Night's Embrace: Part 1--A Touch of Darkness

[jkason]

Titus Farrab, human ranger

"Let's go and wait for Kel to return," an obviously frustrated Blunt suggests. "Unless you can think of somewhere else we should go in stead?"

Titus shrugs. "I've got nothing," he says dejectedly. "Let's try to hook up with the little one again, see what he's come up with."

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: Fortunately, he's probably almost done too--good timing )

 

[Shayuri]

A little nettled, Sulannus fusses with her hair under her hood.

"Well, really...it must look like a pretty small problem to them. This...cult or whatever it is happened mostly in human territory before. It was a human problem. Nhalia's order might be more concerned, but this temple is to the entire Seldarine."

She sighs. "I think if we REALLY want to find someone who will react with concern, we need to find a temple opposed to Shar, or perhaps a historian...or an old military commander who might remember the cult." Sulannus pauses, then gives Titus and Blunt a questioning look.

"You have Wisdom Tr...I mean, obviously not, but...you have places of learning, yes? Where your histories and accounts of events are stored for people to see? That might be a good place to start."

 

[Legildur]

Blunt shrugs his shoulders in resignation. "I like the way you are thinking," he says quietly. "But I think we should find the little fellow, Kel, and see what he has to say. He seems to be able to ferret out all sorts of treasures."

 

[Boddynock]

[sblock=RA]

"Ah, not perfect, though--you seem to have selectively forgotten the whole pursued by guards thing--unless that's a turn-on for you?" Aileen laughs, "What do I want of you? Nothing really. I just like having fun and helping people. If I can do that before I'm caught, then today was a good day for me. So, I'm thinking we should get your friends and head to the Estralla Bakery and Bistro. The food there is excellent--what do you say? Either way, best to stay on the move."

*To punctuate her admonition to stay on the move, she turns to lead the way back. As the pair heads out to look for Shan, Sullanus, and the rest, Aileen's hood pulled back up into place, Aileen glances to the side and pulls Kel into an alley with a quiet warning of 'The guards'.*

*Covering his mouth briefly with her hand to indicate complete silence, she watches as the guards pass by, holding a small shard that glows as they turn towards the alleyway as if following Kel and Aileen's trail.*

"Siamorphe's Scales!" Aileen curses, "They've got a detector. We're in trouble Kel. Look, I'm probably about to get caught, so..." she leans forward to give him a quick kiss, "Just stay here and hide, okay? You don't need to get involved. They're not looking for you. Maybe I'll see you again some day?"

Kel's mind races at Aileen's words. He considers and rejects a half dozen plans in short order: there are too many drawbacks, not enough going for them.

"Aileen, I grew up in a place where you didn't get involved if you wanted to keep a whole skin. But I've learned since that there are times when I have to get involved - because the price is too high if I don't!"

"Tell me, quickly. Are the guards more likely to be tracking you, or what you've stolen? If it's you, then give me the swag and I'll carry it out for you. As you say, they don't know me. We can meet up again later - at the Estralla."

"Or if it's the swag, then I'll do what I can to buy you some time. Nothing too foolish - just a young lad had a few too many drinks. No! That won't do. They'll smell nothing on my breath, know I'm lying. Well, if it's the swag they're tracking, you'll have to hit me - not enough to knock me out but enough to raise a lump. Then I'll tell them about the pretty young woman who took off her hat ... and turned into a not so pretty half-orc ruffian - one who laid me out with a single blow."

"Either way, seek me out when it's safe! Either at the Estralla - I have a feeling that I'll develop a taste for fine pastries - or else get word to me at the Griffon. Otherwise, I'm liable to do something foolish - like try to mount a rescue mission."[/sblock]

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Kel]"Oh Kel, you're very sweet, and your offer is quite gallant. But there is no 'swag' on me right now to worry about--they're just after me, and there's not going to be a way to escape if they can track me down. More's the pity, but it's hard to stay too far ahead of them for long when luck turns rotten like this. I'm going to give myself up and lead them away so that they don't even get a clue that you might have been involved. You just hide here, okay? Maybe I'll find you some time later when the security isn't on such a high alert--no matter how many times they catch me, I'll always get out again."

*Without waiting this time, Aileen climbs up the wall with the practised grace of one who has mastered the art of climbing through extended trial and error, waves to Kel, and leaps to the next rooftop, causing the guard to turn about and follow, their device apparently attuned to her magical signature or something like that.*

*He could probably follow the guards on the ground by foot easily enough if he wanted to, or he could head back to his comrades from Thresk.*[/SBLOCK]

 

[Boddynock]

[sblock=RA]Now, RA, you just know that Kel's going to follow from a discreet distance.[/sblock]

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Kel]*Kel moves slowly and quietly, counting on the fact that one of the guards is in chainmail and thus is slowed down to hide about half the time and dart about or mingle with crowds for the rest. Aileen leads the guards on a merry chase, but eventually, they corner her on a rooftop. She drops down gently and lands softly on her feet, absorbing the shock as she calmly presents her hands to the guards.*

"Well, it looks like you caught me, Adroch. I'm going to have to scowl at Avardain again over those tracers he made. I guess I have no choice, so I'm ready to go back. Maybe I'll see the outside world again soon, even if it is bad at following directions," she puts special emphasis on the words 'the outside world' and grins at that, winking towards Kel's hiding place.

"Did she just wink at me?" one of the guards asks.

"Hush you. Probably just trying to get us to let her stay. I'm sorry, Your Highness. If it were up to me, I wouldn't be doing this, but orders are orders. You'll have to come with me, hopefully not by force this time."

Aileen sighs, "I wish you wouldn't be so loud, Adroch. Anyone could hear you, and I don't appreciate it. I prefer to be Aileen out here--people won't pay attention to me as a person or get to know me if they know; they'll get too stuck up on that title."

"Apologies Highness, but you know that not only is that none of our concern, but actually it might even be better for you as far as our orders are concerned. You could be hurt or killed out here. The people out here are dangerous."

"The people out here are real. They aren't just a feigning fawning smiling face that might be as vapid as it looks or might be ready to plant a knife in your back. Besides, it's impossible to help people from afar. That time I tried to organise a charitable organisation that bastard Bradford was secretly embezzling half of the money, and of course he was all smiles and feigned concern the whole time," Aileen sighs, "But this discussion isn't for this place. Don't worry, I'll go back to Daddy now. I know he only wants what he thinks is best for me...I guess I should show him that I love him by not trying to escape again for a while."

*Pulling her hood down to show her face and golden tresses again, she sighs once more and walks with the guards, as they form a circular protective formation to surround her, though it is unclear whether they want to keep other people out of the circle or keep her in--probably both. As they pass Kel's hiding place, it looks like she makes a small motion with her head towards him, a half-smile on her face, but then they are past and she is gone, the last reminder a shouted cry from one of the guards to the passers-by along the thoroughfare:*

"Make way, please. Make way for Her Royal Highness, the Princess Elenia Aureolus, the Azure Phoenix, Duchess of Tharmand, Protector of the Eastern Marches, Heir to the Golden Lion!"[/SBLOCK]

 

[Rystil Arden]

*As the group heads back along the main thoroughfare to find Kel, a cadre of guards approaches from the other direction, encircling a beautiful blonde-haired young woman in a simple traveler's cloak, and the crowd parts for them as they go, with one of the guards calling out:*

"Make way, please. Make way for Her Royal Highness, the Princess Elenia Aureolus, the Azure Phoenix, Duchess of Tharmand, Protector of the Eastern Marches, Heir to the Golden Lion!"

*While meanwhile, the young woman sighs and whispers or mutters something inaudibly.*

*Titus, who is trained at spotting, tracking, and sensing tells of his favourite prey--humans--reads off her lips something to the effect of 'Please...that isn't necessary'.*

*As the group moves to the side for the guards (presumably), Titus, again putting his human-sensing skills to good use, notices Kel along an adjoining dead-end alleyway.*

 

[Shayuri]

At the list of titles, Sulannus' chin lifts a little higher, and she peers at the human princess from under her hood. "I -told- him human royalty had titles," she mutters.