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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: 6002229" data-attributes="member: 14561"><p><strong>31x04</strong></p><p></p><p>“Kormick? Arden? Can I talk to you?” Rose gestured Kormick to the corner of the Inn’s common room. </p><p></p><p>Arden was already nursing a cup of tea at the common room’s corner table. Savina still insisted on bringing a tent when they traveled, and Arden had just finished packing a heavy array of Sovereign textiles. She was steeling herself for the return to pack-carrying.</p><p></p><p>Kormick and Rose settled at the small table beside Arden. “I . . . don’t know quite how to ask this,” Rose began, “but I’m hoping you two can speak to someone on my behalf.”</p><p></p><p>“You want me and the murder-slave for talking? Not for kneecapping?” Kormick asked.</p><p></p><p>“This is serious.” Rose insisted. Arden could see concern in her eyes, and fear. “I’m in a situation,” she continued, “and I think you can help. You see, I had . . . an evening with a gentleman, Uroki Takumi, and it turns out that he was betrothed to someone else, and now that girl—Ungato Tashita—has challenged me to a duel, a duel to the death, and I don’t know what to do, you know I can’t kill anyone, and dying . . .” she held out the letter bearing the challenge. “It arrived this morning.” </p><p></p><p>Arden stared down at the parchment without taking it. “Oh, Rose—” she started to say, caught herself, and changed it to “Signora…” She trailed off in dismay, speechless.</p><p></p><p>“When, exactly, did this take place?” Kormick asked.</p><p></p><p>“When you were at the Indulgence Party.”</p><p></p><p>“You had sex at a <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-august-20-2012-a-45.html#post5869850" target="_blank">puppet show</a>?” Kormick asked.</p><p></p><p>“Savina lied about the puppet show. We stayed here at the inn. Taku came here. We had supper, and—he didn’t tell me he was betrothed. Really, he didn’t. And Savina said . . .”</p><p></p><p><em>Never underestimate Savina di Infusino,</em> Arden thought, for the hundredth time. “Signora,” she asked, “why do you think we can help?”</p><p></p><p>“The other girl’s family is in the Eighths. The Ungato family. You’ve been dealing with the Eighths. Maybe you can get them to call it off?” The idea was so naive it was almost funny. </p><p></p><p>Kormick was muttering to himself. “Go take the rich girl on a trip, Kormick. You’ll be back before summer. Oh, no, nothing can go wrong. No chance that she’ll have a one night stand that could anger an entire city’s network of organized crime. Noooo.”</p><p></p><p>“I was just having some fun,” Rose said. “You have fun, I thought I could have some fun. And I really liked him. The only men I ever see are my brother and you. And he really liked me. I know it.”</p><p></p><p>“You, little miss ‘I went to a puppet show, and now I have a blood-duel,’ you don’t get to defend yourself. There’s no universal right to fun.” Kormick shook his head. “Young love.” He grumbled again, and then stood up. “You—” he pointed at Rose— “stay put. Arden, you and I will go to the den of crime, now, and do what we can do.” </p><p></p><p>Even coming from Kormick, it sounded naive.</p><p></p><p>### </p><p></p><p>“Stew? Stew. Two stews,” Kormick announced, as they sat down at their usual table at the <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-august-20-2012-a-43.html#post5728187" target="_blank">Inn of Generous Portions</a>. “Arden, you know what to do. Lurk and wait to stab.” Arden sighed into her stew. It was, she had to admit, tasty stew.</p><p></p><p>Soon, Daisuki joined them, flanked as usual by two muscled men. </p><p></p><p>“We are hoping to talk with you about a misunderstanding,” Kormick began. </p><p></p><p>In response, one of the muscled men sat down. Daisuki raised his eyebrow, but let his henchman talk: “I am Ungato Kunami. I think you’re here for me.”</p><p></p><p>“Your daughter is betrothed to Uroki Takumi?”</p><p></p><p>“Since birth,” the man responded.</p><p></p><p>“And your daughter has challenged our friend, Roseanna di Raprezzi, to a duel?”</p><p></p><p>The man nodded. </p><p></p><p>“You should know,” Kormick said, “that the young man deceived Roseanna. She did not know he was engaged. With this in mind, we hope it may be possible to satisfy your daughter’s honor through conversation and reparation, rather than violence?”</p><p></p><p>Ungato Kunami sighed. “It wasn’t my idea for my daughter to cause a stir with the heroes of the moment.” He gestured to the Inquisitor’s robe that Kormick had left folded on the table. “She’s picked up some bad habits from the Ehktians. But she’s set her teeth on this one. I already told her to call it off, and she wouldn’t listen. Says it’s an Ehktian rite and it can’t be called off.”</p><p></p><p><em>Ehktians,</em> Arden sighed inwardly. <em>Spoiled rich kids.</em> </p><p></p><p>###</p><p></p><p>Arden and Kormick returned to the common room of the Inn of Comfortable Repose to find it anything but comfortable. Tavi was pacing back and forth with his hands on his hips. Savina was standing behind Rose, with her hands on Rose’s shoulders. Nyoko was sitting off to the side, focusing very intently on a cup of tea. Twiggy was hiding behind a potted plant. </p><p></p><p>Mena was as angry as Arden had ever seen her. “By the grace of the Gods, you’ll make it to older. But you are so very young. You don’t even understand what you did wrong?”</p><p></p><p>“He seemed very nice,” Savina said. “I was there. We had tea first . . .”</p><p></p><p>“Signora di Infusino,” Mena hissed, “You. Will. Be. Quiet.” </p><p></p><p>Savina pouted and stared at Mena before continuing. “Tavi, you met him too . . .”</p><p></p><p>“I didn’t sleep with him,” Tavi growled. “Savina, you—”</p><p></p><p>Savina stamped her foot. “Just because you’re obsessed,” she turned to Tavi, “and you’re paranoid,” she turned to Mena, “doesn’t mean—”</p><p></p><p>Rose threw a cup at the wall. It shattered. Everyone froze.</p><p></p><p>“I consulted an Alirrian priestess in a matter of love. There’s nothing wrong with that.”</p><p></p><p>“You really don’t understand,” Mena took a slow, controlled breath. “It’s not that you consulted an Alirrian priestess. It’s not that you met a boy. It’s not even that you had a relationship with him. It’s that you didn’t do your research.” Her voice hardened. “This could all have been prevented with some <strong>simple research.</strong>” She took another slow, controlled, terrifying breath.</p><p></p><p>“Mena?” Kormick interjected from the doorway. Everyone in the room spun to stare at him. “You seem angry.”</p><p></p><p>“Thank the Gods we have a guide to interpret these things,” Mena spat back at him.</p><p></p><p>“We talked with the girl’s father,” Kormick continued. “She’s an Ehktian. Thinks this is an Ehktian ritual of some sort.”</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps it’s a Tide plot to convince the girl to pervert the faith of Ehkt?” Twiggy stood up from behind the plant.</p><p></p><p>“No,” Mena replied, “The blood-duel is a real Ehktian rite. A very old one, and not commonly used anymore, but it’s real.” </p><p></p><p>Mena paused for a long time. “I have an idea.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ellinor, post: 6002229, member: 14561"] [b]31x04[/b] “Kormick? Arden? Can I talk to you?” Rose gestured Kormick to the corner of the Inn’s common room. Arden was already nursing a cup of tea at the common room’s corner table. Savina still insisted on bringing a tent when they traveled, and Arden had just finished packing a heavy array of Sovereign textiles. She was steeling herself for the return to pack-carrying. Kormick and Rose settled at the small table beside Arden. “I . . . don’t know quite how to ask this,” Rose began, “but I’m hoping you two can speak to someone on my behalf.” “You want me and the murder-slave for talking? Not for kneecapping?” Kormick asked. “This is serious.” Rose insisted. Arden could see concern in her eyes, and fear. “I’m in a situation,” she continued, “and I think you can help. You see, I had . . . an evening with a gentleman, Uroki Takumi, and it turns out that he was betrothed to someone else, and now that girl—Ungato Tashita—has challenged me to a duel, a duel to the death, and I don’t know what to do, you know I can’t kill anyone, and dying . . .” she held out the letter bearing the challenge. “It arrived this morning.” Arden stared down at the parchment without taking it. “Oh, Rose—” she started to say, caught herself, and changed it to “Signora…” She trailed off in dismay, speechless. “When, exactly, did this take place?” Kormick asked. “When you were at the Indulgence Party.” “You had sex at a [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-august-20-2012-a-45.html#post5869850"]puppet show[/URL]?” Kormick asked. “Savina lied about the puppet show. We stayed here at the inn. Taku came here. We had supper, and—he didn’t tell me he was betrothed. Really, he didn’t. And Savina said . . .” [i]Never underestimate Savina di Infusino,[/i] Arden thought, for the hundredth time. “Signora,” she asked, “why do you think we can help?” “The other girl’s family is in the Eighths. The Ungato family. You’ve been dealing with the Eighths. Maybe you can get them to call it off?” The idea was so naive it was almost funny. Kormick was muttering to himself. “Go take the rich girl on a trip, Kormick. You’ll be back before summer. Oh, no, nothing can go wrong. No chance that she’ll have a one night stand that could anger an entire city’s network of organized crime. Noooo.” “I was just having some fun,” Rose said. “You have fun, I thought I could have some fun. And I really liked him. The only men I ever see are my brother and you. And he really liked me. I know it.” “You, little miss ‘I went to a puppet show, and now I have a blood-duel,’ you don’t get to defend yourself. There’s no universal right to fun.” Kormick shook his head. “Young love.” He grumbled again, and then stood up. “You—” he pointed at Rose— “stay put. Arden, you and I will go to the den of crime, now, and do what we can do.” Even coming from Kormick, it sounded naive. ### “Stew? Stew. Two stews,” Kormick announced, as they sat down at their usual table at the [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/251423-rose-wind-saga-halmae-updated-august-20-2012-a-43.html#post5728187"]Inn of Generous Portions[/URL]. “Arden, you know what to do. Lurk and wait to stab.” Arden sighed into her stew. It was, she had to admit, tasty stew. Soon, Daisuki joined them, flanked as usual by two muscled men. “We are hoping to talk with you about a misunderstanding,” Kormick began. In response, one of the muscled men sat down. Daisuki raised his eyebrow, but let his henchman talk: “I am Ungato Kunami. I think you’re here for me.” “Your daughter is betrothed to Uroki Takumi?” “Since birth,” the man responded. “And your daughter has challenged our friend, Roseanna di Raprezzi, to a duel?” The man nodded. “You should know,” Kormick said, “that the young man deceived Roseanna. She did not know he was engaged. With this in mind, we hope it may be possible to satisfy your daughter’s honor through conversation and reparation, rather than violence?” Ungato Kunami sighed. “It wasn’t my idea for my daughter to cause a stir with the heroes of the moment.” He gestured to the Inquisitor’s robe that Kormick had left folded on the table. “She’s picked up some bad habits from the Ehktians. But she’s set her teeth on this one. I already told her to call it off, and she wouldn’t listen. Says it’s an Ehktian rite and it can’t be called off.” [i]Ehktians,[/i] Arden sighed inwardly. [i]Spoiled rich kids.[/i] ### Arden and Kormick returned to the common room of the Inn of Comfortable Repose to find it anything but comfortable. Tavi was pacing back and forth with his hands on his hips. Savina was standing behind Rose, with her hands on Rose’s shoulders. Nyoko was sitting off to the side, focusing very intently on a cup of tea. Twiggy was hiding behind a potted plant. Mena was as angry as Arden had ever seen her. “By the grace of the Gods, you’ll make it to older. But you are so very young. You don’t even understand what you did wrong?” “He seemed very nice,” Savina said. “I was there. We had tea first . . .” “Signora di Infusino,” Mena hissed, “You. Will. Be. Quiet.” Savina pouted and stared at Mena before continuing. “Tavi, you met him too . . .” “I didn’t sleep with him,” Tavi growled. “Savina, you—” Savina stamped her foot. “Just because you’re obsessed,” she turned to Tavi, “and you’re paranoid,” she turned to Mena, “doesn’t mean—” Rose threw a cup at the wall. It shattered. Everyone froze. “I consulted an Alirrian priestess in a matter of love. There’s nothing wrong with that.” “You really don’t understand,” Mena took a slow, controlled breath. “It’s not that you consulted an Alirrian priestess. It’s not that you met a boy. It’s not even that you had a relationship with him. It’s that you didn’t do your research.” Her voice hardened. “This could all have been prevented with some [b]simple research.[/b]” She took another slow, controlled, terrifying breath. “Mena?” Kormick interjected from the doorway. Everyone in the room spun to stare at him. “You seem angry.” “Thank the Gods we have a guide to interpret these things,” Mena spat back at him. “We talked with the girl’s father,” Kormick continued. “She’s an Ehktian. Thinks this is an Ehktian ritual of some sort.” “Perhaps it’s a Tide plot to convince the girl to pervert the faith of Ehkt?” Twiggy stood up from behind the plant. “No,” Mena replied, “The blood-duel is a real Ehktian rite. A very old one, and not commonly used anymore, but it’s real.” Mena paused for a long time. “I have an idea.” [/QUOTE]
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