The Key to Victory

[Sugar_Silk]

"Jareth, we've only just met. I don't know your past, but I would think you would want TRUE vengeance. If Emma's tale is true, they are only marching in response to this 'Vester's' machinations. If someone set their dog upon you, would you blame the dog, or the master? The Treylor were used. I don't mean to absolve them of their actions, but isn't the cold heart who riled them to war the one who should feel your chain? As for the life you must save, I again know nothing of this, but would that life be saved if the Nandirly are made aware of this plot?"

 

[Dragonwriter]

"It was their choice to murder my father, not a response to the thief. If the story is true. As for the man I plan to save... Stopping the war would not help him, I think. He's in trouble because of me, not because of the war. And I'm going to make that right."

 

[Myth and Legend]

Lora sat in her room, bound and gagged, sweat running down the back of her dirty, dust covered dress. Her blue eyes shifted around wildly, frantic like those of a cornered wild animal.

She was suffocating! The gag in her mouth reminded her of that hairy arm, smelling of leather and sweat. The ropes around her wrists bound her like the grip of her own personal demon.

His face... She did not want to remember his face, but it resurfaced. After all those years she still remembered it vividly, with his wide nose, missing tooth and black beard.

Lora screamed and thrashed around in a frenzy, but to no avail. She had let herself be captured once more. She had promised herself to never let such a thing happen again, and yet it did. She vowed revenge on Dellex, who used her and the others as scapegoats. And she despised Vance for being such a weak-willed nancy boy. He was all glory, huffing and puffing, but when the moment came and she needed him he failed her.

And her "men", that sorry lot of ingrates who knew only how to swing swords at others and could not fit a brick in a square hole.

Lora vowed that she would change - being good meant nothing. She was smart enough, the girl knew that. She simply was not ruthless enough. The world did not care for her suffering, so why should she care for the others? Any one of those peasants she risked her life for today, would not move his finger to help her. Nor would the servants, or the men-at-arms.

Vance wanted only the damp spot between her legs and nothing more. VANCE! Rage flew in Lora's mind like a torrent. She would geld him if she got the chance!

First thing's first though. It was time to take action, and free herself.

[sblock]Lora is seething. If this thing requires a willing subject, she is unwilling. If not, she can roll a will save.

HM, I think I'll just go full Wizard maybe. We'll talk about this later. For now, what rolls can Lora make? STR checks to break the bonds? Or Escape Artist? Search and Spot to look around her room? can she drag herself over to a sharp object or corner? Int 19, she can figure something out I'm sure [/sblock]

 

[Lughart]

"I stand with Malaroc! If we actually have a chance to stop the war without bloodshed, I'd have to be mad to refuse it. Jareth, If you're dead set on you own path, at least we might help each other along the way. The first order of business should be to get you two out of that tavern, not bickering amongst ourselves! We can discuss Emma's request or try converting each other to our respective causes afterwards.

As dear Trinham has a family to protect, I suggest trying to persuade lord Valorn as plan A. Else we could burn down the tavern. In the resulting chaos, Dellex might just believe you died in the fire."

 

[Sugar_Silk]

"Right! I wager I can convince the lord to release them, but only if we can get him alone. I don't want to be captured by this lying wizard as well. Plan B should be to lull the guards to sleep. Perhaps spell? It would give us time to escape without raising any alarms or destroying any property. Though, that would leave the other prisoners worse off once they discover the escape. It would be best to have the lord release them all at once. Who were the others they took away? Any thoughts as to where they are being held? Perhaps Far could try and find out for us in case negotiations fail..."

 

[HolyMan]

[sblock=Lora] The sweat stinging her eyes Lora casts about for someway to release her bonds. Her tempers flaring, and in her head the faces of the men she has known. The thug that.. that... took her. The man in the irregular's camp that tried, Fallon, Vance, Claude, Trinham,... Aidan she nearly smiles, and then Arthur.

The image of her brother brings a little peace but yet it is still hard to see as the bonds keep her from wiping the sweat away. And she closes her eyes remembering her brother's face. Remembering the day he stood still long enough for her to sketch him.

Then a noise at the door takes her out of her muse and she shakes her head to get the cursed sweat from her eyes. Blinking and blurry eyed she looks up to see who has entered and she gasps in shock. Arthur's face is suddenly on one of Dellex's blue cloaked guards. She closes her eyes tightly and opens them again thinking it just in her head. But when she looks again he is still standing before her. The white tabard with the blue bear over his armor and a helm tucked under his arm concern on his face.[/sblock]

 

[Myth and Legend]

Lora thought this a ploy, one of Dellex's machinations. But how would he know of her past? And why would he deem a lowly peasant girl so important as to deceive her with illusions. Logic suggested that this was really... "A... Arthur?" her voice came out weak and raspy, she had not had any water since before the battle.

The girl tried to twist her neck up to get a better look, but that was impossible as she lay tossed on the side on the bed she had grown fond of just a night ago. "Is that really you?"

 

[ghostcat]

Wanting to deflect the argument with Jareth, Trinham interjects "Most of you are missing some history and there is not time to fill you in now. Take it from me, what Dellex really wants is to get at Martomum. Preferably dead. The rest of us are just collateral damage so to speak. That said he seems to really hate Jareth for some reason. In fact I wonder..." Trinham sharply cuts off the thought before continuing "I strongly suggest someone talks to Martomum before doing anything irrevocable."

 

[HolyMan]

[sblock=Lora]
"Shh.. shh Shaeria. It's me." He says after removing Lora's gag. She smiles as he takes the blanket to wipe away the sweat from her face, how long ago did he stop calling her "Shaeria" or in elven beauty, the only elvish word Arthur knew.

"Now you have to tell me what's going on. But quickly I am suppose to be standing outside your door I must not be found missing." Finished with his ministarations Lora feels alot better. Seeing Arthur well and here she...

"Shaeria?" Arthur looks at her questioningly. "Why are you smiling like that? No never mind that. Sorry, now please tell me. How did you get here? Why were you arrested? Is it true what hey are saying about you in some plot with the Reygurians?" he sits at the edge of the bed and helps her to sit up a little bit more comfortably. [/sblock]

[sblock=OOC] Update for everyone tonight sorry I need to be back at work in less than 8 hours. Which sucks. [/sblock]

 

[Myth and Legend]

[sblock=Lora's reply]Lora couldn't believe this. It was almost too good to be true, and deep inside her gut was twisted with mixed feelings. She wanted to slap Arthur, and hug him, and possibly drag him away from here. However, she had promised herself she would not be caught off guard again. The girl stood, her feet now feeling the nasty pinching pain of blood rushing back in the meat after a long time of lying twisted in a knot. The Wizard rubbed her wrists, red marks on the skin showing where the ropes had cut in, and walked towards the window of her room, but not so close as to be seen from the courtyard below.

If this was some sort of trick, mind reading spells could come in to play as well. So she had to ask something even she did not know the answer of, but would recognize as truth if Arthur was really who he said he was.

"Tell me, when we were little, why did you tell mother that you had spilled the bucket of milk in the barn, and not me. You got twice as many chores to do for the week because my clumsiness."

Lora had always wondered that, and she thought back then he had done it to protect her, but she had recently started doubting this, as Arthur was a firm believer in "getting what you deserve". Even a cunning, illusion wielding, mind reading Dellex, would not know the answer to this, as even Lora did not know it herself. But she would know if it were an "Arthur answer" the moment she would hear it.[/sblock]