| Logs |
2000-10-15
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
Blood & Steel in the Night
- It's a few days after the trip with 'Rana' when Alex goes back
into town. Mikhail is her bodyguard this time, and after making a few
purchases they stop at the Silver Talon for a late lunch. The casino
is fairly active today, with a few notables on hand, notably Viscount
Cornelius' daughter Livia and Don Carlos of Costa Yermo.
Alex is in a good mood... the required shopping for ships' stores is satisfactorily concluded, and her own personal shopping has netted her a few new, hide-able, nicely balanced throwing daggers. She's going to try working with Carroll, combining his skill with throwing daggers and her magical ability, to see if they can be more effective together. She chatters happily with Mikhail about the city, the lovely (if sometimes breathlessly hot) weather, the folks around them... she's mostly enjoying the day, the food, and the company. Mikhail listens quietly, sometimes with a smile, though he takes his duties as bodyguard seriously and keeps a watch out for trouble. He agrees that the weather is far too hot, though.
Alex smiles mischievously to herself as she glances around, wondering how Don Carlos is handling the obviously vital information being passed on to him by the magical silver needle -- namely, that the Saucy Mare has a functioning head. She curiously watches, wondering what sorts of bets Livia and Carlos make, and what sorts of gamblers they respectively are. Livia is playing bridge for points -- at a dollar per point. She seems to be quite good. Don Carlos is playing roulette and seems to be losing to the house, though not badly. He wins now and then. Alex smiles quietly. Looks like Livia's playing for entertainment purposes, not gambling purposes. She can certainly understand that. She wonders why Don Carlos is wasting time at the roulette table though... she's heard Carroll's mathematics talk, and understands what a bad gambling risk it is... at least for those that aren't using magic, she mentally corrects herself. A moment later she raises a mental eyebrow, then quietly passes the information she's gleaned on to Mikhail -- apparently Don Carlos has a few small magical items in his pocket. She hopes he's not cheating with them... that would really not be polite, she thinks.
Don Carlos does look a bit annoyed at his luck -- apparently he's not that good at mathematics. He glances up from the table at one point, and smiles as he notices Alex. Alex nods politely, then goes back to her food. She does tilt her head so Don Carlos can't see her expression, and if it looks like Mikhail saw the Don smile at her, she'll give a silly exaggerated roll of the eyes, to denote her distaste with the 'good' Don's attentions! Mikhail blinks, then tries to choke back a snicker as he figures out the reason behind Alex's expression.
Alex grins, then goes back to her food for a bit. Once she swallows she changes the subject, happily saying, "I hope we're in a port when my birthday comes around soon -- I would so love to be able to go someplace where we can dance to celebrate!"
Mikhail sighs, a little wistfully. "That would be nice. Do you think I could go along next time? Jessie's been just bubbly about the Birthday Ball."
Alex smiles at Mikhail, "That... we could probably do that, Mikhail, I think..." She pauses, one ear tilting thoughtfully -- maybe they could have a party even if they weren't in port? Something with dancing that all the crew could participate in? She feels a little guilty at Mikhail's wistfulness... has she been slacking off on caring for her crew? Hm... they've had time off for R&R, true... but perhaps some sort of celebration they could be an important part of would be nice for them too? She makes a mental note to check into that later... maybe a large pot of honey in her cabin, saved for if her birthday occurs while they're at sea, so she can give everyone a nice, tasty treat. She tucks the thought away for later investigation, then grins, "The Birthday Ball was fun. I got to ask some interesting folks to dance, I got to meet some very interesting folks... and I got to help the queen play a bit! That was nice." She smiles happily, her eyes far away with memory as she munches her food.
Don Carlos grumbles as he loses again at the roulette table and stands up to circulate. He starts over in Alex's direction, nodding to a few folks in passing. Alex sighs softly when she realizes where Don Carlos is headed... then mentally puts on her 'formal polite' mask. Mikhail can almost see the animation slip away from her expression as the faintly smiling, courteous demeanor slides over her. Don Carlos eventually arrives at the table where Alex and Mikhail are eating, and bows low. "Donya Alexandra. How nice to see you again."
Alex nods politely, her faint smile unflagging, "Don Carlos. What a pleasure." She raises an eyebrow as the don kisses her small hand, then grins quietly, internally... well, maybe he's trying to be nice? -for once?
Don Carlos straightens up from the polite kiss on Alex's hand. "I was devastated that I deed not have more time to talk weeth you the last time we met. Your exploits and your beauty do honor to your ceety and your famelee."
Alex says politely, "So... does lady luck favor you here today, don Carlos?" She ruthlessly quashes her internal urge to giggle, of course. Devastated indeed!
The Don looks a bit rueful. "I am afraid not. Steell, when I have a chance talk to so lovely a lady the night eez not all bad, si?"
Alex is far too polite to examine her small paw closely, after the don's touched it... but under the table she quietly wipes the back of her paw with her napkin, even as she smiles and says, "Ah, you flatter me too much, good sir." She makes sure none of the magical items have left the don's pocket too... she trusts him about as far as she could thro- well, then again, she probably could throw him a ways... about as far as she could throw him non-magically, she amusedly decides! Mikhail is watching the by-play with a mixture of curiosity and concern. As long as Sir Alex doesn't seem to mind, he keeps his peace.
Don Carlos looks shocked, perhaps a little theatrically so. "Ah, thees poor one has not the geeft to flatter such a one as you more than she deserves. You would grace any court that you would deign to veeseet."
Alex hms quietly, internally to herself. The magical toys he's carrying are all pretty close in power level to the eavesdropping needle. Interesting, she thinks. Wonder who all he's bugging. She makes a mental note to pass that info on to Carroll, so Ludmilla will know to warn folks. She's glad the duchess knows already... although she has to suppress a sudden giggle at the thought of the don turning various embarrassed shades of red at some of the things he might overhear with the duchess! She smiles politely (and utterly dispassionately) again, "Gracious, don, I shall blush if you keep this up. Alas, I also am devastated... as I have just finished my lunch, and must return to my ship and my duties." She rises, bowing slightly (and from a discreet distance, so he doesn't try kissing her again), "Good day, don Carlos, and it was a pleasure."
Alex wonders with dry amusement why in the Bright Lady's name she'd want to deign to visit courts overly much... when there's ships for the sailing, horses for the riding, and parties for the dancing, all adventurously waiting out there for her! She leaves with Mikhail, and takes a happy, relieved breath once they're out of the gambling establishment. She giggles softly to herself, remembering the conversation... then smiles and just shakes her head. "Mikhail... remind me to tell the captain, please, that Don Carlos appears to have several objects that are much like the silver needle?"
Mikhail nods seriously. "Of course, Milady."
Horatio and Jessie at that moment are wandering down the street on the other side, in the general direction of away from the ship. Jessie is the first to spot Alex and Mikhail (not surprisingly), and with a call and a wave the two are shortly joined with the other two. Alex brightens and waves back, "Hi, guys! Whatcha doing?"
Jessie grins. "I'm not even sure."
Alex hastens to catch up with Jessie and her brother. Once she and Mikhail are walking with them, she grins and whispers, "I got the Don Carlos flattery treatment in the Silver Talon just a moment ago, so I can't recommend going there any time soon!"
Jessie snorts. "Did you slap him?"
Horatio glances a little nervously to Jessie, but with a smile. "Well, I'd been hoping to go to the alchemist's guild today, or at some point soon, to talk with one of the herbalists there." His expression becomes a little sober. "The 'cure,' such as it is, for the poison that we've been running into now and then is still not entirely reliable, and I was wondering if we might find something native to Maidstone, something I might not be familiar with which could make it a little more capable." He blinks at Alex's news. "He didn't try to... uhm, you know..." He pantomimes sticking a needle into the palm of his hand."
Alex struggles with laughter, both at Jessie's and her brother's suggestion -- then finally gives up and laughs aloud, tossing her head back delightedly! When she catches her breath she grins, "He didn't need slapping -- we left pretty quickly, to be honest -- and no, he didn't try stabbing me with something sharp and pointy either, Horatio!" She grins wickedly, "Probably because he knows I'd gleefully return the favor!" Sheadds, "But he does have several magical things of a power level very close to that of the needle, Horry... we should tell Carroll that, I think."
Horatio nods, "All right." He hopes that means that Alex checked herself for any listening-objects, needle or otherwise. "Yes, we should... and let Baroness Kerensky know. Hmmm... just because they're the same power doesn't mean they're the same thing, but it lends credence to the fact that Don Carlos came to Maidstone prepared... so he's more... I don't know... spy than diplomat."
Alex nods emphatically, her golden earring glittering sharply in the sunlight, "I should say so!"
"We should probably warn Carroll forthwith," Horatio says solemnly. He drops his voice. "I think it might also do to keep track of Don Carlos's movements. Hmmm... how was he doing in the games?"
Alex grins cheerfully, "Not well!" Airily she waves a small paw, "Someone could probably use one of Carroll's math probabilities explanations!" She giggles.
Horatio taps his chin thoughtfully. "I would say that gaming certainly isn't his interest, then... and he has none, if any ability, to alter chance, like a gambling game, with a magic item."
Alex nods, "I was guessing he wanted to try planting more eavesdropping toys on folks."
Horatio says, "Possibly. Targets of opportunity? Then he's not here with a particular agenda he has to follow doggedly."
Alex says, "I'd guess so, yes, aside from working on pushing the prince's suit on the queen. Possible blackmail, maybe." She gets a suddenly faintly amused look, and scans her sibling and companions for magic... just in case! Nothing untoward... good.
Horatio considers for a moment, then sighs and shakes his head. "I can't help but feel that we have all the pieces to this puzzle... and I also can't help but feel that Don Carlos is only supposed to be the visible part of this... meaning there is an invisible aspect to this that we don't know about. Why else send such an obvious boor?"
Alex is silent for a long moment, pacing along next to her brother and thinking. Finally she looks up and shakes her head slowly, "I think, Horatio, that the answer is that he's not an obvious boor -- at least for the place he comes from? I mean... well, maybe he's considered quite the charmer in Costa Yermo, y'know?"
Horatio thinks for a moment, worriedly. "True... they do have a much different culture there..."
Alex thinks about that, then adds a little doubtfully, "Well... right. I mean... it's possible, isn't it?"
Horatio says, "Oh, it is, Alex, it is." He shakes his head. "It just means we need to find out more. Which we should do anyway. But... why eavesdrop on Jessie?"
Alex grins affectionately at her brother, "You silly! Because she's close to you, of course!" Horatio smiles quietly to Alex, a bit of a blush at his ear tips. Jessie actually looks a little embarrassed herself. Alex grins broadly, but decides she should really inspect the um... the nice roofing detail on that building across the road, yes indeedie do! -and give her sibling and his lady a moment to recover!
"Um..." Horatio eventually gets his voice back. "We, ah... well. Uhm... we should ah probably tell Carroll that Don Carlos has more 'toys' carried around with him."
Alex giggles softly, but solemnly agrees, "Indeed, I think that's an excellent idea, Horatio!" She'll slip an arm through Horatio's, and says happily, "But we can do that after we find you your alchemical stuffs, right? It's too lovely a day to head back instantly to the ship, after all!"
Horatio chuckles softly and nods. "All right. I hope we can find something. I keep worrying that we'll run into more use of that stuff..."
Horatio's discussions with his colleagues at the Alchemist's Guild are fruitful, Mistress Thorn taking an interest again and several likely antidotes proposed. It does take longer than expected -- as usual -- and the quick subtropic twilight is already fading as they start back to the ship. Mikhail and Jessie watch carefully as they make their way through quiet streets. Alex is also walking with quiet wariness, although it's mostly out of habit and training, rather than a real worry.
The thugs fade out of the darkness, only Alex noticing them in time to yell a warning as they attack. Horatio walks down the street with the other three, calmly and quietly musing over what they had learned at the guild. I wonder, he thinks, why I'm so obsessed with finding an antidote for that poison. We may never really run into it again, after all... and it acts too fast to- "Wha...?!" He comes back to the here-and-now, his first impulse to reach for his satchel as he looks around him quickly for any assailant coming up behind him.
Alex whips her heavy rapier out, backing into Horatio, trying to push him back against a wall so their rear is protected, "Get back, Horry! Yell for the town guard!" She saves her breath for the upcoming combat, her ears swiveling madly as she tries to figure out how many are coming from where at them.
There are at least eight of them, two-to-one odds at best. All of the assailants look practiced at their chosen weapons, and they spread out as they approach, surrounding the four. Horatio, should he look at his sister, can see her sudden intense worry by the flattening of her ears -- then she takes a deep breath, manages one yell for help, "St. Genevieve! To me!" Jessie has time for only one shot before they rush in. Horatio takes in a breath to shout for the guards... then changes his mind abruptly. "Close in, quick, take hold of each other, NOW!" At Horatio's call Alex blinks -- then does what he says, reaching out to yank Mikhail in close as well as she backs up against her brother. Jessie's shot tags an assailant in the shoulder, then she steps back to snuggle against Horatio as he calls them all in. Then one of the vials is in Horatio's hand, raised above his head to be brought down hard against the ground as he thunders something in Hermetic.
Alex hastily pulls a dagger with her left hand -- if Horatio's trick gives them a second or two she'll try pegging an assailant with a magically sped, thrown dagger. She blinks again -- magic! She has magic! She forgets that... she looks around quickly for anything that can be brought crashing down, or yanked up from under, their attackers.
Smoke billows up from the smashed potion bottle, and the attackers draw back in consternation... but the smoke quickly dissipates, leaving the four Starfallers with their backs to a wall still facing eight opponents. Horatio blinks, his stance still trying to be somewhat imposing, the last syllable of some Hermetic invective dying on his lips as the smoke dissipates much faster than he had planned. "Oh, dear," he says, perhaps a bit too clearly. "Maybe it should have been in the incendiary retort a bit longer..."
The apparent leader of the assailants, a rather villainous-looking hyena, curls his lips back from his fangs. "Funny boy. We'll remember that later." They start to move in cautiously until Jessie fires another arrow, sending it into the hyena's stomach. "Laugh that off."
Horatio manages a bit of a glare. "Riiiight," he murrs darkly, and reaches for his sword -- oh, wait, damn, he doesn't wear it anymore. The satchel will have to do. Let's see how you like an introduction to The Fulminate Discourses of Ambrose the Younger...
Alex takes a moment to aim... then with a swift flick of her wrist sends a dagger flying towards the hyena's face -- one with a bit of a magical assist to its aim. Grimly she adds, "Horry... call for the guard." Jessie's arrow is quickly followed by Alex's magically boosted dagger, the solid thunk cutting short the hyena's first yelp of pain.
Horatio nods, even as he readies his satchel to clobber one of these ruffians, and raises his voice. "GUARDS! GUARDS!"
Alex flips another dagger into her left hand, her sharp, bright rapier at the ready in her right. Her eyes are narrowed in anger and her scarlet hackles have risen. The golden earring on her flattened left ear glitters in the torchlight as she snarls, "Take your leader and go, street scum." She's no Carroll... but maybe that will scare some of them off? She sighs internally -- no such luck -- well, at least they hesitated. She can take advantage of that. She hopes Jessie is taking down the dagger-furrs as well, as she flicks her wrist to put another dagger into one of the 'distance attackers' faces.
Alex again daggers one of the remaining attackers, ruining his aim, while Jessie sends an arrow into another assailant as they hesitate after their leader is taken down. He curses and drops the dagger he was about to throw. Her last arrow goes wild as the rest close in. Alex steps forward to the attack, her face quiet in concentration, her rapier making a nasty whistle as it slices through the air. The marauders still hesitate a little as they move in, and it costs them. Alex hits her first opponent, gashing his leg seriously. Mikhail's first attacker goes down with a sword through his guts. Jessie is still switching from bow to rapier, and her first swing barely scratches the thug she's already shot.
Alex's fanged grin widens as her injured opponent's swing goes a little wide, doing no more than scratching across her leather. Mikhail grunts as one of the thugs finds a weak spot in his armor. The injury is bleeding, but doesn't seem to slow him down. Jessie easily dodges her two bleeding assailants. Alex whips her rapier around dramatically... but in actuality is holding her action, waiting for her companions to strike first, so she can aid one of them if necessary.
Ah... there's the thing to do next. Alex steps slightly to the side, feinting, then suddenly reaches with her free hand and grabs her opponent's wrist. With an abrupt twist of her body she sends him flying into one of Mikhail's opponents -- that should help him a little! Alex's move takes the street thug by surprise, knocking him into one of his fellows and sending them both sprawling on the ground. The first one rolls back to his feet quickly, but the other seems to have had the wind knocked out of him. Alex almost absently ducks as her other attacker's sword swooshes past overhead, smiling as she notices one of the thugs is breathless -- get 'im, Mikhail! she thinks cheerfully, then turns her attention back to the badly injured thug in front of her. Almost gaily she says, "Don't be impatient -- you're going down next!"
Mikhail and his remaining opponent trade blows, Mikhail's thrust striking home while his opponent's glances off of leather armor this time. A moment later, though, Jessie screeches and sags back into Horatio as a dagger sinks deep into her shoulder. Alex snarls angrily as Jessie takes the dagger -- but realizes she can't help Jessie right now. Instead she viciously slashes her rapier, swift and sharp, across the throat of the downed and breathless thug -- then whirls, blood droplets spraying away from her glittering blade, to face her last remaining opponent. Her eyes and teeth gleam ferally in the flickering light as she grins nastily at him, "So I lied. Now you're next."
Horatio takes in a breath as Jessie goes down against him, his cries for the guards ending in a startled choke. On the one hand, it's just like in all those trashy stories that some of his fellow students read: it happens in horrible slow motion, each moment seen in stunning clarity. On the other hand, it happens faster than thought, faster than he could have thought possible. Faster than a spear launched by a ballista, his ballista... "Jessie..." he whispers, then a shout, "NO!" And his hand dives into his satchel, scrambling frantically for the healing draught. He looks up at the two assailants... one of whom hurt Jessie. If this is the 'red glare' he's heard of which fills his eyes, he doesn't know or care. Seeming to bare his teeth ferally, days, no, months' worth of anger and frustration at setbacks which by all rights should have been mitigated by their overwhelming success, instead come to the fore in this moment, right here, with two of the two thugs before him.
With a sudden snarl of what is more Hermetic than his native tongue, he doesn't quite leap forward, the strap to his satchel slipping from his shoulder to his hand, swung in a wide arc at the closest of the ruffians, that one centered in his eyesight, lit by blood-red haze.
Impossibly, Horatio's swing actually connects. The broad flat back of his satchel -- indeed with the Discourses lending it a weight satisfying to Horatio in his reddened mood -- smacks full into the side of the head of the thug, caught perhaps more unawares than unskilled but caught nonetheless, and hit with the leather bag with a sound as satisfying as the weight of the satchel itself. Jessie hisses through her teeth, in pain but still protective of Horatio. She strikes out with her rapier at the last thug standing in front of her. She doesn't do much damage, but a streak of red follows her blade across his fur.
Alex's eyes widen as her brother attacks, and she almost holds her breath, mentally urging that satchel to hit! Take that thug down, satchel -- don't you dare leave him up to hurt Horry! -then she whews in relief at the impact. A fraction of a second later she grins at her opponent and, not breaking eye contact, slashes her rapier viciously under his guard at his injured leg.
Two more thugs come running in from the alleyway, with shouts behind them. They skid to a halt, seeing the carnage in front of them, and grab a couple of their most injured fellows. "We've got to get out of here. There's a bunch more on the way!"
Horatio is shaking, trembling even as he watches the thugs run off, some feral part of him wanting to bound after them, pounce them, batter them horribly... but then he blinks... the spell, of sorts, is broken, and he looks down at the wounded mink before him. "Oh, no... oh, no..." he murmurs in near panic. Pulling his satchel to him, he all but dives into it, knowing without having to look that the vials holding the healing concoctions are surely broken, and instead pulling out the bandages and herbs he has within. Thank the elements I don't keep anything toxic in this! an idle part of his mind thinks.
Horatio blinks as he opens the satchel. Miracle of miracles! The elementals of earth and fire were surely kind to him -- only one of the draughts is broken, one of the healing ones; the others are still unbroken and usable. Unfortunately, that means he only has one healing concoction. He looks around quickly, agonizingly quick triage -- Alex and Mikhail are still standing; their wounds don't seem too bad. Jessie is on the ground with a dagger in her shoulder. There really is no question, and he gently urges Jessie to drink of the vial, his other hand pulling bandages from the satchel. "Alex? Mikhail?" his voice is a little weak and shaking, tremulous from emotion. "How are you both?"
Alex flips another dagger up into her hand, still watching warily around them as her brother works on Jessie. Softly she murmurs, "Mikhail, how are you?" She adds reassuringly, "I'm uninjured, Horry." She snaps her sword out sharply and cleanly, shaking the blood off it, then glances down at herself. Hm... lot of blood there. Must've belonged to the guy she threw. She goes back to standing wary guard.
Mikhail grunts. "Been hurt worse logging. Just a scratch." It's actually a bit deeper than that, but he's not in any danger. Alex realizes her shirt's badly torn from the fighting. She sheathes her dagger and rips off one dangling sleeve, then, one-handed, wads it up and presses it against Mikhail's injury, waiting for Horatio but still keeping alert watch around them. Jessie winces as she drinks the potion and the dagger slides back out -- pushed, almost. The wound doesn't heal, not completely, but the bleeding stops and she breathes a bit easier. "That was unpleasant."
The cavalry, when it arrives, takes the rather surprising form of Don Carlos and a few of his bodyguards. "Donya Alexandra! Are you hurt?"
Alex looks startled, "Don Carlos?" Then her training kicks in, "No, I am unharmed, but I would be grateful if you would accompany myself and my companions back to the Mare, as some of us were indeed injured?" Alex seems utterly unfazed (or perhaps unaware) of her current disheveled look -- soaked in someone else's blood, doing rudimentary first aid on a companion's wound, naked steel gleaming in one fist, and with a badly torn shirt -- she still smiles politely and nods to the coyote.
Horatio lets out a breath, as the potion seems to do at least a little of what it should. Some part of his mind is already analyzing the process he had used to make it, seeing where he had gone wrong in its making... "In... indeed it was," he says softly, gently touching her cheek. It is taking a bit of effort to keep his voice from cracking. "Please... hold still while I bandage your shoulder..." How close I came to loosing you tonight, Jezebel, he thinks, then brutally quashes that thought. You didn't loose her! But pay attention, bind her wounds and those of Alex and Mikhail, or you'll have even more to loose! He blinks, looking at up at the sudden arrival of Don Carlos. What in the seven fires of the Great Work is he doing here...?
Alex steps calmly over bodies, then pauses, glancing around, "Hm. A moment. I would like a clue as to the identities and motives of our attackers." She sheathes her sword and does a quick, thorough search of the bodies... and checks to see if any of them are still alive. She's not sure she wants Don Carlos' men doing the checking... his arrival could have been quite innocent -- or alternatively quite deliberate.
The coyote does look relieved as he is assured that no one is seriously hurt. "Miguel told me he heard someone yelling your family's battle cry, so we came to investigate." His gesture indicates that Miguel is the fennec in his entourage.
Alex smiles up at Miguel, "I am in your debt then as well, senyor Miguel." She hopes absently she got the weird title right.
Miguel bows. "De nada, Donya."
A moment later Alex gets a nasty smile and almost purrs, "Horatio... this one is still barely alive. Can you keep him so?"
Horatio blinks, glancing over to Alex, with only a hint of reluctance. "I think I can, yes," he says quietly.
Alex nods, looking pleased, "I think we'll give him to Ludmilla."
Alex makes sure Horatio and Mikhail carry the injured thug -- she doesn't want him 'accidentally' knifed or anything. She'll aid Jessie, and let Don Carlos and his bodyguards circle them protectively. She's quite relieved to see the Mare again, and hails the ship. The lookout also is quite relieved to see the group of four back, and Carroll is notified immediately. Alex will turn at the gangplank, after her companions have all been helped aboard and put in Cleo's capable hands. She takes one of Don Carlos' hands in both her own and smiles up at him, "Your arrival was very fortuitous, Don Carlos -- had you not arrived I might have lost friends or family. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."
Don Carlos bows as Alex takes her leave. "A pleasure to be of serveece, Donya Alexandra. But I have to be returning to my embassy. By your leave, por favor." Amazingly, he seems to have behaved himself. No telltale magical glows emanate from any of the Mare's people. Alex steps back and bows courteously in return.
Horatio walks into his small cabin, his expression neutral and steady. He stands in the doorway for a long moment, his small fist clenching and unclenching, shaking a little. Why... why... WHY? he silently fumes. So close tonight, so very close... I almost lost her... and why? But there is no answer, not from the silent cabin. The night gulls' cries abovedecks likewise provide no answer.
No answer... but for one.
He is across the room now, opening his sea chest. There, tucked within, beneath the tangle of clothes and odds and ends, lies the small package he had buried there shortly after being made a Companion of Maidstone. So long ago, he thinks morosely. I remember that my satchel was handed to me, instead of a sword. I thought it appropriate then. Now...
Now... He unwraps the bundle carefully, and within it, revealed
in the flickering light of the lantern, is his short sword. It's
almost a pretty thing, he muses uncomfortably, setting the cloth
it was wrapped in down, reaching back behind him with his free hand to
settle on the edge of the bunk. Steel of earth, tempered by forge of
fire, cooled in bath of water... and yet a symbol to some of air and of
mind. The blade slips from its scabbard easily, the family crest
surmounting the quillions. He holds the blade before him, the blade
casting shards of light upon his features. Father once said,
he thinks, that a noble must be ready to defend his charges. It's
part of the obligation, the bargain struck between us all.
I wish I could know what to do, Father. I've done good, for my family,
for our charges... for Jessie... at least, I like to think so. But
tonight that wasn't enough, tonight I needed to be more than that... and
yet...
He sits there for a long while, the short sword in his hands, thinking.