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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1833619" data-attributes="member: 6783">Just Three Days“…and by Sarath’s Shield and Sword let there be light!”  With the completion of the prayer a ball of pale yellow light appeared in Ashimar’s cupped hands.  The glow was solid and unwavering in the squire’s hand as he looked steadily forward.Standing in her office, Colonel Beka Megara observed the conjured ball of divine light and then closed her eyes; mentally counting backwards from ten to one in dwarvish.  When she was done she spoke out loud.  “The General warned me that there would be days that would challenge me while he was gone.”  Opening her eyes she swiveled about and gave Squire Ashimar a long look.  “I very specifically did not hear him say that I would find one of our newest, and until now, most promising recruits admitting to stealing.”  She paused a moment to let the full force of her displeasure sink in.  “Can you tell me why the most-wise General Vorun didn’t warn me of this, Squire Ashimar?”“No ma’am.”  Ashimar kept his voice very carefully neutral, though his real answer was that General Vorun probably hadn’t expected such a spectacular lack of judgement.  Somehow that answer seemed best unvoiced.  “Just three days ago Kellron was asking to dig up the body of the bard.  I understood his reasoning that there might have been foul play.  I also understood that your companions hoped to recover the bard’s missing instrument.  Normally these are matters for the city-watch to determine; but Kellron is a sober individual and it pleased me to do him and you a favor.”  Colonel Megara paused.Ashimar caught his cue.  “Yes ma’am.  Thank you, ma’am.”The colonel snorted.  “Yet somehow this led you to sneaking into a warehouse, breaking into the secure vault, and then!  Then!  stealing every portable item of value.  Can I assume you did this without the knowledge of Field-Captain Kellron?”“No ma’am.”  Ashimar stumbled.  “I mean Kellron didn’t know, ma’am.”The elderly officer sighed and shook her head.  “I am not asking if young Kestral Thendry is involved.  I do not want to know right now.  If I find out she was involved, unpleasant things will have to happen.  I believe things are unpleasant enough”“Yes ma’am.”“Good.  Then tell me of your involvement again so I might understand why Sarath sees fit to continue to grant you some power.  Perhaps I’ll understand why I shouldn’t turn you immediately over to the city-watch.”  The colonel sat down and made herself comfortable.“Yes ma’am.  Thank you ma’am.”  Ashimar paused in obvious thought, the ball of light in his hands providing a small amount of warmth.  He didn’t even think about banishing the light.“When we questioned the body it confirmed that it…he had been killed and directed us to find a letter in his room.”  He paused a moment making sure what he was about to say was okay.  “Panther and Kestral took it upon themselves to go find the bard’s house and they paid the landlady to let them search through his things.  They found a love letter signed by a woman named Jaylissa who apparently frequents the Gaming House.  They investigated further and discovered that this Jaylissa was probably the daughter of Grandal Deverex.  He manages the Gaming House.”“I am quite familiar who Ker Deverex is.  He has been quite helpful in resolving problems with those in our order who take more risks than is wise.”“Yes ma’am.  Grandal…”Colonel Megara lifted a finger.“Excuse me.  Ker Deverex has a daughter named Jaylissa who was having an affair with the bard.  Her letter warned the bard to be more careful and indicated that her father was angry with him.We, the group of us, discussed this and it was decided that Kellron would try and meet Kerress Deverex at the Gaming House.  Unfortunately Kellron and Kestral were attacked by muggers on the way to the gambling house.  They decided to be cautious and returned to our rooms at the Scabbard.”Ashimar stopped speaking and thought hard on what to say next.  The next part was kind of tricky.  He didn’t have any direct knowledge of what happened, but he knew in broad terms what was going to happen when Kestral and Panther said they were going to question Jaylissa at her house.  Talking to Kestral while he cured the after-effects of her poisoning had also given him some insight.  Technically it wasn’t illegal for someone to disguise themselves as a child and trick your way into wealthy person’s home by playing on the sympathy of a grieving woman; technically.  However, inviting your friend who is invisible into the same house without notifying anyone else was certainly less open to interpretation.  Searching the grieving woman’s home, stealing her diary, as well as lifting other portable items to disguise the diary theft was definitely illegal; and no one would care that the grieving woman protected her diary with a viscious, if non-lethal, strength-draining drug.Ashimar glanced at the colonel who was gazing at him with cool interest.  So far, the colonel was giving him all the time he needed.  “Kestral and Panther decided to ask about the next day and somehow managed to come across Kerress Deverex’ diary.  I believe the Deverex household had been robbed sometime that day and Kestral and Panther aquired the diary from the thief.  I do not know who the thief was, but he apparently heard of Panther and Kestral’s interest.”“But I bet you could guess.”  Said the Colonel with a grim smile.  “Like I said though, those matters are usually best left to the city-watch.  If you find yourself questioned by the watch I expect you to answer them as fully and as truthfully as you would me.”“Yes ma’am.”  Ashimar collected his thoughts; the colonel couldn’t have just told him what he thought she told him.  Did she? “The diary didn’t prove anything, but Kerress Deverex did write that she was concerned that her father may have had a person named ‘Lore’ kill the bard.  We knew it wasn’t proof though, so based on some other rumors Kestral got a job at one of the warehouses that Ker Deverex was responsible for running.”“The place that you robbed?  You used her knowledge to break in?”“No ma’am.  Another one nearby.”  Unsaid was that Kestral had gotten her job as the child, Beth, through Jaylissa’s recommendation.  Rumor was that street-children were to be left alone in Corlean.  Waif’s were protected by Father Dark in Corlean; unspoken was that any child was potentially a courier for the mysterious Father Dark.“Kestral expected that she might come into contact with illegal activities at that particular warehouse which might have led us to this Lore person.”“Did she?”“Not yet, but she is running courier jobs delivering small amounts of goods and notes.  While we have no proof that any of it is illegal it was highly suggestive.  Additionally it was discovered that there was a concealed tunnel that went from that warehouse to the next one over.  The entrance and exit were covered with spells.”“How did Kestral discover this if she’s been acting as a courier?”“She didn’t, ma’am.”The elderly woman’s mouth quirked.  “Very well.  What happened next?”“We discussed it and it was thought that this second warehouse was used for smuggling.  We…that is, I thought that everything in this second warehouse was mostly likely stolen, so last night  I was able to sneak into the warehouse without detection, make my way to the secure vault, and check out the contents.”  Though it had been a close thing.  He and Kestral had nearly been caught, but thanks to her quick thinking they had managed to get hidden before the guards showed up to investigate a noise.“How did you find it.”Ashimar smiled slightly.  “I looked for the most protected route, ma’am.”“It may be that you’re smarter than you are wise.  You should try to be both in equal measure.”“Yes ma’am.  Once I discovered the harp was not in the vault I thought to punish the criminals by taking what they had stolen away from them.  This was my own idea at the time and obviously wrong in retrospect.”“Obviously.  You never checked out this other warehouse, did you?”“No ma’am.”Colonel Megara was quiet.  “You have left me in a difficult position.  I will admit that I admire the skills it took to get into that vault.  However if word gets out that the order has resorted to stealing, worse stealing becase we didn’t know better, our reputation would be seriously harmed.”  She paused in thought, her fingers tapping a rhythm against the wood of her desk.“Squire Ashimar, you will return everything you have stolen back to this warehouse.    Additionally you have two weeks to prove your suspicions.  If you cannot then I will most likely have to turn you into the city-watch.”Ashimar didn’t breathe or move, but imperceptibly he seemed more relaxed.  “Yes ma’am.  We’ll find it.”“See that you do.  Dismissed.”Ashimar dismissed the ball of light, saluted, and about-faced.  Before he could march out of the colonel’s office though, she spoke again.“And Ashimar?  Don’t do anything to bring yourself in here again.”“Yes ma’am.”</blockquote>

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