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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DispelAkimbo" data-source="post: 965828" data-attributes="member: 1916">With their visitors gone and the head jailer settling down for a mug of ale, the Helmsblade brothers hold a whispered conversation across their cell wall."They said something about an assassination attempt on the king!" exclaims Zander with amazement. "I hope they don't thunk we did it.""I bet it was Lord Caervelyn behind it." replies Rowan morosely."Probably, be good if we could prove it though.""Of course!" realises Rowan, "if we could prove that it was Lord Caervelyn, it would not only incriminate him, but probably give cause for us to have a re-trial and be declared innocent! Freedom and Revenge in one clean sweep!""Yeah!" exclaims Zander, "shame really that we'll probably be executed tomorrow then."Just then, Rowan gets a strange tingling in his head and feels like he is no longer alone. Suddenly a voice speaks to him."Rowan I cannot linger long nor explain, but heed my words, I can save one of you, I have energy just for that, but you must choose which one and now!" Rowan, unsure who this voice belongs to, or where it is originating from is tempted to ask questions, but the sense of urgency in the voice makes him react on instinct instead."My brother Zander! Save him please!" is the response he thinks back to the voice. All then goes quiet."Zander?......Zander!" Rowan can solicit no reply from his brothers cell. Rowan falls silent and lets depression wash over him for a while.***With the evening now getting late Jalderin returns to the Princesses quarters. He checks that her room is safe and that she is sleeping soundly.He heads to the next room where his sleeping quarters are. He walks over to his window and spends a few moments looking out over the city and at the clear night sky and then he also settles down for the night.***With an avenue of investigation still open, Eben heads back to the Seedy Tavern to see if the innkeeper has managed to find out any information."All the local groups and organisations are too scared to talk. They won't tell me anything. Which probably means they don't want to get involved in it. Now, if it's so dodgy that they're scared to be involved then there's no way I want to be involved either. I ain't doing any more question askin' on this subject in case I draw anyone's attention.""That information is not worth fifteen silver pieces." points out Eben."Yeah, but I value my life at more than fifteen, so stalemate." retorts the inn keeper. Eben sighs and decides to leave it rather than risk upsetting the inn keeper further.He returns to his quarters at 'The Travellers Joy' inn, where he sends a carrier pigeon to report on the days events to his superior in the 'Watchers in Grey'. He then settles down for the night.***Jaider Lightbringer returns to the temple of Girion for the night. Before he beds down for the evening he finds a Girion follower that works at the temple and shows them the Helmsblade house symbol that Rowan gave him. He asks the follower to research the symbol and find out what he can.***Back in the palace dungeons the head jailer is doing his rounds before calling it a night. He checks on Rowan Helmsblade then heads to the next cell and looks in on Zander Helmsblade, only to find that the cell is empty! He gawps silently for a moment before reacting."Escape! Prisoner! Escaped! Guards! A Prisoner has escaped!" He takes several attempts to get the words in the right order and make a complete sentence.He and several guards check the other cells and conduct a thorough search. With worry now beginning to set in, the head jailer decides to fall back on what he knows best. He heads into Rowans cell and beats him unconscious, all the time demanding to know where the other prisoner has gone and how.Rowan doesn't know, so can't tell and soon passes out from the blows being rained down on his head and face.***4th of Highsun, a few days after the beginning of summer***Eben wakes up, has his breakfast, goes to library and asks to see the curator.The curator relates the previous days events and points out that the brothers were outlaws even if they hadn't committed a crime yesterday. Eben asks what the family was guilty of.The curator provides papers that document the downfall of the Helmsblade family. Apparently the then younger Lord Protector who later became High Justice uncovered a plot. Witnesses were found, questioned and executed. Documents and plans uncovered. It is then noted that while trying to apprehend them they resisted and slew several guards. In retaliation all the family were believed slain.Eben thanks the Curator and leaves the library.***Zander awakes in a comfortable but simple bed, he finds a woollen blanket over himself and can hear no sound except bird song coming in through the open window. Confusion hits him.He looks around the room. It is furnished with simply wooden furniture; a chest of drawers, dresser, foot chest, feather pillow, wooden door. The room smelled fresh and it smelt like bread was baking nearby. This was definitely not a prison cell. Where was he? What happened? Why did he feel funny?"You're awake then?" says an old white-haired man stepping into Zanders view."Erm.....yes. Is my brother safe?" asks Zander."Alas no," replies the elderly man, stroking his white beard. "I only had the power to rescue one of you. You don't remember me do you?"Zander examines the man in front of him again carefully. Heavy grey robes, seventy or eighty years old, wrinkled face, proud demeanour, heavy wooden walking staff, white hair and beard, ink stained fingers. Nope, he didn't have a clue who this man was. He shook his head."I used to work for your father when you were much younger. Incidentally, I expect you feel pretty odd at the moment?" Zander nods. "Well, " continued the old man, "some of that will be the after effects of the magic I used to rescue you, and some of that will be the disguise I have used to make you look different. With you being a wanted man, I thought a disguise would be prudent."Zander looks down; panic slowly rising in his mind. He had two strange lumps growing out of his chest, and his rear felt much larger than it used to. Also, there was a distinct lack of feeling in an area where he used to have quite prominent feeling. Zander dismissed the obvious explanation and examined her....himself some more. A mirror! he thought, that would help him see why he felt so odd. He looked across the room, found a mirror and took a look.After five minutes of staring slack-jawed at a mirror, all Zander could manage to say was "How?""Magic. A spell that will enable you some room to manoeuvre whilst trying to clear your name. It will take some time to get used to I'm sure, but time is something that you have. After all, the spell is a 'conditional' spell. It will only be lifted once you clear your name."Teach me magic?" manages Zander."Maybe, one day." agrees the old man.Zander stares at the mirror for a few more minutes before he slowly starts to accept his situation and begin thinking normally again. "Er....those prison cells were pretty dirty. Could do with a bath?" He asks."Hmmmm." says the old man as he frowns suspiciously at the young lady stood in front of him.***Daylight creeps through the prison cell window. Rowan Helmsblade rolls over. He's pretty sure he has a couple of broken ribs and his face feels twice the size as normal. He can barely open his eyes and he feels pretty sorry for himself. His only light at this time of darkness is the hope that his brother is safe and may be able to help him escape too.***Jalderin wakes and dresses. The princesses breakfast is brought in on a tray. He tastes it for her to check for poisons. Seemed fine.***Jaider arises, dons his heavy paladin armour and heads to the library. He speaks to the curator and finds out much the same information as Eben found out.He does also find out that Lord Caervelyn had a fast rise to power, was from a merchant family that bought lots of lands and titles. He rose to the position of High Justice and serves the kingdom well. He is very well thought of and supported the King both diplomatically and militarily in the past.Jaider also sees the Helmsblade family tree, with Rowan and Zander on it.He checks out the Girion section in the library on his way out.</blockquote>

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