ACT COMPLETE Angelcynn: The Myrcian Conflict - Act 2

[Jotari]

Emmet closed his book and let out a sigh. It didn't seem like the Dettard family were in any way interesting. In general Emmet also had little interest in history of the nobles. If the noble lifestyle did interest him then he'd probably be back in Raewald now, about to marry a girl barely half his age. Still though it never hurt to educate one's self about the land. He put the book back on the shelf and returned to the mage's guild to retire for the day. Perhaps he'd pass the evening playing chess.

[Dandragon]

"...Princess, maybe it's best we think this over, if we do have the time. I realize you really want to be the one to go, and I respect that, but regardless of who's going, we need to think of something to do in case everything goes to hell." Serge crossed his arms, already trying to think of a plan.

...Then he remembered something. Or rather, someone. Someone that he had been thinking about from earlier that day. "If you don't mind...I'd like to at least ask Adele to possibly borrow her butler for a bit. He's good at sticking to the shadows, so maybe he could follow Ratty when he takes somebody. It's breaking the 'rules', I know, but it's the safest thing we can do if you're really intent on going, yourself." Of course, this could also be the most dangerous plan he could possibly think of, if Sebastian got caught sneaking around.

[Nanami Touko]

Cass was glad that Ratty wouldn't be going anywhere, but she still didn't know what to do. "I'm going to go back to talk to Adele." First thing she had to do, even if she didn't know how to sort this thing out, was to speak with Adele. The noble had made it abundantly clear that Cass doing something like this again, without preparation, was absolutely out of the question. Reluctantly, she didn't want to breach that, so she took a step back and sighed. "I'll be back, Ratty. If the men from the bar find you, just let them know I spoke with you, already. Stay safe."

She took some steps back to the rest of their group, addressing Serge as she did. "I don't want to risk anything more than necessary. Whoever ends up going goes alone... These are professionals we're dealing with, if such steps must be taken to even enter their establishment. If Sebastian was caught, or even the slightest whiff of a secret entrant were to be found out... I don't want to think about it. We play by their rules, or we don't play." She stopped next to Larissa, gently shaking her hand. "Thank you very much for your help. Niko didn't make a mistake in hiring you." She offered a smile, then addressing her new bodyguard. "Freya, we're going back to the castle! Serge, you and Larissa are free to do whatever you'd like, obviously. Just make sure you get a room if it gets too personal." She stuck her tongue out for a moment, making her way off, expecting Freya to follow.

[riariadne]

Sidney nodded at what the queen had to say, sighing a bit. "He has a lot he feels responsible for, so I try my best to help. He seems fine for now, I just hope that the pressure doesn't get to his head."

She looked a bit closer at the book, smiling. "I had one of these when I was younger, though not as big. My father often told me stories, as well, and I rather enjoyed them. A fountain that brings smiles... if only it was so easy to remain happy all the time, even through struggles."

[Xinnidy]

Sebastian's information came like a cold omen. "I see. So, we are in the dark about Deira." No doubt there was interference, but the prince hesitated to place the blame in Deira immediately. They couldn't realistically have caught all our spies, could they? What if it's another inside job? Owen knew that staying in that line of thought would only make him more paranoid, but he couldn't help in light of recent events.

"I understand, Duke Herman. I wish to avoid it as well. I'm aware it would strain our relation far worse, if we retaliated unannounced." Far worse than formally opposing Deira in this conflict, at least. "I'll trust you and Earl Valter as my father does, thank you. I'll make sure, no matter what, that the resulting outcome will be good for Wyke." It was quite a legacy indeed... The prince's brave facade was holding better, but the responsibility still weighed on him.

[Dandragon]

Serge gave a small wave as Cassandra and Freya left for the castle. "So...what are you gonna do, Larissa? I'm probably just gonna stick around here or something. I'm...not exactly needed at Herman's." Besides, he really wanted to make sure no one came after Ratty in the meantime. He was also curious about that circus that offered him food.

[charlie_]

Claire had never been to the circus before, but she didn't expect to see it in such a sorry state. She hovered around listening to the clowns converse, before one of them said something that caught her interest. "Excuse me," she interrupted. "Would this 'Slappy' be an animal from your performances?" She couldn't imagine that it was the name of a person, unless it was a nickname of some sort they used. She didn't comment on the dead bear at all, because frankly she had no idea what kind of moron would fall for something like that.

[Shin]

Words of Warning

"I'll see what we can manage, Prince Owen." Duke Herman replied, standing himself up. "Be sure to visit your father before you leave, it'd be nice for him to see a face that wasn't mine once in a while. I'm sure he'd be proud how responsible you've become. Hopefully you will be able to sway the other noble houses, many are still somewhat uncertain about you. Word has gotten out about Dettard..."

Sebastian nodded, collecting the cups and placing them on his tray. "It seems there are loose lips somewhere in the palace, Princess Cassandra's... adventure and other details regarding Dettard have started to spill into the public domain." he added, the cups' china clinking against each other. "Stories of the battles from the previous campaign are also emerging, some of them rather amusing too."

"That's rather concerning, but we'll have to keep an eye on things... I must be off." Tobias sighed, removing a book from the side. Giving Owen a polite nod, Duke Herman left the study, off to deal with his matters.

--

Boredom

Larissa watched as Cass left, letting out a sigh of relief as soon as the Princess left earshot. "The fancy type always make me feel nervous, they're always so hard to talk to." she lamented, sitting herself down under the bridge. "I didn't have anything to do, I might as well stay here... as long as I'm not interrupting you two."

--

Poor Slappy

The clowns were surprised by Claire's request, although they all started laughing when she spoke of Slappy. "Nah, girly, Slappy's one of us clowns, he's been sick for a good while now." one of the clowns replied. They were an ugly bunch, white faces, red noses and patched overalls. They almost made the bandits she'd faced look normal. "He's around the back, it don't be good for business to have a coughing clown up front."

[Xinnidy]

"Alright, I'll remember to pay my father a visit, and my mother too." Owen nodded to Duke Herman, as the same left the study. The butler's information was very disturbing upfront, but the prince didn't react immediately. If people already know... could I be able to track them down? There can't be too many candidates for leaking information... "...What are they saying about those stories?" Owen directed the question to Sebastian, taking a stand from his seat with the meeting's end. It was worth having some awareness of that, probably.

"Oh... Sorry if I intruded on something, Adele." Owen acknowledged the heiress proper, bowing. "I've never got the proper chance to thank you for helping my sister. I take it you've also been searching for the culprit, huh?"

[Ether]

"That's quite alright, Owen, I was about to step out when you arrived." Adeltrudis replied, giving Owen a smile. Always so formal, even after her Father had left the room. Standing up from her own chair, she gave the Prince a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"No need to bow, honestly... and I should be thanking you, instead. I just went in without a care for anything but getting her back, you know? It takes a real level head like yours to hang back, trust in those before you, and keep the situation calm at the source. If we had all ran out like I did, I can't imagine what kind of commotion would have spread... as for the culprit, Sebastian managed to narrow it down some, but... there's still so much we don't know." Adele replied, shaking her head as she finished speaking.

[Vestige]

Alain took a seat at the old man's table, and slipped the book he had been given onto the table. "Quite an interesting read you've given me here," he said. He kept his voice low so that anyone too eager to listen in wouldn't be able to hear him, but in a bar like this, he doubted anyone cared about much besides proving their dankness to each other. "If someone from the church woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and found me with this... well, I wouldn't exactly be having a good time," he chuckled. Saying that made him a little more self-conscious though, so he took the book back and stowed it away. "So, if you don't mind me asking, who are you exactly, and where'd you get the book? Someone relatively important in Hull's magic community referred me to you, so you have to have some sort of established connections, no?" His referral was of course, Hull's guild master, but he didn't want to say that outright. Just in case. He had plenty of other questions to ask, but for starters, this would suffice.

[Nanami Touko]

Without any stalling on the way, Cass made her way to the castle fairly quickly, heading straight over to the Herman residence. She had no idea where Adele would be, but it was the best place to start, considering the noble didn't spend her time around anywhere else in the castle. She'd left Freya alone once they'd reached the castle; she didn't need to be watched while she was within its walls.

Upon reaching the Herman residence, Cass knocked, and waited... And waited... And then knocked again... "Where's Sebastian?" Perhaps the butler was busy, but he'd always been there to open the door near immediately. Hmm.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Melissa

[Xinnidy]

"Ah... thanks, Adele." Owen lowered his head at the compliment. You say that, but it just doesn't feel like I did anything, even if... He didn't have the heart to object to anything Adele said, especially with the risk she took saving Cass. "Still, I'll try to do more for her, especially now." He closed his eyes for a bare moment, readjusting his posture. "Since I have to go... I don't want Cass here while I need to be away, honestly. I don't think she'll be safe even if locked in her chambers while I'm outside, but taking her has risks of its own." Owen looked directly at Adele. "Unless she stays with you, whether at you father's land, or... whatever you think is right, Adele."

[Ether]

"Well, I have every intention of going with you... honestly I think it's for the best if she comes along, as well, Even were she not the type to go entirely stir crazy with both of us gone and Graham shipped off to school... Hull isn't safe anymore, as you said." Adele replied, returning Owen's gaze.

"From the sounds of your talks with my Father, the King is in even more dire a spot than before... is there something you haven't told me, Owen?"

[scorri]

Niko had been heading back to the estate when he spotted the princess outside. "Ah, princess, good to see you. I assume you're here to talk to Lady Adele? You know you could probably just enter, right? After all, the two of you are close from what I've seen and heard."

Edited May 11, 2016 by scorri

[Dandragon]

"Yeah...It's hard, knowing they're worth more than you..." Serge sat down next to Larissa, then laid his head down as he put both hands behind his head. "You ain't interrupting anything...Wait, what's that suppose to mean?"

[Xinnidy]

"That's true." Hull isn't safe anymore... hah, what a time to be a prince. "It'd ease my heart if you and Cass were with me. I trust you to have our back, you know?" Owen nodded, feeling a bit at ease. At least until Adele spoke of his father. "Ah..." Well, that was a problem.

"Uh... It's..." The prince struggled to out with it, "The king's health is becoming worse by the day... Your father and the other high nobles agreed that I should take up the title of Prince Regent, today." It was quite a bit to admit, Owen sighed. "So now, I have my work cut out for me. I don't want Cass or mother to worry for nothing, though..."

[Shin]

Nothing like a good book

Eowa turned the pages, flicking through to the middle of her book. "The villagers' problems all went away when they found the fountain, it would be nice if it were that easy in real life." she sighed, looking out at the window. "Charlotte... do you think it's strange if a woman married another woman? It's an odd question, but it's something that's been bothering me. It seems so strange, I can't understand how it would happen."

A Butler's tale

Sebastian smiled, interested to see how Owen reacted to the stories. "Dettard has become known as a villain throughout nobility, the commoners are starting to get wind of it also... Baron Kearney's gaining quite a following with the villagers, he seems to have been given the credit for slaying Baleros." he replied, watching Owen's expression with bright eyes. "If anything, it's a positive spin, I would suspect it was leaked intentionally."

Scholar of the Dark

The old man watched Alain take a seat, almost uncaring of his company. "The book? I've had it for so many years, it's hard to remember exactly when I obtained it. I do remember this, I was a young man, much like yourself. The thirst for knowledge drove me forwards. I was one part of the guild, but I chose to depart and follow the truth." he rambled, his eyes wide with madness. "The Darkness hides a wealth of power, only open to those willing to dive into the deep. The Light of Engel blinds its followers, making them accept what they cannot see. Once you cast your first spell, you shall understand what I mean, it is an experience from which there is no return."

Door Bell

Cass' group was met by one of Herman's maids, a small woman with stern eyes. Recognising the Princess, the woman paused for a seconds, almost to internally adjust her tone. "Mister Sebastian? He's currently at Duke Herman's study, attending to him. I can take you to him, if you wish, just follow me." she replied sweetly, her words well honeyed. Leading Cass much like Owen before her, the Princess caught a glimpse of Duke Herman leaving in a hurry.

"Looks like he should be free, he's not exactly very fast tidying up." she sniggered, gesturing towards the door.

A Girl's Game

Larissa stuck her tongue out, smiling as Serge sat there confused. "I'll tell you when you're older, sweetie." she teased, looking over at Ratty. "You're a lucky man, I don't know many people who'd jump in front of an axe to save someone like us."

Ratty laughed nervously, nodding his head. "Peoples don't really think highly of me, I'm not very impressive." he replied. "I'm just glad that I could help yous, even if it was only a little bit."

[Terrador]

[spoiler=Literally Tormenting Angus]

The three girls left the Goose with Angus, thankfully bypassing the crowd that had gathered. Decima seemed to be in the best state of the three, although she had a definite stagger and her breath smelled of booze. The other two were in no fit state to walk, Angus had been roped into propping up both of them in some bizarre multi-legged race.

"Thank you again for helping us." Decima apologised again, probably about the fifth time she'd done so since leaving the door. "We were... celebrating my birthday and we got a little carried away..."

Nona cheered in the middle of the street, nearly toppling them all over. "Happy Birthday to Decima! The best little sister ever!"

Decima looked at Nona, trying to give her a signal, but it didn't appear that her elder sister was getting the message. Morta huffed, her face bright red and her expression foul. She was a fair bit shorter than Angus, mostly clinging to his waist as they ambled along. Putting her head on Angus' shoulder, Nona slurred again.

"Tell us some of your stories, Angus! We want to hear all about your heroics." she begged, Decima and her looking at him with bright eyes. Even Morta seemed vaguely interested, although it didn't look like she was going to admit it.

---

Angus struggles to keep his balance with the girls hanging off of him, barely believing the situation. [i'm pretty sure Pops an' Cass would both kill me if they saw me like this.] "A'right, a'right!" the squire cries out. "I'll spin you a yarn."

"How big d'you think a man c'n get, ladies?" Angus chuckles at his own mistaken double entendre before continuing. "I've seen one 'bout seven foot, had t'be four hundred pounds. Tha' Dettard, he had this fellow shackled in 'is castle, he's roarin' somethin' fierce, so I say to m'self, 'Kearney, how 'bout you go attend to tha''. Me an' 'is brother tried t'calm 'im, but no luck--had t'get th'brother out with a shovel after! 'e's broken free, right? Chasin' after me, we slug it out, bu' I'm not exactly standin' under 'im, right? I ain't that reckless. I'm stringin' 'im along, he's swingin' at the air, then the biggest damned idiots you've ever seen decide 'right then. That fellow fightin' the monster? Let's get right close to 'im, that'll work!'" The squire shakes his head, laughing still at the ridiculousness of their attack. Eventually, he straightens up somewhat, continuing to half-carry Nona and Morta along. "Kill th'first guy as he rushes me, then the second--priest, see--he tries healin' the bastard! So I chuck an axe through 'is head, keep pullin' the big bastard along, everything goin' great, so far as I heard it was all empty after tha', right?"

Angus makes eye contact with each of the starstruck girls--perhaps it wasn't the ending they would hope for, but perhaps he was already entertaining them a bit too much. "Then I see Prince Owen, of all folks, righ' there! More'n a couple nobles an' other esteemed persons there, lookin' t'help fight 'im! Now, a li'l secret: when you got somethin' that big under control, you don' change tack! Bu' there they are, Adeltrudis chuckin' an axe, Niko Eurus lightin' the bastard up, so I get right up on th'bastard--he's gonna kill someone a'this rate, an' I'd rather it na' be someone important, aye? But 'fore I know it, Owen slips straight through, gores 'im!" Angus looks up at the stars--they really didn't have any business being alive, but he was sure glad they were!

"Lemme tell you though, nex' time he tries somethin' like that, the blasted hero, I migh' keel over on th'spot. Here's hopin' 'e leaves me to it after this, eh~?"

---

The girls listened intently, their mouths open in awe. Gasping after every sentence, the hung on to every word. Nona wrapped her arms around Angus, nearly forcing him into the gutters. Even the mild Decima seemed excited, Angus' tale had delivered and then some.

"So heroic!" Nona cried, nuzzling herself against Angus. "It doesn't matter who got the final blow, you did so much! You risked your own life to slay that beast, protecting all of theirs! I wish I had such a handsome knight save me from peril. You'd be my hero!"

Decima panicked, trying to pull her sister upright. "Nona, you'll all fall over if you do something like that! I'm so sorry, Sir Kearney! I'll treat you to some tea once we get back, I promise! That story sounds really scary, I don't know if I'd have had the nerve to chance that monster. The Prince must really trust you."

Morta pouted at his side, trying to conceal her own admiration of the young squire. She'd been remarkably quiet for the walk back, which was a stark contrast to her earlier behaviour.

At last, the quartet arrived at a rather large mansion, complete with its own gates and guards. Waving to the guards, Nona laughed. "It's OK, he's one of our friends! He's one of Prince Owen's trusted men, he's a real hero!"The guards seemed used to the womans' antics, shaking their heads as they allowed them passage. The garden was vast and decorated, the girls seemed reasonably wealthy.

Leading the way, Decima opened the front door, the great structure swinging back slowly. "Daddy said he's on important business with the King so he'll be back tomorrow. I'm sure he won't mind you visiting."

---

Angus struggles between laughing and staying on his feet. "Hero? I s'pose, though Agro did most'f the work! Moral here, lasses: no infantry holds up t'smart cavalry!" He bumps Morta gently with his hip, enjoying the moment entirely too much. "An' I s'pose you've got somethin' to top that, eh~?"

The squire whistles softly at the great mansion, continuing to help the girls along. "I kinda have a friend I need t'be gettin' home to, so how 'bout I help you get these two t'bed, an' we do the tea tomorow?" [Good man, Kearney. Just get out of here before you pull any tail--there's always another day.]

---

Angus' gesture wasn't appreciated, or at least Morta didn't appear entirely comfortable. She muttered something under her breath, probably something unpleasant.

Nona laughed, giving Angus a swift peck on the cheek. "We should do this again some time... only less crowded places and more booze, no?" she yawned, stumbling through the door. "Maybe you could come again tomorrow night? If you don't have any more giants you need to slay of course."

Ushering her sister through the door, Decima apologised again, literally reversing through the door mid-bow. That left Angus with Morta, who stared at Angus with wide eyes.

"I like your pet bear... I think he's cute..." she uttered quickly, rushing towards the doors after her sisters. It had been an interesting night, that was for sure - perhaps the first of many to follow.

---

20 MARCH

Angus approaches the grand gate after a long day: newly groomed, but this really didn't say much. The bear had a clean diaper, so hopefully it wouldn't ruin their tea by leaking crap somewhere unpleasant. "C'mon, boy, I've got some friends for you to meet!" He greets the guards, knowing he'll have to introduce them.

"Name's Angus Kearney; this is my bear! I was invited here by a Lady Decima, an' don't worry about the bear. He's fine, never hurt nobody in his life." He chuckles darkly, remembering how he met the poor creature. "His mum though, she was a rough customer. Damn near handed me my ass!"

---

It had been a while since Angus had visited the Valter estate. The guards didn't seem terribly impressed with Angus' pet, one of them pointing his spear at the poor creature. "Keep that beast back, otherwise we'll have to slay it!" he barked, not taking Angus' nonsense well. "Lady Decima would never approve of such a repugnant creature!"

Things were looking a little tense, but thankfully Decima had come to see what the problem was. Looking carefully at Angus, she gestured for the guards to step back. "This man's my guest, I'll have no questions asked. You wouldn't want to get on Daddy's bad side, would you?" she commanded coolly, a total contrast from before. "He and his pet are my guests, I expect him to be treated properly."

The guards lowered their weapons, allowing Angus to pass through the gate. Neither seemed particularly happy, but he had been granted entry nonetheless.

---

Angus steps between the bear and the guard, snarling a warning. "He goes where I do, an' if you think a spot of bear shit is a bigger problem than startin' a go with me, you've got another thing--"

"Right. Thanks much, Decima. Must be a right hassle if these are anythin' like most of your staff, eh?" He pats the noblewoman on the shoulder, encouraging the bear to come closer if he was so inclined. "So, how 'bout those sisters of yours? I don't want t'imagine Morta with a hangover!" He shakes his head, remembering that he himself wasn't in the finest of shape the following morning; the others must have been at least as drunk, and if ever a person was unpleasant at night, they were worse the following day.

---

The guards didn't seem happy, but they'd received their orders, and they knew better than to argue back. Decima politely removed Angus' hand from her shoulder, sticking up her nose as she walked Angus and Geoffrey through the gate. She didn't say anything, but her eyes were on the guards the whole time, and Angus had certainly felt her hand trembling as she moved hers.

Geoffrey seemed rather apprehensive about Decima, the young cub wasn't particularly used to people other than Angus, especially not strangers. "Morta is currently in her harpsichord lesson, she should be finishing shortly. She gets ever so worn out by it, especially since it follows her harp lessons."

---

Angus cocks a caterpillar eyebrow, unsure on two counts what Decima was on about. A smarter man might have suspected that he was being a bit too chummy in front of the guards, or that she was actually afraid of the furball in tow... but not Angus! Rather, he voices his ignorance on the matter of music; the violin was the only instrument he had ever attempted to play, and even that poorly and in passing.

"Wait, so you're tellin' me those are two different things? I always thought one was jus' a bit more formal a word for it!" The bear-taming mooncalf reassures his charge with a scratch behind the ears; the creature was sure to meet someone very friendly (at least to him) soon enough!

---

Decima led Angus forwards, looking back to make sure the guards were not watching them. "I'm always so on edge when they're looking at me. It's like they're judging me for my position... I think they resent their job. Nona's far better at the whole lady thing than I am" she sighed, shaking her head. Looking at Geoffrey, Decima smiled weekly. "Maybe Morta might be a little more fond of it where I am, bears are a little too scary for me."

As they approached the manor, the plucking sounds from a harpsichord flowed out from one of the windows - it was likely to be the location of Morta's lesson. It was rather pleasant, almost difficult to believe it was being produced by a moody teenager. Whilst not as impressive as the palace, Valter's manor was still rather large, almost on par with that of Herman's Hull residence, it was no surprise that the royal treasurer was rather well off.

---

Angus laughs--he knows the feeling very intimately. "Engel, I know it. On a good day, I can barely pass for a noble. I just hope my duties stay on th'order of "ride up and hand some shits a beating", eh?" He scratches the bear' ears, addressing Decima's concerns. "I wouldn' worry--he's as harmless as they come! Ain't that right, Geoffrey?" The bear chases his hand playfully before catching it.

"So, should we interrupt, or...?" The squire winces slightly--little bugger was teething on his hand. Thankfully, that's what gloves are for!

---

Decima shied away from Geoffrey, it appeared that Angus hadn't quite convinced her of his domestication. "Maybe another time." she began, trying to find a way out of the suggestion. "I don't think Morta would mind us sitting in for the end, she performs for daddy regularly."

Leading Angus inside, and through the entrance hall, a grand decorated room far about half as large as Angus' family home. A large painting of a woman dominated the room, hanging on one of the walls. She was reasonably young, probably no older than twenty. It certainly wasn't any of the sisters, perhaps a mother or relative? They were well staffed, maids and butlers littered the room, moving quickly as they performed their duties.

Twisting and turning down the corridors, the music grew louder, until they reached a door, the room it was coming from. Decima stopped at the door, turning to Angus. "Just a word of warning, Morta is easily spooked when she's concentrating, try not to surprise her too much."

---

Angus steps in quietly, seating himself as unobtrusively as he can. As funny as it could be to see Morta so livid, the courteous thing was to hide the bear from her line of sight--at least until she was done! The squire shoots a promising grin at any staff who eye the bear with question. [Please don't interrupt; Decima let him in, and he's harmless!]

---

As Angus opened the door, he could see Morta sitting at the harpsichord, a wondrous wooden table with keys at its mouth. The girl was an entirely different creature from the night before. Her hands flowed across the keys gracefully, her entire body swaying in time with her music.

Decima watched quietly as her sister continued to play, nudging Angus gently as she watched. "See, she's really good." she whispered, ensuring her sister didn't hear. "You wouldn't have guessed, but she's really talented at all sorts of things. She just doesn't like showing off."

---

Angus leans in, maintaining an uncharacteristic effort to stay quiet. "You don't say; I don' think I've ever heard someone play like this. Next you'll tell me Nona's th'model of propriety when she's sober?" The squire attempts to stifle a chuckle, but the slightest bit squeaks out--hopefully, not enough to incur Morta's wrath...!

---

Morta continued to play, the music becoming more and more complex as she progressed. "Nona's normally very well behaved, she just loses a little self control when she's been drinking." Decima whispered, nearly raising her hand to cover Angus' mouth. Things would have been fine if it had not been for Geoffrey.

The bear's rear let out a tremendous rip, Angus could feel the bear's fart ripple against his chest. The music stopped with a dissonant clank - Morta had made an error. There was an awkward period of silence, Angus could see Decima was noticeably unnerved. "It might be better too leave... this part normally gets messy." she mumbled, tugging Angus' sleeve.

---

Angus eyes the stage, scratching his pet ("Not your fault, buddy") before leaning into Decima. "A mess? I'll... yeah, I'll take your word f'r it." He carries his pet out of the room; no matter how tame it was, a startled bear could lead to a bad day for most anyone involved.

---

Hurrying out the room with Angus, Decima let out a sigh, slumping against the wall. "Maybe if we're lucky she won't break the harpsichord this time. Daddy had to replace the last one after she kicked the keys in and smashed the soundboard." she lamented. "Both my sisters are wonderful people really, but they both have a side to them that is really hard to deal with. I try my best but it's hard to keep an eye on them all the time."

A crashing sound could be heard from the practice room as well as a frustrated scream. It appeared this was a regular occurrence in the Valter household. "She just doesn't know how to relax, she's always on edge, trying to keep everything perfect, then snaps when the smallest thing goes wrong."

---

Angus winces sympathetically at the crashing noises, kneeling with Geoffrey to ensure he didn't get spooked. "Engel above. I'd tell you to give 'er a drink, but that doesn' seem t'work too well, does it?" He offers Decima a grin. He knew a thing or two about shepherding an unruly girl, but evidently she was on an entirely different level.

"Is tha' really what you do all day? Try'n shepherd those two so they don' kill themselves? Mus' be hard."

---

Decima nodded, almost accepting of her acquired duty. Tears were brewing in her eyes, the surfaces of which glistening. "It was easier when mother was still here, she passed away from sickness a few years ago... neither of my sisters have really been the same since. Daddy's always so busy, he doesn't have any time for us at all, so that leaves me to look after them."

A shattering noise sounded from the practice room, along with another dissonant musical crash. Decima sighed again, lamenting the situation.

"I don't know what to do any more, I usually just wait until she gets tired, there's no stopping her really."

---

"No stopping her, eh?" Angus pops his neck, raising an eyebrow at the distraught Decima. "Now tha' Geoffrey's outta the way, want me t'go stop 'er from breakin' anything else?" He remembers the slap from last night--strong, yes, but he was just as strong (maybe more so), and almost certainly more accustomed to sitting on angry people.

He kneels to his bear, ruffling its fur. "You be good if I gotta head in there, alright? Don' go scarin' the Lady too bad!"

---

Looking at Angus with wide eyes, Decima nodded slowly. "You can try if you like... I'm not sure how much luck you'll have." she muttered, averting her gaze from Angus. "Be gentle with her, she's not a bad girl really... she just takes things badly. Just make sure she doesn't poke one of your eyes out."

The noise had settled down a little inside, although there was still a definite pounding sound - possibly the girl kicking the instrument. Geoffrey looked up at Angus, letting out another fart. The cub sat down obediently, almost as if it actually paid attention to its strange hairless mother.

---

Angus makes his way into the great hall. [she's really tearing that thing apart!] He walks up to the stage, past the staff that are already witnessing the carnage, and comes within a few meters of Morta before addressing her in a gentle, firm tone. It was almost as if he was soothing an animal... which, in all fairness, was exactly the skill set he was drawing on. Didn't work so well for him a couple of weeks ago, but Morta was probably less infuriated than Baleros!

Probably.

"Morta, 'nough of tha'. It's time to settle in, alrigh'?" The squire steps closer, almost close enough to touch her. "It happens t'the best of us, trust me. How 'bout a nice tea instead, hm?"

---

The room was in a state, furniture was spread everywhere, pots and paintings lay smashed on the floor and the harpsichord in the middle had a hefty dent in its lid. The servants fled as soon as Angus entered, as if they'd been granted permission to escape their duties.

Morta looked at Angus with murderous eyes. Standing her ground, she clenched her fist. "Who said you could come and watch me?" she hissed, her fury building. "Don't treat me like I'm a child, I'm the same age as you. You spoiled everything, you're disgusting, coming in just to fart and then trying to sweet talk me like I'm your little sister."

---

Angus shakes his head at the raging girl; for someone so obsessed with being perfect, she had it almost entirely wrong. [Here's hopin' I don't have to sit on her.] "D'you really think the servants seated me on just my word?", he inquired honestly, and more gently. "I brought someone you might like t'meet, and 'e had a bit of an accident. I am sorry about that, wouldn't've brought 'im in if I knew 'e could make such a ghastly sound!"

The consummate animal handler folds his arms and steps in just a bit closer, asserting that he really isn't concerned with the prospect of her swinging on him. Angus' tone firms up, challenging Morta to behave as she could.. "But th'heart of th'matter is, you can take a sorry like a lady, or you can keep on this blasted tantrum. No skin off my nose either way, but your sister thinks better o'you."

---

Morta grabbed hold of a vase on the side, incredibly tempted to hurl it at Angus. He could see the little self-restraint she had holding it back. "You don't understand! Nobody does!" she howled, her eyes welling up. "You're just like everyone else! You came and spoiled it! Just go away! I don't want to see your stupid face! I'll throw this at you if you come any closer!"

The threat seemed fairly well backed, although there was some apprehension to her words. The girl edged backwards as Angus approached, soon reaching a wall.

"You can't make me do anything! I don't care what you or even daddy have to say!" she fumed, averting her gaze as she tried to find an exit.

---

Angus doesn't step forward again, allowing Morta to make some space between them. [Poor girl's actin' like a scared animal.] In light of that realization, Angus attempts a gentler tack.

"I'm not the type t'rough up a woman, even a strong'un." The squire steps back, relaxing his posture; she could throw the vase, but what animal attacks after you give it more space? "An' whatever you've got against your old man, you're scarin' your sister." He watches Morta's behavior with a mixture of pity and curiosity. [she prob'ly won't break anythin' else but that pot... hopefully she's tired herself out. Not my favorite way t'do it, but it's not like I can do anythin' else to a noblewoman.]

---

Throwing the vase on the floor in a fit of rage, Morta charged Angus, pushing against the squire with impressive force. It wasn't as if she were overpowering Angus, but there was a lot more muscle in that little body of hers than it appeared. "Don't you tell me how to act!" she bellowed, forcing Angus back towards the wall. "Just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean I have to keep quiet! I can let people know how I feel too!"

---

Angus braces against the hit, but still coughs a bit upon being pushed into the wall. [Hands off, Kearney! She deserves a beatin', but this is far from th'time.] Still, his patience with the girl was reaching its end. The squire snarled from his pinned position, berating the enraged noblewoman with a curt tone.

"Enough. I'm sure your sister an' I would listen if you had somethin' that needed sayin', but this ain't gettin' you shit. As a personal favor t'Decima, I'm gonna ask you politely t'let go." Angus has no intentions of dropping her, but at this point any further aggression would earn her a removal from his space; the squire had kicked no few asses for less, as will happen when recruits vie for status.

---

Morta let out another frustrated cry. "Why don't you get angry?" she yelled, pounding Angus weakly on the chest. "Stop treating me like a child! You're just like everyone else! I'm allowed to get angry... why does everyone stay so calm!"

Her pressure on Angus was rapidly decreasing, her tantrum was starting to fizzle out. Neither Decima nor the servants had returned, but it appeared the young squire had gained the upper hand. Falling to her knees, Morta dropped into a slumped sit.

"Nobody ever takes me seriously... they never listen."

---

Angus weathers the quickly ebbing assault, joining Morta on one knee. [Engel above, I thought it'd never end.] He would offer a few words, but for the most part stays silent, not challenging her with an excess of eye contact.

"What've I got t'be mad about?", Angus comments somewhat flatly. "Not my stuff you were smashin', an' I get roughed up worse every day. Folks don't go off like you do without somethin' else eatin' 'em, though." He spies the girl's hands out of the corner of his eye--nothing serious there. All told, only one vase got smashed after he came in here... things could've gone a lot worse!

---

Morta looked down, her eyes filling with tears. "Stop being so nice to me... everyone just lets me get away with things... they never listen." she wailed. She sat there in silence for a few seconds, wiping her eyes as she jumped to her feet. "I want to go to my room. Give me ten minutes and bring your bear... but nobody else."

There was a sense of wilfulness to her last few words, a determination beyond a childish tantrum. Quickly hurrying out of the door and running down the hall, Morta was out of earshot within seconds. Decima sheepishly entered the door, looking around and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Sir Kearney, you're astounding, I've never seen her deal so little damage!" she gasped, hurrying in quickly and giving Angus a hug. The girl's face went red, as if she'd just realised what she did. "Nobody's ever been able to get her to stop like that... it's... really impressive... I could hear you, you were so calm."

---

Angus shrugs, patting the middle sister on the back while he puzzles over Morta's behavior. [Could get... interesting. But I'm guessin' she doesn't want t'get up to anything with the bear in the room.]

"Wasn't nothin', really. You don' know the kind of ass-kickin' I subject myself to every day; one girl shy weapons ain't somethin' to get too riled up about!" He shakes his head--had Decima really never been able to get through to her? "Once someone figures out misbehavin' doesn't get 'em what they want, they cool off pretty quick. Really, jus' go in ready to take a punch an' you can do th'same thing, I'd bet."

Angus had almost forgotten--he was here for tea! And with that invitation from Morta... he scratches the back of his head awkwardly, not terribly delighted to be saying something so easily misconstrued in front of her sister. "I know I'm here for tea, but I haven't seen Nona 'round, and Morta was hopin' I'd swing by her quarters with th'bear in a few. Would you mind too terribly if I took 'er up on tha'?" [it's really none of my business, shepherding this girl, but what the hell. What's the worst that could happen?]

---

Decima looked rather surprised as Angus explained what her sister had said, nodding her head slowly. "That's fine... there's just something I wanted to say to you." she replied, her face growing even redder than before. "I still remember how you took us all back last night... your stories were so wonderful and you were so kind to us... even when we were so drunk and annoying... I..."

Gulping nervously, the girl wrapped her arms around Angus, pressing her lips against his own rapidly in a rather clumsy kiss. Decima pulled her head back. "Sorry... I..." she mumbled, struggling to find words. "It's something I needed to do... even if nothing comes from it... I wanted to let you know."

---

Angus blushes, wondering exactly what he was expecting coming over here in the first place. And with Nona probably wanting a piece too... he was probably in for it. Now, what "it" would be ran the gamut from "killed by a trio of rampaging ladies" to "three little Angus Jr.s wandering about", but regardless, Angus was going to be spilling something.

"We'll, ah--we'll talk abou' this later," the squire adds weakly. [Though in all honesty, you should really be talking to Nona about who has dibs... hell. These girls are all too expensive for me long-term by far, anyway.] He departs, taking the moment to search for Morta's quarters on his own. Time to gather his head, at least.

---

Leaving a rather confused Decima behind, Angus ventured out into the hallway, into a myriad of corridors. Morta had neglected to say where her room actually was. Thankfully, the young squire could hear a crash come from down the hall. Even if it wasn't Morta, the chances were it was someone who could help him find her.

None of the maids nor servants were about, and the last thing Angus wanted to do was run into Earl Valter to ask where his daughter's bedroom was. Apparently Angus' curiosity was enough for him to check. Little to his surprise, he'd managed to run into Nona, sat in a lounge area with a large bottle on the table, surrounded by several glasses. Giving him a clumsy wave, Nona was beaming.

"Angus! So nice of you to visit!" she laughed, her speech as slurred as the night before. "Come sit down and join me! It's not tea, but it's even better!

---

Angus shook his head, chuckling to himself--could this day get any stranger? [Hell, one can't hurt, right?] He offers a wave back to Nona, taking a seat and pouring himself a glass.

"Jus' got time for the one. I was helpin' out with one of Morta's fits a few minutes back, an' she wants me to bring ol' Geoffrey here by her room in a few--maybe we can get things sorted so she won't be thrashin' the estate next time she misses a note!" Angus downs the first half of his drink in one gulp--he would not terribly mind getting soused with the oldest of the sisters, but sadly, he was just a mite too smart for that.

---

Nona clapped her hands together in glee, overjoyed to have Angus with her. "Goodie! It's really good stuff! All the way from Wihtwar! Daddy paid a lot of money to get it!" she chirped, nearly dropping her glass.

The booze was strong, far stronger than the stuff at the Goose. If Angus hadn't been such a sturdy fellow, it would have knocked the wind out of him. Nearly burning as it passed down his throat, Nona seemed to be topping up his glass, smiling foolishly. "Morta's a good girl really, she just gets cross about everything. If things start to go wrong for her, she can't help herself. She's a lot more responsive with a bit of drink in her, she gets so giddy that she doesn't even remember the things that get her riled up."

---

Angus nods--it was quality stuff, though it seemed Nona really did want to put him on his ass. Thankfully, he had a classic trick for this: swallowing the whole glass, then upending it on the table. [Prob'ly a bit too much, but at least it'll be done now.]

"I'm not much for plyin' a lady with booze, myself," the squire rebuts. "I know one gal with a tendency to lose her head drunk, at least!" He offers an honest laugh before righting himself and pointing his finger experimentally down the corridors. "So, ah... which way? To Morta's room, I mean."

---

Nona swayed in her seat, it appeared that she'd had her fill - and it was certainly strong. Even Angus' own vision began to blur, his limbs feeling clumsy. "Morta's room? It's upstairs, third door on the right." Nona laughed, slumping on the side of her chair. "Would you be a dear and take me up to mine? It's not too far from hers and my legs don't feel like playing nicely today."

Wobbling as she tried to stand, the poor girl didn't seem to have good footing at all. Looking up at Angus with lustful eyes, she smiled, brushing her hair to the side. It appeared drinks weren't the only thing on her menu.

---

Angus sighs in resignation, scooping the drunkard up with one arm below her knees and the other at her back. "Only 'cause you're too drunk for tea!", Nona's prey notes. [Damn, she looks good--no, Angus, you know better! Don't do it!] He deposits her with... perhaps less ceremony than he would have sober, outside her door. He dares not enter!

"You c'n make it th'rest of the way yourself, I'm thinkin'?"

---

Nona make a clunk as she hit the ground, letting out a lazy groan. "Angus, I can't walk... can you take me all the way in?" she asked, pawing at the door handle in vain. "I could crawl across the floor... but my bed's awfully high to climb up on. If you get tired you could sit down for a bit, the drink was stronger than I expected..."

Angus' own legs were starting to give, his vision becoming stranger and stranger. What had he drank? It wasn't like anything he'd tried before, it was harsh and potent. Even after so little, he felt far further gone than the night of the party.

---

Angus groans, crashing to the ground across from Nona. "Th... Th'fuck izzat?" He attempts to reach for his bear, but only finds air. [Two bears? I don't have two bears.] "Didn't even hhhave two neither!" The poor squire slurs, forcing himself to his feet, not quite capable of carrying Nona to her bed but able to open the door and drag her by the shirt. Two falls later? Three? Angus hoists her off the ground, hurling her onto the mattress. [Really should be kickin' her ass, but that can wait for... just five minutes...]

Angus passes out on the floor, despite the protests of his pet. Devious drinks, a long night, and a long day's training were not comfortable bedfellows.

---

What happened next wasn't clear, Angus wasn't entirely sure how long he was out for. However, as he woke, he found himself in a warm well decorated room, tucked into a warm bed. It was completely dark outside, well and truly into the night. His head still ached, but at least his vision was clear.

The room was full of toys and instruments, and paintings lined the walls, most of them of the surrounding area. It took a few seconds for him to realise, but he wasn't wearing his own shirt, it was a larger, baggier one... and a fancy one that at. As his eyes scanned the room, he saw Morta curled up at the bottom corner of the bed, like a cat. Sound asleep, it was hard to believe that she was the same girl who'd nearly destroyed an entire room.

---

Angus blinks wearily--quite a few things weren't as they should be. [Not my bed, not my room, not my shirt, in bed with... Morta... oh, Engel, tell me I didn't!] The squire groans uncomfortably; however this went, it can't have been good.

A strong hand grabs Morta's shoulder, shaking her gently. "Morta... Morta, I need a hand here. My head's killin' me, I haven't a clue what's goin' on, an' Geoffrey isn't here." Whatever he had (or hadn't, hopefully) done, Angus knew it was time to get up, get the bear, and be getting back to the castle.

---

Morta opened her eyes slowly, looking up the bed to Angus. The girl was in her nightie, having chosen to have slept above the blankets than share them with Angus - not to mention placing herself as far as possible from him. Wiping her eyes, she grumbled as Angus started to speak.

"I found you covered in puke on Nona's bed, I guess you decided to take a detour." she huffed, pouting at Angus."I waited a whole hour before I went to go look for you, Decima didn't know where you were so I made a lucky guess. That's one of daddy's shirts, your old one smelled so bad I gave it to the maids to clean."

She looked outside, up at the moon. It certainly was late. "I haven't seen your bear, not a sign of it when I went look for you. I don't think Decima would have been brave enough to approach it. You need to be careful drinking with Nona, she can go on longer than most people."

---

The squire shakes his head--it really has been a few hours, hasn't it? At least nothing had happened, or so it seemed. "I'm real sorry 'bout that; I was just trying t'be courteous, turns out your sister's drinking somethin' that ain't exactly booze. Shot an' a half, help her up t'her room, an' I'm on my ass." He slides off the bed, but offers Morta a hand.

"I really do got t'be lookin' for Geoffrey, but I'd be glad if you came with!" The poor girl didn't seem to have a friend in the world, and Angus knew she'd definitely be a help looking for his pet. [besides, she's never gotten the chance to meet him!]

---

The prospect certainly was tempting to Morta, Angus could see the cogs whirring in her eyes. "You're not going to be able to find him by yourself, I guess it can't be helped." she replied, her expression changing abruptly. Grabbing one of her coats from the wardrobe, she crossed her arms, waiting expectantly."Just make sure you keep your hands to yourself. It took forever to get you and Nona apart."

Stretching her arms, Morta turned to face the door. "And it took forever to get you onto my bed... you wouldn't let go of me either. None of the servants should be around here for another twenty minutes or so, we should be able to leave without anyone seeing us."

---

Angus blushes, mentally going over what Morta told him. [i was... I was out when I dropped Nona on the bed. And I've been out until just now.] He makes a point of ignoring her claims about what he did, instead getting to business--his bear!

"So! I'm thinkin' the kitchen is a good place t'start. If he's not with me, he's probably tryin' to eat." He motions Morta forward, keeping a respectful distance. "I'll follow."

---

Morta nodded, easing the door open slowly. There wasn't a footstep to be heard, the hallway was clear - the girl certainly had practice sneaking about. Beckoning Angus forwards, the pair slipped down the corridor towards the stairs. The main hall was bathed in moonlight from the windows at its front, the shadows of the decorations subtly carving patches of black across the ground.

Taking Angus by the hand, Morta crept down the stairs, pointing towards one of the doors. "The kitchen should be that way. Chef doesn't get here until the early morning so it should be empty..." she whispered. "Why do you have a bear anyway? Daddy said that I couldn't get one, no matter how much trouble I caused."

---

Angus whispers in response, stooped over and leaning in to prevent his voice from carrying.

"On campaign, we got ambushed in th'woods by some bandits, right. Some bears hear it, come try an' find a snack, but we fend them off too. After I killed the bossman, this cub comes wanderin' out, cryin' over his mum. I figure, "Kearney, you're good with animals, what's there to lose?", run it by Prince Owen, and there he is. It's gone a lot better than I've expected, but th'campfire stories always come from after they grow."

The mooncalf pauses, listening for any sign of his bear; failing that, he voices a newfound curiosity to Morta.

"Seems like the three of you actually know a thing or two 'bout battle; or are you just fond of th'outdoors?"

---

Morta listened carefully, edging the kitchen door open slowly. Angus did seem to be fairly crazy, rounding up bears and getting into fights... and into bed with her sister. He wasn't all bad though, at least he listened, which was more than she was used to.

"We all ride pegasi, daddy wasn't happy but we've all had proper training... even Nona can fight a little." she replied, pointing to the centre of the kitchen. There and behold was Geoffrey, who'd worked his way into a pie knocked onto the floor. Geoffrey looked up, spotting Angus and Morta. Abandoning the pie, Geoffrey hurried forwards, leaving a trail of mess along the kitchen floor.

Unlike her sister, Morta seemed rather more curious, as well as less fearful of Geoffrey. Her eyes grew gentle,losing the hostility that she'd displayed before.

---

Angus lets Morta's hand go, scooping up his pet in his arms and ensuring that the little bugger was alright. "You're a lucky boy, y'know tha'? You stay close t'Papa now, some folks don' like bears so much!" The squire pivots on his heels, turning to Morta. "If y'wanna touch the furry beast, that's jus' fine! He don't bite~" On second thought, Angus let slip a crack that perhaps wasn't entirely wise.

"Hell, you can pet th'bear too!"

---

Morta smiled as Geoffrey approached, her hand slowly moving towards the bear. Suddenly, the girl stopped, her face turning bright red. She looked down at the floor, tugging Angus by the arm. "Let's... go back to my room... it's too dark for you to go home all by yourself... you can stay there for tonight." she replied, still embarrassed by Angus' remark. "It's safer in there than it would be with Nona."

Pulling Angus back towards, the stairs, Morta had gone incredibly quiet, his joke had done a fine job of silencing her.

---

The squire allows himself to be pulled along--after spending the better part of two days in the sisters' company, he wasn't going to turn down some fun without a pressing reason. [sure, she might not know her sisters want some too, but it's not like I did anything with them...!]

At least this time, when he woke up the bear would still be there... probably.

---

The next morning came too quickly, his sleep had been cut short by his midnight antics. Angus was sharply awoken by a loud pompous voice, an angry tone that could only indicate trouble.

"Kearney, you blasted little devil!" Valter cried, his face red with fury. "What do you think you're doing in my beloved little Morta's bed! I knew you were trouble! My poor innocent daughter, tempted by an unshaven, unclean, uncouth mooncalf!"

Angus' vision came into focus, the Earl was standing only a foot or so away from him, glaring right through him. Geoffrey let out another fart, drawing the Earl's ire.

"And a bear! A bear of all creatures! At least it's only the second most repulsive beast in this room!" he growled, stamping his foot in frustration. Morta's head popped out from under the covers, next to Angus, looking up at her father with tired eyes. Valter grabbed at his own hair, nearly tearing what little he had left out. The man was hysterical, clutching his head as he wailed.

---

Angus groans, shaking his head and surveying the room. [Morta... right.] The troublemaker prepares to rise from the bed, then thinks better of it--no need to show off his tackle to the irate Earl.

"For what it's worth, Earl, I didn' swing by for any of this. One o' your kids wants t'have a go at th'giant-killer, well, that sounds like a personal problem." He discreetly pats Morta's thigh under the covers, in the hope that she'd understand he was, at least to some extent, giving Elbert a plate of bear droppings. "I'll be outta your hair short-like, but you really ought t'let me get decent." He chuckles, ruffling his pet's fur. "I'm wearin' less'n this little bugger righ' now, an' so's she!"

---

Valter was practically frothing at the mouth, his face was glowing red with rage as he waggled a finger, trying to contain himself and produce words. Nona slipped into the room, sleepily behind him, rubbing her eyes.

"Daddy? What's wrong?" she yawned, looking over at Angus. "Oh? Angus... you were with Morta too? I hope you didn't leave Decima out."

Looking back and forth rapidly, Valter's face suddenly went incredibly pale, the man swaying as he dropped to the floor. The two sisters looked down at their father, barely phased by their father's collapse. Morta gave Angus a poke, sitting herself up.

"It's OK, he does that a lot, you should probably get going before he wakes up." she sighed, shaking her head."Last time was because Nona's date with that Nelon fell through."

---

Angus can't manage to stifle a laugh at the prudish Earl hitting the floor. [Damn, even Jeeves had a stronger heart than him.] He gets out of bed, more or less ignoring Nona's presence in the room; apparently she'd seen it all already, so no need to be formal about it. The squire tosses Morta her nightie before pulling his own pants on, then addressing the idea of... leaving Decima out? [Why in the world would they be so okay with this?]

"Nah. She planted one on me, but caught me a li'l by surprise. Told 'er we'd talk later, but that's sure complicated now, innit?" He chuckles, pecking Morta on the cheek, but clasping Nona's shoulder from the side before he departs.

"I'll forget us meetin' yesterday. You'd prefer that."

Angus scratches his bear's ears as he makes his way out of Valter's estate, to the relief of the Earl's guards.

"Today couldn' get any weirder, right?"

[spoiler=Not gonna read 7600 words of Angus antics]

Angus escorted Nona, Decima, and Morta home, but went home without causing any trouble. He returned the following day, sitting in on Morta's harpsichord performance with Decima. Unfortunately, Geoffrey ripped a sick fart, inciting a highly destructive (and apparently typical) rage from Morta. Angus intervenes, eventually cooling her off and earning himself an invitation to her room and a kiss from Decima.

While searching for Morta's quarters, Angus chanced upon Nona, and had a drink with her... it was not alcohol, though. He dumped her in her own quarters, then passed out; he woke up in bed with Morta, with no sign of Geoffrey. The two find him in the kitchen, then return to her quarters for some of the ol' in-and-out, out-and-in. Elbert Valter wakes them, followed by Nona, but passes out rather quickly; Angus offers Morta a fond goodbye and lets Nona off with a warning for whatever might have happened between the two.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Terrador

[Nanami Touko]

"Oh, Niko! Hello~" Cass greeted cheerfully, smiling at the mercenary leader. "Hmhm, perhaps, though it's just a courtesy to knock." My my, even Niko has heard the rumors. How word spreads. Yes, I had some information to speak with her about. Larissa seems like a nice lady, by the way, even if that is her profession. Cheeky woman, offering something to Serge right in front of me. She's lucky I don't frown upon such activities~" Cass sighed, almost dreamily, before the maid opened the door. "Ah, yes. Wonderful, do show me in. I wish you well, Niko~ If you had any other business inside, don't shy to enter yourself~" Cass curtsied and followed after the maid, eventually making it to the Duke's study, the man himself disappearing down the hall. "Good day, Tobias!" she called after him, unsure if he would stop or hear her at all.

Either way, she was here for Adele, not him. "Actually, I'm here for Adeltrudis, not Sebastian. I was mostly wondering what was keeping him from opening the door! But thank you for being kind enough to take me here." Not wasting another word, Cass opened the door-- "Owen?" Cass didn't catch what they had been talking about, but she was quite surprised to see him here. "Well. This works out, I suppose. I did have to talk to you, too. May I come in?"

Edited May 11, 2016 by Melissa

[Dandragon]

Serge sat up and frowned. "Hey, now, let's not go around making assumptions here. Me and Ratty are just good friends. Besides..." He said, looking off to no where in particular. "I gotta try my best to extend the family line, I suppose. I am an only child, after all." At least, as far as he knew. His parents may have had another child while he was gone. But he really couldn't take that chance. "So...as much as I may find certain men attractive," he said, laying back down, stretching his arms a bit. "I cannot afford to be...happy with a man. If you get me." Serge sighed. It wasn't as though women weren't appealing to him. Truth be told, he found Larissa quite attractive in her own way. But time after time, he couldn't stop thinking about what it would be like to have a male partner in his life, instead of a female.

...He started thinking about home again. About his dad. And his mom. And all the friends he left behind in the village. Back all the way in Myrcia. All his friends were probably as old as him by now. Maybe older. He never kept track of their ages...The feeling of homesickness and depression began to creep up on him, again. And with it, the urge to drink it all away. But he couldn't exactly do that right now...

[Xinnidy]

"Oh, good. Another merit to inflate young Kearney's ego." Owen said, with an uncharacteristic, sarcastic tone. "He must be feeling like baron of the month by now." With a hand rubbing his temples, the prince did smile short of a chuckle at the rumours. "I suppose that's a good story to make the commoners happy, however. Fair enough. Gewaint won't be needing a good reputation anymore, either way." To be branded a villain... stories that reach the commoners only ever present one of the sides, I suppose. Even if that's better for me, there's a bit of shame in accepting that. His smile softened and once again Owen held a mellow expression, if a bit somber.

Hearing the opening of a door and his sister's voice was a wake-up call, however, Owen turning to face her immediately. "Ah, Sister..." Owen's blood ran cold that moment, though the man steeled himself. Engel above... couldn't you choose a better time to show up? "You needed to talk to me?" Huh... "Certainly, what is it?"

[Toogee]

It's in the sack

The man waved at Doug, pointing to the large bag of money. "I've left all the details on some parchment inside." he called out, barely slowing down to speak. "He's a man called Tristan, he normally deals in horses but he's got a few wyverns. Has a farm not too far outside of town, probably worth a visit."

And so, after a quick change in clothes, Doug made his way to the farmhouse described in the note. He made it a point to stay as far away from the city as he could; the rider was fairly certain carrying a bag of 20000 gold meant "rob me" in the native tongue. Doug was eager to start his rebranding; he wasn't about to have some thug take it away as soon as he received it.

Upon arrival at the farmhouse, Doug made a point to look at the livestock. Plenty of horses around, which only made him miss his pegasus. If only he could...no. That was what the old Doug would say. New Doug didn't need a pegasus to fly around. New Doug was a man. A man who rode a big scary lizard that could rip him apart in seconds.

'...Maybe they're nicer in person."

[Ether]

"I see... that certainly seems like the right call." Adeltrudis replied, about to continue until Cassandra arrived. Well, she wasn't going to break the news just yet, if that wasn't what Owen wanted.

"Oh, Cassandra. It looks like everyone is deciding to visit, today." Adele replied, standing up and moving towards the exit of the room.

"However, this is my Father's study, after all. I was here to speak with him before you both arrived, but with him having already departed, it would not do well for us to linger. We can speak in my chambers."

[Nanami Touko]

Cass had sworn the two of them were not pleased to see her enter, cracking a small smile. "Am I disturbing something?" She asked it quickly, following after Adele as she pulled them out of her father's chambers. "Right, Owen, it wasn't exactly pressing. I just wished to ask what Father's opinion was on my going with you to Raewald. He voiced concern over the Dettard campaign, but I haven't heard anything similar since. It's not exactly a bad thing, I suppose... Is his health alright, though? The only thing I can see stopping him from trying to corral me was if he couldn't get out of bed, but... Well, he can't have become that bad, not so soon."

Cass let the thought fly as they walked. "As for you, Adele~" she said with a slight lilt, "I need to speak with you about something important... If Owen wishes to be present, then he may, but either way, it... Concerns things we've spoken about before, so I had to come speak to you first." That was the best way to put it and remain vague. Hopefully.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Melissa