| Logs |
2008 November 16
| When The Bough Breaks |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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| Realms: Bough Logs |
First Movement, Seventh Verse
The trip back to the Winter Palace goes without a problem, and going directly it takes about an hour before they reach the gates. They are met there by Seneschal Rowan, who came out as soon as they were spotted, it seems. "What news from the guard-tower?" she asks anxiously. "What did you find out?
Jareth steps forward, face solemn, "Two humans, one alive, one dead. And several dead aelfar. Or at least their clothes."
Rowan's face goes grave. "We were worried it would be something like that. Did you find out what happened?"
Norris is quieter than he had been previously in the seneschal's presence, hands folded on his belly, more than happy to let Jareth take the lead. The death, and the attitude of the human they found, weighs on him.
Jareth glances to the others, as if to say "please let me know if I get this wrong." He looks back over at Rowan and says, "The humans, they were bribed. And there was poisonlily."
Tomas says, "we brought back the book where they wrote what was happening."
Rowan narrows her eyes. "Bribed by whom?"
Jareth says, quietly, "Mordred."
Rowan bares her teeth, her eyes flashing. "Mordred!" she snarls. "This would not have been isolated, then. Damn him to the Nether! Please, I know I have asked much of you already, but could you go to the first deosil guard tower and inform them? I fear Mordred would not have attempted this with but one tower."
At mention of the book, Norris's eyebrows clench, and he thinks to bring out the book for the seneschal to see...surely she can read! But he was not paying attention to where the book was put. He tugs quietly on Tomas's sleeve. "D'ye have the book?"
Tomas asks "Is he one of them that works for the great git of a spider thing?
Jareth compresses his lips and glances briefly at his companions, looking for their agreement.
Norris gives a shrug of assent. "Iffn ye think we'll be of use there, yer ladyship...ah mean, what with orange rain an' all, we're happy to serve." His assent is more one of helpfulness than anything...he's not looking forward to find more dead bodies, even if they do just dissapear.
Rowan lets out a breath, calming herself. "Yes and no," she says to Tomas. "He does not work for the spider-wasps, but he is seeking to enable them to devour the entire Waking. To that end, we suspect he wants to take down the Winter Palace, thus making it no longer a safe haven for mortal dreamers who emerge from their dreamscapes.
Jareth says, "I can't see how we can say no."
Mikal blinks at Tomas a bit worriedly, from the stag's back, "Spi... oh, the world-eating monster." She looks back at the Seneschal, then takes a moment to fumble with her backpack. After that she nudges Iron Antlers up around the group so she can lean down and offer the book to the Seneschal, "Here, um... lady... here." She hastily backs the stag away once the book has been accepted. She adds a bit timidly, "Is, um... here the waking?"
Tomas says, "How do we stop him?"
Rowan accepts the book, looking a litle curiously at the stag. "Well, this is new," she comments, with a touch of humor. "Well done, Mikal. You'll be a true stagrider ere long!" She looks swiftly through the book, particularly in the last pages. She makes a quiet sound. "Two mortals came to the tower not long after the guard change. One was injured. Not long thereafter the nethersquall came up, and contact was lost. It's mentioned here that the unhurt mortal helped a little around the tower while they waited for the squall to pass." She shakes her head. "He must have put poisonlily into the food at that point. Blast! Now it's even more imperative that the deosil watchtower is checked.
"No, Mikal, here is the Dreamtime. The other side of the Mirror is the waking."
She looks to Tomas, grimly. "I do not know. For now, anyway. He is a threat not only to many communities in the Wyrd but also of course to the Winter Palace and to the Mirror itself. If he has his way, the spider-wasps will feast on the worlds, without hinderance, and we can't have that. We know he is on the move and we have scouts out in the Wyld seeking his forces. I expect to hear back from them soon.
"In the meantime, may I ask you to check the first deosil guard-tower? We have not lost contact with it, but I need someone to tell them what happened to the other.
Mikal wonders a bit bemusedly what a fake stag rider is.
Tomas mutters "Then we better make damned sure he doesn't get his way!"
The young goatherd nods and says, "We'll do what we can. We have lives to save."
Norris lets out a small sigh of relief...lives to save, then, instead of bodies to find. That's more reasonable.
Mikal thinks carefully, [Let's see... deosil would be southwards, at least in my current mental map...] She muses aloud, "So... the watchtower would be at about the same place as the one we just visited, but on the other side of the castle, yes?"
Mikal hesitates, then adds even more timidly, "Um... so... is it true we r-really d-d-don't need f-food, Lady? Er, S-s-seneschal?"
Tomas says, "Well, if we don't we might as well be on our way."
Rowan nods to Mikal. "Yes, that's correct. Just past the Artisans' Guild from here." She smiles a bit. "And yes, you as mortals do not need food. You can eat, and poisons will affect you if you ingest them, but you do not need to eat.
Norris's brow knits at the idea of not needing food. Maybe that's so...but he;d sure miss food! Especially a well made bread...crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. Mmm. At mention of poisons, though, the wind is slightly taken out of his sails.
Mikal nods slowly, "All right, S-seneschal. Um..." She glances a bit worriedly at Tomas, then nearly whispers, "C-c-c-could you p-p-please t-tell T-t-t-tomas about m-m-making thingswithhismindplease?!" The last bit comes out in a nervous burst, and she blushes when done, leaning so the big stag's head and rack obstruct view of her.
Norris starts a little at the burst of MikalSpeech, suddenly wondering...oh, right. Tomas got all worked up about making clothes from nothing.
Rowan blinks, looking to Tomas. "I thought you knew that already? If not, I am sorry. You can, under most conditions, imagine things into being. Depending on how complicated, or how much of an effect it is to have on others, you may need to focus a bit more firmly on making it appear. Also, without creating an item with awen, the item is not permament, and will disappear at the turning.
Tomas says, "Turning of what?"
Norris hunhs, and had missed that part from earlier. "Hope yew's not too attached to th' clothing, Mikal." he says to...to the stag, since Mikal is hiding behind it.
Tomas says, "and what is awen?"
Jareth lets the ones that understand this part explain it.
Rowan says, "The turning is how we measure days. It is the peak of the tide of creative energy from the Mirror. Awen is the solidified form of this creative energy."
Mikal looks disappointedly down at her pretty new clothes, and Norris can hear a faint, "Well, foo."
Tomas asks, "And how do we use awen to create things?"
Mikal leans to call towards Tomas, "Th-the pretty coins with the sandgrain things in them, T-tomas? That was awen in them." She keeps her voice low, so she doesn't interrupt the Seneschal... especially since she's still not entirely sure herself what exactly awen really is.
Tomas nods, "Oh. And were can we get some if we need it?"
Norris huhs. "Awen is a metal, then? Oh, wait...naw, ah spose doesn't need to be metal. Iffn ye can make spear of thunder then ah spoke yew kin forge metal with sommat that aint metal, hey?"
Jareth says, "Awen was the sand-like stuff in the middle, I think."
Rowan says, "I will point out that you came here in clothing of your own (I presume) and so it is permanent. It will not disappear. It will, however, revert to it's original form at turning unless 'fixed' with awen."
"As for using awen to create things, or for fixing temporary things to become permanent, you would best learn how to do that from the smiths or from the artisans' guild.
"And since awen is the standard currency, I will be paying you in elfcoins, which have awen in them." She glances at the clocktower in the Plaza. "When you return from the deosil guard-tower."
Mikal wonders suddenly if any of the coins got left in her bag when she pulled the handful out. She sits up again, turning around so she's facing backwards towards Iron Antler's rump. She pulls her backpack in front of her and starts taking things out of it one by one. Those she can tuck into her coat or pockets she does so -- the rest she lays out neatly on the wide rump of the now-peacefully grazing fey-stag. She's trying to get to the bottom of her little bag, so she can see if there's any coins at all slipped in there.
Tomas says, "Well let's get going. To the south"
Norris nods. "yeah, Ah spose...sooner we get back, sooner we kin..." He then notices Mikal digging into her bag, sitting backwards on her stag. "Whut'r yew doin?" he queries bemusedly.
Mikal mumbles absently to Norris, "Checking, Nor, for any coins that got stuck in the bottom of my bag... hm, looks like a no so far... um, so I can show Tomas some awen..."
There's a sudden, triumphant, "...aHA!" from Mikal as she straightens, her face delighted. She's holding up a gleaming little silver coin, "Found one!" She beams, turning to toss it to Tomas, "Here you go, Tomas! That stuff in the middle? That's awen!"
Tomas muses, "Doesn't look like much. Thanks, Mikal."
Mikal puts something small between her teeth, then starts tidily repacking her little backpack.
Norris clears his throat. "Per'aps we soul' be on our way, hey? An' not be wastin her ladyship's time." he suggests as the Seneschal watches all of this.
Tomas says, "Okay, Mikal, lead the way."
Mikal mumbles to Tomas through the object held between her teeth, "I fink vat's mavic inna mi'le!"
Jareth laughs quietly, "What do you have in your mouth, Mikal?"
Tomas smiles, "Didn't your granny tell you not to talk with your mouth full."
At Tomas's command, Mikal hastily thinks to Raphael, [Could you start scouting ahead for them, Raph, please?] She glances at Jareth, then tries to pack even more hastily! At Tomas's words she blushes, trying not to fumble anything... once she's done (it doesn't take long) she quickly reshoulders the backpack and holds out the object she had in her mouth, "I h-had an-n-nother one, is all!"
Tomas follows Raphael
Jareth chuckles quietly at Mikal and nods. He glances at Rowan, "Do we need to let you have the coins?"
Rowan considers for a moment, then shakes her head, smiling a bit. "No, I'm certain you will have things you'll wish to make permament. I will add it to the pay you are due when you return.
Mikal adds sheepishly to Tomas's departing back, "I, um, I d-d-didn't have a g-granny, sorry..." She thinks a moment, then puts the coin back in her mouth for a second to hastily scramble back around so she's facing forward again on the fey-stag's back. She whews softly, patting the stag, then tucks the coin into a pocket and pats Iron Antlers, "All right, let's go now, please?" The big stag raises his head and, still chewing that last mouthful of grass, strides gracefully off towards the deosil guard tower after Tomas and Raphael.
Mikal calls back cheerfully over her shoulder, "Thank you for the pretty silver coin-thingies, lady!"
Jareth grins at Mikal and bows to Rowan, "We'll do our best, lady, to make sure no more lives are lost." And then he trots to try and catch up with the rest of the party.
Norris looks confused. "What's havin shiny disk things got t' do with havin a gran, Mikal?" he queries, once they've got some distance from the castle.
After being given the passwords and authentication phrases, the group fairly quickly arrives at the first deosil guard-tower.
Mikal mumbles sheepishly, "Nothing, Nor. It's just Tomas mentioned my gran should have taught me not to t-t-talk with m-my mouth full, and um..." she blushes, looking down and fiddling nervously with a few strands of the fey-stag's mane, "I, um... never learned that s-stuff, y'know..."
Jareth snorts, "Who cares if you talk with your mouth full?"
Mikal straight-lines it with Raphael to the tower, since she's been given the impression speed is of the essence. She blinks startledly at Jareth, then considers that for a moment... then beams delightedly at Jareth, "Uh... uh, yeah! Who cares anyways?!"
Mikal straightens a bit on the stag's back, looking pleased.
Tomas asks the guards at the tower if they have had any visitors other than us.
Norris chuckles lightly, though he does consider the whole talking-with-your-mouth-full idea for a bit. After they're about two-thirds of the way there, he's coming to the conclusions that talking with your mouth full isn't a good idea if only because no one can understand you. It's unfortunately it took him so long to come to that conclusion, though.
The guards answer the hails, one of them with a pike emerging from the gate while two others look on from above. pon receiveing the passwords, the guard nods, "Aye, we've a pair of mortals here with us, came in saying they'd had a long trip and were making their way from Icewell out to the Wyrd, asked to stop by here for a few hours to rest before heading out."
Mikal gasps softly, then straightens on the stag's back, calling out, "Don't eat anything they give you!"
Jareth's face goes grim, "Have they been anywhere near your food?"
Mikal turns bright red and hastily ducks behind Iron Antlers again, literally sliding off his rump to hide.
Tomas tells them "Get them under guard and search them for a vial of poison. Somethin' like this happened at the other tower and the two killed the garrison."
Jareth steps close to the guard, wanting to make sure he's not overheard, "They were sent by Mordred."
Norris grimaces at tales of more mortals, and unslings his hammer, but lets his friends give the warning, absently hoping he won't have to use his maul.
The guard blinks. "How -- oh, dear. Aye, let me go inside.... C'mon in, we might need your help..."
Mikal peeks cautiously out around from behind the fey-stag -- who is looking quizzically over his shoulder at her, which points out very clearly exactly where she is -- to see if she can spot any of the mortals visible and listening.
Tomas follows the guard, pole ax at ready, and looking around cautiously.
Jareth pulls his knives and lets the others go on ahead of him again.
Mikal looks nervous about going in, but then goes to whisper to the stag. She gives him a hug about the head, then takes her bow in her left hand and places her right on Raphael's heavy ruff. She pads quietly in behind Norris, glancing nervously around herself.
Norris does make sure to guard Jareth...he has complete confidence in Mikal's ability...plus MIkal uses a bow, so it's bad sense to be in front of her. But Jareth isn't near as experienced a fighter. So he's content to protect his silver-tongued friend.
As they enter into the tower, the guard leads them to the base of the stairs that look up onto the common area. "Say, uh.. sergeant? Have a moment?"
The sergeant at the top of the stairs is sitting at the desk, and looks down at the guard, nodding as she comes down the stairs, arcing a brow as he sees the mortals. "Yes?" she asks.
Mikal steps sideways to put her back to a wall and have a better angle of fire. She murmurs quietly to Raphael, [Do you scent anything odd, Raph, like that poisonlily in the other tower?]
Jareth steps forward again, then. Talking he can do. "We've been sent by Rowan. There were two mortals sent to the first widdershins tower. They killed the guards. They were sent my Mordred. They used poisonlily and knives."
Mikal whispers, "Do the guards here have a way to notify guards in other towers too?"
The sergeant frowns, half-looking up the stairs. "Blast," she curses. "We have two mortals here who were looking for shelter before a long trip. They're upstairs. Do you think you'll be enough to help me take them into custody or should I call the guards from their posts?"
Raphael glances to Mikal, then sniffs a little. Then he half-goes up the stairs, growling softly.
Jareth grins rakishly, "I think between the four of my companions, they'll have no problems. I'm just the mouthpiece."
Mikal nods to Raphael, then sidles nervously up behind Jareth. She goes on tiptoes, resting one hand on his shoulder from behind to whisper, "Raphael says there's poisonlily upstairs, Jar!"
Jareth blinks, "Oh... Oh hell." He says sharply, "They've got poisonlily. I would hurry if I were you."
Tomas says, "Lead on."
The sergeant nods grimly, "Up the stairs then, let's go." She leads them up the stairs...
Mikal gives the sergeant a nervous glance from behind Jareth, then jumps slightly at Tomas's orders, "L-l-lead?!" Her voice comes out in a frightened squeak that makes her turn pink and duck back out of sight again.
Tomas shakes his head and whispers, "I was talking to the sergeant."
Raphael bounds easily up the stairs, his long, curved claws clicking on the stone stairs. Mikal whispers, "...oh! S-s-sorry, T-t-t-" then calls softly and anxiously up the stairs, "Be careful, Raph!"
Tomas follows the sergeant. "Mikal behind me, then Norris, and Jareth, bring up the rear."
Mikal's voice goes squeaky with nervousness again, "M-m-m-me?! Wh-w-w-why mm-mm-mmm...!"
Tomas says, "You have the bow."
Mikal is shaking her head frantically and backing up, "I d-d-d- I don't want to be f-f-frontline!"
Tomas says, "You're not, you are behind me."
Jareth reaches over and squeezes Mikal's shoulder, "Tomas will be in front, little rabbit."
Norris is caught up wondering how this Mordred person has convinced other mortals into the whole 'destroying worlds' business when Toma's order brings him back. "An I'll be behind you, Mikal. Dun need t' be afraid."
Mikal glances desperately up at Jareth, "B-b-bu-bu-buh..." She blinks, going suddenly still at a thought... then she takes a deep breath and whispers, "A-a-all right..." She waits silently, letting Tomas go about seven to ten stairs ahead of her before she starts following.
Mikal nocks an arrow and has two others handy while she waits, and she carefully keeps about a 15 foot distance between her and Tomas as she mounts the stairs.
Tomas walks up the stand, keeping close to the sergeant. He has the pole ax at high port, ready for anything.
As Tomas, Raphael, and the sergeant go up the stairs, with Mikal giving them a lead of about 15 feet, they spot two scruffy-looking men sitting at one of the tables, in deep conversation. Once glances over, does a double-take, and both mortals quickly start to stand...
Tomas shouts, "Stay seated if you know what's good for you!"
Raphael stalks in, his huge ruff raised and his jagged fangs bared in a menacing snarl.
Mikal whispers, [Raph, don't let them unstopper any vials, yes?]
One of the mortals visibly hesitates, going a bit pale. The other, however, snarls and shouts, "Never! For Mordred!" And he leaps to the attack.
Mikal hastily flattens herself against the stairwell wall, quite aware a very large man is likely going to be thundering past her!
Mikal mutters aggrievedly, "Why am I here?!" as she does so.
Mikal blinks as Raphael's hearing impinges on her awareness -- the men had been whispering about when the best time to drop the poison in the food would be!
Tomas takes a mighty swing at the charging man. He misses horribly.
The sergeant also takes a swing at the mortal, drawing and striking with his sword in one motion. The mortal, however, takes the blow on the flat of the blade, grunting and not immediately harmed.
Raphael leaps forward with a snarl, slashing sideways with his curving fangs in an effort to hamstring the man. The raptor-wolf's attack is a bit energetic, though, in his enthusiasm to protect his sibling. He gets the femoral artery instead of the hamstrings. With a cry of intense pain the mortal crumples to the floor, unconscious.
Raphael stands over the man, growling softly and glaring at the intimidated man. Down the stairs Mikall cries out, "The man's bleeding out -- someone bind him up!"
The mortal's companion, however, is wide-eyed with terror.
Jareth smiles his best smile at the intimidated mortal, moving so that he can be easily heard, "I think you really want to stay out of all this. I mean, what does Mordred really mean to you? You can't believe he really meant for you to succeed, after all? Not against all these guards?"
Mikal tiptoes carefully up the stairs, hugging the wall cautiously so she doesn't get into anyone's way. She kneels next to the downed man, yanking out some clean rags she keeps for this sort of emergency, and swiftly starts working on binding up the gaping wound. She grins ruefully to Raphael as she does so. She calls down the stairs as she works, "Norris, can you check the other guy real careful for the poisonlily vial, please?"
Norris doesn't feel the need to bludgeon a frozen mortal. So he moves to stand in front of his beloved friend, hefting his maul. "Ah suggest yew give me up anneh poison yew have, sirrah." he suggests quite calmly as he guards Mikal.
The mortal is simply terrified at this point, and with another glance at the snarling raptor-wolf who just cut open his companion's leg, he collapses onto his knees, holding his hands up over his head. "I give up! I give up, I surrender!!"
Norris looks over at the seargent. "Ah dunna have anneh thing to bind his hands with, sirrah. But if yew check him over, I'll guard him." he says confidently. He thumps the head of his maul in his hand firmly.
Tomas asks the sergeant, "Can you warn the other towers?"
Mikal sits back a moment later with a pleased air about her, "There! I think that'll hold him until real healers arrive."
By now some of the guards have come running at the sound of combat, and the sergeant nods soberly. "We've got rope enough to make him fast. Thank you, all of you.
Mikal points out worriedly, "We haven't found the poison yet." She starts cautiously searching the pockets of the unconscious man.
Norris doesn't have to act modest, what with him feeling like he has plenty of room what to be so, what with him only standig in front of his friend. On the other hand, he feels relieved to have not had to hit another man with his hammer.
Jareth moves to search the other of the mortal traitors.
The surrendered mortal stammers out, "He... he had it! He had the poison!" As he says it, Mikal finds the -- full -- vial of poisonlily. She also finds a small pounch with a number of gold coins. These are of different style than the elfcoins, in that they have no awen in them. Jareth also finds a similar pouch on the body of the other mortal. They are both armed with simple knives and nothing more.
Raphael grunts quietly and settles down in a relaxed sprawl across the doorway, protecting his friends -- and incidentally blocking folks from going in or out! Mikal exclaims a bit startledly at the pouch of gold, then reaches up to grab hold of the back of Norris's belt. She pulls herself to her feet, beaming as she holds out the knife and the pouch, "Look, Nor! Some of the nice shiny gold for you to work with -- and an extra knife if you want!" She's wrapped the vial in one of her rags, and that she holds out, wincing slightly, to the sergeant, "Um, d-d-do you w-want th-this, lady?"
Tomas looks at the sergeant, "What now? Do we take them back to the castle or just toss them over the edge? And you should probably warn the other towers if you can.
Mikal blinks startledly at Tomas, "T-toss them...?! B-bu-but they'd die!"
Norris considers, blinking. He's never done anything with gold before...
Tomas growls, "and if they have their way, everyone I know will die. That doesn't make me care much about them."
Jareth clucks his tongue, "Are these even real?"
Mikal considers Tomas's words, clearly struggling with the concept of a human... that acts like a monster.
Jareth is meaning the coins, holding one up to the light, "Or can they still be real with no awen? Are they like fairy gold?"
Norris examines the gold closely...
The sergeant examines the coins, and grimaces. "They're coins struck by Mordred's army. They have awen fixed in them, but only enough to make the coins permanent. They're basically promissary -- they are worth a certain amount of awen that is in Mordred's coffers. Beyond that they are useless to the Alfar. You may keep them, if you plan on forging something out of gold."
Mikal finally steps over so she can see the still-undamaged mortal. She leans to look into his face, staring intently. Finally she tilts her head and curiously asks, "Why? Why are you willing to kill other people like this?"
The sergeant views the two mortals with distaste. "I'd not mind tossing them, but... no, it's better to have them questioned. Seneschal Rowan and General Freyr would want to know what they know about Mordred's army."
Meanwhile the sergeant has carefully taken the poisonlily vial, and put it carefully into a pouch at her waist. "I'll make sure this is disposed of properly.
Jareth nods, "I'd like to know, too. Why? What is Mordred giving you but gold?"
The man seems simply speechless, and unable or unwilling to answer MIkal.
Mikal studies the stubbornly silent mortal puzzledly for a while... then straightens and steps carefully away from him. Softly she murmurs to Norris, still standing guard over the man, "He must be sick, Nor! I can't imagine why else people would want to help the monsters, you know?"
Norris doesn't respond at first. Then he finally murmurs, "How did you respond to this worl' at first, Mikal. Seem lak a nightmare. Seem maybe folk'll do annythin' t escape it." he repleis quietly.
Mikal blinks startledly at that, leaning absently against Norris with a hand resting on his belt. She stares thoughtfully off into the distance, considering that carefully. She finally rests the side of her head against Norris as she murmurs softly, "That... makes scary-good sense, Nor." She sighs softly, adding even more quietly, "I'm... awful glad you guys were here with me. I might have been too scared to think straight otherwise."
Norris puts a hand protectively, comfortingly on Mikal, holding his hammer in his fist...not exactly menacingly, but certainly with readiness.
Mikal sighs and relaxes a little, silently watching Jareth and the scared man.
Norris says, "Ah'll always be 'ere for you, Mikal. Me an' Jareh both."
The man makes what sounds like a tiny whimper. "I... I can't. He'll kill me...."
Tomas says, "Who?"
"M-mordred....
Mikal smiles up at Norris, unwittingly looking very young as she does so, "I know, Nor -- you and Jareth are Pack. Raph and I will keep hunting and tracking and looking out for you guys too, you know?"
Jareth reaches to put his hand on the man's shoulder, "Not if he can't get to you."
Tomas says, "If you can warn the other towers, I quess we will take these two back to the castle."
Mikal is leaning comfortably against her big, reassuringly solid pack brother, and her half brother is relaxed at the door so no one can get in to hurt them. Her charming packbrother -- the one that sometimes makes her feel like she's swallowed her tongue -- is trying to help the foolishly silent man. She has no idea why the man isn't responding as well to Jareth as everyone else, and she frowns, murmuring reprovingly, "You know he's trying to help you. You should be nice to him!"
The man looks between Mikal and Jareth, licking his lips nervously, then sags. "All right," he says quietly. "All right."
Mikal beams sunnily at the man, then grins at Jareth, "Go on, Jar -- help the man!"
Jareth blinks at Mikal and then gives her a little wink and smile of thanks. He also glances around to make sure Norris and Tomas are close by in case the prisoner does something dangerous. He looks into the man's eyes, obviously very sincere and says, "Please. We can't help you if we don't know what's going on ."
Mikal blushes in pleasure, turning her face half into Norris's side at the wink! Not enough that she can't peek cautiously out to see what's happening with the strange man, though.
Norris seems like a rock...but he is tense, wondering what, if anything, the scared man can do to fight back...
Tomas is talking to the sergeant, though he is keeping an eye on the three talking to the prisoner.
The man is breathing slowly, his head bowed. "Mordred's army... his spymaster, hired us to disrupt the guard towers. To k-kill the guards. At a prearranged sign.., after it was done, he'd... he'd have his troops sweep in to take the gatehouse. They'd hold it long enough for his army to move into position and breach the gate. If... if it went well, then it would be over quickly...."
Jareth nods slowly as he listens, face as expressionless as he can make it, "What signal?"
Norris tenses. An army close at hand? They cannot hope to fight that.
Mikal stands up on tiptoes to tug gently at Norris's collar so he'll lean to hear her as she whispers, "How many of them? How many were hired by the spymaster?" She is watching the man with intense curiosity.
The man fidgets. "The towers have a specially-treated wood for certain signals. We were supposed to light three green fires.
Tomas asks "How many towers are there?"
Jareth nods and pats the man on the shoulder, "Where's the army waiting?"
Mikal takes a breath at another thought, going on tiptoes again to whisper urgently to Norris, "And did Mordred promise them anything?"
The sergeant answers Tomas's question, "They're almost countless, surrounding the Mirror. But there are only six that would be of any use in assaulting the Palace -- three deosil and three widdershins."
Tomas asks, "Can you warn them?"
Mikal doesn't take her fascinated gaze off the shivering man as she opens her mouth -- then she hears Tomas and falls silent, nodding to herself.
Jareth shakes his head, "And you just got coins for that? For betraying other mortals?" He sounds sad and disappointed. The sort of sad and disappointed you get from a parent.
The man closes his eyes. "Three leagues out, in the Valley of Snow."
The sergeant considers. "If you came here to warn us, the Seneschal would have sent couriers -- maybe even stagriders -- to the other towers to warn them. I'll send a runner along the wall to the gatehouse, if we need to send a signal we'll coordinate with them."
The man looks to Jareth, going pale. "To.. to betray...? Man... have you seen the spider-wasps?! What is there to betray? They're everywhere, they eat worlds! Worlds! My gods, they ate my world... and.. and out from the shell of it... there came... there came...." He abruptly breaks into incoherent weeping.
Mikal whispers worriedly to the sergeant, "S-s-sergeant... th-the r-ranger I talked to said all the stag-riders were out in the wildy!"
Jareth takes a deep breath and wraps his arms around the weeping man, voice still gentle, "And Mordred wants them to do it to all the worlds. All of them. But they can be stopped. You could help stop them."
Norris doesn't know how to respond to any of this, so he remains silent, Unhappy, but silent.
Mikal looks a little pale herself, and she's leaning hard against Norris, her hand unwittingly tightened on his belt. She's not sure she wants to hear what hatches from a spider-wasp's disgusting nest.
The sergeant glances to Mikal, then bites her lip. "Well, that's... a problem." She calls out to one of the guards. "Ljossen! Signal fire! 'Secure the wall, enemy near.' I'll explain it to them later."
Then guard dashes off, calling out to other guards to help him run fire and wood up to the top of the tower. "We don't like closing the gatehouse," the sergeant explains, "Because it's hard to open again. But better some inconvenience now than an army in the Plaza of Songs.
"Besides," she adds, "It'll probably chase Mordred's army away if they realize the gig is up."
Mikal glances wide-eyed at the sergeant's comment -- then abruptly stuffs her free fist into her mouth to quash the sudden urge to giggle hysterically! A... problem... yes, you could say that! She whips her hand out of her mouth, her eyes huge, "B-bu-but what about the folks -- your p-people who're still out there?!"
Tomas says, "As long as you don't light 3 green fires."
"They'll see the fires and come back. Those who haven't been captured by Mordred, at least. If his army is this close...."
Mikal winces, looking frightened and worried. She wishes there were something they could do to help against the monsters menacing these folk!
Tomas pats Mikal on her shoulder. "We can only do the best we can."
The sergeant says, "You had best go back to Seneschal Rowan and let her know what's going on. She'll be expecting messengers soon enough."
Mikal twitches nervously, then nods quickly and nervously, her glance up at Tomas huge-eyed.
Tomas says, "Should we take these two or will you deliver them."
Mikal says, "I d-d-duh- uh, we sh-shouldn'tmovethisone, please?"
Mikal points at the unconscious man, still taking mental shelter in the presence of the two big fighters near her.
The sergeant looks at the man, and nods. "We'll keep them here till a healer can get to this one. I promise they won't be harmed."
Mikal sighs in soft relief, relaxing a bit... then glances around, "S-so... so now what, please?"
Tomas says, "Okay, then, let's go," and heads down the stairs and out the tower.
Mikal whispers a slightly startled, "...oh!" then glances worriedly at Norris and Jerath, "Um... J-jareth, are you... are you done?"
Jareth nods and lets the man go, squeezing his shoulder slightly as he stands. His face is very sober.
The man whimpers softly, only so Jareth can hear, "No... no, you don't understand... you can't stop them.... You can't. You can't end it all fast enough....."
Jareth answers, "Yes. We can. And we will."
The sergeant says gently, "You should go. Once we get that signal lit, we're not supposed to open the front doors until we're cleared by the Seneschal.
Mikal heads downstairs with the others, more than happy to head out. As they emerge into the outdoors she takes a deep, relieved breath -- then looks at the others, "Um, so... are we more useful going to the Seneschal? -or heading for the Gate, to help hold it until it's fully closed?"
Jareth says, "I think going to Rowan. She needs to know what we know.""
Tomas says, "We need to warn the seneshal."
The sergeant answers, "The seneschal. She needs to know right away and then she'll decide what to ask of you next.
Mikal gives Jareth a startled look -- then gives another to Tomas! "Y-you, you th-think..." She falls silent at the sergeant's words, looking a bit confused but swallowing her words. She heads back to the castle with the others, leading them as swiftly and directly as she and Raphael can. Shortly thereafter they're relating their misadventure to the Seneschal.
The Palace is a beehive of activity. From the steps of the palace, they can easilly see the six guard towers with signal fires, matched by the much larger one on the gatehouse. Atop one of the spires of the palace, there is an acknowledgement signal fire. Soldiers are moving -- quickly but efficiently -- to the gatehouse.
Rowan listens to the report, looking unhappy. "We'd no idea that his army was so close," she says tightly. "Well. This will probably chase him off, at least until he comes up with another scheme... if he hasn't already."
Mikal is on the fey-stag, rubbing Raphael's ears where he's standing on his hind legs and resting his curiously prehensile paw-hands on her thigh. She looks up unhappily, "What ab-bout your stag riders, lady? Will they make it back in time?"
Rowan sighs, closing her eyes. "I hope so. We'll be able to get them in with the gates closed but... they need to get here first.
Mikal looks confused, "You... how do you get stags over the wall?!"
Rowan says wryly, "With a very big block-and-tackle and scaffold. They'll be building it now. Not uncomfortable for the stags but it can take upwards of a full day to get the gate open if we're unlucky..
Mikal wonders in silent astonishment how something that big, on top of a huge wall... stays secret! -but she doesn't say anything, sure she's missed something obvious.
Rowan provides, "If we really need to, we can try to open the gate in a hurry if there are many stags waiting, but they all were scouting far afield. We could only be so lucky as for all of them to arrive all at once."
Mikal nods slowly, still silent. Clearly there's a lot she doesn't understand about this place.
"Be that as it may," Rowan says, "I have your payment for both missions you performed, and I have arranged for lodging in Icewell Village.
Mikal blinks, glancing around a bit nervously. She wonders if she can sneak off into the woods without being noticed... she'd rather live there than in a village of scary strangers!
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