CH. 16 - To Catch a Killer

[GravityEmblem]

Lillian smiles. "Well, I suppose I shall have to take that advice to heart!" she says, a lot more mirthfully than normal. "I didn't know you were ever a slave. What's your story?"

[Daos]

Bula shrugs.  "Well, it's not something I like talking about.  And back when you, Ladonna, Ryan, Katya and the others would go adventuring, you tended not to ask me along, so we never got a chance to talk much."  She absently wipes down a glass and sets it aside.  "It's kind of a long story, but the short version is, I was born into slavery, in a work camp back west.  We were put into mines.  The reasoning was that orcs were better suited to underground environments.  There were also goblins and hobgoblins there, as well as a few bugbears and half-ogres, too.  For the most part, I was resigned to my fate.  But when I realized I was pregnant, something inside me snapped.  I knew I didn't want my kid living the same life as me.  So we banded together and escaped.  Gratt and I made our way here, opened this tavern, and have lived here ever since."

She adds, "But keep all that under your hat, yeah?  I'm still technically a wanted person back west, after all."

[HorizonsDream]

Ladonna looks through the armor to see if there is anything unusual about it, and even looks for a trick door in the chest because in her mind there isn't a reason to trap a chest like that. "Oskibar, is it safe to move him?" she asks.

[Daos]

As far as Ladonna can tell, there is nothing unusual about the armor, save that it is mismatched.  But then again, she is hardly an expert on armor, as she never wears it herself.  Searching the chest deeper, she does find a hidden compartment.  It contains a single dagger, bloodstained.  It also contains a ruby necklace, likely worth quite a bit of gold.

"Yeah, should be safe," Oskibor replies.

[GravityEmblem]

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," Lillian assures.

[Daos]

"I appreciate that, thanks," Bula says.  She then busies herself wiping down the bar.

[GravityEmblem]

Lillian finishes her drink. Feeling much more self-assured, she decides to meet with Finbul and his parents, after all.

[HorizonsDream]

Ladonna pulls out the dagger and the ruby necklace, and shows them to Jherek's mom. "It isn't looking good for you son," she says. She tucks away both the necklace and the dagger before she moves over to Tavos to help him up with the help of Oskibar. "Let's get him to the inn, and we need to find Finbul."

[Daos]

Ladonna
"Whoa, hold on a second!" Thessila objects.  "I said you could search the room, not that you could take anything in it!  Those items don't belong to you.  And they don't prove anything.  My son is a warrior, of course he has weapons and armor."

Lillian
Lillian returns to the Waelnod ranch where the Pander family lives and serves Mereida and until recently, Katya.  Knocking at the front door, Ninda is the one to answer again.  "Oh, it's you again," she says blithely.  "Are you here to report your progress to Ser Waelnod?"

[GravityEmblem]

"Of course," Lillian lies. "Though I fear there is little to tell."

[Daos]

Ninda steps aside.  "She's in her room still.  Try not to upset her this time, her health isn't what it used to be."

[HorizonsDream]

"It is completely normal to trap a chest that looks like it is holding nothing but mismatched armor, only to learn there is a hidden compartment inside with a bloody dagger and a ruby necklace?" she asks curiously. "Every warrior I have traveled with takes meticulous care of their weapons so that they remain clean." She pulls out the dagger again, and shows it to the woman. "This dagger is clearly not clean, and that is clearly blood," she points out. "And the fact of the matter is, I was sent on an investigation from the Count in Hart. This is evidence," she says. "The necklace is evidence too."

[Daos]

"I knew you were a liar!" Thessila says.  "You were never trying to prove Jherek's innocence.  I will report this to the council!"

[HorizonsDream]

"I can't prove innocence when proof of guilt is right in front of me," Ladonna says. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have more important matters to attend to," she says as she moves to help Tavos. "We'll take him to the church, and then I will find Finbul," she tells Oskibar.

[GravityEmblem]

Lillian greets Ser Waelnod respectfully and explains, "The Barone, the one that wanted to find Jherek? He doesn't care about your daughter at all. It will be easy to convince him to let her go free."