| Logs |
2010 December 28
| Neverneverwhere |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Taps Logs |
Speaking With Serpents
Six months after the events which led to Chanticleer joining Corbett's Cross-Continental Caravan and leaving Baton Rouge, the caravan is wending its way back to the City of the Red Sceptre. They're laden with trade goods which are in demand in the plains settlements and on the west coast. On the east coast, Boston is still doing some trade with England and Europe via the high seas, as are some of the other coastal cities. It has been a wet, miserable trip for much of the way and many of the caravaneers are looking forward to spending a few days staying still. That in and of itself is an unusual sentiment. Little Joe, as he's still called even though he's no longer a boy, has scouted ahead to see what conditions are like in the city, and to let King Roy know the caravan will be needing to ford the river.
Suraksha is pacing along in the dank mud next to her wagons, making sure everyone is all right and being visible for her people. She too is looking forward with almost heartfelt sincerity to dry socks and a warm, dry bed. She grins wryly as Alg gallops by with the dogs -- they at least seem to be having fun! -then smiles at Chanticleer, "So, any second thoughts about joining us?" She pushes her hat back a bit to look up at the sidhe, the rainwater trickling down her back and causing her to squeak startledly. She rolls her eyes at herself, then continues the muddy trudge with everyone else.
Chanticleer is wearing an oilskin cape with a broad hood; a walking stick helps him to find relatively solid purchase in front of him before he steps ankle-deep into mud. All in all, though, he seems rather pleased and chipper, enjoying the rain -- after all, none of the metals the sidhe knights use are terribly prone to rust. "None, Lady, I assure you," he says. "I don't recall it being quite this soggy, though. But at least it's not the dead of summer with this humidity."
Suraksha laughs at that, patting Chanticleer's wet arm, "That's the spirit!" She grins, humming a bit as she picks up the pace... she finds herself, oddly, hoping Roy wants to hire her as a Hetaera again.
Chanticleer adds, "Though I hope we're out of here before said summer hits us."
Suraksha smiles and nods, "Oh, assuredly. Heading into the plains by then, should be." She smiles up at the tall sidhe, "You'll get to meet the wild, dangerous barbarians of the Great Plains, perhaps." She's referring to the stories most often told about the riders that haunt the Plains, making them perilous to traverse. Oddly, she doesn't sound terribly worried.
Chanticleer arches a brow a little. "You don't seem worried about that prospect. They leave you alone?"
Suraksha grins cheerfully, "Oh, no, not at all! They hang out quite a bit while we're crossing." She giggles, her eyes sparkling, and on the wagon next to them, Ilyana Sokoloff snorts in amusement, calling, "You're teasing him, Auntie Sura!" The slim young acrobat is driving her family's wagon, and she adds with pride, "She's charmed them as well, da? The Warlord's sweetheart, she is... and her foster daughters, the Amazons, are the Warlord's children."
Suraksha laughs and shakes her head, "Not charmed, so much as in the right place at the right time." Ilyana snorts disbelivingly again.
Joe normally gallops everywhere, but this rain doesn't make for good galloping. Instead, he trudges. The trudging brings him up to Sura and Chanticleer with an oilskin packet of papers. Sura looks up at Joe, smiling, "Hey, there! What'cha got?"
Chanticleer blinks to Ilyana. "Well, this should be an interesting summer!" he quips, as Little Joe comes up. Ilyana beams at the sidhe, and as Sura's attention shifts to Joe, the young woman pats the bench next to her in invitation to Chanticleer.
Joe slides down from his horse with a miserable sort of a plop and grunts, handing Sura the packet, "Letters for various folks left with the postmaster of the city. Crossing pass from King Roy for our westbound passage. A couple of requests for drayage."
Suraksha covers the grin at Joe's dislike for the rain, then manages to nod sagely as she accepts the papers, "All right. Thanks, Little Joe. Any of the letters for our folks, or just delivery?" She trots forward a bit to the back of the wagon ahead of Ilyana's, swinging herself up onto the tiny sheltered back porch so she can sort carefully through the letters without getting them wet. She murmurs absently, "You've already let Ohkwa know, yes?" She carefully tucks the crossing pass into her pouch -- don't want to lose that.
Joe says, "Some of the letters are for our folks. There's one in there for you from King Roy. He's apparently out of town at the moment, but I didn't pry too far."
Suraksha looks pleased, sorting out the letters for the caravaneers, "Fantastic! Would you deliver these? I know people always want to hear news soonest." She hands Joe the letters, then pulls out the one to her from the king, studying it curiously. She's vaguely bummed to hear he's out of town... but then she laughs at herself. He's just a client! She carefully slits open the letter.
Chanticleer arches a brow. "I'm glad they're all right, it seems," he says quietly. "I was concerned about that... thing... with Lafayette's men late last year. He climbs up to settles comfortably beside Ilyana, glad to take a load off his feet. He's nimble enough to nance about atop the mud, but that would not move the caravan faster, and it would not endear him to his fellow caravaneers! Ilyana is happy to have the elegant sidhe seated next to her, and she chatters happily to him as she guides the pair of horses.
The letter from Roy actually contains two letters, one from Roy and one from Pierce. The king writes about hoping their trip to and from the east coast has been a good one and that he has left a pass for them in case they arrive while he's gone. There are some hints that the reason he's gone has to do with the goings-on when last they were in Baton Rouge. Mostly, however, it's a chatty letter. He does mention that he hopes they are in town at the same time, as he does wish to hire her again. He sends his regards to Chanticleer and Alg and then signs off.
Suraksha grins at the letter from Roy, rather touched he's trying so hard to be nice. Then she opens Pierce's letter -- which is much more direct. The chirurgeon says, essentially, Roy has gone south with guards in pursuit of Droog's handler. Pierce suggests they either avoid the city completely or go directly to Froid Jacques. Suraksha blinks at that, somewhat startled. If Roy has gone south after the puppetmaster... why is Pierce worried about the caravan being in the city? Sura frowns thoughtfully, then re-reads the letter. Could Pierce be feeling hostile towards the caravan, perhaps? Might that be why he wants them to avoid the city?
Chanticleer cheerfully chats with Ilyana, but notices when Suraksha frowns at the letters. "Is... anything wrong?" he asks tentatively.
Suraksha murmurs absently, "Mmmmaybe..." She finishes the letter, then shakes her head. No, Pierce doesn't sound hostile, she decides... but that still leaves the confusing issue of why he'd be worried for them while Roy's not in the city -- while the king is, in fact, hunting the puppetmaster elsewhere. Sura looks up from the letter, glancing over the horses to where Ilyana and Chanti sit, and smiles, "So, how does Chevrefoil feel about carrying two, Chanti?"
Chanticleer blinks in surprise, then purses his lips. "Well... he's a big stag, and I'm rather light. He's used to carrying- uh, me and my things. I think he can handle two people travelling light. You need to get there quickly?" Inwardly he curses. ['He's used to carrying me in armor.' Oh, that will go over without demands for explanation.]
Suraksha nods a bit grimly, "Yes, to Froid Jacques, and as discreetly as possible." She tucks the two letters into her pouch, adding, "Let me warn a few folks we're heading that way, and then I'll be ready. Can you cover me with glamour?" She's already bouncing down from the wagon, calling for one of the young runners. She passes on the message to Ohkwa and Sna'tha that she's heading into town incognito with Chanticleer, what Pierce's letter said, and that they should be back soon. After that she stops by her wagon, leaves all the remaining letters but Pierce's there, then comes trotting out in search of Chanticleer.
Chanticleer blnks again. "If you stay really close, I can, but you'd have to not move much. Chevrefoil may be known. I'd have to glamour him as well..." His brow furrows in thought.
Suraksha grins up at the sidhe, "I'll stay right behind you on Chevre, until we're there." Chanticleer gets Chevrefoil saddled and ready, and helps Suraksha up to settle behind him. As they start off, he glamours them. It takes quite a bit of concentration to hide Chevre's magnificent and distinctive rack, and make him look like a horse, as well as to make both himself and Suraksha look like very slightly down-on-their-luck humans -- which is why they're sharing a "horse" rather than using two.
When they reach Froid Jacques' rambling house they find a couple of men lounging on the porch. One of them is Froid Jacques himself, with his largest python curled around his shoulders. The other man sits in a chair with his heels kicked up on the porch railing and a broad-brimmed hat pulled down over his face; his hands are folded over his stomach. Suraksha studies the men cautiously from where she sits behind Chanticleer, her arms about his slender waist. She's a bit surprised the snake is out in such rainy weather... but then maybe Froid Jacques has been under attack too? Trusting in Chanticleer's glamour to disguise her voice as well as her look, she calls out softly, "Froid Jacques, have you a minute to talk..." she glances at the stranger, then adds, "privately, please?" She adds hopefully, "We'd be willing to talk with you right here on the porch, if you sent your man in?" She doesn't want to draw Chanticleer away from Chevre -- the stag is pretty distinctive, after all.
Froid Jacques tips his head to one side and the python rears up, tongue flickering through the damp air for a moment before the big snake slithers his head under Froid Jacques' hair. The houngan says with wry humour, "I am afraid I have been asked not to be alone with anyone for a few days. Except, of course, with the gentlemen that are visiting with me from the palace." The other man twitches a little at that, but then settles back into his seeming relaxation.
Suraksha frowns, then turns her intent gaze on the other man, studying his chakras to see if he's a good man. "You, sir... you are from the palace?"
Chanticleer also frowns a little. Not alone...? What paranoia has Roy gotten himself into now? He murmurs quietly to Suraksha, so the others can't hear, "He's one of Roy's men. Not his favorite, but definitely competent. He's... trying to be inconspicuous, I think." Suraksha nods silently against Chanti's back, still studying the man carefully.
The man with Froid Jacques grunts at the question, tensing up slightly, and his folded hands clench together. He raises his head to peer at them from under the brim of his hat, "Think maybe you oughta be moving on along."
Suraksha looks abruptly surprised as she realizes: this man is scared to death! He's also got strong lower chakras and a decent amount of brainpower -- he's no genius, but he's also not a cretin. Right now, he's very on edge despite the relaxed body language. She lets her voice get soothing as she murmurs, "Froid Jacques, you know who we are. Would you reassure the gentleman here, please?" To the guard she adds softly, as she slides off Chevrefoil's back, "I have a letter from Pierce for my affidavits." She looks up at Chanti, adding, "Can you turn Che- er, your mount sideways, so people can't see me clearly, please?" She keeps her hands in sight of the guard, adding politely, "I will have to reach into my pouch for the letter, all right?"
Chanticleer nods, letting Chevrefoil sidestep a bit so Suraksha is blocked from casual and not-so-casual looks, as she steps away from the glamour. Suraksha adds in warning to the guard, "I'm also going to lose my glamour. Don't be alarmed, please."
The guard glances over at Froid Jacques, who says, "They're fine, man. I believe they're a former guard and a Hetaera." The man blinks at mention of her being a Hetaera -- he was there for the scene at the party. To Sura he says, "Go on, then."
Suraksha nods cheerfully at Jacques' comment, then beams at the guard, "Thank you!" She pulls out the letter, offering it to the guard as she adds to Jacques, "So what's up? Why did Pierce tell us to either avoid the city entirely, or go straight to you?" She adds in explanation, "We came ahead to check things out, before the caravan. What's your advice?" Chanticleer remains quietly alert, half his attention on Suraksha, Froid Jacques, and the guard; the other half on the street.
The guard slides one hand into his pocket and reaches for the letter with the other. He frowns a bit as he glances over it and says, "This information isn't meant to be given out. Most think his majesty is on a pleasure excursion."
Suraksha nods to the guard, "All right, thank you. We didn't know that." She looks inquiringly back at Jacques.
Froid Jacques says, "Most likely so you'd get the full story without someone trying to pull you into this whole debacle. The one that was pulling all the strings, they found out who she was. Gone off to stop her."
Suraksha raises an interested eyebrow, "She's got agents in town then. How would we get pulled into this? Why is it a debacle?" She grins, "And who is she?"
Chanticleer frowns even deeper as he hears this. "She's down the river? Past Lafayette?
Suraksha glances back up at Chanti, "You know her?"
Jacques nods and the guard, Claude by name, hops back up on the porch after giving Sura back the letter. The houngan says, "Yes. Down deep in the swamps. Past Lafayette. They call her Mami Chat." He says the name with a Creole French lilt to it, "Don' know who she really is yet." After a moment he adds, "That part worries me."
Suraksha says, "She's new?" She tucks away the letter carefully.
Claude says, "Actually, from all the information we have she's very, very old."
Suraksha waits for all the questions they've asked to be answered, nodding thoughtfully to Claude. Chanticleer frowns again. "Mother Cat." That sounds strangely ominous. "She isn't the vodou queen who was in town last?"
Froid Jacques smiles at Suraksha and there's a flash of the short, inward-turning teeth of a serpent in his mouth, "My advice is that you don't let a poisonous snake hide in your yard. Keep your people in the caravan if you can, down by the riverbank. I don't think Pierce would have written if he didn't want you to follow."
Suraksha nods thoughtfully, studying the 'horse' -- then she nods politely, "Thank you, honored one." She hesitates, then politely adds, "Can you tell us why you consider it a debacle? Do you know why she hates the king so?"
Froid Jacques laughs a quiet laugh and stands up, tipping his head toward the front door, "Because too many things slipped past my horse's awareness. He should be brighter than that. And I do not know why she hates him so."
Suraksha gives Damballah a wry glance, feeling a bit sorry for poor Froid Jacques being publicly berated so. She just nods, though, and gives a small, polite half-bow to the entity, "Thank you for your wisdom, honored one." She glances back at Chanti and grins, her eyes lighting up a bit, "So, up for a bit of adventure? Do you know the route the king's likely to have taken?"
Chanti blinks. "If you're sure we should, then... sure. It's a bit of a roundabout route, but the river's like that. I'm not too familiar with the bayou, though. Roy was born to it. That's where he came from when he took over."
Suraksha smiles as she scrambles back up onto Chevrefoil's back, then settles in behind Chanticleer. "Well, you heard Damballah -- he thinks Pierce wants us to follow! Would Alg know it better, perhaps?"
Claude gets up to follow Froid Jacques and the python back into the house. Damballah calls over his shoulder, the hiss in his voice more obvious at higher volume, "The sssstag and the goblin sshould be able to follow."
Suraksha grins as she calls back, "Thank you, sir!" She beams and pats Chanti's arm, "This'll be fun! Let's head back to the caravan and collect what we need."
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