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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 1519545" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 54, “Reunion”, December 19th, 1881:Arcade says, “Why don’t you join us.  I see that you’ve already met my bride.”    The bard glances at Morgana and laughs, “Yes, and I see you were both having some fun at my expense.”   She smiles and replies, “It wasn’t hard John.”  “I beg to differ.  And please call me Wes” is his answer.   Looking back at Arcade, the bard says, “I own you one.”   Wes slides his chair around as Morgana walks over to the other table, sitting beside her husband.  Looking back at Morgana he comments “So, you two are married?”   Arcade replies, “For a while now.”   “At least a week,” Qualtaqa interjects.  Morgana adds, “His mother isn’t too happy about it.”  “I can imagine,” Wes replies, adding “Well I for one think you’ve made a good choice Josiah.  So Morgana, would you happen to have any sisters?”   She replies that she does not.  Wes asks, “So, how did you meet?”   “I buy rice,” Louie comments.  “These are my business associates,” Arcade comments, gesturing to the others.  The bard takes a quick glance around the table and smiles, amused that his friend is now keeping company with an elf and a half-orc.   Arcade says, “Louie is correct, we met in America when he was buying some food and some local hoodlums decided to beat him up.  Morgana and I both intervened to help him out.”  “Me too,” Sam comments.   “Always the do-gooder,” Wes replies. “And what have you been doing with yourself for the last decade?” Arcade asks.   Wes tells them about his travels across America and Europe, making his way through life using his gift of song.  “Uh huh, with an occasional influx of family resources,” Arcade comments.  Wes replies, “You know me too well.  Yes, unlike you, I have made it back here from time to time.  I heard you were coming back now so decided to come see you again.  But tell me, exactly what have you been up to.”Arcade answers, “This and that.”   Qualtaqa says, “We’ve become a respectable gang.”  “Hey, that my line!” Louie interjects.    Wes replies, “Seriously, what have you been doing in America?”  Morgana says, “Well, a while back I attacked Billy the Kid.”   Wes laughs and says, “Sure you did!  You can always count on a bard to spin up a tall tale.  I guess anybody can claim to have shot at him now that he’s dead, so he can’t refute it.”   Morgana says, “I did not shoot at him, I killed him with my tomahawk.”   Louie says, “It was when we fight James Gang.”   A surprised look crosses the bard’s face as he puts the pieces together, commenting “We?  Hold on….Arkadiam…Arcade…you’re Arcade’s Gang?”   “Lock, stock and barrel,” Hank replies.  “Make that double-barreled,” Sam adds.  The bard laughs and says, “And you used to say that I was the one who always caused trouble!”   Arcade replies, “Wes, please keep that information under your hat.  We’re trying to keep a low profile over here.”   He replies “And who would I tell that would actually believe me?  So, what brings you home?”  Louie says, “Big boat.”   Wes says, “No, I mean, why did you come home Josiah.”  Louie interjects, “He try not to but we make him.”Arcade states, “My father is in poor health.  But it’s more than that.”   Morgana says, “Something magical seems to have poisoned him.  It seems to have started around five months ago.”  Arcade adds, “We think that William has something to do with it.”  Wes replies, “Wouldn’t surprise me.”   Qualtaqa says, “William has had direct access to the family fortune for five months now.”  Wes replies, “I’m surprised there is anything left.”  Arcade answers, “There may not be, that’s one of the things we’re tying to find out.”    Morgana then begins discussing music with Wes and Qualtaqa whispers to Arcade “Do you trust him?”  Arcade replies, “With my life.  Why?”  Qualtaqa replies, “Because he’s a bard who has been in the country recently, and probably knows his way around London much better than you do.”  Arcade replies, “I get it.  And he would also know of places for us to hide out if we run into trouble.”   Qualtaqa answers, “If?, I’d make that ‘when’.”  They invite Wes to accompany them to London the following morning, to which he graciously accepts.   He in turn invites them to hear his performance at the pub that evening, to which they graciously accept, with Morgana again agreeing to perform a duet or two.The group says their good-byes to Wes and ride back to the Arkadiam Estate.    Arcade’s father is back in his bed and rather incoherent.   The group dress for a formal dinner, at which Arcade’s mother is pleasant but the conversation remains at a superficial level.   Following the dinner the group change back into their comfortable clothes and take a pair of carriages back to town.   They find a nice table in the far corner of the pub and settle in for a pleasant evening, with Morgana joining Wes on the stage for several folk songs.   They head back late in the evening. December 20th, 1881:The group meets for breakfast and Morgana slips away to check on the father, who is fast asleep and does not wake when she attempts to make him.   After breakfast they then pack for their trip.   Most decide to leave behind their western-style clothing as well as their larger weapons, such as rifles and the long spear.  They get one of the servants to drive them to the train station.   They make a detour over to Wes’s home and Hank comments that he’s seen towns that are closer together than these two neighboring estates.  The main manor house is elaborate but not quite as ostentatious as the Arkandiam’s.    Sam asks “Will he be sober enough?  He was drinking all night long.”   Qualtaqa replies, “We won’t need him to be sober until we reach London.  He can sleep it off on the train.”  Morgana heads up to the door and knocks.   A butler arrives and she asks for “Young Lord John.”  The man replies, “I believe that the master is still abed.”  She says, “Well go wake him.   Tell him that Lady Arkadiam is waiting to go to London with him.”   The butler gives her a quick visual appraisal, and walks away muttering “I guess the rich can marry as many times as they want.”    Wes eventually makes his way downstairs, and says to her “I didn’t think you meant today and I certainly didn’t think you meant in the morning.”   She replies, “We’re going now.  Get your things.”   He replies, “I’m an artist.  I need my sleep.”  She answers, “You can sleep on the train.  Hurry up.”    Realizing that he isn’t going to win this one, he gathers up a few belongings and follows her outside.   Before the carriage even leaves the front walk he is already curled up on the seat and fast asleep again.   “Wish I could do that,” Louie comments.   Qualtaqa says, “They say that bards and soldiers can learn how to sleep any where at any time.”  “And in his case, with any one,” Arcade adds. They arrive at the train station and only have a short wait until the next train to London. Along the way they discuss how the following evening is the Winter Solstice, a high holy day for both the Celtic and Roman deities, which are the two main pantheons worshipped in England.   They decide that could work to their advantage, as the evening of the 21st will be very busy with holiday celebrations that might work as a distraction.   It might also help with a cover story, Morgana being a Celtic priestess.   The train stops at several towns along the way, arriving in the city approximately two hours after</blockquote>

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