Blackburn's Crossing Chapter 4: Snake Eater

Status
Not open for further replies.
Bernard stepped into the room, "Thank you Grimdosh." He shut the door and began searching the room. First checking under the bed, then the bedside table. He shuffled through the books on the table finding Heather's diary.

Taking a seat on the bed, Bernard began flipping through the book finding the last few entries. He noted that the hand writing at the end of the journal looked different from the beginning. Flipping through the entries he found the day of the ball to be the first day it changed. Reading the surrounding entries he noted that the last entry from Heather was Jonathan dropping her off at the manor. The rest of the night was missing. Then the fist entry in the vaguely familiar handwriting was late into the day of the ball, commenting on Jonathan taking her if he was feeling up to it. Bernard shut the journal and looked back through the rest of the books, checking for subject and author. None of them seemed useful, so Bernard tucked the journal in his belt and opened the door.

"Grimdosh, please leave this room locked for now, do not clean it yet. And please direct me to Leone." Bernard smiled, closing the door as Grimdosh locked it stating, "Leone's out." Bernard nodded his thanks and headed off towards the Constabulary.

Along the way he happened upon Leone who he quickly rushed up to, making his presence known with a hug. "Good afternoon Leone, hope the day finds you well. Can you take a look at something for me? The writing is familiar, but I can't seem to place it. I know you're a bit more bookish, does this look familiar to you?" He let go of the woman and produced the journal which he opened to the entry the day of the ball.
 
Léone steps out of the general store, having just finished buying her supplies and other things. Just as she was about to figure out where to go next she was suddenly approached by Bernard, who quickly hugged her to her surprise. "Oh, hey Bernard..?" Her tone raises in a questioning manner as she wonders what he wanted. "Sure, I can take a look at it. This is for your investigation?" Presented with the journal entry she notices the relatively unassuming content about the person's day, but the way it was written seemed... familiar. "The way the 'a's curl like that, and the bit of a slant near the end of a sentence... " Rapidly searching her memory about it, her mind flashes to the one time she was at the smithy and her eyes briefly glossed over a pile of records that were on a nearby counter. She raises an eyebrow and glances back up at Bernard. "It kind of seems like the handwriting from someone at the smithy...? Whose journal is this and where did you get it from?"
 
Bernard fished into his coin pouch, pulling out a receipt for the three rings he'd purchased a few days prior. Holding it in the journal he was able to compare the writing. "Maria!" He exclaimed, surprised and perturbed as he tucked the receipt into the book and the book into his belt before he turned back to Leone, "Sorry, it's Heather's. Or rather it was. I got it from her room at the manor. If you see Grimdosh let him know he can clean out her room, but I imagine Simon will want a list of all the books in there, just in case." Bernard leaned in to give Leone a small kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for all your help! See you later!" With that he was gone, running across the village green toward the Constabulary.

As he crossed the open field he stumbles on a loose root landing on the ground with a slam and scrambling back to his feet, hurrying the rest of his way, wiping dirt from his tunic.

Pushing in the door of the Constabulary, he looked around for Simon. Seeing the young man Arissa had intimidated the day before he smiled, "Simon please."
 
Arissa smiles sadly to Derek and nods. “I know that he needs to save his strength. I will keep it brief, and be out of your hair for a few days.” Arissa walked to the now familiar door of Jonathan’s room and knocked twice. “Jonathan? It is Arissa. Are you decent?”
 
Einhorn Haus:

"Nope, I'm always indecent.... I have a reputation to maintain after all," says Jonathan who is back against the bed. He looks rather pale during this visit compared to last time. "Aren't you all going on a trip? Or did you finally realize you couldn't go anywhere without inviting me along. Just wouldn't be the same would it?"
 
"Uhh... did you say Maria?" Raising an eyebrow at Bernard's strange behavior, Léone watches him bolt down the street for a few seconds trying to process what just happened. Having nothing better to do after finishing up her errands she decides to folow after him to make sure he was alright, eventually ending up at the Constabulary not long after him. She peeks her head in and glances at Bernard and the clerk with a curious look. "Hey, just wanted to make sure you were alright. I guess... that journal had something to do with the investigation?" She scratched her head awkwardly, not quite sure what had gotten him so excited.
 
While Kallisto listened to Aluc her eye caught movement in the distance, focusing in to watch Bernard and Leon speak. "That woman sounds interesting ... I did not realize you had traveled so far, Aluc..." She continued to watch, tilting her head slightly at the interaction until Bernard started sprinting across the green, tripping on something and falling against the ground before he stood and continued, entering the constabulary. Leon seemed to stand for a moment before following him as well.

It still threw her off -- the fact that she could see the pair with such detail, almost able to see the words on pages they had looked over. Shaking her head slightly she stood, grunting slightly at the weight of the large crossbow, and the pain of Aluc's talons digging into her shoulder as she rose.

Walking quickly she entered the constabulary, sharing a glance with Leon, "I saw Bernard running -- did something happen? Was someone else attacked?"
 
Arissa’s expression dropped seeing that Jonathan seemed to be even paler than before, but she forced a smile. She crossed the room and sat down at the foot of his bed. “How rude do you believe me to be that I would leave without saying goodbye? I am afraid that I am needed in order keep the others safe on their quest. I... I pray that it brings you some comfort to know that your power will be used to protect our friends.” Arissa’s smile slips and she turned back to the closed door. “I heard you had a visitor last night. How did Perian take the news... I fear she did not find out under ideal conditions.”
 
Einhorn Haus:

"She took it as well as to be expected, and I helped her figure out a bit about Yelcan I think, figures I'd help my friend get with someone after all these years," he says chuckling for a moment. "It's good to know that it will go to use, though I already knew it wouldn't be abused in any way. I think I'm rather like Perian, not big on goodbyes. You'll see me around. Eventually."
 
Arissa shook her head and turned back to Jonathan, tearing up as she was unable to maintain her composure any longer. “I did not get to say goodbye to my mother when I was sent off and returned to find that she had disappeared. I did not have last words with Zindan before he died protecting James and the Reiner family. Jonathan, I pray that I will return in time to see you again, but I cannot take another unspoken farewell.”

Arissa took a deep breath, recomposing herself before meeting Jonathan’s eyes. “Jonathan Einhorn, in the short time I have known you, you have proven yourself to be one of the most foolish, stubborn, pig-headed men I have ever met. When we had first met, I had nearly discounted you as just another boerenkinkel looking to get his hands on the clueless foreign girl... I never would have expected such a noble soul to hide behind that obnoxious grin.”

Arissa sighed, looking down and absentmindedly smoothing the folds of her skirts. “I have spent so much time trying to stop what has happened to you... I do not believe I have ever even thanked you for what you have done for me.”

Arissa slid closer to Jonathan and took his hand as she met his gaze. “It is because of you that I finally have the opportunity to live, to love, and to have a future. You have saved my life, Jonathan Einhorn, both figuratively and very literally, and that is something that I can never repay. I have nothing that I could offer to you but my most sincere, eternal gratitude, as little as that may compare. Thank you. I promise to you that the world will never forget the tale of the brave Unicorn who saved the foolish baroness from herself.” Arissa embraced Jonathan tightly as if to somehow squeeze some of her own life back into him, although she knew it was fruitless.
 
Einhorn Haus:

Jonathan remained quiet as Arissa spoke. He simply nodded in understanding as she continued on, while the smile on his face would not fade. As Arissa continued on towards the end tears streamed down Jonathan's cheeks. This does not let his smile fade but only emboldens the feeling as Arissa hugs him returns it putting a hand on the back of head to run down her hair once before coming to rest. HIs squeeze is tight despite the weakness in his limbs for for a moment it's as if nothing is wrong.

"I am glad to have known you Arissa, I do not regret you coming to the town, or anything that happened afterward. I know you will be a good friend to mine, and that you will protect them will all of your might. Your love for Bernard is one of the purest relationships I've ever had the pleasure to watch grow, and you're already more a sister to Perian than I have been an second older brother to her. Despite James' many quirks and flaws you have also seen past the prejudices of his family, which is more than I can ask for many. When I was in pain and hated the world for the hand it dealt me, you were there trying to right the world for my sake as you continue to do. I will never forget your kindness and insincerity. I will never forget you.... my friend."

With that Jonathan finally lets go of Arissa and his grin turns mischievous once more. "Oh, and I think you mean Horse headed. It's easy to mix up with a pig for nobles not raised near farms. Don't worry, i get that a lot."
 
Constabulary:

The man seeing Bernard for a moment straightens up and sllightly looks behind him for a moment as if expecting to see someone else and then his shoulders relax for a moment. "Alright follow me," says the man as he leads you back to Thomas' old office, and Simon looks up from writing to see Bernard. "Ah Bernard, I've assigned Kallisto to help work with the snake problem i've been informed about. I hope that's alright me sending one to represent the guard. Is there something else you came for?"
 
Curio shop:

Reginauld when people enter the shop is not where he usually is behind the desk. Instead he is floating on a disc suspended in the air, almost in the center of the place. He seems to be intoning mantra sounds as you enter. He doesn't seem perturbed by your entrance into the shop, that or he hasn't noticed you at all. As one of the long drawn out Mantra's ends he breathes in and intones the next one.
 
Arissa listened to Jonathan in silence, tears falling on to Jonathan’s shoulder, but a soft smile forming on her face. She laughed despite herself at Jonathan’s joke and wiped at her eyes, still smiling. “Pardon me, your tongue is my fourth language. I believe I am permitted a slip of the tongue heel zelden. Gods, I almost wish I had gotten your horrendous sense of humor instead of your skills with the blade.”

Arissa’s expression then grows more serious. “I swear to you, so long as I live, the sacrifice you have made for me will not be in vain. Someway, somehow, we will put an end to the madness and make the Crossing safe for ourselves and for those that we love.” Arissa pauses as a thought crossed her mind before looking to Jon hesitantly. “I do not tell you this to trouble you, but I thought that you should know seeing as you are so close with Annabelle... I was at the Roaring Rapids last night, and Terra told me that Annabelle had been seen skulking around the docks the night of the ball... I do not know what she might have been up to, but my intuition tells me that she was not out for a mere stroll... Do you know what she may have been up to?”
 
Einhorn Haus:

"Is this where I'm supposed to knight you or something?" asks Jonathan chuckling to himself. When the subject moves onto Annabelle he tilts his head for a moment seeming to think and then shrugs lightly.

"She's doing what she always does," says Jonathan shaking his head musingly. "Annabelle has always been the inquisitive one, and so if there's anything strange to find at the docks then she's probably found it by now. When she needs help, she'll ask for it. She always does."
 
Arissa contemplates his response for a moment before nodding. “Very well, I will not push her. I promise you, however, that when she does ask, we will be there for her, I to wield the blade, and you to guide it in battle. We will keep her safe.”

Arissa then stops for a moment as she remembered the other gossip she received that night. Arissa’s cheeks burned brightly as she thought of Terra’s questions about her and Bernard. “There is something else that is troubling me that I would greatly appreciate your insight on. Before I ask, however, I must request the utmost secrecy. If I hear that you have breathed a word of this to anyone, I will...” Arissa trails off, realizing there’s nothing that she could threaten Jon with at this point. “... Just please, keep this between us.”
 
Einhorn Haus:

"Oh? What Secret must I keep to my grave that a Baroness is so bashful to ask?" asks Jonathan his curiosity seemingly perked. He coughs a few times to the side before looking back to her. "I promise it will stay between us whatever it is. It's not like you killed someone and buried them out in the swamp."
 
Having been escorted to Thomas' office Bernard feels a weight of the things that had happened in the office. Thomas' lectures and talks as he courted Paulina, the morning he shared the bottle of mead after returning to town, finding Jeremiah's jaw in safe. It was strange to see the man behind the desk was not Thomas. After a moment Bernard looked back to the closed door. He removed the journal from his belt shaking it. "I think I understand, but... I need a moment." He stepped out of the room back to reception where he expected to find Leone, but was surprised to find Kallisto. He ushered them back to Simon's office and once gathered he shut the door.

"Sorry." He stepped up to the desk laying the journal down in front of Simon and opening it to the entry labeled the 14th. "This, is..." He pauses and corrects himself, "was Heather Blackstone's journal. She referenced it during questioning, when she told us that Grimdosh left Bjorn's with a pig under each arm." Bernard took a breath, getting his thoughts together. "I spoke with Bjorn this morning, I was worried he might have done it. He got the forge back and at a good price and while all the signs pointed to Derek, he's too torn up to have accomplished it and not folded under the stress. Anyway, Bjorn and I discussed the case and he brought up several good points. First he's more of a kill you while looking you in the eye type and Maria was stabbed in the back. Second, I checked the body, he's too short to have stabbed Maria where she was stabbed - between the shoulders through the heart. Now he could have knocked her over, but there was no evidence of a struggle. But I do believe she was stabbed on the ground from the abrupt end to the stab. So how do you end up on the ground without a struggle? Magic. Arissa cast a spell that sent Yorgi the pirate into a fit of laughter. Sleep shouldn't be much different. Hell I saw the great serpent paralyze a woman. It's possible. So she's on the ground, but Bjorn's a smith and a butcher, he's not a wizard. He would have enjoyed the struggle. Last point, Bjorn doesn't sell whole hog. I don't know why it didn't come to me while we were speaking to 'Heather' but he's always bought whole, cleaned and butchered. I was busy processing Dmitri's comments I guess." Bernard paused licking his lips as they got dry and composing himself.

"Why would 'Heather' lie to us about Grimdosh when she had the journal right there in front of her? No clue. But what I do know is that after Maria's death, 'Heather's' handwriting is a dead ringer for Maria's." He flipped the page in the journal to the 15th the receipt stuffed into the binding. While Simon compared Bernard continued, "We know from the journal that Heather left with Jonathan. They arrived at the Manor. Then something happened, Heather returned to the smithy, after closing - Bjorn saw Maria locking up when he left the butchery - Maria confronted and possessed Heather. And killed her own body using her own Adaptive Weapon to frame the Falkovnians likely because of the deal she had struck with them. Maria was a powerful enchanter and certainly capable of the magical feat. Oh and 'Heather' has left the Crossing already. So, she's fled." Bernard looks around the room to the others. He smiles, feeling like he'd covered all of his bases. Then he recalled the other key piece of information. "You might wonder how Maria swapped bodies, well I don't believe Maria is Maria at all. Well she's the Maria we all know but she's not the Maria who was birthed. When Arissa visited Jonathan they had a discussion with a powerful entity who brought along young Maria Einhorn, around age 15. She ate a cake from the Blackburns and ended up dead, but her body lived on. Likely it was possessed by another entity which has now possessed Heather's body. What this creature is or what its motives for living in Maria so long might be, I can't hazard to guess. But that is how I believe she was able to trade places with Heather and murder herself."
 
Arissa played with the symbol of Ezra on her neck absentmindedly, avoiding Jon’s gaze as she continued. “Apparently, there are many rumors being spread around town. About me. And Bernard. Terra told me this yesterday, and voiced a fear I have been having since the moment Bernard and I first kissed. Bernard is the last of the Hathoway line. Therefore, he is expected to have many children in order to keep his family alive. However, if Bernard and I were to...”

Arissa’s blush deepens and she instead skipped over to her point. “My entire life, I have sworn to myself that I would never allow the Rodezwaan bloodline to continue... No child deserves to have gone through what I endured. However, I also had never expected to meet a man like Bernard... Should j tell him now before it is too late? Am I foolish for worrying so much over this?” Arissa turns slightly towards Jonathan, still too embarrassed to match his gaze, but looking for some sort of reaction.
 
Constabulary:

Simon let Bernard go on, and continue to explain. His face contorted a few times during the explanation and as he attempts to follow along. After he finishes Simon puts to hands together and a single finger to his mouth as he considers. He waits there for a good moment, and then nods. "Alright, lets go with that for now. I'm going to need you to repeat that all to someone I invite here, from Mordentshire proper, Sir Samuel Cosse," says Simon as he puts his hands down. "So they've already skipped town... unfortunate. Let's revisit this topic when you get back from the other problem. I figure we don't need to worry about his right away and proving it is going to be nigh impossible."

Einhorn Haus:

Jonathan was slightly confused at first but then by the end he seemed to get her concern. "I mean Bernard could always get mist-- ok I don't want to die just yet so I'll stop there," chuckled Jonathan before he sighed and thought of an actual answer. "If you don't think you're line should be continued on then no one has a right to tell you to have children. Bernard can either accept that or move on. I've moved on quiet a bit, and it doesn't get any easier as time goes on."

Jonathan frowns for a moment then looks back to Arissa. "I'm sure Bernard wouldn't force you to make a choice like this alone."
 
Bernard gave a slight nod, he seemed pleased that Simon was not currently jailing him for his admittedly outlandish findings. "Yeah, whenever Mr. Cosse arrives, just let me know. As for the snake, since you asked earlier, I think it means a lot more to Kallisto than just going for the guard. If anything I'm joining her for support." Bernard looked back over his shoulder at Kallisto with a slight nod of recognition.

Remembering his pack and all of the contents there in, he removed it and retrieved the gauntlets. "Here're those gauntlets from the Falkovnians. Leone was able to determine the protect against fear, however they also force an absolute obedience to Vlad Drakov and they don't come off. As for the potions, I'll likely take them to face the snake, and if they go unused then I'll make sure they are used by the church for healing the town." He placed the gauntlets on the table. And put his pack back on.

Bernard then took a step forward, "I'd like to tell Jonathan what I've learned, and Derek is planning on leaving for Nova Vassa with him soon. If it's alright with you, I'd like to return the Adaptive Weapon to the Einhorns and show Jonathan the journal as proof before I set out to hunt a snake or Jonathan dies or Derek leaves. I think it's important that both Jonathan and Derek know the truth." He bows his head humbly, hoping to give Jonathan answers but knowing it was nothing without proof.
 
Arissa laughed weakly at Jonathan’s joke. “You are lucky I have left behind the sword, else I might have to speed along the process. The most I could do to you now is talk you to death. ” She then shakes her head and smiled slightly at Jonathan’s suggestion of moving on. “I should have known better than to ask for advice from the man who had already decided to scare me off before we had even exchanged names.”

Arissa pauses for a moment and looks down at the symbol in her hands before tucking it into her dress. “Bernard means too much to me to allow this to come between us. When the time comes that it might become an issue, I will speak with him about it, but I doubt that will be for quite some time given the dangers we face. Besides, Bernard and I have not even...” Arissa trails off, too embarrassed to continue the sentence. She quickly changes the subject. “Have I told you that he has proposed?”
 
Last edited:
Yelcan beams as Peri accepts his rambling of feelings, glad she was able to understand what he meant by them. He squeezed her hand in response, and when she asked if there was anything that he wanted to know he pursed his lips as he thought. “Umm not that comes to mind. I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I do though.”

As Peri held the door open for him, Yelcan bowed deeply in response “Why thank you kindly Ms. Marsh.” Yelcan giggled a little as he straightened up, but the giggles soon stopped once he saw Reginauld floating on a disc in the air. Yelcan shifts uncomfortably for a moment, before leaning in to whisper to Peri “Uh, do you think we should come back later? He seems kinda busy.”
 
Peri looks towards Reginauld cocking her head to the side then shrugs to Yelcan. “I think we’re okay, he wouldn’t be doing this in the middle of his shop if he didn’t want to be disturbed.” Slipping inside she squeezes between Yelcan and the door with a chuckle edging around Regi to the counter where she can read the labels on the potions and magical items in the case. “That looks like a lot of fun.” She turns from the case to look at Reginauld once more smiling at Yelcan.
 
Constabulary:

"Alright if you think that would be good for him to hear, I don't have anything against it. He is your friend after all," says Simon nodding as Bernard bows his head for a moment. "I hope he's doing well over there. For now I need to get back to work, thanks for the update Bernard."
___________________________________________________________________________________
Einhorn Haus:

"Well I can only imagine what it would be like to have little Bernards and Arissa's running around town causing mayhem," says Jonathan laughing at the prospect of that. "At least if they all become performers there is enough Inn's that you could cycle through on a rotation. Who knows maybe little Peri's and Yelcans will also have their run of the town. Wouldn't that be something to see?"
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Curio Shop:

Reginauld without missing a tone motions with one hand around the shop as if to say "Go ahead and look around." Then he goes back to being unmoving save for his mantra. The place looks like it's got some items made once again, a few potions restocked.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Back
Top