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A Rose In The Wind: A Saga of the Halmae -- Updated June 19, 2014
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<blockquote data-quote="Ilex" data-source="post: 4877922" data-attributes="member: 82687"><p><strong>4x02</strong></p><p></p><p>Mena tried, but she couldn't learn any more useful information from the captive derro. Finally, in resignation, she turned to Kormick. </p><p> </p><p>"We'll need to bring him with us, after all," she said. "I am reluctant to kill him until we know more about what we're facing here."</p><p> </p><p>"Why kill when you can immobilize?" asked the Justicar cheerfully. Before Mena could blink, Kormick smashed the derro's foot with his warhammer. The derro screamed in agony. Dragging their prisoner with them, they returned to camp.</p><p> </p><p>Mena checked automatically to make sure that Tavi was still guarding Rose. He was. Savina had helped Arden remove the arrow from her arm and bind up the wound. Arden stood up with an air of determination as her attacker entered camp, but she looked pained and pale. <em>The journey has weakened her</em>, thought Mena, making a mental note. <em>She was perhaps also not strong to begin with. Slavery leaves few opportunities to build reserves, cursed institution.</em></p><p> </p><p>Savina looked nearly as pained as Arden as she heard – and understood – an appalling series of corrupt Dwarven curses issuing from the prisoner's mouth. </p><p> </p><p>"Should I – I suppose I could heal him – " she ventured.</p><p> </p><p>Privately admiring the girl's sincere if misplaced compassion, Mena turned to the derro. "If you help us," she said, "we will heal you. Do you understand?"</p><p> </p><p>"Lurx come. Many boots. Eat you all." </p><p> </p><p>Mena rolled her eyes. The creature's refrain was growing tedious. </p><p> </p><p>"Rose," she asked, "kindly tell us what Whisper learned about the fire over the hill."</p><p> </p><p>"It's a burning wagon. Whisper says it looked like part of a caravan of some kind," said Rose, her face pale. "It looked like there'd been an attack. There were broken wagons, dead ponies, dead . . . dead people. He said there seemed to be one still alive."</p><p> </p><p><em>The Twilight Bitch has been busy</em>, Mena thought. What she said aloud was, "We ought to render what aid we can to the survivor – carefully."</p><p> </p><p>"Not to be difficult," asked Twiggy, "but are we sure this is a good idea? What if it's a trap?"</p><p> </p><p>"We need intel," said Kormick.</p><p> </p><p>"We – we have to help a person in need," insisted Savina. "That's part of Alirria's path, too."</p><p> </p><p>"We have to be systematic and rule out danger," explained Mena.</p><p> </p><p>"And if you're that worried about it, we'll send the slave ahead to check things out," concluded Kormick. </p><p> </p><p>"We can't send Arden," Twiggy objected. "She's hurt because you already made her sneak around once."</p><p> </p><p>"I'm willing to go, Lady Chelesta," Arden volunteered unexpectedly.</p><p> </p><p>"There you go," said Kormick.</p><p> </p><p>Twiggy bit her lip, thinking. Mena watched her with distracted pride. She had seen Twiggy ponder problems in her classroom with just this kind of careful consideration, and she was always pleased to see it. Then Twiggy looked at Savina. "Helping someone does seem like Alirria's path," she agreed. "All right."</p><p> </p><p>"Tavi," said Mena, sure that he knew what she was going to say yet unable to break the habit of saying it, "Rose is not to be out of your sight."</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah," answered Tavi, "and the sun rose this morning, too."</p><p> </p><p>###</p><p> </p><p>Tavi watched as the Justicar and the slavewoman crept down the hill to get a closer look at the attack site. He was concealed nearby with Rose and the rest of the party out of an abundance of caution. Tavi had understood the phrase <em>abundance of caution</em> since he was a small boy. He accepted it. But he didn't have to enjoy it.</p><p> </p><p><span style="color: magenta">Taaaaaaaa-viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.</span></p><p> </p><p><em>I know, Pheebs.</em></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: magenta">There is a <strong>mystery</strong> down there. There might be danger!</span></p><p> </p><p><em>I think we're too late for the danger on this one. But you're right about the mystery.</em></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: magenta">Then why are we <strong>here</strong>? We could be there, we could be down there right now looking all around for clues and finding a trail the bad guys left and running after them really really really fast, you know how much I like running, Tavi, run run run! And then the fighting!</span></p><p> </p><p><em>You know how Arden has to do what people tell her to do, Pheebs?</em></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: magenta">I know – she's so boring – back when the Justicar said she might stab us in our sleep, I got excited, but she hasn't even <strong>tried</strong>!</span></p><p> </p><p><em>My point is that we all have duties, Pheebs. And right now, my duty is to wait here</em>.</p><p> </p><p><span style="color: magenta">No one lets you have any fun.</span></p><p> </p><p>Kormick and Arden reappeared from the underbrush. "It's safe," said Kormick. "But it's not pretty."</p><p> </p><p>Tavi and the others followed Kormick down the hill. They paused again behind some shrubs on the edge of the attack site. From there, Tavi could see everything. Broken wagons tilted like shipwrecks on their remaining wheels. Dead ponies lay before them, still in their harnesses. Four dead dwarves lay in a neat line, not far from one burnt and smoldering wagon that gave off a thin column of smoke.</p><p> </p><p>A dwarf was hitching herself along the ground, clearly injured, pulling a fifth dead body toward the others. </p><p> </p><p>Seeing her, Savina began to step forward, but Mena grabbed her arm, stopping her. "She may not be...entirely trusting just now. And you are entirely too trusting." Tavi groaned inwardly. <em>Gods, there has to be such a thing as a <strong>super</strong>abundance of caution</em>, he thought.</p><p> </p><p>Mena walked forward instead of Savina.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you need assistance?" she asked, in Dwarven, as she strode into the massacre site.</p><p> </p><p>The dwarven woman turned, one hand flying to the ax at her hip. She was young. Her face was streaked with dirt and smoke. And she was very pregnant. "Who are you?" she demanded.</p><p> </p><p>"We're travelers," said Mena. "Do you need assistance?"</p><p> </p><p>The woman's jaw clenched, and then she said one word: "Please."</p><p> </p><p>Savina was already running.</p><p> </p><p><span style="color: magenta">That's the spirit!</span></p><p> </p><p>Tavi hurried up with the others as Savina dropped to her knees beside the young woman and laid gentle hands upon the dwarf's leg. "It's broken," she told them, and then turned to the woman and asked in Dwarven, "What's your name?"</p><p> </p><p>"Corani. Corani Rockminder." Savina closed her eyes and concentrated. Corani sighed with relief as Savina's prayers took effect. "What happened here?" asked Savina.</p><p> </p><p>Tavi listened carefully to Corani's answer, noticing with amusement that Savina was editing out the dwarf's embittered obsenities as she translated the story for those who didn't speak Dwarven: "She and her husband and her sister-wives travel here every eight years to mine stone. He's a master stoneworker. He knows this area really well, and they've never had any trouble. But this time, they were attacked by – by – in our Lady's name, that's an <em>especially</em> rude word – by a party of derro. Corani survived by playing dead after her leg was broken. The derro killed all these people – and then they took her husband, her sister-wives, all the children, and a few others away with them as prisoners."</p><p> </p><p><span style="color: magenta">Tavi – </span></p><p> </p><p><em> Trust me, Pheebs, I know; I want to take down whoever did this as fast as I possibly can</em>. </p><p> </p><p>Mena was telling Corani about the derro who had shot Arden.</p><p> </p><p>"A scout," said Corani. "Did he get away?"</p><p> </p><p>"No," said Mena. </p><p> </p><p>"Is he still alive?" Corani demanded.</p><p> </p><p>"For like nine and a half more minutes," said Kormick, and pointed to the edge of the clearing, where the bound derro was awaiting his fate.</p><p> </p><p>"Will it help you to kill it?" asked Mena.</p><p> </p><p>Corani got a better grip on her ax and stood up. A grim silence fell.</p><p> </p><p>Twiggy spoke up. "Why do we have to kill it?" she asked softly.</p><p> </p><p>Mena turned to the derro. "If we spare your life," she asked it, "will you do the same for us?" </p><p></p><p>The derro grinned. "All kill," it hissed.</p><p> </p><p>"That's why," said Mena, gently but firmly, to Twiggy. Twiggy nodded her understanding.</p><p> </p><p>"Plus, it hurt Arden," added Tavi. He hadn't felt any need to question the execution of their prisoner, but now that they were on the brink of it, he wanted to make sure everyone knew how justified it was. Technically speaking, after all, he was in charge; it was his decision.</p><p> </p><p>The slavewoman looked startled that a nobleman had acknowledged her. But then she startled Tavi in return. "Signor Octavian," she said, "may it please you, don't kill him in my name."</p><p> </p><p><span style="color: magenta">Gods, she's sooo boring.</span></p><p> </p><p>"We kill it in the name Rockminder," said Corani, after Savina translated Arden's words.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay," said Kormick. "How do you want to handle this? Should we – "</p><p></p><p>Corani strode past the Justicar. She strode past Tavi. And she split the derro's skull open with her ax.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ilex, post: 4877922, member: 82687"] [b]4x02[/b] Mena tried, but she couldn't learn any more useful information from the captive derro. Finally, in resignation, she turned to Kormick. "We'll need to bring him with us, after all," she said. "I am reluctant to kill him until we know more about what we're facing here." "Why kill when you can immobilize?" asked the Justicar cheerfully. Before Mena could blink, Kormick smashed the derro's foot with his warhammer. The derro screamed in agony. Dragging their prisoner with them, they returned to camp. Mena checked automatically to make sure that Tavi was still guarding Rose. He was. Savina had helped Arden remove the arrow from her arm and bind up the wound. Arden stood up with an air of determination as her attacker entered camp, but she looked pained and pale. [i]The journey has weakened her[/i], thought Mena, making a mental note. [i]She was perhaps also not strong to begin with. Slavery leaves few opportunities to build reserves, cursed institution.[/i] Savina looked nearly as pained as Arden as she heard – and understood – an appalling series of corrupt Dwarven curses issuing from the prisoner's mouth. "Should I – I suppose I could heal him – " she ventured. Privately admiring the girl's sincere if misplaced compassion, Mena turned to the derro. "If you help us," she said, "we will heal you. Do you understand?" "Lurx come. Many boots. Eat you all." Mena rolled her eyes. The creature's refrain was growing tedious. "Rose," she asked, "kindly tell us what Whisper learned about the fire over the hill." "It's a burning wagon. Whisper says it looked like part of a caravan of some kind," said Rose, her face pale. "It looked like there'd been an attack. There were broken wagons, dead ponies, dead . . . dead people. He said there seemed to be one still alive." [i]The Twilight Bitch has been busy[/i], Mena thought. What she said aloud was, "We ought to render what aid we can to the survivor – carefully." "Not to be difficult," asked Twiggy, "but are we sure this is a good idea? What if it's a trap?" "We need intel," said Kormick. "We – we have to help a person in need," insisted Savina. "That's part of Alirria's path, too." "We have to be systematic and rule out danger," explained Mena. "And if you're that worried about it, we'll send the slave ahead to check things out," concluded Kormick. "We can't send Arden," Twiggy objected. "She's hurt because you already made her sneak around once." "I'm willing to go, Lady Chelesta," Arden volunteered unexpectedly. "There you go," said Kormick. Twiggy bit her lip, thinking. Mena watched her with distracted pride. She had seen Twiggy ponder problems in her classroom with just this kind of careful consideration, and she was always pleased to see it. Then Twiggy looked at Savina. "Helping someone does seem like Alirria's path," she agreed. "All right." "Tavi," said Mena, sure that he knew what she was going to say yet unable to break the habit of saying it, "Rose is not to be out of your sight." "Yeah," answered Tavi, "and the sun rose this morning, too." ### Tavi watched as the Justicar and the slavewoman crept down the hill to get a closer look at the attack site. He was concealed nearby with Rose and the rest of the party out of an abundance of caution. Tavi had understood the phrase [i]abundance of caution[/i] since he was a small boy. He accepted it. But he didn't have to enjoy it. [color="magenta"]Taaaaaaaa-viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.[/color] [i]I know, Pheebs.[/i] [color="magenta"]There is a [b]mystery[/b] down there. There might be danger![/color] [i]I think we're too late for the danger on this one. But you're right about the mystery.[/i] [color="magenta"]Then why are we [b]here[/b]? We could be there, we could be down there right now looking all around for clues and finding a trail the bad guys left and running after them really really really fast, you know how much I like running, Tavi, run run run! And then the fighting![/color] [i]You know how Arden has to do what people tell her to do, Pheebs?[/i] [color="magenta"]I know – she's so boring – back when the Justicar said she might stab us in our sleep, I got excited, but she hasn't even [b]tried[/b]![/color] [i]My point is that we all have duties, Pheebs. And right now, my duty is to wait here[/i]. [color="magenta"]No one lets you have any fun.[/color] Kormick and Arden reappeared from the underbrush. "It's safe," said Kormick. "But it's not pretty." Tavi and the others followed Kormick down the hill. They paused again behind some shrubs on the edge of the attack site. From there, Tavi could see everything. Broken wagons tilted like shipwrecks on their remaining wheels. Dead ponies lay before them, still in their harnesses. Four dead dwarves lay in a neat line, not far from one burnt and smoldering wagon that gave off a thin column of smoke. A dwarf was hitching herself along the ground, clearly injured, pulling a fifth dead body toward the others. Seeing her, Savina began to step forward, but Mena grabbed her arm, stopping her. "She may not be...entirely trusting just now. And you are entirely too trusting." Tavi groaned inwardly. [i]Gods, there has to be such a thing as a [b]super[/b]abundance of caution[/i], he thought. Mena walked forward instead of Savina. "Do you need assistance?" she asked, in Dwarven, as she strode into the massacre site. The dwarven woman turned, one hand flying to the ax at her hip. She was young. Her face was streaked with dirt and smoke. And she was very pregnant. "Who are you?" she demanded. "We're travelers," said Mena. "Do you need assistance?" The woman's jaw clenched, and then she said one word: "Please." Savina was already running. [color="magenta"]That's the spirit![/color] Tavi hurried up with the others as Savina dropped to her knees beside the young woman and laid gentle hands upon the dwarf's leg. "It's broken," she told them, and then turned to the woman and asked in Dwarven, "What's your name?" "Corani. Corani Rockminder." Savina closed her eyes and concentrated. Corani sighed with relief as Savina's prayers took effect. "What happened here?" asked Savina. Tavi listened carefully to Corani's answer, noticing with amusement that Savina was editing out the dwarf's embittered obsenities as she translated the story for those who didn't speak Dwarven: "She and her husband and her sister-wives travel here every eight years to mine stone. He's a master stoneworker. He knows this area really well, and they've never had any trouble. But this time, they were attacked by – by – in our Lady's name, that's an [i]especially[/i] rude word – by a party of derro. Corani survived by playing dead after her leg was broken. The derro killed all these people – and then they took her husband, her sister-wives, all the children, and a few others away with them as prisoners." [color="magenta"]Tavi – [/color] [i] Trust me, Pheebs, I know; I want to take down whoever did this as fast as I possibly can[/i]. Mena was telling Corani about the derro who had shot Arden. "A scout," said Corani. "Did he get away?" "No," said Mena. "Is he still alive?" Corani demanded. "For like nine and a half more minutes," said Kormick, and pointed to the edge of the clearing, where the bound derro was awaiting his fate. "Will it help you to kill it?" asked Mena. Corani got a better grip on her ax and stood up. A grim silence fell. Twiggy spoke up. "Why do we have to kill it?" she asked softly. Mena turned to the derro. "If we spare your life," she asked it, "will you do the same for us?" The derro grinned. "All kill," it hissed. "That's why," said Mena, gently but firmly, to Twiggy. Twiggy nodded her understanding. "Plus, it hurt Arden," added Tavi. He hadn't felt any need to question the execution of their prisoner, but now that they were on the brink of it, he wanted to make sure everyone knew how justified it was. Technically speaking, after all, he was in charge; it was his decision. The slavewoman looked startled that a nobleman had acknowledged her. But then she startled Tavi in return. "Signor Octavian," she said, "may it please you, don't kill him in my name." [color="magenta"]Gods, she's sooo boring.[/color] "We kill it in the name Rockminder," said Corani, after Savina translated Arden's words. "Okay," said Kormick. "How do you want to handle this? Should we – " Corani strode past the Justicar. She strode past Tavi. And she split the derro's skull open with her ax. [/QUOTE]
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A Rose In The Wind: A Saga of the Halmae -- Updated June 19, 2014
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