Beneath the Shadows Chapter Three: Enigmas

[riariadne]

Raakus looked over the mounts available for any wyverns, noticing only one. While he was carefully considering if he should purchase it over his own, Luther, back near his goods, he was a bit surprised when another member seemed interested in it as well. Shrugging, he approached the same half-dwarf as the other man did. "Toqua, right? I'm all set, I believe. Thinking I'll stick with what I've got for now, but it was good to take a look anyway. Anyone not present looking for any sort of horse? I could take a look if we aren't all wrapped up for them."

[Parrhesia]

Malachi stepped on another twig, and winced. "Sorry, lasses," he groaned.

He soon cheered up, though. "This is a pretty nice place though, yeah? I'll say that. Not so's you'd realise but I really fancy myself for this."

[Bluedoom]

"I'm sorry, Prince Alexander, I was hasty. I was looking for information and I found this soldier, thought she'd tell ya somethin' useful." replied Rimsky as he sat quietly, listening to the soldier tell her name. A sergeant huh? Hmm, this is gonna be good.

[Xinnidy]

While the Harriers had split mostly in groups, Alfonso had drifted towards the center of the city on his own. His mind too distracted to focus on other matters, he feared too much for his family to be of help, and he knew it himself. Unfortunately, he had no luck finding a messenger that'd be willing to go for the capital, not that he could blame anybody. Perhaps he wasn't searching in the right place, but alas.

Sighing and crestfallen, he returned to the inn where he recalled the group was staying, and found almost nobody much to his surprise, shaking his head, he took a chair on an empty table, sat down and called for a strong drink, uncharacteristically for him. I know I can't stay like this... if only my heart knew. The aged knight sipped his drink, staring at nothing in particular.

-----------------------------

"Well, that surely wasn't worth it." Erbert frowned, leaving the town center with a still-large backpack, he didn't manage to sell much of his trinkets yet again. It was starting to become a burden on his back, honestly.

Entering the inn, he quickly thought the guild left without him! There was nobody there! No, wait, some people he recognized were there, must have been something else. Eyeing those, the merchant noticed a fine target for his wonderful charisma --the old man was drinking and seemed quite distressed, attack!

"Why, hello sir, enjoying your drink? I must say, your performance in that fort siege was inspiring! Even dwarves would find it difficult to match your sturdiness!" The elf made his move, approaching and sitting on the chair to the knight's side, and *thankfully* dropping his backpack on the floor. He didn't quite remember if sturdiness was an actual word, but there was no point ruining his entrace!

"... Thank you." Replied Alfonso, not quite knowing how to react. Instead, he took a sip from his drink again! Too strong.

"No need to be thanking me, it's the truth! Your stamina is sure to make younger men jealous, I bet." Erbert said with a grin. "I'm sure your experience with --ah, swords!" He said as he desperately searched through the man with his eyes and found the sheathed sword in his belt. "-- Is something else! Wouldn't you say so?" Good, I think I have some random ones in my stuff.

Alfonso let out a muffled chuckle. "You flatter me. I am a knight, and my training was the same as any. Longswords and broadswords are the types I can wield best. If you're looking for some tutoring."

"No, no! I wouldn't dream of taking your time like that, sir! But, ah, longswords, you say?" Erbert quickly threw a hand into his backpack. "I'm sure somebody like you could do even better in the battlefield with an excellent blade -- our enemies would stand no chance!" He took out a sword tinted pink, with curious finishing touches that would hint it decorative. "Don't let the fancy bits tip you off, this is a sword worthy of a conquerer! Use it in battle, and I'm sure you'll feel yourself a new man!" I have no bloody clue what the hell this sword is supposed to do, but the foolish mercenary that owned it before sure prized it before I won our match, I remember that.

Alfonso certainly didn't expect a shift to business... maybe it would be worth the thought, at least to distract his weary mind. "... A powerful sword, you say? Hmm, how exactly does it help me?"

"Well..." Fuck. "It is... a very special sword... it gives you strength in some situations. Its blade is specially designed for-- ah, what am I saying, take a close look! One as experienced as you would understand better from trying it!" Erbert gave an uneasy laugh. Ah, hell, I'll need to put a lower price than I hoped after that.

"...Sure." Alfonso picked up the sword, examining its blade, then giving it a swing. "I don't see the difference from my sword immediately. It feels like it is designed for a specific purpose." This man... does he know what he's talking about?

"Right, aha! It's specially designed against specific enemies!" Erbert realized he wasn't going to get away with more bullshitting. "Sixty coins is all I ask, since you're in the group and all."

"I don't know..." Alfonso pondered, his old sword was all but standard, whatever it did, it couldn't hurt too much. "...forty-five and we have a deal, or else I won't buy it." You're in luck I have some savings.

Shit. I'm not profiting today... Ah, to hell with it. Better than keeping too much old crap. "Ah... alright, we have a deal." Erbert replied, his voice losing much enthusiasm.

With the transaction done, Erbert called for a drink himself. "You mind if I join you for a bit? I'm tired from work, and drinking alone sucks."

The aged knight shrugged, and thus drinks were being had.

[Snike]

"No need to apologize, Rimsky. You did well," Hale said, moving towards the door a little as the Queen spoke with Linn. His attention shifted to the soldier, who had stated that they were present for the fall of the capital. "As for you, you came to the right place. I think everyone will want to hear what you have to say about the attack."

[Rothene]

Caslan did not know how he should react the all the events that had transpired in the past few days. Linn almost died, and he was not by her side to save her and even then he could do nothing to save her. And then there was the issue of her being a princess, a station way above his. To think he had the audacity to try to court her yet not be able to protect her.

And thus the young elf did the thing he thought was the best course of action...distance himself from her.

With Joey secure in the stables, this was a city after all, can't have the gelding go barging into the inn, Caslan went to the inn to have a drink. He was starting to appreciate the therapeutic effects of alcohol in the his system.

Choosing a quiet secluded corner in the inn, the elven mage took out the tome of light magic he had acquired at the same time Linn obtained a new tome that detailed the unique brand of magic linked to dancing. Too late did Caslan realise he was now thinking about Linn and how he had looked forward to seeing her perform the new techniques she had learned for the tome. It was not that long ago, and not even a blink of an eye for elves who had such long lives. So why did it feel like it was forever ago?

No good, this book will keep reminding me of those times, Caslan thought putting it away. He contemplated discarding it, but when he tried to he felt his very spirit would not obey. With the tome secure in his pouch, the elf instead took out another tome. Quietly he resumed his studies in water magic while taking sips from the beverage that was starting to go flat.

***

Things just kept getting better and better for the halfling knight. Taking a seat with his favourite halfling, Conan bought five pints of human sized beer for the two of them and nudged Franklin as he asked, "My my, all this talks about princes, princesses, queens and war. What are your thoughts on them?" Taking a long swing, the knight answered without waiting, "This my friend might be the age of heroes, where the gods test our mettle, our piety and judge more closely how we treat our fellows don'cha agree?"

[eclipse]

Someone looks down, Celine thought to herself as she watched Caslan mope in a corner. "Yo, whatcha reading?" she asked, completely oblivious to whether or not he wanted to be left alone.

[Baldrick]

Damn that dwarf... he could have told me what to expect. Ingrid briefly studied the man. She didn't recognise him, presumably he was the leader of the mercenaries. "I can tell you what little I know. But we should take it somewhere less crowded."

[Nanami Touko]

Ho, already back on that religious talk. None can stop 'im, wouldn'cha say? Frankling thought idly to himself with a smirk. "It's the age o' somethin', Conan. I don't have much thoughts on such as long as I get paid an' I can put a warm meal in my stomach at the end o' th'day." He slowly sipped from one of the drinks Conan had brought them. "Too much t'worry about, them princes and princesses. Person I feel most sorry for's the young lad o'er there, that Caslan fellow. Take a gander, he's not doin' too well, I'd say." It was obvious something had been bothering the elf, and if Franklin had to guess, it was either indigestion, or their royal company's reveal. "I've not much knowledge on how he view'd our lovely new princess, but unless 'e ate somethin' that's disagreein' with him, there must've been something betwixt themselves."

[Rothene]

Not entirely able to focus on the tome Caslan closed it abruptly when questioned.

Leaning back on his chair, the elf answered without looking up, "Oh, some elementary stuff on water magic. One can never stop revising lest they forget their skill. Unfair isn't it that people forget useful things easily, but can never let go of less useful or pleasant memories."

***

"Oh the kid? You're right. But 'least he's got company now!" Conan exclaimed not really listening as he downed another pint of beer. "As long as the pay keeps me armour in good shape, my belly full enough for battle and my blades sharp I'm plenty happy."

The halfling knight looked around the inn for a moment, then downed another pint and blinked. "By the Shining God's finger! We should sing again! That ought to cheer up the elf lad! Merry tunes, folk tunes, songs for festivities!" Conan suggested as his mailed fist reached for Franklin's shoulder to shake vigrously.

[Nanami Touko]

"He sure does. Hope the lass makes 'im feel better instead of how she seems t'make people feel." Franklin humphed, smirk still held. He grasped tightly onto his drink as hi s entire self was rattled by Conan's shake, still wondering how halflings in his size were created. "Oh, I'm not too sure about that tonight, Conan. If'n you're up for it, you could go ahead. As I recall it, I was th'one who started last time. You go on and take this one."

[Parrhesia]

Bertha couldn't help but overhear - uncharacteristically quiet on her fourth pint of the night, she decided to end this state of affairs. Sliding over, she joined the table.
"Now I ain't got much talent for singin', but I got a few stories if you wanna hear 'em. Me, I been around, yeah? Yeah I got some words of fuckin' wisdom. With a moral and everythin'."

[Rothene]

"Ooooh stories!" Conan immediately edged closer to Bertha, beaming like an excited child, "Well, tell me a tale and I'll see if I can top that one. If I can't I'll buy ye a drink!"

[Parrhesia]

Bertha cleared her throat, and launched into it.

'Twas a fair morn in the spring of three years ago, and two most virile and handsome soldiers of fortune were fresh off aiding an assault. Presented with the glories of the ocean, a beautiful moonlight night and a bounty of camp followers, they determined themselves to put themselves about in a most flamboyant of manner. Bryden, who was a most puissant warrior, earnt enough pay to make use of only the finest of prostitutes - his selection was Christine, who was a flower of beauty still in the prime of her life. Rodger, who was a pikeman, had picked up Kaytii the camp follower, who had the clap.

Despite an alarming disparity of quality, both were content with the arrangements, and now pondered where to spend the night.

The idea came first to Bryden. "'Zounds! Let us go to the blood-stained sands we fought most fiercely to win! It would be a most pleasing sight to the eyes."

"Yet, comrade, how shall we prevent the treacherous sand from entering our most subtle of crevices?"
Bryden noted that Rodger had a point. But he was a bright and cunning sergeant, and he spake unto his friend, "Fear not! For if we take the cover of a pavilion and place it under our persons as we frolic on the beachhead, we would be safe from the harsh sifting melody of the sands."

"A most capital stratagem, friend Bryden! Let us take our hoes to the beauteous ocean."

And hearken, they did steal a pavilion cover upon which to couple with their hoes, even as the night fell further and further into darkness and more cheap ale was consumed by all. But the complication of the tale was yet to become clear until the morrow...

As moon turned to sun, our heroes awoke before their prospective mates. But, forsooth! The monstrous realisation came upon the valiant warriors that in the midst of the night, they had switch'd partners!

This would not normally have proven an issue, save that Bryden felt hard done-by. "I say, my man, it is well that you benefited from a finer class of ho, yet it was I that paid the price for it! Not only paying more, but for lying with your gonorrhea-stricken wench?"

"It is of no small import," admitted Rodger. "Why, I would place fair Christine at twice or thrice the cost of my own ho. Yet here she lies at my arms! The gods have smiled 'pon me this day!"

"And yet you cannot deny that I came off worse in this endeavour."

"Oh, without a doubt. And yet whenever paying for a ho, one must accept that one pays merely for the possibility of carnal familiarity, balanced with the possibility of being stabbed during the night. And you did, after all, take your hours with the girl. While I was fortunate to be well-placed amidst the fracas, you benefited from Christine's presence as well."

"I move to propose that is bullshit, friend."

"Yea verily may that be so," confessed Rodger. "Yet I feel there is a happy solution that all may leave satisfied. Our consorts are, as yet, still slumbering under the heat of the sun. Were we to take our money back from our temporary concubines, I am certain the both of us would benefit, without having to-"
And yet, the last of the fateful night's misfortune was yet to strike - Christine had awoken from the chatter, and upon hearing the valiant mercenaries' plan, declared "Up yours, cur!" and knifed them both to death. Gathering her belongings, she left the scene, and our story leaves the protagonists there, lying dead on the ground from the wounds as sure as the infection that would surely have claimed them in time. Was justice, in some perverse way, served? Perhaps. But was it, more importantly, a most droll anecdote? And to that, friends, I can only offer it to you in full, unabridged detail, that you may decide for yourselves.

[Rothene]

Shaking his head, Conan muttered, "Poor soldiers. This should be a lesson to all men never to pay a woman to bed. Nay, they should probably adhere to a life of celibacy."

"Well, I have a tale from my mentors on how piety rewards one," the hallfling knight said finishing his third pint. Wiping his mouth, Conan began reciting his tale.

'It was a fine summer day like any other. Three scholars of differing faith walked down the road. There, they discovered a large pot of gold. Each declared they should keep some, as greed lurked in all mortals. Purity is a goal to reach, not a virtue we have attained afterall. So, being man of virtue, they each decided on a method to split their share of the gold to the temple and how many to keep.

The first man, being the least pious drew a small circle on the ground and flung the gold into the air. He kept whatever gold fell outside the circle.

The second man drew a line, for now it would be a fairer split or so he though. He again flung his gold into the air and picked the ones that landed on a predecided side of the line.

The third man, a priest of immeasurable faith in the Shining God, bless the father to us all, shouted to sun in his most frevent voice, "Oh Shining God almighty! I well and truly believe in your existence! I will cast all these gold to the heavens, directly to your oh so holy bosom! Keep that which you wish to reward the temple, for your hands are far trustier and safer than thine faithful servant! Return to the earth that which you do not need...and I shall keep them in your name."

Clearly pleased with the man's devotion, the Shining God presented a miracle! As soon as the man cast all the gold to the sky, no sooner did every coin fell back to the ground, a sign of the Shining God's generosity! Both his companions could only stare, awestruck by the priest's pious ways and begged him for more enlightenment.

The moral of this story is to have unwavering faith in the Shining God, and you will never feel need in life. Amen'

[eclipse]

"Unhappy memories. . .right," Celine said gloomily. Oh, I got my share of unpleasantness! But I don't trust this guy enough. . .yet. "Whaddya feel when you're readin' boring stuff like that?" she asked, after a pause.

[Rothene]

"What do I feel? Well, not much now that I have finished reading the whole thing. Used to be more exciting back when I barely understood it," Caslan answered shrugging. Taking the beer by his side to drink, the elf grimaced at how flat it had gotten, then put it back on the table with barely more than a sip.

Deciding that perhaps talking would be a more welcome alternative to just reading in a corner, the elf asked, "Do you enjoy reading?"

[eclipse]

He is. . .dense. "I can make out where the bars an' the like are, and that's about it," Celine said. "No one taught me letters." Mostly everyone in the village she'd lived in was illiterate, so even if they thought she had any sort of aptitude with it, there was little they could do. The others in her past. . .hah. They were pirates, not scholars!

[Rothene]

"What?" Caslan uttered, shocked at Celine's reply. "I can't...I guess I shouldn't be...Nevermind. Reading's important. All my elders said so. I can't imagine what sort of irresponsible parent neglected teaching you letters!"

Pausing for a moment as he looked back at his tome briefly Caslan spoke in a more collected tone, "Have you tried learning on your own?"

[Shin]

After a rather long pause, one that may have felt like months to an outside observer, Aeson at last replied. "I also find people rather interesting, even those who don't quite require help. I've met many who've provided support to myself. It's a wonderful sight to see people help those out of their own kindness. Even when those are not of the same country or people, these acts seem to be able to transcend all sorts of barriers."

[eclipse]

"Parents? What are those?" Celine asked. Despite the wording of the question, she was absolutely serious. "I wasn't surrounded by a bunch o' scholars and all, so I didn't see the point in learnin'."

[Ether]

"Yes, in the end, those who want to help, will help, regardless of nationality or prior grievances... just as those who wish not, will not." Cassandra replied with a nod, noting the rather rowdy bunch across the room speaking of the Shining God.

"It's good to see some faith in this town, there hasn't been much, as of late. Hmm... don't think I've seen them before."

***

The trap was set, and now it was but time to wait... having knelt down low to the ground and spread her magic throughout the damp earth, Elysia had extended a net of sorts throughout the ground... with any luck, if game large enough came past, she would feel it through these veins of ice that had been spread through the forest floor. It was all the mage could do to assist in the hunting, after all... she was no tracker, no marksman.

But it seemed it was enough. With the sudden heft of a clearly large animal atop her web, Elysia sprung into action, or rather, the ice did. Within moments, a frigid spear erupted from the ground, the frozen dew just enough to hold the beast down, as the impaling icicle cleared it's throat. With a relieved sigh, Elysia turned towards Adari.

"Aye, Adari! I got one, about 30 feet to your left!" She called out, as the ice began to form into a more obvious shape, hoping to act as a beacon of sorts.

[Rothene]

"Well, do you see a point in learning letters now?" Caslan asked, with a hint of displeasure at Celine's clear disrespect for knowledge. Already the elf had reflexively started reaching for some writing instruments and sheets of paper in his bag.

[eclipse]

"Eh, why not? I'm bored," Celine said, as she took a seat near the elf. "'Always pick up a new skill,' he said. 'Ya never know when it'll come in handy.'" Celine had her limits on what she'd pick up, but this reading thing didn't seem too bad.

[Rothene]

"Alright," putting the few sheets of paper and his tome on the table, Caslan wrote down the word 'axe' on the table with a chalk he fished out of his bag, as he had second thoughts about wasting precious paper in teaching. Tapping on the word, the elf asked, "Does this word look familiar to you?"