| Logs |
2001 December 09
| Birthright |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Birthright Logs |
Chapter 1
The Hiring Fair
It was a bright, and sunny day. Chilly, but that was the kind of weather you got in early early spring. The trading had finally slowed down, as the caravan's merchants had finally come to the end of their buying and selling sprees.
The locals, good coin jingling in their pockets, were itching to attend the annual hiring fair - now that they had money to hire, and the crops needed to get into the fields. The last of the snow had melted away only yesterday, helped along slightly by the priests as usual.
And it promised to be a good fair this year; there was a large crop of younglings ready to apprentice, and the caravan brought a fair number of workers and jobs with them, too. And all that, of course, said nothing about the stalls the local merchants had produced. The last of Maia's winter mead would be auctioned off today, and Jane had spent all winter working her three new apprentices hard, making a variety of beautiful weapons.
- Brother Starguard is a tall man, strangely dressed in the brown work
clothes of the acolyte cleric. The strange part is because he seems too
old to be an student in the church. His thick, bushy, mustache and
beard, once black, is now salt and pepper, the darkness interspersed
with star-like flecks of white. His face is light and lively, blue
eyes sparkling, though with a few hard wrinkles, a few laugh lines.
His nose is a bit hawkish, giving him a bit of an intense look.
His body seems in decent shape, if not particularly strong, but most
of his form is hidden beneath the cloth of his clothes. He wears a
midnight blue robe, short, with easy release clips so that he doesn't
get caught by it in a fight. Depending on the situation, he may also
wear his studded leather armor, but always has his morning star at his
hip, in case of trouble. He walks more like a soldier than a
priest...but the wooden symbol of the two stars entwined hung on the
leather strap states otherwise.
Starguard sat on the steps of the Woolwich Temple to the Stars, looking out at the dark spruce on the front lawn. It had been a long year for him, the life of an acolyte not easy for bones as old as his, but that's over now, and the year of wandering is beginning with the spring.
Father Pesci looked down at his aged acolyte. "Right, you young swot. It's hiring day. Shouldn't you be gone by now? You've been chafing ever since the caravan arrived. And you're not getting any younger ...
Starguard smiled, smelling the fresh morning air, his bag packed and sitting beside him. He realized that, depending on his job, he might have to leave Woolwich. "Of course, Revered Father. It's just that I only get to leave your guidance just once, and I'd thought I'd treasure the moment." He winked up at the Father. "Should I go pick up Andreth?"
Father Pesci smiled back. "Ah, Andreth will love to see you, you old dog. An instant family, if you find yourself a wife. And won't that make your sister happy?"
Starguard chuckled. "Probably, after she recovered from the shock." He stood, turning to bow to the young Father. "It's been...educational learning from you, Father."
Father Pesci waved a hand. "Shoo. Off with you. And drop by occasionally; evenings won't be the same without you."
Starguard grinned, and with a gait bred from long years with the army, headed off for the Green to find his young friend.
Yuri sat in front of the stables, looking mildly unhappy and irritated, his father Moshi squatting down beside him. "Now look, son. You've spent enough time hanging about. You know it's well past time you apprenticed yourself to the guild, and I've arranged a meeting with Pernice of House Porthos at the noon-hour. He promised to examine your apprentice papers personally. You're to meet him at the Guild tent. And don't you be late now."
Yuri is a young man of average height and wiry build, with sandy blonde hair and an easy, fluid demeanor. He has a ready smile and a glimmer in his eye. He is dressed in a leather jerkhin, light wool trousers, soft boots, and a fine wool clook, all in subdued grey tones. The hilt of a rapier is visible at his belt; otherwise, he seems rather lightly equipped.
The color drained from Yuri's face as Moshi kindly patted him on the shoulder. "Now now, son, you know you'll make a fine guildsman. Your mother and I will be proud of you the day you become a Master."
"Father!" Yuri cried, "Don't we have any business out of town? Papers to deliver? Contracts to negotiate? Uhh.... dyes to order?" He rose to his feet, trying to think of an argument or persuasion that he hadn't already tried on his father.
Moshi smiled down at Yuri. "Certes, and the contracts have been signed, son. We didn't want to take away from your freedom this last week; consider it our gift."
Yuri's jaw dropped as Moshi handed him a small bag of coins. "And from your mother, to spend at the fair this morning. Perhaps you could buy her a nice gift as a thank you? She worked hard to get the dye orders just right."
Yuri accepted the small bag, feebly. "Mom... worked so hard..." He tried another tack. "But Ilya's a much better weaver than me," he murmured. "And he seems to enjoy it..."
Moshi nodded. "I know son, but we have faith in you. After all, someday you'll inherit my chain, and I'm sure you'll do us proud. Now wouldn't you rather be at the fair? An old man makes poor change for a pretty girl." With that, Moshi left, leaving Yuri to wander away from the stables towards the green, one hand clutched tight around his purse, partially so that he wouldn't lose it, partially so that the feel of the coins digging into his palm would keep him from passing out.
Brother Oak looked at his young acolyte. "Shouldn't you be on the Greens, lad? It's too fine a day to scrub the wall with a toothbrush."
Andreth bowed. "Yes sir," he said respectfully - unusual for this otherwise surly youth. He hovered around the edge of the Green, ignoring from long-standing habit the way people seemed not to get too close to him.
Brother Oak smiled, holding out a piece of paper, folded in four. "Your references, son, should anyone care to ask. You're a good worker."
Andreth bowed again, and giving a lopsided smile. "Thank you, sir. Hope people'll take the time to look at 'em."
Brother Oak nodded just once at Andreth. "A master who does not examine references is a master you should carefully consider. A wise man learns all he can."
Andreth bowed a third time, more deeply. "Sir." Other thoughts crossed his mind, but he didn't give voice to them - if none even considered taking him on, let alone taking him on without examining his references, then that would be how it is. But somehow, he felt more confident than he would have even a year ago. It is time, he thought, I expanded my world.
Brother Oak returned the bow briefly. "Be well, son. And remember, the Mother Oak loves to watch visitors train. Perhaps you could bring young Starguard?" And with that Brother Oak disappeared back in to the inn. There was mead to drink inside.
The merchants had setup their stalls on the village green, and haggling was going on everywhere, with bright smiling faces, the day barely begun. Already there was was a line in front of the Cloth Guild's tent, but then again, that was nothing new.
Tilara is a young woman both pretty and possessing that indefinable presence that transforms mere attractiveness into beauty. She has bright red-gold hair and laughing emerald eyes in a tanned face. A graceful and athletic figure is accented by the brief jade-green tunic and red cloak she's wearing, a typical performers outfit. She carries a quarterstaff, and her tortoise-shell cat is usually either riding her shoulder or twining about her feet.
Tilara circulated through the crowd, watching for a spot to do a bit of juggling and sleight of hand for the townsfolk - they tended to be much more generous when there was a lot of money floating around. Her cat rode on her shoulder for the moment. Seeing Yuri with a bag, she grinned to herself and she snuck up behind him to give him a friendly hug. "Yuri, dahhling... you look like you've lost your last friend, and I know I'm still here. What's wrong?"
Yuri rapidly condensed out of his fog. "Tilara??!!" Yuri seemed somewhat agitated. Normally he was fairly cool, but the thought of spending the next four to six - or forty to sixty - years stuck in front of a loom had him unhinged. "I'm to meet Pernice of House Porthos this noon to begin my 'apprenticeship'." He told Tilara, pronouncing the last word as if it was something distasteful. "Trouble is, I don't want to be a weaver."
Tilara grinned and twined an arm into Yuri's, while Mirra purred in his ear. "Won't say I blame you. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life playing with wool, either. Can't you do something about it?"
Yuri sighed, taking Tilara's arm. "If I stay in this town, no. I was hoping that they'd take the hint and let me stick to negotiating trades, or something. My brother even likes weaving! But I'm the eldest, so they expect me to follow in Father's footsteps. And my Father is... well, I don't want to disappoint anyone, but he just doesn't see anything else in life besides wool. There must be more to the world than that."
Tilara rolled her eyes. "Oh, by Sun and Sky... one of those eldest son things, is it? You should've been a middle daughter, then they wouldn't be doing that sort of thing to you." She grinned. "There's a lot more to life than wool, trust me."
Yuri hmmed, eying the cat sneaking around Tilara's shoulders. "What have you been up to, anyway? You've... you seem much more worldly."
"Well, I just got back to town - I wandered off to Lurinor with that troupe that came through here last fall, and found a caravan heading back this way for the spring fair," she explained, smiling sunnily. "Figured it'd be nice to see the place again... mostly it's been, but my parents weren't all that pleased to see me. It's not fair, you know. I've got much better control of the magic now, and I haven't burned anything accidentally in a couple years."
Yuri nodded to Tilara. "Maybe your troupe could use another? I'm can talk my way out of anything, perhaps I can- Hey, what's going on with Lady Jane?"
Close by the inn, the clamor of the fair was muted; usually Jane set up her weapons tent near to the inn, but today the tent hadn't even gone up yet. Only now were the three apprentices carrying the poles and covers, and beginning to put it up. Jane herself stopped by for only a moment, before making a beeline straight for the Mayor's table at the inn.
Starguard wandered towards the Mother's Oak, knowing that his young friend was most likely to be found there. As he walked, he listened to the almost melodic jangle of hawking and bartering as he crossed the green.
Andreth stood by the front of the inn for a time, watching the clamor of the Fair in the meditative pose Brother Oak taught him, and also watching for a friendly face. It didn't take long for one to appear to the young monk, Starguard hailing him and stepping out from the crowd. "Oy! Andreth!"
Andreth's lopsided smile returned (the dark scar across his cheek ensuring that any smile of his will be lopsided) and he strode over to meet Starguard. "Hail, young Starguard," he said, grinning as he used the name Father Pesci gave for him, in defiance of the fact that Starguard was several years Father Pesci's senior, let alone his own.
Starguard grinned. "Now don't you start, you little prat. I've had to deal with Pesci for a year, I don't need that following me around for the rest of my life." He chuckled. "So, are you ready to go out and find some work for a living?
Andreth grinned back and bowed. "Yes, sir." Starguard was one of the few, apart from Brother Oak, who'd earned enough respect to be bowed to.
An altercation broke out inside the inn, as Jane artfully dumped an entire mug of ale over the Mayor's head. A big mug. "We'll be seeing about that, then. If I can't get the help I've paid for, I'll hire some real help!"
Starguard's ears perked. "Or perhaps we could wait for work to find us. Sounds like Jane could use a hand, no?" He patted Andreth on the back. "And it's Starguard, for the three hundred and twenty-seventh time. Until you enlist under my command, there's no sir-ing.
Moments later, Jane came storming out of the inn, heading straight for the Hiring Board. "I need one plate, and fast. No idiot mayor is going to tell me it's just women troubles bothering me." Furious, she broke two pieces of chalk before finally getting the board written to her satisfaction.
Andreth nodded. "Yes, si- Starguard," he corrected himself in time, and he cocked his head in the direction of the altercation, wandering over with Starguard to check out the brand-new hiring slate.
Jane stood back, glaring at the hiring plate that she hung so forcefully on the board, and tapping her toe. "Come on, you gits," she muttered, "someone is gonna do this job, and if I have to do it myself ..."
Tilara noticed Jane's level of annoyance. "Looks like she's mad at the Mayor again. Let's see what she's posting."
"I think I hear opportunity knocking," Yuri agreed. "Let us hasten to answer the door, yes?"
Tilara giggled. "And maybe it'll be something that pays, so you can run away with me." The young lad grinned and tried to keep a blush from creeping into his cheeks.
Starguard slipped up close to the new hiring plate and the fuming blacksmith. "What kind of job, Goodwoman Jane?" he asked, peering at the plate, curious.
Written on the slate, in large firm block letters were the following words:
Wanted: One Group of Persons with Working Spines Willing to Work for Jane Gerroldsdottir in the Capacity of Routing Out the Filthy Thieves Who Stole Half Her Stock. May Need Entree to Smith, Guild.
Jane turned to face Starguard. "Some raving lunatic hired a group of overenthusiastic underintelligent morons to raid my store room. And they made off with more than half my stock; the good stuff. Not the best, luckily, but dammit. And the Mayor refuses to believe my brothers had a hand in this!" She looked Starguard up and down. "And maybe if you weren't so old, I'd hire you myself. Sorry, Father, this will need some young brawn."
Tilara arrived, towing Yuri along just in time to catch Jane's explination. She muttered in Yuri's ear, "More likely he's been paid off not to believe it."
Yuri murmured back at Tilara, "Half the town can't see past the end of their looms. Perhaps he just figures it's boys being boys."
Starguard frowned. "They must have been more than underintelligent to steal from you. And I'm not that old. Besides, this young monk is with me. I'm afraid it's only Brother, though. Brother Starguard, and this is Andreth."
Jane looked over at Andreth, and winced. "He's got ... Aren't you Brother Oak's pupil?"
Andreth grunted. "More to Starguard than meets the eye, lady," he grumbled coarsely. "Yup, I'm his student."
"Have you ever considered having that scar looked at, son? It could frighten the hob out of the fireplace, it could." Jane smiled, whimsically. "After all, in a world where only men can ... anyways. So you're offering your good selves up to find my stock?"
"Maybe if I can irritate enough people by taking this job, they won't put up a fuss when I try to leave," Yuri murmured to Tilara. "In any case, it's better than waiting for Pernice to bring my shackles. Will ye watch my back?
"Sure!" Tilara whispered back. "Once the fair's over, no one spends money on watching juggling anyway. Might be fun."
"It sounds like a just cause..." Starguard mused. "How's the pay, and how many? We are but two, after all..."
Jane looked the two men over carefully. "I'll be paying by commission. Ten percent of the stock's worth to find it, and another fifteen for the thieves that stole it if you can prove they did it. If you can prove it so that my brothers will have to pay for it, dammit. But the people that broke in subdued all three of my apprentices."
Yuri sensed opportunity and cleared his throat. "Perhaps we may be of service." She nodded to Starguard and Andreth, and bowed (but not ostentatiously) to Jane.
"Ah, and here we have our merchant prince," drawled Jane. "Enjoying your last day of freedom, young lochinvar? And did your father gift you with your rapier yet?"
Yuri blinked. "I'm sorry, milady. Which rapier?"
Jane glanced at Yuri. "Yer dad is Moshi Popov, right? He commissioned a dainty little rapier, to commemorate the signing of your apprenticeship papers. If he hasn't gifted you yet, that's one of the stolen weapons." She murmured something under her breath about keeping duplicate records in the future.
Yuri blinked again. "Oh, dear, Father will be so disappointed. Best that I try to win it back from the scoundrels and spare the old man that burden, yes?"
Tilara sketched a brief curtsy at Yuri's side. "Three apprentices, perhaps four of us? And we're not going to be taken by surprise the way they might have been, eh?"
Jane turned to look at the young lady. "And you might be? I don't recall seeing you in my store; the boys have been quiet and hardworking all year."
Tilara grinned at the blacksmith. "Tilara McKenna, milady. My father's a worker in the cloth guildhall, and I've been out of town over the winter."
Jane nodded once at Tilara. "Still burning down houses?" Starguard raised an eyebrow at that, giving the young lady a curious look.
Tilara snorted. "I've never done that. Just almost that first time... Is Dad still complaining about that?"
Jane raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. Well, do please try to control yourself around the coal shed. Coal's expensive in these parts. Especially with Gerrold trying to buy every clot he can get his hands on."
"Was anything else taken from your stores, Milady Jane?" Yuri asked.
Jane turnen back to Yuri. "Besides the items we're putting on sale this Hiring Fair? No. Oddly enough, there was a master's piece, a silver dagger, that was left lying on the table where Angiers was polishing it when he got clocked on the head. That's Angier's knife; he's going to take the caravan north to set up his own shop now."
Yuri hmmed. That's odd, she thought.
Tilara nodded. "Does sound like they were sent specifically for some things. Very interesting..."
Jane shrugged. "Well, if you find out who would send a gang for forty odd plain swords, a like amount of daggers and javelins..."
Tilara frowned at the list of missing goods. "Sounds like someone wants to outfit a gang of highwaymen."
"Were there any witnesses?" Starguard asked, "Anyone who saw which way they might have headed?"
"What's this about your brother's involvement?" put in Yuri. "Another of Gerrold's children? Which one?"
Jane shook her head. "Mother Star's Ascension this morning? All the world's still asleep, dreaming of the fair. Only a few people were up, finishing last minute projects. Like Angiers. As for my brothers? Any, and all. I've been running this weaponsmithy for twenty five years now. And for twenty five years they've tried to buy the ore, and the coal, and the smithy out from under me. The old man ... hah!" Jane snorts. "But bring me proof, and I can finally get even."
The sun's rays began to warm up the fair quite nicely. Somewhat back, the three apprentices - including the young graduate Angiers - had finished putting up the tent, and put a few weapons on display. The display looked fine, but woefully meager compared to any other year.
Yuri nodded, "I think it's fair to say that we shall take your commission, yes?"
Starguard pulled at his beard thoughtfully. "You're probably right. I would be willing to work together. Andreth?
Andreth shrugged. "Shure, why not?" he drawled.
"I guess we four will take it then, Goodwoman," Starguard told Jane. "If you could show us to where the crime took place, we can begin right away?"
"Who knows?" Yuri said. "Perhaps we can even have results before the noon hour."
Jane looked intently at Yuri. "Right. I'll need the stock before the next caravan comes due, in about two weeks. I'm taking enough of a loss as it is. You'll get room and board if you need them, of course, and I'll have a word with Father Pesci. Now, young Angiers can show you my smithy. Terms are ten percent for any recovered stock, and fifteen for proof of the wrong doers. Angiers! Get over here!" She held out her hand. "Shake on it, and we'll see the terms recorded."
Yuri shook first, without hesitation.
Jane held out her hand, looking at the others. "And you?"
One after another, the remain three took Jane's hand. Starguard shaking it firmly. Andreth looking uncertain, but sticking out his own callused hand, and Tilara taking it last. "Done," she said. As Yuri looked somewhat happier.
Jane looked intently at the group. "Right. I'll need the stock before the next caravan comes due, in about two weeks. I'm taking enough of a loss as it is. You'll get room and board if you need them, of course, and I'll have a word with Father Pesci. Now, young Angiers can show you my smithy. Terms are ten percent for any recovered stock, and fifteen for proof of the wrong doers. Angiers! Get over here! John! Contractsman! Get your lazy sodding arse over here, we've terms to spell out and contracts to sign!"
A fat bustling clerk brought over his desk. "Yes, Jane?" After she dictated the terms, he wrote them up on a pre-printed sheet of vellum. "Just sign here, sir, and missy, and here and here. And Ma'am? Sign here please. And I'll witness and ... there we go." With that, he disappeared into the crowds again.
Angiers, a man in his early twenties, came up to stand at Jane's side. "Yes, ma'am, I'll show them round. The tent's ready."
Starguard said, "A thought before we go, Goodswoman. I'd put out the fact that your weapons have been stolen...and mention that surely the thieves wouldn't steal the substandard stuff of your brothers..."
Tilara giggled at the older cleric. "I like the way you think, sir."
Jane snorted. "My brothers barely make weapons worthy of mention. Why do you think they wish me bankrupt?"
Jane stomped off, while Angiers waved towards the market. "It's just off the market square as I'm sure you know, sirs, milady? Follow me..."
Angiers led the party to Jane's smithy. "We'll enter through the front; they came in over the wall in back. Broke a limb off the tree, but that didn't stop the bastards."
"Uhh... how do you mean, broke a limb?" Yuri asked. "Do you mean you used a tree-limb to defend yourself?"
The front room eas given over to displaying some of Jane's finer pieces. After carefully unlocking the front door, Angiers opened the door to the back. "Jane stores her goods in the room right behind here. No Ð Yuri is it? Ð they broke a limb off the tree. We found it on the ground this morning. That must be how they disarmed the ward. Now, I was sitting at the table here, minding my own business, and the other two lads were asleep on pallets up against the far wall."
Tilara looked around with interest as they go into the smithy, not having been inside in some time, and never in the working sections. Yuri's eyes searched around for the usual telltales of breaking and entering: out of places bits of cloth, boot prints, and so on, and Starguard focused the floor, looking for trails in the dust. Andreth just kept to himself, so as not to disturb anything. He didn't know what to look for, anyway.
Yuri spoke up first, breaking the silence. "Angiers, what did you say about a ward?"
Angiers pointed at the wall. "Just a tingler; mostly to keep the animals away, ever since Jane found a kitten huddled in the firepit to keep warm, of a winter's night." There was actually almost no dust on the floor. Certainly no visible footprints.
Yuri interrogated Angiers a bit. "Jane tells us that they passed on some of the more exotic items. Your master's piece, for example. You must feel pretty fortunate that they left it behind."
Angiers nodded. "That's my proof of mastership; if they had stolen it, I would have needed to make another one. And saving up for the silver and the gems was hard enough the first time. But at least, as of this morning, I am no longer an apprentice."
Tilara grinned at Angiers. "A good feeling, I'm sure." She was investigating the doorway while the others checked the floor.
"Now you get to set up your own forge?" Yuri asked. "Heading north?"
Angiers smiled whimsically. "Everybody knows that."
Starguard grumbled as he looked at the floor. "Did some idiot sweep the floor? You're supposed to leave a crime scene alone."
Andreth coughed quietly and pointed to some reddish mud in the corner. "If they did, they missed a spot," he said to Starguard.
Starguard peered at it. "This is...odd. Red mud? There's no red dirt around here..."
Yuri murmured to Tilara, "So how did they get past the ward?"
Tilara shrugged. "If it was just a tingle-ward, it wouldn't stop anyone who really wanted to get through."
Angiers nodded to Tilara. "No, but it would have damaged his steel. Might have broken the temper. That's probably why they set it off first. Jane only pays for one charge at a time."
"So who swept the floor?" Yuri wondered. "Maybe he saw something in the dust before cleaning up."
Tilara nodded to Yuri as he whispered to her and then checks the door's lock herself. "Hmmm..."
Starguard left the bit of mud be. "Any signs on how they left, Angiers?
Angiers snorted again. "How did they leave? Back the way they came, I'm assuming. I don't know, however, considering I was out cold."
"Well, was the door to the front open? Locked? Did anything from the front get taken?" Starguard asked.
Angiers hmmmmed. "Jane didn't tell me about anything missing from the front, no. And the front door is locked most carefully every night; Jane is very careful."
Tilara shook her head behind Angiers' back.
"In that case, I'm going to go check out the backyard... oh, has a healer looked at your head yet, Angiers?" asked Yuri.
Angiers nodded. "Jane sent me to father Pesci this morning, first thing. Kiel went with me, helped almost carry me."
"Must have just missed you," Starguard said. "I left there at dawn myself."
Yuri wandered out the back door to have a look at the back yard, and Starguard and Andreth followed along.
The back yard contained the coal shed, which was, as always, covered in black dust; the fire pit; and three anvils. Apparently Jane didn't believe in working indoors. It also contained two trees, the closer of which now looking lopsided, with one limb broken off.
Yuri looked around for the broken tree-limb, and tried to figure out how they got in. "Anybody see any scratches that would indicate that someone climbed over the tree or the wall?
Angiers looked at the wall and the tree, having followed Yuri outside with the others. "Maybe over there? Someone set off the ward." Yuri took a look where Angiers indicated, trying to figure out the means of entry.
Angiers wandered to the back wall. "There's the gate here, where they bring in the metal and the coal, but that was locked this morning. And the privy, over there. Freshly limed." Yuri inspected the rear gate, to see if the lock shows signs of being picked.
Starguard grumbled. "I can't find a trail. There's no trace on this hard ground... Try not to run around too much, please? You'll ruin any clues they've left..." Yuri nodded to Starguard, and tried to watch his step. As Starguard searched through the grass and dust and near the wall, looking for anything odd...
Tilara joined Yuri looking at the gate. "There were pickmarks inside Angiers' workroom," she whispered. "I think he did it, and we need to find out where he hid the stuff."
Starguard searched behind the privy, suddenly hmming as he stumbled onto some more of the red mud which he found inside. "Hey, friends? Anyone know a source for this red mud? I've cleaned up enough dirty drunks to know it's unusual... Perhaps they used the back wall of the privy and the other wall to climb out?"
Andreth shook his head at Starguard. "Never seen nothin' like it before."
"Brother Starguard," Yuri called. "will it interfere with what you're doing if I try to climb this tree?"
"I don't believe so," Starguard anwered. "Don't step anywhere you think they might have outside the wall, though..."
Yuri quickly climbed up and inspected the treetop for signs of passage - broken twigs, stripped leaves, mud, and so on, and also, the top of the wall, as far as he could see.
Angiers leaned up against the wall, his face a little white. "Do you mind if I ... sit ... down?" His eyes rolled up, as he slid down the wall to a prone position.
Starguard began to offer a hand up to Andreth so that the young monk could take a look at the top of the wall, then stopped, running over to the fallen Angiers. "Sir? Sir!" Angiers lay prone, his face a horrible, pallid white.
Yuri blinked down at Angiers and decided that trashing his clothes was worth getting down in a hurry. He half-slid down the tree, twigs showering the backyard. Starguard, moved quickly and called forth his faith, pulling up Angiers' shirt to lay his hands on his chest. Mumbling a simple prayer, he invoked the Stars, asking them to heal this man. Angiers remained prone, his face regaining the barest hint of color.
Yuri oofed as he landed! "What happened to him?" he asked.
Tilara looked puzzled. "I'm not sure. He just collapsed." She knelt down beside Starguard to check Angiers' pulse. It was high, and thready.
Starguard's face got hard. "Andreth, get Father Pesci! Now!" He barked out orders. "Back! Give me room!" Gathering himself, he put his hands on Angiers' chest again, beginning to chant once more.
Andreth sprung into action, running for the temple to fetch Father Pesci, while Yuri peered out the back gate to see if anyone was watching. The back alley was pretty well deserted, not counting the dog who was currently licking itself.
Starguard's hands glowed with a soft light, his forehead beading with swet as he tried to understand what is going on with this poor man... Angiers' color is slowly improving with his prayers.
Yuri murmured to Tilara, "Is this magic?"
"I'm going to check," Tilara murmured back. "It's certainly something..." She muttered the syllables of detect magic.
Yuri shrugged. Not his thing. Carefully, he inspected the inside perimeter of the fence, looking for signs that someone tried to climb it.
Starguard grumbled. "A head wound. Tricky bastards, these." He frowned, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he attempts to undo the damage done, calling down another prayer of healing. Angiers regained most of his color, though still not conscious. A little blood seeped out of his eye...
Father Pesci was sitting on the front steps of the temple as Andreth ran up at full speed. "Andreth, Andreth ... what's amiss?
Andreth panted for a moment, getting his breath back. "Father! Angiers just collapsed! No reason! He's at Jane's smithy! Come quick!"
Father Pesci stood up. "Indeed. Right, well, let me grab my bag then. Just a moment. Here, you carry the stretcher."
Andreth lifted the stretcher easily, waiting to lead Pesci to the smithy.
Father Pesci came back out, and set off for Jane's smithy at a steady jog. "What happened, Andreth? Details?"
Andreth moved as fast as the priest could follow. He shook his head. "He just turned white and passed out. Starguard's tryin' ta heal 'im."
Father Pesci ran faster. "Damn it. Hurry, boy, before we lose him."
Andreth was already hurrying.
Father Pesci came pelting in the back door. "Room! Give me room! Where is he?"
Starguard was trying his skills, his hands glowing once more, but he was tired, his skills only able to do so much. "Here, Father! He's not stable, but..." He trailed off. "Head wound, Father. I think he's hemorrhaging."
Yuri blinked? "How the hell..."
Andreth stayed back by the back door, watching. As Father Pesci noticed Starguard. "Ah, good. You kept him alive? Excellent. Dammit, why isn't he inside? He should be lying down! What moron let him get up! If I ever get my hands on the moron who ... Starguard, help Andreth get him on the stretcher. This time I'm keeping him."
Starguard quickly took his legs, motioning for Andreth to take his head. He bore the weight of the strong, heavy man best he could. Andreth looped his arms under Angiers' shoulders, easily lifting the unconscious man onto the stretcher, and grabbed the handles.
"If that was going to happen, wouldn't it have happened last night?" Yuri asked. "Wasn't he already treated?""
Father Pesci turned around to look at Yuri. "Treated this morning. I warned him; stay in bed, I told him, and have someone with you. The bruising might cause bleeding."
Tilara turned on her way out the door. "You told Kiel, Father Pesci?"
Father Pesci snorted. "Of course I told Kiel. Told him to tell Jane. Where is that mistaken excuse for a pile of excrement! If Angiers dies, he's going to ... he's going to go train with Brother Oak for a week!
Tilara straightened up suddenly. "Wait... where's Lady Jane? If no one passed on those instructions...."
Starguard nodded to Tilara. "You go tell Lady Jane what happened! We'll be at the temple!" Starguard picks up his end, and begins to hurry the man to the temple...
"Wait, Tilara," said Yuri. "Come have a look here."
Tilara hurried back to Yuri. "What'd you find?"
Yuri showed the scratches to Tilara. "It looks like someone dragged something over the wall here. See? The tree didn't look climbed at all, and the back gate is untouched. If anyone came in or out last night, it was through here.
Tilara nodded. "Aye. And there were lock-picking marks on the door leading from Angiers' workroom into this area. I think Kiel might know something about this...."
Yuri glanced back at the tree. "Of course, I dunno if anyone will take my word for it now. I sort of obliterated any signs of passage on the trunk - or lack thereof. Still, there's no marks on the upper limbs.
"Let's go find Ms. Jane and see if he actually passed on those instructions from the good Father," decided Tilara.
Yuri took a hair from his head while smoothing it, and wet both ends with saliva. He stuck the hair across the door frame while locking it up, so that if the door is opened, it would break (or at least come loose). Then she nodded. "I'll follow you, then. I think I mussed my hair..." Taking care to secure the smithy on the way out... closing doors, locking up, and so forth, so that nobody absconds with anything else, she headed with Tilara to find Jane.
Father Pesci followed the stretcher back to the temple. "Put him here, in the back room. He can have the guest bed. Now, Starguard, mind you tell Jane. And tell the caravan master Angiers won't be joining him this time. I'll sit and watch."
"Perhaps send Andreth, Father?" suggested Starguard. "I might be of more use here..."
"Even better," Father Pesci agreed. "Run, Andreth. She needs to know he's not coming back." Andreth bowed, and dashed back to the smithy to find Jane.
Trunging back to look at Angiers, he sighed, and rolled up his sleeves. "Well, let's see if the stars will aid me a little more." With that he held his hands over the prone body, and murmured under his breath. After a few moments Angiers began to breathe easy.
Starguard relaxed a little, wiping his forehead. "It was a serious head wound? I assumed you had given him leave to walk about, it being not serious... Why that..." Breaking off he cursed Angiers thoroughly, in all three languages he knew.
Father Pesci nodded soberly at Starguard. "Yes. I told Kiel to get him horizontal as soon as possible, and not let him get back up for three days. And I told Kiel that Jane was to hold him excused from work.
"I'll have a few words for Kiel as well," promised Starguard. "The idiots. Both of them."
Father Pesci shook his head at Starguard. "Don't blame Angiers. At the time, he was still woozy. That's why I gave the message to Kiel."
Starguard calmed down a little. "Anything I should get for him, Father?"
Father Pesci shook his head. "Kiel's head on a pike would make me feel better but ... all we can do now is wait, and watch, and pray. And he showed such promise."
Starguard nodded. "Might as well wait. I suspect Goodwoman Jane will be along presently."
Father Pesci nodded soberly. "Especially if you get her, young swot."
"Andreth has already gone, Father," put in Starguard. "I'd likely just miss them."
"We'll wait, then." Father Pesci eyed Starguard. "So, how goes the job hunt?"
"Actually, that's what I was doing at Jane's father." Starguard admitted. "She was robbed this morning, and I'm part of the investigation."
Father Pesci looked concerned. "I ... see. Well, be careful, those louts don't pull their punches. Not even for a young swot like you."
Starguard nodded. "I know father. Neither did the Lurinorians." He sighed. "It would have been nice to have been able to call upon Wilthorwen and Kenilthwen back then. I could have saved many more young lives..."
Father Pesci nodded back. "Why don't you get me some cold water; we can wash the blood off."
Starguard broke off from his memories, and concentrated, chanting quietly. In a moment, he filled the bowl with water with an orison spell.
Yuri lagged behind Tilara as she headed to Jane's tent. As soon as he was out of sight of the smithy, he slipped off into the shadows and tried finds a suitable place to keep watch on the entrances and exits. Finding none, he decided to sneak up close to the smithy so he could see the back alley, but hopefully hear if anyone tried the front door. After the excitement of Father Pesci's arrival and subsequent departure, however, the alley had returns to its somnolence.
Five minutes later, Yuri stretched. Note to self: she thought, Keeping watch is boring. I get bored easily. Next time, get someone else to do the sitting around. Giving up on staying in one place he started to skulk around the perimeter of Jane's place, listening carefully. In the quiet, he picked out a singe noise...
Someone was rattling the front door of the smithy.
Yuri snuck up on the front door. Sneak, sneak... he thought to himself. A young boy was trying to fit a key in the door, rattling it when it seemed stuck. Beside him was a hand cart, loaded with weapons.
Jane was standing in her tent, in front of the display of what wares she had left. Kiel was standing near the entrance, and two merchants are debating the merits of rapiers versus stilettos when Andreth came running in. Jane looked up, and excused herself. "Yes, Andreth?" she asked.
Andreth bowed to Jane as he runs up. "Ma'am, Angiers just fainted. Took 'im back to Father Pesci. 'e says 'e's keepin' him this time."
"Angiers? Why, he was perfectly fine this morning. A little shook up, but who wouldn't be? What happened?" Jane asked, worried.
"Dunno." Andreth replied. " They said 'e had a bad head wound or something. 'E was s'posed to stay in bed."
Tilara entered the tent in a hurry. "Ms. Jane? A quick question, if we may?"
Jane glared at Andreth. "Who said? Why wasn't I told?" She turned on the lady. "Yes, Tilara? Were you supposed to tell me?"
Tilara lowered her voice. "Kiel was supposed to tell you. Did he?"
Jane looked confused. "Tell me what? Kiel! Get over here! Kiel? Damn, where'd he go?" She looked around the tent carefully, calling out his name a few more times. The merchants, perturbed, looked around once and then decided to leave. "Dammit, they would have placed an order. Kiel! Get over here, boy!"
Kiel appeared to be no longer in the tent.
Tilara blinked. "I think we'd better find him, milady. I think he's your thief." She moved to head back outside, looking around to see if she can spot him, while Andreth looked around uncertainly.
Jane glared at everyone in the tent. "Right, I'm done for the day. I give up. Everybody out, I'm closing down. Jake, take everything to the shop, and stay there. Leave the tent, I'm sure no one will walk off with it. Andreth? Can you help Tilara find Kiel? If you find him, bring him to Father Pesci?"
Andreth nodded. "Sure." He headed outside to join in Tilara's spotting efforts... Staying back, he eyed some disturbance further down the Green. Probably nothing... certainly no sign of Kiel there, or anywhere else.
Tilara took Mirra down from her shoulder. You head that way, love, and I'll head this way. The cat meowed and headed down the street while the sorceress headed toward the disturbance. Andreth followed Tilara some distance back, and silently. If she thought it's worth checking out, he would cover her.
Yuri looked around to see if there was anyone else on the street who might be seeing the boy with the sword in front of the shop. Two young lasses passed down the street, giggling together over a knot of ribbons. They didn't notice Yuri, and ignored the boy.
Yuri noted the faces of the passing women, partially because, well, they were women, and partially so he could find them later if he needed to, while he tried to identify the boy in front of the smithy.
In a moment, the face clicked in his memory: Jake, the third apprentice. Suspecting that Jake was probably putting weapons into the shop, not taking them out, he sighed, and slunk towards the back yard, careful not to disturb any prints that might be on this side of the fence near the privy. He still tried to remained unseen from Jane's third apprentice, just for practice.
The boy eventually got the door open, with a muttered "Aha!" He began dragging weapons into the shop and shortly thereafter, closed the front door again, and driving the cart round back. Opening the back door, dragged in the cart, and disappeared inside.
It's wasn't immediately clear what caused the disturbance, but someone had plowed down about twenty people and stolen a horse.
Andreth watched over Tilara, not certain what was up. Two guards milled around the horse posts, arguing with each other. One of them was holding part of a set of leather reins.
Tilara headed for the guards. "What happened? Who took the horse?"
One of the guards looked up. "He just came running up, miss, and sliced the reins. He was off before we could stop him. And he trampled that lad, over there. We've sent for the temple."
"What'd he look like?" Tilara asked.
"That rat? About six feet, black hair, built like a tank. I'll know him an I see him again." The guard glared at the piece of leather he's holding.
Tilara nodded curtly at hearing Kiel described. "That's the one we're looking for." She turned back toward the smithy, calling Mirra to meet her there.
On the streets, Mirra meowed once, but turned back for the smithy. Scorched smells. she complained.
Tilara grinned to herself. I know, love. Meet me there anyway. We're looking for that big fellow we saw this morning.
Prone corpse? queried the cat.
Tilara snorted. Not that one. The big black-haired one at the smith's tent.
Violent thug? came the next question.
Tilara smiled. Yes, love, that's the one.
As Tilara arrived at the smithy, Mirra spotted her, and curled around her feet. Yuri appeared a moment later, stepping out of the shadows and hailing her. "Jane's third apprentice came back with a cartload of stuff. Nothing else has happened."
Tilara picked up Mirra and touched noses with the cat before placing her back on her shoulder. She waved to Yuri. "It's Kiel, all right. He ran when we talked to Jane, and she shut down her tent... the kid was probably bringing stuff back from there. Let's see if we can find the stuff..."
"He ran?" Yuri asked. "Did he have the goods with him?"
There was more movement inside, and then the door was opened, and a small "Open" sign was hung on it. "Nope, just a stolen horse," Tilara told Yuri. "The town watch is probably going to go after him." She pointed at the shop. "Let's head in. I've got an idea....""
Yuri hmmed. "OK. I just hope he didn't dump it down the privy, I'm not going after it if he did.
Tilara grinned a bit sheepishly. "Actually, that was my idea.... let's see if we can get someone else to do it."
"It might be that he actually got it over the wall. I mean, there were scratches on the inside. We should get Starguard to check it out, he seems to think that he can follow tracks." Yuri said as she followed Tilara inside the shop. Andreth, still following, slipped quietly in behind Yuri, but at the sound of the step behind her, Yuri whirled. "Andreth. Sorry, I didn't see you there."
The apprentice turned to face them. He's looking a little worried, but he manages to smile. "Yes? May I help you?"
"Lady Jane has asked us to try and find whoever burgled your shop last night," Yuri said. "May we see Kiel's room, please?"
The boy blinked. "We just have the pallets, in the back room. Is ... Is Angiers going to be all right?" He looked into the back room. "It's Lady Jane's quarters upstairs. We're not allowed to go there.
"She'll be back soon enough," Tilara decided. "Angiers... I hope he'll be all right. Better to ask the clerics about that."
Yuri asked, "Did anyone besides Angiers and Lady Jane have their own workrooms?"
The boy shook his head. "Angiers didn't have his own workroom. He worked outside, same as us. And the polishing we all did at the table. Same as where we ate. Lady Jane said we'd learn better, if we all worked together. Said Angiers could teach Kiel, and he could teach me. But he never liked me."
"Who relimed the privy?" wondered Tilara.
The boy looked up at her. "I did, miss. About three days ago. As part of spring cleaning."
"Kiel wasn't involved at all?" wondered Tilara.
The boy shook his head again. "No ma'am. He didn't like getting his hands dirty."
Poor kid, Yuri thought to herself, then blinked. "OK, what next? Tilara, where did you see those scratches? Andreth, would you check out these scratches in the back? Maybe there's a path we can follow."
Andreth shrugged and nodded to Yuri. He wasn't so good at that sort of thing, but he would do his best with a search.
Meanwhile, back at the Temple, Starguard assisted Father Pesci with cleaning Angiers, and making him as comfortable as possible.
Jane strode into the temple. "Father! Father Pesci! What have those idiots done?"
Father Pesci looked to his patient. "Starguard? Deal with her, please. And keep her quiet."
Starguard looked up, and moved to confront Jane. "Please Goodwoman. He needs quiet right now. Come outside with me and I'll tell you what happened."
Jane followed Starguard, after looking inside worriedly. "Talk fast. I didn't hire you to lose Angiers."
"Good luck that you did hire me, miss." Starguard told her. "If I hadn't been there when he collapse, he'd probably be dead right now. Kiel was supposed to tell you that Angiers was supposed to be confined to bed after that serious head injury."
Jane looked worried, biting her lip. "Why didn't Kiel ... Why, when I get my hands on that pile of ... he's not going to be able to bend a finger for a year!"
Starguard tried to calm Jane down. "Easy there. You know where he lives, right? Actually, where is he now?"
Jane glared. "Kiel? If I knew that, I'd ... no. I don't know; he disappeared. There one moment, gone the next, right after Andreth gave me the Father's message. That good for nothing ... and to think I ... oh! When I get my hands on ... "
Starguard blinked. "Kiel beds at your place, failed to report that Angiers needed bed rest, and is now missing? Hmm... Does this seem as suspicious to you as to me?
Jane paced around, angrily slamming her fist into her open hand. "I'm going to ... and to think ... when Gerrold hears of this, he'll ... oh! That's the last time! Ever! I'm not taking that risk again!" She whirled, placing one finger right in Starguard's sternum. "Find them! Find all of them! It has just gotten very very personal! Prove this, and even the mayor will have to see that my brothers are no-good sons of ... of ... argh!"
"Goodwoman Gerroldsdottir!" Starguard instructed in his best drill seargent voice. "Sit down!"
Jane collapsed onto a bench, before bounding back up. "That ... those ... that ... I've got to go to the shop before someone tries to kill Jake." With that Jane stormed out the door.
Starguard nodded. "That's a good idea, ma'am. I'll go with you..." He blinked, at the speed of Jane's exit and called out. "Father! Leaving for Jane's Shop!" And with that he charged out to catch up with Jane.
The front door slammed open and a familiar voice called out Jake's name. Starguard's voice quickly joined it. "Hey! Anybody home?"
"Well, that's a relief. We were afraid he'd stolen that gear and hidden it in there...." Tilara was saying. She turned at the voice. "We're in here, ma'am. Kiel's not turned up and we're trying to figure out where he hid the things.""
"Jake! Where are you, boy? Are you hurt? If you're not hurt, why aren't you out here? Jake! Ah, there you are, boy. Mind the store now. I'll keep an eye on these people." Jane poked her head in the back room, looking at Jake.
Starguard slipped in with Jane. "Did anyone see where he made off to?"
"He ran as soon as we turned up at the Fair tent, knocked down some folks, and stole a horse," relayed Tilara.
Yuri had waited to see if Jane screamed at anyone, then took Andreth to see Exhibit A, the scratches at the wall.
Starguard blinked. "A horse? That would suggest a hiding place away from town. Um, Ms. Gerroldsdottir? Do you know any areas near town that has red mud?
Jane looked blankly at Starguard. "Red mud? Ummm. Not off hand, no. Why would I care about red mud when one of my boys has near murdered another, in the vilest, sneakiest, most underhanded ... oh! If I ... argh!"
"Because he left a patch of red mud behind when he coshed Angiers, ma'am," Tilara explained. "If we can find where he got it...."
Yuri came back in from trying to showing the scratches to Andreth, which seemed all but invisble to him as Jane visibly worked to calm down. "Right. Mud. I ... see. No, I don't recognize it. I wish I did."
"We may have a lead," Yuri said. He quickly explained to Jane what he's found in the backyard - no signs of passage on the tree or the gate, but signs of passage over the wall near the privy. "If we can find a trail there, maybe we can track him out of town."