| Heartwood Logs |
2000-04-14
| Heartwood |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
Death and Steel
It is deep into the night, closing upon the slowest passage of time, when life is at its lowest ebb. Above, between the tall ramparts, the stars glitter upon sable and two moons cast a soft dressing of silver upon the walls of battered Cragside. It washes into the shadowed warehouse entrance, sending jags of blackness between the columns and into the stacks of barrels and crates. Against one column there seems to be the figure of a young lass, her hands bound around the scored wood, behind her.
Cragside: The Guild Warehouse
Tight against the town
wall, this warehouse is a small building crafted of stone and wood. The
forward half of the building is an open storage area, with four heavy
wooden columns rising from a hard packed earth floor. To one side a ladder
leads to an upper loft, which can also be reached though a large square
hole in the ceiling. A pair of ropes loop down from the darkness above,
most probably rigging for an unseen block and tackle. Two handful of
crates and barrels are scattered against the building's perimeter in no
apparent order or arrangement save that of convenience.
Brisa knees Khari into the warehouse, her little spark whisking ahead to hang over the bound girl. She's still got her arrow nocked as she murmurs, "Anuje, can you cut the girl free?"
Roxanna says, "Anuje, stay right there. I'll do it." She slides clumsily down off her mount and pulls out her eating knife to cut through the ropes, then heads over to the bound girl, alert with all her childhood street-wise senses for anything that might seem... wrong.
Brisa keeps looking around warily as she murmurs, "Keep a tight hold on the cantle -- the back of the saddle -- kisa... Khari might have to jump quickly..." Anuje nods quietly and looks around herself.
Benedict looks back the way they came, heart pounding in his ears. If they can do this, pull this off... A sudden thought makes him shiver: Velikii's out there somewhere... maybe looking for the very thing we've been looking for...
The girl doesn't stir as Roxanna approaches, but then it is very late at night when most folks are indeed just asleep. The rope isn't heavy, but it is tough, and as the knife cuts the girl stirs, as if slowly waking from an exhausted dream. "...vashhh ist dvasss..." Once loosed she falls forward, awkwardly catching herself. She blinks, once, twice and then scrabbles back fast, a handful of paces, trying to shake the sleep from her head. "...vahhsh?... what?"
Roxanna says, "Are you all right? We're here to rescue you, I suspect."
Brisa calls out softly, "Friends we are, Elise, and I am thinking we should leave quickly!"
The girl looks back. "You... you suspect? You mean you might not be?"
Roxanna grins. "That depends on if you're Elise or not. If not, we'll rescue you anyway, but then we still have to find her."
Anuje whispers, "She cut you free, yea?"
Benedict murmurs, "Very quickly," continuing to look around, using whatever perception Hastur might yet grant his priest. Let them call him a worrier -- with an Apostate Imperial out and about, not to mention what might remain of the... the cabal that had kidnapped Elise, this was anything but a safe night.
Brisa turns to glance at Elise and growls, "Girl, time to go it is! Listen to Atteran, mount up!"
Roxanna says, "Come, come." She offers a hand to the girl as she heads back toward the carthorses. "You can tell us what's going on when we're out of here. We didn't get all of your captors, I fear."
Looking up, the girl's eyes go wide. "That's Buttercup!... and Blossom..." She lets Roxanna draw her back to the horses, turning from each of these strange (at least to her) people to the next, "...and Bubbles." Benedict blinks, turning around as Elisa names the horses. He makes no comment, however, turning back to his nervous vigil, filing the names away.
Khari whirls lightly and trots to just inside the door. Brisa leans to look out, listening carefully and looking around, waiting until she hears the heavy tread of the carthorses behind her, ready to leave. Brisa mutters incredulously under her breath, "...Bubbles...?!" She grins.
Anuje chews her lip and leans forward to Brisa. "Are we goin'?"
Brisa nods quietly, "With our companions, yes. We can't go faster than the carthorses." She continues scanning suspiciously for possible enemies.
Roxanna scrambles clumsily back on top of Blossom with a little help from Trystan. "Mount up, dear, we need to be elsewhere." Still shaking off the shock, Elise quickly scramble up one of the big horses, her actions more sure once she touches the beast's warm fur, making sure it's not just another exhausted dream.
Lanky and tall, Elise moves with the awkward grace of the young, a frontier lass in pragmatic garb. A full tunic and undertunic hang loose over her slender frame, dark green over soft white, bound at her waist by a long, knotted leather belt. Long, dark hair falls past her shoulders, framing emerald eyes behind rough cut bangs. And while she might be but a few seasons past three handful of years, her gaze is sharp and seasons more strong.
Brisa nods to Trystan to start off... she turns Khari so she can give a couple of encouraging slaps on the rumps of the carthorses, to get them moving briskly... then canters slowly forward to scout. She's leading the horses to the Atteran hospice. Anuje looks around alertly, not relishing meeting up with more of what she did earlier. Benedict keeps an eye behind the little caravan, worriedly looking for any approaching potential enemies. Roxanna mainly tries to stay on the horse's back. Brisa murmurs to her companions while she's next to them at one point, "Am thinking best to tie horses up somewhere out of sight, then get rid of remaining watchers at Circlet... hitch up and leave. Roxanna, can you update girl?"
Roxanna nods. "I can do that while you clean up the loose ends, I think."
Brisa nods to Roxanna, then continues moving the small group swiftly through town, pausing only to scout ahead for potential enemies... she stops at the Hospice, "Everyone off here. If I succeed, I return for you. If not, best to get out of town quick and quiet, da?"
Benedict says, "Brisa, where are you going?"
Brisa raises an eyebrow at Benedict, "What you think? Am removing obstacles to Circlet." Brisa's accent is getting noticeably thicker as the worries of the night accumulate. Brisa pauses... then Khari hastily backs up to the carthorse Elise is on. Brisa stares up at her in the moonlight, her harsh whisper carrying to her friends, "Elise... what your father carrying that get so many killed?!" Anuje looks the girl over quietly, still sitting behind Brisa. Benedict glances over to the young woman, nervously, and thinks that me might be dreading the answer if he had even half an idea of what it was.
Elise looks back and brushes her bangs from her eyes. As she does so there is the lightest jingle of metal against metal, as silver earrings jangle. "Killed..." She looks surprised. "Didn't Fa tell you?"
Brisa says, "No. Am thinking best if you tell us inside, also."
Roxanna says, "He was the first one to die, I'm afraid."
Brisa blinks in surprise at Roxanna... she would have done that differently... well, an Atteran should know best how to deliver such news, she supposes. Anuje blinks at that news, glancing from Roxanna to Elise. Benedict glances at Roxanna's answer, but says nothing; perhaps if she knew forthwith... He frowns. I'd hate for us to meet a similar fate... Ah, Hastur, what is the truth behind this mess?
Brisa slips carefully off Khari, letting her right leg carry most of her weight, then just as carefully helps Anuje off, "Go inside, kisa... am thinking you worst hurt tonight, can use most rest." She looks up at the girl, "You need help off horse or no?"
The Atteran's words just catch Elise sudden and blindsided. "Fa?"
Roxanna takes over from Brisa, helping Anuje into the Hospice. "I'm afraid so. We need to know what the cargo is, Elise, to keep anyone else from joining him."
Anuje purses her lips, glancing at the others. "Brisa... if you leave this town, wake me up. I don't want to stay."
Brisa mentally uh-ohhs at Elise's reaction... she holds her arms up for the girl, trying to distract her. If she were tall enough she'd just lift Elise off the carthorse... but they're a little too big even for her, "Come, Elise... we talk inside. You safe there." She nods to Anuje, "I not leave you, kisa." Anuje nods to Roxanna and accepts her help inside.
Elise closes her eyes for a long, long moment. "I... told him..." She lets Brisa help her off the horse, her stance shaken. She doesn't look at anyone, "...in the carts... I warned him, I did... death."
Benedict almost immediately leaps off of the carts at the young girl's words. "D-death?" he whispers. He's a little more pale than usual.
Brisa gently lifts the girl down, then beckons to Benedict to help her into the hospice. She'll gather up the lead-ropes and tether the horses behind the hospice with the other horses, then neatly tie up Khari's reins. If anyone's stupid enough to bother the horses Khari will alert her. Then she limps swiftly into the hospice to see how everyone's doing.
Cragside: The Atteran Hospice
A small portion of the Imperial
rectory, the little hospice has been given a moderately spacious room
for Lady Mari's work. Clean and bright, large shuttered diamond paned
windows offer fresh air and a view to the town's main street. Inside is
quite different from the exterior. The walls are perfectly white washed,
but what should be an ample space is crowded with beds. Each is different,
as if collected from many years worth of sales and donations, and most
are filled. Some, sworder types, seem the worst hurt, but even those
with but a fever or persistent ache are treated equally here. this late,
this far into the night, only moonlight disturbs the sleep of the hurt
and wounded.
Brisa glances around, then whispers to Roxanna, "Room anywhere to talk private-like?"
Roxanna nods. "This way..." She leads the little group into the office/storeroom at the rear of the hospice. Elise walks in, her strength slowly returning. She finds a corner to herself and sits, drawing her arms about her. Anuje shakes a little, hanging onto Roxanna.
Brisa limps in last, closing the door behind them gently, then settles with a weary sigh on the nearest sturdy object, her left leg out before her. She gives the girl a rather sympathetic look, "Need moment, Elise? Am sorry to bear such bad news." She waits for Anuje to settle, and Elise to talk. Roxanna also waits for Elise to talk. After a few minutes, she decides she may as well check the poor kid for injuries while she's waiting, and walks over. Elise just lets Roxanna look her over. She's tired, and the ropes have left burns upon her wrists. But aside from that she seems fairly well off. No abuse, no bruises, a well-kept prisoner she must have been. Relatively speaking.
Anuje finds a place to settle and does so carefully. She tries to stay awake to hear what Elise has to say, but she's so tired...
Brisa waits a while, then says gently, "Elise... what was cargo? Am sorry, but have very limited time, many enemies here."
Elise answers slowly, "The cargo..." As she does she lifts one hand to her ears and gently brushes her earrings, as if to confirm they were still there. "We... Fa and me... we were shipping from the smithies of Whitewater... steel... but not just steel... death... sword blanks."
Brisa says, "What is this? -steel death sword blanks?"
Elise looks back. "Sword blanks. Don't you know... what they make swords from."
Roxanna says, "Steel blanks? Or... darksteel?"
Brisa's expression and voice hardens, "You were shipping steel weapons to lowland lords who are now starving the upland peoples?! Am thinking should ask why?!"
Roxanna says, "Let's not jump to conclusions, Brisa. Which way were they travelling?"
Brisa says, "West, say Barry. That sound like down to lowlands to me."
Roxanna raises an eyebrow. "Indeed."
Brisa is steadily studying Elise, "Well? Would like to hear am wrong."
Shaking her head, Elise looks back, her eyes suddenly sharp. "No. You don't understand. This supply of steel, it's not like all the others. No, it's not darksteel... but it's also not promised. Look, it's almost storms and we were on already on this side of Highgaard Pass when the embargo came crashing down."
Brisa sounds no less sharp... or convinced, "What is 'promised' mean? Who it to go to?" Brisa blinks suddenly and glances a little more closely at Elise, her brow furrowed. Eyes sharp, she notes the young girl's earrings. They seem very plain, but they are finely crafted. Each is a set of three bangles hanging from her small ears, and each bangle is a small, open centered triangle.
Roxanna says, "Means they're travelling on speculation, not on contract, Brisa. They can sell them anywhere they want. And from what she says when they started in that direction there was no embargo problem. Now... what do you mean, this steel isn't like the rest?"
The girl merchant nods. "Not promised. We didn't have a buyer at the end -- that's why we were coming to the Cragside markets. Don't you know how steel ships? Most is already owned, bought and paid for, before it leaves the Highgaard forges. This shipment... isn't."
Brisa shakes her head, "This not sounding right. Why secrets? Why such hurry? Why Elise warning her da of death? Am thinking we missing something here."
Roxanna says, "Ah..."
Blinking again, Elise tilts her head. "Don't you know anything of running trade? Or even running a household?"
Brisa glares at Elise, and snarls, "NO! Know of keeping silly girls who not answer questions ALIVE, but am wondering why at this point!"
Roxanna turns and raises an eyebrow at Brisa. "Because it's the right thing to do. Do you think that perhaps the Horde might be interested in purchasing this cargo?"
Anuje jerks and blinks, grabbing for her dagger. Brisa says, "Am also knowing of 3 dead men so far for this cursed load, and am thinking will have to kill more to get you safely out of town, and am not happy about this... so talk!" She shifts, looking grumpy and vaguely guilty, and mutters, "Sorry, kisa... will keep voice down." Anuje looks relieved and lies back down. She watches Elise for a bit, idly wondering when to tell her about the clothes she borrowed as she drifts off again.
Barking back, the lassie snaps back fiercely. "Maybe you should, then. To run a household you must plan ahead... or is that concept lost to you. Think. The forging of steel is long and hard. It ships down from the mountains on a schedule, like the stars slipping in the skies above. When the bloody-haired Allaines closed down the steel road all the major shipments were already accounted for, bought and owned, the season over... and with no shipping the forges banked... do you even have any idea what that means?"
Brisa rolls her eyes, then says patiently, "No. Perhaps her highness will tell someday."
Roxanna frowns to herself and does another check on Anuje. "We are none of us merchants, girl. What does it mean?"
Elise continues, "It means that even if the embargo were lifted tomorrow, it would be a season before the first steel could ship down from Highgaard. If we turn around we'd not even make it halfway up the pass before the snows hit... and so here Fa and I arrive, with the last three carts of the finest sword blanks this side of Snowgate Pass that aren't already owned by anyone."
Brisa nods, still doing her best to be patient, "So you have load of steel no one else have, can make... killing with it. What you intending to do with it?" She wonders if Colin intended just to get as much as he could for it... or if he had a care for his potentially starving compatriots this coming winter.
Eyes sharp, Elise just gives Brisa a long, long look. Then she just reaches up to her ears and slowly takes off her earrings. She looks at them and frowns, very dark. And when she looks up she just throws them at Brisa, hard. "I told Fa it would get us killed. Do you think I want it after what it's done? There. Stuck up vale vagrant, you get my ransom, I guess, if that's what you are worried about. It's yours." Shee draws up her knees and hugs them, resting her forehead on her arms.
Brisa gives the girl a blank look, then picks up one of the earrings and examines it curiously. Turning the silver jewelry over in her hand, she can easily tell the craftsmanship of these pieces is excellent and old. The triangles can be loosed from their fine chain so Brisa might hold six Forest Runes in her hand. Five of the six are identical. Simple slivers of metal, and in their base the finest slot, on the bottom face of the triangle... not on the flat. The sixth has no such slot. Brisa picks up the other earring... she sighs and rises carefully, then limps over to Elise. When she kneels next to the girl she winces -- her wounded leg is starting to stiffen up -- but settles with no more than a tight, small grunt of pain next to Elise. She reaches out and gently takes Elise's hand, and if Elise will let her she'll carefully turn it over to put the earrings in it, "Elise... am sorry for yelling. Have not lost my da, and was worried. But truth... am worried because now must get three carts, one wounded, and six civilians -- includes you -- out of city which right now is in revolution... and Thieves' Guild is also after your load. Am not trying to steal what is rightly yours... am trying, even if clumsy, to help. Look... am giving keys back, see?"
Slowly Elise just raises her head, still and quiet. She gives Brisa a second long, long look. Then she shakes her head again, not accepting the earrings back. "No. Keep them. I... I..." She pauses, taking a breath. "I really do not want it any more. You can still have it. For... for helping me." She stops, a second time. "Thank you."
Brisa sighs, "Elise... is not right for me to take. Am just simple follower of Dayalla... household mine is in my horse's packs. What I do with this? But... know of someone might could well use it well? You to her wish to talk?"
Elise shakes her head, quiet. "All I need is the horses. I... I can always restart with Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles. The other three I can sell for a new stake. More than enough. If you have a place for that cursed cargo, then it's all yours."
Brisa frowns, thinking... then says gently to the girl, "Elise, where you go next?"
Letting out a long sigh, Elise rests her chin upon her knees, her brow furrowing. "Sell three of the horses. If I just did nothing, could live for years, even at a nice tavern and room... but I'll sell three to a good buyer, maybe stay with Barry or find a farm just east. Head back up to Whitewater after the snows, snare a load of furs and head out Amber way. Trade the fur for a few colts, then wander towards Talesan's Village at the base of the Highland Path and trade the colts for a few casks of Amber Beer..."
Brisa hmms, tapping her fingers on one knee... then she says, "You know of Wild Horde? They good horses might want, might also take sword blanks? Am thinking you with them would be safe, could winter well... am thinking staying here in city wery unwise right now... city in rewolt against Imperial Welikii right now. Am thinking this good way to get wagons out past thieves too... not many want to tangle with Horde."
Her eyes narrowing, Elise nods. "They are the Khorall Linnell Allaine's fangs, this Wild Horde. But these are not war-horses, just Highgaard bred carters. But no, no I do not wish to stay here. In this city. If I had a choice."
Brisa nods, "Wery good then. With them you get out safely... am hoping we all with them safely may leave." She uses a barrel to help herself rise, with some effort, then sighs, "Am thinking sleep soon wery good also would be. Come, we talk with captain or lieutenant." She doesn't comment that being surrounded by polite, available young men probably wouldn't hurt Elise any either... she just opens the door for everyone to leave, "Need hand, Anuje?"
Anuje's eyes flutter open and she looks up at Brisa. "Hmm? Oh...uhm..." She holds her breath as she starts to get up and then reaches for the offered hand.
Brisa lifts Anuje easily to her feet, smiling, "Am hoping rest soon, Anuje."
Anuje says, "You, you mean? I've been already. Still could sleep forever, I think." She looks at Elise. "I've got some of your clothes. I hope you don't mind I borrowed them. Do you want them back?" Brisa chuckles quietly at Anuje's comment.
Elise just gives Anuje a long look, considers and laughs. "I can afford it, I think." Anuje ohs quietly.