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Post by GravityEmblem on Jan 29, 2022 6:42:20 GMT -8
The next day dawns on Deppsburg. Although the sun is shining, a feeling of dread fills the air, with the threat of Ozymandias lurking in the minds of Daos, Meine, and Qurrak. As a small comfort, Valerie is happy to go to the capital with them.
"It's just like my mother always told me," she says. "'Val, if someone does you a good turn, you stick with them. They just might do you another.'"
After breakfast, she goes to pack for the trip. Duke Tormenton approaches the three to say his goodbyes.
"Blackpool won't tell me all the details, but he assures me it's vital that the rogue nobles be returned to the capital to face justice," he says. "Until we meet again...thank you, Mister Soulstaff. Your encouragement, your advice, it's been invaluable. If...if after this matter is resolved, you would like to stay here and help to clean up the city, I would be happy to have you."
"You know what?" Meine says. "You're all right, Duke Tormenton. Sorry for knocking that tooth out."
He winces and taps his fake tooth. "Yes, I...accept your apology."
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Post by Daos on Jan 29, 2022 15:42:41 GMT -8
"We're glad to have you along," Daos says to Valerie.
To the duke, he says, "I may take you up on that, your grace. But if nothing else, I will return when I can to see the city's progress. I hope by then the gangs are a thing of the past. I'm just sorry other duties pull me away now."
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Post by GravityEmblem on Jan 31, 2022 6:15:31 GMT -8
Duke Tormenton smiles. "Well, I forgive you, on account of this being the mission that you were officially sent here for in the first place! Worry not. I believe Blackpool to be a capable and trustworthy man."
The General's soldiers hand off the captives by the city gate. Lenkinshire and Cryfold are shackled together, and the latter is gagged. She looks...annoyed. Not seething with rage, or resigned to her fate. Annoyed. Lenkinshire, meanwhile, is taking deep breaths to stay calm.
Daos, Meine, and Qurrak pass through the gate, walking by the guards they had to intimidate to gain access. They shudder with each of Qurrak's steps.
"Well, once Valerie gets here, I guess we'd better start walking," Meine muses. Lenkinshire starts sputtering.
"Do you intend for us to walk all the way to the capital?!" he stammers.
"Buddy, you're lucky to be getting out of execution," she retorts. "You can handle a little walking." He promptly shuts up.
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Post by Daos on Jan 31, 2022 15:26:19 GMT -8
While they wait for Valerie, Daos quietly looks over Cryfold, trying to get a bead on her mindset. Does she seem frustrated that she was caught, or is it more like annoyance from a mild setback, like she expects to be free again soon?
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Insight NwQisHL61d20+6 1d20+6
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Post by GravityEmblem on Jan 31, 2022 16:31:56 GMT -8
Daos can easily tell the source of the frustration. Cryfold desperately wants to speak with him, but is prevented from doing so by the gag. Her annoyance is with him, personally--and...for his sake? Perhaps, as he theorized, she may be cooperative after all...
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Post by Daos on Jan 31, 2022 20:24:13 GMT -8
Daos mentally notes this for later. He does not wish to remove her gag now, but will wait until they are on the road. As he can't control what she might say, it's better until they are somewhere more private.
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Post by GravityEmblem on Feb 1, 2022 5:42:50 GMT -8
A short while later, Valerie comes running through the city gates, carrying a pack. Over her leather armor, she wears a bright scarlet cloak, and a hat of similar shade sits atop her ginger hair.
"I'm..." she pants. "Ready...to go! Whenever you are!"
"Elsh, did you run all the way here?" Meine asks.
"Oh, no, I walked some of the way, then broke into a run when the gate was in sight...sorry, I was...excited," Val explains.
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Post by Daos on Feb 1, 2022 16:58:27 GMT -8
Daos smiles to Val. "Glad to have you with us." He turns to the others. "Shall we be off then?"
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Post by GravityEmblem on Feb 2, 2022 5:32:06 GMT -8
Meine nods, and the six--Daos and Qurrak, Meine and Valerie, Lenkinshire and Cryfold--set off on the road to Foccupolis.
For almost half an hour, the trip is silent save for the Count grumbling quietly about gravel in his shoes. Then, Valerie speaks up.
"So, how did you two meet? And how long have you been together?" she asks.
"Oh, we're not dating," Meine answers, without a hint of irritation or embarrassment.
"What? No, no, I meant...adventuring together!" Val amends, red in the face.
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Post by Daos on Feb 2, 2022 15:03:51 GMT -8
"I guess you could say, the king introduced us," Daos answers cryptically, with slight amusement. "We met at his breakfast table." After a bit of thought, he adds, "Hard to believe that was just a week ago." And just a little over two weeks since he first arrived in Ren. He marveled silently a bit at just how much had happened in such a short amount of time.
While the women talk, he turns his attention to Cryfold. If he removed her gag, would she immediately expose herself as a member of the Night's Breath, ending her own life? That was his primary concern, but based on what Lenkenshire told him, she seems pretty concerned about her own well-being. Not exactly the sacrificing type. Should he take that risk? Maybe it was safer to wait until they were back in the capitol, and anything she felt she needed to say could be told to Serpentine and the king. But maybe there was a risk in waiting, too.
Mentally, he goes back and forth on this for awhile, but ultimately decides to trust his own instincts. He reaches over and unties her gag, then says, "I'm trusting you not to detonate your head now."
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Post by GravityEmblem on Feb 2, 2022 15:13:43 GMT -8
Daos is vaguely aware of Meine regaling the story to Valerie, and Valerie becoming shocked at being in the presence of a princess. But his focus is on Countess Cryfold, the prisoner.
She rolls her eyes at his remark. "I'm not geassed, you know. That's only for the Agents--the actual assassins. My duty was to find clients for the Night's Breath, and it's hard to do that if you can't even mention the name without dying."
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Post by Daos on Feb 2, 2022 15:35:25 GMT -8
"And you did this for, what? Money? Power?" Daos asks coolly.
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Post by GravityEmblem on Feb 3, 2022 5:57:48 GMT -8
"Yes," she answers, just as coolly. "I received a sizable commission on each contract, and enjoyed the privilege of using the Breath's services for free. Under its hand, my influence has grown and my domain has prospered--along with all of Foccu." She smiles--a cruel, small smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Really, the king ought to be thanking me."
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Post by Daos on Feb 3, 2022 15:11:38 GMT -8
"I imagine he wouldn't feel particularly grateful if you had successfully completed your most recent job, what with the barrier being down and the kingdom being destroyed," Daos remarks. "Money and power don't mean much at all when a horde of demons are razing everything around you."
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Post by GravityEmblem on Feb 3, 2022 16:36:18 GMT -8
"I was prepared to reject the job without a second thought, except for a specific Night's Breath doctrine: all contracts targeting an advisor to Foccu must be taken," she says, seething with anger. "And, like a fool, I decided to consult our leader, the Mistress, and see what she thought. She formulated a half-witted scheme to steal the Barrier's instructions and cast it herself, becoming a hero to Foccu. I didn't dare question her twice in one day." Cryfold growls. "She's one of the three people--four, really. I must blame myself, too-- responsible for my plight. And it is she who I would like the most to suffer."
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