Upesdārgakmens
3 Gingemes, 333
Fate
The sky meadow grays as the doors to Angel's stables are are thrown open. A new day is about to begin—and the Keturi Vėjai Trading Company—the one which agreed to allow our heroes to share paths—is already ahead of the game. The last of the cargo loading, a final inventory check, and a roll call is going around, only just barely managing to fill the slumbering pre-dawn air. Though slight of shape and height, the leader of this particular expedition cuts an imposing figure, all severe angles (softened only by his round, dark goatee) and a long stride and a powerful voice that barks people to wakefulness and attention.
There's some time yet in the order of hours, as the caravan isn't set to leave until dawn. Still, there's no harm in being prepared.
Thus waits Daina, Slavina, Janin, and Esta, alongside Chauncy, who's all prepped to be harnessed to the tidy little floric cart. (Once throughout this process a trading company fellow stole a moment to ask to pet Chauncy.) Aaren has gotten an even earlier start, having gone off to finalize a house call made the day before, which, she assured, should be finished well before dawn.
The caravan master paces about for a bit, eyes hard, intent, searching for something or someone. He barks something, waits a moment, ears strained, then barks again.
(To Kalba speakers) „Ilvers!" Pause. „Ilvers Auziņš! Don't tell me you're gonna be fucking late again!"
He paces some more along the gathered carts, boots tapping, eyes practically burning holes. After talk-shouting to various members of the caravan, one of them points towards the odd little group in the back. His gaze fixes on them, and he strides over.
Just this gets Janin practically leaping to his feet and straightening to attention, drowsiness thrown off. Though he's easily three fingers taller than the caravan master, he looks and indeed seems to be dwarfed by the fellow. However, the caravan master speaks, it's with a somewhat more approachable tone (although that does not seem to be saying much). „Alvyda over there says that my man Ilvers Auziņš was last seen with one of yours. Would you happen to know anything about that?"
Janin considers, brow furrowed, then glances between Daina, Slavina, and Esta. "Anyone seen Kelly?"
Daina
Daina had noticed some ... closeness between Esta and Kelly perhaps and so she glances to the waterdog girl with a questioning expression, as she herself was unsure of where Kelly might be.
Fate
I assume Daina translates Janin's question to Esta's language?
Daina
seems likely :3
Slavina
Slavina shakes her head before Janin asks in English, but holds off on further response until she hears what Esta has to say.
Fate
Esta turns her chin to the side a little, thoughtful... and a little concerned. 'Last I saw him was last night, when we were parting ways. His friend invited him to go pub crawling.' She regards them directly. 'Is he not with Aaren?'
Daina
Daina snorts softly "the drink and a good time no doubt" smiling some as she arches her brows to the others. Letting Slavina practice her translation skills with the language to pose the question to them.
Slavina
While Daina explains to Esta, Slavina replies to the caravan master in Kalba. „No, we don't know where he is. I can find him for you though." She leans forward a little so her face pokes out from behind Janin's shoulder, she speaks in that velvety not-quite-monotone that is her usual on the less-good days.
When she realizes Daina hasn't answered Esta, she takes that up too. "The master is looking for the friend Kelly went with. Presumably they're still together."
Fate
The caravan master glances over his crew then turns back, offering Slavina a question. „How quickly?"
Slavina
She shrugs, and runs a hand carelessly over the necks of her gourds as she replies. "That depends on the gods."
Daina
Daina hums and figures that makes pretty good sense. Trying to track Kelly's warmth in all the warmth of the town. Nose wrinkle eyes narrowed.
Fate
Esta falls silent, uncertain, caught betwixt her thoughts.
The caravan master runs a hand through his hair in frustration, then offers a curt response before setting off to continue his business. „I'm willing to wait until no later than an hour after dawn. If he isn't back by then, we're leaving."
Janin blows a breath out. "Looks like this isn't the first time this Ilvers guy has been late."
He then rubs an arm. "We've got until an hour after dawn to find them."
Daina
Daina snickers a little bit. "welp I guess we better get looking... oh we can do a ... like tour of the local liquor" she grins and rubs her hands together.
Slavina
Slavina nods at the caravan master's pronouncement, unruffled. She turns a still-sleepy gaze to Daina. "Dainina," she murmurs, "Can Frankie find people?"
Daina
Daina pauses "I mean sure but that's much less fun" she sighs a little and questions Frankie. "directions to Kelly?" she asks hopefully.
Fate
I have some. His voice is well within Daina's hearing but hardly reaches the rest of the group. Do you wish for them?
Daina
"yes please, need to find him and hopefully his drinking buddy so we can get under way" smiling faintly as she bows her head a bit for the quiet conversation.
Fate
He dispenses them all in one go.
Janin shakes his head and says, a little meekly, "Um. I didn't catch all that."
Slavina
"That's okay. I did."
Daina
Daina chuckles a little bit at the exchange and starts on the way to the first direction would indicate.
Slavina
Slavina slides off the cart and begins walking in the indicated direction, quietly singing Frankie's directions to the tune of a Liudzi travel-song.
Fate
"Wait—who's staying with the cart?" Janin looks to Esta, then looks between Daina and Slavina.
Daina
Daina gives a bit of a shrug "Chauncy?" smiling a little and glancing around "don't trust our trail mates?" she questions very very quietly.
Fate
A little startlement crosses over Janin's expression. Then he eases and says, "No—it's just that someone should supervise the cart." He looks at Esta again. "I can stay, if she particularly wants to go. But if you need me for any reason maybe she can stay." He rubs an eye. "It's gonna take some more coffee or tea before I start making preferences."
Daina
"so we go get coffee then go grab Kelly?" she smiles "since we know where he is it's no rush exactly." a teasing look to Slavina "oh I could jazz up Janin" she wiggles her fingers in a 'magic' way.
Slavina
Slavina listens to the exchange with one ear, stopping walking until they get the cart situation sorted out. Then she says, "Daina, stop trying to give people addictive substances. It's not a good look. We can stop for coffee as long as it's on the way, but I don't want to chance Ilver missing his leave-time."
Daina
Daina pokes her tongue out at Slavina but is still smiling as she moves along the path, quickly picking up the travel song.
Slavina
Slavina lets out a heavy breath. "I'm not kidding, Daina. Most people have no idea what they'd be getting into. What would you do if they accepted your offer?" She pitches her voice in a way that grabs attention and gnaws at one to turn around and look.
Daina
Daina shrugs but then clarifies "I'd warn them first and you can't get addicted if you can't get the thing again." she frowns "B'sides it could be addictive, but doesn't have to be. Beyond that Aaron can sing away all the things"
Fate
Janin glances between them uneasily. Then, having not received any answers for his not-quite-a-question, he heaves a sigh and looks to Esta. She returns his look, uneasy. After another moment, he slips a, "On second thought, I'd better wait here," just under the other conversation, and motions for Esta to join Daina and Slavina.
Daina
Daina hurrumphs a bit and frowns as she shakes her head. Walking towards the direction Frankie had indicated, trying to recall where a spot to get coffee is on the way. "oooo a plant that makes hot coffee as part of it's mating functions."
Slavina
"Thanks Jansco. I'll bring back some coffee if we have time." She gives his shoulder a quick squeeze, and begins walking in the designated direction again. Slavina switches over to speaking in Esta's language entirely, although she doesn't explain the backlog of conversation. "I can tell you from personal experience that withdrawl can be long and awful even if you only have something once. I don't know why you'd subject someone to that for no reason. But whatever. If you want to do that, I guess it's your choice."
Fate
Esta follows, quiet.
Slavina
Slavina lets Daina stew in silence for a while. After a half a mile or so (513 paces, to be precise), she asks Esta, "Did you enjoy the town?"
Fate
Esta brightens a little at this question. 'Yes! This place is beautiful! All the colors—and the sweetmeats—the mead—the music—and the glassblowing!' A smile spreads. 'Incredible.' Soon, a grin breaks out. 'I won this in a game of bones. Strange game, but fun.' She tugs at her neckline to reveal an intricate (and undoubtedly expensive) necklace radiating what looks to be a net of amber tears, going from deep brown to light gold. 'I also won Kelly his tunic back.'
'Well... technically it's my tunic now, but...' She shrugs a shoulder, her grin growing broader and more mischievous.
Slavina
"Ah, how beautiful." Slavina leans in to take a closer look at the amber. "They tell me those stones are made from the tears of the ocean's daughter." She straightens and picks up the mischevious thread in her own smile. "A perilous situation for a young man to be in, I think."
Daina
Daina manages a faint snirk hearing Esta's tails. A slight hmm at the tail of the tears. She has a cool idea she might try before leaving town. "I could make a ring of them around a tree, it would be interesting to see what legend springs up from that huh?"
Fate
Esta's smile only grows at Slavina's comment, but she says nothing after sparing a glance Daina's way. After it's silent a moment she asks, 'Anyone else see anything interesting around here?'
Daina
"I mean the glass blowing was cool... they have a nice temple with a very beardy priest..."
Slavina
"I had some sweetmeats carved in the shape of beasts." Slavina offers. It's not much, but then, she has stayed in their room basically the whole time.
Daina
She grins a little "was hard not to do beard scruffings" she notes as she lifts her nose and scents the air for coffee.
Fate
Coffee seems in good supply around here, as varying warm, bold, robust scents are clear to Daina's senses.
Esta takes in the rather scarce responses and, after a moment's searching, offers a, 'Well, splendid!' Silence follows, and Esta releases it for someone else to take up.
... three-hundred sixty-five paces west, fifteen paces north-northwest, eight-hundred and twelve paces north...
Frankie's directions take them through a large swath of the town, moving from market, to residences, to much nicer-looking residences with more uniform colors and more ornate carvings (some even done in gold leaf). The cobbles shift from covering the whole ground to just covering the road, revealing bigger and bigger patches of grass, until the grass all but overtakes the street proper. As it does so, a moderate-sized estate goes from distant to nearly within reach, a beautiful vine-laced gate separating them. There is a sign which reads 'Strautmane Estate'.
This hardly looks like pub in which adventurous young men get drunk. (Esta even comments as much, an uneasy humor lighting her words.)
Instructions lead through the gate, which appears to be unguarded...
Slavina
Slavina, having kept up at least a bit of conversation with Esta on the walk, grows quiet at that comment. She pauses just outside the gate and takes stock of her surroundings, and what they might mean.
Daina
Daina hmmms faintly "sooo... no guards means come on in right?" she hedges as she pauses in front of the gates.
Fate
(To Daina) Somewhere on the grounds—somewhere far away, nearing the rear of the vast estate—there is a shout, quickly muffled, and followed by a painful-sounding crack.
Slavina
Can I get a mystery ping on the place we're in? Or do you want me to roll for that?
Fate
Roll please
Daina
Daina tilts her head and then wuffs softly. "Problem... a fight I think..." she bounces on her feet. "let's go"
Slavina
6
"I said wait." Slavina's voice is a low panther-growl. "Something isn't right." Her eyes flick around the gate, the garden, picking out this omen and that while every other part of her stands frozen in place.
Daina
Daina growls softly, her form towards the sound she'd heard and her body shaking a bit. Waiting but ready to move.
Fate
(To Slavina)
The air is taut. Solemn. Perhaps even sinister.
A tangle of weeds and vines, choking each other out, brown dryness tinging down their stalks. Other plants, flowers and grasses, are also choked—collateral damage.
A feud between sickly factions, or families, or perhaps just people (for what are factions and families but simply a gathering of people?). It consumes those that have the misfortune to be caught in between.
Dead mouse, lying, mouth-open, just off the entry garden pathway, blood staining the grass dark and guts spilled out. They're still steaming. Somewhere nearby is the rustle of its predator—a cat, likely—but no other sign of its passing.
Hunter and prey. Violence, done under cover of darkness.
All this seen from behind a bare patch of bars, trimmed free of the lush vines that otherwise decorate it.
Trapped. Imprisoned. Locked away. Those whom you seek aren't free.
Slavina
Slavina lowers her hand slowly, trusting Daina not to lunge full speed ahead. "We need to be careful. They're held captive, and I see omens of violence and ill-fortune for anyone caught in the middle of this storm." She flicks a glance at Esta. "Do you want to come in with us, or wait at the gate?"
Fate
Her eyes flash and the muscles in her jaw clench. 'I'm coming with you.'
Slavina
With a nod, she turns to Daina. "I'm not a fighter, Daina. Please don't put me in a position where I'd need to be."
Daina
Daina hmms softly "I could do some recon with the plants..." I did get plant 'vision' down right?
Fate
Daina can tap into the plant network and have their senses communicated to her, if that's what you mean.
Daina
I'd like to try that and see what I can learn pls
Fate
Sure! Roll for [Fertility + Notice], or [Fertility + Search] if you have specific questions you want answered.
Fate
Their vibrations are far beneath the grass and petunia roots, on the strongest sunrise (a.k.a easternmost) side of the building. That might explain why the last of Frankie's directions was earthward, fifteen paces.
There were bigloud vibrations from them, for much of the night, just as low and distant from the sunrise side. It was distressing—they were distressed, in pain.
The plants also reported another with them. Not distressed. Sometimes it goes to them and makes them more distressed.
Slavina
Slavina shrugs. "While you do, I'm going to go knock. Remember, you're my cousin and you definitely for sure don't want a fight. We're just a bunch of harmless ladies going to look for our cousin."
So saying, she puts a hand on the gate and sings a few quiet prayers to La Dama (for the revelation of secret knowledge), Ken (for the breaking of shackles), and the local god (for safe passage through his waters), scattering a splash of vodka and a handful of coffee beans on the ground and crushing them under her heel as an offering. Then Slavina pushes the gate open and makes her way towards the front door.
Fate
Esta follows, a hand tucked away somewhere in her clothing.
Daina
Daina narrows her eyes "They're underground... in pain... been so for the night... " her voice drops in a low growl "They're hurting my pack" the rumble continuing past the words "Frankie go make sure they're not in danger of death... if not we will do this Slavina's way... if they are too dangerous ... eat the bad guys if it saves Kelly and his friend." She starts towards the place the plants indicated and if Kelly and his partner are in deathly trouble asks them to please move the soil and such out of her way, she has business inside. She asks Frankie to take a message to Slavina and Esta's ears that she'll be in position over the underground room Kelly is being held in, hurt in. She'll hold on moving until she hears from them. Unless that is Kelly is in danger of death. Then she's going to move in.
Slavina
"Daina..." Slavina pleads, stopping on the path. She runs out of words after that. After a second, she says, "Dainochka. Let's stick together. We'll be right above them, see? You'll be just as close."
Daina
Daina grumbles softly and sighs "ok... just... they're being hurt..." she makes a whining sound and wills her transformation to return to normal human female. She rushes off to catch up, but still has Frankie go for surveillance.
Fate
Esta listens to their exchange, silent, waiting (and lacking relevant information). Then, once they agree on a direction, she follows them.
Slavina
Slavina keeps a close proximity to Daina, almost protective, as they approach the front door. When they've reached the top step, she grabs the bell pull and gives it three sharp tugs. Then Slavina composes herself into the perfect image of an adorable, just-barely-too-worldly-to-be-naive young woman.
Daina
Glancing to Esta she shares what she learned in a quiet tone, certain to not be overheard beyond the small grouping of three.
Fate
The silence is long, and taut.
It appears the house still slumbers. After all, it's not even dawn yet.
Fate
(To Daina) There are nigh inaudible footsteps lighting across the wooden floors from deep within the manor.
Daina
(To Fate) can I tell how many and likely the sex of the persons or people?
Fate
(To Daina) There's somewhere around a dozen people. Footsteps give you no indication of sex, though.
Slavina
Slavina gives it plenty of time for someone to come to the door. When no one comes, she starts rhythmically yanking the bell-pull in a pretty rhythm. A very loud pretty rhythm.
Fate
(To Daina) As the bell resounds through the main room, the footsteps come to a tense halt. There is a long hesitation, and then they continue at more of a hurried pace. Soon, they start ascending to the upper floors.
Daina
Daina says quietly "Sneaky approach... I mean ... very light steps" she murmurs with a nod to the door.
Slavina
Slavina stops tugging on the cord and smiles at Daina. "I'm sure they'll hear us." She says, in an upbeat tone.
Daina
She hmms softly "a good grouping of people... 12 or so... no need for 12 to open a door" she sounds concerned and her hair lifts a little as fur might do on a wolf. "They're going upstairs, second floor... quickly now that they know they've got company... seems... suspicious don't you think?"
Slavina
Slavina looks around and, seeing an open window in the kitchen, walks up to it. It's a little high to reach, but not a problem for a trained acrobat. She pops her head in and clears her throat for the cook and kitchen maids. „Excuse me! I'm so sorry but we got locked out and no one's answering the door. Can we please come in? The master asked for us and I don't want to be late..."
Charisma + influence to make this seem TOTALLY NORMAL GUYS
Fate
Roll away!
Slavina
What's my diff?
Fate
Like... 3.
Slavina
5
Daina
Daina suggests quietly that she might go around the back and grow a ladder up to the second floor, come in from another side. Clearly speaking quietly enough to not be heard and using Esta's language to prevent overhearing people from understanding anyway.
Fate
There's a pause in the clattering activity by the window, followed by a sigh and a, „Yeah, yeah, yeah, come on."
Shortly thereafter, the small kitchen servants' door opens, revealing a scullery maid drying her hands on her apron, as well as other activity going on behind her. She eyes them. „Fine time to wear your best." There's no hint of suspicion in her voice, just sarcasm.
'Do you really want to go where the dirty dozen are headed?' Esta asks, sharp.
Daina
Daina frowns "They ... are up to something" she mumbles and crosses her arms over her chest.
Slavina
Slavina drops down from the kitchen window in a floof of skirts and sleeves, and darts in the open door. She giggles a little at the comment. „Not like I have anything else. Besides, who wants to look at shabby performers, right?"
Fate
„Oh, performers." The scullery maid shakes her head, as if clearing cobwebs. „Well. Ballroom is down the hall, last door on the left. Drawing room is third door on the right."
Daina
Daina gives a winning smile to the maid. „Thank you, dear lady" she gives a flowery Ludzi style bow. Follows after Slavina and keeps her nose and ears attuned for trouble.
Slavina
"Of course, silly!" She teases very gently. "What did you think we were?" Slavina asks, as they head toward the door to the hall.
Fate
„New hires. Performers don't usually come in before sunup." She shrugs a shoulder, non-committal.
Slavina
Slavina gives them yet another thanks and a twirling bow before ducking through the door after Daina. "Alright, Dainina. Basement, right?" She says in Esta's language.
Fate
(To Daina) The footsteps on the second floor pause. One moves again, slower this time, quieter. Then, there is a sharp sound, followed by a quiet, wet gurgle. More footsteps, then opening of a door, then the careful resting of something heavy and fleshy.
Daina
Daina halts in her steps and then groans "Someone just got their throat slit upstairs..."
Fate
Esta quickly follows, offering a toothy smile to the scullery maid to make a pretense of understanding what had transpired.
Slavina
"Okay." Slavina picks up the pace towards the basement door, deliberately steadying her voice to smooth out the quiver of terror. "Good thing we're not going upstairs."
Daina
"we're not going to at least go see... I mean there are creepy dudes upstairs slitting throats... we should get the servants out or something. " she grumbles softly, concerned. She winces a little and goes with Slavina. Trying to ask Frankie through the shadows what is waiting for them in the basement, check if he can open the door if it's locked.
Fate
Soon enough the basement door is in sight, placed in a small, narrow space between two support beams.
Slavina
"What?!" Slavina whisper-hisses. "No. If they're slitting throats I don't want to see!" She falls silent as they reach the door. If Frankie can't just pop it open in a few seconds, Slavina pulls out one of her hair pins and starts picking the lock. With the non-decorated end, of course.
Fate
(To Daina)
There is a guard, Frankie responds directly into Daina's ear. Which door do you wish me to open?
Daina
(To Fate)
"How many doors are there, do both lead to the house? We're coming to a narrow door... two wood pillars on either side. Look like one from your side?"
Fate
(To Daina)
There are 38 doors. Four lead into and out of the house. Do you wish me to open your door?
Daina
(To Fate)
"Holy shit... 38... are they filled with... people or is it just the three and the guard?... yes if you can open it without being noticed..."
Fate
(To Daina)
There are 44 people in the household at present. There are 18 upstairs, 22 on the ground floor, and 4 in the basement.
Daina
Daina sighs a little "right... we're not Batgirl..." she grumbles a little. "umn ok so there is a guard and more than one door, Frankie wants to know which to open, I described this door to him."
She continues "There are 38 doors... he's going to open ours. Four of the doors lead into and out of the house...so that's three more points of entrance and exit..."
Slavina
Slavina takes a deep breath and whispers, "Dainochka. We don't need to know how many doors there are in the house. We're only going to the basement." She glances at Esta for silent support, then tries the doorknob - taking great care to not make noise.
Daina
(To Fate)
"Hey Frankie do you mean downstairs doors or doors in the whole place? I'm needing basement info buddy."
Fate
(To Daina)
All doors on the premises.
Daina
(To Fate)
"Ok cool good to know, how about doors leading to and leaving the basement? Just this one?"
Fate
(To Daina)
There are two doors leading to and from the basement.
Fate
Just before Slavina's hand reaches the knob, it slides open, ever so slightly, completely silent.
Daina
Daina smiles "nice work Frankie" said in wolf.
Slavina
Slavina licks her finger and traces the eye of Ulfynja on her head in thanks, then slips down the basement stairs. She draws the shadows around herself and her companions as she goes, and the dust of the walls, and the stale air, and flickers down to the basement with no more than a mouselike flutter of her skirt.
I'd like to make an illusion role to make us go undetected
Daina
"Frankie go guard the other door, don't let us get mobbed down here ok?" Said in English. "Try not to be noticed of course..." she murmurs as she rubs her nose from the musky tickle of the dust and stale air.
Fate
Okay! Diff is 13. Less if Daina and Esta roll stealth. Every two successes on their rolls = +1 success for Slavina.
+4 sucs for Slavina from Esta
Another +3 successes from Daina
Slavina
13!
Fate
Alright!
The trio of ladies pass through like flickering shadows in the firelight. The basement hallway takes them past storage rooms, several wine racks, and a couple more rooms behind doors. The strong, iron-like scent of blood wafts strongly from one of them.
Finally, they reach the door that, judging by Frankie's directions and the input offered by the plants, leads to their quarry. It's closed but not locked. Beyond, reports say, is a guard and the ill-fated duo presently stuck behind bars.
Slavina
Slavina opens the door, then hesitates and wordlessly offers the first entrance to Daina. If she wants.
Fate
Esta quickly stifles a sigh, goes over to grab a bottle of wine, and throws it down the hall, in the direction they'd come from. It clatters noisily, obscenely breaking their flawless silence.
Then Esta grabs Slavina and Daina and tugs them against the wall, into the shadows.
Daina
Daina's brow furrows a little "Frankie subdue the guard ... quietly if you can..." She slowly makes a faint nph sound and then is silent as she leans back against the wall tight as she can.
Fate
After a tight pause there's a scrape of a chair and an oddly nasal voice says, „Who's—"
It's quickly silenced.
Daina
Daina snorts softly and pushes away from the wall to enter into the room. Looking for Kelly and his partner.
Fate
Without waiting for the other ladies, Esta rushes into the room. She immediately runs up to the bars.
'Kelly!' she murmurs, her accent lilting over the name.
Slavina
Slavina deliberately avoids looking at Daina. She swallows her distress, and enters the room - paying close attention to their surroundings.
Daina
Daina smirks faintly at the silence and then grins when Esta rushes over to Kelly. "Good job" said to Frankie as she to takes stock of the room, after quietly closing the door behind them and getting strong roots to grow over the door.
Fate
A shadow shifts on the floor, followed by an agonized but weary groan. There's another shift, a more startled one.
Slumped, practically sliding off the chair, is the guard, nose heavily bandaged, lip swollen and red. His eyes are wide and vacant, one of them slowly filling with blood. There's a small, neat, circular mark in his forehead.
"Nnh?" That's for sure a Kelly grunt, with wan, off-key musical stylings.
Daina
Daina blinks softly and looks around them "F-Frankie did you sh-shoot him?" She grimaces "You can't ... I mean you're a... " She rubs her hand down her face. Rushing over and trying to heal him with shear force of warmth.
Fate
(To Daina) Despite Daina's best efforts, his body is no longer retaining his warmth. It leaks from him, slow, like the roof in the living room that one rainy spring long ago, when Shea was 9 and Ash was having a particularly tough time waking up in the morning.
Fate
Esta glances back at the guard, uneasy, then, after a moment's hesitation, says, flat, 'You should probably look for a key.'
Slavina
Slavina keeps herself collected, for the most part - she can't keep the blood from going out of her face though. She considers the options, and her own skills, and then swallows hard before she approaches the former guard. She slips a hand down his shirt, turning her head away so she won't have to see the mark. When she finds the key in his breast pocket, she holds it like a viper until she can press it in Daina's hand.
Daina
Daina sighs heavily and takes the key, going over to open the bars up so Kelly can get free. "Hey Kelly... ... wagon train guy..." she murmurs as she steps back and tosses the key towards Frankie. "Hide this, figure we can at least make keeping prisoners in here a little less convenient."
Fate
"Aaren... ?" Kelly ventures. It sounds more like a plea than anything else. His voice is raw, hoarse.
„No more... please... no more..." mumbles the other fellow. „Please... please..."
Slavina
Slavina steels herself. She closes her eyes and takes a few breaths as if she's about to step on stage. Then she goes into the cell and kneels next to Ilvers. She speaks to him in Kalba, stroking a hand over his hair. „No more, little bee. No more. We're bringing you home." The words are milk and honey, lapping at the pain and fear. „Can you stand, little bee? For me?"
Fate
He calms, trickle by trickle, his sobbing fading to sniveling fading to even breaths. Finally, he says, „I don't know. Maybe. I... it all just hurts. I'll try." Then he hesitates. „Help him. They..." He takes a shivering gasp. „They broke his knees, and his shoulders. I heard it—I heard—" Ilvers stops to shift and dry heave weakly.
Daina
Daina looks to the Frankie and smiles some "we should talk about subduing and how we do that. Seems like this guy was a real bad guy... so it's... not the worst he's dead..." She winces softly hearing the other man. "Gods... why..." she asks the air and then takes off her sash and hands it to Slavina before letting them know. "Gonna wolf... strap one of 'em to me... carefully" she frowns a little and then wolfs herself out, laying down so she can be more easily made into a mount.
Fate
Once given the opportunity, Esta kneels beside Kelly. She searches a moment, not daring to touch him, not knowing how to ask what she needed to ask in a language he could understand.
Slavina
She translates this for Daina in the same soothing tone. She switches back to Kalba for Ilvers. "It won't hurt little bee. I promise. I will give it to my goddess." She daubs her fingers in the blood on his forehead and Kelly's, and traces it in marks over her own eyes and lips. She switches to Liudzi and sings a prayer to La Dama, begging her to accept their physical suffering as an offering the way she has the mental suffering of so many others, and release them from it. She grips Ilver's and Kelly's hands, squeezes them until they whimper, and then empties a gourd of water over both their hands until it runs clean.
I'd like to roll Illusion+influence to remove both of their pain
Also, er... stunt vote? XD
Fate
Diff 10
Slavina
8
Fate
For a moment, it's soothing. For a moment, there is a silence which isn't tight, which may perhaps even be relieved.
„Okay. Okay." Ilvers shifts, slowly, pushing himself up. Then, after a certain point, he cries out, brief, sharp. This is quickly followed by an „Ah fuck ah fuck ah fuck..."
This gets a jump out of Esta, who'd been waiting on some word or other to move Kelly. Then, frustrated, she says, 'Okay—can't we grow a feckin' litter or two? Give them legs or something? That'd make things a lot easier.'
"Did you..." It's like Kelly can hardly get the words out. "Did you find..." He swallows, hard. "Aurika? She's down here too."
„F... forget—" There's a pause as Ilvers switches to English. "Forget Aurika, Kel."
"No." Kelly hangs onto the silence tooth and nail. "She's hurt too."
"She's the one who got us here!"
Kelly offers no response, but it's clear he hasn't changed his mind.
Daina
Daina lifts her nose to try and scent a female presence that she doesn't know. Perhaps injured but perhaps not. To Frankie she signals with body language to search for the woman in question and report back.
Fate
(To Daina)
There is a female. She is in the adjacent room.
Daina
Daina sighs faintly and resumes her human form. She then takes her sash back and starts to growing a set of three stretchers, on what seem to be snake like comportments rather than with legs. hopefully a smoother ride. "The girl is next door, one of you want to go get her?" she questions with a sigh as she focuses on the work at hand.
Fate
After a brief clarification on what girl (since she wasn't privy to the conversation due to the language barrier), Esta reluctantly volunteers. She gingerly searches the guard for another key, finds one, and then disappears briefly.
Soon enough she returns with an unconscious, bloody, beaten young woman draped over her back, waiting until she gets the clear to put her on a stretcher.
Daina
Daina rises when the creature is done and smiles "I should leave this hear to help the locals when we're done huh?" She then moves to help get everyone loaded on and secure with vine like straps. Offering some herbs for the pain, nothing instant but that will likely help soon.
Slavina
As soon as everyone who needs it is safely packed on stretchers, Slavina pops open the nearest exit door and ushers them all outside. She holds it together until they're off the property, at which point she starts shaking, completely unable to process Daina's chitchat or offer any reply.
Fate
H'okay. Rolling a luck dice thingy here...
Daina
Daina grimaces a little and glances to Slavina. "Hey, how bout I wolf and you get a ride too, you seem a bit shaken."
Fate
4! Which is... middling. Ish.
Fate
There appear to be no incidents as the trio of ladies transport the trio of newly freed prisoners across the grounds... they make it out unmolested. There is aught left but the journey to Aaren...
... The sleepy pre-dawn city quiet grows to complete silence, alert and taut, over the trading company as the stretchers slither their way down the street into the lamplight in the circle of the caravans. It's broken only by the weak, wan groans of one of the occupants of said stretchers.
As the group draws closer, Janin rises, alarm overtaking his expression, and Esta dashes forward towards the now-familiar chorus of voices she hears, intent on ushering Aaren to the wounded where she meets her.
Aaren
(To Fate) Are any of them in critical condition? Or just super super injured?
Fate
(To Aaren) Discordance, heavy and hair-raising.
A gentleman: Bruised stomach, bladder, kidneys. Various fractured facial bones. Missing teeth. Fractured ribs. Skinned knees and palms and elbows.
The lady: Bruised stomach, bladder, and kidneys. Broken jaw, missing and broken teeth. Severed ear. Lacerations on her face. Burns on the bottom of her feet and on the palms of her hands. Severed left pinky.
Kelly: Bruised stomach, bladder—one bruised kidney, one on the verge of rupture. Ruptured spleen. Fractured ribs. Shattered kneecaps, shattered shoulders. Missing and broken teeth.
None of them are in critical condition, but Kelly's a hair's breadth from getting there.
Aaren
Aaren has already heard them. Her voices burst from her chest in a chreshendo. She's been taking care to use only one or two while in the city, but this is an emergency.
Striding toward them, Aaren sings "What happened?" to the tune of the Caravan Master's song, so that he notices and comes over.
Aaren begins work immidently, lowering pain and swelling as she completes diagnousis.
Daina
Daina holds out a hand offering Warmth to Aaren if she needs it. Glancing to Slavina who is after all the story teller here.
Slavina
Slavina, having rigidly composed herself before coming in view of the caravan, takes a deep breath. She waits (as if desperately hoping someone else will explain), but when the silence is about to get too awkward to patch she gives in.
"We..." She stops, takes a sip of water to clear the bit of hoarseness, and continues in a smooth, rhythmic 'stage' voice. "We followed the pattern Frankie gave, and came to a manor-house..." She continues on, outlining the events as experienced (and later as illuminated by Frankie) in a easy-to-follow, musical, but rather boring way.
Fate
It's not long at all before the caravan master tromps over.
„Vytenaitis!" breathes Ilvers, his voice strung with equal parts pain, apprehension, and relief.
For once, the caravan master is speechless. Slowly, he drops to a crouch beside Ilvers, eyeing him with stunned appraisal. Then he looks up, towards the storyteller, his gaze intent (almost burning) as he listens.
Aaren
Aaren points to Kelly. "Warmth there first." She sings, to the bubbling tune she's using to stop his kidney from rupturing. Four other voices are weaving together broken jaw bones, and the last four are easing the bruising in spleens, kidneys, and stomachs.
Aaren's songs remain the same as she listens, weaving in and out of one another, never breaking stride.
But her face hardens.
"Is that allowed?" She asks the caravan master. "Can they do that?" Her voices, and they all speak at once, carry no inflection, since tone is taken up entierly by the work.
Daina
Daina nods a little and glances over to Slavina, sorry not to have thought to tell the story herself. She sighs a little and then her lips lightly press in a faint ... smile like move. Her hands moving towards the area indicated and warmth flowing from her as she joins her voice with Aaren's and tries to wind the Warmth with the song to heal the injuries they can.
Slavina
Having finished the recounting of events, Slavina sits down on the edge of a wagon and quietly watches the conversation unfold.
Fate
Janin, after spending a tight moment trying to figure out how to help, reluctantly eases back as he catches sight of Slavina. He makes his way over to her, but the tight uncertainty remains and he slows to a near-halt as he enters her space.
„No. We should go to the pol —"
„It was at Strautmane Estate." Ilvers's voice is low, and a little ashamed, but his tone is urgent.
The caravan master draws back as if Ilvers suddenly caught fire. After a half-a-moment of searching, he sputters, „What the fuck did you do!?"
A stricken silence follows. This whole affair has clearly suspended the work, and drawn the eyes and ears of the others gathered there.
Sobbing drifts through it, quiet, but it may as well be deafeningly loud for all that it fails to fall under notice. Shame closes around Ilvers, almost tangible, as he fights not to look at the one crying, his gaze drifting instead to the still-unconscious woman to the other side of him.
Aaren
"Daina," Aaren sings, still in choral harmony and slightly broken Kalba. "How many Strautmane are still alive? Frankie said they were being murdered?"
Aaren lowers her voices somewhat, as she becomes aware of how loud she is being. "Kelly, would you like me to put you to sleep?"
Daina
Daina breaks off in the singing, questioning Frankie if he can find out about the Strautmane and how many are left of them, status etcetera, are they injured, near death, healthy and whole. One of her warm hands resting over Kelly's ... unless it's injured and such would hurt him.
Slavina
Slavina moves her skirt closer to her leg, making room for a second person to sit on the runner board. If they happened to want to do that.
Fate
There are fifty-four bodies formerly of the Strautmane estate. There are forty-nine still living. Frankie's voice resounds through the loading area.
Kelly, wracked as he is by weeping, only barely manages to sing his uncertainty song. It's familiar in an old way, and doesn't quite fit his current actual uncertainty song. (Apparently he's out-of-date.) Esta draws out a kerchief and begins gently cleaning his face of old sweat and tears and blood.
Janin sits beside Slavina, still strung through with uncertainty himself, watching grimly.
Aaren
Aaren nods to Daina in thanks.
"Please explain." Aaren asks Iivers and the caravan master, in Kalba.
To Kelly, Aaren sings, "Please sing your calm song then. I don't want you moving around yet."
Daina
Daina looks to Kelly and frowns a little. "I think sleep would be better, no need for him to be awake for the healing process unless he's sure he wants to be right? Rest is a good thing for healing up..." offering her two cents. Singing the healing refrain again and trying to work her Warmth with Aaren's songs.
Fate
Kelly sobs a little more, swallows, and takes a stuttered breath inward, his shaky voice beginning to draw out the barely recognizable strains of his calm song.
At this, the caravan master's gaze falls heavily expectant on Ilvers.
„We got drunk. And smoked a little. I... may have shared a little Gladroot with him." There's a quaver in Ilvers's voice too. „Then... then Aurika walked in. I'd seen her around a few times. Couldn't get her out of my head. But I was too shy to talk to her. Kelly tried to talk me into breaking the ice, but I was being stubborn. She left and... and I couldn't bear it. So I followed. When there was an opportunity, I would almost go talk to her, but then I'd lose my nerve. After a while, Kelly tried to turn us back. But then we saw her heading off by herself down an alley and I... thought that she was sure to run into trouble. So we followed her all the way to Strautmane Estate, and... um... accidentally eavesdropped on a conversation between her and Stase Strautmane herself."
The caravan master breathes out a curse.
Ilvers flinches a little, then swallows and continues. „We were... ah... caught. Stase accused Aurika of betraying her. Aurika suggested that we must be spies." He gains a little strength. „But she knew we weren't, she knew. She —" He bites the rest of his sentence off takes a breath, and says, „They beat us around a little. Softening us up, sounded like. But then... later Aurika was thrown in the basement. Stase must've known she was lying. I mean... some spies we would be, drunk and high off our asses like that."
„Fucking fool," growls the caravan master, before standing up and turning away to cover his face and compose himself.
Ilvers accepts this, downcast. He picks up his end of the conversation anew. „Kelly, though... the moment he could he choked out the guard, took his keys, and went for her cell. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't... wouldn't listen. We might've escaped if he'd just—" There's a long pause as Ilvers refocuses his tale. „I... slipped back in the cell in time to pretend like I didn't know what was happening. So they took him and Aurika to another room and..." He swallows. „Well. I didn't see anything. B-but I heard... heard everything. They dumped him back in with me and... then a while later you three..." he motions vaguely to Daina, Slavina, and Esta, „showed up."
Tale relayed, he falls silent.
Slavina
Slavina reaches over and squeezes Janin's hand, and looks over at Kelly. She hesitates for a few moments, glances back at Janin, then gets up and heads in Kelly's direction. She crouches next to him and runs a hand over the uninjured parts of his forehead and takes up the calm song with him, matching a lullaby with an appropriate meter to the melody. She pulls a handkerchief out of her belt and wets it with water, then ever-so-gently dabs the blood out of his left eye so he can see better.
Aaren
Aaren's face stays frozen— she's too busy to move it now. Her eyes are closed.
"And we are not getting the police because?" She asks.
Fate
„Both the Strautmane family and their rivals—the Wide Journeys Trading Company—have a number of officers in their pockets." The caravan master's voice is flat now, and deadly quiet. „You're lucky you made it out at all, Ilvers Auziņš." There's no oomph to this statement. It's just a fact.
Ilvers is silent.
The caravan master turns again. „Double time, everyone! I want us out of here within the hour!" He regards the travelers. „I recommend you join us, or at least not tarry. And never return here, if possible. With any luck, we'll be gone before anyone notices."
Slavina
Slavina, after running out of song lyrics, sings a not-terribly-lyrical translated summary to Esta.
Daina
Daina frowns "so this is... usual... this sort of thing?" interrupting her song again. Keeping her warmth as intertwined with Aaren's efforts as she's able. "Maybe we ... " she chews her lip "I mean I know we've got a schedule but this is... I feel bad walking away" she murmurs
Aaren
Aaren opens her eyes slowly, as the most critical phase is passing.
She has just enough attention to spare to turn just one voice to words, instead of all seven.
"Ilvers, I'm going to put you to sleep now. Kelly, let me know if you decide what you want."
She turns her eyes to Daina and sings her question to the soft tune of healing burses. "What would your plan be, Dainushka?"
Fate
Throughout the tale, Esta, familiar with what Kelly's singing, joins her voice to his once Slavina takes over what she'd been previously doing. With help, he's able to get a better handle on his singing. His heart rate slows, tension seeps from him little by little, and his crying reduces to merely streaming tears.
Ilvers offers no response—and drops off in good time as Aaren sings his sleeping song.
Daina
Daina chews at her lower lip and considers it... "if we... uh... well we could... " she falters trying to think of something they can do in a few days rather than something that would take months. "Frankie could ... uh point us to the violent people and we could... convince them to stop that nonsense?" she suggests uncertainly
Slavina
Slavina doesn't break melody, but she sings a response. "People do things for a reason, Dainochka. If you don't change the reason, they'll just keep doing it. Or someone else will."
Daina
Daina looks over at Slavina and nods her head. "Yeah ... that just ... is a long time investment I ... wasn't sure we were willing to put in the time?"
Aaren
Aaren shakes her head. "No. That would require living here for years. If you want, when we are done you can come back."
Slavina
Slavina doesn't say anything (unless children's nonsense-songs count as saying something), but a tiny bit of tension releases from her posture. She folds her cloth back up and tucks it away.
Daina
Daina sighs a little and doesn't say what springs to her mind at first. Instead she sighs softly. "Can we ... at least find some officers not in the pockets of the big bad, and give them some clues ... some ways to at least improve things here?"
Fate
"It'd take years to find out who those people are," Janin points out. "And I'm not sure clues will help them. I mean... how much power do they have?" An uneasiness settles in. Something tells him 'not a whole lot'. "Wouldn't it draw attention to us?"
Aaren
"Yes, you may." Aaren sings, "Frankie can follow us so you'll be able to catch up. Be careful, okay?"
To Janin, she sings, "I'm sure they already know who is at fault. Our companions recognized both their house and their name instantly, after all."
Daina
Daina considers "Frankie can find out all sorts of things with very little chance of being caught... we leave them a letter with anything we can learn, and hope it helps?" She grimaces a little. "But... that might end up doing more harm than good... somehow... " she frowns "I can't see how but... I'd worry"
Fate
Janin rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, so... if they know already, and had the power to stop them before, wouldn't they have done that by now?"
Aaren
"Yes." Aaren sings, her voice still inflected only by her healing songs.
Fate
Janin looks to Daina, waiting to see how she processes that.
Slavina
Slavina tests the waters by singing less and less obtrusively until she's finally silent. She checks to make sure Kelly's staying sort-of-kinda-calm-ish before she moves away. She looks around to see if there's anything the caravan crew needs help with for their packing on the double.
Daina
Daina heaves a faint sigh and rubs her brow. "I suppose ... we can try to take care of this ... after." She pauses "If I ... don't make it ... will you guys try and fix this up?"
Slavina
"Sure." Says Slavina, blithely. Then she thinks for a moment, glances at Janin, and says in a more flat, forced, subdued tone. "Sorry. That was a lie. I won't."
Fate
Janin's gaze drops and slides to the side, then jumps up to Slavina at her confirmation. When she clarifies, he runs a hand through his hair as he searches for his own words. Finally he settles on a sigh and, "No."
Aaren
Aaren frowns, kind of gently as her face begins to turn back on. "No." She sings, finally easing off Kelly's kidney as it reaches a less urgent stage. "If I'm going to spend my life fixing problems that aren't Home's, I'll start with the murder rate in Bakersfield."
Aaren
Her eyes flick to Daina. "You remember Brian? The painter with one hand?"
Daina
Daina blows her breath out and sighs. "if we don't keep going on our ... quest, this place won't be the only one in danger." she nods to the question. "yeah"
Aaren
"Chopped off by the painter's guild because he couldn't pay dues." She turns her eyes to the Aurika's jaw.
"These stretchers are wonderful. Can you make the cart grow something to hold them off the ground while we move?"
Daina
Daina blinks softly "What... that's fuckin stupid... such bullshit... why the hell..." probably more cursing before she pauses. "pardon... oh like a... rack or something?" she rubs her neck. "I yeah... sure..." she mumbles a bit overwhelmed with emotions -a lot- of them in a short span of time. Her face screws up in a strange look of frustration and anger and some other things likely guilt and sadness.
Slavina
"He could have paid dues." Slavina says, sounding almost offended. "He just didn't want to join." She climbs in the plant-cart and takes her shoes off, hanging them on the little thorn hook by the door.
Aaren
Aaren lowers her shoulders. "It's not urgent, if you need more time." She sings it softly, although there is still no room for emotion in her songs. She puts out a hand to offer Daina a hug.
Daina
Daina heaves a faint sigh and tugs Aaren into a hug. "Let's do what we can and then we sauna for feelings yes?" looking to those packing. "I don't know if we can leave right away... even with your skills Aaren... is that advisable?" Releasing Aaren so they can continue.
Aaren
"It's safe to move them." Aaren sings, squezing Daina before she turns back to her pateints (more so people know she's focusing on them then because she needs to see them.) "As long as we can keep them laying down."
Daina
Daina nods "I think I can get the stretcher to follow after the cart... keep them on it, and I can probably get it to sedate them so they won't go moving and hurting themselves?"
Aaren
Aaren smiles. "Can they go at cart speed and keep their smooth walk? No need to sedate them, I've got that."
Slavina
Slavina rolls down the curtain leaf on the cart's door and curls herself up under a blanket in the corner. Once she's out of sight of the caravan crew, she lets herself freak out. Just very very quietly.
Daina
Daina nods a little bit and moves towards the head of the snake, she makes the required adjustments and then glances to Janin, nodding towards the cart, her hearing easily picking up even the most quiet of freak outs.
Fate
After a moment, Janin gets her meaning, then hops to it, wracking his brain for supportive things to do and/or say as he follows after Slavina.
And so, in the barely graying pre-dawn light, our heroes set off with the Keturi Vėjai Trading Company.