CH. 09 - A New Beginning

[GravityEmblem]

"Astute," Lillian says, smiling. "Unfortunately, Katya ended up leaving the group before we made it here...I do hope she's all right..."

[HorizonsDream]

"I am new here, so I was planning on introducing myself to everyone," Ladonna explains. "But I was looking for Master Sern, I believe his name was."

[Daos]

Ladonna Marche
"Oh, him?  Just go on in then.  His office is right across the hall," the acolyte tells her.  "I'm pretty sure he's in.  He usually is, anyway."

Lillian
"So she's not here?" Miranda asks.  "I'll have to make a note of that then.  One less mouth to feed.  I can recalculate the food budget.  Anyway, can I help you with something then?  Is Lady Escott happy with her accommodations?"

[GravityEmblem]

“She seemed satisfied,” Lillian explains. “I don’t doubt she’ll have some trouble adjusting, but I think she’s off to a good start.”

[HorizonsDream]

"Meeting him can wait," Ladonna says. "Meeting Councilwoman Winters sounds fun, if what I have heard about her is correct. Though, before she gets here, how should I address her?" She asks.

[Daos]

Ladonna Marche
"Her proper title is Sadduce," the acolyte explains, looking a bit confused.

The second acolyte returns, looking even more confused.  "Sadduce Winters has agreed to see you.  And, uh, seemed to be expecting you, in fact.  You may go in, it's the room to your right."

Stepping through the door and turning to the right, Ladonna comes to find an open door.  Inside is a large, richly decorated office.  A table and chair occupy the west end.  A comfortable looking couch sits close to the fireplace.  Tapestries of Gonto adorn the walls.  The whole place reeks of wealth and prestige, coming off even a bit intimidating for some.

At the desk is a woman, who stands when Ladonna enters.  The sadduce is a thin, almost cadaverous woman of 46 winters. Her face is long and narrow. Her hair lies straight and harsh across her brow. She stands about 5'9" tall.  Immediately, Ladonna recognizes her.  She's twenty years older, of course, but otherwise looks quite a bit like she did when they met in Buho in the past, back when she was still a kohen.

"Welcome, Ladonna Marche.  I see you made it back to your time in one piece after all," she says.



Lillian
"Good, good, glad to hear it," Foxmore says.  "Well...be sure to let me know if she needs anything."

[HorizonsDream]

Ladonna seems momentarily shocked upon seeing the old Kohen from Buho that helped them with their timeline issues. Her name didn't ring any bells with her when it was told to her, but in her mind it made sense because things were rather chaotic back then. "Sadduce Winters, this is very much a surprise," she admits. "How long have you been waiting for this meeting?" she asks curiously.

[Daos]

Ladonna Marche
"One could argue I've been waiting twenty years," Winters replies.  "But I've known of your arrival to Hart for a few weeks now.  I figured it would only be a matter of time before you sought me out.  I trust that, as you are here before me and Buho is one piece, the timeline has been fixed then, and everything worked out the way it was supposed to?"

[HorizonsDream]

"The overall timeline has been fixed," Ladonna says. "There have been a few minor changes more so in my family than anything else, but there is nothing that can be done about it now. I have accepted my fate, and providing that this adventure goes well, then I'm in the beginning of making things right."

[GravityEmblem]

“Of course,” Lillian agrees. “Anyway, I was told that you were a musician. That piqued my interested, seeing as I am a bard.”

[Daos]

Ladonna Marche
"Good," Winters says.  "The high priestess was quite concerned about the whole matter.  We never did learn how that doppelganger pulled the whole thing off, but there was great concern something like that could happen again.  In the past twenty years, we've worked on coming up with countermeasures against anyone disturbing the timeline again.  So hopefully, Gonto willing, it will never happen again."

Lillian
"Oh, I see," Foxmore replies.  "Yes, I was something of a traveling minstrel in my youth, before I settled down.  Started with street corner performances, moved up to inns and taverns, and before too long was performing for carnivals and even nobles.  I don't get to play as much as I used to these days--so busy--but now and again I'll put on a show for the locals, or foreign visitors or even the Solans on important occasions."

[HorizonsDream]

"Measures to prevent it from happening again?" Ladonna asks curiously. "How can you create measures like that when you don't know how it happened in the first place."

[GravityEmblem]

“What instrument do you play?” Lillian asks with a smile.

[Daos]

Ladonna Marche
"I can't really go into details, as it's all very top secret in the church," Winters explains. "But working together with priests and mages, we've come up with some magic that can detect when someone or something is from the wrong timeline.  We've also been working on refining the technique we used to send your consciousness forward, to make it safer and more reliable.  One never knows when such a thing might come in handy some day."

Lillian
Foxmore lists them off while ticking them off her fingers.  "The harp, the lute, the dulcimer, the bagpipe, and the pipe organ.  I'm also a singer, poet, and when I have the time, a bit of a painter, as well.  And yourself?" she asks.

[HorizonsDream]

"Come in handy?"Ladonna asks curiously. "Surely you don't believe in the idea of going back in time to change something, do you?" She asks.