| Logs |
2000-12-03
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
In the Shadow of "Where the World Bleeds"
- Arrangements are made -- the St. Genevieve party checks out of
the Hacienda and obtains good horses. The non-equestrian members of the
group ride along with the supply wagons that Manuel Vincenza is taking
back to the mining camp, and the whole caravan leaves early one morning
just before dawn.
Alex is terribly relieved to be out and about again after that (to her) horrifyingly stultifying formal party. She sniffs disdainfully to herself -- what sort of party doesn't even have dancing, after all?! She grins, gleefully nudging her horse onwards ahead, almost along with the scouts if she can. Her usual joie du vivre is exploding forth with wild abandon again, at the opportunity to do some extensive riding. She so enjoys a good ride! She's also relieved she hadn't been invited to stay in town with Senyora Vincenza, who takes care of business in the city and rarely goes to the high camp. Well, she amends mentally to herself, if the invitation was extended to Carroll, at least he knew I'd prefer emphatically not to!
Horatio rides as well; part of him would like to take the carriage, but the old tradition of noble equestrianship gives him enough impetus to try his hand at riding again. Besides, he does somewhat enjoy being out and about on a horse rather than inside a carriage. Certainly not as much as if he'd been nicely squirreled away in his workshop, of course... Carroll rides along easily, at ease on a horse, and pleased to be out and about, if not as exuberant as his sister. He glances occasionally at the other St. Genevieve members of the party, to make sure they're not getting separated or whatnot.
Jessie and MacKenzie are riding, while the rest of the St. Genevieve party rides along with the wagons. MacKenzie seems to be comfortable with Vincenza's chief of security, a feline of rather odd appearance. Although the cat has the typical feline features, his face almost looks like a raccoon's, with a dark patch around the eyes, and his tail is banded, almost like a coatimundi.
The pace is much slower than the cochera, but they have much less far to go, as well. Iniesta is nestled into the very beginnings of the foothills of the Tejado del Mundo range. West of the city the main road passes through rolling farmland and pasture. Large stretches of grassland appear to be uninhabited except for occasional and somewhat feral cattle watched by furrs on horseback.
Alex finds herself, a few days into the journey, happily humming to herself as she scans the rolling foothills. She pauses for a moment, faintly surprised at herself -- she's not sung much since Dimitri left... what changed? -- then smiles quietly. What does it matter? It's just nice to be happy and a bit carefree again... to not feel guilty or worried. She grins, and continues on her way, humming happily and occasionally singing short snatches to herself as she rides, swaying easily in the saddle and singing with the horse's long-reaching strides. Carroll is enjoying the ride, himself, and spending a few days outside the city. The mountains are beautiful, he thinks to himself, but it's a pity they're so far from the ocean. Horatio finds the ride more than pleasant even with several days' of riding. They are by now sufficiently far from the city that he's worrying less about possible assassins and ambushes. In all, he's starting to get the hang of riding for long periods of time... though he is getting a bit sore in places he never knew could get sore.
As the journey continues, it becomes apparent that the Tejado del Mundo -- the Roof of the World -- is appropriately named. Multiple ranges climb from the foothills, each reaching higher than the previous one as the road winds from one pass to the next. The highest peaks have permanent snowpacks in spite of the tropical latitude. In the distance somewhere to the south a column of smoke towers over the mountains. Horatio looks out over the stunning mountainscape. "Incredible view..." he says quietly, smiling a little. Carroll points out the smoke, and asks one of the natives, "What is all the smoke from?"
Alex chats casually with her brothers on occasion. "So if I understand this correctly, the most efficient use of shipping space would be to ship the precious metals from here, and return with already-crafted steel tools, yes?" She pauses to admire the mountains, feeling a faint pang of homesickness for Starfall's rocky heights... then her ears prick interestedly as she listens to Carroll's question.
Feliz nods as Carroll asks about the smoke. "Cotopaxi, senyor. She is where the world bleeds."
Horatio provides, "Carroll knows the shipping part better, of course. Ultimately, the most effective for the people here is to refine their metal locally, though that's not always possible..." He blinks at Feliz' answer. "Where the world bleeds...?"
Carroll asks, "What does that mean?"
Alex blinks... then her eyes widen, "Another magical ley crossing site?!"
The cat shrugs. "Thees ees what they say. Cotopaxi ees a mountain, but she bleeds melted rock."
Carroll ahs and looks to Horatio, asking his brother, "Have you ever heard of anything like that?"
Horatio blinks, looking again at the smoking mountain. "I've heard of it, Carroll. A few whispers here and there at the Academy. But some of the Masters had never heard of it and denied such a thing existed." A smile breaks across his muzzle. "This should make for an interesting telling when we're back in Starfall..."
Alex squints slightly, studying the mountain. Maybe she can tell if it's like Mt. Kali... then smiles ruefully, glancing back at her bookish brother, "Well... I can't really tell if it's a ley crossing, Horry... it's really rather far away still." She studies the mountains for a moment, then hazards a guess, "It's like... oh, probably over 150 km still, don't you think? I've never tried 'seeing' at that distance."
Carroll ahs, and murrs, "I'm sorry we won't be getting any closer, Horatio, so you won't be able to tell them otherwise." He gives his brother a cheerful grin, and continues to enjoy the pleasant trip.
Horatio nods a bit absently to Alex. "That's okay," he says, gazing longingly at the smoking mountain. "I would be surprised if it wasn't, though. A place where the element of fire is so strong and pure... essence of fire must be easy to extract there..."
Alex grins cheerfully, "That's all right -- I'm sure we'll find out eventually!" She gathers up her reins and happily nudges her horse with her heels, sending him on at an easy canter... mostly to enjoy the comfortable gait, and the lovely sensation of wind in her fur again.
Horatio glances to Carroll, and blinks. But then he smiles, nodding. "You're right. A hundred and fifty kilometers out of our way is quite a distance."
Carroll nods and replies, "Perhaps another trip, Horatio. I expect we'll have business this way again. Come prepared for such an expedition."
- Travel is slower once the mountains are reached,
especially for the wagons, but another week sees the group reach their
destination. Vincenza's mining operation occupies a valley in the high
mountains. The valley floor is muddy earth; the stream that flows down
from the high end murky with glacial debris, and still muddy with the
wet season's snowmelt. The miners spend a day setting up their camp
for the summer and soon are hauling carts of broken rock away from the
mine entrances. They deposit the rock in sluices where others wash away
the unwanted material and separate the heavier gold. The smoking cone of
Cotopaxi broods over the activity, occasionally bringing a reek of sulfur
and curious ashy rockfalls when the wind blows from the south.
Once the miners have set up their operation and things seem to be working as they are supposed to, Carroll gathers Horatio and finds Manuel to go over the operations of the mine, with Horatio lending his expertise in leverage, physics, and general craftiness, and Carroll to think about production and logistics. He makes a point to invite Alex too, but doesn't know how interested she'll be. Alex will come along, mostly out of curiosity rather than any real knowledge of the subject.
Out of curiosity, on one of the darker nights when it's easier to see, Alex will try checking the mountain again for a magical aura. She lets her brothers know, and they accompany her, since it is a lovely night. The stars are clear and bright over most of the sky, although blotted out by the cloud hanging over the mountain to the south. Alex peers at it with her inner vision for a while before nodding. "There do seem to be ley lines there." She looks pleased... then suddenly curious, "I wonder... why does it always seem to be mountains? It's like... it's almost like there's something under us, struggling to get out, pushing up on the ground under us... I wonder if that's why we have mountains? Because the magic is trying to get out or something?" As she's musing, something catches her eye... she stares curiously at the far side of the clearing for a moment, then murmurs quietly, "Hey, guys? Um... do either of you see something... like a flash, almost... like firelight off of metal, just past the perimeter there?" She doesn't point, but rather nods, indicating direction with her nose.
Carroll murrs softly, rather pointedly not looking, "Yes."
Horatio blinks, his eyes catching the selfsame glint. A moment later, he glances in a different direction, keeping the area of that glint in his peripheral vision. "I do as well," he murmurs, trying not to move his muzzle.
Alex beams and adds in her normal speaking voice, "I'll be right back, okay? Let me get us some drinks and we can go for the walk then!" She whispers as she turns away, "I'll alert folks..." She quietly alerts the two security chiefs... and Cleo, and has weapons broken out, unless the Andean cat tells her this is normal for the area. Feliz frowns as Alex reports what she's seen. "Eet ees normal, senyorita, but... ees because banditos are normal near the mines, si?" He begins to alert the camp.
Alex nods, sighing faintly, "I see. Ah well... I'd half hoped it was a false alarm." She trots back out with crossbows for her brothers, followed by MacKenzie and crew, "Mac, where should we be for most efficiency and protection, do you think?"
Carroll thinks, back on the Saucy Mare, perhaps? but doesn't say anything. Instead he softly asks, "Can we light that area up perhaps?"
Horatio hesitates for only a moment, then his eyes brighten a little, and he accepts the crossbow. I think I have some magnesium on me... some illumination seems in order... He reaches into his satchel, taking up a spare crossbow bolt with his other hand. He says quietly, albeit distractedly, "I think I can do something, Carroll, give me but a moment..."
Alex nods and makes sure the non-combatants of their party are safely back, hidden in the mine. Feliz' people move quietly around the camp, rousing the sleeping miners and making sure that they are armed. There are often bandits in the mountains, but they're rarely dangerous if they do not surprise a camp. Carroll tells Horatio, "Make sure Feliz knows what you're doing."
Horatio blinks, looking up at Carroll from his work. "Er...? Oh! Right..." He looks around, hoping the man is nearby. "Feliz," he says quietly, "Have your people cover their eyes when I give the word, this area may be a very great deal brighter in a little bit..."
Feliz looks irritated for a moment at being interrupted, but then his brain catches up with his ears and he grins rather nastily. "Brighter? Si, senyor! Gracias." He passes that information on with his continuing preparations.
Horatio takes in a deep breath, and makes the last few adjustments to the starbolt. I hope this time it works, he thinks, unlike that last ambush I tried something like this. Erm... or the time I blew up one of the other apprentice's armoire's with something like this. He looks around in the shadowy darkness for Jessie, before all Hells break loose.
Cleo finishes making preparations for the inevitable wounded and reports to Alex. "I'm not detecting any poisoned weapons, so these are probably just honest bandits."
Alex looks relieved at Cleo's words, then smiles encouragingly at Sophia -- this is her first battle, after all. Sophia looks a little nervous, but not too much so. It may be her first official battle, but she's been in brawls before. Carroll carefully makes sure he has a crossbow handy, so he can try and make some bandit pincushions. Alex gives Carroll a sudden, curious look, "Carroll... I wonder if the bandits could be talked out of attacking?"
Carroll considers, and replies, "Let's ask Feliz. These may not be that reasonable. And, he may want not to be so gentle."
Alex muses thoughtfully to herself, "Are bandits reasonable?" but simply nods at Carroll's words. She'll make sure Rosita knows to stick close to her brothers so she's protected, but can translate in a pinch, should there be an emergency.
Carroll finds the now-busy security chief and gets his attention, despite the grumpiness it may cause, and puts forth the question, via Rosita if need be. "Would it be worth the attempt to try and talk these bandits out of attacking, or would we be wasting our time?"
Feliz has issued his orders now and is waiting for things to kick off. He shrugs at Carroll's question. "Eet depends on the banditos, senyor. Eef they are just runaway serfs from Costa Yermo, they haf leetle courage. Others are braver."
Alex nods and murmurs to Carroll, "Try right after Horry's flare arrow perhaps?" Horatio waits patiently, looking to Carroll and Alex for the word. Alex glances at Feliz, sees he's ready, and nods to Carroll, "It looks like Horatio shoots when you give the command, captain. When you're ready."
Carroll considers, and replies, "Is it worth the risk, Alex? If they're not very brave, they'll flee when they see we're prepared. Horatio's arrow may incite that anyway."
Alex nods, "Right. Shoot first, see what happens, makes sense to me."
Carroll tells Feliz, "Ready when you are, Capitan." Alex grins fiercely at her oldest brother, her eyes and teeth gleaming in the firelight. A thought occurs to her and she glances around, searching for Vincenza. He's standing with the reserves, his sword still sheathed.
Feliz nods, but gives no commands yet. "When they are starting, the arrow, she goes up. They think they have ambuscado, but we have her instead." The camp's preparations have been made with practiced stealth, past experience having convinced them that tipping their hand ahead of time just leads the bandits to sneak off and try again later, hoping for a less alert camp.
Alex nods quietly at Feliz' words, then takes a visual review of the St. Genevieve people. While it's her least favorite part of a battle, it appears it's now time to wait... so if anyone looks too tense or worried they'll get a reassuring or calming visit from her... and if everyone's fine, then she just gives a smile and confident nod to those that happen to meet her eyes. Carroll watches Alex, and makes a mental note, now isn't a good moment, but I need to tell her what a good job she does in situations like this. Much better than I, or even her dark-phase brother. Horatio remains relatively calm. This is as best as he's going to make the starbolt, so it remains only, well, for the bandits to make the first move... he nods to Alex, then glances for only the briefest of moments back to the encampment, where Jessie is with the other archers. He doesn't know if she can see him -- he can barely see her in the shadows himself -- then the moment of waiting is gone.
The night air is suddenly filled with the hissing of arrows, and one yelp where one has struck home. The bandits follow this with a yell and a run down the slope, and Feliz yells "Ahora!" at Horatio.
Alex nods to Horatio, smiling with quiet confidence in her bookish brother, "Shoot, Horry." Carroll remains where he'd been, apparently casually sitting by the fire, but picks up his crossbow and keeps it ready if any of them should look like they're headed his way. If anything gets closer he'll have to stand up and deal with it more directly.
"Now!" Horatio shouts. He brings the crossbow up, pointing it at the starry sky, Cotopaxi looming above them. He closes his eyes, firing the crossbow at the same time he ignites the starbolt. Element of fire, lend this your touch! Element of air, let this bolt fly high and true! The bolt sails up into the sky, and after a few seconds bursts into an intense white light. It hangs in the air, illuminating the valley seemingly as bright as daylight. The charging bandits are revealed as a ragtag band of fugitives and the charge falters almost immediately as Rubera's archers fire into their midst.
Carroll echoes the feline's cry of, "Now!" and fires in to the now highly visible group of bandits as they approach. Alex brings up the crossbow and fires smoothly, along with all the other archers of the party, at the charging bandits. For a moment she almost feels sorry for them -- only for a moment, and then that thought recedes to the cool, dispassionate back of her mind, and the hot thrill of combat has her fiercely focused -- how dare they attack her family?! -her people?! Horatio lowers the crossbow, crouching down to make a smaller target, immediately moving to reload it, opening his eyes to see the oncoming bandits.
The bandit chieftain, a burly feline of some sort, is yelling at his faltering minions to continue the attack when the second wave of arrows arrives. Several of the archers targeted him, and he falls, punctured in several places. The rest of the bandits bug out at this point, leaving a good dozen of their comrades behind. After another minute, Horatio's light plummets to earth and goes out. Alex reloads swiftly, then waits until Feliz or Carroll give the command to either stand down or fire. A quick glance around to check on her people... good, all ready. Horatio finally lets out his breath as the light dies out. It worked... oh, thank heavens! But he shakes himself a bit, making himself more alert for a possible rally of the bandits.
Carroll presumes that Feliz' people will go and cope with any survivors one way or another, and gather whatever's left of the bandit leader. He leaves them to it. He checks over his own people, telling them they did well. He makes a particular note to tell Horatio how well he did, and how much the light helped. Horatio lets out a breath and smiles quietly. "You're welcome, Carroll. I'm just... glad it worked better than the last concoction I'd made..."
Alex lowers the crossbow at the stand-down command... then smiles and nods to Rosita and Sophia, "Not too bad, eh?" She'll also gently squeeze Horatio's shoulder, "Good job, Horry..." She grins, leaning to whisper in his ear, "Jessie saw, too!" then giggles softly and trots over to offer any aid needed in retrieving wounded.
Horatio blinks surprisedly to Alex, then smiles quietly. "Thanks, Alex," he says softly. Carroll chuckles at his sister's reassurances.
The miners have sustained only two casualties, one minor and one less so. Cleo starts work, only to look up hurriedly as one of the wounded bandit's pleas are cut suddenly short. Alex blinks in shock as, almost right in front of her, the pleading bandit's throat is unceremoniously slit! Her barked reaction is immediate and angry, "HEY! None of that!" Horatio blinks at the sudden shout by Alex. He looks over quickly to her, glancing towards where she's glaring... Oh, camphor hells..., he thinks weakly. Let my eyes be deceived, let that not be truth I see... Rubera's people look up in puzzlement at the shouting foreigner, then shrug and go back to dealing with the leftover bandits.
Carroll's ears flick worriedly at his sister's cry, and he looks over hurriedly to see what she's upset by. It only takes him a moment to figure out what it is, and he works his way back to her. Alex opens her mouth to yell again at the killer -- and then it registers. No one else of Vincenza's people are reacting as if this is aberrant behavior... not one of them! She stares around her slowly, in shock again for a fraction of a moment, seeing the scene in a suddenly new and extremely chilling way... then whirls, her ears pinned in fury, and stalks over to Vincenza. Her voice is clipped and coldly proper, "Excuse me, senyor. I take it it's common practice here to simply kill wounded?"
Carroll is too slow intercepting Alex, and reaches her and the leader even as she is asking her question. At her question, he glances out to the field, but sees only darkness. As she's been polite and isn't raving -- yet -- he doesn't interrupt. Vincenza looks at Alex in some surprise. "What would you have us do, senyorita? We do not have medicine to spare for creeminals, and there ees no guardia to geef them to. Thees ees more merciful than to let them die slowly."
Horatio feels something take cold hold of his throat. No, that can't be right, he thinks. Some detached part of his mind says, of course it's right; they're bandits, can't be trusted, the miners don't have enough supplies to keep prisoners, Cleo probably wouldn't have been able to help him... That part of his mind keeps rattling off justifications, but the little hurts he'd hoped had been buried since that sea-duel and the ambush which nearly cost him Jessie... they come rushing back. The crossbow drops flatly to the ground, but doesn't break. A blank, confused, and somehow pained expression on his face, he turns slowly to where Alex and Carroll speak with Vincenza. Alex says sharply, "Are they not simply escaped serfs from Costa Yermo? Would they not be grateful for a job as free furrs, even if it was only more mining?"
Vincenza looks enlightened. "Ah.. perhaps some of them are, senyorita, but deed you not see their leader?" He shakes his head. "No, you would not be knowing thees one... a notorious brigand, thees cat; Roberto el Rojo. Escaped serfs we accept, half my people here are former serfs."
Alex says, "Who is -- was -- this Roberto?" Horatio finds himself over with his siblings, trying to absorb what Vincenza is saying. Alex's left hand is resting unwittingly on her sword pommel and her ear tips are almost quivering with the intensity of her focus on Senyor Vincenza -- but when Horatio approaches Alex puts an arm around his waist, leaning slightly against him. She's trying however she can, unconsciously, to help her shocked-looking, most innocent brother brace against this horrible situation.
Vincenza nods and motions the foxes to follow him as he heads back to his cabin. "I show you..." He rummages in his files for a minute before pulling out an old notice. "Here eet ees." The paper shows a recognizable sketch of the dead brigand chief, along with a lot of writing in Boveyan and a number in large print at the bottom -- 10,000 pesetas.
Alex glances at the drawing, then at the incomprehensible writing, "What does it say, please, senyor?"
The marmot reads it off in Boveyan, letting Rosita translate. "Reward offered -- Roberto the Red -- for information leading to his capture, 1000 pesetas -- wanted for brigandry, robbery, kidnapping for the slave trade -- dead or alive, 10,000 pesetas." The armadillo adds, "He ees a most notorious bandit, senyores y senyorita. They chase heem into the mountains last year but could not find heem."
Carroll steps up behind his siblings and looks at the note over their shoulders, placing a hand on Alex's back, palm down, rubbing a little circle. He says, "Thank you for answering my sister's questions, Senyor. That was very thoughtful of you. You must deal harshly with the bandits of one so dangerous, of course." He smiles, then turns to his enraged sister and his stunned brother and says, "Come with me, please." Horatio blinks, turning to Carroll and looking at him for a moment. Then he nods, following his brother. Alex listens in silence to the marmot's and the armadillo's translations, her fur settling slowly despite the bright anger in her eyes. Finally she nods tightly, once... and again at Carroll's words. At his request she simply turns and silently follows him out.
Carroll gathers his family close to him, putting an arm around each of them and pulling them in close to him, leading them off to a quiet corner near the horses and murmuring quietly, "I know, it's a terrible thing to watch. I'm sorry. It's how they have to handle it here." Rubbing slowly up and down their backs, he runs out of words, and hopes he's said enough.
Horatio sighs softly, finally lowering his head. Carroll's touch is comforting, as are his words, but... "I know, Carroll, but... it's..." His voice fades out, unable to find words. Alex stands stiffly, not moving away from her older brother at all, but still standing as tall and coldly proper as she can, fully aware she can still be seen by both the St. Genevieve people, and Vincenza's as well. Her ears are still flattened, and her eyes still bright with anger as she struggles for words to express her outrage...
Carroll is strong and reassuring for Horatio, suggesting softly, "It's horrible? It's awful? It's brutal? It's a waste?" He gives those words a moment to sink in, before he answers his own questions, "It's all of those things, Horatio. It's also merciful, necessary, and important. This is one situation where there is no good answers."
Finally Alex says in a low, tightly controlled voice, "I understand it, Carroll. I understand why they're doing it. But it's still wrong. It's wrong. These people were betrayed by their nobility, and now they've been betrayed again by this Roberto person... and I don't doubt he could have been a good man too in the right circumstances."
Carroll nods and answers Alex, still trying to help her relax, too, "I'm sure he could have, Alex. However, he wasn't. Nor were the bandits who were working for him, whatever things may have led them to make those choices. There are others who didn't make that choice." He asks her gently, "Would it have bothered you less if they'd have been killed in direct fur-to-fur combat?"
Horatio lets out a breath, turning to look out into the darkness. "I imagine," he says quietly, "that if it was us, we would prefer that sort of ending, but..." His voice falters. "You heard Vincenza. Some of them were Costa Yermo serfs." He looks back. "We could twist this into justification to do something -- anything! -- about Costa Yermo, but in the end it's..." he bites his lip. "So we let them do this...? I know you say we should... but..."
Alex shakes her head with tight vehemence once, more at the general concept of what's happening than at anything in particular that Carroll's said... but doesn't have any answers. She just stares grimly out into the night... then finally just says tightly, "I may not be able to help the Costa Yermo people. I can at least help Cleo. Excuse me, Carroll, Horatio." She steps away carefully, not wanting to seem unappreciative of Carroll's kindness but needing to do something -- anything! -- rather than just stand around uselessly... and goes to help Cleo.
Carroll also knows that the mining staff can see them, along with some of their own crew, and he doesn't care. Let them think what they will about his family or himself -- it's more important to him that his brother and sister manage to cope with this. He looks pained when Alex leaves, but doesn't know what else he can say or do to help her, at least not now. He answers Horatio's query, "First, Horatio, it's what they have to do in this situation. Second, short of taking over the mine, it's not our choice. We don't 'let' them do anything or not in their own country, in their own mine." He adds, quietly, "We're a long way from home." He thinks, I hope you don't hate me for this, Alex. We can't help everyone, and watches Alex stalk away to try and burn off some of her anger.
Alex steps through the camp slowly and with care, almost as if she doesn't want to accidentally touch anyone. Her demeanor is carefully and rigidly controlled. Cleo isn't in need of much help -- she's already patched up the seriously injured miner and sent him off for a week's bed rest, and bandaged the one who was just nicked. When Cleo reports that she doesn't really need help Alex nods tightly once, then turns and walks just as carefully away.
Horatio sighs softly, closing his eyes. "You're right," he says quietly. "I don't like it -- Alex likes it even less. But... Carroll, at least let us not let it happen if we can at least help it..."
Carroll nods and murrs to Horatio, "We'll do our best, I promise, Horatio. I don't like it either."
Horatio sighs, looking after Alex. "You know," he says quietly. "I wanted to help them. Wanted to find a way to help them refine their steel locally. Maybe with the help of that." He nods up to the smoking mountain. "But now... I don't know, Carroll. I just don't know."
Carroll adds to Horatio, "Sometimes, too, if you don't deal finally with a problem, it will come back and haunt you. It's important to be prepared and to be strong enough to do what has to be done. If it helps, remember that these bandits wanted to attack and kill us. This is defense. We don't sally forth and hunt them down, but we can't let them run us over either. Don't let it be on your conscience that these bandits picked a dangerous profession."
Horatio sighs softly. "I know, Carroll... I just... Carroll..." His voice drops slightly. "Carroll... when I saw it... or the remains of the bandit... I saw what I'd done in that naval duel... with the ballistae..." Horatio sighs and shakes his head again. "I should try to sleep. This... well... I should sleep."
Alex does not sleep much that night. Instead she quietly gathers up the necessary tools, then goes and silently practices her sword work and acrobatics for a very long, thorough, and tiring time. After that, not wanting to sleep yet, she grooms her horse. The rangy mountain horse doesn't really need it, but it's important to Alex to be doing something, to be working, to occupy her mind and her self with small, methodical odd jobs... not to be remembering. Hours later she sighs, leaning against the horse's sturdy shoulder... then clambers up onto his broad, warm back. She stares at the stars for a while... then lays down flat on the placid horse. She rests her cheek against the warm-dusty smelling mane, crying silently... and finally dozes off for a while... until dawn.
The next morning matches Alex's mood, one of those days when the wind is from the south and the reek of sulfur pervades the camp along with a fine fall of grit from the murky clouds overhead. Alex makes a point of politely thanking Carroll for being there for her and Horatio, and gives poor Horry a tight and hopefully reassuring hug... but aside from that she's very, very quiet. Carroll watches Alex and nods, accepting her thanks. I wish I could have helped more, Alex, he thinks, but some lessons are just painful. Horatio returns the hug, hoping that his own is as reassuring to her as his is.
The miners seem to be cheerful, in spite of the south wind. Rosita passes on Vincenza's pep talk of the early morning -- apparently he's planning to divide the reward for Roberto evenly among the crew. This amounts to a week's bonus for most of them. Carroll smiles, and comments, "A good leader."
Early in the morning Alex decides to go for a ride. She'll ask the cook to make her some sandwiches, and asks MacKenzie and Jessie if they'd be willing to go with her. As she's heading for the horses she pauses, then lets her brothers know also what she intends... and that if they wish they are welcome to accompany her. Carroll, taking the moment to talk to Alex, says, "Alex... I wanted to tell you how well you did yesterday." He explains, "Before the attack, during the tedious waiting, you were on hand with our crew, and able to provide advice and reassurance. That was very well done." After a very brief pause, he continues, "After the battle, despite feeling very strongly you remained polite and correct and did not do anything to embarrass yourself or the family. That's very difficult, especially when you feel strongly about something." More quietly he adds, "I'm sorry that it was necessary for you to feel that way, but you reacted very well, and I'm proud of you and how you handled the situation." He runs out of steam then, and sort of smiles ineffectively at her.
Alex studies Carroll silently and expressionlessly for several moments, utterly still except for the cool, ever-present mountain breeze gently ruffling her fur. Then she murmurs quietly, her voice rather lifelessly flat but still sincere, "Thank you for trying to make it better, Cara. I appreciate that." She steps forward to quietly give him a gentle hug as well. She nods once when she steps back, "We'll be fine," then silently heads off to tack up her horse. She's still terribly unhappy about the previous night's occurrences... but she understands both exigencies of the moment, and that Carroll cared enough to try to make things better for her. It helps a little. Horatio glances Alex's way as she moves off; he bites his lip quietly, then looks to Carroll... who nods and watches her go, feeling he's done the best he can; at least for the moment.
Horatio gratefully decides to go with Alex out on the ride. Much of him has no desire to help the people improve their mining techniques -- he reminds himself to talk with Alex and Carroll about it... later. The ride will give him time to think... well, actually to not think, to just see the land, and to... unwind the tightly coiled cable that has wrapped itself around his heart. Carroll tries to smile brightly at the invitation, despite the ash fall, which is making him black and sooty, which he doesn't like a bit. He accompanies his sister, bringing along several daggers to idly throw at things when they stop for lunch.
Alex rides silently and swiftly, but not stupidly, careful not to skyline the party nor ride into undergrowth or potential ambuscade locations. She pushes herself somewhat, but is also careful to give her rangy mountain pony plenty of breathers. It's almost lunch in fact, as she's standing on a protected ridgeline, staring out over a pretty little valley with the cold wind blowing sharply in her face, that she sighs softly, realizing the tension is finally starting to leak out of her. Watching a circling hawk wheeling slowly in huge, indifferent circles high above them, she sighs again, but it's more a sigh of letting go than of pain. Carroll escorts his family, enjoying the ride, and also watching them and being relieved on his own, not of the issue the other night, but that they're relaxing and it will be okay.
Alex finds a sheltered spot for them to lunch, high on a steep mountainside that the ponies have to scramble a bit to reach... but it's quiet, distant from anything else, and has a bit of protection from the constant wind. Lunch itself is a pleasant affair, the siblings discovering (to their pleased surprise) that the mining camp's cook has made a thoughtful effort to provide them with tasty victuals.
Alex is sitting on the cliff's edge, hanging her feet over the side and kicking them slowly in the wind as she eats and bird-watches, when she pauses, sandwich in hand, transfixed with a thought. She turns around slowly and says to her brothers, "I've got it. I've had the most useful idea..."
Horatio munches on a... well, whatever it is. "Well," he says between mouthfuls, "-at least the lunch is tasty." He blinks, looking over to Alex. "What idea is that?"
Alex thinks a moment more, as if assessing her idea... then nods, scrambling lithely up to trot over and seat herself next to Carroll, facing Horatio, "D'you remember, Horry, the ambush in Maidstone? Remember how you were worried afterwards about whether or not you should carry a sword, and Carroll and I said that you were a scholar, not a common ruffian -- that it was that which made you special, and which we thought you should take pride in?"
Carroll has nibbled on half a sandwich, and is sitting looking at it while idly playing with a dagger, light occasionally glinting from the blade as he casually tosses it up in the air, lets it flick end over end, then catches it again. He looks curiously over to Alex and listens. Horatio blinks a little, and his ears flick. He looks away a little, still a little embarrassed of that whole incident. "Yes... yes, I do remember that." He looks back up to his sibling, smiling quietly. "Thank you again for that."
Alex smiles, taking one of Horatio's paws in her own smaller ones, "Silly... you don't have to thank us for that. We're family... there'd be something wrong with us if we didn't stick together!" She smiles warmly at her bookish brother. Horatio smiles quietly, squeezing Alex's paw back. She continues, "So... remember how we promised we'd try to think of something you could do so that you could help if a combat broke out? Something special, that people wouldn't expect of you, that would help the St. Genevieve side?" She smiles faintly, "Um... well, I think I just figured out what it could be."
Horatio's ears perk a little. "You... you have?"
Alex nods, brightening, "I think so, yes! It's a trick Bryn taught me. See, the problem with combat is that there are two things you want to do... you want to attack your opponent, and to defend yourself from your opponent. Now, if you only have one tool to do the job then your attack and your defense has to be accomplished with the same tool, right? and your big, thick book, while nice, doesn't do defense so well..." She grins a little ruefully, then says, "Make sense so far?"
Carroll thinks to himself, Something Bryn taught her? Uh-oh... I hope Bryn taught her different things than she taught me... Horatio blinks again and nods slowly. "I... think I understand... yes, it does make sense."
Alex nods and grins at Horatio, warming to her subject, "Excellent! Okay, here's something else Bryn and Captain Whitepaws taught me -- if your opponent can't attack you, then that itself is a form of defense! Right?"
Horatio frowns slightly. "Yes, but... not being able to be attacked usually means not being to attack as well. In order to attack, one makes one's self open to attack... unless Bryn taught you something extremely sneaky..."
Alex beams and nods enthusiastically at Horatio, then continues, "Right! So what you need to do is to figure out things that disable your opponent at the same time as you attack them. For example, if your attack is to throw something into your opponent's eyes, blinding them... then your attack has disabled them, and their intended next attack will probably be messed up. However, stuff like that still leaves a small but perceptible chance of your being attacked back. So... here's what Bryn taught me." Alex takes a breath, "Your form of attack, Horry -- one that allows you to disable folks -- should be a throw! Not only will they not be able to attack you while they're getting back up again... but if you get good enough at it you'll be able to direct where you throw the opponent -- and you could conceivably take out more than one opponent at a time!" She beams, "Think how helpful you could be to a team that had archers in it... like if you and Jessie got caught somewhere!"
Carroll considers that for a moment, then murrs, "That is very good thinking, Alex."
Alex beams at Carroll, then turns to ask Horatio eagerly, "So, what do you think? Would you like me to teach you how to throw people?"
Horatio blinks. Already his mind is going through possibilities. Eggshells, boiled then hollowed out and filled with any of various concoctions. Powders and forms similar to the smokescreen he had tried to create with miserable results, lobbed into the middle of a group of assailants instead of at his feet. The kinds of things the Masters only would mutter about and shake their heads: crashes of thunder and dizzying flashes of light in the midst of enemies, vapours that could put attackers to sleep... he shakes his head as if to clear it, and when he looks to Alex again he's frankly somewhat stunned. "I... I hadn't even thought of anything like that." He beams now, widely. "You're right, Alex, that could work wonderfully! Thank you! Thank you!!" Impulsively, knowing that there aren't any others around to see, he catches Alex in as much of a bearhug as the fox-frame can allow. Alex laughs, exuberantly hugging her brother back, delighted that he thinks her idea is worthwhile.
Alex beams, leaning back a bit so she can look at him, her small paws still resting on his shoulders, "So! Would you like to start right away, Horry? The sooner you're trained to do this, the better, after all, right?"
Horatio eventually releases Alex, his eyes bright as he nods. "I'm not sure how I'd do throwing, but... if I need practice then yes, the sooner the better."
Alex nods, pragmatically turning to Carroll and opening her mouth -- then pausing, studying his (even after a half-day of riding!) immaculate clothing -- she giggles, turning to call Jessie over. "Jessie, we're going to teach Horatio to throw people. Could I ask you to volunteer to be his target? You and I are the only ones lithe enough that I'm sure we won't be accidentally hurt, after all?"
Horatio gives a start; suddenly 'throwing' doesn't seem to include just throwing things at other people, but other people?! And Jessie?! "Ah, er, you mean, ah, I, that is, her, I mean, to throw, I... I..." After a moment he realized that he's talked his tongue into a knot, and settles for looking startledly (and with more than a bit of a blush beneath his ear tips) between Alex and Jessie. Carroll looks away, back at the dagger he's still tossing into the air, to keep Horatio from seeing his grin.
Alex blinks, giving Horatio a puzzledly inquiring look... then oh!s as she believes she knows what he's thinking. She covers a giggle, then explains, "Throwing isn't just things, Horry... you can throw people too... but things I can't really help you with. That's something Cara would have to teach you -- like throwing daggers, y'know? It's preferable to being close enough that you have to throw the actual opponent... but if you do get stuck up close and personal with an attacker, then throwing them is the next best thing."
Jessie grins, then winks slowly at Horatio. Horatio swallows audibly, looking over to Jessie. "I... aiiieee... ah... erp!" His throat seems to preemptively constrict with the wink. And, still a little stunned though getting better, he manages to nod weakly to Alex. He fidgets with his collar some. "Ah... right, erm..." He looks over to Jessie. "I mean, er, only if you don't mind, Jessie..." Carroll bobbles a catch, and has to stop at hearing that. He manages not to laugh at the idea of Jessie minding being told to grab Horatio...
Alex says, "That's why I explained the strategy of the combat, Horry... because I knew you'd have useful ideas on how to do it too -- ideas I wouldn't have." She smiles encouragingly at Horatio, then counts off on her fingers, "Best is no fight at all. Next best is if you can hurt them at a distance and they can't hurt you -- that doesn't use too much energy, and that's a good thing to conserve in a fight -- energy. Finally, if you get stuck in close-in, hand-to-hand combat... is to manage to disable your opponent enough that you can either escape, or defeat them." She beams up at her scandalized brother, completely ignoring his discomfiture, "Make sense?"
Horatio blinks and nods slowly. "Ah... right, that makes sense. Leverage, you mean? I mean, try to get leverage, you mean? Er... I mean, you mean... ack!" He nods quickly before he turns his mind into a knot. "Ah... yes, that makes sense...!"
Alex nods, looking pleased, "Okay then! So, here's what we'll do. First you watch, and I'll throw Jessie, and you can see what it looks like. Then I'll do it really slow, so you can see where my hands are going, and where the leverage is, and how to direct it... and then we'll have you try it real slow with Jessie too, so you can see where your hands should go... and then, with daily practice we should have you throwing with no trouble in no time!"
Horatio gulps, and nods slowly. "A-all right, Alex..." Carroll puts the dagger down before he hurts himself by missing a catch, and turns to watch. He also nibbles some more on his sandwich.
Alex grins encouragingly at the nervous Horatio (although her assumptions as to the reasons for his nervousness aren't quite correct!), then will suit her actions to her words, throwing Jessie neatly into a grassy patch. It's smooth, quick, and unexpected, making it a tad hard to watch constructively... it's when she does it slowly, showing and explaining where one turns, where one's hands go, how to use one's hip to send the opponent's weight forward where desired... that the brothers can see better how to do the throw. Alex straightens from the most recent throw demonstration, offering Jessie a hand up and beaming at Horatio, "So! Ready to try now?"
Horatio tries to absorb it all, watching with wide-eyed fascination... both at Alex's skill, at the grace of the throw, and, of course, Jessie, though the admission of that makes his ear tips burn. He blinks. "Ah... er... I... imagine so...?"
Alex calmly and pragmatically sets Horatio in place, walking through the throw with him herself, so she can best instruct him as to where his hands should go. Then she'll swap Jessie in instead, "Okay now... Jessie, you go slow, and Horry, you try to throw her!" Horatio gulps and gets into the position Alex was in. Predictably nervous at touching Jessie, he gingerly takes hold of her as Alex had instructed. Swallowing nervously then, he moves...
The throw starts a bit hesitantly, Jessie trying too much to help and Horatio trying too hard to remember where his hands should be... but with a bit of rutching around Jessie neatly manages to be in the right place at the right time, and is kind enough to bounce slightly to give Horatio a bit of much-needed lift to throw her. Alex beams, "There you go! That's it! Now you just need to repeat it over and over and over until it's second nature to you! Jessie, can you make sure Horry practices some on this every day?" Jessie nods solemnly to Alex... then grins slowly at Horatio again, "Oh, yes."
Horatio pants heavily, catching his breath. He nods shakily to Alex, then blinks to Jessie as she says that. "That," he says, catching his breath and grinning, "-that almost sounds like a threat...!"
Carroll stands up and walks over to the blushing Horatio, saying, "If you like, I can teach you to throw in the way you were thinking of. That is, to throw other things. Practice this first, though."
Horatio nods, finally composing himself somewhat -- at least, he's not panting anymore. "Thanks, Carroll. That, well, that too will come in handy, I think...!"
Alex nods briskly to Carroll, "Excellent idea." She turns back to Jessie, admonishing, "Remember now, as he gets better you can't just give it to him... you have to make him work for it, so he doesn't get overconfident! Can you do that?" Jessie blinks at Alex... then breaks into a broad, mischievous grin, "Oh... I think I can make sure he works for it!" She giggles, glancing at Horatio. Horatio blinkblinks... and is simply speechless, trying to puzzle through whatever other levels of meaning there might be in her words.
Carroll doesn't laugh. He won't. He looks over at Alex, and notes she seems completely oblivious, and wonders if she really is, or if she's just a good actress... Alex's ears tilt in slight bemusement... then she just grins, nods, and makes sure Horatio does several more practice throws for a while before she's satisfied. Finally the siblings settle down contentedly to finish their lunch.
As they're finishing the meal Carroll says to Alex, "It occurred to me that there's something you and I might practice, too." He takes one of his now-ever-present daggers out and flicks it casually in the air, saying, "The closer we can work together with thrown things and your magic, the more effective we might be." Horatio watches Alex and Carroll curiously as Carroll flicks the dagger.
Alex looks up, still chewing on her sandwich, then brightens and nods, straightening and swallowing. "Yes! That's right, we were going to try that. Hm..." she thinks a moment, then holds out a small paw, "Let me hold them for a moment please... so I 'know' them?"
Carroll nods and murrs, "No problem." He catches the dagger that he's tossing, then pulls five more out of various inconspicuous but accessible places on his person, offering their hilts to his sister.
Alex will take a moment to examine each dagger -- weighing them in her palm, turning them over, looking at them closely, and finally lifting each one magically for a few inches. When she's done she'll hand them back to her oldest brother with equal courtesy, "Thank you. Okay... try a slow, obvious throw first with just one, please?"
Carroll looks over across the place they've stopped, to a small tree clinging to the rocky wall on the 'up' side of the cliff. He says, "All right. Let's start with defense. I'll throw this dagger," and he shows her one, "-at that tree. Catch it so it doesn't hit the tree."
Alex nods, her eyes narrowing in concentration, "Okay... go on." Horatio folds his legs under him, remaining silent and quiet as he watches.
Carroll nods and says, "Ready?" At his sister's slight nod he flicks the dagger towards the tree. Even before he can mutter about his bad throw, though, a mere dozen feet from his hand the dagger stops abruptly and arcs gracefully back to Carroll, turning to offer itself hilt first to him. He plucks it out of the air and looks over at his beaming sister, saying, "That was very good!" He looks quite pleased.
Alex's tail almost wags! She grins, "Try again! I've been practicing stopping thrown things, and I've been practicing making mine go better... but I've yet to practice making someone else's throw go better!"
Horatio grins quietly. "Very nicely done!"
Alex says, "Thank you, Horry!"
Carroll looks at the tree and flicks the dagger towards it again. The knife has an obvious wobble and Carroll manages to say, "Miserable throw," before the knife straightens itself out and thunks into the center of the tree's trunk quite deeply. It takes Carroll a moment to register before he says, "That's very good, Alex! I'm certain I'd have missed that throw."
Alex beams excitedly, bouncing slightly on the stone she's sitting on... then her eyes narrow again and she concentrates, trying to pull the dagger free... the dagger resists for a moment, rather firmly embedded in the tree... then suddenly shoots out of the tree, rocketing back towards Alex and making her yip! in startlement before she 'grabs' it and straightens it out. It floats decorously down to present itself properly to Carroll again. Alex grins widely, looking terribly pleased with herself. Horatio blinks and almost leaps up... more properly, he almost leaps out of his fur. "What happened?!"
Carroll looks a bit startled when the dagger pops out of the tree and comes flicking back towards him, but understands and takes it from the air, laughing and saying, "Oh, that's very good indeed."
Alex blinks at Horatio, then grins a bit sheepishly, "Oh... I forced it in a little hard, Horry, so it took some effort to yank it back out, that's all."
Horatio blinks, and nods a little. "Ah... okay... erm... are you both all right?"
Carroll nods, "Oh, yes, we're fine." He looks at Alex and asks, "Want to try something harder?"
Alex studies the dagger in Carroll's hand, then looks up at him with a thoughtful smile, "Sure."
Carroll says, "Get ready." When he can see she's paying attention and seems focused, he says simply, "Now," and with a quick motion sends four daggers flinging off towards the tree: left, right, left, right -- muttering, "What lousy throws today," and looking disgusted at himself.
Alex grins, getting a mischievous glint in her eyes... all 4 daggers take a separate, curving path for just a moment, spiraling artistically... then converge together to plunge into one branch of the tree! The poor tree shudders, then... slowly... the one attacked branch creaks... then peels into a break, starting a slow topple down the mountainside. Alex whoopses! -then stands up and 'stops' the branch. A moment later she 'lifts' all the daggers free and releases the branch... then seats herself, still beaming. The daggers swoop up over the edge of the sheltered clearing towards the siblings, then stop, presenting themselves hilt first to Carroll again. Horatio sits there, blinking in stunned silence at the... remains... of the tree. Jessie applauds! "Now that's impressive."
Alex beams, "Thank you, Jessie! Of course, it's much easier to do when we're not in combat."
Carroll nods and adds, "I'll say... that's impressive, all right. Some poor fool won't expect that one coming." He grins a slightly nasty grin.
Alex thinks about that... then turns and gives Carroll a faintly worried look, "Cara... do you remember that night where you and Dimitri told me how... how ghastly it would be at my first kill?"
Carroll nods and murrs, "Yes." He looks at Alex concernedly.
Alex hesitates, thinking, then says slowly, "Dimitri said... he said that if I didn't feel horrible then, that... that I wasn't... well, he implied I wouldn't be a good person. But..." she looks at Carroll, her ears drooping a little, "...but I didn't, Cara. I... I just felt a sort of... a sort of fierce relief, you know? -that he was down, that I didn't have to worry about him any more." She hesitates again, then adds, "It was the jaguar that Dimitri and Natasha almost cut in half... and last night. Last night, watching the prisoner get killed... I felt horrible then." She falls silent, then says worriedly, "Um... Cara... does that... I know this probably sounds dumb, but... is there something wrong with me?"
Carroll looks blank, completely blindsided by the question. He finally asks, "When who was down? You'd feel horrible when?" Horatio remains quiet, his ears drooping slightly, quietly listening to Alex. He glances towards Carroll, wondering at the answer, though he knows as only a brother could know that there's nothing -- not now, not ever -- wrong with his sister.
Alex takes a deep breath, "It was... it was during the ambush in Maidstone, when Horry and I met in the city and Don Carlos turned up and scared the attackers off. There were two of them each on Mikhail, me, and Jessie, and from what we heard later the leader -- he's who died -- the leader intended to rob and kill me and Mikhail -- he got gut-shot by Jessie and then... then I rammed a dagger into his face and he went down." She lifts her chin slightly, adding almost defiantly, "I... I'm not sorry he's dead, Cara! He wanted to kill us all... I'm sorry if that makes me a bad person -- but I'll always prefer an attacker die, to one of us or our people getting killed!"
Carroll listens to his sister's story and spends a few moments looking for words, because he knows he has to get this one right the first time. He finally says, "No, Alex, there's nothing wrong with you. Do you remember the story I told you about the pirate attack Father and I survived? I'm not sorry I killed that attacker either, and I'm glad he's dead. He wanted to kill us!" Swallowing and looking closely at Alex to see how she's reacting, he says, "I think you had the reaction with that jaguar; even if you didn't hit him you realized then what it could do to someone. Last night too you realized they might be innocent serfs with lives and families... those things tell me you're just fine. The actual killing didn't bother you, perhaps because it was a clear-cut case of kill-or-be-killed, and because you didn't have to linger and cope with the body. But you've had the hard realizations, and felt the hurt."
Alex thinks about that for a long moment, staring at the ground between her booted toes... finally she looks up and nods, "I understand, I think." She leans a little against Carroll, still mentally reviewing... then tilts her head, regarding Jessie with quietly thoughtful concern, "Jessie... are you all right? You were part of that kill too, after all...?" She sighs softly, relaxing a bit against Carroll as she decides she's still okay... but continues to watch Jessie concernedly. Carroll slides his arms around his sister and gives her a hug, letting her draw any reassurance and strength from him she can. It's perhaps not a role he expected to have for her, but is pleased to do so. Alex smiles up at Carroll and quietly puts her arm around him also... then looks back at Jessie.
Jessie shakes her head. "I'm a huntress, milady. I've known what killing meant since I was old enough to hold a bow. What we've done is to put down dangerous predators, which is not anything to feel upset about."
Alex nods slowly, thinking... then nods again more briskly, "I suppose, now that I think about it, that Father was being careful... but yes, the huntsman had already dispatched prey usually by the time we arrived... especially the big boars." She smiles quietly to Jessie, "Well, good then. I'm glad it's not a problem for you." Once again she sighs softly, thinking as she leans against Carroll... then nods again, "Well then... looks like lunch is pretty much over, and we have some things to work on for later." She smiles, "Shall we continue our ride?"
The ride goes well, the rugged mountain ponies handling the steep slopes with ease. It's Jessie who first notices the tracks when they cross them, but Alex who realizes what it means. Alex draws rein, kneeing her pony around sharply, waving people back off and away from the tracks, then leans to study them. Finally she looks up and around, warily, "Bet those are the backtracks of the bandits. Shall we scout out their camp?"
Carroll watches carefully, and at Alex's question says, "Might be interesting to see what threat remains."
Horatio blinks, looking at the tracks. Again his mind wars against himself. No! Just leave them be, just let it go... Then cooler thought remains. "They said that some of the bandits were escaped serfs," he says quietly. "Perhaps forced into banditry by that man. Maybe there are still some serfs there... how many escaped last night?"
Alex thinks a moment, then essays cautiously, "Maybe... twenty?"
Carroll answers, "At least twenty. It might be safer not to pursue this. If we go back to get help, too, the miners will want to finish what they started, which I don't think is strictly necessary."
Horatio bites his lip, looking at the tracks. "If we go back to get help... we'll need to bring the miners as backup..." He suppresses a shiver.
Alex frowns, staring at the tracks thoughtfully, then looks up and says gravely, "If they are just escaped serfs, they'll need help. If they're slavers because they wish to be, though..." She lets the sentence trail off, studying the land around them and weighing options and responsibilities.
Carroll says, "Five-to-one odds. Is that good enough to risk?"
Horatio looks around, taking stock of their party. "Only if we try to attack directly. We would need to scout it first, take measure of what the situation is there..."
Alex glances at MacKenzie and Jessie, and remembers the few arrows flying in from the bandits -- then shakes her head firmly, "No. Not good enough to risk in my opinion, captain. If Vincenza wants more information on the bandits, then a proper reconnoitering should be done. We're kitted out just for a pleasure ride, despite the crossbows."
Jessie clears her throat. "Ma'am, sir... not to put too fine a point on it, none of you are really good at scouting stealthily, and all of us are breathing like wounded bison in the thin air up here."
Alex nods firmly, "Jessie's right."
Carroll nods. He murrs, "I concur. However, if we tell Vincenza he's likely to come back and try and slaughter the lot. I don't know if they need to know about it." He smiles at Jessie and replies, "We're not kitted for it, and the thin air is a problem, yes." Horatio bits his lip, and nods quietly in agreement with Jessie. I've not been this out of breath since I exposed the lab to fire-gold...
Alex frowns again, her ears unhappily flat. Finally she says slowly, "Is... is it better to not tell him, and give the bandits a better chance at the miners later?" She thinks for a bit more... then turns to MacKenzie, as the person present with the most experience with battles and tactical situations, "Mac... what would you do, please? Tell Vincenza or not?"
MacKenzie frowns. "I'd tell them, milady -- but I'm more used to battles than criminals. The question is whether there's a difference in this case. If you do want to attack though, right now is the time -- they'll have a leadership vacuum until someone takes over Roberto's position."
Alex struggles with the dilemma for a moment... then suddenly brightens, "Carroll! I have a suggestion -- why don't we tell Vincenza, but ask him to give the bandits a chance to surrender first? That way the escaped serfs have a chance?"
Carroll nods, and agrees, "I think we have to tell them." He looks at Alex and replies, "That's a good suggestion. He might also not be so interested in obliterating them as I fear he is."
Horatio blinks to Alex. "Would he?"
Alex says, "I don't know, Horatio... but surely we should give him a chance to do so?"
Horatio nods quietly. "I agree. Fully."
Alex looks relieved -- the tracks were an unpleasant dilemma for her -- and suggests the group head back at once. Getting caught by the bandits now would be bad, after all. MacKenzie shrugs. "They're poor, milady. If you really want them to leave the wounded and the prisoners alive, offer to pay for their upkeep. You can afford it, after all."
Alex nods quietly to Mackenzie, "That we could do, yes, MacKenzie... but if they are just..." her voice trails off thoughtfully and she thinks furiously for a moment... then she nods firmly again, "If they are just criminals, then even then keeping them alive is a good thing. It offers us time to separate the criminals from the escaped serfs... so justice will be done."
Carroll watches Alex's reaction. While he says, "This is true, Mac, very true," he's thinking, I fear Alex is in for another hard lesson.
Horatio nods quietly, but then says, "Then who do we hand over the criminals to? He said there is no guardia."
MacKenzie nods. "We'd have to guard them ourselves until we get back to civilization. Six days back to the nearest outpost."
Horatio says, "Would we be able to do it?"
Alex nods quietly, turning her horse to head swiftly and cautiously back to the mining camp. She says simply, "We'll find out, Horry. We can only do our best."
MacKenzie nods. "There are a dozen of us; I'm sure we could manage. We'd have to keep them shackled if there were too many, but it could be done. Of course, if they're guilty we'd be going to all that trouble just to hang them after a fair trial."
Alex glances over her shoulder at MacKenzie and grins crookedly, "Better to go to the effort, then hang them all... than to kill an innocent, yes?"
The small party returns to the camp; the siblings inform Vincenza of their discovery and make their offer to the marmot, regarding potential prisoners and escaped serfs... then wait to see what he thinks of the suggestion. Vincenza shrugs. "Eef you weesh to do thees, I weell tell my people. Thees nest of bandits needs to be cleaned out, however eet ees done." He passes the information and the rules of engagement to Rubera, who looks incredulous for a moment, but then also shrugs.
Carroll murrs, "Indulge us. We expect to turn them over to the proper officials so that justice can be done."
Alex checks, hoping against hope, "Um... by any chance do we have enough people that we can give the bandits a chance to surrender? Or would that be tactical suicide?" Carroll looks to MacKenzie, their tactician to answer. Horatio tilts his head to the side, looking to MacKenzie as well.
MacKenzie and Rubera start to answer almost simultaneously; the cat lets MacKenzie continue after an exchange of glances. "It will depend on the size of the camp, milady. We took out a dozen of them last time, and we've got about a dozen experienced warriors and thirty or so able-bodied furrs. We know they've got at least two dozen warriors. If that's all of them, we can call for a surrender. If there's many more, it has to be by surprise."
Alex nods slowly... then says steadily, "Then I guess it depends on what the scouting mission brings back, yes?" She glances at Vincenza and Robera, smiling faintly, "That I'm afraid we can't really help you much with."
Carroll nods and concurs, "It will be interesting to see what they find out."
Rubera takes two of his people along with him, and asks MacKenzie if there's anyone from the League party who would be a useful addition. MacKenzie suggests Jessie, which leads to some argument. Carroll involves himself in the argument, starting with the suggestion that it's not a wise idea as all the lowlanders are having problems breathing quietly. He hopes Rubera will decide that's enough reason not to take them. Jessie grumbles a bit, but Rubera officially decides not to take her because of the language problem, which saves face all around. He thanks her for the offer, but declines it. Alex looks relieved. Carroll tries to console Jessie with the question, "Who would look after Horatio if something happened to you?" but is also quite relieved. Horatio himself is not present when Carroll asks that question; he'd certainly blush so deeply at its asking that his color would not return to normal for a week.
Alex quietly makes herself busy around the camp while she waits for the scouting mission to return. The second morning after the departure of the scouts, Rosita approaches Alex. "Senyorita? I am theenking you should hear thees. You are not knowing about Roberto el Rojo, si?"
Alex tilts her head thoughtfully to look up at Rosita from where she's picking out a horse's hoof... then she sets down the hoof and straightens, wiping her small paws off on her breeches and putting away the pick, "No, I'm not knowing, Rosita." She reflects with faint amusement to herself that she hopes she gets this Hamasuran language soon... since it sounds like her native tongue is suffering in the translation! 'I'm not knowing' indeed... she looks around, picks a spot to sit for them both near where Horatio is reading, and nods to Rosita to continue.
Rosita says, "He ees very bad bandito, senyorita. Eet was a very beeg -- am not knowing word, escandalo, at the time. Coronel Roberto Coronado was an officer with the border divisions when eet was found out." Horatio blinks to Rosita, listening to the story. Alex's eyebrows raise as she listens... former military? How shameful! Rosita continues, "He was being paid by the Costa Yermo guardia to catch runaway serfs and turn them back over to them. When thees was deescovered, someone warned heem and he escaped with 150 of his soldiers. For some time he was a terror of the plateau, but finally the army drove him up eento the sierra, and most of hees soldiers were keelled by then. He and hees men were all convicted of slaverunning, so ees no use wasting medicine on them just to hang them later, si?"
Horatio says softly, "So all he was, was little better than a slaver..."
Alex makes a mental note -- she must remember to tell this to Carroll later... as well as find out what the word escandalo means. Perhaps Senyor Vincenza will know... she nods slowly to Rosita, "I understand, I think, Rosita... I'm glad we were able to help with his death."
The scouts are gone for nearly a week, and everyone's nerves are on edge when Rubera finally returns alone. Rosita translates his report while he talks to Vincenza. "The camp is larger than we'd hoped, but it seems to be mostly empty at the moment. I left the others watching, they'll give us an update when we get close. The group who attacked us were not the only ones; another group came in while we were watching -- and they do seem to be having a crisis of leadership now. Their fighters got into a pitched battle over the issue of who was going to take over." He pauses. "That said, we have to try. They're still up to their old tricks; there are at least 50 or so furrs in slave quarters up there. Seem to be mainly Costa Yerman serfs that they're planning on returning."
Horatio lets out a soft breath, as he learns that the others are not dead. There's that, at least... Alex sighs softly in relief also. Carroll considers, "It will take too long to go back and get help. We'll have to simply attack if we expect to resolve this... and soon." Horatio's ears flick slightly. Slavers, or at least close to it.
Alex takes a deep breath... then nods, "All right. How many bandits are there?"
Rubera exhales noisily as Rosita continues to translate. "At least three dozen effectives when I left. Two wounded from our attack made it back, one other died on the way, then another group came in, about the same size and with prisoners. There was some attrition in the squabble about who was going to be the new leader, but that's how many if the situation hasn't changed drastically. Should take us two days to get there now that we know where it is." The cat grins then, and speaks directly to Carroll. "On the good side, senyor, these are not truly warriors. Amateurs, no better than our miners, most of them. Street hoodlums."
Horatio nods quietly, and looks to Alex and Carroll. "The band must have been larger than we'd thought...
Alex nods slowly, thinking... "So that's... great goddess, that's six dozen bandits?! Or did you mean three dozen total?"
Rubera blinks and shakes his head at the language barrier. "Three dozens, senyorita. Some two dozens from the attack on us, and another two dozens from the second group. They fought amongst themselves, injuring many."
Alex says, "Ah!" and sounds greatly relieved... then nods again, "All right." She glances at Senyor Vincenza, "And we have how many?"
The marmot counts it up. "There are seven-and-thirty of my people who are available, weeth six professionals. And your people, how many are trained?"
Alex sighs thoughtfully, glancing at Carroll for confirmation, "MacKenzie is a professional, and Jessie is an excellent hunter. Lars and Mikhail have stood steadfastly with us in battle more than once. One of the armadillo quad is in training as a warrior." She smiles at her brothers, then adds with quiet pride, "And myself and my brothers, of course." Horatio blinks a little, looking to Alex in mild surprise. Me, trained...
Rubera nods. "So. Ocho. Geeves us forty-fives. We can do thees, eef we don't warn them."
Alex nods, "Of course. So..." She glances at Horatio and Carroll, then back to Rubera, "-can you give us a map of the valley, so that Horatio can plan where is best to lay down his ah... 'surprises'?" Horatio blinks again, glancing to Alex. I hope she means starbolts, he thinks worriedly. The cat pulls out his notes and the group begins to plan their attack on the bandit camp.