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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="ellinor" data-source="post: 5996400" data-attributes="member: 14561"><p><strong>31x03</strong></p><p></p><p>The next morning brought a sheaf of messages, nearly all requesting meetings. Meetings, Twiggy mused, appeared to be one of the consequences of success. </p><p></p><p>Lord Ono’s message, “Come at once,” was atop the pile.</p><p></p><p>In Lord Ono’s office, Twiggy stood on tiptoes to spy the top of the Inquisitor’s head, barely visible behind the stacks of paper that, if anything, had grown since the day before. “Several of my men did not show up for work today,” he said, shifting one pile under another. “If I could ever have called them my men. Best that they’re gone. Of course that means more paperwork . . .” </p><p></p><p>He stopped. “But that’s not why I summoned you. It seems you’re famous,” he said, emerging from behind the desk with a scroll of heavy parchment. He focused on them as he conveyed its message. “‘Lady Akiko-sama, head of the Inquisition in the Sovereignty, heir to the Lord High Regent, has received word of the Cauldron Inquisition’s achievement in quelling the Tide. She requests a meeting with the heathen Inquisitors and the Adepts who witnessed their work.’ You should prepare to leave for Divine Mark tomorrow.”</p><p></p><p>Twiggy’s heart danced in her chest. This meeting was what they’d been working for! She allowed herself to bask for a moment in the feeling of having done something <em>important,</em> something that made a difference in people’s lives, something worthy of notice from the head of the Inquisition in the entire Sovereignty. Twiggy had always believed that what they were doing for Rose was important—personally, politically, and even divinely—but, she allowed herself to muse, meeting the heir to the Lord High Regent was a very long way from tugging at Mama Rossi’s apron in the kitchen of the Estate. Twiggy looked at Rose and beamed. The most important thing wasn’t what they’d accomplished so far, she knew. It was that this brought them closer to understanding the prophecy . . . </p><p></p><p>Acorn coughed as a cloud of dust rose from a shifting pile of papers. <span style="color: Sienna">I bet Lady Akiko-sama has a clean office,</span> he interjected.</p><p></p><p><em>Shush,</em> Twiggy thought. <em>Lord Ono is talking.</em></p><p></p><p>“As you know,” Lord Ono continued, rummaging through more papers, “There is no teleport circle in Divine Mark. The teleport network will take you as far as Overlook. We will arrange your lodgings there for tomorrow night. From there it is a few days’ travel over the plateau to Divine Mark.”</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Sienna">Well if we’re leaving tomorrow,</span> Acorn thought, <span style="color: Sienna">I’m having a bath tonight.</span></p><p></p><p>###</p><p></p><p>The rest of the morning was a whirlwind of meetings and preparations. Mena met with Sister Sweet Scent, who expressed her gratitude to the entire party and wished them good fortune. She gave Mena a pair of beautiful dice, carved from Ketkath ivory. “Thank you,” Mena had replied. “I think Sedellus’s change has worked for the better in me.” And she meant it, although it felt strange to say.</p><p></p><p>Mena also joined Nyoko in meeting with Brother Ono, who was, gradually, becoming more comfortable with the Priesthood’s need for his personal variety of unmoving rock. </p><p></p><p>Over lunch at the Inn, everyone else reported on their meetings. Kormick met with the head of the Eighths, although he didn’t say why. Tavi met again with Lord Ono, who praised his leadership and gave him a sturdy cloak bearing the Inquisitors’ symbol. Nyoko spent hours cloistered with Lord Masa, giving him her Witness of the months’ events. Twiggy met with the Head of Military, who gave Twiggy a pair of golden bracelets and extended a permanent invitation to play Go. Everyone had done some shopping, to provision themselves for the trip. </p><p></p><p>“And the visit to Mother Satsuki?” Mena inquired. “How did that go?” Savina, Kormick, and Arden had spent much of the day with her, helping her settle into her new office in the main Temple. They reported that Brother Trickling Fountain had been found, soggy, washed up on the shore of the Lake. Mena was relieved that he was alive—and that he didn’t seem to want to return to his position on the Synod. </p><p></p><p>“Mother Satsuki gave me a bottle of ointment,” Savina reported, “and Kormick offered her his help with anything she might need in the future.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” Kormick chortled, “Why did I do that?” </p><p></p><p>“Alirria moves through you,” Savina said.</p><p></p><p>“Yes, yes, she moves through us all,” Kormick responded. Kormick seemed determined not to recognize how . . . downright Alirrian he seemed, sometimes.</p><p></p><p>“I’m going to the library to do one last bit of research about the prophecy,” Twiggy reported as she finished her tea. “I have some more shopping to do,” said Savina, standing, and one by one, the room cleared.</p><p></p><p>“I should shop too,” Mena observed to Kormick, when the others had left. “I need to get a dagger, or something.” Her mind flashed to the helplessness she felt in the battle with the Mother Superior, as her legs wouldn’t move and the fighting was too far away for her to help. “I’m fine with a sword, but I need to be able to fight at a distance.”</p><p></p><p>“Dame Philomena, you are much more than fine with a sword,” Kormick grinned. “You are terrifying.” He stood up. “But come here. I have an idea.” He unclasped a hand-crossbow from its place on his hip and held it out to her. “Let us go to the courtyard and try with this.”</p><p></p><p>###</p><p></p><p>At the Adept library, Twiggy headed straight for the corner that housed the history of the Sheh people. She had read nearly everything she could find about them, but there were just a few scrolls she hadn’t gotten to . . .</p><p></p><p>Plus, she wanted to say goodbye to the librarian, who had helped her so much during their time in Cauldron—not only with the prophecy, but with everything: making her comfortable, teaching her Go… </p><p></p><p>But when she arrived, he didn’t greet her. He remained on the other side of the library, his nose in a dry-looking book about the dietary habits of the Ketkath electromagnetic marmot. “Tomako-san?” she asked, quietly, thinking perhaps he hadn’t noticed her. </p><p></p><p>“Twiggy-san,” he replied, shifting uncomfortably on his cushion, “perhaps you can help yourself today?”</p><p></p><p>“Is something wrong?”</p><p></p><p>“It’s only . . .” he shifted again, “As much as I might wish to, I cannot assist you.”</p><p></p><p>“Why?”</p><p></p><p>“You know I am a member of the Ungato family?” Tomako asked</p><p></p><p>Twiggy had not known. She hadn’t thought to ask, she realized. “No, I’m sorry,” she replied. “But why would that matter?”</p><p></p><p>Tomako looked surprised at the question. “On account of the blood-feud,” he said.</p><p></p><p>“Blood-feud? <strong>What</strong> blood-feud?” Twiggy had only the vaguest conception of what one was, much less why it was relevant here.</p><p></p><p>“Why, the blood-feud between Lady Ungato Tashita and Lady Roseanna di Raprezzi.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ellinor, post: 5996400, member: 14561"] [b]31x03[/b] The next morning brought a sheaf of messages, nearly all requesting meetings. Meetings, Twiggy mused, appeared to be one of the consequences of success. Lord Ono’s message, “Come at once,” was atop the pile. In Lord Ono’s office, Twiggy stood on tiptoes to spy the top of the Inquisitor’s head, barely visible behind the stacks of paper that, if anything, had grown since the day before. “Several of my men did not show up for work today,” he said, shifting one pile under another. “If I could ever have called them my men. Best that they’re gone. Of course that means more paperwork . . .” He stopped. “But that’s not why I summoned you. It seems you’re famous,” he said, emerging from behind the desk with a scroll of heavy parchment. He focused on them as he conveyed its message. “‘Lady Akiko-sama, head of the Inquisition in the Sovereignty, heir to the Lord High Regent, has received word of the Cauldron Inquisition’s achievement in quelling the Tide. She requests a meeting with the heathen Inquisitors and the Adepts who witnessed their work.’ You should prepare to leave for Divine Mark tomorrow.” Twiggy’s heart danced in her chest. This meeting was what they’d been working for! She allowed herself to bask for a moment in the feeling of having done something [i]important,[/i] something that made a difference in people’s lives, something worthy of notice from the head of the Inquisition in the entire Sovereignty. Twiggy had always believed that what they were doing for Rose was important—personally, politically, and even divinely—but, she allowed herself to muse, meeting the heir to the Lord High Regent was a very long way from tugging at Mama Rossi’s apron in the kitchen of the Estate. Twiggy looked at Rose and beamed. The most important thing wasn’t what they’d accomplished so far, she knew. It was that this brought them closer to understanding the prophecy . . . Acorn coughed as a cloud of dust rose from a shifting pile of papers. [COLOR="Sienna"]I bet Lady Akiko-sama has a clean office,[/color] he interjected. [i]Shush,[/i] Twiggy thought. [i]Lord Ono is talking.[/i] “As you know,” Lord Ono continued, rummaging through more papers, “There is no teleport circle in Divine Mark. The teleport network will take you as far as Overlook. We will arrange your lodgings there for tomorrow night. From there it is a few days’ travel over the plateau to Divine Mark.” [COLOR="Sienna"]Well if we’re leaving tomorrow,[/color] Acorn thought, [COLOR="Sienna"]I’m having a bath tonight.[/color] ### The rest of the morning was a whirlwind of meetings and preparations. Mena met with Sister Sweet Scent, who expressed her gratitude to the entire party and wished them good fortune. She gave Mena a pair of beautiful dice, carved from Ketkath ivory. “Thank you,” Mena had replied. “I think Sedellus’s change has worked for the better in me.” And she meant it, although it felt strange to say. Mena also joined Nyoko in meeting with Brother Ono, who was, gradually, becoming more comfortable with the Priesthood’s need for his personal variety of unmoving rock. Over lunch at the Inn, everyone else reported on their meetings. Kormick met with the head of the Eighths, although he didn’t say why. Tavi met again with Lord Ono, who praised his leadership and gave him a sturdy cloak bearing the Inquisitors’ symbol. Nyoko spent hours cloistered with Lord Masa, giving him her Witness of the months’ events. Twiggy met with the Head of Military, who gave Twiggy a pair of golden bracelets and extended a permanent invitation to play Go. Everyone had done some shopping, to provision themselves for the trip. “And the visit to Mother Satsuki?” Mena inquired. “How did that go?” Savina, Kormick, and Arden had spent much of the day with her, helping her settle into her new office in the main Temple. They reported that Brother Trickling Fountain had been found, soggy, washed up on the shore of the Lake. Mena was relieved that he was alive—and that he didn’t seem to want to return to his position on the Synod. “Mother Satsuki gave me a bottle of ointment,” Savina reported, “and Kormick offered her his help with anything she might need in the future.” “Yes,” Kormick chortled, “Why did I do that?” “Alirria moves through you,” Savina said. “Yes, yes, she moves through us all,” Kormick responded. Kormick seemed determined not to recognize how . . . downright Alirrian he seemed, sometimes. “I’m going to the library to do one last bit of research about the prophecy,” Twiggy reported as she finished her tea. “I have some more shopping to do,” said Savina, standing, and one by one, the room cleared. “I should shop too,” Mena observed to Kormick, when the others had left. “I need to get a dagger, or something.” Her mind flashed to the helplessness she felt in the battle with the Mother Superior, as her legs wouldn’t move and the fighting was too far away for her to help. “I’m fine with a sword, but I need to be able to fight at a distance.” “Dame Philomena, you are much more than fine with a sword,” Kormick grinned. “You are terrifying.” He stood up. “But come here. I have an idea.” He unclasped a hand-crossbow from its place on his hip and held it out to her. “Let us go to the courtyard and try with this.” ### At the Adept library, Twiggy headed straight for the corner that housed the history of the Sheh people. She had read nearly everything she could find about them, but there were just a few scrolls she hadn’t gotten to . . . Plus, she wanted to say goodbye to the librarian, who had helped her so much during their time in Cauldron—not only with the prophecy, but with everything: making her comfortable, teaching her Go… But when she arrived, he didn’t greet her. He remained on the other side of the library, his nose in a dry-looking book about the dietary habits of the Ketkath electromagnetic marmot. “Tomako-san?” she asked, quietly, thinking perhaps he hadn’t noticed her. “Twiggy-san,” he replied, shifting uncomfortably on his cushion, “perhaps you can help yourself today?” “Is something wrong?” “It’s only . . .” he shifted again, “As much as I might wish to, I cannot assist you.” “Why?” “You know I am a member of the Ungato family?” Tomako asked Twiggy had not known. She hadn’t thought to ask, she realized. “No, I’m sorry,” she replied. “But why would that matter?” Tomako looked surprised at the question. “On account of the blood-feud,” he said. “Blood-feud? [b]What[/b] blood-feud?” Twiggy had only the vaguest conception of what one was, much less why it was relevant here. “Why, the blood-feud between Lady Ungato Tashita and Lady Roseanna di Raprezzi.” [/QUOTE]
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