beat, then: “That’s… nice.”


The servant returned with a cylindrical case. “The map you requested, my lady,” he said to Tahlia as he popped the lid on the case and carefully removed a map from inside, spreading it out on the table and setting stones from one of his pockets along the edge to keep it from curling back up. Tahlia assisted him by holding the map down until they could all be secured. The map provided detail of the trade routes along eastern Rhodinar. The main road wound out northwest from the port city of Highport before breaking north and south toward Winterhaven and Bridgemoor. The servant tapped a stubby finger along a stretch of the road between that junction and Highport. “The trade convoy was attacked here.”


Tahlia frowned. Ateo was right: this didn’t make sense. Attacking the convoy so close to the city was a foolish endeavor. Anyone seeking an easy target would do better with an ambush further from the city. And anyone foolish enough to attack so close should have been caught by now - or not have succeeded against a well-armed convoy. “How many men were with them?” She noted that Lily had come to stand beside her, studying the map and listening intently.


The servant flushed and dipped his head. “I will let Captain Ateo speak to that, my lady.”


Tahlia nodded. “Of course. Thank you,” she offered apologetically, her eyes moving to the servant only once before focusing on the map once more.


The servant waited a moment to be dismissed, but Tahlia only had eyes for the miniature symbols decorating the map. Nat smiled kindly to the man. “Thank you. That will be all for now.”


When the servant was gone, Nat cleared her throat. “So… Lord Baldurso’s trade convoy was attacked? Is that what we are investigating?” She smiled kindly when Tahlia hesitated. Keeping her tone gentle, she looked to the map, allowing Tahlia to focus on it was well. “It seems you are in the know better than I am, my dear. I am anxious to be of service.”


Tahlia looked up at Lily and her fine dress, wondering how much she should share. While Lily had clearly been selected by Lord Baldurso and Ateo, the woman struck her as nobility, not a mercenary. Then again, mages were often prone to vanity. Ultimately, Tahlia didn’t consider it her place to speak of Lord Hendrick’s daughter, so she started with “I do not know much yet. I am certain Sir Ateo will supply more detail once the others have been selected.” She hoped it would be more than her, Ateo, and this woman on the hunt.


Nat began, “Ah, but there …” until she heard the door from the interview room opening again.

 

[Azseth]

After Tahlia went in, the hallway got quieter for several moments. Maldune was standing next to the door as he’d be next going in, and stood with his ears perked, listening curiously. To his dismay, nothing could heard. Either there was utter silence inside, the doors and walls were extremely thick, or there was some spell active that kept sound on one side or the other. He assumed magic was involved for several reasons.


As if reading his thoughts, Gor’rain spoke in a low voice, an attempt at a whisper that could be heard down the hall. “Don’t waste time. Whatever is going on is a secret, and at the Baldurso’s know what they’re doing. I’ve heard much of them and if this House if anything, they are capable.”


“I’ve heard the same. So, Gor’rain Hellfang. Sword and Herald huh? That means you are pretty high up in the order, yes?”


“Indeed, albeit those in service of Jori do not strive for titles. It is simply an honor to be recognized by Jori and have such loyal shield brothers.”


Maldune nodded and despite the youthful and care free look of his face, he thought on this. Maldune was raised in a very communal series of villages, but he wasn’t part of any order or group of people operating with any form of agenda. If anything, the closest thing they had to that was the idea that everything was supposed to better the community. This was similar in some ways, but sometimes, it seemed that Ascended orders did things to benefit others only if it also benefited them.


“Interesting. I myself embrace many of the Ascended, but choose not to devote myself fully to one.”


“Many are of that mindset, I see nothing wrong with it. Jori teaches that in committing acts, even if in one name, you honor all others who adhere to those principles. If I murder or steal, I honor all Ascended who look at that as acceptable, just as helping someone in need honors the Ascended who hold that in high regard.”


“Ah. Fair enough. I hope you take no offense in me saying that you are a bit...aloof.”


“Bwaha! Said the lamb to the sheep. Seems that, assuming we both are employed by the Baldurso’s, we’ll have much to talk about.”


As if on queue, the door opened and a young boy, well, a young man, stood and nodded to the next person in line. That person happened to be Maldune, who nodded in turn and stepped forward. “Until then, Gor’rain,” he said to the orc, who simply nodded and did something that Maldune assumed was smile back.


~ * ^ * ~


Maldune stepped inside, smiling confidently to each of the four men as the youngest took a seat at the table with the other two while a last one stood. He was almost certain that the one standing was Ateo from the descriptions he’d heard and by the feel of him. He didn’t seem high-and-mighty or self important, he just seemed to command respect. Maldune wasn’t sure how he felt about him honestly. He’d heard all sorts of stories, labeling him everything from a loyal swordsman, an abomination, a rapist, to a being purely made of magic and unkillable. Maldune was more interested in finding out who Ateo really way, not finding out what label was correct and which weren’t.


The older, priestly looking man nodded his head politely and began. “Good day Maldune. First, some introductions. Seated in the center is Lord Hendrick Baldurso. I am Traynt, his house mage. Opposite me is Derwin, Hendrick’s eldest son, and standing is Ateo, Captain of the Baldurso house guard. Please, tell us a bit about you and why you’re here.”


Maldune nodded to each in turn one more time as they were introduced and as Ateo was introduced, he seemed to become more focused, staring at him intently. It cannot be said to happen often, but that gaze, as it bore into him, made him feel small and Maldune found himself wondering if there was some magic behind that.


“Good morning gentlemen. I am indeed Maldune Kartain. I am here for a few reasons, the most obvious being employment. One thing about me, if I am anything, I am both honest and curious. You may know I have worked for several other merchant houses in the city,” at which point, Ateo nodded which Maldune took to mean that he had indeed known, “and most houses have a great deal to say of you, not much pleasant.”


Ateo continued to stare at the man curiously while the others seemed in various states of confusion, anger, and irritation. “While serving those other houses, I found out that there are many distasteful things to say of them. Now while I hear bad things about you, and them, the difference is that I experienced those things. First hand. I am not one to take what someone says to heart without experiencing things for myself.”


He looked at the three men, ignoring Ateo for a moment before continuing. “I am here because I was planning on leaving the city for other endeavors, but when presented with a chance to learn first hand what this house was REALLY like, I could not pass it up. Now while I chose to work for other houses, I chose never to go back into their employ for a myriad of reasons. While there is talk of your house being deplorable, there are whispers of the opposite also. Part and parcel with what I stated above, I decided to experience things for myself, if all is well.”


There were a few awkward looks tossed between the three while Ateo smirked openly. If Ateo could appreciate anything, it was the duality of things and the nature of Maldune, the way he wanted to see things for himself and not live through the eyes of others. “Have you done any work for those other houses, or anywhere else, that would make us less prone to employ you?”


He smirked openly and shook his head. “Sir, I believe you know the answer to that already. Of course, the answer is no, whether I am being truthful or not.”


When Derwin understood the implication of what Maldune was saying, he snorted in a short laugh before asking “what exactly do you bring to the group? What areas do you excel in? And what areas do you find yourself most lacking?”


Maldune thought for a few short moments before answering. It was the last part of the question that took him somewhat offguard and took some thought. “First, I am a what some would call a spellsword, not a swordmage. While I am capable of fighting with weapons, up close and personal and what not, I am built more to stay back. My spells are what most people would refer to as shamanistic in nature and focus on earth-based spells, mainly offensive although I have some that benefit others as I see fit. In regards to what I lack, it’s assertiveness, or leadership. I am quite capable of looking after myself, doing what needs to be done. But, I’m young, I’m curious. I enjoy learning things. Sometimes I do things just to know what it is to have done it, I get to know people so that I know what type of person they are. Simply put, if I could combat something and help the world, I would. I just most likely would be signing up and following vice being the one rallying the troops and what not.”


He smirked a bit, looked around as if sneaking, and said in lower tone, “I also do not have much luck with the ladies.” Derwin chuckled a bit. The next several minutes discussed pay, which was more than suitable in the eyes of Maldune, and then Lord Hendrick asked if there was anything else to be discussed. “I actually have one thing to ask, then another to state, but I’ll start with my question. Simply put, I’d like a short version of what exactly it is that I’m being paid to do. Normally I’d start with that question, but perhaps I took a bit too much trust in coming into your employ.”


It was Traynt who spoke up to answer. “Ateo will brief everyone on that in detail after, but the condensed version is that the Lord’s daughter was on a trade convoy that was attacked and she has gone missing. Everyone else was killed and left behind, including Lord Hendrick’s brother. However, there--we could not find the girl so we assume she’s been taken, or somehow managed to get away. The intention is to find her.”


Maldune nodded and had the most serious face he’d ever be seen sporting, and that didn’t last long. “I see. Well, in reply to that, I can say that I am most happy to lend my services and I can also assure you that this is the most noble of jobs I’ve done in this city by leaps and bounds.”


Lord Hendrick answered, “the words and their implications are appreciated. Now I believe you have something to tell us?” Clearly this subject matter was one he didn’t like to focus or dwell on long, understandably so.


“Indeed. There is no easy way to go about this or way to sprinkle sugar over this. I am a werehyena.”


Derwin and Traynt looked the most affected by the revelation while Hendrick seemed slightly taken aback. The young man seemed to be in the dual state of wanting to know more but also being extremely unsure. Ateo remained somewhat impassive, but almost seemed a little disappointed, which stuck Maldune as odd. He didn’t say anything as they collected their thoughts, figuring it best to let things calm down slightly before trying to reassure anyone. Before he could say anything, Ateo asked the question that gave him some hope. “What kind? Tell me about it.” That indicated that unlike most people, the Captain was at least somewhat aware that not all of them could be lumped together any more than any humans could be lumped together under one stereotype.


“Well, I was born with it. I was raised--”


Ateo, somewhat impatiently, interrupted and asked, “have you killed anyone or lost control at any point?” The other three men looked back and forth between Maldune and Ateo, somewhat confused and unsure of the ramifications of the conversation. “No, assuming you mean when changed. Ever since I was--.”


Ateo cut in again and said, “thank you, that’s all I need. Excuse us for a moment please.”


Maldune was the one confused now, unsure about Ateo’s actions and also noticing that his face seemed to go back to his somewhat tight, almost emotionless mask as it was when he first entered the room. He couldn’t make out the conversation due to a spell, but between mannerisms and body language he could tell that Ateo was trying to convince the others of allowing him to come on board and some of the others were at different levels of hesitation. Eventually, he made some aggressive comments, even pointing a finger at the Lord in what could almost be seen as an accusatory manner. The merchant simply nodded and put both hands up in the air slightly in a sign of resignation.


He could sense the spell was lifted by trivial things such as hearing the chair move and the men breathing, and there was a slight tension in the group. Maldune assumed it would be Ateo speaking, but instead the young man spoke up and said. “Maldune, we thank you for everything, especially the patience. Per the terms discussed earlier, considered yourself hired. All we ask is that you discuss nothing of this work with anyone outside of those you see here, and those you work with. Not even house members.”


Maldune nodded quietly. A door to his right got his attention, realizing it was either conjured, or an illusion spell was lifted. “Please go in, have a seat and relax. There is food, drink and servers to attend to you.”


Maldune nodded and looked at all in turn. “Thank you gentlemen.” With many thoughts and questions running through his mind, he stepped through the door and into the other room.

 

[Erica]

Upon entering, Maldune would see Tahlia with her back to him before a table with a map spread out upon it. Through the door, he would hear her voice before he saw her. “… detail once the others have been selected.” Her head counted downward, obviously looking over the map, but it was difficult to tell where she was looking as he only saw the back of her head.


Another woman stood beside the table, dressed in a dark red gown that was nearly black. She donned a politically patient and somewhat amused smile as she began, “Ah, but there …” That’s where she stopped, her eyes moving to the door as Maldune stepped inside. At least this one was male. A party of all women could be fun, but not if they were all like Tahlia here. “And here one of them is, apparently.” She looked him over from head to toe and back again, taking her time without apology. “Come on in, we were just discussing …” she looked at Tahlia, “what was it we were discussing?”


Tahlia turned to look at Maldune, offering him a warm smile. “You made the cut.” She meant it to be teasing but it came out oddly. Realizing that, she added belatedly, “Not that I’m surprised.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“I don’t know about making the cut, I just snuck in and out before they had a chance to ask me any questions.” He took a moment to look around, his eyes moving from the familiar Tahlia to the new Nat. He focused on her for but a moment, opposite her inspection of him, before looking around the room and just getting mildly familiar with things. When he spoke next, he spoke to Nat, smiling wide as he said, “I hope that I passed whatever inspection or scrutiny I was an unwilling participant of. Now I know what you’re thinking: Devilishly handsome and extremely intelligent upon initial inspection. The good news is, I am also extremely witty.” The servant moved in meekly and asked if there was anything Maldune needed, and his reply was short, but not derisive. “I’m good. I’ve managed myself my entire life not being waited on hand and foot, I do believe I shall make it another day. Thanks chum.” If the man was offended, he did not show it as he simply bowed and made his way from the room again.

~ * ^ * ~

​

His rejoinder earned him a wider smile from Tahlia before she returned her attention to the map. When he replied to Lily, Tahlia looked up long enough to stifle a chuckle before moving closer to the area where the servant had indicated the attack had occurred to get a better look. The map was an exquisite piece of art, but it wouldn’t detail the true terrain. They would need to travel there for that.


Nat smirked when he looked her over. A slight shift of her weight might have indicated that she was posing but left some room for interpretation. She bowed her head minutely at his quip and opened her mouth to speak, but waited until he had dismissed the servant before continuing. “In my experience, men who brag about their qualities are usually compensating for something.” She winked at him before gesturing to the table and the focused woman in armor. “Tahlia and I were getting to know each other. It seems you two have already met, so allow me.”


She stepped forward, offering her hand. The angle left it open to whether it should be kissed or shook. She honestly didn’t care, but his choice could tell her much about the man. “My name is Lily. I’ve been hired on as a mage for our little excursion - the details of which Tahlia here seems reticent to discuss." She said it all with a smile, her attitude almostconstantly amused. But she would hold his gaze as she asked. “And you are?...”

~ * ^ * ~

​

He stepped forward and took her hand lightly, not the type of handshake he’d extend to Ateo or Gor’rain, but not a hand kiss and bow that was reserved for balls or something of that nature. “Lily, I am Maldune, a mage myself as it is.” He opened his mouth to say something else, but then seemed to switch his thought in a moment and added “and in regards to compensating, I am indeed. I am rather young after all. And a bit of a sucker for sweets. Anyway, from what I understand, I don’t think there is much information to share. I was given a very brief...well, brief about what is going on and told things would be cleared up more after the group is selected.” He took another moment and grabbed a cup, filling it with some water and taking a drink while looking at both of the females with a raised eyebrow. The two could not have been more different, physically and otherwise, which was very intriguing to Maldune. Add him to the mix and it seemed to add another level of complexity. An armored ranger, a mage dressed in fineries and another mage dressed in robes that if they had to be described would most likely scream out adjectives such as modest or plain. If anything, there seemed to be a whole lot of magic in the room.“What are your thoughts about this whole mission so far? And what of Ateo, I’m assuming he’s going to be traveling with us, yes?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Lily’s hand was soft, absent of callouses or dirt. She could, in fact, be a lady of renown, if it weren’t for the challenge in her eyes. She nodded at his explanation, inwardly wondering if his “brief” was any more detailed than hers. It sounded like both of them knew more than she did about the mission to come; and both were hesitating to share. Maybe I picked the wrong dress, she thought to herself. Outwardly, this triggered greater amusement in her smile.


While Maldune fetched himself some water, Tahlia tapped a spot on the map, then shifted positions. She didn’t answer his questions immediately, so Lily replied. “I know little of the mission itself, aside from the fact the caravan was attacked. Obviously there was something… or someone…” her eyes studied his features as she spoke, looking for signs of confirmation. “... of worth on it. A merchant might investigate a single unusual attack, but they don’t hire a group of specialists. Especially not one with someone skilled in negotiation.” The words from her interview had stuck with her. Who negotiated with brigands?


Tahlia looked up when Lily hinted that it might be a person. Her gaze flitted to Maldune, Lily, and finally back to the table, which she thumped lightly with her index finger. “Assuming this map is somewhat accurate about the terrain, there’s a possibility that this area has a thicker canopy and holds the potential for some dens where men could be holding up.” She frowned and shook her head. “That is if they are even lingering around the location of the attack. If they had horses, they could have taken their prize almost anywhere. It’s been almost three days.”


Then she looked at Maldune in particular. “And Ateo will be going. At least that’s the impression he gave me. This is personal for him.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“Personally, I think it was either that she was the target, or was very...unfortunate. I have worked for several houses here and know a bit about the nature of things, and to be attacked this close to the city has my senses screaming. Plus, of all the people with them, at least that’s what the group inside implied, she was the only one not accounted for. I’m not a big believer in coincidences. Then, in regards to the negotiations, maybe the purpose was to do so, but something has gone wrong. Or, maybe everything is going as planned.” He gave a slight shrug. To be honest, this stuff was not his forte. He was no strategist, he couldn’t fathom intrigue besides recognizing it occasionally. Maldune was just very good at doing whatever was expected of him. That, and talking unnecessarily. “I hope Ateo goes. I’m very interested in him, there is a lot to be said about him around the city, and even outside of it. While the nature of his character is generally a constantly changing point, the one that doesn’t seem to be contested is that he is more than capable of taking care of himself.” He moved to a table, picked a grape up and casually tossed it into his mouth, savoring the sweet taste.

~ * ^ * ~

​

“She was the target”: an interesting choice of words. Nataline kept her smile at discovering this clue to a minimum, although she caught Tahlia glancing up from the table to shoot an odd look at Maldune. While he spoke about Ateo and selected a grape, Tahlia met her gaze. If she was attempting to assess or intimidate the female mage, it wasn’t successful in either case. Lily simply smoothed out her dress as she listened.


Tahlia stood straighter. “I suspect everyone he hires… they hire,” she corrected herself, “will be capable of that.” Again she glanced at Lily, this time with a bit more suspicion.


Lily didn’t blink an eye. Instead, she began to believe that it was a Baldurso family member that was missing. Her research before arriving told her that Hendrick had a daughter. Was she what they sought? Deciding to operate under that assumption - at least until she was corrected - she grinned at Maldune. Having a talkative companion could be dangerous to her own health depending on the circumstances, but in this case, he was helping fill in the missing pieces. “Keep in mind: rumors abound. The gifted can be be manufactured with ease and manipulated to a desired end. From what we have seen of House Baldurso so far, they have many gifts.


“Ateo seems a little tightly wound to me, but perhaps that’s just the nature of the circumstances.” She shrugged before her attention fell to Maldune again. “I explained to our ranger friend here that my magical skills lie largely utilitarian spells: light, illusions, defense, and the like. Given that there are more schools of magic than there are Ascended and their Angels, will you share your specialty?”


Tahlia grew very still for a few moments. Lily caught the change and looked at the other woman curiously. Tahlia moved away from the larger table in the middle of the room toward the sideboard. “We may end up repeating ourselves at this rate. I suggest we wait until everyone is together before detailing our skills. Surely it won’t take more than another hour or two.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Maldune noticed a slight bit of tension or unease between the two females, and while he wasn’t one to throw fuel onto the fire, he was not one to attempt to mend things between people, at least ones he did not know very well. Women warriors were an odd thing to him because not only did they have the tendencies of males, such as being competitive, confrontational, and somewhat abrasive, they were also women and subject to those tendencies also. He’d only worked with a few female mercenaries and been intimate with even fewer females, but he’d learned his lesson quickly.


He figured steering the conversation elsewhere would be in the group’s best interest, so he spoke up. “We’ll have more than enough time to wait around I’m sure, I have no qualms answering a few minor questions. Plus, you already know the answers my dove, so it would not be fair to keep her off of equal terms. Lily, I am what most would consider shamanistic in my magical prowess. I focus on earth spells, mostly offensive and a few other enhancements that I consider necessary.” His mouth remained open for a split second as he mulled over telling them about his other abilities, but figured it wasn’t time yet. THAT would best be discussed with everyone present. Talking about it with Ateo and the others had his tongue slightly less guarded than usual. He tosses a couple more grapes into his mouth after he was done.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia knew many things Lily did not, not the least of which was a professional demeanor among a mercenary group (or so she thought). She also knew the detail about it being Hendrick Baldurso’s daughter that was missing, which she had kept from the other woman for reasons she couldn’t clearly articulate. On the surface, she would claim it was because she had made a promise to Ateo, spoken or not, to be discreet. If she were honest, however, she would admit that Lily’s softly feminine approach to persuasion rubbed her the wrong way.


Luckily, Mal knew how to diffuse the tension. While Tahlia disagreed about sharing everything with Lily, the resurrection of the “dove” monicker distracted her enough from the subject to prevent her from interrupting. It was his business in any case to decide how much to share.


Outwardly, Lily gave Maldune her full attention as he spoke, although she kept Tahlia in the corner of her eye. She would have to determine how to bridge the gap and make nice with the ranger. Being disliked by the healer was a poor position and could lead to many complications. Maybe she could buy her some sticks to put up her …


Maldune’s explanation caught her attention and she nodded when it was done. “I see why they chose us to compliment each other,” she offered. “While I can create a fireball with a little time and the appropriate need, my focus is on the subtler arts. Although enhancements is probably an area where we overlap.” Her eyes glimmered as she winked at Maldune before turning to Tahlia. “And you, my dear. You said your focus is healing. At the risk of annoying you by causing you to repeat yourself later, may I ask you to confirm that you’ve worked in the battlefield?” She smiled warmly. “You look like you can handle yourself quite efficiently, so I assume you are not one of those stuffy healers who stay behind lines.”


Tahlia, who had just picked up an apple from the table and taken a bite when Lily addressed her, spent a few moments chewing, swallowing, and ensuring that no juice was dribbling down her chin. She nodded. “You’re correct. Although I have assisted in medical facilities like the hospitals here in Highport, I have primarily worked with mercenary teams.” Her training was based in the military, in fact, and even after decades of mercenary work, that foundation still permeated her approach. Lily’s mention of stuffy healers made her think of Mattick Herema, she would not confirm the opinion. Most healers wanted to help others - some were just greedy as well.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Maldune shook his head slightly at what he’d consider catty, bickering females and looked to the door out of the corner of his eye. He knew that the large orc, or part orc, was in his interview and was wondering how that would go, and he was also hoping that it would finish soon so that the situation in here would not deteriorate any further. He snapped his fingers loudly and spoke through the two grapes in his mouth, “speaking of goblins, have you heard that some have been spotted in the region, or at least allegedly?” Goblins were not local to this area, having been driven out years ago by the collective races. The goblins were foreign to this land but when they originally came here, they bred and spread like rats, albeit incredibly smart, dangerous, and ambitious ones. In many lands they were not considered a real threat, but those that made their way here were extremely capable and organized, not the dumb, meak, and easily bullied ones from other lands. He wasn’t even sure if this rumor was true but he was trying to have the ladies focus on something other than each other.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia’s by-the-book answer fit Nataline’s impression of the ranger perfectly. By the book it would be, apparently. Did the other woman drink? Perhaps that would help her loosen up. Then Mal steered the conversation in a whole new direction; the change so abrupt that it nearly made her laugh. Confining her reaction to a knowing smile she winked at Mal again, although less openly this time. Then she took a long drink of her juice, for she had no information on goblins aside from men who might be described as such as an insult.


Tahlia, who had taken another bite of her apple, nodded and held up a hand to indicate she had something to contribute. After she had finished her second bite, she looked to Mal. “I heard the rumors. I suspect they’re exaggerated. But there are more than in the past. There were some in the woods between here and Steward Flats that attempted to raid our caravan, but they weren’t organized.” She noticed Mal’s glance toward the interview room door and grinned. “How do you think he’s doing?”

 

[Azseth]

With no audible queue, or physical sign, the guard at the door nodded subtly, so slight that Gor’rain didn’t notice it. He looked to the orc and said politely enough, “it’s your turn to enter.” Gor’rain gave a toothy grin, one that looked more like an angry sneer, and nodded as he walked through the door, stooping slightly to avoid smacking his head and turning sideways as his shoulders were just about the same width as the door. He was dressed in common clothing: a plain tunic and breeches, although realistically, some families could have lived in his clothing if necessary.


Once inside he stood up to his full height and relaxed, and that brought a few different types of looks from the men in the room. Again, Gor’rain attempted his best grin and spoke up. One thing he never attempted to mask, change, alter, or make any more pleasant was his voice, and that was because simply put, he couldn’t. He didn’t try to mask things or change his appearance out of the fear of scaring people, it was just easier all around to placate people. He wasn’t one who felt the need to walk around, intimidating everyone and creating some image of someone to be feared. If anything, Gor’rain wanted a legacy that had nothing to do with fear, might, or intimidation.


Gor’rain was about to speak up and introduce himself when one man, the one who was standing, spoke up and said. “Gor’rain Hellfang.” That was it. No other comment. The man stared at a small piece of paper as he said the name. At this point, Gor’rain correctly assumed this to be Ateo. When Ateo looked up, his gaze went up and down the orc, almost as if he was reading him just as he read the paper in his hand moments before. Ateo waited a moment longer, waiting for one of the other 3 men to speak up, but apparently, they were slightly intimidated or too curious to speak up. The captain made a slightly annoyed sound and continued.


“Gor’rain. Thanks for coming and presenting yourself. I am Ateo, Captain of the House Guard. Seated, from your left to right, are Traynt our house mage, Lord Baldurso and his eldest son, Derwin.”


Gor’rain nodded and finally spoke up in his booming, yet best attempt at a low tone. “Good day. I am indeed Gor’rain Hellfang, Herald and Sword of Jori. I come before you offering my services so long as the cause is fit for one who worships Jori.”


The other three men were now more impressed than intimidated, having thought first that this would be a strong, brute of a creature who smashed first, thought later. His speech, in spite of the guttural nature of it, was very intelligent, if not eloquent. Despite themselves, they stared openly and with more curiosity than before. None of them were extremely well traveled or experienced, including Traynt. Most of them had only seen a picture of an orc before so this was something new to them. On top of that, this orc before them was breaking many of the stereotypes of orcs, most of which were untrue anyway. Short end of it--they wouldn’t be doing much talking any time soon.


“My time and patience are both running short, so I’ll cut straight to it.” He looked over at the 3, more annoyed now than before, but trying to be understanding and somewhat professional--at least as professional as Ateo could be. “Lord Baldurso’s daughter was on a trade convoy that was attacked and while all other people are dead and accounted for, she was neither. We are looking to hire parties willing to help us search for her and bring her back.”


Suddenly, almost so suddenly that neither reacted at first, a voice came from the table off to the side which both Ateo and Gor’rain had essentially forgotten about. “You’re not an orc.” Both men looked over at Derwin and Gor’rain nodded. “I am ark’ro. That is half ogre, half orc. That makes you half right. Bwaha.” At first, based on his voice, Derwin thought the large ark’ro was being offensive, but then assumed that the noise he made after was a laugh, and that brought a smile to the young one’s face.


As Derwin spoke up, it seemed to break the spell over the other men, and Traynt spoke up next. “What brings you to the city?”


Both Ateo and Gor’rain felt a bit easier now that things were opening up. “Some may say fate. Some may simply say my feet. Ultimately, I have no reason to be here more than any other place. Perhaps a simple case of right place, right time.” Ateo studied him as he spoke and it hit him that he was very young. On top of it, some of what he spoke did indeed sound wise, but Ateo could sense that a great deal of it was--he could say it wasn’t genuine. It was almost as if he was repeating what should be said. Almost as if he was reciting what he knew should be said, but the thoughts behind the words were not his own.


It almost seemed rehearsed...


Interesting.


“Well, I want to say it’s an honor to have a Sword of Jori here to help,” Hendrick spoke up finally. “I know of your order and their reputation.”


“Thank you Sir. I will live up to what you’ve heard, without a doubt.” Ateo noted that at this point, it seemed as if everyone spoke as if Gor’rain was already hired. To be honest, he had no qualms with that, so he didn’t bring it up.


Hendrick responded with “indeed. Well, step through the door--” This part caught all off guard again, including Traynt who had not made the door appear. He did so quickly and even as he was casting the spell, Derwin spoke up. “Father, what about payment?”


Both Hendrick and Gor’rain looked at each other and the merchant nodded for the other to speak. “We do not accept payments. Any form of payment is asked to be donated to the Order. Most of that goes to help maintain orphanages and temples throughout the realm. The only material things I ask for myself is anything that may aid in my quest. And in the mean time, Lord Hendrick, I’ll pray for your daughter and her safety.”


While Ateo had to suppress an annoyed sound and keep his face flat, Hendrick nodded and smiled. “Thank you Sir.” Step through the door and we’ll be conducting a few more interviews.


Gor’rain nodded in reply and stepped through the door.

 

[Erica]

Maldune waved his hand dismissively at the question of Gor’rain and his interview. “He’ll be fine. He’s a big boy. A very big boy. Anyway, the goblins. We had a few sprout up where I was from, up north, and one thing my village used to always say is that where there is one, there will be more. It’s in their nature to come together and conquer.” He gave a shrug. If anything, he was just very curious to see them. He’d heard of them growing up, and even lived through a period when his group of villaged did wage a small “war” against them, but he was too young to partake. He did remember the bloody results however.


“Did you ladies--” Whatever Maldune was going to say was interrupted as the door opened up and Gor’rain’s massive form stepped through the door. He closed the door behind him and turned to give a nod to both Maldune and Tahl, before grinning and saying to Mal more than anyone, “told you so.”


“Indeed you have. Welcome aboard. Did you woo the gentlemen over with your feminine charms and wits as these other two did?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

By Nataline’s calculations, they were due for a warrior or two to join their ranks. While Ateo had a reputation as a formidable warrior, only a fool believed he could overcome any odds without support. He didn’t seem like that kind of fool. Serious and a bit uptight, perhaps, but he wouldn’t be captain of the guard for a major house if he wasn’t skilled at selecting warriors.


So when the door opened, Nat looked toward it with interest. Perhaps it would be a mercenary with a particularly manly frame. That could be fun, especially if he was dimwitted.


When she saw Gor’rain, she kept her smile in place as she blinked. “Manly” was not the word to describe this warrior. His size alone would intimidate most, but his apparent orc heritage was more disturbing. Luckily, Maldune exercised one of his apparent skills: he kept talking, giving her the chance to recover. His question even provided some humor. She decided at that point that she might like the sellsword.


Tahlia had smiled and nodded in greeting upon seeing Gor’rain, giving the impression that she knew the newcomer. She chuckled at Maldune’s joke, inwardly thinking Gor’rain might actually be better at exercising feminine charms than she was. At least he knew how to talk to people.


Meanwhile, Nataline had recovered enough to step forward. She commented off-handedly to Mal as she closed the gap between her and the half-orc. “While I’m unsure he could pull off a dress, I doubt anyone would comment about it - at least to his face,” she said good-naturedly. Turning to Gor’rain, she offered her hand with a wink. “I’m Liliana Chadwick. Call me Lily.” To her credit, she only looked slightly wary of the large man, and her smile was as genuine as her smiles got upon first meeting. “Apparently you’ve already met the others. Did I miss some tea and cakes in the hall?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“If there were cakes in the hall, I missed them,” Gor’rain said, practically drooling at the food on the table. It had been an entire hour since he’d last eaten. He forced his attention onto the female before him and smiled at her, which this time seemed as if he was just showing off his fangs. “Liliana. Good to meet you. I’ve meet the others in the hall, so they’ve about 5 minutes up on you. I am Gor’rain Hellfang, of the Order of Jori. Pleasure.” He took the hand and for all extensive purposes, grasped her up to her forearm. While he wouldn’t have bothered with polite hand grasps and kissed fingertips or what have you, it didn’t matter, because he wouldn’t be able to anyway. As he spoke, Gor’rain meandered himself over to one of the tables, one that happened to have a bowl of beef, barley, and carrot stew and shanks of ham, which he took no time in getting a bowl and plate of, even while keeping up on the conversation. “When I entered, there were only two more men in the hall, so I’m hoping this will not take much longer. Are you all prepared to leave sooner than later?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

His voice was as expected: deep and possibly dangerous. His phrasing, however, caught Nataline by surprise. Her smile warmed further - at least until his hand wrapped around her whole arm. My, but he was a large man. And he headed directly for the food. Everyone else so far had been delicate, even coy, about sampling the offered delicacies. Not Gor’rain. Nat found herself smiling. It seemed that while the orc (or was it ogre?) could speak well, he was still ultimately a fighter who needed to sustain his strength.


Tahlia answered his question first. She had moved back to the map. “I suspect you’re right, Gor’rain. Sir Ateo will not want to delay. I am ready to leave.” She looked to Lily, attempting to ask a wordlessly open question about her readiness. Unfortunately, the lift of her eyebrows may have come across as accusational.


Lily took it in stride, although she did have to suppress an eyeroll at the ranger’s holier-than-thou attitude. “I will need to stop by my room in town to change and get a few supplies. It won’t take long.” She looked to Mal, cutting him off before he could answer the question or ask about goblins again. “We were discussing abilities before you entered. From your non-cakes in the hall, I assume you know Maldune here is a spellsword, focused on the earth.” She motioned to Tahlia, “and our ranger, Tahlia, is gifted in healing. I am a mage, focusing on illusion and utilitarian spells.” She grinned. “Including those useful in a battle.”


She paused before continuing, “Your title provides a clue as to your strengths. The only question is who else will be joining us before we venture to the location of the attack.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Maldune found himself smirking as Lily spoke up for him, wondering if she was just being pleasant, or trying to keep him as quiet as possible. He didn’t respond early, instead deciding to follow Gor’rain’s lead, taking a few bites of some bread and cheese that was set out. As soon as he took a bite, he realized he was actually quite hungry. As he was eating, Gor’rain answered Lily’s statement. “I cannot imagine many more. Something like this is best done in small groups, and we’re not storming a citadel or anything of the sort.” He spoke with food in his mouth, although to his credit, it was not full.


Maldune nodded as he drank some mixed juice to wash down the food. Truth be told, he was getting a bit anxious. He wanted to be out and about and while it was fun and fine sitting here waiting, getting to know people, he wanted to be out doing something. Soon enough though, just be patient and focus on what is immediately available to you. “In the meantime, eat ladies. Granted, you may have eaten prior to being here, but you do not know the next time a decent meal will be available. I assume that Ateo will want to leave no later than tomorrow morning, but I assume as soon as he gets out of that room, and into here, we’re going to be out on the road not much after.”


After that, it was trivial small talk and snacking--or in Gor’rain’s case, eating several courses of “snacks.”


After under an hour, the door opened and all inside turned slowly, unsure who was coming through. All saw the familiar face of Ateo and he walked in by himself. Most found themselves straightening up to some degree, or trying to make themselves more presentable without even thinking much about it.He took a few steps in, looked at everyone quickly, not the long stare from earlier where you could almost FEEL Ateo looking at you, and then nodded. “Well, the selection is done, I hope you spent some time talking, because this is our group. At this point, I’ll assume you talked at least enough to learn one another’s name, so I will not waste time with group introductions.”


He moved about the room at this point, pacing slowly and speaking in a thoughtful manner. “So filling in some of the blanks. Lord Hendrick’s daughter was lost to him. She was on a convoy going to trade, going along a well traveled, patrolled, and notoriously safe route. She was under a moderate guard. The convoy was attacked, and all but two people were accounted for. One is his daughter. The other, we cannot be sure of.” This part was news to any who’d asked previously. Prior to this, there had only been one person unaccounted for.


“This information is between us only, and is not to be spoken of to anyone. Not Hendrick, not you family, not your lovers. One male body is missing. Part of the issue is that many of the bodies were hacked up, some had parts missing, and others were burned. Right now we have no idea who the missing male is, or if he was simply taken elsewhere. It may be nothing, it may be everything.”


Maldune spoke up, speaking the question that was burning in his mind. “So wait, not even HE knows that?”


“Correct. I made the observation myself. I didn’t mention to him because not only were the guards his own, but his brother was on there also. But. Any other questions will have to wait. We are leaving within 2 hours. So go, get your belongings together. We will be provided horses, food, or pretty much anything else the Baldursos can supply, just make it known you need them. Meet at the west gate by the stable in 2 hours.” 
Pretty much anything you need.


That statement spurred two wholly different trains of thought for the two women present. Nataline asked for paper and ink and quickly produced a list in neat and precise penmanship. She included a horse, assuming the others would be riding as well. The other items included components to assist with spells, especially scrolls for authoring new spells as needed. The better scroll parchment allowed for faster scribing and held up better under adverse weather conditions: having a couple extra on hand could make a difference in a crisis.


Tahlia, however, had arrived prepared to leave. So after she recovered from the news Ateo had shared and the questions raised by his keeping such information from his employer, she made a list as well after Lily had finished hers an left to prepare for their departure. Talia's slanted and hurried penmanship produced a list of herbs and minor potions, with a note at the bottom that none should be provided if it would deplete the estate's stores to a point where anyone within would be at risk. Other than that, she only asked for a new oiled skin cloak, for she had discovered rain was common in this area and her current one was not up for extended use as might be requird for a night's watch.


Ninety minutes later, Tahlia stood at the west gate, securing a satchel to her horse. It contained many of the herbs provided by the house surgeon and healer, along with a few additional tools he suggested may be helpful. Tahlia had no intention of utilizing any of the finely sharpened knives if at all possible. Her gifts made their use rarely needed, and her skills with them were limited at best. She began the process of reinspecting her weapons and gear as she awaited the others' arrival.

 

[Azseth]

After Ateo finished and nodded to each member in turn, he turned around and walked back into the door to the chamber. Maldune looked around in turn, silent for once, and then when he turned back to the door where Ateo left, he noticed it was gone once more.


He chuckled to himself and shook his head. It didn't take long for the group to disperse, there were a few spoken words and gestures, but for the most part, the fact that it was almost time for business sunk in with everyone. Maldune walked out of the main door, hearing Gor’rain mention something about spending his time in prayer and meditation, and made his way to the lower end inn he was staying in. He went about straightening up, taking his things and putting them where they needed to go. After a moment, he stood up, stretched and looked around. There were still clothes, candles, some food items and books still about, but everything he’d picked up thus far were on his person.


“All set,” he said to himself before reaching to his hip and opening a small sized brown bag with some symbols etched into it at various places. He then proceeded to take all of his clothes and stuffed them into the bag. Somewhat miraculously, but definitely magically, his arm disappeared into the bag up to his forearm and the clothing that seemed to have no business fitting in the bag did so anyway. He proceeded to do the same with many items, including an additional pair of shoes and boots, and after a few seconds, decided all was in order. It didn’t take long for him to pay for the services rendered and make his way to the tavern to have a drink or two, knowing that it would be the last for a little bit.

 

[Erica]

Nataline`s split riding skirt swished in counterpoint to the rhythm of her boots as she moved across the floor of her room at The Pious Pirate Inn, segregating her belongings into those useful for the Baldurso job and those that should be stored for later.


A slim, short man with dirty blond hair leaned back in the solitary chair in the room, his dark brown eyes watching Nat's progress. A thin coating of fuzz covered his jawline and chin: Devin Boyle may have been an amazing thief but the ability to grow a beard still eluded him, although he stubbornly kept trying. "Must be good if you won't give me the details."


Nat’s gaze remained focused on the task at hand. She paused while setting an oil cloak aside for storage, letting it hover above the pile. "Do you think it will rain in the next day or so?"


The man shrugged as he retrieved a knife from a sheath along his thigh. He started cleaning his nails with the tip as he smirked as he observed, "She changes the of subject." Still cleaning his nails, he tipped his chair back to balance it on the two back legs, his eyes on Nataline as he monitored his task out of the corner of his eye. "Now I'm really curious." Devin was a long-time accomplice and trusted friend - or at least he had earned as much trust as Nat ever gave others. He was a master thief, especially when it came to getting out of tight spots. Literally. The man could fold himself into all sorts of odd shapes and sizes.


Nat rolled her eyes and dropped the cloak onto the pile. "You're always curious. That's why we’re friends."


Devin smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "That and because you're still curious." Nearly as long as they had known each other, Nat and Devin had teased one another about sleeping together. Both of them knew it was a bad idea, but the teasing snuffed out any sparks of attraction or curiosity that might be waiting to be flamed into dangerous trouble.


So he showed no surprise or offense when Nat scoffed in response. Instead of answering Devin’s question, she retrieved a pouch from her bag and tossed it to Devin. He caught it in one hand while still balancing the chair. Show off, Nat thought with affection as she returned to gathering the last few things. “Send half to Hillcrest, the rest to the guild. I’m not sure how long this job will take, and that should cover us for at least a month.” The money for Hillcrest would go toward her son. She trusted that the Quinns would take care of her son, Daniel, and she knew for a fact that Devin could be trusted to get it there - because she verified every payment. The Quinns might not approve of Nataline’s “lifestyle” and use it as an excuse to minimize contact with her son, but they had no problem accepting her money. Of course, they believed her to be a tutor in the magical arts. Would learning of her true profession be enough to make them refuse coin?


She doubted it.


Devin nodded and tucked the pouch away. “Any restrictions on our activity here?” Devin might play at being a scoundrel, but he focused on business first. As impressive as his skill might be, that quality is what made Nataline recruit him as a travel companion and partner. Daring thieves were a copper per dozen. One who knew when to be daring and when to plan? Well, that was a find indeed.


“Just the usual new city rules. No large ripples,” she answered. “There should be plenty of opportunities to score in a port city without making enemies. And stay away from the Baldurso guards and grounds. If I need you later, we don’t want anyone recognizing you.”


Devin nodded as Nataline headed for the door. This was all elementary stuff, but it didn’t hurt to be clear. “You mean, no stable fire?” he joked, chuckling under his breath as he referenced an extreme measure they had to employ to exit one town years back.


Nat chuckled and shook her head. “Only if you really need a motivated horse,” she quipped back. Dropped the bag by the door, she added, “I’ll be back for this within the hour. Don’t be here, in case someone tags along.”


Devin saluted her with his knife before she moved downstairs and nodded to the innkeeper on her way out the door.

 

[Azseth]

Maldune lounged about the tavern, thinking it was nice enough. It seemed a nice enough place, the Lazy Nymph. He’d asked around a few times during his stay and visited several other taverns, but he wasn’t committed in any manner. However, he felt he liked this the most. It was nice but not poshy, there was a great mix of crowd and if there was any tension in the room, he didn’t detect it in the least. As he was entering, the tavern was just finishing up some song he’d never heard, a bawdy number called The Maid and the Mermaid that would have made a great many people blush, so it was an interesting first impression.


He sat down heavily, almost as if he was exhausted, but it wasn’t that. It was the fact that he was going out indefinitely and had no idea when he’d be able to enjoy something like this again. It wasn’t that he needed it, nor was it that he didn’t enjoy the time away. It simply was that he enjoyed the atmosphere and energy of a filled tavern. He sat down heavily at a small, two person table almost immediately and set his things along the wall and a moment later a serving girl came and he ordered a cut of beef, a mug of ale and a drink he’d recently became fond of called the Highport Hellwater that consisted of an incredibly potent local drink mixed with an incredibly potent local pepper sauce that had an incredibly potent affect when drank, in several ways. It definitely woke one up. He ordered 5 of them.


He then sat, watched, sank into his chair and drank it all in. Growing up, this type of thing didn’t happen because his life was mainly communal and somewhat primitive. Life was about the people. Social events were different. This was something that still seemed new, fun, and exhilarating to Maldune. There was chemistry, drinking, singing, dancing—there was almost an electricity in the air that sometimes seemed almost tangible.


He kind of missed how things were before, he especially missed his mother. He found himself mulling over earlier times, eyes glazed over as the crowd blurred into one large ball of brown noise and it wasn’t until the serving girl set down his mug and glasses loudly that he snapped out of it. “Oops, didn’t mean to disturb you hun,” she said with a giggle that indicated that it was her intention to do so. “Five Hellwaters? You waiting for someone…” She left it out there to hang flirtatiously for a moment, “that I could maybe point in your direction?”


He smiled up at her as he took up one of the smaller glasses and proceeded to take down the shot. Almost immediately he felt the burning, first in his mouth, then tongue and throat, and then seemingly everywhere. He exhaled loudly and shook his head before saying “Four now. And mayhaps I am just waiting on you?”


“Oh, sweety. You’re new here, and there’s a line of men waiting for me, most have been waiting a lot longer than you.” She had one hand on the table, the other on her hip as she smiled down at him.


“Patience never was a virtue of mine. But, maybe I can make an exception. Maybe you could too. Mayhaps it is that we’re both exceptional like that huh?”


She laughed loudly as she stood up, her eyes lighting up mischievously. “Look, if you get through 4 of those and can keep that smooth tongue of yours from slurring, and keep presentable.” She bit her lip and looked around, then back at him, “then, maybe.”


He smiled up at her as she cut back through the crowd, eager for his food to be brought to him, and not because he was hungry.

 

[Erica]

Highport’s warehouse district bustled with activity in the early afternoon. The short head of a tall dwarf could be seen among the workers and merchants, occasionally calling out, “Watch it!” to prevent collisions. When words did not work, the butt of Morrut Swordender’s axe proved more than capable of delivering the message.


He had stood outside The Lazy Nymph for the majority of the morning, waiting for Nat to show and update him. Just before noon, he had decided that the woman would figure out that he had decided to go inside - or she wouldn’t. Either way, he would get some lunch and a drink. By the time Maldune arrived, he had even sung along with the sailors and locals on a song or five, raising his mug of ale high as he did. If those at his table minded the spittle landing on the table in the process, they either didn’t mind or wisely opted not to voice their complaints to the dwarven fighter.


Nataline arrived nearly two hours into Morrut’s revelry, leaving her with a little over an hour to return to the Baldurso estate. It should have been plenty of time, but - as she was fond of pointing out to others - things rarely go according to plan. She paused inside the door, smiling at the exuberant nature of sailors. They always seemed to embrace life fully without apology: a philosophy she endorsed fully. She spotted Morrut almost immediately, but it was the sight of Maldune sitting by his lonesome that caught her attention. He had several empty mugs in front of him and a satisfied grin that piqued her curiosity. More importantly, she couldn’t let him see her talking with Morrut.


So, when she spotted him, she allowed a wicked smile to emerge before crossing the room to his table. This required passing through a small section where a group of sailors were dancing with some local girls (many of them undoubtedly whores). Upon entering the dance area, one man scooped her up into a dance. She fluidly spun with him across the dance floor then extricated herself expertly from his arms with a gentle push that sent him back into the merriment. His friends called out a wordless mixture of teasing condemnation as he lost his dance partner.


Nat smiled at Maldune, executing a nod that bordered on a mock curtsey. “I suspect you heard the same rumors I did.” She glanced at a passing barmaid, then back to him with a wicked grin. “Well, maybe not exactly the same.”


She gestured to the open chair at his table. “May I join you, or do you plan to partake of the local...” she paused briefly to emphasize the innuendo, “festivities before we depart?”


On the other side of the room, Morrut rolled his eyes and ordered another mug of ale.

 

[Azseth]

Ateo hurried out to his own place rather unceremoniously after dismissing the others. He had little, if anything, to say to Hendrick or anyone else, all was pretty much discussed before hand. He’d give a final good bye to the Lord before leaving, but simply to let him know he would be on his way. He walked through the city to his home that was off of the Baldurso compound, taking a way that took a little longer but also was less traveled as it was his preference to avoid most people. He moved to the home that would shock most people because of the disparity between both its appearance and size and his social standing.


The place was small and offered no luxury whatsoever, at least from the outside. The inside only cemented that fact. There was essentially a main room with a small cooking area, several couches and a table with one chair that was basically hardly room enough for one person to eat at. There was a small bathroom and a small bedroom. It seemed dark, dusty, and quiet and anyone that was expecting anything else would have been sorely disappointed.


He pulled up the chair to the bedroom and sat in it, starting at the box at the foot of the bed. It wasn’t large; about 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide and not too deep beyond that. He took a deep breath and opened it, revealing clothes, boots and other seemingly miscellaneous object that he placed on the bed. He then sat back and stared, deep in thought for several long minutes.


He closed his eyes hard as he fought back a flood of emotion just thinking about the contents of the box and despite himself, he found his eyes slightly wet after a few moment. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. Then, he let those visions from the past wash over him, hitting him hard, and fast, like a blur—like a dam breaking.

~ * ^ * ~

​

He stood over several figures, and even though it was him, and he knew it, it looked like someone else and felt like it was a dream. Like it never happened. But it was no dream. It happened. He had the scars to prove it. He could taste the blood in his mouth, blood that was not his.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Then he was a boy, fleeing his home, hearing the men behind him yelling. Some were threats, some were kind words, some were simple commands, but he ran and ran until a hand gripped his shoulder and spun him around. “You’re coming with us boy.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Then he was looking at a boy, a young man really, and there was fear in the boy’s eyes. “I don’t…I don’t understand. I don’t even know my father.”


“I don’t know my father either,” Ateo heard himself say. “Thanks to yours.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

He knelt beside a bleeding, dying man. The two were in an open prairie and there was nothing around them for miles except small hills and rolling grass. He looked down at the dying man and eyes grew wet with tears again, both eyes in the dream and those of the one dreaming.


“I’m…”


The dying man coughed slightly. “No you’re not. You made a choice.”


“I didn’t want this, not…this.”


“You made a choice, this is what your choice led to. You don’t get to pick out the good and bad.” Another harder cough. “I’m sorry. I tried, all these years.”


“You…knew?”


“I knew. I hoped all this time, hoped you’d see. That I could change you. I wanted…” Nothing else came from the man’s lips as he ceased moving.


“I did see, all along.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Then he was in a clearing, and the figures from his first vision were there. Only there was movement, fighting, flashes of magic. Pain. Death. He could almost feel the hate, the anger emanating from him as he cut down one man. Then another. This part didn’t seem clear, it was cloudy and jumped around. But he stood over them all again. Panting. Bleeding. Hurting. He did it, achieved the goal he’d set out to accomplish for so many years.

And all he felt was emptiness, and that emptiness turned to anger. He fell to his knees and screamed.

~ * ^ * ~​

That scream seemed to wake him from his altered state and he looked at the box and said several words under his breath. The box seemed to shimmer slightly and then nothing. He reached into the previously empty back and took out 3 swords, and various pieces of a set of leather armor, and he set them all out in front of him. At this point, Ateo was calm and collected, just as he was previous to the opening of the box and its memories but there was also a different energy about him.


Slowly, he stripped down and folded up the clothing he was going to be putting away, placing them on the bed. Walking around in only his breeches, he pulled two large sacks and a backpack out and starting putting together common items like clothing, hygiene supplies and the sort. He tossed the packs near the door and then sat down, taking out some paper and beginning to make several notes for the guards and for Lord Baldurso himself. He then went to the chair in front of the gear that was still laying about him and grunted heavily, taking a few moments to put on the armor and don the weapons. It was not long after he was dressed that he opened his door, picked up the packs and made his way to the Baldurso stable.


There was almost 45 minutes or so left until he was to meet the group at the gate, so he was in no real hurry. He made it to the family grounds and stable without incident and the stableboy nodded politely enough, although he didn’t say anything. In the last few years since the boy started working with his father, Ateo could not recall him saying anything more than “yes” or “no” to be honest. He’d spotted the boy talking to a few people though, even a few other guards, which led him to believe that it wasn’t people he was quiet around, it was Ateo.


After a few moments of silence, the boy came back leading a rather large, rugged looking mule and handed the reigns to Ateo. The two exchanging nods again, Ateo turned and made his way to the gate. He found himself brooding, a mix of a handful of negative emotions and did his best to force some of them away. While the most obvious trigger for these feelings were the kidnapping and possible outcomes, what was weighing more on his nerves was the gear he was wearing and the history behind them.


He’d mounted the mule and was riding at a leisurely pace as he tried to consolidate his thoughts. Truth be told, the gear, weapons specific made him feel good, really good. Powerful. It was that thought he focused on, trying to keep it at the forefront of his mind that this was about finding and saving Dahl. He needed this gear to get her, as he had no idea what he and the others were getting into. She was worth more to him than was his past staying buried away in that box, hidden. And, it did feel good to wear it all once again.


After all, the last time he’d worn this armor and donned these weapons, he’d taken revenge for the killing of his father, mother, and brother.


The last time he’d worn these items, he’d killed Domok, Ascended of Justice, Order, and Vengeance.

 

[Erica]

Ateo moved at a slow pace atop the mule, his thoughts seeming to be more easily focused as he came closer to the gate and the time to leave approached. It was still very early and the group wasn’t supposed to be there until just under an hour or so from now, so it surprised him slightly when he could see Tahl in the distance, standing by herself at the gate. Then, after thinking about it for a moment, it didn’t surprise him. He seen her look up as he approached and at the distance, she only gave a slight nod, which Ateo returned. Then when he was closer, he hopped off of the mule, not tying it’s reigns like most horses would require, and in a flat and distant voice asked “so you’re all set?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Tahlia had checked, double-checked, and now triple-checked her supplies at the gate. It would be a matter of waiting for the others now. She remained unsure what to think of the rest of the group. Ateo seemed liked a strong leader and his cause was true. Mal was easy to like, but would he hold up in battle? She had to assume so, for otherwise the Baldursos would not have selected him. Gor’rain would likely be an asset in any fight, but Lily’s nature rubbed Tahlia the wrong way. She resolved to make a more concerted effort to get along with the other woman.


Eventually she saw Ateo approaching on a mule, of all things. Despite the less-than-impressive nature of his steed, his armor was remarkable. She nodded to him as he dismounted, expecting some initial conversation with their leader. In truth, she was glad he had arrived first. But his tone implied something was wrong. She suddenly wondered if her requests for herbs had been inappropriate. “I am ready to depart when the others arrive.” Glancing toward the road, she shrugged. “Whatever business I have in town can wait.” She looked at him curiously, voicing a question that came out all wrong. “Are you ready?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“I’m many things, one of those is ready.” He almost regretted saying it as soon as it came from his mouth. It wasn’t that the words or tone was harsh, it was just revealing. He was a mix of emotions and while some of them were immediate, others went back into his past, a past that needed to remain hidden--one he WANTED to stay hidden. “It’s been a while since I left the city on anything but escort detail. It’s just...everything is a mix. I wish the circumstances were obviously different.” As he spoke, he too went over his gear, ensuring everything was there and in it’s place. He’d like to think it wasn’t necessary, but it was as he hadn’t left on this sort of mission in many, many years. He adjusted some packs that had been sitting in an uncomfortable manner as he rode and felt suddenly self conscious. He felt unprepared and slightly off, and he didn’t like it. He hoped he didn’t appear so blatantly lost to Tahlia. It only added to the mix of emotion he was feeling. At first, the complex maze of politics, formalities, and double dealings in Highport overwhelmed him in a similar way. The life of a soldier was more simple: you fought and killed the person in the other uniform. Having to deal with abstracts and riddles was a tough adjustment, but now THAT was the norm and this seemed new again.The biggest thing on his mind however, was that his ability to perform could mean the life or death of Dahl, and that wasn’t easy to cope with. “I’m sure all will be fine once I leave the gates. Hopefully the others arrive soon. Soon, another packhorse should be sent with miscellaneous supplies.” He pulled one strap tight with a *SNAP* and nodded his approval before giving the mule a very hard slap on the rear, muttering “we’ll be on our way soon enough Boulder.” Then he spoke to Tahlia, “I am pleased with this group. Every piece may not be the prettiest, but the puzzle fits together. What are your thoughts?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

“I’m many things, one of those is ready.”


Tahlia’s eyebrows lifted at that comment, although (for once) she wisely held her tongue. When he mentioned everything being different, she nodded in a semblance of understanding while she checked her pack for the fifteenth time, mostly for show and to keep her hands busy. Her eagerness to start their journey was mounting by the minute. When Sir Ateo had first told her how long the girl had been missing, she wondered why they had not left immediately. All the time spent conducting interviews was understandable, at least intellectually, but now she wanted to get to the area of the ambush before any more destruction befell the signs left by the attackers.


At first, she thought he was muttering to her about being on their way soon enough. She even started to answer him with an “I know...” before he looked up and addressed her, making her realize he had been talking to his donkey.


She shrugged lightly. “I was not in the interview room, Sir. I understand the desire for diversity, but honestly, my greatest concern is the passage of time. I am anxious to get to the site of the attack.” Belatedly, she realized he might believe her to be implying that he was not anxious to do so. “As you must be...” she added lamely.


“It has been a long while since I had to work with a team aside from a loose group of caravan guards or a household patrol.” She motioned over her shoulder with a thumb toward the south infirmary. “Or a group of physicians and healers who believe in coin and prestige above...” what? Above healing? That was not truly correct, and now she was disparaging her last employer in front of her new one. It did not matter that Ateo clearly had issues with Mattick Herema; it was still poor form to speak ill of him.


“Never mind. I am hopeful that we will find her, with a little luck a the skills you have collected among the group.”

 

[Azseth]

Ateo nodded and turned his attention to Tahlia for a moment as she spoke. He almost smiled as she spoke of the healers, knowing that she was referencing Mattick. While many people, especially those who are under the influence of the Ascended, were not wont to speak ill of others and considered judging people in a negative light, Ateo didn't feel the same. For as long as he could remember, he believed that the actions, words, and intentions were things to be judged on and hiding behind a god, or some form of religious rhetoric or doctrine did not justify the way one carried themselves.


He opted not to speak of that now though as Tahlia was often awkward enough and he figured those words would set the two at odds to some degree. Instead he focused on her last comment. "We will be alright. I have guards there preserving the scene as best as possible and I trust in the groups abilities to find heads or tails. There are bootprints of individuals not from Highport at the scene, but they seem to disappear not far from the scene. Most likely magical means. I won't get too much into the information as I'm not a fan of redundancy. I'd prefer to wait for everyone to be here and tell it once."


As he said that, he looked up and down the large road and made out a form coming their way. It was a large, bulky, and heavily armored form, and that led him to assume that it could only be Gor'rain. He walked slow and casually, leading a horse as he moved. "Looks like we're one person closer to being off."


No sooner had those words came out of his mouth than an armed guard with a Baldurso family insignia made his way around another side street leading a medium sized horse with a variety of packs slung over his back. The guard was fairly young and wore an amused smile on his face as he saw Ateo. "Ho Captain, I come baring gifts."


Ateo gave a derisive snort as he saw the man and heard the greeting, but he smiled faintly. "Not only are you in charge when I'm gone, but Hendrick saw it fit to curse me with your presence on the way out. I'm sure that when I come back, I'll find the compound in ruins."


"Ateo, why such harsh words? Is it because you know that your job security is at risk now that our Lord will see that not only are others capable of doing your job, but they are most likely better at it?"


"Better? Bah! You sleep until noon, and your inability to train others to use a sword is only surpassed by your own actual inability to yield one. The only capable forays you've ever lead were at chow time, and you're even usually late to those." He smiled a bit wider as the verbal sparring went back and forth.


"They say mockery is the most sincere form of flattery Ateo. I thank you for that. Anyway, when you get back and find me promoted to Captain, I assure you that you'll have a place in the Baldurso guard. We always need good cooks and latrine hands."


"Flattery my ass. And I'm not talking about him," he jerked his finger to his mount behind him.


The two nodded and laughed softly and then there was a moment of silence as things got serious. The guard motioned towards the horse, saying "there is a hodge podge of supplies there, just in case. Bring her back soon, we're all waiting for her." Ateo didn't reply, but the two extended each extended one hand towards the others and clasped them together, palms together, thumbs up as was the Baldurso Guard custom.


The two nodded, and as the guard went to leave, he nodded towards Tahlia and simply said "Ma'am," before departing. 
Maldune was chewing as she asked the question but even as he was chewing, he seemed to be smiling. He swallowed it down and took the last of the small glasses of liquor, downing it quickly, hissing slightly at the burning feeling. "What do I think" he asked breathing in and out deeply as the burning rushed through his chest. "To be honest, I don't think much. The nature of why I was hired here was less for thinking, more for doing. I'm no tracker in terms of putting together puzzles and clues. Obviously, I hope," he took a deep breath here, trying to carefully pick his words. "I hope the situation is resolved in the best way possible. But, I guess somewhat like animals, some are born leaders and some are born followers. While some societies look at that negatively, others simply view it as the natural order of things." He looked around, locking eyes with the serving girl from earlier for a moment. "God help everyone if I was in charge, because most of the search would take place here. However, I do have confidence in our collective abilities, if that more accurately answers your question."


"What do you make of that one?" He indicated in the general direction of a man sitting at a table with two other men. While the two were hunched and suspicious looking while casually chatting, the other sat back in his chair. His face was a mix of boredom and anger. He seemed to be brooding. While the other two talked, ate and drank, the third simply nodded occasionally and said nothing.


The quiet one was a relatively young human whose face, either by natural means or his own, was smooth and hairless. His hair was very short and light brown and between the length and color, his scalp could be seen.


There was nothing about him that screamed out "deadly" at all, and that's one of the main reasons people underestimated him. The two didn't know it, but they were looking at the same man Ateo had had an altercation with earlier, the man named Jayce.


Even as he sat with his arms crossed over his chest, several fingers of one hand caressed and played with the hilt of a dagger sheathed under his arm, hidden to all but the most trained eyes. While Maldune himself could not see the dagger, he could feel the anger emanating from him, and while he was slightly taken aback, this also made him naturally curious.

 

[Erica]

Nat smiled as Maldune chewed with a smirk on his face. He seemed to find amusement in everyday interaction, which was most common with sages and fools. She didn’t think him a sage, but she had been wrong before. There were some who simply enjoyed life in whatever form it came to them. Perhaps he was that sort. His words, both self-deprecating and carefully chosen, demonstrated he was no fool. He also seemed to like to hear himself talk, which kept the smile on her lips.


The serving girl was carrying her stew and drink to the table when Maldune looked over the crowd and pointed out a specific individual. She took her time paying the girl, then looked toward the man in question. She tried one bite of it before she smiled slowly. The man was sitting to her right, and she had looked directly at him long enough to make a brief assessment, but not long enough to attract attention. Or at least that was the goal. She had, however, spotted the dagger; partly because she had a better angle, but largely because the rest of his posture screamed that he was occupied with something in his other hand - and a weapon made the most sense.


She did not voice her initial thought as it came to her, for it would have been crass, and the role she was playing at the moment did not include that aspect of her personality. She compromised by alluding to her assessment. “An interesting choice. I’m curious what made you select him of all the patrons here.” She took a sip of her drink, her eyes dancing with amusement as she looked at Maldune. When she finished, she set her glass down. “To answer your question: I believe large men fond of fondling short knives often have personal issues to resolve.” She grinned playfully, unable to help herself. After taking another bite of her stew, avoiding the meat so she wouldn’t have to chew as long as Maldune had, she added, “If you want to start a fight in here, he’s a good target. If you want a distraction, even better: find someone else and toss them at him.”


She glanced toward Jayce to study him again, her smile still in place. This time, the caught her eye and glared at her. In return, Nat smiled and raised her glass with a wink.


Apparently the man did not take kindly to the attention, for he leaned over to his closest companion, speaking words lost in the din of the room. He stood and started a fairly direct path toward their table, his arms still folded as he glared at the two of them. Nat’s smile remained as she sighed softly and spoke to her companion. “Or... we could piss him off by looking at him.” Nat tore off a hunk of bread and dipped it in the stew as the man in question approached. “I’ll follow your lead, handsome,” she said quietly before taking a bite and putting down the remaining hunk of bread. As she picked up her glass to take another drink, her ring clinked against the cup. She looked up to see the stranger stepping to the table.


He looked down at them, his arms still folded to obscure the grip on his knife. “You two think something is funny?”

 

[Erica]

In regards to why Maldune selected that man from all those present, it was because of the massive amount of negativity emanating from him. The time to answer the question had passed as the man made his way over to their table. The two others followed after him, looking around and at one another as if they were nervous, maybe scared. Whether they were scared for themselves, this man, the two sitting at the table, or something else, Maldune didn't quite know.


As the man approached, Maldune slid a chair out for him to sit. Instead of taking the seat, he just stared back and forth between the two while continuing to stand and seethe.


Maldune shrugged haphazardly. "Well enough. Anyone, to answer your question, I find humor in pretty much anything. In fact, I can think back with a smile and my face, and often a chuckle, to the time that I was dancing on a table, fell and broke my leg. Granted, the smiling and chuckling didn't come until a time later, but" he shrugged and waved his hand dismissively before continuing.


"So I guess the appropriate answer to your question is that I do not find you any more or less funny than anyone else here. I apologize if we offended you by implying otherwise, right Ma'am?" His eyes didn't move to Nat as he addressed her.


This answer seemed to placate the other two, as they muttered to him something akin to "see, it wasn't nothing, let's go" and "we really don't need this right now Jayce." One put a hand on Jayce, which was shook off quickly as he continued to stare at the other two. He recognized them from somewhere but he couldn't place them right now, and that bothered him. That bothered him, and so did the smug and snide response of the man seated before him. And as much as he wanted to find any excuse or reason to conjure up some reason to escelate the situation, he could not. And now, some people around them were watching.

~ * ^ * ~

​

How quickly events turn. The patrons of The Lazy Nymph watched as the scene unfolded. At first, it was casual curiosity, with those closest to Jayce, his friends, and their table, noting the interaction. Not everyone was watching, of course: the drunkards cared too much for the contents of their cups and the lechers were otherwise occupied with the passing bar maids. Enough eyes were on them, though, that the situation could backfire in a bad way. And not just because of Jayce's knife. By the time Jayce shook off his friend's attempt to pull him away, the eyes upon them had tripled. Nataline was acutely aware of one dwarven gaze that lingered on them, so much so that she shook her head as Maldune addressed her without looking at her. It might look like regret to everyone else in the place, but she hoped that Morrut would read the signal clearly: do not interfere.


Nat watched Jayce, observing the way his muscles twitched and his eyes narrowed. This was a man itching for a fight. While she desperately wanted to look at Maldune, she resisted the temptation. The whole situation was far too tense for sudden movements - or at least those without a clear and useful purpose. She fingered her ring briefly, considering giving the man a heavy dose of Vertigo, allowing them to escape the Nymph and the situation. Then what, though? They had to return to town at some point, and by the whispers among the crowd, this man was a local. She seemed to remember hearing about some fool with more aggression than sense who made the local thieves wary. Lily might be able to avoid him, but Nat could need his help at some point - or at least not to have pissed him off should she be found sneaking around at night.


Nat stopped playing with her ring and answered Maldune's prompting with her eyebrows lifted innocently. "Of course. No offense meant. I simply thought..." She paused, tilting her head a bit, then allowing a large, playful grin to blossom on her lips. "That's it!" she cried as if solving the riddle of the ages. She slammed her hand upon the table, causing Jayce to grip his knife and his friends to jump. More eyes turned toward them, but she ignored the attention for now. "I knew I had seen you somewhere." She leaned back in her seat and played idly with her necklace as she looked him up and down. "Jayce. I'd heard the name, but ... really." She chuckled softly under her breath. "The rumors don't quite do you justice, do they?"


Skeptical, Jayce eyed Nataline as he continued to glare at them. But his curiosity was piqued, and that was enough for now. "So you heard of me.. so what? Everyone's heard of me," he boasted. His friends were quick to chime in with snickers and useless echoes. "Yeah. He's a regular legend.." "That ain't nothing." While he and his friends spoke, Nataline looked him over as if auditioning him in her mind for a bedroom liaison, muttering under her breath and biting her lower lip periodically. It was distracting enough to catch Jayce's attention. "What are they saying now?" he said with a smirk, eyeing the bust line of Nataline's dress. "They start talking about me in brothels again?"


Undoubtedly he meant it as an insult, but Nat paid it no mind. Instead, she stood up quickly - fast enough for him to bring the blade to her side. He held it there, though, as she smirked and whispered something in his ear. If any should hear what she said, it was instantly forgotten. Those sensitive to magic might note the spell being cast, but it was subtle, and she hoped she was playing it off correctly: as a woman trying to seduce her way out of the situation. Once the spell was cast, she grinned and whispered in his ear again. This time, the words would be remembered by Jayce and any others sensitive enough to hear it. "We're not worth the effort. Let us buy you a drink. Better yet.... let me buy you one the next time I'm in town and less..." Her gaze flitted to Maldune, then back to Jayce, who was removing the blade from her side. "... occupied. I suspect you and I could be great friends, under the right circumstances." She laid it on thick, clearly implying that he was more powerful and useful than they were and that she was attempting to improve her reputation through his fighting prowess.


Taking a step back, Nat smiled at Jayce, whose scowl remained in place but had lost its edge. "What do you say?" Nat prompted, hoping she hadn't played the man's ego incorrectly. The spell made him more suggestible, but it would not make him act wholly against his nature.


He grunted and used a meaty hand to push her back toward her table - and Maldune. Nat played it up by allowing herself to stumble into the table, causing their stews and drinks to sway in their containers, but not to spill. "I say... you're not worth the trouble. Two desperate wanna-bes." Nat donned a crestfallen expression, as if her ploy hadn't worked. This seemed to please Jayce, for he added. "Come on. I need another drink," he said to his friends, although he was meeting Maldune's eyes as if waiting for him to start something over the insult.

 

[Azseth]

While Maldune watched the scene unfold, he didn't seem worried or on edge. And that was because he wasn't. Partly out of ignorance and youth, and partly out of simply being caught up in the moment, he wasn't even thinking in a way that his could explode into something more violent. Had he known Jayce, what he was capable, and the fact that he was no stranger to escalating situations like this, Maldune may have been a bit more guarded. May have.


As it was, he watched Nat move closer to Jayce and astutely assumed some form of magic was involved. He didn't know what, and he wouldn't ask because it was unimportant to him, but he did store it away to be a bit more mindful of himself around her. Maldune ate and drank as he watched, doing so not only because he was hungry and the food was great, but also because he just wanted to appear unimportant and of no actual threat. Several spells were rattling around in his head vaguely, but he had confidence that between his own words and the actions (and potential magic) of Nat that all would be fine.


As Jayce made some offhand comments and shoved Nat back, Maldune did react with a slight grimace, but more at his food being jostled along with his drink. He didn't say anything or react any more than that; his ego wasn't important enough to take precedence over the job they had to do. However, there was a large part of him that did want to confront him later at some point. Who knew if that would ever happen though?


As the crowd's interest moved from the potential fight to the music, alcohol, and atmosphere and Nat sat back down, the serving girl approached them again. Before Maldune had a chance to ask for the amount due for the food and drink, the pretty girl leaned down and looked at the two of them. "I haven't seen you two before, so I assume you're new here and all, so here is some advice: avoid Jayce. In any capacity. There are two people you generally don't want to get on the bad side of here. One of them is Jayce, and the other is that Ateo guy. Don't know who's worse, but I know that people who cross either have a tendency to end up dead. And you're both to cute to be involved in that."

~ * ^ * ~

​

Nat adopted a perfectly submissive posture to counter Jayce’s swagger: eyes down (but not too far; she kept his wrist in her line of sight in case he went for that knife), shoulders slightly hunched, and backing into her seat. When he was gone, she reached for her bread and tore off a hunk, chewing on it thoughtfully. As she turned toward Maldune, she caught sight of Morrut rising from his seat to move through the crowd, passing Jayce and his friends, making no obvious sign of recognition or deference, although the dwarf did give them a wide berth. Knowing Morrut, he’d already gotten information about the man from the locals and was headed out to find Devin to discuss it.


Unfortunately, Nataline would have no further communication with Morrut before she departed down. It was time for Lily to take over.


Just as she turned to Maldune, the serving girl approached their table. She smiled at the girl and nodded to show her appreciation. “Well, aren’t you kind?” she said with a warm smile. “We will do our best, won’t we, Mal?” She leaned forward as if she had a secret to share. It worked well, drawing the girl in. “Before we were interrupted,” she said softly, her eyes darting in the general direction of Jayce without actually looking his way and risking another altercation, “Mal here was telling me how sweet you were. I see now he spoke the truth.”


The girl’s cheeks flushed at the compliment, and Nat - as Lily - donned a playful smile as she sat back and returned to eating her stew. It was the least she could do. Her arrival and their need to depart for the Baldurso compound shortly might make it difficult for Maldune to enjoy the girl’s hospitality this afternoon, but they would eventually return to town.


As the girl’s attention turned back to Mal, Nat glanced outside. The sun was moving quickly; they would need to leave soon.


Maldune watched the two but his mind started to move beyond the tavern and the serving girl to what was all but inevitable, the mission at hand. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but someone yelled--well, slurred more than yelled, the girl's name and she smiled and took off. His own thoughts mirrored Nat’s as he too took notice of the time. He took another large bite of his food, washed it down one more time and could tell by a slight change in Nat’s position that she too was ready to depart. He was still chewing as he pulled out several coins and placed them down on the table, enough for both Nat and Mal’s food, plus a gracious tip. He swallowed and sighed slightly, knowing this was the last real, cooked food he’d it for some time, looking at the bowl longingly before saying “Well, Lady Lily, shall we be on our way then?”

 

[Erica]

Tahlia found reassurance in Gor'rain's persistent progress toward their position as Ateo spoke. It meant that eventually, Ateo would have someone else to speak to other than her. The Baldurso Captain, her current commander, seemed to expect wisdom from her or at least insight. Perhaps she did possess some, but she lacked the skill and confidence to share it in any productive way.


If she knew how to state it without offense, she might have observed that the group he had selected represented diverse and sometimes opposing skills. Gor'rain seemed a dependable fighter, eager in his youth to both bash in heads and prevent theirs from suffering the same fate - but that the man was learned as well, a surprising quality for anyone with orc blood in their veins. She might have added that Maldune seemed likeable, quick witted and capable, and that Lily... what of Lily could she say except that the woman seemed to represent the worst of what magic users often relied upon? Words, wit, and beauty were the other woman's strengths, and for that alone Tahlia took issue with her. Tahlia simply did not trust those who so readily offered the blessings bestowed by an Ascended in exchange for coin. Yes, that was the reason she could give. The truth was harder to admit, however: the other woman excelled in social interactions, and that made Tahlia feel like a blundering fool in comparison. If this job required political maneuvering, it might not be so hard to stomach her presence, but right now, Tahlia felt that the mage would likely only get in the way of their mission.


She said none of this, however, for Tahlia knew herself well enough to recognize that it would come across petty and uncooperative. Instead, she did her best to maintain a casual conversation with Sir Ateo while she counted Gor'rain's steps, urging him to arrive faster in her mind.


As it turned out, a guard arrived first with a horse, then entered into friendly banter with his Captain. Finding whole exchange reminiscent of her time with the Rangers in Myrisano, she looked anywhere but at the two men. Turning away, she focused on the ground, then Gor'rain's approach (still far to slow to save her from the awkward observation of their casual familiarity), then finally back to her horse again, where she re-examined and unnecessarily checked each strap and fastening. While she had come to understand the jovial teasing that came with service in her years serving King Rowe, she had never mastered participation in the sport. Her jokes always fell flat, so she had learned to hold her tongue and suffer the reputation of the humorless. Despite her awkwardness, though, the Rangers had come to know and care for her in time, a fact she tried to forget in her exile. What had they thought when she had been deemed the enemy? It did her no good to reminisce over fighting companions probably long dead, nor for a King she could no longer serve.


Yet, despite her intellectual knowledge that it served no purpose, the way this man talked to Ateo inspired a sense of longing and regret; one she tried to cover up by tightening her horse's saddle. It complained at the action just as the guard nodded to her. She nodded in return as her horse danced sideways, knocking into her. She scrambled forward three steps before readjusting the saddle again, running a hand down the beast's side as she did so. "Sorry, girl," she said softly. While she cast no spell, her demeanor shifted slightly from the nervous outsider observing Ateo's conversation to one of purpose as she soothed the horse. Within a minute, the creature was leaning into her touch on its neck, the transgression apparently forgiven.


Looking at Ateo as Gor'rain approached, she spoke again. "She was... is," she corrected, "dearly loved; that much is obvious. Perhaps, if it is not too painful, you can share with us what she is like." Tahlia paused as the horse snorted warm air and pressed its muzzle against the healer's hand. "Whatever might help us in finding her."

~ * ^ * ~

​

"We will see," was all that Ateo said, a slight smile still on his lips, even though his tone changed slightly at the mention of Dahl. He watched as the one man left and another approached and before he had time to say anything, Gor'rain bellowed out "hello friends." Gor'rain noticed that only two of the group were here, but there was an extra horse. He deduced that it was most likely a packhorse and spoke nothing of it, but he did see that there was actually only three horses as the one Ateo attended to was actually a mule.


He guffawed and opened his mouth to ask about that, but Ateo quickly shot him a look that silenced him before any words came out--at least any words about the mule. "We are missing the other two, should we be worried? Granted, we are a bit early."


"I think we should be fine. As you said, we still have time and I don't see either of those two opting out for some reason."


Gor'rain looked over at Tahl and smiled, "a pleasure to see you again ma'am."

~ * ^ * ~

​

The subtle shift in Ateo’s speech was lost on Tahlia, but she remained anxious for the others to arrive so they could start their journey. As Gor’rain called for them, she found herself smiling. With her hand still on her horse’s snout, she nodded to him. Physically, the servant of Jori made a statement in his very presence. Even his voice had a presence with its rumbling bass.


“Call me Tahlia, please. If you yell out ‘ma’am’ when injured, I’m not likely to answer.” She patted her horse’s neck, realizing both that her intended joke had failed and that she could do nothing about it. “It is a pleasure to see you as well. I share your eagerness to get on the road.”


She looked toward the city, as if she might spy Lily and Maldune approaching. No such luck. “While we’re waiting, I...” On a purely physical level, there should be no difference between humans and ... whatever he was, but she was curious. Would it make a difference in treating him? “... is there anything I should know? ...”


Well, that came out all wrong. She pressed her lips together to at least contain the damage, since repairing it was unlikely.

~ * ^ * ~

​

Whatever the context of her question was, it was lost on Ateo, mainly because he was deep in thought. Gor’rain on the other hand took it as directed at him. “Well, Tahlia, I prefer squirrel meet over anything else in the wild, and I carry enough herbs and spices to make sure that, even if we’re not allowed the comforts of a fire, whatever we eat will be well enough off. I have a new spell I am rather eager to try out once out and in a camp.” As he finished his sentence, his brow furrowed slightly, and he looked up into the right corner of his eye, mentally going over the words to the spell. He nodded to himself in satisfaction, then added. “And I snore when I sleep on my stomach, so don’t let me do that.” He almost mentioned that he’s been known to have silence spells cast on him when necessary, but lately he’s been training himself to refrain from sleeping on his stomach.

~ * ^ * ~

​

The tension eased from Tahlia’s shoulders as Gor’rain answered her question. Well, not the question she had refrained from asking, but at least he had not taken offense. That might have turned ugly fast. Reminding herself that sometimes silence proved the better course, she smiled and nodded at his shared information.


It was then that she saw two figures approaching from the stables. The woman and man walked side by side as they led their chosen mounts to the meeting place. Mal’s animated actions beside the tall and stately redhead indicated they were engaged in conversation. Apparently, Lily had excellent hearing, for she smiled as they quickly approached the others. “Do you have any suggestions on how best to accomplish this, Sir Gor’rain?” She looked him up and down with a teasing smirk. “I imagine it would take considerable effort. Or are you hinting that one of us should sleep beside you to keep watch?” She was teasing, of course, as supported by the wink that followed.


Tahlia maintained a neutral expression and her mouth remained shut as Lily looked to Ateo. “It seems we are all here, Captain.” She paused only briefly before adding, “Or… how shall we address you?”

 

[Azseth]

Gor'rain quickly answered at Lily's remarks, quipping back "your skin is not green enough for me. I hope you do not take offense."


Maldune chuckled at the comment but started to go over his possessions one last time while Ateo spoke in reply to the question asked of him. "We are all her indeed." He took a moment, gathering his thoughts but before he spoke, Maldune asked outloud. "Whose ass is that? Is that a pack mule?"


Ateo appeared to take offense to the comment, "it's mine. I don't ride horses. Anyway, we're going to set out now, and tonight at camp, we'll talk more specifics. I am wary to do so this close to the city, so we can wait. After we break camp, it shouldn't be long at all before we get to the site, and that way we'll arrive while it is bright out, vice arriving in the dark."


As he spoke, he tied the leash from the pack horse to the saddle of his own mount before putting a foot in the stirrup. He stopped and, almost as an afterthought, answered the one unanswered question. "Ateo. Simply Ateo, that will suffice. I am not your Captain." It sounded somewhat callous but that wasn't his intention, but he simply left it at that.

 

[Erica]

There were a few simple questions after that, mainly “got your stuff” and “you’re good, right” but other than that it was an unceremonious departure, and a quiet one--a surprise in and of itself with Maldune in the party.


Since it was already mid-evening when they left, and they didn’t travel at a pace that would kill their mounts, it wasn’t long until Ateo stopped the group and announced that they’d make camp. Because they were moving at more than a trot, there wasn’t much place for conversation, and when there was, it was simple and business related.


Ateo circled the group up and they rode off the trail into the woods. They didn’t move too far, just as far as Ateo felt necessary to hide the light of their campfire from anyone who may pass on the road. Granted, he would ask one of the others to hide it with some sort of illusion spell, but old habits died hard. Ateo dismounted and simply left Boulder to himself, not bothering to tie him up as most people do with horses. Very soon after the others followed suit.


Almost immediately, Ateo opened his mouth to organize the camp, but quickly realized it wouldn’t be necessary. Well, at least he hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, assuming these people weren’t his troops and didn’t need to wait to be told what to do.


He watched as Gor’rain, after tethering his horse to a branch, pulled a shovel out and started to dig a shallow pit for the fire and Maldune simply went over the many pouches and packs on his mount, seeming to make sure all was in order.


Ateo cleared his throat and spoke up, “Anyone want to volunteer for first watch?”

~ * ^ * ~

​

Highport’s streets passed quickly, although Nataline noticed several fine upstanding townspeople making note of their departure. Ateo in particular drew the gaze and whispers of others, but that attention shifted quickly to his companions. There would be talk of their departure, no doubt, serving as fodder for gossip and currency among the competing merchant houses. Even with the fading light, she caught a glimpse of Devin in an alleyway, casually noting their passing like so many others. She refrained from looking in his direction but thought of the coins in his purse meant for Hillcrest.


Once their horses (and one mule) reached the main road, they increased their pace. She had expected as much, but remembered quickly how little she enjoyed horseback riding. The whole process involved too much jostling and too little opportunity for interaction. She refused to complain, however; their task involved a time constraint, even if they did not know exactly how long they - or, more specifically, Lord Baldurso’s daughter - had.


Mercifully, they did not ride overly long. It would give her a brief respite to allow her body to remember the process of riding. She used the time to remind herself of her new persona: to embody “Lily” and the small variations in mannerisms that came with her.


Once off the road, the group fanned out into a small semi-circle and quietly went about their own tasks. For her part, Lily dismounted, quickly checked her belongings and retrieving her spellbook. When Ateo asked his question, she looked at the others first. She planned to cast an illusion spell to hide their fire, after which it would be best if she rested. A girl needed her beauty sleep.


Unsurprisingly, the ranger, Tahlia, volunteered right away. She had dismounted her horse and tied it off immediately. Tahlia was in the process of brushing it down when Ateo asked for volunteers. “I can take first watch,” she offered immediately. The woman looked more calm now as her horse pawed at the ground with one hoof, anxious for the attention to continue. The ranger looked out at the woods. “I’ll make a quick sweep,” she added, leaving it to the others to determine who would watch with her. Finishing with her horse first, she slipped her bow off her shoulder and ventured a little further into the woods. It was unlikely anyone was nearby, especially this close to the road, but Lily assumed it was a worthwhile endeavor.