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[howandwhy99]

[DAY 71 – Feastday, Azer 3rd, CY 81]
– [DAY 79 – Weddingday, Azer 11th, CY 81]

When Ben woke up the next morning he noticed Mirel and Dram snoozing in beds near Dalin. Ben attempted again to heal the sick man again with his prayers, but the divine energies were no longer enough. Dalin’s body was whole, but his heart and soul needed time to recuperate. Ben knew the feeling well. Pounding came from the rear door. Igor rushed inside. “The Dwarf ‘s collectin’ ever’body. Follow me.” Dram and Mirel were woken and they all walked down to the Keep’s front entrance and bailey tower. Captain Darius and Lord Ratcliffe were standing in front of another dwarf and five nude men. The watchguard were doing there best to cover them with clothes.

“Then hail to you Good Cyrus of the Dwarves. You are a Hero here in Margrave.”
Lord Ratcliffe paused and looked to his left. “Meet Captain Darius the ... uh... Champion of the Dwarfs. Perhaps you know each other?”
Ormand, Kayla, Ben, and the others approached.
“And these are his worthy Companions” Ratcliffe swept his arm around nearly hitting Dram in the face. The team examined the dwarf. He wore full plate, but Darius saw it was not dwarven made. It was a dull grey. Igor noticed the pricey dagger at his side. It was easily finer than any blade he had ever seen. And Igor considered himself a connoisseur. Kayla remembered Cyrus immediately. He still looked exactly the same as when she saw him at the Chaos Caves. Only the dagger was new.

“’s there a reward?” Cyrus mumbled out.
“Yes! Of course!” Radcliff said. “The joy in your heart for five lives rescued!”
Cyrus harrumphed and walked away into town.
“Well that was strange” said Ratcliffe.
“Yes, it was” replied Darius.
The group began questioning the five escapees. Their feet were cut up and bodies covered in dirt. Only the large, muscular one would speak. He said his name was Reynaldo. He was not the first one in the caves to be captured, but he had been inside for several weeks. When asked about Cyrus his eyes grew wide. He started repeating “He... saved us”. Reynaldo looked in the direction Cyrus the dwarf walked off in. From that point on the group could get little more out of him.

For the next eight days Dalin slumbered. As Ben and the others prayed for his recovery, each spent the time to his or her best advantage. Darius, Dram, Pax, and Ormand the Redd all trained in swordsmanship with Lord Ratcliffe. For a Lord, he seemed to have quite a bit of free time. One day during training he mentioned how he had found a huge map of the County. It was built into a large table which had been turned upside down in his room. He was very proud to have found it. Dram started sketching it as best he could. Seeing his students were so interested, Radcliffe handed them a slim book to read. “Here. This was found underneath the table. It is of little use to me. I’ve already read the story. Terribly few pictures I’m afraid. I just need to return it to Lady Devereaux when you’re done.” Darius paged through the journal. It was actually a ledger with notes on all the items bought, sold, and traded by the Keep. The past few years of the Keep’s activities and procedure were all logged within. Darius thanked Ratcliffe. “It is nothing. You are in charge of the Keep’s guard you know. Work hard. Don’t dawdle.”


Click map for a larger version

In her Advisor’s room, Kayla examined the ledger Darius shown her. She saw nothing unusual or strange about it and gave it back. She actually was busy studying her spells and had almost no free time to talk. She kept her door shut and muffled whenever the others fought with practice swords with Radcliff. Father Ben during his time had not yet even entered Father Hedrach’s old chambers in the temple. Though, as new head priest they were meant for Ben. The stonemasons were finishing off the brickwork around the office and the roof would soon be laid too. In the meantime, Ben prayed each day in the meditation chambers below in order to create six holy water vials. When he was not praying he watched over Dalin. Igor chose to spend his nights in Mouse’s shop as the little man had still not returned. After moving the others hardly saw him at all. Dram spotted him at one point talking with a few travelers at the front gate who were looking for an Inn to spend the night at. The original was still barren and charred, but repairs were slowly underway. Mirel also saw Igor as she practiced her hiding. She noticed he was spending a lot of time with Kayla again in her room. It did not seem unusual to her any longer and since no one asked she did not bother to tell anyone. Besides, Mirel found it impossible to hear through the door. Bored with Dalin being asleep and already knowing the good hiding spots in the Keep, Mirel fell back into her old habits and started living at home with her family again.