|
Post by HorizonsDream on Apr 27, 2018 13:13:08 GMT -8
"I don't believe so," Ladonna says as she looks around the room. "I had plans on informing Ethen about his brother, or at least some of the details so that he can have some closure when it comes to his brother."
|
|
|
Post by Nuke on Apr 28, 2018 5:54:05 GMT -8
"I see. In any case, I'm impressed you faced an ogre in single combat and defeated him without any help at all. That's a difficult feat for a veteran, and as far as I knew, you had no formal weapons training at all," Walls says. "Perhaps that should change, though. You might want to consider training here with the militia. Maybe you can teach my watch boys a few things." She adds, "As far as the ogres, I'm not sure how that will play out. Ogres tend to value strength above all else. Knowing that one of their own was killed may anger them. Or they may dismiss this Thul as being weak and deserving of death. In any case, if they do seek vengeance, they may well blame the Bloody Spear for his death, not us. For now, we'll just have to wait and see how things play out. But I think we're in the clear, at least for now. Unless anyone else has anything further to add?" "Well, it prolly helped that Thul couldn't really see all that well." Ryan finally comments.
|
|
|
Post by Ezeze on Apr 28, 2018 7:06:26 GMT -8
Katya inclines her head in agreement with Ryan's words.
"'Without any help at all' is an overstatement. Acolyte McIntyre used a light spell to blind the thing, Acolyte Glun had healed what would have otherwise been a mortal wound against me only a few hours before, and even a veteran of a hundred wars might not have a blade as fine as the one Caerlon forged. Which reminds me, I should see him. He'd want to know what his sword accomplished."
"I would be open to formal training, though. If the offer still stands."
|
|
|
Post by Daos on Apr 28, 2018 8:37:07 GMT -8
Walls nods. "Even better. Teamwork is an important virtue. And clearly, Gonto was watching out for you all. And of course, the offer still stands. Assuming your mother does not object," she adds after a bit of afterthought.
One of the watch brings in a hot shepherd pie which the party splits among themselves, and after getting a few more details, the reeve dismisses the party to return to their families and get some rest.
|
|
|
Post by HorizonsDream on Apr 28, 2018 12:31:05 GMT -8
Before heading home, Ladonna makes a trip to Ethen's place.
|
|
|
Post by GravityEmblem on Apr 28, 2018 14:40:14 GMT -8
Lillian arrives back at the inn, briefly greets the innkeeper, and plops into bed first thing after putting up her equipment.
|
|
|
Post by notARobot on Apr 28, 2018 18:57:52 GMT -8
After the group enjoys the first hot supper they've had in days, and the reeve dismisses them, Theronymous lingers around until all of the others have left. "Ser Walls," he begins, once he's sure he has a private audience with her. "I'm not sure if...maybe it's nothing, but...Finbul was acting quite peculiar throughout our journey -- peculiar even by his standards, I mean. The whole way over to the goblin hideout, he kept going on about how the land on which Buho rests rightfully belonged to the goblins, and how wrong it was for us to be interfering. I guess that's pretty normal for Mr. Padner, but it felt like...it almost seemed like the only reason he'd joined us on this mission was to try to dissuade the rest of us from completing it."
"Then, after we captured the goblin chieftain and began making our way back, I noticed Finbul grew increasingly withdrawn and belligerent. He nearly came to blows with me and another fellow on more than one occasion, over the slightest of provocations. And one night, when I got up to use the bathroom during Finbul's watch shift, I spotted him kneeling beside our goblin captive, Brakk-Ni. They were speaking quietly to each other, whispering too low for me to make out what they were saying -- but it's possible they may have been plotting something. I- I don't know what to make of any of this, Ser Walls...I just thought you'd want to know. Maybe keep an eye on him?"
A few minutes later, Theron exits the barracks and makes his way to Aunt Gilly's house. He crawls into the warm, snug bed he's missed so dearly and sleeps the best sleep of his life.
|
|
|
Post by Daos on Apr 28, 2018 19:07:56 GMT -8
Ladonna (Benton Home)Ladonna finds Ethen at home, drunk as usual. He seems surprised to have any visitors at this hour. "Somethin' I can help you with, Miss Marche?" he asks. Theron (Barracks, Walls' Office)
Walls nods. "Such rhetoric is common from Mister Padner. I wouldn't pay it any mind. I suspect he enjoys the scandal and attention his words create."
"Unless you are making a formal accusation against him, there's little I can do," Walls says. "If you are making a formal accusation, then I hope you have some kind of evidence to back up your words for the trial. As I don't believe the hearsay of a suspected thief will do much to sway the council, Mister Wiggledigit." She clears her throat. "You know, we never did find that bracelet that went missing--the one that the victim accused you of stealing? I would think you of all people would be more cautious about making accusations without the proof to back them up..."
|
|
|
Post by notARobot on Apr 28, 2018 19:19:22 GMT -8
Theron's face immediately scrunches up into a hurt, offended expression when the reeve calls him a 'suspected thief'. "The bracelet fiasco? Yeah, there's a good reason why that thing never turned up -- Buho's finest were questioning the wrong guy!"
He takes a moment to calm himself, and lowers his tone of voice back down to a normal, conversational level. "Look, I'm not accusing anybody of anything. I only stuck around to tell you about what I saw, because I figured you take your duty to protect Buho seriously, and I thought all that stuff about Finbul might be relevant to Buho's security. If I was mistaken about either of those things -- well, I sincerely apologize for my error, Ser." Theron gives the reeve a deep, formal bow, then departs without once meeting her eyes.
|
|
|
Post by HorizonsDream on Apr 28, 2018 21:02:42 GMT -8
"I am sorry to bother you," Ladonaa says. "But I found something that I think that you would like to have." Ladonna fishes out the ring she took from Ethen's brother, and holds it out to the drunk man.
|
|
|
Post by Daos on Apr 29, 2018 11:05:04 GMT -8
Ladonna (Benton Home)"This is highly irregular, Miss Marche," Ethen says, wobbling a bit even while standing still. "Now, I'm flattered, to be sure, but if you're looking for a husband, this should be arranged through your parents, not--" He stops short upon giving the ring a closer look. Suddenly sobering up, he snatches the ring from her hand and brings it up close to his face, inspecting it carefully. "No...this is...it can't be...but how?" He looks at her, wide-eyed in shock. Theron (Barracks, Walls' Office)"So you say," Walls says. "And the reason you are not currently sitting in jail is because there was no proof behind the accusation. That is because we live in a society of laws, and crimes are punished based on evidence, not hearsay." At this, Walls narrows her eyes. "You can question my dedication to the safety of this town, if you like. But I'll remind you that it was I who released you from jail because there was no evidence against you. I would hope that should be enough to prove my commitment not only to the people of this town, but to the rule of law, as well. If any of what you have said is true, it should be very easy to verify. Your party consisted of the son of a councilman, the daughter of the sergeant of the guard, and two different acolytes of Gonto. And yet, none of them thought to bring up Mister Padner's alleged treason. Only you did, and only in private. Have them agree to testify to the truth of your accusations, and you have a case to have Mister Padner arrested. Otherwise, you are only spreading rumors and wasting my time and should drop this immediately. Do I make myself perfectly clear, Mister Wiggledigit?"
|
|
|
Post by Ezeze on Apr 29, 2018 11:10:18 GMT -8
Katya's night is a great deal less restful, and less glamorous, than that of the rest of the fellowship. With a bit of food in her she goes to the inn, collects her mother, Oliver and the farm hands then returns to the ranch and spends a few hours mucking out the stables.
The horses were not slaughtered by an encroaching goblin army, but they had still spent nearly a week accumulating waste at their feet. The stable would need thorough cleaning over the next few days, but tonight a good sweeping for the floor, a cursory brushig and a bit of time to run around in the yard will make things easier on the horses.
Once that is taken care of Katya collapses into bed, her own bath put off until tomorrow.
|
|
|
Post by notARobot on Apr 29, 2018 11:33:29 GMT -8
"Sure, sure. We're clear," Theron says to the reeve before bowing and leaving.
|
|
|
Post by HorizonsDream on Apr 29, 2018 13:13:03 GMT -8
Ladonna tries not to laugh in Ethen's face at the idea that she was looking to marry him, but she manages to hold it back as this is supposed to be more of a serious moment to bring closer to Ethen. "As you know, I was apart of the group that was sent out to try to stop the goblin army from attacking us again," she explains. "During our travels, we came across what once looked like a mini battlefield between humans and goblins. It seems that both sides fought until the bitter end, and this ring was on one of the bodies," she explains. "We took the time to bury them properly, but I thought that you would like to have this," she explains. "I'm of the opinion that while your brother passed on, he fought bravely until the end for you and for Buho."
|
|
|
Post by Daos on Apr 29, 2018 14:01:42 GMT -8
"Davion..," Ethen whispers, as tears begin to flow freely. "So it's true, he's dead...I mean, of course he is. It's been twenty years, but...well, at least I know for sure now." He clasps the ring tightly in his hand, and wipes his tears with his other hand. "Thank you...thank you so much. I'll speak to the kohen first thing in the morning. Set up a funeral for him, and his men." He walks over to a nearby table, where a dozen or so bottles (mostly empty) stand. He reaches for one with some liquid still in it, almost instinctively. But as he lifts the opening to his mouth, he pauses and then instead, puts the bottle back down.
He turns back to her. "If there's anything I can ever do to repay you, just say the word. I'll forever be in your debt for this, Miss Marche. I swear to Gonto."
|
|